Vegans Unite

[booshka]

I was just wondering if there are any vegans who frequent this site. How long have you been vegan? Do you find it difficult eating out? Do you find it difficult preparing foods for yourself? Buying non edible items (ei is there such a thing as vegan glue?) Do you take any suppliments to help out? What kinds of suppliments? Do you have weight problems (gaining weight or losing weight?)? How long to you plan on being vegan?

[miss.myra]

I'm a lactose intolerant vegetarian.

I've been meat free for uhm, just over 10 years.

I take suppliments and watch what I eat very carefully, although I wasn't for a time. I got anemia a few years ago.

I had a problem with losing a lot of weight, but that is only because I got some mystery digestive problem that's yet to be figured out, and most likely not linked to my choice in foods.

[booshka]

yeah, I've been vegetarian for about 7 years now, and I also developed anemia, I was hoping not to develop anything else by becoming vegan....such as osteoporosis, or something else I don't know about....

[Kelster]

i love food too much to become vegan let alone vegetarian

but i don't eat much meat anyways

[jim]

maybe you'll find some at memphis blues, you should check it out.

[krisamata]

im a vegetarian and could never imagine being a vegan it would be too hard


i've had friends who've been vegans and they're even worse in the health department than me.
they are anemic...have a hard time fighting off any kind of cold.

i dunno..i dont think it would be worth it.


too many supplements...its better to have the real thing. why bother risking things such as osteoporosis

[junglequeen]

Im vegetarian but I dont eat eggs or drink milk. I have a hard time getting enought protein even when Im watching what I what I eat carefully. My plan is to be vegan but Im waiting to find a like minded roommate.

[Niko]

To be perfectly honest, I don't really understand vegans from a moral point of view, and simple ovo-lacto vegetarians even less so. While I have no problem with them from an "I don't like meat" perspective, the "killing animals is wrong" view seems a bit off, especially if one still drinks milk, eats eggs, or eats cheese.

It seems pretty clear that we, as omnivores, do well nutritionally with some meat protein and dairy in our diet. Probably not as much as many of us eat, but some. I think the real nasty moral issue with animal products is the industry and absolutely disgusting conditions that most animals are raised, fed, and milked/slaughtered under. The big problem I have is that most people believe that the only way around the issue is abstinence from animal products completely (or, less cogently, just meat).

My solution: Only free-range and certified organic animal products (BC Certified Organic meats are guaranteed free-range). This means meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and everything. It's difficult -- just look at the amount of stealth milk ingredients in almost everything -- but its certainly a lot easier than being full-on vegan, plus healthier if you aren't completely capable of dealing with nutrition. Plus, I see the point of supporting a small, ethical-animal-treatment concerned industry, instead of abandoning animal products altogether and allowing only the large factory-farming industry to thrive. Ethical Omnivores Unite! :)

So, yeah. If you don't like meat, then that's cool, but don't say that only eating plants is better for everyone. Lots of animals are a great sustainable nutrition source. Plus, dairy, eggs and cheese are good for you (well, if you aren't allergic).

As a side note to vegetarians out there, did you know that about 75% of the seafood you may eat is more horribly destructive to the environment than any land animal you could consider eating?

Check out this page for more info:
http://bb.occult.ca/viewtopic.php?t=1210

PS: I took a year to work myself onto this system, and have been eating this way for just under 2 years. I've never been so happy with what I eat.

[galaxie]

^ last time I checked, this thread was for advice for becoming a vegan, not for you to try to tell us how our vegan/vegetarian ways are wrong. Also, regarding your comment about "being omnivores" - we, as humans, have the ability to reason and make decisions for ourselves. Our carnal instincts and physical makeup, therefore, are not the be-all and end-all when it comes to ANYTHING. Each person has different morals, tastes, likes and dislikes, and as long as they aren't doing significant damage to anyone or anything else, we are entitled to them.

now back to the topic at hand
I've been a lacto-vegetarian for 7 years, and I've never had any health problems due to my vegetarian diet. Technically, I don't eat eggs, but occassionally I will eat items (such as cakes, etc) that have egg in them.

If you're already having a problem with iron and/or protein as a vegetarian, I would NOT suggest going vegan. If you are having health issues, there are probably some serious holes in your diet that need filling. My suggestions:

Eat tofu. Lots of tofu.
Fried tofu. Tofu in spaghetti sauce.
Mango tofu. Tofu pudding.
Soy milk. Tofu smoothies.
Take iron supplements.
Broccoli = heaven.
Avocado = better than heaven.

[galaxie]

Originally Posted by Niko

As a side note to vegetarians out there, did you know that about 75% of the seafood you may eat is more horribly destructive to the environment than any land animal you could consider eating?

