I'm considering becoming vegan, is it a wise idea?

Question

It interests me, and I have been thinking seriously about it, but it would involve cutting many things from my diet, my clothing, my lifestyle etc. For example, where would I get the same calcium supply I get from milk and other dairy? It would also be an extreme inconvienience to my parents - my brother is a vegetarian and has to have different dinners from us sometimes. If any vegans have tips, please share. If it ends up being too much of a stress I will be vegetarian and take up veganism when I move out and go to university.

Peace and lurve.

Answer 1

keep eating meat

Answer 2

Take calcium supplements. I take 1 every day which is about 330 mg. That's roughly 1/3 of what I need daily. Also, there are tons of foods that vegan's can get calcium from. I drink calcium-enriched orange juice every morning. It's very easy to get enough calcium and you don't have to get it from milk!

I'm sure your parents will understand, especially since your brother is already vegetarian. Make your own meals. It's easy.

If I were you I'd give veganism a little time and see how it works for you. If you think it is too difficult to find things to eat, then just become a vegetarian until you feel more comfortable giving up animal products all together. Or you can ease yourself into it. You can stop drinking milk and then gradually go to eggs and cheese. Whatever works for you!

I wish you the best!

Answer 3

Make the transition slowly. If you just stop eating animal by-products your body may "freak out". You can get calcium from many veggies (I believe it's the dark green ones... iron too if I remember right). Protein is found in things like legumes, and you can buy/make gluten or soy "meat" replacements. Making your own gluten is kinda fun if you like cooking, email me through my profile if you would like to know how.

Answer 4

Yes it's a wise idea.

For your health and for the animals who have to suffer and die to produce the products.

It's really not that hard.

There will be a lot of foods you can no longer eat but you will usually be able to eat some variation of that food or one of the many tasty replacements that exist for vegans these days.

Keep in mind that a lot of vegans go overboard and act as though they've joined a cult.

They are the ones who insist that you are adopting a lifestyle and MUST stick to certain strict guidelines.

It doesn't have to be that way.

You don't have to commit to anything.

You don't even need to call yourself a vegan.

Just stop eating animal based foods and try not to purchase any products of animal origin and you'll be doing the whole world a lot of good.

Watch the movie Earthlings if you haven't already:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=...

http://www.petacatalog.org/prodinfo.asp?...

Answer 5

no, its not a good idea.

Answer 6

yes it is. do it slowly. you can defiantly start by cutting out meat along with your brother. as far as everything else ask your parents to consider buying soy milk for you- you get calcium from that. you can also but vegan vitamins which help with all the stuff you need.

if you cant be totally vegan while youre home just do your best and then when you move out you can make the total switch. be sure your parents know youre serious about veganism too. refuse to eat the foods they make and perhaps make your own food even if its just a salad or something.

either way, just do your best until you can do better and dont beat yourself up about it. good luck!

Answer 7

here is this awesome link that i found that list 57 reasons why its good to be a vegan I hope it helps you out:

57 Health Benefits of Going Vegan

By Alisa Miller

Vegans are frequently misunderstood as fringe eaters with an unnatural passion for animal rights. While many vegans do feel passionately about animals, its time for others to see that a vegan diet and lifestyle go way beyond animal rights. Following a healthy, balanced vegan diet ensures a host of health benefits as well as prevention of some of the major diseases striking people in North America. Find out from the list below how eating vegan can help you in your search for better health.

Nutrition

All of the following nutritional benefits come from a vegan diet full of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and soy products.

Reduced saturated fats. Dairy products and meats contain a large amount of saturated fats. By reducing the amount of saturated fats from your diet, you’ll improve your health tremendously, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health.

Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide energy for your body. When you don’t have enough carbohydrates, your body will burn muscle tissue.

Fiber. A diet high in fiber (as vegan eating usually is) leads to healthier bowel movements. High fiber diets help fight against colon cancer.

Magnesium. Aiding in the absorption of calcium, magnesium is an often overlooked vitamin in importance to a healthy diet. Nuts, seeds, and dark leafy greens are an excellent source of magnesium.

Potassium. Potassium balances water and acidity in your body and stimulates the kidneys to eliminate toxins. Diets high in potassium have shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Folate. This B vitamin is an important part of a healthy diet. Folate helps with cell repair, generating red and white blood cells, and metabolizing amino acids.

Antioxidants. For protection against cell damage, antioxidants are one of the best ways to help your body. Many researchers also believe that antioxidants help protect your body against forming some types of cancer.

Vitamin C. Besides boosting your immune system, Vitamin C also helps keep your gums healthy and helps your bruises heal faster. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant.

