katt
04-18-06, 12:02 AM
This thread will discuss the common questions the average new veg*n may ask here on VB, or of other situations relating to vegetarianism and all the offshoots of this diet.
Q. What is this Veg*n thing? What does it mean?
A. Veg*n is an easy general term on VB (VeggieBoards) describing a vegetarian, vegan, raw foodist, frutatarian, etc;. Basically, any person that does not eat meat.
Q. Is fish vegetarian?
A. Simply said, no. A common misconception about vegetarianism is that we eat fish. However, as a BBC news report from 2003 has this to say: (click here for the full article) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2983045.stm)
"Fish demonstrated a 'rocking' motion, strikingly similar to the kind of motion seen in stressed higher vertebrates like mammals.
"The trout injected with the acid were also observed to rub their lips onto the gravel in their tank and on the tank walls. These do not appear to be reflex responses."
The fish injected with venom and acid also took almost three times longer to resume feeding than the control groups.
Dr Sneddon said the team's work "fulfils the criteria for animal pain". Previous work on fish had looked at the elasmobranchs, fish including sharks, skates and rays with cartilaginous skeletons, and at primitive vertebrates like the lamprey."
There is conclusive proof that fish feel pain, and seeing as they are living, breathing animals that reproduce and can form bonds with others, I couldn't eat them.
I have nicknamed these non veg*ns as 'fishertarians'.
Q. Is it best to go "cold turkey" when it comes to vegetarianism?
A. I woke up one day and decided that that would be the day I stopped eating meat. There are benefits for both, but it was easier for me to just stop it, and deal with the cravings.
Q. What happens if I slip up and give in to the cravings?
A. Don't worry. You're trying your best. Everything you are doing is something... Every day is a new day, so don't freak out if you mess up at first. Just try a little harder and persevere! You can do this!
Q. Is ____ vegan?
A. Look in the ingredients list. Here is a nice and comprehensive list of nonvegan ingredients. (http://www.veganwolf.com/animal_ingredients.htm) Of course, things like milk, cheese and eggs are non vegan, no questions about that.
Q. Can I get enough protein and nutrients?
A. Of course! Didn't our parents tell us to eat our veggies when we were children? They were right. Believe me, if vegetarianism was unhealthy, there would be a lot of sick people right now. I get plenty of protein and vitamins every day. If you are paranoid, then you can go ahead and take a vegetarian multivitamin.
Q. I just went vegan, and now I have a sore throat! Is that because I'm vegan?
A. No. You're just paranoid, and were probably getting sick before you went vegan. Don't worry.
Other tips:
Look at the ingredients lists. Read labels on everything, because you never know what might be lying in the list.
I really reccomend reading Upton Sinclair's The Jungle for some inspiration on why you should be a veg*n, the book may be older, but it still is disturbing. Other books relating to veg*nism could be Beyond Beef by Jeremy Rifkin,
Use the search function on VB! If you're asking a question, chances are that there may be an answer on here, and you don't have to wait for people to respond.
Get used to questions. People will be asking you many... I have many general responses, and try to educate them in the process.
Don't try to recruit people if you can't do it without sounding crazy. I used to be a PETA freak, but I believe people just looked down on me instead of listening to my message. I think I scared more people off by doing this.
Your diet does not have to be lentils and salad! Some of the most delicious foods are not bland and boring! Lentils and salad have their place, but just look at VB's recipe section and see all the awesome foods that are veg*n. Show those omnis just what we CAN eat.
Any others to list? Add them here.
Q. What is this Veg*n thing? What does it mean?
A. Veg*n is an easy general term on VB (VeggieBoards) describing a vegetarian, vegan, raw foodist, frutatarian, etc;. Basically, any person that does not eat meat.
Q. Is fish vegetarian?
A. Simply said, no. A common misconception about vegetarianism is that we eat fish. However, as a BBC news report from 2003 has this to say: (click here for the full article) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2983045.stm)
"Fish demonstrated a 'rocking' motion, strikingly similar to the kind of motion seen in stressed higher vertebrates like mammals.
"The trout injected with the acid were also observed to rub their lips onto the gravel in their tank and on the tank walls. These do not appear to be reflex responses."
The fish injected with venom and acid also took almost three times longer to resume feeding than the control groups.
Dr Sneddon said the team's work "fulfils the criteria for animal pain". Previous work on fish had looked at the elasmobranchs, fish including sharks, skates and rays with cartilaginous skeletons, and at primitive vertebrates like the lamprey."
There is conclusive proof that fish feel pain, and seeing as they are living, breathing animals that reproduce and can form bonds with others, I couldn't eat them.
I have nicknamed these non veg*ns as 'fishertarians'.
Q. Is it best to go "cold turkey" when it comes to vegetarianism?
A. I woke up one day and decided that that would be the day I stopped eating meat. There are benefits for both, but it was easier for me to just stop it, and deal with the cravings.
Q. What happens if I slip up and give in to the cravings?
A. Don't worry. You're trying your best. Everything you are doing is something... Every day is a new day, so don't freak out if you mess up at first. Just try a little harder and persevere! You can do this!
Q. Is ____ vegan?
A. Look in the ingredients list. Here is a nice and comprehensive list of nonvegan ingredients. (http://www.veganwolf.com/animal_ingredients.htm) Of course, things like milk, cheese and eggs are non vegan, no questions about that.
Q. Can I get enough protein and nutrients?
A. Of course! Didn't our parents tell us to eat our veggies when we were children? They were right. Believe me, if vegetarianism was unhealthy, there would be a lot of sick people right now. I get plenty of protein and vitamins every day. If you are paranoid, then you can go ahead and take a vegetarian multivitamin.
Q. I just went vegan, and now I have a sore throat! Is that because I'm vegan?
A. No. You're just paranoid, and were probably getting sick before you went vegan. Don't worry.
Other tips:
Look at the ingredients lists. Read labels on everything, because you never know what might be lying in the list.
I really reccomend reading Upton Sinclair's The Jungle for some inspiration on why you should be a veg*n, the book may be older, but it still is disturbing. Other books relating to veg*nism could be Beyond Beef by Jeremy Rifkin,
Use the search function on VB! If you're asking a question, chances are that there may be an answer on here, and you don't have to wait for people to respond.
Get used to questions. People will be asking you many... I have many general responses, and try to educate them in the process.
Don't try to recruit people if you can't do it without sounding crazy. I used to be a PETA freak, but I believe people just looked down on me instead of listening to my message. I think I scared more people off by doing this.
Your diet does not have to be lentils and salad! Some of the most delicious foods are not bland and boring! Lentils and salad have their place, but just look at VB's recipe section and see all the awesome foods that are veg*n. Show those omnis just what we CAN eat.
Any others to list? Add them here.