By the way, SEAFOOD = FISH, CRABS, OYSTERS, MUSSELS, ETC = ANIMALS

If you eat seafood, you're eating animals, so YOU'RE NOT AN EFFING VEGETARIAN, FOR THE LAST EFFING TIME!!!!!!

[Joanne]

^^uhh, technically, yes they are. the term would be called pesco-vegetarian.

--Joanne :P

[jim]

joanne gets an "oh snap" for that one.

[exotica]

whats the differents between a vegan and a veggitarian?

[Niko]

Too much soy is particularly not good. Let me go dig up my literature on the bad things that soy does if you eat too much of it. Eating Tofu as your only major protein source = Bad.

I shall return.

PS: And for the record, I think it's perfectly valid to help vegans/vegetarians by telling them that many of the reasons they have to choose their lifestyle don't tread water...and conversely, why not having food ethics is just as (if not more) bad, especially when I offer suggestions to look into more health-balanced alternative diets that don't rely on heavily chemically proccessed proteins for survival. Amen to the "we have the ability to reason" bit. Maybe it'll show people how hypocritical ovo-lacto vegetarianism is, and how unnecessary veganism is.

[Crazy Dave]

Originally Posted by exotica

whats the differents between a vegan and a veggitarian?

vegan is %100 strict no meat, no animal by products (for example gelatin is from bone meal), no milk and no exception. Vegetarian is a term for any majorly reduced meat diets.

I was a stick vegan for about a year, I was one of the unlucky ones, my body could not deal with it. I did every think right, and ate handfuls of multi-vids each day at the end of it. I was quickly becoming to anemic. So as a piss off, I became a strict meatarian. (just kidding) The joke lasted until about last year when I met Doom from this board. That kid is truly a %100 meatarian.

Oddly enough I've come full circle on the issue,,, though I'm not vegan I'm relearning cooking and shopping vegan because one of my room mates is so. Plus it does not hurt to live on the Drive not too from from Deserts.

[Crazy Dave]

Originally Posted by Niko

Maybe it'll show people how hypocritical ovo-lacto vegetarianism is, and how unnecessary veganism is.

Though I went I stopped eating meat,,, I end up vegan, because of that no 1/2 way bull shit. But still I can totaly see ovo-lacto, because you are not killing the animal, well other then that ovo is chicken abortions. But then again if you are such a lefty that you want to be veggy the abortion issue is nill, because all lefties are pro-abortion (JUST JOKING)

PS I'm cutting down my meat intake mostly because I want to save money and for health reason.

pps I wonder what will happen to the scope of veg/vegan once the work out harvestable meat cunks or meat polyps

[Joanne]

^^how is ovo considered chicken abortion? most of the eggs we eat aren't even fertilized (although you can opt for fertilized chicken eggs if you want).

--Joanne :P

[Joanne]

Originally Posted by Niko

Too much soy is particularly not good. Let me go dig up my literature on the bad things that soy does if you eat too much of it. Eating Tofu as your only major protein source = Bad.

I shall return.

first of all, too much of anything is not good. as a vegetarian, soy is not my only source of protein (there are also beans, nuts and legumes and mixing with other types of proteins to get your complete proteins). second, whatever literature you dig up about the cons of eating soy, there are just as many out there for pros.

--Joanne :P

[Joanne]

Originally Posted by Niko

It seems pretty clear that we, as omnivores, do well nutritionally with some meat protein and dairy in our diet.

why? because many of the vegetarians and vegans you know are sick?

because I can give you a long list of omnivores I know who are sick...

Originally Posted by Niko

My solution: Only free-range and certified organic animal products (BC Certified Organic meats are guaranteed free-range). This means meat, eggs, cheese, milk, and everything. It's difficult -- just look at the amount of stealth milk ingredients in almost everything -- but its certainly a lot easier than being full-on vegan, plus healthier if you aren't completely capable of dealing with nutrition. Plus, I see the point of supporting a small, ethical-animal-treatment concerned industry, instead of abandoning animal products altogether and allowing only the large factory-farming industry to thrive. Ethical Omnivores Unite! :)

So, yeah. If you don't like meat, then that's cool, but don't say that only eating plants is better for everyone. Lots of animals are a great sustainable nutrition source.

eating plants may not be the most popular choice out there for some people, but I would like to mention that there are a lot of other foods out there that are not meat and are a great sustainable nutrition source. it's cool if you don't like meat, but please don't say that I need it to be healthy or that I am unhealthy without it.

Originally Posted by Niko

Plus, dairy, eggs and cheese are good for you (well, if you aren't allergic).

and also, I could find literature out there that will tell you that dairy foods actually AREN'T good for you.

Originally Posted by Niko

Maybe it'll show people how hypocritical ovo-lacto vegetarianism is, and how unnecessary veganism is

I think it's unfair to assume people's underlying motives for eating what they eat and call them hypocrites for it. it's been 10 years since I made my decision to be a vegetarian. a big part of the reason why is because I am so used to it.

