Am I wrong for not having the same lifestyle choice?

Everyone who has ever had an epiphany seems compelled to share their excitement with everyone they know. Understandable I suppose, but not always useful or wanted. She's clearly a newbie at vegan-ism, and thinks it's the Answer To Life. Maybe, maybe not - but her fervor may wane in a year or so and you don't have to be a follower of *her* lifestyle to have a worthwhile, fulfilling, healthy life. Smile and tell her you love her as a friend and that you're happy she's so content with her new eating habits. Do not speak of it again.

Can I interest you in Jesus? He died for your sins and mine

Just do you.

The Dalai Lama recommends a vegetarian diet but he cannot be vegetarian himself as its not suitable for his body and health.

It makes me really sad that a lot of you feel this way about veganism. I know there are people out there who are pushy and not compassionate, but they are the vocal minority. I just hope you can all consider the reason we are so passionate about it is because from our point of view, the more we spread veganism, the fewer creatures have to suffer. I would also like to add that properly planned vegan diets are considered "healthful and nutritionally adequate" according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

I have a few vegan friends, but sadly they are some of the most self righteous, condescending people I've ever met ... I love them to pieces, but they ALWAYS lecture me on my food choices and I have explained to them that I have severe digestive issues, the only fruit I can digest are bananas & blueberries, I can't digest anything from the onion or garlic family, I can't digest soya of any description and I definitely can't eat anything raw (with exception of bananas & blueberries).

My diet is very rich in fish & meat, rice, gluten free pasta & lactose free dairy, but whenever I'm with my vegan friends, they always try to tell me a vegan diet would make me better and solve my digestive issues, you can't solve IBS you can only manage the symptoms and my diet does that just fine, for the most part.

Today I tried a NAKD bar, it's classed as raw & vegan; diary, wheat & gluten free and I'm in agony, my clothes are too tight because I suddenly look 8 months pregnant and I can't get off the toilet - the ingredients in the NAKD bar are Cashews, Dates, Raisins & Cocoa Powder and it's killing me, I'd starve to death as a vegan, but vegans still believe that it's best for me.

So in short, no you are not wrong and I'd politely remind your vegan friend that it's your body and you'll decide how to treat it, plus if everyone suddenly turned vegan there would become a shortage of plant based foods and it'd cause havoc with the eco system - embrace our differences and respect our choices is my view.

I seriously admire the devotion of veganism, but it simply isn't for everyone.

You may have to put up some healthy boundaries here.

First off, it's perfectly OK and NORMAL to be a meat-eating individual and there are plenty of philosophical arguments FOR eating meat. You do NOT have to justify yourself to your friend or anyone else for your right to eat a tuna fish sandwich. Vegans may want to debate this, but in the end, it's not against the law and you are within your right to.

You also DO NOT have to engage in debate about veganism. Really, your friend has made a position clear. If you really want to explore that further, great. But if you don't, it's time to shift the topic of discussion. And that's reasonable. I don't spend a lot of time with my friends discussing my food intake--it's reasonable to move on. Shift the topic. Find a different thing to do, and so on.

If she keeps disrespecting your boundaries, ignores the fact you are not interested in being a vegan, or tries to make you out to be a bad person, that's not what a friend does.