Veganism & vegetarianism

[Athene]

Oh dear. Another smug vagitarian. (previous poster)

[Thumpalumpacus]

Rather than "smug" I'd say "devout".

[Aroura]

I keep trying to cut all meat out of my diet and failing. We've reduced it a LOT. I no longer buy fresh meat for dinner...like ever. We used to have chicken or fish about 4 times a week, and beef or pork about once a week. Now I only buy veggies and beans and fruits fresh. But I can't seem to stay away from occasional processed meats (lunch meat, hot dogs, all the very worst things). Also, fast food gets us about once a week, and although I try and get something somewhat healthy, I often get chicken.

I'm stil trying though. Our last fast food trip we all got bean burritos. It's not an immediate process, but I would still estimate we eat about 75% less meat now than just 1 year ago, and actually most of the time, we all prefer it.

I did eat a filet minon on my birthday. And I don't regret it one bit.

Well maybe a tiny bit. BUT OMG yum!!!! It was so melt in the mouth, like butter.

And speaking of butter, I've gone back to using only olive oil or butter, no margerine ever for about 4 or 5 years now. I will continue to eat eggs, yogurt and cheese. Bt I hope we'll become true vegetarians in perhaps another year. Or maybe w'll just keep it as a special treat. I don't know.

[AFTT47]

Aurora, I think your method is a fine goal. Just cut down substantially. I have got down to the point where maybe 90% of my diet is vegetable. I don't get dogmatic about it or judge others about it. I just eat more and more vegetarian. I'll have the occasional 1/4 pounder with cheese at McDonald's and I won't sweat it morally but overall, I'm mostly vegetarian. I actually find the idea of eating meat repugnant, most of the time. The occasional lapse is no big deal to me. I know I'm moving society in the right direction. I'm no Robvalue but it's not all or nothing. Just do what you can.

[Aractus]

I have been a vegetarian since I was 10 and a 'raw until 4' vegan for the past few years.

That is an absolutely terrible diet.

I did have serious health problems in my teens, but am in excellent health now.

This is the problem with veganism. Health problems from the diet are not immediately obvious. I highly suggest to you that you have a bone density test. It requires dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), which is low level xray (lower than at the dentist), and is the only way to accurately determine bone health before problems are obvious. You should also get your LDL levels tested, your vitamin d (in winter), and vitamin B12 tested.

I don't need to justify what I do or don't put in my body to any of you either.

Well what do you call it then when people choose behaviours that are risky for their health and then refuse to accept any advice over it? Wilful ignorance? Confirmation bias? Misinformed opinion? Arrogance? Stupidity?

Blindly believing in nonsense and promoting it is no different to holding irrational religious beliefs.

I do find the thought of consuming cooked (or raw) flesh, cow/goat/sheep/camel lactation, poultry menstruation and bee regurgitate pretty fucking vile.

The closest animal to humans in nature is the chimp. We share a common ancestor, and both of our species are omnivorous. You find all animal foods "vile"?

What I find vile is the fact that people willingly choose to follow eating plans that aren't based on evidence. The best known general-purpose human diet known today is DASH, it was designed to lower blood pressure and it's based on evidence and research, and promoted by actual dietetic organisations, heart-health organisations, cancer organisations, and government agencies.

[Aractus]

I keep trying to cut all meat out of my diet and failing.  We've reduced it a LOT.  I no longer buy fresh meat for dinner...like ever.  We used to have chicken or fish about 4 times a week, and beef or pork about once a week.  Now I only buy veggies and beans and fruits fresh.  But I can't seem to stay away from occasional processed meats (lunch meat, hot dogs, all the very worst things).  Also, fast food gets us about once a week, and although I try and get something somewhat healthy, I often get chicken.

As the resident health student, let me say - replace the processed meats, where possible, with fresh fatty fish, and lean meat. It is much healthier to have fish 2-3 times a week and lean meat 2-4 times a week than it is to have neither.

Processed meat doesn't count as meat in the diet, it counts as a discretionary food.

[AFTT47]

Aractus, is there any subject you are not full of shit about? Why don't you take your global warming-denying ass over to ChristianForums.org. I think you would be more at home there.

[Aractus]

Oh I'm sorry, have you studied health and nutrition? No? Then you're the one full of shit AFTT47.

[AFTT47]

Oh I'm sorry, have you studied health and nutrition? No? Then you're the one full of shit AFTT47.

I haven't studied it formally. Yet I still know that carnivores have an intestine length to body length ratio of 5-1 while we have a ratio of 12-1. This means when we eat meat, we absorb many more toxins than a carnivore would. I know that a carnivore's renal system can handle the toxins associated with eating meat far better than our's can. Even so, carnivores must sleep many more hours each day and have much shorter lifespans. I also know that while our intestines don't have the 20-1 length ratio true herbivores do, we are capable of getting nearly everything we need from complex vegetables. Protein is not an issue because our body builds it from amino acids - all easily available from vegetable sources. Nearly all nutrients are available too - the exceptions being B12 and D3. Both are available as supplements. You know this so why are you neglecting to mention it?

Vegans do indeed need to carefully monitor their intake to make sure they are not deficient in certain areas and I'm sure most of them know that. Dairy-consuming vegetarians would have a hard time avoiding getting what they need if they wanted to - I suspect you damn-well know that. Contrast that with the carcinogenic-rich diet of a meat eater and it's ridiculous to say they have an unhealthy diet.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Don't look now, Aractus, but you appear to be victim-blaming.