Vegan news you can use 2/19/12

This week’s Vegan Links and News

Looking for a new response to the “where do you get your protein?” question? 25 Vegan Sources for Protein

Do you think eating a plant-based diet is expensive? Here are 5 Ways to Save Some Bread on Vegan Food.

In head-scratching news, a former vegan has turned omnivore — he now hunts his food — and has written a book called The Mindful Carnivore. I cannot count the ways this story makes me want to vomit.

In the world of sports: the Vancouver Sun writes about hockey player Mike Zigomanis’ vegan diet; I learned that there is a vegan World Wrestling Entertainment champion and that his association with PETA may place him on a terrorist list (WTF?); and, for the non-professional athletes in the house, check out Fast Food For Vegetarian Runners On The Go.

Finally, the article The demand for heritage grains explodes offers up some great information on grains — many of which you find in my recipes (millet, amaranth, barley, oh my!)

This week on the blogs

JL goes Vegan

MONDAY: FAQ #2: What’s up with the rice and pressure cooker obsession?
WEDNESDAY: Health, weight and self-esteem
THURSDAY: Zesty Asparagus & Broccoli

Stop Chasing Skinny

This week’s community member post is from Lauren, who is Learning to Listen to her body.
I shared my experience shopping for beachwear in Handle with Care.

I’m heading out for a run with two friends and then plan to spend the day cooking — and learning how to play chess. I hope you have a great Sunday!

Tagged as: vegan news, weekly round-up

http://www.tiedyefiles.com/ Kaitlyn@TheTieDyeFiles

Those vegan-turned-omnivore stories tend to grind my gears. Of course, everyone has the right to explore and choose their own dietary styles and should do so, but I feel like these stories, particularly those that cite “declining health” as motivations, are full of excuses. Even the comments on your linked story seem like the authors feel the need to justify their motivations to everyone, including themselves.
- Jovitamaria
  
  That’s exactly my point too!
http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/ Wendy (Healthy Girl’s Kitchen)

thanks for the links to the great articles. I’m totally enjoying this!
Sagefemme50

Regarding The Mindful Carnivore-I’m transitioning to being vegan from an essentially plant based,very occasional meat eater.I’ve just never liked meat that much anyway.I decided to change to completely vegan for both dietary and ethical reason.Plant based protein is easier on my kidneys as they are failing.I can’t eat much dairy because of it’s hi phosphorus content,so I’d rather just avoid it altogether.Those are my dietary reason.Ethically, in my present geographical,socioeconomic situation,there is no reason why I would need to take another life to sustain my own.Therefore,to do so would be wrong.I am appalled by factory farming and the cruel abuse it engenders.It’s also destructive to the environment.
However,there are some cultures and climates where meat eating is a necessity,i.e.Inuit and Tibetan, to sustain human life.Also.with dialysis in my future,there may be a necessity for me to eat some meat because a need for smaller amounts of food ,but more bio available protein will occur.
I am also a practicing Buddhist (not Tibetan),a religious tradition that emphasizes compassion for all sentient beings.However,while being vegetarian is preferred,it is not necessary.The ancient tradition of monastics going out and receiving alms food on a daily basis,made it impossible for them to be strictly vegetarian.They had to be content with what they were given.
I have given this subject a lot of thought,and honestly I have a lot of respect for people- who out of necessity- face the fact (by hunting or raising animals for food) of where their meat comes form ,and how it is obtained.This is in contrast to those who obtain their meat and dairy products (and I mean products) from factory based,industrial farming.
I also feel like something of a hypocrite because even though the horrors of our food production system are well known to me,I still participate in it whenever I purchase food for my cats who are obligate carnivores.(Since I live in an environment where they can’t go out hunting for their own food)
My feeling is that I consider myself lucky that I am in a position where I don’t have to take life to sustain my own,and that factory farming is a much greater horror than the practice of hunting for food by cultures where it is a necessity.
Oh,and I am a member of Woodstock Farm Sanctuary.I really enjoy your blog,and have gotten a lot of information from it that has helped me!
- http://jlgoesvegan.com JL
  
  I want to thank you for this really thoughtful comment. One thing kept coming to mind– the definition of vegan from The Vegan Society (the founder, Donald Watson, coined the term “vegan” from VEGetariAN) “A vegan is someone who tries to avoid – as far as is possible and
  practical – all forms of exploitation of animals for food, clothing or
  any other purpose.” So, your example of cultures or climates in which animals are the ONLY source of food, well, that is what is possible or practical. In the case of the hunters or self-described “carnivores” in our culture/society — they don’t need meat to get all of the important nutrients necessary to thrive and humans are actually omnivores and can therefore survive, and thrive, on plants.
  
  I am a Buddhist, too! (I practice a Japanese Buddhism) I am so happy that you are a WFAS supporter, too. Thank you for your kind words and please, do keep jumping in with your thoughts!