Any Successfully Converted Vegans / Vegetarians ?

[orville]

eggs ... I won't give them up as a source of protein and fat

Neither I, especially those present right below the human penis. They provide me with so delicious protein. Quite expensive sometimes though.

[RealAvalon]

Neither I, especially those present right below the human penis. They provide me with so delicious protein. Quite expensive sometimes though.

Right. Maybe I'm not a complete vegan ...

[orville]

Right. Maybe I'm not a complete vegan ...

 

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It's animal protein! ?

The purists could even call us cannibals

I can't think of another species capable of eating sperm ?

On the brighter side, we are helping to control overpopulation ?

Edited August 6, 2020 by orville

[MidwestCoastal]

Anyways watch the old Forks Over Knives on a streaming service. And/or stream The Gamechangers for a more updated take on the whole thing. And if you don’t want to, don’t!! I’m not trying to do conversion therapy on anybody.

 

Game Changer on Netflix made me a 98% convert to veganism... I leave myself open to having a grass-fed, free range steak in the future, but I don't miss animal protein after almost 5 months on the vegan train. (Beyond Burgers/Meat... AMAZING!) Chicken, turkey, even pork, I think are rather bland meats anyway. The spices and preparation often make those meats delicious. Those same spices can make tempeh amazing... (try taco meat seasoning with veggie proteins).

 

I wouldn't say I'm a vegan zealot, but I lost 15 pounds in weight and blood pressure has vastly improved after a rough year of only light exercise because of a spat of injuries. You don't need animal proteins as a major diet component; science proves that. Politically, I feel meat is bad for the environment and meat as a major portion of daily meals won't be sustainable long term - we can't use land to grow food to feed other food to feed us hence why we don't eat/domestic carnivores as a regular dietary staple which is growing food to feed food to feed to other food to feed us! Oil won't be the next war creator; it will be potable water and farmable land. Meat 'farms' are just repulsive and disgusting. More people would probably abandon meat if they saw where it actually comes from and the conditions those animals are subjected to.

 

I HIGHLY encourage you to embrace veganism as a foundation of your diet, but feel free to leave your options open for some old school farming animal protien!

 

Try Veestro.com or PurpleCarrot.com for a few weeks if you need help with recipes and meals.

 

Another great show on Netflix is 'Cooked' by Michael Pollan (author of another great book - The Botany of Desire). There is a woman in the first episode "Fire" who raises pigs in a more natural setting and more 'ethically' for meat. If I do eat meat every now and then, I will always try to buy meat produced from a farmer like her!

[rvwnsd]

...And beware for Perdue chicken which claims to be free of steroids and hormones but whenever I eat it I cannot sleep....

I thought it was just me who has a bad reaction to Purdue chicken. Whenever I eat Purdue chicken I immediately get the runs. So, I don't eat Purdue chicken.

 

I honestly don’t think vegan is healthy.

Granted eating red meat every night isn’t healthy either.

Life is about balance.

We are omnivores wether we like it or not.

 

Plus, I’ve never met a vegan where my first thought was...”gee you look healthy”.

It‘s usually more “I wonder if that person knows they have cancer?....oh vegan?.....never mind”.

Not to mention many vegans (not all, guys, not all. Please read again: not saying this applies to all vegans) just can't stop talking about being vegan. Obviously, it is relevant in this thread because the thread is about veganism. However, many (not all) vegans I've met feel compelled to tell me they are vegan upon meeting them and proceed to discuss veganism and the evils of not being vegan. I once said "Oh, cool. I suck guys' dicks" and the subject quickly changed.

 

All kidding aside, I was at a party in San Diego with a bunch of self-described "woo woo SoCal natural healers" (their words, not mine) and the topic of diet came up. I mentioned that I can't eat soy products expecting a lecture about the virtues of soy and instead the gal said "Oh, you're a chicken and brown rice person. [she was right] Don't let anyone talk you into a diet you can't tolerate." She, her nutritionist boyfriend, and I had a great talk about diet and how different people have different nutritional needs.

[RealAvalon]

Not to mention many vegans (not all, guys, not all. Please read again: not saying this applies to all vegans) just can't stop talking about being vegan. Obviously, it is relevant in this thread because the thread is about veganism. However, many (not all) vegans I've met feel compelled to tell me they are vegan upon meeting them and proceed to discuss veganism and the evils of not being vegan. I once said "Oh, cool. I suck guys' dicks" and the subject quickly changed.