Vitamin E. This powerful vitamin has benefits for your heart, skin, eyes, brain, and may even help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. A diet high in grains, nuts, and dark leafy greens is full of Vitamin E.

Phytochemicals. Plant-based foods provide phytochemicals, which help to prevent and heal the body from cancer, boost protective enzymes, and work with antioxidants in the body.

Protein. That protein is good for your body is no surprise. It may be a surprise to learn that most Americans eat too much protein and in forms such as red meat that are not healthy ways of getting protein. Beans, nuts, peas, lentils, and soy products are all great ways to get the right amount of protein in a vegan diet.

Disease Prevention

Eating a healthy vegan diet has shown to prevent a number of diseases. Find out from the list below what you could potentially avoid just by switching to a healthy, balanced vegan way of eating.

Cardiovascular disease. Eating nuts and whole grains, while eliminating dairy products and meat, will improve your cardiovascular health. A British study indicates that a vegan diet reduces the risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Vegan diets go far in preventing heart attack and stroke.

Cholesterol. Eliminating any food that comes from an animal and you will eliminate all dietary cholesterol from your diet. Your heart will thank you for that.

Blood pressure. A diet rich in whole grains is beneficial to your health in many ways, including lowering high blood pressure.

Type 2 diabetes. Not only is a vegan diet a weapon against Type 2 diabetes, it is also "easier to follow than the standard diet recommended by the American Diabetic Association." Read more about it here.

Prostate cancer. A major study showed that men in the early stages of prostate cancer who switched to a vegan diet either stopped the progress of the cancer or may have even reversed the illness.

Colon cancer. Eating a diet consisting of whole grains, along with fresh fruits and vegetables, can greatly reduce your chances of colon cancer.

Breast cancer. Countries where women eat very little meat and animal products have a much lower rate of breast cancer than do the women in countries that consume more animal products.

Macular degeneration. Diets with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes, can help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration.

Cataracts. Much the same way macular degeneration is headed off by a vegan diet, cataracts are also thought to be prevented through the intake of the same fruits and vegetables. Produce high in antioxidants are also believed to help prevent cataracts.

Arthritis. Eliminating dairy consumption has long been connected with alleviating arthritis symptoms, but a new study indicates that a combination of gluten-free and vegan diet is very promising for improving the health of those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoporosis. Bone health depends on a balance of neither too much or too little protein, adequate calcium intake, high potassium, and low sodium. With a healthy vegan diet, all four of these points set a perfect scenario for preventing osteoporosis.

Physical Benefits

In addition to good nutrition and disease prevention, eating vegan also provides many physical benefits. Find out how a vegan diet makes your body stronger, more energetic, and more attractive.

Body Mass Index. Several population studies show that a diet without meat leads to lower BMIs–usually an indicator of a healthy weight and lack of fat on the body.

Weight loss. A healthy weight loss is a typical result of a smart vegan diet. Eating vegan eliminates most of the unhealthy foods that tend to cause weight issues. Read more about weight loss and a vegan diet here.

Energy. When following a healthy vegan diet, you will find your energy is much higher. This blog post in Happy Healthy Long Life describes how NFL tight-end Tony Gonzalez started eating vegan and gained energy–while playing football.

Healthy skin. The nuts and vitamins A and E from vegetables play a big role in healthy skin, so vegans will usually have good skin health. Many people who switch to a vegan diet will notice a remarkable reduction in blemishes as well.

Longer life. Several studies indicate that those following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle live an average of three to six years longer than those who do not.

Body odor. Eliminating dairy and red meat from the diet significantly reduces body odor. Going vegan means smelling better.

Bad breath. Vegans frequently experience a reduction in bad breath. Imagine waking up in the morning and not having morning breath.

Hair. Many who follow vegan diets report that their hair becomes stronger, has more body, and looks healthier.

Nails. Healthy vegan diets are also responsible for much stronger, healthier nails. Nail health is said to be an indicator of overall health.

PMS. When switching to a vegan diet, many women tell how PMS symptoms become much less intense or disappear altogether. The elimination of dairy is thought to help with those suffering with PMS.

Migraines. Migraine suffers who go on vegan diets frequently discover relief from their migraines. Read more about the food-migraine connection in this article.

Allergies. Reduction in dairy, meat, and eggs is often tied to alleviation of allergy symptoms. Many vegans report much fewer runny noses and congestion problems.

Too Much in the American Diet

The typical American diet not only consists of too much food, it also relies on too much of unnecessary food products or toxins. The following list explains how a vegan diet can eliminate these problems.

