[Porcelain Interior]

I want a supportive thread about our choice to eat vegan (veggies welcome too).

I have re-affirmed my choice recently and buckled down my eating habits after reading The China Study. Before that I'd read many other books by similar authors and topics, but that book had a HUGE years long waiting list at my library so I finally just got myself a copy. WOW!

I don't want to debate (we aren't allowed to anyway!

) but just discuss these issues as I'm really quite angry right now because I am amazed that our government and scientists are controlled and true helpful health information doesn't reach us until it has been processed and bleached of truth.

Anyone else just kind of p*ssed after finding out the real concrete nutritional studies and how they've linked positively cancer/disease with a non vegan diet?

I want the government to tell us the truth. I'm sad for everyone who is sick, and could be well.

Hope this thread is ok?

 

[paisleypoet]

That's funny- reading The China Study is what pushed me over the edge as well. I had been a veggie for a couple of years and wanted to go totally vegan but having a hard time giving up cheese. That book astonished me. Why doesn't everyone know this?? It's not right. And then people in my family and in my daily life are all looking at me like I am crazy for eating like I do, while they eat their predominantly animal-based diet and complain of being overweight, having high cholesterol, heart problems, cancer and diabetes, etc. Not that I'm perfect or anything...but it's hard to see that crap every day and be the one in the minority. It's sad and it's wrong, and it makes me angry, too. I just don't know what to do about it, and I hate getting into arguments and sounding like a know-it-all.

eta- I am also vegan for ethical reasons as well as environmental reasons. It makes me feel great physically and mentally. And I don't even miss the cheese.

 

[athansor]

I started out as a vegetarian because I just sorta stopped believing that we had the right to kill and eat other senitent beings. I often thought I should go all the way and give up dairy as well (never did care for eating eggs anyway) and then had too, as my little one was intolerant of any dairy products that might make their way into my breastmilk. Reading books like The China Study and Mad Cowboy helped with my resolve as well, as I'd like to live a long healthy life (especially as a 40+ mom of little ones!).

 

[Pogo0685]

I have never read The China Study, I am a vegan for ethical reasons. I grew up on a small farm so I was around animals my entire life and I concider myself an animal lover. One day it clicked with me you cant love animals as much as I said I did and eat them, so I took the 30 veg pledge and 2 months later went vegan!

 

[Carrotsoup76]

What's the 30 veg pledge? Forgive ignorance... am living on small island!!

I can't remember why I originally became veggie but as a child, the ghastly smell in the butcher's shop and being made to sit until I'd eaten my Sunday meat must have something to do with it. I also lived really near a wonderful wholefood shop when a student, which I know inspired me a great deal.

I am also lactose intolerant so was always interested in the lactose free options, and have adapted recipes for a long time. I was also an animal lover and joined Compassion in World Farming for a while, and only ate organic meat for a long time. But never learned to cook it properly and didn't really enjoy it. I married a meat eater and started having tussles about what I wanted really to eat.. have the same problem now but spend more time in my own veggie home. When on my own always cooked veggie.

Latterly breast cancer prompted me to re-examine my diet which although it was very low in meat (twice a week maybe) and I read other books that I suspect have similar premise as the China Study (which I have ordered from library now, thanks for flagging it up). I'm hoping to overcome genetic factors with my diet.. I feel so much healthier on the vegan diet, and at ease in my heart knowing I am doing best for environment, humans and animals. I think this would be called a multi-factorial approach!!

 

[Pogo0685]

Its a thing PETA (I do not support them at all) and I think Compassion Over Killing does one also, where you sign up and promise to be a vegetarian for 30 days, they send you a info packet on living veg with recipes and such. At the time I lived with my DH (we were not married yet though) and my brother and both of them continued to eat meat. My DH is now a vegetarian because he saw I was serious about it. He only eats cheese because he does not produce enough enzymes in his stomach to break down food, and we only found out all this after him having very bad stomach and digestive issues for over 3 months. But now its all taken care of. But Our child (due 1/09) will be a vegan.

 

[Porcelain Interior]

Awesome, thanks for the replies.

Carrotsoup76- you may be interested to read in The China Study, Campbell (the author) states some statistics about genetics and cancers, he says only 2-3% of cancers are genetic. Most of us get cancer because we end up promoting tumor growth with our diets.

In the book the show rats getting exposed to a known carcinogen (cancer causing substance) and then getting fed a high animal protein diet....while the other group got the same carcinogen, but was fed a low animal protein diet, the rats with the high animal protein diets had massive cancer growth and death, while the rats that ate low animal protein didn't even get cancer. Pretty crazy...

This information is especially exciting to learn because most of the carcinogens we encounter aren't through purposeful exposure, for instance you cannot really control the air outside, but we learn that we do have a choice about triggering cancer growth with food.

So the book pretty much says "Meat and Dairy promote cancer growth". They don't scientifically learn through these studies that meat and dairy CAUSE cancer, but that they are like tumor steroids, causing rapid growth and eventually death.

We all encounter carcinogens. I personally would rather eat food that protects my health rather than encourages tumors and cancers to grow.

I'm amazed that anyone really questions the validity of his science, because he had no bone to pick or bias. He was pro-dairy/meat. His world got rocked when the science came back with the results about meat and dairy.