 

One of my kids has a t-shirt that says:

"I'm vegan, that's vegan for hello"

[MidwestCoastal]

I honestly don’t think vegan is healthy.

Granted eating red meat every night isn’t healthy either.

Life is about balance.

We are omnivores wether we like it or not.

 

Plus, I’ve never met a vegan where my first thought was...”gee you look healthy”.

It‘s usually more “I wonder if that person knows they have cancer?....oh vegan?.....never mind”.

 

You SERIOUSLY need to meet more vegans!

 

 

 

 

We're INTELLIGENT omnivores.... which means we can use logic and intelligence to make decisions unlike animals who can't.

[rvwnsd]

One of my kids has a t-shirt that says:

"I'm vegan, that's vegan for hello"

You can't "like" a post more than once, so in addition to "liking" it I'm replying and saying "I love that T-shirt!!"

[Guest]

I know that a vegan diet is the answer to a healthier life,

...

There are a bunch of reasons a person may become vegan. Some believe that eating animals is wrong, perhaps ignoring the fact that vegetarian animals are usually produced in abundance by their parents, and that having their populations go unchecked by carnivores and omnivores would wreak havoc to the ecosystem. Some are so radical as to even eschew honey and silk, because they feel those products are produced by enslaved, suffering insects. Some feel it's more environmentally friendly, which can be true to a degree, especially if one avoids larger mammals--especially bovines, which are probably the most harmful to the environment (or maybe we should eat more of them so they stop producing so much methane ).

I would not do it to be healthier, however. To do that, all you need to avoid are beef, lamb, and pork products. Poultry and game meats don't seem to be harmful, health-wise (if eaten in proportional amounts), and seafood seems to be beneficial to one's health. As another member pointed out, be very careful of B12 deficiency, which can cause permanent nerve and brain damage (including dementia).

If you're concerned about animal cruelty, as I am, simply choose egg and poultry from farms which own chickens which are pasture-raised. Dairy products can also be chosen from pasture-raised animals. Admittedly easier to find milk and butter from pasture-raised cows than cheese. You can always go for the vegan cheese. One of my colleagues had a vegan diet. Even though he wasn't overweight, he developed diabetes, which resolved by adding poultry and seafood to his diet. I have a strictly vegan friend (I had to find a vegan cake for her birthday) who's obese, diabetic, and in poor health.

[mapsdr]

That's basically what originated this thread!

So you already learned about the diet’s effect on girth, longevity (as in time, not length) and recurrence on nightly erections! Anecdotally, I stopped waking up with woody somewhere in my mid 30s. After going plant based years later, they came back with a vengeance and are still happening a few times a week now. On another note, if you’re at the opposite end of the spectrum and suffering ED for no apparent reason, get on some plan to manage your arteriosclerosis. If arteries are clogging down there, the same thing is happening in the heart and brain.

[RealAvalon]

There are a bunch of reasons a person may become vegan. Some believe that eating animals is wrong, perhaps ignoring the fact that vegetarian animals are usually produced in abundance by their parents, and that having their populations go unchecked by carnivores and omnivores would wreak havoc to the ecosystem. Some are so radical as to even eschew honey and silk, because they feel those products are produced by enslaved, suffering insects. Some feel it's more environmentally friendly, which can be true to a degree, especially if one avoids larger mammals--especially bovines, which are probably the most harmful to the environment (or maybe we should eat more of them so they stop producing so much methane ).

I would not do it to be healthier, however. To do that, all you need to avoid are beef, lamb, and pork products. Poultry and game meats don't seem to be harmful, health-wise (if eaten in proportional amounts), and seafood seems to be beneficial to one's health. As another member pointed out, be very careful of B12 deficiency, which can cause permanent nerve and brain damage (including dementia).

If you're concerned about animal cruelty, as I am, simply choose egg and poultry from farms which own chickens which are pasture-raised. Dairy products can also be chosen from pasture-raised animals. Admittedly easier to find milk and butter from pasture-raised cows than cheese. You can always go for the vegan cheese. One of my colleagues had a vegan diet. Even though he wasn't overweight, he developed diabetes, which resolved by adding poultry and seafood to his diet. I have a strictly vegan friend (I had to find a vegan cake for her birthday) who's obese, diabetic, and in poor health.

