17 replies to this topic

[PntherPryd]

First, I apologize for the length of this post. But the recent news about Arian Foster becoming a vegan struck home with me as I have been a strict vegan since October. Hugh Douglas on ESPN was immediately disdainful (and ignorant) in telling Foster to "eat some meat" and get in shape. There is simply no connection between the two.

Last summer I had watched my father go through his second major surgery due to heart and clogged artery issues. I (figuratively) watched in amazement as our accomplished and amazing health care providers spit his chest open, placed his heart in a bucket, "borrowed" a vein from his leg and patched everything together again. I remember being relieved when he pulled through but bugged when he remarked, "well, I'm good for another 70 years". But I couldn't put a handle on what exactly bugged me by that response.

I knew I personally at the time was 50-60 pounds overweight and also knew, looking at my father, that it would be me in that hospital, not if... but when. I didn't even have a real doctor. So I got one and went on a real diet (HMR diet). I lost 42 lbs. while I was waiting the 7 weeks to meet my new "grown up" doc. (cracks me up that I was 49 years old before getting a real Dr.!) I remember going into that appointment so proud of myself. But the blood work still showed high cholesterol across the board and the doctor asked if I had ever heard of the "Bill Clinton Diet" and that I should consider going vegan..... WTF?????!!!!!!!!

I literally laughed in the face of this Harvard educated doctor. I was a died-in-the-wool baconater and KFC fiend. No meat? No cheese? No Fuggin Way. But I was intrigued enough to go and research people like Dr Esselstyne ( http://www.heartattackproof.com/ ) his son Rip http://engine2diet.com/ ) and the seminal study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell entitled, "The China Study" http://www.tcolincampbell.org/ among many others. And I watched the movie, "Forks Over Knives" http://www.forksoverknives.com/ . and I quickly realized this was not a diet, it was a lifestyle change. But not only was I asked/TOLD to give up meat/cheese, Dr. Esselstyn also insisted on NO ADDED OIL. Do you know how hard it is to find food with no oil??

But I bought into the simplicity of it. You want to get rid of cholesterol? Don't put it in your damn mouth.

I decided to jump on board, give it 3 months and see what happened. I cheated a total of 3 times, all in Costa Rica in the early weeks, but never went hungry. Exactly 3 months later my cholesterol had dropped from dangerously high in 5 categories to "below normal" in every category. Very simply put, it validated everything that Esselstyn and Campbell had written and I knew this was how I would live the rest of my life. Which is problematic because I am the cook in the house and the wife and daughter try, but ....

It is funny to go out and explain to the waitress that I am a vegan and would like to be a pain in the ass and make a special order as my wife makes certain to loudly proclaim that I am a vegan for medical, not ethical reasons. While true, it really points out the biases inherent in this society towards vegans.

Everyone I meet and a lot of people reading this are thinking I am trying to be what I call an "Evangelical Vegan". People are so threatened at losing their meat, their cheese, their way of life. I do want to tell my story but "converting" people is not in my wheelhouse. Educating people is. And that is why this Arian Foster story bugged me so much. He is being slammed for his own personal decision.

There has never been a single fuging American put in the hospital for "lack of protein", vegans or carnivores. There is ample protein available in a plant based die not only for "normal" Americans for for elite athletes as well. That is not a theory, it is a fact.

Dr. Esselstyne's son Rip is an accomplished triathlete. Google is full of accomlished vegan athletes.. Foster is not breaking ground. The list of vegan athletes is extensive and documented. But listing them makes it seem even more like the goal of veganism is converting carnivores. Maybe so in many cases, not mine. I just think it is important to share the health benefit results of a plant-based diet. And Hugh pissed me off.

And being a vegan sure has crimped Tony Gonzalezs' career.

So be a sheep, eat a sheep or read up.


Arian Foster: http://espn.go.com/n...ays-going-vegan

Tony Gonzalez; http://espn.go.com/e...279/going-vegan

Fiametta (remember Tony?): http://espn.go.com/b...onger-than-ever

so many more.

