El Podcast

E14: I Was Vegan for 18 Years — Here’s Why I Finally Quit

Episode Summary

After 18 years as a vegetarian, Ky Primo shares the emotional and physical toll it took on her body—including hair loss, fatigue, and depression. Triggered by a PETA flyer in college, she embraced plant-based eating for ethical reasons but later discovered the diet left her severely protein-deficient. This candid conversation explores food guilt, body image, diet fads, and the power of listening to your body over dogma.

Episode Notes

After 18 years as a vegetarian, co-host Ky Primo opens up about the emotional, physical, and cultural journey that led her back to eating meat—and the personal lessons learned along the way.

Guest Bios:

• Ky Primo is a co-host of El Podcast and a former 18-year vegetarian. She is a bodywork practitioner and advocate for intuitive, balanced living.
• Jesse Wright is the co-host of El Podcast and holds a Master's in Health and Human Performance. A former personal trainer and bodybuilder, he brings a critical lens to mainstream health trends and nutritional advice.

Topics Discussed:

• Ky’s transition from omnivore to strict vegan at 18, influenced by PETA and college activism
• Physical consequences of long-term vegetarianism and extreme dieting (e.g. hair loss, fatigue, mood swings)
• Misconceptions around plant-based diets, protein needs, and health outcomes
• Influence of food propaganda, marketing, and “healthy eating” culture
• The stress-disease connection and the importance of intuitive eating
• Cultural insights from growing up in the Philippines versus diet culture in the U.S.
• Reflections on guilt, body image, and self-judgment related to food
• Critiques of organic food labeling and greenwashing in the health industry

3 Best Quotes:

• “The first emotion I clearly remember after seeing that PETA flyer was guilt.” – Ky Primo
• “My body wanted the meat so bad. The moment I had it again, the hair loss stopped.” – Ky Primo
• “Stress is more damaging than most foods. People are getting sick not from what they eat, but from how they feel about what they eat.” – Jesse Wright

📺Watch this full pod on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/sSiuFX84m9Y?si=mRh6iwxWPPZ1Hr0j