Thinking of going vegan

_VoV

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Do you have children which you have parented to adulthood? If not, you are another single person thinking you can do it better.

_VoV

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Hmmm... this made me think of this interesting movie I watched, totally fake but still. It's called "Parents" It's on netflix. It's an old movie from 1989 but it shows parents trying to force their ideas on a kid lol. Dunno why this made me think of that.

Perhaps it hasn't occurred to you that societal norms are forced onto children everyday, but because those norms are dominant, they are nearly invisible to people. It's only when parents depart from the norm, and attempt to pass along their atypical knowledge and experience that people accuse them of 'forcing' their ideas on a kid.

Edit for spelling.

perfectingpatti

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child

What the???? Sorry, but my children don't get to decide for themselves what they eat, whether or not they go to church, what schools they attend (until college, and even then it's up for a financial discussion). REAL parenting involves guidance, not leaving the kids to make these kinds of decisions on their own.

_VoV

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child

What the???? Sorry, but my children don't get to decide for themselves what they eat, whether or not they go to church, what schools they attend (until college, and even then it's up for a financial discussion). REAL parenting involves guidance, not leaving the kids to make these kinds of decisions on their own.

Agreed. Without guidance, kids are like little plastic boats on the open sea.

RobynLB

I was a vegan from 12 to 25, and I got pretty ill from it. I was sick all the time! Make sure you supplement your b vitamins and iron from the start because it's not a question of will you get a deficiency... it's a question of when. Tell your dr. about your diet and insist on getting blood work once a year. Also, be careful to get enough protein and fat or you will probably get low blood sugar problems. That being said, my Dr. loves my lipid panel, and my optometrist loves my blood vessles... and it's got to be from all those meat free years.

b12 is literally the only nutrient that cannot be obtained from a vegan diet. Other than that, there is no need to supplement a well balanced vegan diet. That said, not everyone eats a well balanced vegan diet, and some people choose supplements as an alternative. If you are interested in becoming vegan, I'd recommend the book "Vegan for Life" as it discusses vegan nutrition in detail.

My diet was impeccalbe. Still got ill. Take vitamins.

penrbrown

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Hmmm... this made me think of this interesting movie I watched, totally fake but still. It's called "Parents" It's on netflix. It's an old movie from 1989 but it shows parents trying to force their ideas on a kid lol. Dunno why this made me think of that.

Perhaps it hasn't occurred to you that societal norms are forced onto children everyday, but because those norms are dominant, they are nearly invisible to people. It's only when parents depart from the norm, and attempt to pass along their atypical knowledge and experience that people accuse them of 'forcing' their ideas on a kid.

Edit for spelling.

I'm not a parent so perhaps I shouldn't weigh in but I have to agree with what you said here VV. All sorts of idealogies are pushed on children. no child is TRULY free to choose his own path, nor should they be. Children don't know right from wrong. They don't know what's best for them. They don't know anything. They're children. It's a parents job to teach and to guide.

Not every child raised in a vegan home is going to be a vegan adult.
Not every child raised in a meat eating home is going to be a meat eating adult.

But while they're in that home, there's nothing wrong with the parent saying: I think this is best for you, so this is what you're going to eat.

WendyTerry420

I can't speak for that poster, but when most vegans bring up the idea of eating cats or dogs, it's more to question why it's so different. America went crazy when they sold horse meat, but don't balk at ground beef because that's been "normalized". The question is more "why love one and eat the other?" What really makes my dog, whom I love dearly, so much different from a goat or cow or pig?

Cattle do not show near as much affection as a dog and make for lousy house pets. lol. In the smart *kitten* remark.

But in seriousness, they're just things that have been eaten for years. Same as buffalo, fish, etc. Some where in time, some human took a bite, said it was good, found some kind of benefit and it was just accepted. The human didn't die from it, but back in time... your serving of meat wasn't the size of your head.

I would eat dog or cat if I was hungry enough. I've heard that dog makes a fine meal.

WendyTerry420

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Yes, because children are capable of making adult decisions. Great point. I'll remember that the next time my kids want Ramen noodles and Skittles for dinner.

