Another compelling case you have presented to the world to Go Vegan! This exhortation,to the benefit of the entire planet. Your words suggest you are a picture of patience and virtuousness.
I recall a rather frail woman I met once at a Green Party meeting some years ago making a similar statement, that she was compelled to eat flesh as a part of her diet, but this I do doubt. A complete Vegan diet contains all the necessary nutrients, and one can always supplement to obtain peak nutrition. Thus, if an MD ever made such a statement to me I would seek out a more knowledgeable doctor.
Absolutely—thank you for your thoughtful comment! And I completely agree: a well-planned vegan diet can meet all nutritional needs. I always recommend supplementing B12, though. Interestingly, most farmed cattle are supplemented with B12 since they no longer graze on natural soil, and farmed fish get omega-3s from supplements too, as they don’t eat much microalgae, etc. So there's really nothing “natural” about getting those nutrients from animal products.
As Dr. Michael Greger says: “The most ethical diet just so happens to be the most environmentally sound diet and just so happens to be the healthiest.” He is, of course, referring to a plant-based diet.
How I wish I could be 100% vegan or even 95%! Had I become vegan instead of vegetarian in 1986, I might not have the health issues today that prevent me from being vegan now. Luckily I can remain in good health on a vegetarian diet including eggs and cheese. My husband cannot be vegan, either. He has a hummingbird’s metabolism. If he doesn’t consume the concentrated energy in meat once or twice a week, he feels awful. It’s not just in our heads: our blood tests show the difference. We understand the inherent cruelty as well as the economic and environmental costs of our diets. It’s a sad dilemma we live with every day.
Dear Bryna, thank you so much for sharing your story with us. I appreciate that you're genuinely trying to be as vegan as you can.
I've read a lot about the nutritional adequacy and healthfulness of plant-based diets over the last years, and I'm honestly not aware of any important health benefits of eating meat, eggs, or cheese. Expert organizations confirm that a balanced plant-based diet can be nutrionally adequate for all stages of the life cycle: https://veganhorizon.substack.com/p/nutritional-adequacy-of-a-vegan-diet
That said, every person is different — and it sounds like you two have already tried many things. Especially with respect to your health issues, I certainly won't pretend that I know what's best for you specifically. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the best! Thanks for your interest in veganism, and for stopping by. I appreciate you.
What a kind and thoughtful response. Yep, the struggle is real for us. I would say to younger people considering a vegan vs. vegetarian diet, “Go vegan. The rewards of living in congruence with your values are priceless.”
Another compelling case you have presented to the world to Go Vegan! This exhortation,to the benefit of the entire planet. Your words suggest you are a picture of patience and virtuousness.
I recall a rather frail woman I met once at a Green Party meeting some years ago making a similar statement, that she was compelled to eat flesh as a part of her diet, but this I do doubt. A complete Vegan diet contains all the necessary nutrients, and one can always supplement to obtain peak nutrition. Thus, if an MD ever made such a statement to me I would seek out a more knowledgeable doctor.
Absolutely—thank you for your thoughtful comment! And I completely agree: a well-planned vegan diet can meet all nutritional needs. I always recommend supplementing B12, though. Interestingly, most farmed cattle are supplemented with B12 since they no longer graze on natural soil, and farmed fish get omega-3s from supplements too, as they don’t eat much microalgae, etc. So there's really nothing “natural” about getting those nutrients from animal products.
As Dr. Michael Greger says: “The most ethical diet just so happens to be the most environmentally sound diet and just so happens to be the healthiest.” He is, of course, referring to a plant-based diet.
How I wish I could be 100% vegan or even 95%! Had I become vegan instead of vegetarian in 1986, I might not have the health issues today that prevent me from being vegan now. Luckily I can remain in good health on a vegetarian diet including eggs and cheese. My husband cannot be vegan, either. He has a hummingbird’s metabolism. If he doesn’t consume the concentrated energy in meat once or twice a week, he feels awful. It’s not just in our heads: our blood tests show the difference. We understand the inherent cruelty as well as the economic and environmental costs of our diets. It’s a sad dilemma we live with every day.
Dear Bryna, thank you so much for sharing your story with us. I appreciate that you're genuinely trying to be as vegan as you can.
I've read a lot about the nutritional adequacy and healthfulness of plant-based diets over the last years, and I'm honestly not aware of any important health benefits of eating meat, eggs, or cheese. Expert organizations confirm that a balanced plant-based diet can be nutrionally adequate for all stages of the life cycle: https://veganhorizon.substack.com/p/nutritional-adequacy-of-a-vegan-diet
That said, every person is different — and it sounds like you two have already tried many things. Especially with respect to your health issues, I certainly won't pretend that I know what's best for you specifically. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the best! Thanks for your interest in veganism, and for stopping by. I appreciate you.
What a kind and thoughtful response. Yep, the struggle is real for us. I would say to younger people considering a vegan vs. vegetarian diet, “Go vegan. The rewards of living in congruence with your values are priceless.”