Help me understand the Vegan way of life

winterybella

winterybella

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Since coming to this forum I have become very curious about the vegan way of life. I did a bit of research and it's quite an interesting approach to eating.

I must confess it seems like a way of life that calls for a lot of planning and thinking. Perhaps that's a good thing, but I feel like it would be quite a challenge for me.

Those of you exposed to this way of life, kindly let me know if it's as difficult as it appears. I am more than eager to hear.
 
People choose to be vegan for various reasons; health, ethical or because of animal rights. It depends why you want to become vegan and whether it's a diet or way of life? Vegans won't wear any animal by products and most are ethically opposed to any mass produced clothes, as I said it depends on the type of vegan you speak to. If you have health issues, you should be more wary and you should plan, for example if you have a gluten intolerance then it's not impossible, but limits what you can eat.

Many meals can be made vegan or vegetarian easily with substitutions that are readily available. I used to organize events and vegans were easily catered for in restaurants these days and I like how chefs are getting creative for vegans and vegetarians.
 
Ella, an inflammatory health issue might be hitting close to home and the doctor has started to talk about looking at a Vegan way of life. Nothing has been confirmed but the person involved has been trying to wrap themselves around the idea of having to make this transition.

What would you suggest I do to make the person feel more settled? Further what would you suggest I get started buying to at least put the wheels in motion? I already have health issues and feel I should get on board.
 
It depends on their diet and any allergies they have. Look at the food they enjoy eating and concentrate on those more. A vegan diet is best done very gradually and maybe have a vegan meal a day to see what suits and then move onto a vegan day and then a couple of vegan days.

I would say definitely learn to cook your own meals so you know what's in them. A good way to start is a vegan lasagna which can be very healthy. I used to live on a retreat with only vegetarian and vegan food and vegan food can be really tasty. Try it with spinach, tomatoes, vegan cheese or use tofu instead of cheese sauce. Another idea is to look at ways of cooking tofu, breaded tofu or using it in stir fries can be tastier as it can be bland by itself.
 
Like me the person isn't allergic to anything or if they are, they don't know. They have some inflammatory issues, that have been causing some seriously painful flare ups that the doctors don't seem to be able to diagnose accurately so far. At the end of the day the suggestion from one doctor is to look at a vegan diet which according to him has great benefits for people with inflammatory diseases.

Thanks for your advice anyway, It's quite helpful. I am just a total novice to vegan living and so big on tasty foods. I was happy when that word popped up in your post.
 
Perhaps because the diet is less acidic and more natural? The important part is protein and knowing where to get it. If you're not vegan or ethical reasons, I would still suggest some eggs in the diet because of the protein quality. Another thing which many vegans use as a snack is peanut butter, you end up eating more of it! Also try using avocado or hummus as toppings for everything as both are high in protein.
 
Ella said:
Perhaps because the diet is less acidic and more natural? The important part is protein and knowing where to get it. If you're not vegan or ethical reasons, I would still suggest some eggs in the diet because of the protein quality. Another thing which many vegans use as a snack is peanut butter, you end up eating more of it! Also try using avocado or hummus as toppings for everything as both are high in protein.
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Well Ella, I have been eating more eggs in recent times and recently I started eating peanut butter again. I have been a fan of avocado for ages having grown up around them. I guess that means I have a little vegan in me:).

To a more serious issue. I went doing a little checking up at the health shop and you should have warned me. The vegan foods are terribly expensive. Is it the same where you live? I guess you can't put a price on your health, right?
 
winterybella said:
Well Ella, I have been eating more eggs in recent times and recently I started eating peanut butter again. I have been a fan of avocado for ages having grown up around them. I guess that means I have a little vegan in me:).

To a more serious issue. I went doing a little checking up at the health shop and you should have warned me. The vegan foods are terribly expensive. Is it the same where you live? I guess you can't put a price on your health, right?
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Yes, they can be, but it depends where you shop! In health food shops they bump up the price, but I tend to buy generic in the supermarkets. Things like pasta or even beans and vegetables. What have you bought that is so expensive?
That's why I tend to buy wholewheat pasta and noodles and work a dish around things. A good healthy dish in my opinion is a frittata with roasted veggies in it and you can serve it with salad, potatoes or vegetables.

I've actually decided to write a basic easy to follow vegetarian cookbook where meals can be made vegan!
 
I have not actually bought anything that different from my regular shopping just yet. There are a few health shops where I work so I popped in to get an idea of what to expect when I decide to do a bit of vegan shopping. I could not believe my eyes although I have always known healthy can be more costly.

Some time ago before I was in this forum I had started to pick up wholewheat pasta but mostly when I traveled. I don't have specifics but when I checked the shop yesterday things like small boxes of whole wheat lasagna and noodles seemed terribly expensive. I am actually going to check it out again tomorrow and after the holidays get to the supermarket to see how the prices compare.