_VoV

I can't speak for that poster, but when most vegans bring up the idea of eating cats or dogs, it's more to question why it's so different. America went crazy when they sold horse meat, but don't balk at ground beef because that's been "normalized". The question is more "why love one and eat the other?" What really makes my dog, whom I love dearly, so much different from a goat or cow or pig?

Cattle do not show near as much affection as a dog and make for lousy house pets. lol. In the smart *kitten* remark.

But in seriousness, they're just things that have been eaten for years. Same as buffalo, fish, etc. Some where in time, some human took a bite, said it was good, found some kind of benefit and it was just accepted. The human didn't die from it, but back in time... your serving of meat wasn't the size of your head.

I would eat dog or cat if I was hungry enough. I've heard that dog makes a fine meal.

I think that was the point. Why do we love some animals as 'pets', and treat other animals as widgets in a factory?

_VoV

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Yes, because children are capable of making adult decisions. Great point. I'll remember that the next time my kids want Ramen noodles and Skittles for dinner.

Well said.

WendyTerry420

I can't speak for that poster, but when most vegans bring up the idea of eating cats or dogs, it's more to question why it's so different. America went crazy when they sold horse meat, but don't balk at ground beef because that's been "normalized". The question is more "why love one and eat the other?" What really makes my dog, whom I love dearly, so much different from a goat or cow or pig?

Cattle do not show near as much affection as a dog and make for lousy house pets. lol. In the smart *kitten* remark.

But in seriousness, they're just things that have been eaten for years. Same as buffalo, fish, etc. Some where in time, some human took a bite, said it was good, found some kind of benefit and it was just accepted. The human didn't die from it, but back in time... your serving of meat wasn't the size of your head.

I would eat dog or cat if I was hungry enough. I've heard that dog makes a fine meal.

I think that was the point. Why do we love some animals as 'pets', and treat other animals as widgets in a factory?

Right. It's all about societal norms, like you mentioned earlier.

FredDoyle

I'm an ovo-lacto-pesca-carno vegetarian. To each his own.

_VoV

***I want to know your experience of being a vegan. I'm thinking of being one, but I love meat too much. But it's a lifestyle commitment.

I haven't eaten meat for almost 40 years. During that time, I have been vegan for years at a time, but now eat always vegetarian, and *mostly* vegan. I agree it's a commitment, particularly since our society is very much a meat/dairy-centered one. My experience has been good. I have absolutely no health problems, and ideal cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. At my age, I'm very pleased about that.

***What are your experiences? Do you have to take protein pills?

No. Read 'Vegan for Life' for good nutrition advice to keep your diet in balance. Many plant foods have protein which adds up if you make good choices. Just like diets that include meat, too much sugar or fried foods can make it too much of a squeeze to get what you need from the calories you have left.

***My friend is one but she eats seafood, not sure if that counts as being a vegan.

It doesn't. She's a pescatarian, but good for her.

cosmic15

I have no problem eating meat. or killing animals etc... however I am vegan due to the way that american farms its meat. It is discusting how aminals are treated so you get your protein (that you mostly don't need to the excess you consume). Dairy is so much worse. Read up on it, get educated before you preach it. If you read up on anything, read up on dairy. despressing much.

_VoV

I'm an ovo-lacto-pesca-carno vegetarian. To each his own.

The OP is asking for people to share experiences with veganism. How is your declaration addressing that?

cosmic15

i'd like to add that this is the best i've felt my whole life. this vegan diet might be laughed at by some but if i avoid the medical problems by elinating meat then maybe i'm ahead of the crowd on this one...

rml_16

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Yes, because children are capable of making adult decisions. Great point. I'll remember that the next time my kids want Ramen noodles and Skittles for dinner.

Well said.

I have seen the results of that kind of parenting. It isn't pretty.

There's nothing wrong with feeding your children whatever your diet is. They can decide they want to eat something else when they are old enough to make that decision for themselves.

