I had the opportunity yesterday afternoon to table at the Hillsboro Oregon Relay for Life event. I love the chance to talk to people about why adopting veganism is important. As expected everyone I talked to was interested in the health benefits of going vegan or vegetarian. After all this was an event to “celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease.”
No one I talked to was vegan but several were vegetarian or had family members who were. I didn’t get the usual arguments about why it is wrong or unnatural or how a friend of a friend of a friend became really sick when they tried to go vegan. Everyone seemed to agree that a veggie diet is much healthier…but they couldn’t do it themselves. These are people who have been impacted by cancer and yet making the change is still too difficult. Sigh.
This morning I read the blog post by Vegan Outreach Messaging for the Animals, Not Acceptance.
This blog post made me think about why I went and stay vegan. I was diagnosed with very high cholesterol several years ago and I did try to change my diet. However, while making diet decisions for my health is extremely personal, it still felt a bit removed or lacked a real sense of urgency. I didn’t stick with any changes I had made.
Today I am very passionate about what I eat and purchase or rather what I won’t eat or purchase. The idea of consuming anything from an animal is truly not an option for me, not even “just this once”. When I learned how animals are tortured and killed I could not unlearn it. I could choose to ignore what I know and I might have. After all, I know that driving a SUV is not good for the environment but still, last year when I bought my new car I got a small SUV rather than a hybrid. I choose to ignore what I know.
The difference for me is that I don’t let myself choose to ignore what I know about how animals are treated. My life is now filled with reminders of why I’m vegan. I read everything I can (just ordered Every Twelve Seconds: Industrialized Slaughter and the Politics of Sight), I try to stay involved with others who are vegan, I table, I blog and read blogs. For me, and as always my comments are just about what works for me, doing this for my health isn’t enough to keep me vegan. I need to remember the very real and urgent need of the animals who are right now suffering. I can do damage to myself without a bit of hesitation but I can’t knowingly harm anyone else.
I don’t agree that going vegan for health reasons isn’t a very good appeal to make or a great reason to go vegan. I just know that for me, my own health was not enough. I’m vegan for reasons that are far more important to me than me.
That’s AWESOME that you brought a message of compassion to an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society, who still fund vivisection! Like you I support what they do but not how they do it, so it’s good to know that you were right there spreading news of compassionate lifestyle and vivisection alternatives. Cool! It’s a good sign that they were open enough to consider allowing a vegan info table; maybe change is in the air.
As for the VO post, remember that there are as many paths to wellness as there are to illness. If one considers veganism strictly as a path to health we are forced to acknowledge that there are many paths that would lead to similar health-related goals. The difference may be in how many lives we wish to be touched by the health improvement: in conventional medicine the focus is on one person’s wellness, but a vegan’s lifestyle impacts the health of many thousands of lives (consider the health impact of the environmental aspect of our lifestyle, as well as the animals not consumed). Positively impacting the health of thousands of lives rather than one seems like an obvious choice for us, but not everyone’s brain works like ours. In my case, that’s likely a good thing.
I’m doing PCRM’s VegRun Team and will be in Portland for the half marathon in October. Hope to see you running or tabling there!
By: Know Thank You on June 24, 2012
at 6:22 pm
I had absolutely no idea that the American Cancer Society funds vivisection! I probably would not have gone had I known, but I am glad I went.
I really like your comment about “how many lives we wish to be touched by the health improvement”. I was seeing this as an either/or argument. A person either goes vegan for ones self or they go vegan for the lives of animals. I may have to use your comment “Positively impacting the health of thousands of lives rather than one seems like an obvious choice for us” in future conversations about the health benefits of going vegan.
Good luck at the half marathon! I’m not up to running a half…yet. I did look up the PCRMs VegRun program. It looks great. Do you have a fundraising page?
By: Debbie on July 1, 2012
at 2:41 pm
I’m reading the Cancer Survivor’s Guide by Neal Barnard right now. I think if more cancer survivors and family members were armed with that kind of information, they may be more willing to make a change. It’s clear and concise and perfect for someone contemplating veganism or how to improve their health.
By: Somer on June 25, 2012
at 12:42 pm
I should probably read The Cancer Survivor’s Guild. Right now the best book on the subject I know of is The China Study which can be a little daunting for some people to read. I sent a copy to my sister-in-laws who has a mom with cancer but she didn’t read it. Thanks for the info and you are right, clear & concise is important when someone is starting to learn about the benefits of veganism.
By: Debbie on July 1, 2012
at 2:10 pm
You are totally right that the China study can be a little daunting. I have a copy and I haven’t even gotten all the way through it. Total believer though! How was your 10k?
By: Somer on July 1, 2012
at 9:51 pm
Vegan diet is the best, it can really increase your lifespan. ”
<a href="My own, personal web blog
http://www.healthmedicinelab.com/stress-rash/
By: Paige Pundt on November 25, 2012
at 6:43 am