Animal proteins. The average American eats twice as much protein as necessary for a healthy diet and much of that is from red meat. Getting protein from beans and grains is much healthier and reduces the risk for osteoporosis (see above).

Cow’s milk dairy. The human body is not designed to digest cow milk and cow milk dairy products, yet the idea of milk being healthy is pushed through advertising. As many as 75% of people in the world may be lactose intolerant and many people suffer from undiagnosed milk allergies or sensitivities. By eliminating cow’s milk from your diet, you are improving your overall health.

Eggs. Many nutritionists believe that the number of eggs in the American diet is too high. While sometimes disputed, it has been shown that eggs can raise cholesterol levels.

Mercury. Most of the fish and shellfish consumed has mercury in it. While some fish have less than others, it is almost impossible not to be putting mercury in your body when you eat fish.

Sugar. Most people have heard that Americans consume way too much sugar. Relying on other sweeteners that are not synthetic, processed, or derived from animal products is a healthier way to eat. Many vegans do not eat processed sugar due to the fact that most of the cane sugar is refined through activated charcoal, most of which comes from animal bones.

Other Benefits

In addition to the health benefits above, following a vegan lifestyle and diet also provides these benefits as well. From helping the environment to avoiding serious bacterial infections, learn other benefits to eating the vegan way below.

Animals. Many people begin a vegan diet out of concern for animals. Whether opposed to the conditions of animals intended for food or eating animals in general, going vegan will help your conscience rest easily.

Environment. Growing plants takes much fewer resources than growing animals. By eating vegan,  

Answer 8

Start slow!!

Answer 9

of course it is a great idea! you can buy soy or rice milk to substitute for milk. i would deffinatly start of as a vegetarian, and then become a vegan. if you go in too quickly, you will probably not be able to do it. just gradually cut the meat out of your diet by eating less and less every day untlil you just stop. i really do support what you are doing. good luck!!! : )

Answer 10

How about starting slowly? Start cutting some things out of your diet first? Try being a vegetarian first and see  how you go. Suddenly becoming a vegan, would be like quitting smoking cold turkey. I cant see you sticking with it for very long.

But on the other side, if you decide to become a vegetarian or a vegan, Good Luck! The animals and the planet will thank you for it.

Answer 11

At some point of time when i go to sleep, i realize that veganism is perfection. (infact it hard to be perfect)

Veganism is the new Puritanism. This is my belief. It is also one of my arguments against vegetarianism, and although it may at first seem a flippant argument, I believe that it is very powerful. Veganism is miserable. It attacks one of life’s greatest and surest pleasures - enjoying good food. Anything which makes people less happy is bad.

Answer 12

No I tried being a Vegitarian not a good Idea,b/c you have to take protein pills and plus if you feel sorry for the animals you can't bring them back to life so by not eating meat + stuff the animals died 4 nothin.

Answer 13

Beans are a wonder food and you can get as much protein and iron from them as meat, as much or more calcium from them as dairy and you also get folate and lots of fiber which is something you don't get from meats or dairy. But beans are also low in fat with zero cholesterol.

As far as calcium, seeds, nuts, beans, and green leafy veggies are all better sources than dairy.

It's virtually impossible to not get enough protein if you are getting a minimum of calories since sugar is about the only food that doesn't have any with alcohol being second (as even beer has some protein). In fact, a carrot has about the same protein profile calorie for calorie as human breast milk which is a food for the highest growth years. Cow's milk has about 4 times as much and that actually is a problem because high protein intake is acidic and requires a lot of calcium to process. This can result in kidney stones among other things.

You don't mention how old you are but if you are able, then cooking meals for the entire family is one way to get vegan meals; the bonus being mom/dad get to take a break while also finding out how good a vegan meal can be. There may be cooking classes near you at some stores, community centers and colleges. Do a net search on "Vegetarian [or Vegan] Cooking Classes" with your hometown. Regardless, cooking is a good life skill to have especially at university (people will flock to you).

For now, rather than cutting stuff out of your diet, try adding stuff. Eat more vegan -- or at least vegetarian if you aren't already -- items which will naturally displace the non-veg*n items which you currently consume. For instance, water (or lemonade or even a milk alternative such as rice/almond/hemp milk) instead of a glass of milk and peanut butter or falafel sandwich or hummus for food instead of cheese or eggs. That will make it easier to adjust and less likely to give up. Also, don't worry so much about those things you already own.

In the end you'll discover how much you've gained which includes falling in love with foods you probably would have never tried otherwise.

While you are transitioning you can be reading up on the diet and the reasons behind it from health to environment to the cruelty. This will help you feel comfortable with what you are choosing and allow you to explain it well to those around you including your parents, friends, teachers, etc.