K and R reproductive strategies don't have anything to do with vegetarian or carnivorous diets. Cats have large litters.

[mapsdr]

My crossroads is between my need to have a better health vs. feeling sick + "substantiveness".

As you’re starting out, eat A LOT of food. Pack your plate with veggies, beans, grains, greens, fruits, seeds, nuts and plenty of spices. If you’re replacing a standard pork chop + starch + veg dinner, you’ll need a load of all the foods I listed to feel satisfied - and get the calories you need. The biggest mistake you can make is not eating enough. Mangia.

[MidwestCoastal]

One of my colleagues had a vegan diet. Even though he wasn't overweight, he developed diabetes, which resolved by adding poultry and seafood to his diet. I have a strictly vegan friend (I had to find a vegan cake for her birthday) who's obese, diabetic, and in poor health.

 

Mmmm.... this seems highly suspect to me. Two examples a trend does not make. Inferring that health problems are simply caused by being vegan is a sweeping argument not based in reality and scientific fact. (How many cakes does she eat? How much sugar is in his diet? How much exercise did they get? Family history of diabetes? Genetic factors? Were they already obese when they 'became vegan'?) Any diet that is out of balance can be unhealthy!

 

Don't get me wrong, being vegan isn't a magic bullet, but the overwhelming evidence supports vegans are healthier, have less sickness, cancer, and disease, and live longer. The food industry has marketed a relatively unhealthy diet for decades and they have made us become disconnected from our food. Vegans usually have to be more mindful of grocery shopping, how they prepare meals, what they eat, and do more of their own cooking.

 

My suggestion - JUST TRY BEING MORE VEGAN FOR AT LEAST A MONTH! If you slip and have a burger, not the end of the world, but you won't know how you like it/what impact it can have on your health and life until you try it for at least 4 weeks (or more).

[orville]

vegetarian animals are usually produced in abundance by their parents, and that having their populations go unchecked by carnivores and omnivores would wreak havoc to the ecosystem ... especially bovines, which are probably the most harmful to the environment (or maybe we should eat more of them so they stop producing so much methane ).

As I said before. I might have the most selfish reason why one tries to become vegetarian/vegan: my own health

After watching "Gamechangers" I also thought of this but for what I know, in an ideal world, it should take just eating the excess of livestock and then release of what would be the normal population and let mother nature take care of the rest. I don't see that happening now or in 2 more generations.

 

all you need to avoid are beef, lamb, and pork products ... seafood seems to be beneficial to one's health.

I'm already doing it for the most part. Chicken is my main source of animal protein.

As per the movie I mentioned, there is so much proof that there are microplastics and mercury in seafood, so even that I'm trying to avoid now.

 

One of my colleagues had a vegan diet ... he developed diabetes. I have a strictly vegan friend ... who's obese, diabetic, and in poor health.

Yes, I know this is possible. I think I already have a healthy diet except for the chicken and the very occasional red meat. I was discussing with someone that perhaps plant-based meat could be the element that I could try this time to successfully transition to become vegetarian/vegan.

Edited August 6, 2020 by orville

[orville]

The food industry has marketed a relatively unhealthy diet for decades and they have made us become disconnected from our food.

Even before watching "Gamechangers" and "Endgame 2050" I already knew that the US Government, and the American Food, Health (Big Pharma), and Insurance Industries have ZERO interests in Americans eating/becoming healthier. It would actually be a very bad business for them.

 

Also, these movies state that the environmental problem of the world is not overpopulation in Asia, but consumption habits in America.

[marylander1940]

Even before watching "Gamechangers" and "Endgame 2050" I already knew that the US Government, and the American Food, Health (Big Pharma), and Insurance Industries have ZERO interests in Americans eating/becoming healthier. It would actually be a very bad business for them.

 

Also, these movies state that the environmental problem of the world is not overpopulation in Asia, but consumption habits in America.

 

Agreed!