FredDoyle

I'm an ovo-lacto-pesca-carno vegetarian. To each his own.

The OP is asking for people to share experiences with veganism. How is your declaration addressing that?

By adding a little levity and balance when people are getting wound up?

I have never done it, but for some reason your post makes me want to use the ignore user function for the first time.
I'll yield to your thread policing and bow out.

Molly_Maguire

You like meat? Then eat meat. Only reason some folks go vegan is because of silly "ethical" reasons or some such.

But of course don't eat too much of it and make sure everything's all balanced out and you won't gain weight.

Silly "ethical" reasons are the reason people don't slit your throat and take all your *kitten* just because they want it.

We're people. They're animals. Comparing the two as if we're equal is silly because the fact is we're not. Nor is eating meat ethically wrong. It's helped us all from going extinct and I see no reason to quit eating it now.

According to YOUR ethics that's the case. Someone raised with a different set of beliefs may not see it that way. Some believe that animals have just as much right to live without being murdered as people do and see no difference between slitting a person's throat to taking their *kitten* and slitting an animals throat and eating it and making a jacket out of its skin. In some places if you are a person from a different group of people you are not considered to be of the same worth and it's okay to kill you. That's that culture's "ethic".

Animals eat each other and we eat them. It's just the way life works. Get over it.

^^THIS

Molly_Maguire

I'm an ovo-lacto-pesca-carno vegetarian. To each his own.

Actually if you eat honey, you are a ovo-mella-lacto-pesca-carno vegetarian. :happy:

FredDoyle

I'm an ovo-lacto-pesca-carno vegetarian. To each his own.

Actually if you eat honey, you are a ovo-mella-lacto-pesca-carno vegetarian. :happy:

I stand corrected. I do eat honey, and make mead too! :drinker:

glitteredgrave

I've been vegan for a year, vegetarian for about 6 years. I don't eat healthily (been trying lately though), vegans eat junk food too. If I want ice cream, I'll get vegan ice cream. The transition from eating meat to eating vegetarian was super easy, I didn't miss meat at all. But the transition from being vegetarian to vegan was ridiculously hard, but it's easier for me now. For thanksgiving I had tofurky, which was really really good. You'll have to learn to cook for yourself 90% of the time as most restaurants (well, where I live) AREN'T vegan friendly. I lost some weight doing this until my body "adjusted" I guess (to the junk food? ha). I don't regret this change because my skin cleared up, my doctor is no longer on my back about cholesterol etc, and I typically eat slightly healthier than an average person on my good days (no fast food).

I just need to stop with the vegan junk food, but other than that I enjoy being vegan. Get used to your friends and family picking on you, and just people in general online and stuff. Just to be clear, vegans don't eat dairy, eggs, animal fat, any animal product whatsoever (honey is still on the fence to some). I eat fruits, veggies, grains, beans, lenils and thinks like soy milk and tofu.

I don't get bothered anymore by the whole "we are meant to eat meat" argument. I simply don't care, I have my own opinions. Eating vegan makes me feel better. I do it for me, not anybody else. Do what makes you happy.

runboostie

I am a part time vegan -- about 6 months of the year I am vegan, about 2 months ovo-lacto vegetarian and 4 months omnivore.

Veganism is great! No you don't need protein pills, with or without fish.

daniellealys

I was a vegetarian for 2 years and gained 20lbs. yeah, 20lbs and most of my meals consisted of vegetables and beans and fruit and I exercised 5 times a week. my body didnt do well without meat. I recently found that I am allergic to eggs, dairy and wheat so removed those items from my diet. So, I tried vegan for about 2 weeks and thought I was going to pass out so I decided I needed to reintroduce meat. Since that, I have lost 20lbs in just over 2 months and feel great.
if it is for weight loss reasons I do recommend removing dairy from your diet but not meat. if it is a moral thing, try switching to kosher, halal or grass feed, organic meats. I only eat those so I feel a little better about eating meat again.

Good luck!

jofjltncb6

I am a part time vegan -- about 6 months of the year I am vegan, about 2 months ovo-lacto vegetarian and 4 months omnivore.

