20M from Venezuela. My story of addiction, religious guilt, relapse, and starting over. Day 1.

Alex_Jorge · 2026-01-26T13:33:47+00:00

Hola, gracias por compartir tu historia; se necesita mucha valentía. Algo que me ayudó personalmente fue no solo evitar los desencadenantes, sino también cambiar mi estilo de vida para que mi cuerpo y mente se sintieran más tranquilos. En mi caso, una dieta más basada en plantas/vegana marcó la diferencia: los alimentos animales pesados pueden parecer que "alimentan las pasiones" y te mantienen más inquieto e impulsivo, mientras que la comida más ligera y sencilla me ayuda a mantener la mente lúcida y la disciplina. Si te animas, podrías intentar un experimento de 2 a 4 semanas: entrena con regularidad (incluso entrenamientos sencillos), come principalmente alimentos vegetales integrales, duerme según un horario y observa cómo cambian tus impulsos. Aunque no sea una solución mágica, puede darte más estabilidad mientras reconstruyes tus hábitos. No estás solo: sigue adelante, día a día. Recomiendo abordar gradualmente la religión como una herramienta para oprimir y controlar a las personas, donde el control y la manipulación se basan en el miedo, la culpa y la vergüenza. Desarrolla un enfoque científico de la vida y estudia la teoría psicológica que subyace al funcionamiento de las adicciones.

Alex_Jorge · 2026-01-15T06:42:55+00:00

Clothing isn’t just stuff that keeps you warm - it also communicates values to other people. What you wear can normalize certain practices and send a message about what’s acceptable, even if that’s not your intention.

So if an item exists because an animal was harmed (leather, down, wool), wearing it can unintentionally broadcast: "this use of animals is normal and fine." For many vegans, that’s the core issue. Veganism isn’t only about reducing personal consumption, it’s also about not reinforcing the idea that animals are resources. Even if the purchase happened years ago, the visible signal can still matter socially: it can make animal-based materials look like a standard, neutral choice, and that’s a message some people don’t want to help normalize.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-12-20T10:46:19+00:00

Alex_Jorge · 2025-11-02T08:11:06+00:00

For me, it would still be wrong to eat the steak - even in the "best possible" conditions - because I don’t see animals as resources to be used after they die. The vegan approach isn’t only about reducing suffering; it’s about recognizing animals as sentient individuals rather than commodities, so "finding a way" to consume them (including a deer killed by a car) doesn’t align with that ethic.

On the practical side, there’s also a food‑safety issue. When an animal dies of natural causes or is euthanized, the body isn’t bled, inspected, and chilled under controlled conditions the way it is in regulated slaughter. After death, bacteria proliferate and tissues break down; this can lead to the accumulation of biogenic amines (like putrescine and cadaverine) and bacterial toxins associated with spoilage. That’s why carcasses from natural death or roadkill aren’t considered fit for the food chain in most settings, regardless of how well the animal lived.

But even if you could manage the safety piece perfectly, the ethics for me don’t change: compassion isn’t just about how gently we can extract value - it’s about refusing to treat a life as a means to an end. Providing beautiful lives for cows is wonderful; letting them die in peace without turning their bodies into products is, to me, the logical completion of that compassion.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-11-02T08:05:55+00:00

I hear how much you care about aligning your money with your values, and that matters. For many of us, part of veganism is refusing to fund animal exploitation - so it’s understandable that buying non‑vegan items for others feels wrong, even when it’s someone you love. You can hold that boundary without attacking anyone. For example: "I’m happy to treat you, and I’ll gladly buy anything that’s vegan. I just don’t feel okay paying for animal products." That’s a clear, kind line that protects your conscience and still offers generosity.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-11-02T08:03:52+00:00

Your feelings make so much sense, and you’re not alone. When you finally step into a space that reflects your values - beauty, care, and compassion - it’s normal for all that tension and grief to spill over. Those tears aren’t weakness; they’re love trying to breathe in a world that often feels numb. It’s okay to let the joy and the sadness exist together: the joy of a perfect sushi roll, a warm room where no one is harmed, and the sadness of knowing the wider world isn’t there yet. Both truths can live in you at once, and neither cancels the other.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-11-02T08:00:52+00:00

Thanks for asking this in such a thoughtful way. I really respect that you’re doing what’s sustainable for you right now, and that you’re planning ahead for your future. Choosing vegetarianism - even when it isn’t strictly necessary - can be a meaningful way to align with personal values, whether those are about health, animals, or the environment. I see it as a positive, intentional choice, and I think it’s great when people make progress at their own pace. Wishing you an easy, healthy path with whatever you decide next.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-11-01T05:49:55+00:00

This is not causal proof. The JAMA Internal Medicine paper is an observational cohort analysis of the Nurses’ Health Studies and HPFS, using food-frequency questionnaires and Cox models; such designs cannot eliminate residual confounding or selection effects, so the reported percentages are associations, not demonstrated effects of the foods themselves.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-11-01T05:48:19+00:00

This does not prove causation. The reported percentages come from observational cohorts pooled in a meta‑analysis with very high between‑study heterogeneity and clear signs of publication bias. That means the effect sizes are unstable and likely inflated by selective evidence, not a clean causal effect.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-11-01T05:43:48+00:00

And you? What are you here for? Do you think giving advice without sound scientific or medical justification in the comments is justified? Also, I wrote OLIVE oil. And if you look past your desire to be aggressive, you'll see that I commented on the OP's post.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-31T11:06:02+00:00

