a comment on my latest post

My last blog post on the "good" and "bad" of my vegan habits lately wasn't all that clear, so I'd like to take a moment to clear up some things I may have made confusing.

I said that I had "tried" veganism, but I have not yet given up! :) I'm still going strong, although I have had moments where I felt tempted, but not nearly enough to actually eat meat or products that weren't vegan. When I said I was being a "bad" vegan, what I meant by that was I haven't been eating a healthy diet full of vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, and the like. For example, right now, I am eating a Flying Apron peanut butter ball that is the size of my fist; basically, it's a giant ball of peanut buter and organic sugar, coated in chocolate and coconut with a happy healthy looking label on it to make you feel less guilty about eating crap for breakfast.

So, while I struggle with the healthy aspect of my veganism, I have stayed on the vegan path nonetheless. Although, I do have a bit of a struggle with not eating eggs. I've felt less energetic, and I have a hard time getting the notion of "PROTEIN" out of my head (you know, the idea that I need more protein, the one that's been ingrained into us since childhood). I feel like, if hens lay eggs anyway, and they lay hundreds of them all the time, and the hens are in safe conditions and they aren't being abused or killed - why not eat those eggs? Why not literally go to a local, organic farm and buy eggs from the farm? I don't see the harm in that. I'm not supporting a corporate agenda that is plotting to kill and abuse as many animals as it can for profit and gain. I'm just using a product the chicken naturally disposes of, for my own consumption. The local farmer gets the money, the chicken is happy, and I get the eggs. The only con I can see in that is that eventually, the chickens still are slaughtered, which I don't agree with. But if I can do my part in the least, wouldn't that be something?

I've been reading/skimming through this book Matthew ordered from Amazon called Thrive by Brendan Brazier. It's a really awesome book, to be honest. It's really in depth on what vegan nutrition can do for your life. But to be perfectly honest, I look at all nutrition books with a hint of skepticism. Because they all say the same things. Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Carb Lovers, Carb Haters, Sugar Busters, Cookie Diet - they all say "It changed my life!!!" and "You can too!" and "I lost 500 pounds in a WEEEK!" I mean, that MAY be a BIT of an exaggeration, but you get the jist, right? Every diet book and nutrition book I've read, and I've read about 50 of them, has had the same reviews. So I've come to this conclusion: It's all in your head. I know that sounds awful... it really does... God that sounds so cynical, like something a doctor would say. But it is at least partially true. Veganism is wonderful, because it isn't JUST a diet. It IS better for your body, your digestive system, your overall health and your longevity. But diet and health are largely your attitude. Every diet, every lifestyle and every change is about attitude.

So all in all, even though I haven't eaten the healthiest lately, I am happy about the changes I've made, because I am making a small, immediate change in the demands of what I need from my local grocers by not buying meat, dairy products or caged eggs. My choices do ultimately affect large chain grocery stores, however small, and these choices can have a ripple effect if enough people follow and start to at least buy organic or local products from health food stores.

And on that note...

thoughts on the "good" and "bad" of veganism

Not much has been going on these past few days. To be honest, I have been a bad vegan.

Well, I really hate labeling myself at all as "good" or "bad". There really isn't a good or bad when it comes to doing something beneficial for farm animals and the environment, but as far as my health and my diet goes, my energy is way low and my actual food intake has been unhealthy as of late. I find that when I'm not prepared with actual meals at work, I eat whatever I can that is closest to vegan, and most of the time it isn't filling at all. In case you didn't know, I work at Starbucks. And it case you've never been to a Starbucks, Starbucks doesn't have options like Walnut-Hemp burgers, Quinoa Pizza, or Sweet Potato Thai Soup. Those are things I actually have to make myself. Which to be honest, can be costly and time consuming.

But to be honest, putting in the time is worth it, and the spending is worth it (to me). It's really subjective, what we "can" and "can't" afford. Walnuts, quinoa, and sweet potatoes are available at most local grocery stores. But coconut oil, hemp protein, and coconut milk can be a little more challenging to find. So I find myself doing great for a few days, and then not so great for those other days. It's easy to get discouraged when you are so determined to do well 100% of the time. Isn't that called perfectionism or something?

