I have a question????

Question

I am pretty new to this site and from what I read on the forum alot of people on here are saying how hard it is for them to go vegan. Now this is just my opinion but if you really want to do something then it shouldn't be that hard for you to do. I mean for me I went from eating meat, cheese, drinking milk one day and the next day completely cut out all animal products and biproducts from my diet. It was all or nothing. I didn't do the whole vegetarian transition stage, and I just don't understand it. If you want to be vegan go vegan, if not then you shouldn't say how hard it is because the just gives people who could be vegan the wrong impression about the lifestyle. It is a great way to live and is not hard if it is really what you want to do. GO VEGAN!

green07 · Answer

The fact that you have no personal understanding of an issue, doesn't invalidate its existance for another individual.  Someone who weighs 400 pounds may genuinely desire to lose weight but find it difficult.  That is not necessarily an indicator that they have no true desire to lose weight.  In a food culture fueled by both meat and dairy subsidies we are all going against the tide of established norms when we embrace any form of vegetarianism.  Veganism can be made more difficult by living in a rural area, living with children or a spouse who may have a different dietary outlook, or unfamiliarity with a broader spectrum of vegan food choices. Since this was obviously an easy transition for you, then share what factors made it easy, or your favorite recipes or restaraunts.  But let's all strive for tolerance and support for anyone willing to look outside the standard American Diet in an effort to make better choices for themselves and the enviroment.

Tatiana · Answer

Wow green, very well said.

toxiegirll · Answer

I'm just saying that with so many people on here saying how hard it is to be Vegan, that makes it sound negative to those who are wanting to live that lifestyle.

toxiegirll · Answer

Also i posted that to inspire people not to insult people.

Healthy · Answer

Toxiegirll, I understand what you are saying, and I do agree that being vegan is easy once you understand how to do it the right way without getting headaches and feeling tired all the time (and it's a lot easier/cheaper than raw vegan) ... I was meat-free for 20 years and anti-animal testing for 10 before going all the vegan way giving up milk, cheese and eggs, as well as my leather goods, about 1 month ago.

Like Green said, it's not always an easy transition for everyone. 

And I think one of the reasons it took me so long to become vegan is because many people in the vegan community (and in my visit to PETA) are so judgemental, sometimes it makes you feel belittled, like "I can never do this!" At least that's how I felt, subconsciously.

It wasn't until I read "Animal Liberation" that I decided to go full force. That book was written in the 1970s and it was written with respect and consideration, that it may not be easy to do it all at once. The author wasn't a nazi vegan who made it sound so "all or nothing" -- he had compassion for people who were not quite ready. 

And THAT is what made me change my mind ... because there was a vegan out there who understood and wasn't pointing the finger at me, judging me. 

Not saying that you are doing this, but over the internet it's easy to misunderstand the point people are trying to get across. 

Sometimes in my pre-vegan days I was so insulted by vegans on the internet, I went into a shock of sorts by the nasty comments. One male went as far as saying "I hate you!" because I admitted to eating cheese (hey, at least I was honest!)  

Now, take into consideration I am an older woman in my 40s. I could have been his aunt!! Would you tell your aunt, or your mom or even your grandmother, "I hate you" because she eats meat? (Please, get a life, dude!!LOL!) 

Because of the nasty/judging comments, I still ate non-vegan. And it sure didn't do the animals any good. Guess I was subconsciously protesting ...

So, yes, I agree with you, it's easy once you decide to do it and your enthusiasm is great ... but let's respect and support those who are having a harder time. 

I believe that is what we are put on earth for.

green07 · Answer

I have over the years(12) rotated periods of veganism and vegetarianism.  During this time I have made an effort to utilize local farmers' markets and worked with community supported agriculture projects because I consider the environmental and economic costs of transporting our food over long distances vs. locally grown or produced, to be an important "healthy planet" component. I sometimes become ambivalent when I begin reading the labels of vegan (non-whole food products).  I wonder how the products are produced and whether the overall impact of factory production could be more detrimental than a local small farmer's dairy products.  I am a health professional and I believe that a vegan diet is the most healthy personal choice.  But I don't consider my personal health the only issue  at hand.  Does anyone struggle with this same dilemma?

JohnnySensible · Answer

Become sensible - sensible people simply do not ingest cow juice which has been sucked from tortured cows whose little brothers have been "chopped up" / kept in veal crates. This is www.HappyCow.net - where we focus on the happiness of cows. If you are a "cow juice addict" do yourself & the cows a big favor - get support / help now to quickly kick your dangerous habit.

