I went from meat eater to vegetarian to now vegan - my mom is asking dumb questions...PLEASE HELP!?

Question

Ok heres the deal. I decided to become a vegetarian to get healthy. (I am 23 yr old btw) So my mom thought this was an EXCELLENT Idea, gave me her full support, even asked me to make her a veggie meal!

Well long story short I decided to go vegan, and now she is COMPLETELY against it! She's saying vegans don't get enough calcium (bs) protein & other vitamins. I tried telling her that their are PLENTY in fruits veggies & nuts, and she refuses to listen. She also thinks we NEED animal fat to be healthy. (I know right???)

So anyways she says everyone she knew who went vegan went crazy & junk and looked all scrawny & unhealthy. I need some answers so that she'll be convinced I'm going to be more healthy than ever! I felt GREAT after the switch =)

Thanks ya'll!

Answer 1

I feel great after I switched to vegan a little while ago too! She should try it so she can understand. Peas, beans, soy, green veggies, etc. all have protien and calcium. If you're still worried, take vitamins! Milk takes away more calcium then it gives anyway, did you know that? Milk also causes many diseases. Did you know, Vegans have 80% less chance of getting cancer then regular people. And 1 out of 2 women get cancer now a days, science said. It is also scientifically proven that vegans/ vegetarians are much healthier (less likely to get sick, loose wait, no cholesteral, in better shape, and overall just healthier). And it's not animal fat that you need, it's good fatty acids. Fatty acids and fat are not the same at all. And fatty acids are in allmost everything, including the sun. Don't worrie about that. Tell your mom to do some research before she starts critisizing you! Good Job on going Vegan!! Props! And Good Luck!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Mothers! Don't worry about explaining anything to your mom.  You don't need her permission.  You are an adult and it is your life.  She needs to bud out.  I am a vegan and I am very healthy.  I drink Rice Milk which is delicious and gives me all the calcium I need.  I eat beans and rice, vegetarian chili, protein enriched pastas and cereals, seeds, nuts, and whole grains.  To supplement my diet I use vegan protein powder.  I have never been healthier.  People don't like when we do things differently from the way that they do them.  Stand up for what you believe in and don't back down to your mother or anyone else.

Answer 3

Please read these two articles - and have your mother read them too!!!  They're exactly what you are looking for and from a credible source....

Congrats on going vegan - you're making such a great decision for your health!

Answer 4

why doesn't your mom learn?     why is she using ignorance?

fresh fruits and veggies alone have more vitamins and minerals in them than anything else.

either she's stupid or she's a hypocrit.. first of all i like to know why what you eat by this time in your life is any of her business anyways.

i thought parents were smart?  i guess that's one of the biggest lies yet to come in our age.

so.. when did vegetables and fruits become poisonous and bad for you?

ask mom why she's ignorant and wants you to get fat and die from disease?

ask mom why she's not using her mind... is it because she's a meat eater?

most meat eaters are like this because they lack any vitamins and minerals in their diet...     mostly empty calories are at fault here...    makes for fat heads and small minds.

ask mom why she rather insult your intellect than study herself?

ask mom when a healthy diet became a bad thing?

Answer 5

Why would you go against cooking anything, or eating any animal products?

h**l, why wouldn't you eat meat?

It's delicious and nutritious.

Answer 6

It is hard to get all your nutrients on a Vegan diet but it can be done. All I can suggest is prove your Mom wrong by being Vegan and healthy. And maybe take a multivitamin just in case.

Answer 7

Pick your battles, babe.  If your mom can't deal, that's her problem... not yours.

If she's interested in learning about vegan nutrition, get her to read "Becoming Vegan" by Davis & Melina.  If she's only interested in arguing, then let her be and carry on being your awesome self.

Answer 8

First of all, understand that they aren't dumb questions. She's asking because she's worried about you and wants to be sure that you remain healthy.

Now, you need to understand that her arguments are not entirely off base. There are lots of minerals and nutrients that are more readily available for absorption in their animal-based form than in their plant-based form. Iron is an example, as is calcium.

That being said, do your research, acknowledge her concerns, and tell her your plan for overcoming these hurdles. Find a doctor or nutritionist who will help you make the switch and identify any risk factors you might face as well as ways to move past them. Bring mom along. Have a solid plan and do your best to stick to it.

Tell your mom you love her and that you understand why she is concerned (and thank her for looking out for you). Then ask her if she'll sit down with you sometime to discuss the health aspects of this dietary choice. Talk it out like the adults you are. Bring a book if you want (try the Vegetarian Sports Health Guide). Again, invite her to ask you questions and address them calmly.

Answer 9

Do these people look insane or scrawny?

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/...

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/phpBB2/...

Your mom is basing her concerns on outdated propaganda from the dairy and meat  industries.

Carl Lewis won all of his gold medals while on a vegan diet.

Answer 10

At 23, does it REALLY matter what your Mum thinks and says??!! You are an adult; it is no longer any of her business.

I have met many scrawny and unhealthy looking vegans (and vegetarians) but that is because they have terrible diets and consume things like hot chips, sweets, processed flours, refined sugars, sodas etc.....

If you eat a lot of (organic) fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis, with lentils, pulses, beans, seeds and nuts - in other words, a varied diet – you will be fine.

Maybe you could give your Mum a copy of the following two DVDs, as they may help to sway her opinion.

They certainly swayed my mind and helped me change from a vegetarian diet to a vegan diet.

Diet For All Reasons by Michael Klapper:

http://www.vegsource.com/klaper/mail_ord...

The RAVE Diet Eating (3rd Edition):

http://www.ravediet.com/whatsinfilm.htm

You may be able to borrow them from a library free of charge but they certainly are worth the small health investment, if you are willing to buy.

Good luck

.

Answer 11

Buy her a book about veganism for her Birthday. Or show her pictures. Tim [lead singer] from Rise Against is a vegan. He does not at all look scrawny.

Answer 12

Not dumb questions. She is worried that you may not remain healthy. Some people that go Vegan take it too far and simply don't get enough vitamins to be healthy. She is worried. Don't be a stuck up "Vegan's get prosecuted" I know what to I'm doing kind of person. Sit with her show her how you plan on remaining healthy  She brought you into the world ...She deserves that much from you.

Answer 13

You could both go and talk to a doctor about it. She gets her questions answered and so do you, if you have any.

Answer 14

Your mom is concern about you, care about, love you, that why she is so worry about you.

Maybe, she isn't aware of Veganism, you might want to share with her this new terriorty (not many people know about veganism or lots have little knowledges of vegetarianism).

We need to outreach to more and bring the awareness to them ...

Do some good research, get all the information you need from vegan society websites or non-vegan websites, present to her a simple, easy to understand proposal on veganism, code some examples, let her mind be at ease.

In here, we do have nice little workshop like - find out the motivation for being a vegetarian and the benefits of going vegetarian for physical, health, mental, performance, ethical reasons and global effects for women above 40 only by The Women's Initiative For Ageing.

If you can find such workshop, enrol for your mom, pay for her, bring her there to understand a little bit more, so it solves the whole problem having you to explain thing to her, if you find that difficult.

: )

Answer 15

You've already shown a great deal of disrespect to your mother in this one question alone. I am sure you do more in person. So why bother convincing her at all? Why not ignore her altogether like the piece of trash (you don't mind do you? I mean you did call her dumb and her ideas bs so I am just keeping up with you) she really is? Unless you still live with her even though you are a 23 year old adult..