Why is it that when you're a vegan, people relate everything to your diet?
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
April 29, 2007 12:17pm CST
Do you ever notice that?
Oh, you have a cold? Maybe if you ate meat...
Oh, your ears keep getting infected piercings? Maybe you need more vitamins, afterall, you are a vegan...
What? You're blind in one eye? Now maybe if you would have drank milk...
Nevermind that I got colds as an omnivore, was blind in one eye for as long as I can remember, and never tried getting piercings before I was a vegan.
But of course, if their uncle has a heart attack, it is in no way related to the fast food he eats 2 meals a day. Or if their grandma has osteoporosis, it's definitely not related to her drinking 5 glasses of milk a day.
I just find it a bit annoying that people always expect you to justify your nutrition if you're a vegan, when they're eating the worst balanced meal you could imagine.
2 people like this
6 responses
@Schnorrawaggle (688)
• Austria
10 May 07
a couple of months ago I was talking with 2 neighbors and I mentioned that I'm vegan and one asked if that was the reason why I am so pale.
So I said, no it's winter and I've been indoors for months. HELLO!
Then the other neighbor says that one can't live without meat. No one can. You have to eat meat or you have to get injections from the doctor... bla bla bla
Oh yeah all bad things are because I'm vegan. if you lose weight and you're vegan it has to be because you're lacking something, If you lose weight and you eat meat.... good for you. Yeah it's not right.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
10 May 07
Yeah, people have asked me if I'm pale because I'm vegan. I'm like... "Umm, no... I think it has something to do with my European ancestors though!"
I wonder what kind of meat injections they think you should get at the doctor? Hahaha! That one makes me laugh.
I totally agree on the weight loss thing... that is nuts! If they lose weight on the Atkins diet, it's great. But if you lose weight, you have a problem.
@Schnorrawaggle (688)
• Austria
10 May 07
the injections would be iron and B12 and such... because all vegans are anemic in their eyes. Even doctors who don't know better will tell you that...
@beachykeen (3)
• United States
7 May 07
Yes!! The same thing happens to me with my family. It seems like every little thing to them has to do with the fact that I don't consume animal products. But when they get sick, it is always because of a "bug," or bacteria. It seems that they just don't think I can be healthy this way, but if I ate a Burger King every day, they would have no problem with that. Actually, that kind of is how they eat, so sometimes I think they are reactive to me because I am doing something different, and they think I am pulling away from them somehow. My family has always bonded over food, i.e., family gatherings are always mostly about when, where and what we're going to eat. I think this is pretty common in our society, that is, food is how we bond with one another, oftentimes.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
7 May 07
Exactly!
That's a very good point. I think my family sort of thought I pulled away too. But in my case, only a year after I became vegan, my mom was told she had high cholesterol. So her doctor recommended no more eggs, no dairy, no meat, etc. and since I was already vegan, I showed her what was okay to eat and what wasn't. She's been vegan since.
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
16 May 07
I'm not quite vegan - but close ... but I get the same thing from people. It's really irritating to me too. I say oh - you're sick? Must be all that nasty animal flesh or McDonald's you are eating.
@ChristyMA (10)
• United States
9 Sep 08
I actually had someone tell me that newborns could starve if they were nursed by vegan mothers. Are you kidding me!? I figure it's probably REALLY difficult to get enough calories to nurse if you're vegan, but starving a newborn...that's just ridiculous.
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
1 May 07
I'm a carnivore. I was raised in a vegetarian household. I actually think it's a predjudice. It's due to ignorance. Although I love meat in all it's forms, I think that each person has the right to do what they feel is right for their conscious and their bodies. Vegans and vegetarians get their fair share of proteins and vitamins. Just because one does not eat meat, does not mean that they are not practicing safe eating. Quite the contratray.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
1 May 07
I think it is a prejudicial thing. Plus, it seems like all people know a junk food vegetarian. Or someone who says they're a vegan but they're actually anorexic and trying to avoid eating anything. So they think of those people being unhealthy.
I've met a lot of omnivores who realize that the vegan diet is healthy and it's just not for them, and that's fine with me. I'm not the converting type of person (I don't go door to door preaching atheism either, lol). But I'm so sick of people thinking that because I'm a vegan I'm lacking some essential vitamins. Like I'm sure they get a ton of vitamins from Burger King.
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
30 Apr 07
I definately agree with you here. A lot of people say my one daughter gets colds a lot because she is vegan. I am vegan and so is her sister so how do they explain that we don't get colds as much?
I also have people say my low blood sugar is caused by me being vegan but I was born with it, and have only been vegan for 12 years.
I also reassure myself that even if a diet consisting solely of chips and burgers or chicken nuggets does help you fend off colds etc, at least I'm not going to die of a heart attack!
1 person likes this
@lankie (477)
• China
8 May 07
you seem to start a good topic for us to talk about.You make a good point that we should be always conscious of our health.Health comes first .We would feel happy in good condition.We would not feel happy without a good body even we are getting tons of bucks.