Healthy · Answer

I agree Johnny, but it's sad that most people aren't sensible. You can talk to some until you're blue in the face and they just don't get it. Or they'll walk away from you because they don't want to hear it -- that's what they do to me in work, and I'm not even a preaching type!! They'll ask me, because I'm thin (that's another rant, it's always about getting thin, not about the poor animals) then I start explaining, you can start by doing this or that ... they'll moan, "It's too hard" and walk away, not interested :(

green07 · Answer

Did I state that I was a milk addict?  I thought my question was regarding the overall(human and environmental) impact of one type of food production vs. another - a small organic farm vs. a factory produced soy product with additives from origins that can't be identified.  Your dismissal indicates a pretty narrow definition of sensible.

JohnnySensible · Answer

Hey "green07" - my post was not personal to you - it was written purely for the benefit of cows - J

Healthy · Answer

I wasn't insulting Green07 either ... I was talking about people at work.

green07 · Answer

My apologies for misunderstanding. I do, however, feel part of a collective humanity that may have knowledge in one area and extreme ignorance and subsequent poor decision making in another. So, it is never a great mystery when I encounter those completely opposed to vegetarianism.  For  U.S. residents, a change in diet may involve the psychological divorcing of 12+ years of acquired misinformation about what constitues "healthy". If someone says it's too hard, they are probably(right or wrong) just giving an honest answer for that moment.

Tatiana · Answer

Green,

Tell me about it, getting people to change their eating habits is VERY hard, and it's what I do for a living, lol.

Healthy · Answer

Green, exactly! Here's some of my pet peeve misinformation I deal with on a semi-regular basis: the protein myth; people who are bent on "fat free" and don't understand that chemicals, sugar, additives, etc. are so bad; people who insist we are carnivores; and worse of all people who think I'm "depriving" myself ... if people only knew how much fun I have eating vegan: raw "ice cream"; raw fudge; brown rice with incredibly vegan sugar-free pasta sauce; ice cold rice milk; canteloupe/raspberry juice; to name a few :)

Tatiana: Are you a nutritionist? :)

Tatiana · Answer

healthy - yep, I'm a Registered Dietitian ^_^

Healthy · Answer

:D

That's very rewarding!

vesalius123 · Answer

I agree with toxiegirll. If you become vegetarian/vegan because you cannot watch animals go through suffering leading to an untimely death then there should be no attraction to meat-eating and thus if there is no attraction to the food then giving it up should be easy and not mean you have a longing to eat animal flesh.

vesalius123 · Answer

A note on what Johnnysensible said earlier. It depends on what kind of milk you get. if you get raw milk they cannot operate large farms and their amount of cruelty is less. also if you do buy from local raw farmers they dont tend to waste their time on veal, instead many farmers i know use the male cows as studs and increase the wealth of their farm. but of course you have to do significant reseasrch into which farms are acceptable.

pekmez · Answer

Healthy: "and I do agree that being vegan is easy once you understand how to do it the right way without getting headaches and feeling tired all the time"

So what is the right way, I dont have headaches, thank you God, but I do feel tired all the time? I thought it was from being vegeterian/vegan. Now I know. So can you help please! Thank you.

I can understand Toxiegirl, cause I went vegeterian for instant.

Stig · Answer

Hey vesalius123,

I have a big issue with "increase the wealth of their farm", you seem to be supportive of this?

It would be wonderful if the days of animal farming were numbered, animal farming is extremely damaging to the environment & to the mental well-being of everyone involved in it. 

It is also a fully inefficient way of using land / resources.

Stig · Answer

Hi pekmez,

A few "raw" weeks here in China & some good massage - herbal treatments - acupuncture might really help to boost your energy levels. Look after yourself well. I aappreciate what you write in your posts.

pekmez · Answer

Wow, thnk you Stig very much, quite a compliment. Eh far is China. And Im not so sure about acupuncture. Ithink I am tense so this stuff can help im sure, just how to get to them. Can handle few raw weeks. Thank you for advices, and thank you for wishing well, I do too to you. Rarely you get this kind of apreciation - ifIspellitright - on the internet. So you have been reading my other posts. Thank you again. But, I would like an answer from mister or miss Healthy, cause she said she felt like me and got through it, cause im not so much in real chance to do some of your advices. Stig, its gonna be nice talking to you again. Take care.

vesalius123 · Answer

No I am not necessarily in supprot of this. all that phrase means is that it is in their best interests.

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