Veganism is great! No you don't need protein pills, with or without fish.

Any chance the six months each year you are not eating vegan affects your conclusion that you don't need to supplement protein (and presumably, that you don't need to supplement nutrients such as B12)? I suspect your experience of being a part-time vegan may differ slightly from that of a full-time vegan.

mamatafari

I am a part time vegan -- about 6 months of the year I am vegan, about 2 months ovo-lacto vegetarian and 4 months omnivore.

Veganism is great! No you don't need protein pills, with or without fish.

Any chance the six months each year you are not eating vegan affects your conclusion that you don't need to supplement protein (and presumably, that you don't need to supplement nutrients such as B12)? I suspect your experience of being a part-time vegan may differ slightly from that of a full-time vegan.
[/quote

Just so you know, the protein you get from eating animals, they get from eating plants..]

jofjltncb6

I am a part time vegan -- about 6 months of the year I am vegan, about 2 months ovo-lacto vegetarian and 4 months omnivore.

Veganism is great! No you don't need protein pills, with or without fish.

Any chance the six months each year you are not eating vegan affects your conclusion that you don't need to supplement protein (and presumably, that you don't need to supplement nutrients such as B12)? I suspect your experience of being a part-time vegan may differ slightly from that of a full-time vegan.

Just so you know, the protein you get from eating animals, they get from eating plants..

Huh? Either you misunderstood my question or I misunderstood your answer...or both.

My point was, the experience of someone being vegan half of the time may differ from someone who is vegan all of the time in regard to the likelihood of chronic dietary deficiencies. Or at least I suspect that to be true.

As for your comment on how animals convert plant energy, yeah, that makes sense.

deb3129

i'd like to add that this is the best i've felt my whole life. this vegan diet might be laughed at by some but if i avoid the medical problems by elinating meat then maybe i'm ahead of the crowd on this one...

This is really it for me. People can say whatever they want, but within 2 weeks of going vegan I felt fantastic! I was still very overweight, but I started getting up every morning with a ton of energy. That energy lasts all day, there is literally no afternoon slump. I feel great, my skin looks awesome, and after almost 9 months my lab work is better than most people I know that are half my age. So I don't worry too much about the people that criticize the lifestyle, I just listen to my body, and I know that it likes it!!!

hkry3250

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Yes, because children are capable of making adult decisions. Great point. I'll remember that the next time my kids want Ramen noodles and Skittles for dinner.

Ah, yes, but no one mentioned the age of the kids. I'm thinking 9,10,11. Who should know a little about healthy eating by then, sounds like you're talking 2,3,4, which deffinately need guidance. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

daffodilsoup

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

That's the type of parenting the mother did in the movie, "Carrie." Real parenting involves letting the children decide for themselves what kind of lifestyle they want to live, but to be there for them to steer them away from danger and to pick up the pieces when they get hurt. Real parenting isn't to force your views or beliefs on a child. As for the Original OP, DON"T DO IT. We were made to hunt and eat meat. Forward facing eyes, to track and spot prey easier, ears on the side of the head to hear in a 360' area. Sharp front teet to tear and rip flesh, and we stand up right with opposable thumbs to hold weapons and tools. Contrary to the veggies here, it has noth to do with tradition, but it's the way we were made. No doc, trainer or dietician has ever said a vegan diet is better than an omnivorous diet.

Yes, because children are capable of making adult decisions. Great point. I'll remember that the next time my kids want Ramen noodles and Skittles for dinner.

Ah, yes, but no one mentioned the age of the kids. I'm thinking 9,10,11. Who should know a little about healthy eating by then, sounds like you're talking 2,3,4, which deffinately need guidance. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Do you know any 9-11 year olds? They might know a little about healthy eating, but they aren't at a point in their development when they can be responsible for their dietary choices.

Parents influence their children with their morals and beliefs - "forcing" their beliefs on a child would be if there was some sort of punishment involved with consuming animal products.

I implore you to research an animal-free diet a little more before you make sweeping generalizations about it.