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InnerLight posted 11/12/2010 20:38 PM

As a nutritionist I've read many books pro and con vegetarianism and veganism. I was a vegetarian myself for a few decades and had to stop because of my health.

This author was a vegan for 20 years and spiraled down into depression and joint degeneration and chronic pain. She was so deeply entrenched in the identity of being a vegan that she could not imagine that her diet was hurting her.

In this book she tackles tough questions and has a chapter each discussing the ideas around 'Moral Vegetarians', 'Political Vegetarians' and 'Nutritional Vegetarians'.

I am finding it thought provoking, thoughtful, well-researched and interesting to read. I highly recommend it.

latebloomer45 posted 11/12/2010 21:00 PM

Fascinating-I will check that out!

stefanie posted 11/20/2010 21:46 PM

My children are vegans and Iam a vegetarian. Shortly after graduating I had to visit several abbatoirs and chicken factory farms as part of our public health programme. I had seriously considered not eating meat and that sealed any doubts I had.

I would be very interested in reading this book. Thanks for the info.

InnerLight posted 11/21/2010 12:20 PM

The author is opposed to eating factory farmed animals. I think those have encouraged many a person to become vegetarian. They are abhorrent, no doubt about it.

Muchstrongernow posted 11/21/2010 15:54 PM

Vegan myself, I do my best to take good care of the body god gave me. Eating meat IMO is not a good choice for me. Well for anyone really. Unless you raise it yourself and know FOR SURE!!! What is going into the animal you are about to eat.

"Eating Animals" by, Johnathan Safran Foer

Knowledge is power, As most of us here already know, What we didn't know can hurt us.
The same goes for our food.

InnerLight posted 11/21/2010 18:55 PM

Just met another veg who didn't supplement with B12 and now, after many years of veg diet, has nerve degeneration and constant pain in her neck. Another one who didn't supplement had to have multiple surgeries to make her hands function after severe B12 deficiencies. I've seen the tests to show the big B12 deficiencies. B12 is from animal products or supplements.

I'm surprised people are unaware that they need to supplement if they avoid animal products. I thought it was well known, but apparently not, and with terrible life-changing consequences. We all have our beliefs and make our own choices on our diet, but B12 is absolutely necessary for health.

drowninginsorrow posted 11/22/2010 07:13 AM

we are carnivores around here ... DD wanted to try out being a vegetarian, her BF is a vegetarian, so I let her go for it, but all the soy drinks and supplements i made her take along with it did her in... she hated it ... but at least she got to try it out...

i am concerned about her BF because she eats nothing but white bread and ramen noodles, and obviously you have to be more vigilant about nutrition than that if you or your kids are going to be vegetarian, the child isn't very healthy

my BFF tried it out... for about 5 years, but then she just missed meat too much, wasn't very healthy, ended up on antidepressants and other complications, and she got pregnant and had a baby and figured she better have a more balanced diet and let her daughter choose for herself when she was older instead of choosing for her... she compromises by buying all organic or free range now instead...

i suppose we eat a lot of organic also as far as meat, probably half of our meat is stuff we get hunting or else straight from the farmer

sounds like an interesting book... i'll have to check it out, thanks for the recommendation innerlight

[This message edited by drowninginsorrow at 7:15 AM, November 22nd (Monday)]

Crossbow posted 11/22/2010 14:10 PM

Well, hell, anyone who chooses unhealthy foods - either with meat or without - is gonna be in a fix.

White bread with ramen noodles is a crap diet - whether the ramen has beef/chicken/pork in it or not. And we all know how awful a continual diet of fast food is for you.

I've always taken a complete vitamin, before I stopped eating red meat & poultry and after.

I quit red meat & poultry because they actually made me sick. I get gastritis attacks from coffee, so I don't drink that.

I think you have to be sensible about your diet, whatever it might be, & pay attention to what important things (fiber, vitamins, etc) could be missing, then to supplement that (with B12, fiber, calcium, whatever).

[This message edited by Crossbow at 2:10 PM, November 22nd (Monday)]