Beautiful People

When I first became vegan I was worried that if I got sick or had some kind of health issue people would assume it was because of my new diet. Now, when other people I know get sick, I think its probably because of their [old] diet.

Are vegans prettier? Healthier? Happier? Some vegans think its important that other vegans are pretty, healthy and happy, in order to send a good message to non-vegans. If not, non-vegans will look, compare, realize they are quite content, and find themselves discouraged to consider a change. OK, let’s say you are a hard core vegan, and you look like shit, and you’re a pain in the ass negative nancy and your life sucks. Then the vegan movement is going to slow down, right, because who wants that? But actually, I don’t think it’s that important. Non-vegan people who think that way are just using it as an excuse. This kind of vegan is still contributing to the reduction of animal suffering. That’s one more person not consuming animal, and that’s enough for me. I say if you want to be happy, that takes work, and you don’t just become happy because you become vegan (although that can happen). So don’t think that way. As for health, if you cared enough, you’d probably already be a vegan. OUCH. If you don’t want to be happy, healthy, or pretty, that’s cool, and shouldn’t stop you from being vegan.

At the same time, no one sets a better example for aspiring vegans than the vegans kicking ass out there. And there are many.

But seriously, vegan ≠ healthy. If you are a sick/unhealthy vegan, I’d have to assume that you’re not doing it right. Find a nutritionist or health advisor who can help get you on track. If you want to replace all your favorite meat and dairy items with soy, do you. Just know, it doesn’t make you any healthier, and you may even get sick from that crap. Which is fine with me if it’s fine for you. But just admit it to yourself.



Someone recently told me they hated vegans because they are self righteous.

It’s not surprising to me now, but more than many other debates I have with my friends about veganism, the issue is philosophic. Typical questions include: oh, so you think we should turn back the wheels of evolution?; do you have a problem with the treatment of the animals, or the killing of animals in general?; how can you think people are not supposed to eat meat?; is there a right way to kill animals and eat meat, and if there was would you do it?; why not get only quality meat?; people NEED a certain amount of meat in their diet (statement, not a question); etc... The thing about this that bothers me is that in the end, the conversation is always purely hypothetical. It gets very chicken vs. egg. I don’t know the answer to most of the questions. I don’t need to know the answers (right now), although I’d like to. There are enough reasons to be vegan. Sometimes being vegan, it’s like wearing a seatbelt kind of, you do it just in case - someone might get hurt out there.

I always wonder about people who are quick to poo poo diet and lifestyle remedies to health problems. I’m no doctor, but I’ve read and seen enough to understand that there is a clear relationship between that which you consume and your health. If you are sick and sticking pretty close the Standard American Diet, I have to wonder if you have heard about or considered immediate and probably radical changes to your diet. And if you have, what exactly is holding you back from giving it a try? Please don’t tell me quality of life. I implore you to explore your (non-invasive)(diatetic)(holistic) options.

Does anyone actually think that they are immune from disease? I don’t care who you are, you’re not.

Veganism is ILL. It’s a movement that has been around for awhile, but I’d say has been largely ignored. In my time, I see the movement gaining attention and traction because the world is suffering big time.

I enjoy seeing veganism in the news, but I like it best when its done right. I dislike when someone calls it a fad. Same goes for the raw food diet. Maybe you don’t agree (for whatever reason) with the alleged health benefits, but don’t try to demean the lifestyle by calling it a hoax or a fad. You’re a fad.

Same goes for subsets of the green movement, but watch out for Greenwashing.

I admit I don’t know everything, that’s why I like to learn. A good way I learn is by trying new things, I call this experimenting. You have to have an open mind, though. I go into something new with the mindset that I may have found something interesting, amazing, eye-opening, maybe life changing; or maybe not.