The stress of family

[Amy]

When I became a vegetarian last year my father and brother both were upset and angry about my choice. They are both hunters and see nothing wrong with eating meat. My mother was the only person that was supportive of my decision. About 4 months ago I became vegan. This has become the "concern" of my family. I am the constant topic of conversation amongst my family. What about protein? What about calcium? The questions never stop.

 

When I visited my family in Kentucky 3 weeks ago, my father was trying to "understand" why I am "doing this". After a long conversation trying to explain my choice to become vegan, I thought he finally understood. My brother went to visit my family this past weekend. Today on the phone he expressed his "concern" about what I am doing to my body. "Amy, do you realize that you are hurting your body? If you ever decide to eat meat again or drink milk, you are going to be extremely ill". I tried to explain to him that this is not a phase and he doesn't agree. He said that we needed to have a long talk as to why I am doing what I am doing. I just want to scream!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should handle this new stress in my life?

[Marcina]

Educate them. They obviously don't know how much healthier a vegetarian/vegan diet is for a person. My mom didn't understand at first either. She told me my diet was weird.. So I yelled at her in front of the grocery store and when I got home I just.. cried. I cried because i thought she was more understanding than that. She felt pretty bad after that and we sat down and I explained why I'm a vegan and why it's a healthy diet.

 

You can get books, or show them videos and stuff on the internet.

[CollegeB]

I think the fact that it would make you ill to eat meat or dairy again is actually fair evidence. That should at least say you need to build up to those things and cannot eat them immediately. Thus questioning their "naturalness" for your body and that would imply their health benefits as well.

[Marcina]

My bf ate meat after a few weeks of not eating it and he ended up feeling raunchy and gassy afterwards.

 

I know that since I gave up dairy, my allergy has become worse. One time I ordered some chai tea from a coffee shop and it had casein in it.. and I got so ill I thought I had gotten food poisoning or something. The pain went away after about an hour or so but man.. It was rough. I was at work and everyone thought I was gonna puke lol.

[VeganDeVil]

When I became a vegetarian last year my father and brother both were upset and angry about my choice. They are both hunters and see nothing wrong with eating meat. My mother was the only person that was supportive of my decision. About 4 months ago I became vegan. This has become the "concern" of my family. I am the constant topic of conversation amongst my family. What about protein? What about calcium? The questions never stop.

 

When I visited my family in Kentucky 3 weeks ago, my father was trying to "understand" why I am "doing this". After a long conversation trying to explain my choice to become vegan, I thought he finally understood. My brother went to visit my family this past weekend. Today on the phone he expressed his "concern" about what I am doing to my body. "Amy, do you realize that you are hurting your body? If you ever decide to eat meat again or drink milk, you are going to be extremely ill". I tried to explain to him that this is not a phase and he doesn't agree. He said that we needed to have a long talk as to why I am doing what I am doing. I just want to scream!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should handle this new stress in my life?

The best thing you can do, is do your research. Know how to answer those questions in your sleep. I get my calcium here, here, and here. Memorize everything on pages like this: http://www.milksucks.com/index2.asp. Ask them if they knew American milk is banned in Europe? That it actually helps to break down bones and CAUSE osteoporosis? Present it in such a way that they might find it interesting. Also, ask them to watch 'Earthlings'. Watch it with them, tell them the images and information presented are common practice, and that you are proud of yourself for standing up for something. That's the main thing I tell my mother.... that I feel like I'm really standing for something, and making a difference in the world at large. Hope that helps.

[bella]

Coming from a family that is never supportive of anything I've ever done, I can sympathize. Aside from being armed with answers, you should also tell them to mind their own business. You're an adult and don't need their permission or approval. I don't think they'd appreciate you lecturing them on everything they were doing. Ugh...I just get so frustrated when I hear things like this. Be strong, m'lady!!!

[Marcina]

When I became a vegetarian last year my father and brother both were upset and angry about my choice. They are both hunters and see nothing wrong with eating meat. My mother was the only person that was supportive of my decision. About 4 months ago I became vegan. This has become the "concern" of my family. I am the constant topic of conversation amongst my family. What about protein? What about calcium? The questions never stop.

 

When I visited my family in Kentucky 3 weeks ago, my father was trying to "understand" why I am "doing this". After a long conversation trying to explain my choice to become vegan, I thought he finally understood. My brother went to visit my family this past weekend. Today on the phone he expressed his "concern" about what I am doing to my body. "Amy, do you realize that you are hurting your body? If you ever decide to eat meat again or drink milk, you are going to be extremely ill". I tried to explain to him that this is not a phase and he doesn't agree. He said that we needed to have a long talk as to why I am doing what I am doing. I just want to scream!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should handle this new stress in my life?

The best thing you can do, is do your research. Know how to answer those questions in your sleep. I get my calcium here, here, and here. Memorize everything on pages like this: http://www.milksucks.com/index2.asp. Ask them if they knew American milk is banned in Europe? That it actually helps to break down bones and CAUSE osteoporosis? Present it in such a way that they might find it interesting. Also, ask them to watch 'Earthlings'. Watch it with them, tell them the images and information presented are common practice, and that you are proud of yourself for standing up for something. That's the main thing I tell my mother.... that I feel like I'm really standing for something, and making a difference in the world at large. Hope that helps.

 

 

www.notmilk.com is really cool too. I learned that a lot of my childhood ailments.. Such as respiratory infections, ear infections, and chronic tonsillitis, were actually caused by dairy.

[Richard]

Can you show them the galleries on this forum, so they can see all the fit bods of vegans? So they know that long-term vegans don't become skeletons and die.