The coverups and industry lies all to protect certain people (meat and dairy companies) at the expense of our health is our greatest tragedy.

Why does the truth not matter?

It makes a person start to feel crazy.

 

[athansor]

For more solid research on the benefits of a vegan diet, the books by Dr. Joel Fuhrman are also really good. I have a copy of Eat to Live, and find it very wel researched. (I do a lot of research and writing in engineering....different field, but I do appreciate solid research)

Has anyone read his new two volume work? I'd like to get a copy.

 

[Carrotsoup76]

Thanks for the informative replies, plenty to think about I've searched my library's database and they don't have it or anything by him, so will try the independent bookstore.

I have the BCRA 1 gene, so for me genetic factor was one of the factors (breast cancer being a 'slot machine' triggered disease - you need to have more than one of the triggers) - I don't suppose living directly under the incoming flight path from a major international airport helped me any either. Plus the very stressful situation that involved death of my partner (and dad of my DD). :-/ All in the past, and dealt with now..

I personally also have theories about cell phones. My O2 one gives me a headache if I use it to speak (so have stopped using it, or any of them), on the side of the phone. I'm involved in a study of rookeries comparing the numbers of nests/eggs produced in areas near cellphone masts and those away from them.

I'm on a couple of breast cancer support sites where my views on veganism and cancer are regularly shot down at. I guess some of the ladies are very far gone with the disease and it's a hard place to be in, and to look back and wonder if they might have done things differently, whether they'd be in better health now.

I'm banking on positive thinking and prayer, and reducing chemicals I'm exposed to and vegan diet

Veganism is just so attractive not only from a personal 'cure' for health, but in what it can contribute towards the poor of the world, and the environment. But I guess the first step here is to contribute what we might have spent on meat towards a poverty charity.

 

[Mama2Dane]

Sadly, recently I've been more veg*n than vegan.

I need to rebridge that gap and cut out the dairy yet again, but I somehow find it more difficult this time.

I first learned about veganism from a guy I worked with. I pestered him with all those annoying, cliche questions and decided that I was happy with the diet I had. Several months later, in April of 2007, I injured my back somehow and got the diagnosis of a herniated disc. My neurosurgeon didn't like my weight

: and told me to go on atkins.

:

I was still eating meat at that point, but the idea of a "health professional" telling me to eat nothing but animal products didn't sit well with me. I couldn't understand why that was considered healthy. I went a day later to my family doctor and told her about the neuro's recommendation. She told me to go out and purchase Eat To Live and go vegan. I was already semi-familiar with veganism because fo my coworker, so the idea didn't bother me too much. After reading the book, I changed my diet immediately. I started losing weight and had my back surgery, but still wasn't too into the AR reasons for veganism. Then I did my research and was convinced. I've been veg for real since September 2007.

My major downfall now is just trying to get vegan lunches going. After a year, I still don't really know how to pack a lunch for myself.

 

[PikkuMyy]

I've been vegan for 8 1/2 years. My husband and I did it together.

We are mainly vegan because we know we don't have to eat animal products to live a healthy life and we don't think it's right to kill or otherwise hurt animals for their meat, eggs, milk, etc. when we can eat a plant-based diet and do just fine.

I'm also vegan because I love the food! I love to cook and I enjoy vegan food much more than I ever enjoyed food as an omnivore.

I'm also vegan because it's better for the environment and my health.

 

[athansor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PikkuMyy I'm also vegan because I love the food! I love to cook and I enjoy vegan food much more than I ever enjoyed food as an omnivore.

Yeah, there's that too! I have learned so much more about cooking and eat much better tasting food since I've been vegan.

 

[Mama2Dane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athansor Yeah, there's that too! I have learned so much more about cooking and eat much better tasting food since I've been vegan.

I have to say that I agree. Before I was vegan, I hardly ever used spices and ended up making a lot of prepackaged crap. Once I became vegan, I bought a couple cookbooks and had a blast experimenting!

I can honestly say that I LOVE cooking now (or at least I will again when my kitchen's done).

 

[littlelentils]

another thumbs up for china study!

i had been a vegetarian for 7 years and never thought id be vegan or could be vegan. i loved cheese too much! but once i read the china study last year, my goodness i was hooked. and i havent looked back. now i dont like cheese and i loooooooove cooking/baking vegan wholesome meals (and desserts too)! so overall, my main reason for being vegan is:

health (my husband's mom died of breast cancer 8 years ago and that triggered me to get serious about my own health)

compassion for all animals

reducing my "footprint" by eating plants only

and like i said, i am head over heels in love with this lifestyle. the food is so yummy! i doubt i would have ever realized this without giving up animal products.

 

[COVegMom]

1. Moral reasons
-It is wrong to take the life of another being when my life does not depend on it.
-The way that animals are treated in the modern American food industry is cruel.
-The way that the human workers are treated is often inhumane as well (I was a social worker near a major plant in CO).
2. Personal health.
-The way that animals are typically raised is not healthy for the animals or anyone who eats them.
-Our environments are often so poluted that wild animals are not always healthy either (fish in particular).
3. Environmental reasons.
-It is more efficient and less polluting to grow organic plant food than to raise animals for food. (Without eating organic and fair trade, some of my arguments against eating animals could easily be applied to eating veggies too.)
4. Personal enjoyment.
-It has opened up a whole new world of foods to me!!