Page 91 - Vegan Life - Issue 59 (February 2020)

based. He did and now his Prostate-
Specific Antigen (PSA) levels are normal.
Having seen first-hand how switching to a
plant-based diet can save lives, I want to
promote good health for people and alert
them to all the evidence that is out there.
There is no need to filter your nutrients
through dead animals that contain
antibiotics and hormones. If I can present
the information with love, compassion and
non-judgement, whether someone takes it
or not, my work is done.”
A final thought for anyone reading
about your journey?
“To me there is nothing more
damaging to your soul than living a life
that doesn’t line up with your morals and
values. It is only in the last few years that
I have fully accepted and dealt with the
loss of my mum. Mum was my best friend
Brigade and as the vegan firefighter in to do a teacher training course so I could and I am just so grateful that I had her
the Kellogg’s Be A #ForceOfNature TV incorporate it into my PT work so I travelled in my life for 22 years. Life is a miracle,
campaign. But before the cameras found to Rishikesh, India, the home of yoga.” however long we are on this Earth.”
him he served as a dedicated firefighter for “In yoga, Yamas are the five moral and “If you look at a meat-based diet it
13 years, attending two of the UK’s largest ethical guidelines to control the behaviour, comes from fear, pain and terror — you are
incidents of that time, the Croydon tram words, thoughts, actions and desires of literally eating death, compared to a diet
crash and in 2017, the Grenfell Tower fire. a person, to prepare a strong foundation based on peace and calm and compassion.
A flicker of a shadow crosses his face for yoga sadhana. Ahimsa is part of Yamas I like to believe that if I brought a little
as he talks. and is the practice of non-violence. A is calf or piglet to someone and let them
“We arrived eight hours in and the Abstinence from animal products, H is connect, one warm-blooded sentient
heat was so intense. Our role was to search Harmlessness with reverence for life, I is being to another, then gave them the
and rescue, to identify the locations of Integrity of word, thought and deed, M is choice to spare its life by not eating meat
victims found and report back on the Mastery of self, S is Service to humanity for that day, that 95 per cent of people
extent of the fire internally. The following and creation and A is Advancement of would agree. If I then went back and did
day we went back again to recover the understanding in truth. So for me that is the same thing again the next day and the
bodies of the victims. What I witnessed will veganism. Veganism is Ahimsa.” day ater that, people would make that
stay with me for my life. I sufered PTSD, So what is the new book about? connection and that compassion would
depression and anxiety ater that and it “The Fit Vegan is about how fitness filter through.”
opened the floodgates for everything else and veganism go together like salt and With a flash of a smile Edric heads of
that had happened in my life. I was always pepper, and is the kind of guide I wished into the night, but his parting words hang
uncomfortable with being considered an I had at the start of my journey. When in the air long ater he has gone.
automatic hero whenever I turned up to a I found veganism having been such a “The best any of us can do? Be the
call out, but the one thing that I am proud meathead, the first thing I wanted to do was change that you want to see in others in
to have been a part of is the fact that any share it with people. My transition was so this world.” ■
firefighter will risk their life to save yours. instant. For the first couple of months I felt
It was an honour to serve alongside these this level of enlightenment. I felt pure and For more from Edric head to edrickm.com
extraordinary men and women.” clean and the subconscious guilt had gone.”
As a result of the ITV documentary, Not long ater Edric went plant-based Follow Maria’s photography journey
Edric was ofered a publishing deal and his he quit the gym and for one year, only did at mariasloughphotography.com
first book, Into The Fire, was published in cardio exercise. and Instagram at
2018. He resigned from the brigade, feeling “I got back to the size I was before @mariasloughphotography
it was the perfect choice to enable him to I started training to prove the point about
impact people’s lives for the better on a plant-based proteins. I felt healthier going
daily basis, through his work as a plant- back into training, stronger and faster.
based personal trainer. I get a lot of enquiries about what I eat to
“Ater Grenfell when I was sufering get the results I do and I am able to say
from depression, the only time I found truthfully — just plants.”
peace and stillness was when I practiced “My dad was diagnosed with prostate
yoga. If I didn’t go to class my mind cancer a few years ago and he asked my
would become fraught again and the advice on nutrition. I told him before
depression would creep back in. I wanted undergoing chemo he should go plant-

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