Your book sounds like a great idea by the way.
 
I dabbled with the vegan lifestyle. I am lactose intolerant so there was no way I go the vegetarian route. I did it for health reasons. I did it to lose weight and because I had (and still do ) concerns about the quality of meat in the US.

I'm no longer following a strict vegan diet because I wasn't prepared for it. I started adding meat back into my diet, but I hardly eat any meat. For the most part, I have lost my taste for meat. I can go for weeks eating meatless meals. I only eat fish twice or three times per month. Eventually, I will stop eating fish and go back to a vegan diet.
 
Tara said:
I dabbled with the vegan lifestyle. I am lactose intolerant so there was no way I go the vegetarian route. I did it for health reasons. I did it to lose weight and because I had (and still do ) concerns about the quality of meat in the US.

I'm no longer following a strict vegan diet because I wasn't prepared for it. I started adding meat back into my diet, but I hardly eat any meat. For the most part, I have lost my taste for meat. I can go for weeks eating meatless meals. I only eat fish twice or three times per month. Eventually, I will stop eating fish and go back to a vegan diet.
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I'm lactose intolerant too and am vegetarian. I eat eggs and a small amount of butter on my toast or on a baked potato. I do find the vegan diet too strict at times and as I do it for health reasons as well as ethical ones, I know finding a balance is more important. I think it's much wiser to do it gradually or have the odd vegan day. I haven't eaten meat for a couple of decades and don't miss it. I do like the smell of bacon though!
 
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Ella said:
I'm lactose intolerant too and am vegetarian. I eat eggs and a small amount of butter on my toast or on a baked potato. I do find the vegan diet too strict at times and as I do it for health reasons as well as ethical ones, I know finding a balance is more important. I think it's much wiser to do it gradually or have the odd vegan day. I haven't eaten meat for a couple of decades and don't miss it. I do like the smell of bacon though!
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I love the smell of bacon! My new neighbor cooks it every morning. It drives me nuts!

The vegan diet can be very strict. I have a sister who is a very strict and faithful vegan. She doesn't wobble on bit. She had two cakes at her wedding. One vegan and one regular cake. The vegan cake was gone before the conventional one. Everyone was surprised to learn that it was vegan. It was moist and delicious.

My mom is vegan too, but she's not as strict. She will sample some things made with dairy even though she is lactose intolerant. My nephew was raised vegan, but he gave it up years ago.

I don't eat eggs for a personal reason. I'll just say it has something to do with a tissue culture class.

I live in Southern California and it's a lot easier to be vegan here. There are tons of vegan restaurants and tons of resources. It's not really unusual for someone to be vegan or even vegetarian. My minister is vegan and he encourages others to follow that path. All meals that are served at church related functions are vegan.
 
There seems to be an abundance of vegan cafes in CA which is great! Also I've read there are more stores that sell ingredients and produce which helps, if there is a market then stores will thrive. I'm over there soon!!

I can have vegan meals quite easily, there is a place called veggie-vegan where I used to live and it was always packed, even meat eaters would go there as the food was so fresh and good value. He would run an unlimited lunchtime buffet for about $8 which varied each day. It was so packed, people would share tables to get in when I was last there and I wish they would run a Masterchef for vegans/vegetarians to show how creative cooking can be.
 
We are not that fortunate here where I live. I don't think we have a single Vegan Restaurant. I will research that before I make a definitive statement. I spoke recently to one of the local chefs and was pleased when he said that they have vegan dishes on their menu. The thing is he works for one of the high end restaurants so that didn't really surprise me. Maybe he'll surprise me one day and prepare me a vegan dish.

I wanted to try something vegan on my two days, but the prices at the health shop were so scary I am going to wait until I go to the supermarket to see if I can afford the items there. However it turns out, I will be trying something soon.
 
winterybella said:
Since coming to this forum I have become very curious about the vegan way of life. I did a bit of research and it's quite an interesting approach to eating.

I must confess it seems like a way of life that calls for a lot of planning and thinking. Perhaps that's a good thing, but I feel like it would be quite a challenge for me.

Those of you exposed to this way of life, kindly let me know if it's as difficult as it appears. I am more than eager to hear.
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Well in 2014 (about to be 15) it is not as hard as it use to be. We (my family and I) have been vegan for about 3 years, and in that three years the vegan movement has gained more ground they ever before, so you have options to help you transition into a healthy lifestyle. I will say that there is wrong ways to go about it, but youtube is a great place to start. I will add this, you do have to rethink your concept of what food is, and that's the hardest part, letting go of traditional bad habits. Good health low or no medical bills, and no need for meds is a great trade off in my opinion!
 
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