nay sayers

March 20, 2004

When I decided to go vegan, I thought I would have the support of my vegetarian

brother, if not from anyone else in the family. Unfortunately, I found out

that, although he has been a vegetarian since he was a teen, he recently began

eating meat again b/c his girlfriend's dr. told her that she should really be

eating meat in order to feel stronger/healthier, etc - he convinced her that

eating a vegetarian diet would not give her all of the necessary nutrients.

Anyhow, my brother bought into that and now they are both carnivores again. (

NOW, he says things to me such as, " so - how's it going being vegan? - it's SO

hard to get the right nutrients and to stay healthy eating that way " " I always

felt so run down, had no energy " etc., and although he doesn't say these things

in a confrontational manner, he hints that it is wrong of me to " make " my two

daughters eat a vegan diet as well (my 12 yo WANTS to be vegan - she never did

like eating meat. my 4 yo is not complaining at all - in fact, when offered milk

at my mom's house, she refused automatically - with no prompting whatsoever from

me). Of course, his negativity about our vegetarianism is only giving my mom

(who claims to eat meat every single day of the week) extra ammo. I honestly

think I am doing what is best for my girls by helping them become vegans now,

before they (possibly) get some of the diseases associated with a meat-based

diet. I can't get family members to understand that. It's frustrating, to say

the least.

Debbie

March 22, 2004

Debbie,

That is hard, and I understand. I have 3 sisters, and my mom, who are devout

red meat eaters. I thought my youngest sister(still 10 years my senior) would

be supportive because she was a partial vegetarian before she married her

current husband, but nope! She also has a son about 2-1/2 who, by my

recommendation, has been on soy milk for about 4 months now, due to allergy

problems, and has gotten better than on cow's milk. I still hear, " You need to

feed your daughter meat and dairy, " or " You aren't going to meet all that she

needs to grow, " or " Kylee needs to have variety right now, that is why she is so

picky, you guys have no variety. " They don't seem to mind that I am going

vegan, but it totally appauls them, even my nurse sister, that I am not feeding

my daughter meat and dairy. It is like I am abusing her, or something! But I

will say this, they say we don't have variety, and I know we haven't eaten the

same meal twice in one month. I couldn't do that eating meat! All

meat tastes the same to me, hamburger is hamburger, no matter how you cook it,

pork chops are pork chops no matter how you cook them, etc. So, I have peace of

mind, knowing that my daughter is offered a wide variety of food, (whether she

eats the variety is another story!). And as far as her being a healthy veg kid,

and growing right, well, there is a 2-1/2 y/o next door, who she out weighs and

stands almost an inch taller than, at 20 months! But she is not only tall for

her age, she is healthy for her age too.

As for the feeling better part with meat, that has not been my experience.

Grant it everyone has different experiences with different diets, but I will

share a little tale about me. I went into the Air Force, when I was a 19 y/o

meat eater. I had been active before, but never like I had been at bootcamp,

and I pasted out, ended up in the infermory, with so little iron in my blood

stream I was almost a critical case. Thankfully, they were able to give me an

IV and some iron, and I was back up in a couple of days. I was soooooooo weak.

And how on earth would a person eating meat not have enough iron? Well, I was

diagnosed with anemia(sp?) and took iron every day of my life since then, and

past out on a few occassions still. I had been mostly vegetarian, when I was

single in the Air Force, but I didn't eat right(single living in dorms, etc.),

but I felt better when I eliminated the meat from my diet. After I got married,

I started eating meat again, and was again run down,

needing to take more iron all the time(and anyone who has taken large amounts

of iron pills, probably know they don't make you feel very good). But in the

past six months, I have cut the meat from our diets, and started cutting the

dairy, and I have more energy that I have ever had before! In fact, at my last

dr.'s appointment, they took me off of the iron pills! I had very high levels

of iron in my system, and have done fine for 4 months w/o them. bWhere in the

past, I would be a sad, sad couch potato, in need of something to eat before I

past out, w/o the iron pills. So this has really kept me going on towards my

goal of becoming a full fledged vegan, which not only makes sense to me,

healthwise, but compassionwise. I have always felt, " How can I love dogs and

cats so much that I take every stray in, and at least find them a good home, but

eat a cow? " But I feared that my health would very much get in the way of my

goal of becoming vegan, but it has been so much better!!

So all that to say, your brother's dr. has lapped up all the meat industry

propaganda, and probably needs to do more research!! An unhealthy person can be

healthier on a vegan diet!! The only thing left for me to cut out of our diet

is cheese, and that has been a rare item the past 2 months, and I still feel

great!! Not to mention, the past three years, between getting out of my very

active work of jet mechanic, in the Air Force, and becoming a stay at home new

mom, I had gained 80 lbs eating meat, and while I haven't lost a tremendous

amount of weight, cutting meat and dairy, I have lost a couple of pounds here

and there, and haven't gained them back, without incorporating exercise.

So be well, and feel reassured that you are doing the right thing for you. It

is nice to have your family behind you, but it isn't impossible w/o their help.

Sounds like your kids are with you on your decision, and that is a GREAT thing.

Melanie

Debbie <onehundredacrewood wrote: When I decided to go vegan, I

thought I would have the support of my vegetarian brother, if not from anyone

else in the family. Unfortunately, I found out that, although he has been a

vegetarian since he was a teen, he recently began eating meat again b/c his

girlfriend's dr. told her that she should really be eating meat in order to feel

stronger/healthier, etc - he convinced her that eating a vegetarian diet would

not give her all of the necessary nutrients. Anyhow, my brother bought into

that and now they are both carnivores again. ( NOW, he says things to me

such as, " so - how's it going being vegan? - it's SO hard to get the right

nutrients and to stay healthy eating that way " " I always felt so run down, had

no energy " etc., and although he doesn't say these things in a confrontational

manner, he hints that it is wrong of me to " make " my two daughters eat a vegan

diet as well (my 12 yo WANTS to be vegan - she never did

like eating meat. my 4 yo is not complaining at all - in fact, when offered

milk at my mom's house, she refused automatically - with no prompting whatsoever

from me). Of course, his negativity about our vegetarianism is only giving my

mom (who claims to eat meat every single day of the week) extra ammo. I

honestly think I am doing what is best for my girls by helping them become

vegans now, before they (possibly) get some of the diseases associated with a

meat-based diet. I can't get family members to understand that. It's

frustrating, to say the least.

Debbie

March 22, 2004

Have them read John Robbins " Food Revolution. " There is so much data in that

book about the perils of eating animal products. Very well written and very

convincing.

Ultimately, they are your children. You are doing what is best for them. It is

regrettable that your family doesn't respect that.

Debbie <onehundredacrewood wrote: