26. You Don’t Have to Eat Animals.
Today I am writing a note to myself in this post. Making the gradual change to becoming a plant-based eater seems like the obvious choice once you’ve done it for a few years, but that shadow of a doubt about whether it is the right or best thing to do for the individual person does creep in. I believe that is because only about 1% of people in our society eat a Vegan diet. When 99% of people around you, and almost everyone in your personal life, are doing something different, it can take practice to feel confident.
I am putting this message out there to anyone else who wants to do the right thing for themselves but sometimes questions their decisions. Not eating animals or their products is always the right thing to do for the animals who would otherwise be eaten of course, but are we able to get what we need while abstaining?
The answer is yes. Also, it is critical to ensure a reliable source of vitamin B12. My family and I take a supplement. Cyanocobalamin 50mcg daily or 2,000mcg weekly, or 1,000mcg twice per week is both cheap and more than adequate (for ages 9+, younger kids need half that, and anyone over 65 needs 1,000mcg/day). There are other “active” forms of cobalamin (B12), such as methylcobalamin, which are more expensive and not necessarily more effective, but for some people with genetic variants, may be better.
Other nutrients are worth considering as well, such as vitamin D (both omnivores and vegetarians alike may need a boost), idodine (idodized salt is an easy answer), and a few others that may require a bit of attention for all eaters, including plant-based eaters.
Not everyone wants to stop eating animals or their products, but those who feel strongly about doing so for various reasons can feel confident that it is possible to do so safely and effectively. There are many great resources to help in the process, which doesn’t need to take place overnight, by the way. I recently picked up Brenda Davis, RD’s new book “Nourish,” which she wrote with Dr. Reshema Shah, MD, MPH. This book or other resources written by Brenda Davis are comprehensive and can serve as a guideline. There are many reputable, science-backed resources out there to help. It is possible and probably not as difficult as you think.
In a time when we are taking a closer look at our food environment, especially ultra-processed foods, one simple, planet-friendly answer is switching to a whole food plant-based eating pattern. Thank you, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, for coining the term. Our human population vastly outnumbers that of wild land-animal species, and the animals we raise to feed our growing human population dwarfs our own numbers. We don’t have to grown and then kill billions of animals each day to feed ourselves. It is our norm to do so, but humans are capable of innovation and can adapt to a less violent, more sustainable way of feeding ourselves.
I wrote this to myself because sometimes I need a reminder that I am doing something for myself and my family that is good for us and feels like the right thing to do. We are not missing out on anything and gaining compassion and empowerment in the process.
Do you want to improve your eating patterns toward plant-based eating, yet you doubt the viability of a plant-based lifestyle? What are your specific concerns?