About Vegan Villa

Vegan Villa is owned and operated by David Sheppard. Several years ago I was forced because of illness to revert to a vegan diet. I have what is known as ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis /Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). Among my many debilitating symptoms is a crippling arthritis that threatened to confine me to a wheelchair. Quite by accident and over a number of years, I discovered that the vegan diet eliminated all the arthritic symptoms. It also eliminated many other symptoms, e.g., restless leg syndrome, minor brain seizures, fever blisters, etc. I was an avid meat eater, and this came as very sorry news.

I struggled with the diet for years, never quite believing it could be as good for me as it seemed. But generally, I now never go off the vegan diet, not even on special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Of course the vegan diet comes with a whole set of social problems when I'm around other people, but generally my family has been supportive and provides dishes compatible with my needs when I attend their gatherings and celebrations.

I'm not a vegan by philosophy but necessity, so I don't struggle over the moral implications of what I eat. Turns out my body won't tolerate anything with an animal source, so even things like honey are out of the question. I'm generally more strict about the diet than the most strict philosophical vegans. Over the years I've found a few vegan ingredients that are indispensable to me, and I've even developed a few recipes that I thought would be worth sharing.

Thus the website.

David Sheppard