 

[+ Pensant]

I occasionally enjoy a vegan meal, especially when traveling in Eastern Europe. But as an O+, I have found that the paleo diet works best for me. I have blood panels done semi annually and my levels are superb, esp. my HDL/trig ratio. I only buy Meat and chicken from organic, local farmers and, being in the PNW, I eat a lot of freshly-caught king salmon and halibut. Also, significant amounts of fresh vegetables, especially of the cruciform variety.

[RealAvalon]

Mmmm.... this seems highly suspect to me. Two examples a trend does not make. Inferring that health problems are simply caused by being vegan is a sweeping argument not based in reality and scientific fact. (How many cakes does she eat? How much sugar is in his diet? How much exercise did they get? Family history of diabetes? Genetic factors? Were they already obese when they 'became vegan'?) Any diet that is out of balance can be unhealthy!

 

You're approaching this more as a doctor would - first getting the history before diagnosing.

Edited August 7, 2020 by RealAvalon

[+ Charlie]

My mother-in-law didn't like meat, because she had been raised on a farm and was forced to eat a lot of it when she was a child, so she wouldn't eat it as an adult. But her non-meat diet wasn't particularly healthy, because she tended to simply substitute a lot of eggs and dairy for herself in place of the meat that she served to her omnivore husband and sons. At least one of her doctors thought that was responsible for her frequent digestive problems and colon cancer.

 

I try to eat a minimum of red meats for ethical reasons, but I can't imagine becoming a serious vegetarian or vegan. I eat a variety of foods and cuisines, and prefer those that utilize a lot of vegetables and fish, but basically I eat what I like and what is convenient, and try to avoid too much sugar and dairy.

[Guest]

... I was discussing with someone that perhaps plant-based meat could be the element that I could try this time to successfully transition to become vegetarian/vegan.

 

If you are doing this for health reasons, be very careful. Those meat-substitute patties (incredible burger and so on) are chock-full of saturated fats and worse than red meat. Some of the other vegan patties such as boca burgers are healthful. I do sometimes eat the boca patties as sandwiches for lunch. But if it tastes like meat, it's probably because it has a large amount of saturated fat, so you lose the health benefit.

[Guest]

K and R reproductive strategies don't have anything to do with vegetarian or carnivorous diets. Cats have large litters.

What do cats have in common with rabbits? In the wild they tend to get eaten a lot by other carnivores. That's why they have such large litters. I will tell you that where I live, if you let your cat out, it will get eaten by coyotes or other larger carnivores (bobcats, cougars, etc.). Unchecked cat populations are a mess. Sorry, but most animals with large litters don't make it to adulthood. That's the way nature intends it. Imagine if the cats weren't eating the rats, though. I wouldn't want to live in that world. Actually, even mother rats sometimes eat some of their own litters...

[RealAvalon]

What do cats have in common with rabbits? In the wild they tend to get eaten a lot by other carnivores. That's why they have such large litters. I will tell you that where I live, if you let your cat out, it will get eaten by coyotes or other larger carnivores (bobcats, cougars, etc.). Unchecked cat populations are a mess. Sorry, but most animals with large litters don't make it to adulthood. That's the way nature intends it. Imagine if the cats weren't eating the rats, though. I wouldn't want to live in that world. Actually, even mother rats sometimes eat some of their own litters...

Nothing. As I said, K and R reproductive strategies have nothing to do with animals having a vegetarian diet, which you said in an earlier post. Now you're not saying that. What kind of doctor are you?

Edited August 7, 2020 by RealAvalon

[Guest]

Nothing. As I said, K and R reproductive strategies have nothing to do with vegetarian diets, which you said in an earlier post. Now you're not saying that. What kind of doctor are you?

A good one, but that's a non-sequitur. What I was explaining was that while there are vegans (not all of them, mind you, only some of the fringe ones) who think that eating other animals is evil, in reality animals eating other animals is part of the balance of nature.

[RealAvalon]

A good one, but that's a non-sequitur. What I was explaining was that while there are vegans (not all of them, mind you, only some of the fringe ones) who think that eating other animals is evil, in reality animals eating other animals is part of the balance of nature.

I see you've edited your previous post, and corrected your mistake about vegetarian mammals.

[Guest]

I see you've edited your previous post, and corrected your mistake about vegetarian mammals.

Which post and how? Please post pre-edited and edited.