--Joanne :P

[Niko]

Like I said, there's nothing wrong with being a vegetarian or vegan just because you prefer to not eat meat, for simple preference issues, or even for health. The problem is in "moralistic" vegetarianism, especially the ovo-lacto kind. It's pretty outrageous to say that you won't kill the animal and eat it, although you'll drink milk and eat cheese from a cow so heavily overmilked that the cheese needs to be dyed to hide the brown stomach-lining, and the cow needs to be fed antibiodics and painkillers to keep it from getting really sick and skittish, and chickens so heavily medicated and badly fed that their egg yolks are pale yellow and taste kind of like snot. That's what seems hypocritical.

If you're going to be a full on vegan, out of some moral responsibility to stop torturing animals, you may want to think about the way the organic farming industry mitigates it to an immense degree compared to factory farms. Finally, if you decide to become a vegan (I agree with dave, 1/2 way makes no sense in this case), then don't live off soy. As great a source of protein as it is, it has many enzymes in it that stimulate less-than positive things. I'm going to agree with the "too much of anything isn't good for you," but with soy you want to watch your intake. You shouldn't use it to replace meat entirely; use lentils, beans, and other natural protein rich foods to. They are much better for you.

Keep in mind that with everything I say, I am functionally borderline between vegan and ovo-lacto in my every day life, with about a litre of organic milk every week or 2, and about a small brick of cheese per week, being my only real animal products consumed. I occassionally eat organic meat, but I live day-to-day pretty vegan, and I have for about 2 years. So I've got some experience dealing with nutrition in that lifestyle.

[booshka]

this discussion of motives for being vegitarian/vegan is cliche. I should have known the post would have turned in this direction.

Anyway, thank you for those who did offer advice to what I was asking for. I'm already in excellent health, I never get sick. I do take a lot of suppliments, but I also have figured out a way to eat right. I just wanted to compare notes with other vegans (since I don't know any), not turn it into a moral argument.

[Rhianna]

^When did you become a vegan?

[booshka]

Originally Posted by Rhianna

^When did you become a vegan?

"december" I say this in quotes because I keep finding all these things that I shouldn't be eating in my diet.....but I've been trying to be vegan since december.

[galaxie]

Originally Posted by bananasinpjs

^^uhh, technically, yes they are. the term would be called pesco-vegetarian.

--Joanne :P

technically, VEGETARIAN (www.dictionary.com):

veg·e·tar·i·an ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vj-târ-n)
n.
1. One who practices vegetarianism.
2. A herbivore.

veg·e·tar·i·an·ism ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vj-târ--nzm)
n.
1. The practice of subsisting on a diet composed primarily or wholly of vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, and seeds, with or without eggs and dairy products.

Just because there is a "term" for the type of person who eats fish and diary/eggs but not any other animals, doesn't mean that the word VEGETARIAN should be included.

[galaxie]

Originally Posted by Niko

Like I said, there's nothing wrong with being a vegetarian or vegan just because you prefer to not eat meat, for simple preference issues, or even for health. The problem is in "moralistic" vegetarianism, especially the ovo-lacto kind. It's pretty outrageous to say that you won't kill the animal and eat it, although you'll drink milk and eat cheese from a cow so heavily overmilked that the cheese needs to be dyed to hide the brown stomach-lining, and the cow needs to be fed antibiodics and painkillers to keep it from getting really sick and skittish, and chickens so heavily medicated and badly fed that their egg yolks are pale yellow and taste kind of like snot. That's what seems hypocritical.

If you're going to be a full on vegan, out of some moral responsibility to stop torturing animals, you may want to think about the way the organic farming industry mitigates it to an immense degree compared to factory farms. Finally, if you decide to become a vegan (I agree with dave, 1/2 way makes no sense in this case), then don't live off soy. As great a source of protein as it is, it has many enzymes in it that stimulate less-than positive things. I'm going to agree with the "too much of anything isn't good for you," but with soy you want to watch your intake. You shouldn't use it to replace meat entirely; use lentils, beans, and other natural protein rich foods to. They are much better for you.

Keep in mind that with everything I say, I am functionally borderline between vegan and ovo-lacto in my every day life, with about a litre of organic milk every week or 2, and about a small brick of cheese per week, being my only real animal products consumed. I occassionally eat organic meat, but I live day-to-day pretty vegan, and I have for about 2 years. So I've got some experience dealing with nutrition in that lifestyle.

Wow. I would hate to ever hear from any girl you've ever dated.
You'd SO be one of those guys that's "I'm right, you're wrong, no matter what, we can't agree to disagree, I KNOW BEST."

!*^@%$#