97-year-old Anne Fraser, who turned vegan at the age of 96, has said the change to a vegan diet has left her feeling “wonderful”.
After turning vegan shortly before her 96th birthday, Mrs Fraser said that she could never go back to eating animal products.
The change was sparked after she watched the acclaimed documentary What the Health, which has also helped to turn other people plant-based such as Lewis Hamilton and James Arthur.
During the week, she keeps active by walking every day, practising yoga and by seeing a personal trainer twice a week.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Mrs Fraser said: “I feel wonderful. I have more energy, I feel lighter and less inflamed, my skin is more clear and I’m moving around better.
“I definitely think it’s keeping me healthier as I age.”
“I had recently been diagnosed with Afib [irregular heartbeat], put on a medication and was feeling miserable. I thought I’d have nothing to lose by giving it a shot. A few weeks later my Afib went away,” she said.
“I usually get a bad cold in the winter but not this last one,” she said.
Her granddaughter, Maggie Bauman, said that the change had given her grandmother a “new zest for life”.
“Since going vegan she has more energy and wants to do things and make plans for the future. She is truly thriving on a vegan diet and it’s so inspiring to see,” said the 28-year-old, who runs a restaurant and is also vegan.
Asked if she could ever ditch the diet, she said: “Never. Since learning about the ethical and environmental benefits of a vegan diet, I could never go back.”
“I want the future generations to have a healthy planet and after learning about the impact animal agriculture has, I felt it was my duty to adopt a vegan diet and encourage others to as well,” she added.
“I would say to any skeptics to be open minded and do your research. There is so much misinformation out there and you must consider the source and their conflicts of interest. Ask yourself why you are skeptical. Reflect on why you eat the foods you do.
“One thing I want people to know is that there is a vegan version of everything.”
Mrs Fraser now maintains an Instagram page with over 18,000 followers, that aims to inspire others to go vegan.
Veganism has become one of the fastest growing trends, with Compare the Market estimating that there are approximately 3 million vegans in the UK alone.