[GregX999]

http://www.notmilk.com is really cool too.

 

+1. I just found that site the other day.

 

I guess I've been lucky. My parent were "more or less" supportive of me switching to being vegan. But they're used to me doing all kinds of crazy things anyway. But they also know I've been "into" nutrition for quite awhile and can give them a "scientific" answer for just about any question they'd pose. When they have me over for dinner my mom goes out of her way to make sure she has enough vegan things for me to eat while they're eating their BBQ chicken. I think my dad probably things it amusing and no doubt wonders how long until I go back to eating "normal"...

 

To go back to notmilk.com - I sent my mom some of the articles from there as they relate directly to things that I know are on her mind such as osteoporosis (wow, spelled it right on the first try!) and Alzheimer's (had to use spell check for that one).

 

Good luck with your family!

Greg

[beforewisdom]

Email them this URL:

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm

 

Mail them a copy of "The China Study"

 

Send them a copy of "Why Vegan"

http://www.veganoutreach.org/whyvegan/

[Amy]

When I became a vegetarian last year my father and brother both were upset and angry about my choice. They are both hunters and see nothing wrong with eating meat. My mother was the only person that was supportive of my decision. About 4 months ago I became vegan. This has become the "concern" of my family. I am the constant topic of conversation amongst my family. What about protein? What about calcium? The questions never stop.

 

When I visited my family in Kentucky 3 weeks ago, my father was trying to "understand" why I am "doing this". After a long conversation trying to explain my choice to become vegan, I thought he finally understood. My brother went to visit my family this past weekend. Today on the phone he expressed his "concern" about what I am doing to my body. "Amy, do you realize that you are hurting your body? If you ever decide to eat meat again or drink milk, you are going to be extremely ill". I tried to explain to him that this is not a phase and he doesn't agree. He said that we needed to have a long talk as to why I am doing what I am doing. I just want to scream!!!! Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should handle this new stress in my life?

The best thing you can do, is do your research. Know how to answer those questions in your sleep. I get my calcium here, here, and here. Memorize everything on pages like this: http://www.milksucks.com/index2.asp. Ask them if they knew American milk is banned in Europe? That it actually helps to break down bones and CAUSE osteoporosis? Present it in such a way that they might find it interesting. Also, ask them to watch 'Earthlings'. Watch it with them, tell them the images and information presented are common practice, and that you are proud of yourself for standing up for something. That's the main thing I tell my mother.... that I feel like I'm really standing for something, and making a difference in the world at large. Hope that helps.

 

Actually I am working on educating myself so that I can educate my family. That is why I love this forum. I have learned so much. I have been reading books and surfing the internet. I did send my brother the link to watch Earthlings and the vegan/Hunter 30 Days episode. My brother did watch them but it didn't seem to sink in. At least he was willing to watch them. I sent him the Not Milk and Milk Sucks website links. I haven't talked to him yet about his thoughts. Thanks for your suggestions. I have my work cut out for me.

[Amy]

Email them this URL:

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm

 

 

Thanks for this link!!!!!

[VeganDeVil]

That is why I love this forum. I have learned so much.

Man, me too. So many great resources!!

 

Keep us posted. Let us know how things go.

[DaN]

Sorry your family are so unsupportive.

 

Like everyone says, its all about education.

 

One thing I always say is this: They reckon all the protein or calcium comes from a cow for example.And yet where does the cow get its protein & calcium from? The grass! The cow is a vegan! Point out the basic flaw in their logic & it makes people realise how dumb they are!

 

Good luck!

[Amy]

Sorry your family are so unsupportive.

 

Like everyone says, its all about education.

 

One thing I always say is this: They reckon all the protein or calcium comes from a cow for example.And yet where does the cow get its protein & calcium from? The grass! The cow is a vegan! Point out the basic flaw in their logic & it makes people realise how dumb they are!

 

Good luck!

 

My family is so supportive of other aspects of my life, just not this new lifestyle change. I know they want the best for me, but they haven't come to understand fully how this is a positive change. I have read somewhere about the comparison of veganism with the Matrix. My family is still stuck in the Matrix. lol

 

Thanks for the cow is vegan idea.

[VeganDeVil]

Amy, have you seen this? This is how I introduced my mom to all this... and she was laughing! It sort of broke the ice a little. (although it's not pro-vegan, it's more anti-factory farming)

 

[Amy]

Amy, have you seen this? This is how I introduced my mom to all this... and she was laughing! It sort of broke the ice a little. (although it's not pro-vegan, it's more anti-factory farming)

 

 

 

Thank you so much for the laugh! I just sent the link to my brother. *crossing fingers*

[John V]

Good luck with your folks! Once some time goes by, they'll accept your lifestyle better. If I might suggest, just being patient with them, they're learning also. I was a hunter as a teen, you can evolve a lot in one lifetime, but cultures, and families, take a while longer! Thank them for the genetics and make them a chocolate tofu cream pie, you can mention the tofu after their 2nd piece.

[aluck]

Buy them a copy of skinny bitch. Mail it to them and when they are done reading it... then try to talk to them. Its what I did for a few close minded riends - and it made the constant battles disapear. Unfortunately I was vegan long before the book, and dealt with a lot of flack on my own beforehand. - Luck

[RobertSupreme]

This is a good video, saw it a while back.

Surprised it hasn't been posted here before to be honest!

[NickS]

I hate that feelings

[RoyKean]

I think you should explain that there is nothing wrong with it, because everyone has his own choice, to be a vegetarian is not bad.If you are stressed about it is probably best to consult a psychologist https://www.instagram.com/calmerry_com/?hl=en, he will explain how to cope with the state of stress.