The Vegan Blues page

[AFishOut]

Hi all -

Somehow I've surrounded myself with amazing, funny, intelligent women --- who have gone vegan, one within the last year or two. I also have a friend who suffers from chronic cardio on top of doing a pseudo veganism. (Doesn't understand how she gained 20 pounds, but telling the whole world how healthy she is and how she disagrees with what most people think of as healthy. *sigh*)

I'm old enough to know that talking won't do much good. They are convinced how healthy they are despite some starling evidence to the contrary. I cringe when I hear about the constant cold type illnesses and the weight gain issues. It's so frustrating. I know what's going on (including the biochemistry) but I'm powerless to prevent this self inflicted suffering.

And yeah, I know I'm taking this too seriously but it's still bumming me out. Any thoughts on how to counter the vegan blues?

Amy

[Louisa655]

Hi all -

Somehow I've surrounded myself with amazing, funny, intelligent women --- who have gone vegan, one within the last year or two. I also have a friend who suffers from chronic cardio on top of doing a pseudo veganism. (Doesn't understand how she gained 20 pounds, but telling the whole world how healthy she is and how she disagrees with what most people think of as healthy. *sigh*)

I'm old enough to know that talking won't do much good. They are convinced how healthy they are despite some starling evidence to the contrary. I cringe when I hear about the constant cold type illnesses and the weight gain issues. It's so frustrating. I know what's going on (including the biochemistry) but I'm powerless to prevent this self inflicted suffering.

And yeah, I know I'm taking this too seriously but it's still bumming me out. Any thoughts on how to counter the vegan blues?

Amy

avoid them

[AFishOut]

If only life were that simple. (Although I'm seriously thinking about it for the friend who went vegan in this last year for other reasons.) These are otherwise intelligent funny ladies that I connect with and it's not just me - we homeschool and my kids seriously connect with their kids. Neither one has tried to "push" vegan or vegetarianism on us. The only person I know who "gets" Paleo in the homeschool circle I hang with doesn't connect with me or the kids.

[canio6]

If only life were that simple. (Although I'm seriously thinking about it for the friend who went vegan in this last year for other reasons.) These are otherwise intelligent funny ladies that I connect with and it's not just me - we homeschool and my kids seriously connect with their kids. Neither one has tried to "push" vegan or vegetarianism on us. The only person I know who "gets" Paleo in the homeschool circle I hang with doesn't connect with me or the kids.

Be happy that you are healthy and doing what is right for you. If their lifestyles do not work out for them, hope they ask what is working so well for you. As long as they are not pushing their agenda there is no reason to push yours (ours). Have fun and more importantly let your kids have fun.

[JoanieL]

As someone who's religious beliefs (or lack thereof) have always been in the minority, I've learned one hard fact: you have to take the bad with the good. If these women are great to hang out with, who cares what they eat? Diversity, baby, diversity. If I only socialized with atheists or buddhists, I wouldn't have very many people to talk to.

[ashleytadams]

I am always trying to convert people to PB. I know girls in their twenties with PCOS and diabetes...it is so sad.

I try not to waste my energy 'casting pearls before swine'. Some people just don't want to open their minds!

One person even told me that organic food was dumb, genetically modified food was safe, and that we needed to trust the federal regulatory system.

L.O.L.

[Damiana]

Lead by example. Once they see how healthy you are, they're likely to question their own choices. If not, who cares? They're grown adults, it's their life to live. Be secretly smug if you want, but ultimately you can't lecture them into doing something they're adamantly against.

[Moochy]

Hi all -

Somehow I've surrounded myself with amazing, funny, intelligent women --- who have gone vegan, one within the last year or two. I also have a friend who suffers from chronic cardio on top of doing a pseudo veganism. (Doesn't understand how she gained 20 pounds, but telling the whole world how healthy she is and how she disagrees with what most people think of as healthy. *sigh*)

I'm old enough to know that talking won't do much good. They are convinced how healthy they are despite some starling evidence to the contrary. I cringe when I hear about the constant cold type illnesses and the weight gain issues. It's so frustrating. I know what's going on (including the biochemistry) but I'm powerless to prevent this self inflicted suffering.

And yeah, I know I'm taking this too seriously but it's still bumming me out. Any thoughts on how to counter the vegan blues?

Amy

as Robb Wolf says: "Trying to convince people to save their own ass will burn you out."

[magnolia1973]

It will be OK. Nothing you can do. It's not worth being upset over.

[zoebird]

i'm with the take good with bad camp. and more often than not, you find way more good than bad anyway.