Enjoy the Holidays by Avoiding Unnecessary Conversations about Your Diet

Oftentimes when vegetarians and vegans spend the holidays with their meat-eating friends and family, not only do we deal with the gross out factor of watching others eat dead animals, but the conversations aren't always the most pleasant to have. People question you on your choices and try to put you on trial for choosing to be vegetarian or vegan. And who wants to be around that?

On the vegan groups on Facebook, I have seen the aftermath of these dreaded conversations over and over again. People question your choices, ask ignorant questions, and sometimes just result in outright insulting you. I ran into this first hand the other day, but not with friends or family.

A proprietor of honey was asking why some vegans ate honey and others didn't. He couldn't understand why honey wouldn't be vegan since he claims bees only collect the honey and they don't produce it. (I know...don't get me started...) I simply told him that a vegan chooses not to use products from other animals and that includes things like meat, eggs, dairy, honey, silk, wool, etc. I also explained that there is a spectrum in every line of beliefs and that some vegans choose to eat honey while others do not. I thought my answer was the simplest answer I could provide him without trying to go into individual philosophies or getting on a soapbox. What happened next still blows my mind.

Not only did the man not understand, and believe me, I had high hopes since he asked the question, but he crossed over into the land of sheer ignorance. He literally asked me how I could possibly call myself a vegan because materials in my car were made from animals and materials on the road were made from animals so I use animal products every day. As politely as I could (I was in public mind you), I informed him that as a vegan, I do my best to avoid animal products and live according to my beliefs within this society. If I had the option of choosing a completely vegan car, I would, but there are some things I have no control over, so I do the best I can with products that are within my control. So again he told me I wasn't a vegan. I asked him what were vegans supposed to do, sit home and never leave their house? And to my surprise, he said yes. At this point I was beyond pissed off because I couldn't believe the ignorance of this man, but I merely told him that what he said offended me because vegans have every right to contribute to society and to live according to our beliefs just like everyone else. I also knew at this point there would be no intelligent discussion to have here, so I simply repeated that he had asked a question about why honey was vegan and I restated the basic answer. I said if you can't understand that, I don't know what else to tell you and I left.

I wanted to share this story because these types of conversations, and even worse, often happen with our own families. We can either be sucked into the conversation and destroy what could be an enjoyable time with our family, or we can rise above it and not partake in the conversations. In the above situation, I was caught off guard because I was merely trying to answer a question that seemed to be asked in sincerity. But I got out of the conversation as fast as I could when I saw it was a lost cause because I didn't want it to affect my day any more than it already had.

So my advice to you is that when you are with family and friends, avoid these types of conversations altogether. Even an innocent question can veer off into unexpected territory. Instead, take the high road and just tell people you are there to enjoy time with them, not talk about your diet or life choices. If they keep persisting, tell them you're open to talk to them about it at a later time. Hopefully, your friends and family will take the hint and also choose to merely enjoy each other's company.

Wishing you peas and good health,

VeggiePatti

VeggiePatti's Gluten-Free Extravaganza

Any gluten-free vegans or vegetarians out there? Come check out the expo tomorrow! We have a vegan gluten-free food court and all the rest of the vendors are at least vegetarian and gluten-free.

For more information, check out my website.

Hope to see you there!

VeggiePatti

Free Mini-Lecture and Q&A on Being Vegetarian and Vegan

I have been offering a free Q&A session once a month for people who have questions about being vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, a raw foodist, or eating with food allergies. I've decided to change the format up a bit.

I'm going to have 4 different rotating topics:

• How to Be a Vegetarian 
• How to Be a Vegan
• How to Eat Gluten-Free
• How to Be a Raw Foodist

I will have a mini-lecture on one of the topics each month, followed by open Q&A on that topic or any other. The How to Be A Vegetarian lecture will be this Thursday, March 14.

For full details, please check out my calendar. If you're struggling with being a vegetarian, now's a good time to come with questions!

Wishing you peas and good health,
VeggiePatti
www.veggiepatti.com

Veganism and doctors

I know it's been awhile since I posted, I just have so many things going on!

First, I have a new program starting in March - The FOCAS Challenge. It's designed to help give you the tools to live a healthier, happier, and stress-free life in 21 days. You can find more info on my website and even listen to a preview. I'm offering it in-person in Wyandotte and also online.

Second, I have teamed up with a friend to offer business consulting services to independent and small health-related businesses. See how we can give businesses a Healthy Upstart!

And third, I started a new blog on living with a chronic illness - Life as s Sick Person.

Speaking of illness, I have been making the rounds to new doctors and alternative health practitioners again and it really drives home the fact that not all of them will relate to veganism or even more natural ways of eating if it's outside of their norm. As a a vegan or raw foodist, it's particularly important to work with a doctor that is not only willing to work with you but understands your lifestyle.

Now maybe it's because I don't see too many Western doctors anymore, but I'm finding the most push back from holistic doctors and it really disturbs me. For instance, I went to see one naturopath who told me that she encourages vegans to start eating dairy and eggs again. I told her that wasn't an option for me, and furthermore, I am allergic to dairy, so it certainly wouldn't help. She informed me very confidently that it was the source of my dairy that I was allergic to and not the dairy myself. And if I got better quality dairy, directly from a natural farm (of which she could recommend a really good local one), I wouldn't have that issue. Really? I think my immune system would beg to differ. And I really wonder if she gets kick backs from that farm.

Nevertheless, it's important to keep trying until you find a doctor that is willing to work with you and respects your beliefs. Now I make that one of the first questions I ask before even booking an appointment so I do not waste my time or money.

There is a good blog post that I read about veganism, health, and doctors which also gives another perspective on this issue.

Wishing you peas and good health,

VeggiePatti
www.veggiepatti.com

Healthy Lifestyle Consulting Now Available

I have expanded my services to include Healthy Lifestyle Consulting!

My goal is to help you achieve optimal health and wellness by sharing my experiences, resources, and expertise with you. I’ve combined my professional experience as a consultant with my personal experiences and education in health and wellness to bring you individualized, affordable consulting that helps you achieve your healthy lifestyle goals!

My personal services include, but are not limited to:
~dietary consulting to help you find dietary choices that are right for you
~health practitioner referrals for your specific conditions and ailments
~chronic and invisible illnesses coping strategies
~complete pantry overhaul designed with your lifestyle and health needs in mind ~household chemical and product evaluations
~healthy pet recommendations and referrals
~services customized just for you - have something in mind, just ask!

I also offer consulting services to restaurants and other establishments that wish to accommodate those with special diets, such as gluten-free or vegan, or just to provide healthier options. If you know any restaurants that need assistance, please send them my way!

Check out my consulting page on my website for more details!

Also, my next 6-Week Green Smoothie Challenge starts tomorrow in Wyandotte - don't miss it!

If you want to check out other January events, you can access my newsletter here. You will also find a link at the top to subscribe to the mailing list to stay informed of upcoming events.

Wishing you peas and good health, 

VeggiePatti
www.veggiepatti.com