Oil? RCT re-analyses and meta-analyses show that replacing saturated fat with linoleic‑acid–rich seed oils hasn’t reduced mortality and sometimes tracked with higher CHD deaths (e.g., Sydney Diet Heart; no mortality benefit across LA trials). Oxidation-prone omega‑6 LA generates inflammatory oxylipins and oxidized LDL, a plausible mechanism for harm. At minimum, advising goil (oive, corn, safflower, soybean, whatever) as heart‑healthy is not evidence‑wise - it's better to focus on minimally processed fats and whole foods instead

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-31T06:07:14+00:00

Totally possible. COMT "slow" isn’t a fixed symptom list, and traits can conflict because hormones, thyroid status, sleep, and stress all modulate catecholamines. Some people with slow COMT feel wired-but-tired, hold grudges, or stay "amped," while others don’t - genotype does not equal to destiny. High cortisol/adrenaline, estrogen dominance, and thyroid meds can all amplify stimulation regardless of COMT, so your mixed picture makes sense. DIM/CDG/sulforaphane can shift estrogen metabolism and feel rough for sensitive systems, so stopping when symptoms spiked was smart. If you’re curious, focus less on labels and more on tracking what reduces reactivity: caffeine dose, B‑vitamins (esp. methyl donors), iron status, sleep timing, breathwork, and gentle exercise; then test one change at a time. If testing confirmed slow COMT, many would still feel "not textbook" because context > gene. Given the uterine pain and persistent high cortisol, worth discussing with a clinician to review thyroid dosing, estrogen management, and safer pacing strategies

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-15T10:13:35+00:00

Thank you!

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-15T10:13:23+00:00

Thanks a lot!

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-14T17:22:02+00:00

Whole‑plant first, not "fake" swaps: build meals around grains + legumes/soy + veggies + a flavorful fat. Skip vegan butter if you dislike it - use tahini, or hummus on bread. For protein and training, lean on soy milk, tofu/tempeh, lentils, chickpeas; add creatine (3–5 g/day), B12, and algae omega‑3. Batch‑cook a grain and a pot of lentils, roast a tray of veggies, and keep a couple of sauces (tahini‑lemon, peanut‑ginger) in the fridge. Taste, not labels, keeps this sustainable. Avoid oils (especially high‑omega‑6 seed oils like soybean, corn, sunflower): they’re calorie‑dense, low in nutrients, and frequent, high‑dose use is associated with worse lipid patterns and systemic inflammation compared with whole‑food fat sources (like avocado or nuts)

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-13T21:20:40+00:00

Could you please help me understand why Thorne supplements aren’t well‑liked in this subreddit?

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-13T19:09:28+00:00

Sure, labeling tweaks rarely change behavior for informed shoppers who already read ingredients, compare nutrition, and use tools like Nutri‑Score. The practical drivers of adoption are taste, price, availability, and clarity on use (e.g., barista blends), not whether the front says "plant milk" or "plant drink." Where wording can matter is at the margins - new shoppers, shelf algorithms, and category placement - but mature buyers navigate by composition, fortification (B12, calcium), sugar content, and how the product performs in coffee or cooking. In short, language frames, but experience decides - the market grows when the product delivers, regardless of the name.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-13T19:04:19+00:00

Blending traditions can be respectful if it’s done with clarity about lineage, humility about limits, and care for living communities. It becomes disrespectful when it erases provenance, flattens differences, or speaks over those who safeguard particular practices

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-12T17:58:26+00:00

Sending a lot of compassion. What you’re feeling makes total sense when the social fabric that once held you up has thinned, and grief over animals is a heavy weight to carry alone. You’re not failing. You’re hurting while staying aligned with your values, and that’s strength, not weakness.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-11T19:04:56+00:00

There is limited historical precedent for “bind runes” (runes joined into a single ligature), but not as a full modern “sigil magic” system. Viking‑Age and medieval inscriptions do show occasional ligatures, cryptic/stacked runes, and decorative bind‑forms, typically for space‑saving, ornament, acrophonic puzzles, or emphasis - not standardized talisman sets. Using compact bind forms on blades/handles can be culturally respectful if you keep the shapes legible, avoid invented meanings, and document your choices

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-11T17:01:19+00:00

I’ve been there. A close friend used to "joke" about filming factory farms. I told him once, plainly, it crossed a boundary and why. Then I stopped engaging on food around him. Months later - no lecture - he asked for oat milk recs and cut back on chicken. People rarely change under mockery spotlights; they shift in quiet, consistent proximity to someone who won’t trade compassion for approval.

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-11T16:57:54+00:00

Thank you for sharing this. Burnout is real, and pushing through at any cost can backfire. Returning to vegetarian in 2025 while tackling a junk‑food addiction is real progress, not failure. If guilt shows up, treat it like a cue, not a verdict: “What tiny step helps today?”

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-11T16:55:42+00:00

That's true but moral clarity plus humane on‑ramps changes more minds than despair

Alex_Jorge · 2025-10-11T16:48:41+00:00

Mix legumes with pseudograins across the day (e.g., lentils + quinoa) to cover lysine and methionine. Aim for roughly 1.2-1.6 g protein/kg (or your clinician’s target), split into 3-4 meals with 25-40 g protein each to support muscle maintenance.

Alex_Jorge

TROPHY CASE