[nickzz]

if i remember correctly, and i could very well be wrong, but didn't tony g have to give up his vegan diet because he was too weak to play? i remember hearing this somewhere.

anyways, literally every meal i eat has meat or cheese in it. there's no way i would ever consider going vegan.

[PntherPryd]

see, I didn't want this to be about "so and so" is a vegan so you should be any more than I want it to be about I'm a vegan so you should be.

What bugged me was Foster being slammed for it.

for the record, http://www.vegan-nut...alez-vegan.html , TG is not 100% vegan

and also again, not trying to convert anyone. I never considered it either. But I was shocked at how easy it was.

[Panthers128]

Arian Foster also supports Ron Paul:

http://www.ronpaulfo...rt-for-Ron-Paul

From what I've read eating meat is expensive and not beneficial to society as a whole. Corn used to feed animals could be used to feed people. I don't see why people shouldn't eat dairy products though. There are people who've lived 100+ years eating animals and dairy products. There are overweight vegetarians. If people don't eat dairy products the livestock population would plummet. What purpose does a cow serve if you're not going to eat it or its milk?

Also there are isolated groups of strict adherents to religions who live on dairy products and they tend to be extremely healthy (aside from the genetic problems they face due to inevitable inbreeding).

I don't see the point. Strawberry milk is delicious and the cow still lives. Also soy products tend to be contaminated with GMOs so you're trading one problem for another.

[Riverboat Ron]

I have mad respect for people who can stick with diets whether going vegan or just eating healthier. That being said I love eating steak, pork, chicken and lamb so much that I could never give them up. Actually at this moment grilling up a steak with baked potato and tomorrow a full rack of ribs.

[rodeo]

When I owned a gym a few years ago and was going through all of the certifications from the parent company, I did a lot of experimenting and researching different diets, and I decided that health-wise the absolute ideal diet is a pescetarian one. The only thing that ever kept me from endorsing veganism was the lack of b12 available. Now that it's common to fortify soy milks with it, veganism is an absolutely viable and healthy option. The only drawback is the lack of variety, since there are only a few complete proteins with all 9 amino acids (notably quinoa and soy), so you'd better learn to LOVE quinoa and soy or you're gonna have a bad time.

I think it shows real strength of character to be able to stick with veganism. You've got my admiration in that regard. Particularly living in the south where it just doesn't jive with the food culture.

[Jackofalltrades]

I actually watched Forks Over Knives yesterday and it was as revealing as it was compelling. I, however, am not at a point in my life where I am willing to give up one of the things I live the most. I say this with full knowledge of the consequences and commend you for your decision and subsequent discipline.

[PntherPryd]

thankfully the vegan diet does not preclude alcohol because I was sauced when I typed a lot of that!

being a vegan is amusing because when it comes up in conversation inevitably I get the vibe that people get defensive and assume I am trying to convert them. That is why I typically don't talk about it. I have no problem with meat-eaters, I fry up a pound of bacon for my family every weekend without feeling either guilty or tempted.

Going back to the reason for the thread, I'm not a natural athlete yet on a vegan diet I have dramatically improved my fitness level as well as dramatically lowering my cholesterol so the criticism of Foster rings hollow to me.

I do love my quinoa and I take handfuls of vitamins and limit my soy intake and go through fruits/veggies like crazy. but what has really amazed me is how easy it has been.

[rodeo]

The ratio of "grrr I hate vegans they're so obnoxious and try to convert everyone!" to vegans actually being obnoxious and trying to convert people is about 100:1. Vegan haters are far more numerous and annoying.

[thatlookseasy]

We eat a lot of things that honestly shouldnt be in our diets. I have a ton of respect for people who can stick to a strict diet plan, but I'm not nearly disciplined enough to go vegan or even vegetarian. Though I am trying to cut as much refined sugar out of my diet as possible. No more sodas for me, except for the occasional mixed drink. Its surprising how much less I crave sweet things now. 1 step at a time I guess