I've learned over time that if I put my all into something, I get burned out way too quickly. So when I decided to try veganism, that's exactly what I did - I tried it first. I didn't dedicate myself to it immediately. I said, okay, first I'll eliminate meats. I did that, that wasn't so hard. Okay, now I'll eliminate eggs, but I'll still eat my favorite bread which contains eggs. Okay, I'm ready to sacrifice my bread because I've seen the way chickens are stuffed into cages and forced to lay eggs and then beaten to death, so do I really need the bread with the eggs in it? No. And thus, another vegan was born. I may not be an exceedingly healthy one (yet) but I am "one" nonetheless. And I am making a difference in the death toll for many suffering sentient beings on this planet.

VegNews Article on the Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

An article I found on VegNews.com, a Vegan/Vegetarian website, explains the health benefits of a vegetarian diet and "mythbusts" some misconceptions about both diets:

Veg diets lack protein? Says who?!
Here are a few factoids for veggies new and old.

By Dina Aronson, RD & Meghan Fitzpatrick

Now that you've resolved to go vegetarian, phase two of your new-year plan should be arming yourself with veg-related factoids. Why? Because friends, family, and even random strangers are guaranteed to quiz you, grill you, and otherwise bombard you with questions about your new-and-improved lifestyle. Do a bit of myth-busting and show ’em what they're missing by memorizing a few of these fascinating factoids.

Myth: A vegetarian diet lacks sufficient protein, calcium, and iron.
Truth: A well-balanced vegetarian diet certainly can provide enough of these nutrients. What we don't hear too often is that any poorly planned diet—meat-centered or not—can lack adequate nutrients. For well-fed vegetarians, protein, calcium, and iron are rarely issues. Beans, lentils, and soy are the protein standbys, although protein is also found in vegetables and starches. As long as we consume enough calories from a variety of foods, protein needs are easily met.

Roughly two-thirds of the world has difficulty digesting milk, making the majority of us reliant upon non-dairy calcium sources. Indeed, nuts and seeds, tofu, beans, leafy greens, and other foods contain calcium, and many plant sources are actually better absorbed by the body than the kind found in cows' milk. Even if your vegetarian diet isn't pristine, it's easy to get enough calcium from fortified vegan sources like cereals, juices, energy bars, and soymilk.

Myth: Vegetarians only eat salad.
Truth: From vegetable-topped pizza and pasta primavera to succulent stir-fries and vegetable curries, today's vegetarians should have no trouble finding something delicious and nutritious to eat. More and more restaurants are adding veg options to their menus, and many of today's veg eateries have gone upscale, offering dishes that would dazzle even the most discriminating palates. We'd like to also rid the world of the myth that vegetarians arrange their plates with a pile of plain veggies beside a pile of rice. Give us a maple-roasted acorn squash stuffed with wild rice-pecan-currant pilaf instead of a pile of steamed veggies and a scoop of rice any day.

Myth: Being vegetarian is time-consuming and difficult.
Truth: Just as omnivores typically don't pluck their own chickens and make their own cheese from their own cow (that they milked by hand), vegetarians don't necessarily prepare nine-course meals from scratch every night. We get a bit of help using healthy convenience foods such as wholesome breads, quick-cooking grains, ready-to-eat cereals, frozen chopped veggies, bagged salads, canned beans, baking mixes, jarred nut butters, prepared herbs and spices, veggie burgers and other faux meats, sauces, and more. With a little imagination, a healthy, meat-free meal can be prepared in minutes.

Vegetarians have a lower risk of:Obesity
Cardiovascular disease
Stroke
Hypertension
Diabetes
Cancer (certain types)
Diverticular disease
Kidney disease
Gallstones

(courtesy of http://www.vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=275&catId=7. I did not write this article.)