Vegan/Plant based.

nan99

Unfortunately the NHS only try to cure people instead of telling us how to prevent health problems

That's certainly not true of the NHS here. Our GP practice goes to considerable lengths to educate patients and promote healthy lifestyle, advise on diet, weight, a gentle walking group, a community garden in their grounds, local community larder etc/. We're offered free vaccination, screening programs etc.They can refer patients to excercise rehab classes at the local gym

All the above advertised in the practice; on their website, and in a regular newsletter sent to patients phone.

We were vegetarians and then became vegan for quite a few years (triggered by the Chernobyl disaster).

Eventually moved back to being vegetarian but there's no problem cooking "real" food whatever your diet it seems to me.

Lots of junk food is available for all diets!

Chocolatelovinggran

I'm vegetarian, and, like Norah, feel no need to persuade anyone to join me. I eat alongside meat eaters frequently.
Rarely does any of this group try to convert me to their way of eating, either.

We feed all our daughters and theirs several times a week, they eat meat, chicken, fish which we cook for them -- they also eat food we cook for ourselves. As a family we typically eat the same sides/salads.

Never has to be a problem -- it's just good food.

I'm vegetarian, and, like Norah, feel no need to persuade anyone to join me. I eat alongside meat eaters frequently.
Rarely does any of this group try to convert me to their way of eating, either.

Norah

We're vegans. We take B12 supplements.

We find cooking vegan foods easy, reasonable in price.

We eat no takeaways, no processed vegan foods.

We don't talk bout being vegans, no opinions for others. I mention it here, when on topic. Others may eat as they wish, don't deserve animal welfare lectures.

Thanks Norah. That’s a good lesson for vegans.

We're vegans. We take B12 supplements.

We find cooking vegan foods easy, reasonable in price.

We eat no takeaways, no processed vegan foods.

We don't talk bout being vegans, no opinions for others. I mention it here, when on topic. Others may eat as they wish, don't deserve animal welfare lectures.

The question I have asked every vegan I have ever spoken to quite seriously - and never had a reply to is this.

How far down the animal chain does your abhorrence of dead animals go? Does it include rats? wild mink? does it include insects, if not why not? What about where a glut of certain animals is causing serious damage to natural habitats. For example the culling of deer(imported ones that escaped from parks and have become almost naturalised.) where their excess numbers are damaging the habitats of rare species - red squirrels for example. If deer are culled why should we not eat them?

I have yet to get an answer. We all have our inconsistencies in the principles we espouse. It could be quite reasonable to say, I do not eat big nice looking animals but believe we should kill animals that could be described as pests or vermin.

I am most definitely not a Vegan. Whenever I have looked at so many vegan foods, they seem to contain large amounts of salt, be very processed and have far too many air miles.
Human Being digestive system is designed to consume, vegetables, fruits, meat and fish. All in reasonable quantities.

I am much more concerned about the over-processing of many foods, and the air miles they often have than whether or not it comes from an animal, fish, plant, etc.

I find that vegetarians (on the whole) are much easier people regarding their (and my) diet. Vegans just want to insist that anybody other them ae totally wrong. Come to any normal local cafe, restaurant and most of their menus offer Vegan and Vegetarian dishes, but if I go for a coffee/tea in my local vegan restaurant, I am unable to enjoy these drinks due to the horrible milk substitutes they insist on using.

I don't quite understand why you are asking for vegans to communicate with Nan?

Are you hoping to exchange recipes maybe?

Vegetaruans might be healthier, not by avoiding meat but by avoiding what is done to our meat.

What is your reason?

I am glad you dont contribute to the breeding, birthing, growing and slaughtering of healthy animals, just to eat them.

I have yet to see a healthy vegan. I appreciate eating fruit, vegetables, salad etc...is healthy but it certainly isn't a balanced diet. There was a survey a couple of years ago showing processed vegan food was really unhealthy full of salt and sugar. And why are vegetarian and vegan dishes called things like chicken (less) nuggets and (no) Beef Wellington? the very thing vegans and vegetarians preach on about hating so much?

Glad you’re happy with your vegan diet.

I thought your post interesting until you got to the VS about dead animals, then I realised what the post was actually about.

I feel for your DH who evidently went vegan to suit your wishes.

I hope you find someone vegan on here to communicate with, but do you really only want to communicate with vegans?

Why not just join in with the other posters?

The only vegans (2) I know, once they’ve made the announcement about being vegan and how they don’t eat animals etc.etc. are quite happy to discuss other things.

The human body is adapted to consume and digest all kinds of food. Humans are omnivores, not herbivores or carnivores.

You can eat healthily on a vegan diet but it requires a lot of planning to make sure that it is not deficient in many key nutrients including calcium, iron and zinc, while vitamin B12 is almost entirely sourced from animal products.

The difficulty is that whenever someone decides on a particular diet aimed at good health, good health is usually the result because people who are concerned about being healthy usually have healthy lifestyles, across the board, regular exercise, keeping their weight down not drinking heavily etc etc.

There are also many examples of people not thriving on a vegan diet. A vegan diet can also be highly dependent on highly processed foods, the UPFs, that we are meant to keep to a minimum.

In a time of food plenty (in most countries) where we can make infinite choices about what we eat, there are many ways of eating a healthy diet and staying healthy well into old age.

Veganism suits you and makes you happy and content, I note you run the usual old hackneyed emotional blackmail about dead animals, have you ever considered the billions, and trillions of insects, small mammals, micro organisms etc that are killed growing crops?

I eat an omnivore diet and it happens to have plentiful veg, fruit and the likes of kefir, pulses, nuts and a very small amount of meat, and fish, eggs every day. This is what I call a fully balanced and healthy diet

I don`t like vegans who spout rubbish about healthy `plant based` food and really have no idea about the nutritional aspects and then go on to preach to other people.

You are what you eat and we need a fully rounded diet, containing all the amino acids, vitamins and minerals

It's wonderful to hear that both you and your husband have found an approach that's worked well for your health over the years.

As a nutrition counselor, I've learned that there isn't one eating pattern that's right for everyone. Whether someone chooses a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous diet, the key is making sure it's well planned and provides enough protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals to support good health.

The best diet is one that's nutritious, sustainable, and fits a person's lifestyle. It's always encouraging to hear when someone has found an approach they enjoy and can maintain long term.

It’s an entirely personal choice.

With the internet at almost everyone’s fingertips it’s not difficult to find out how to eat healthily and exercise.