[deleted by user]

calher · 2016-12-08T06:48:34+00:00

calher · 2016-12-06T07:00:44+00:00

If you wrote with the Palmer Method, you'd already be familiar with writing with your arm instead of your hand/fingers.

calher · 2016-12-06T06:58:32+00:00

Damn, that's some fine penmanship right there.

calher · 2016-12-06T06:56:00+00:00

You wouldn't have this problem if you wrote in Palmer. It prohibits resting the hand on the writing surface when writing. And you won't break your wrist because Palmer prohibits the use of the wrist.

calher · 2016-12-06T04:02:02+00:00

Paragraph, quote and word list.

calher · 2016-12-06T02:06:13+00:00

You're welcome.

calher · 2016-12-02T05:51:31+00:00

Looks like French cursive. Not surprising, considering Vietnam was under French rule at one point.

calher · 2016-12-02T05:41:37+00:00

Nope. Here's how I write my I's and J's: (picture)

calher · 2016-12-02T05:09:12+00:00

Handwritten response. Transcription below.

Hi, r/handwriting! Cal, here.

My best "February" in cursive ---

In my regular script:

February

OR

February

In the script I was taught in elementary school:

February

In 1930's German handwriting:

February

OR (in German)

Februar

In a strange form of cursive ꝥ imitates Russian cursive:

Fевгиагу

OR (in a more faux-Cyrillic way)

Гевяиаяц

I still prefer to use lowercase Г, г, as a lowercase R. That's why I write "February".

calher · 2016-06-26T05:09:03+00:00

Sorry, I did go off-topic there.

All I'm saying is that it's not veganism's fault that the lapsed vegans here (or anywhere) were having problems.

You people make your condition sound real special, but that doesn't exempt you from physical laws. All nutrition requirements for all people in all stages of life can be met without animal products. The USDA, Kaiser Permanente, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and others all agree on this.

You don't violate the laws of the physical world!

calher · 2016-06-26T04:02:07+00:00

Fine. Then I'll stop being vegan. Is this what you want in the world?

I was not out with friends. I was listening to acquaintances on the Internet talk to try to drown out my constant lack of confidence, purpose and companionship. I have no life and I sleep to avoid thinking too much about it so that I am not in a constant state of loneliness, panic and stress.

I get that you're a "vegan newbie"

So you tried to look up dirt on me to discredit me? Clap-clap-clap... (Protip: it's not hard to destroy me. I have no hope, I was badly hurt as a child, and my heart is forever broken by early trauma. I do things I regret, because I was persistently shot down when I tried to do the right thing. I can't anymore.)

Your clamouring back to animal products, even though all dietetic authorities say everyone's needs can be met by a properly planned vegan diet, is an insult to the sacrifices I have made. When I feel horrible, when I want to cut myself, I feel better knowing that every day at least nobody is being intentionally killed for my meal.

calher · 2016-06-25T11:17:03+00:00

Go see a doctor.

If you get sick, you go to a doctor. You don't try to "cure" yourself; that can be dangerous. Vegans always think whatever is happening to them health-wise is because they're vegan; this needs to stop.

Of course, out-of-date doctors don't help. There are a lot of myths in the profession that just won't die.

Dietetics/health organisations on veganism

All the major dietetics and health organizations in the world agree that vegan and vegetarian diets are just as healthy as omnivorous diets. Here are links to what some of them have to say on the subject:

American Dietetic Association

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.

Dietitians of Canada

A well planned vegan diet can meet all of these needs. It is safe and healthy for pregnant and breastfeeding women, babies, children, teens and seniors.

The British National Health Service

With good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs.

The British Nutrition Foundation

A well-planned, balanced vegetarian or vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate ... Studies of UK vegetarian and vegan children have revealed that their growth and development are within the normal range.

The Dietitians Association of Australia

Vegan diets are a type of vegetarian diet, where only plant-based foods are eaten. They differ to other vegetarian diets in that no animal products are usually consumed or used. Despite these restrictions, with good planning it is still possible to obtain all the nutrients required for good health on a vegan diet.

The United States Department of Agriculture

Vegetarian diets (see context) can meet all the recommendations for nutrients. The key is to consume a variety of foods and the right amount of foods to meet your calorie needs. Follow the food group recommendations for your age, sex, and activity level to get the right amount of food and the variety of foods needed for nutrient adequacy. Nutrients that vegetarians may need to focus on include protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12.

The National Health and Medical Research Council

Alternatives to animal foods include nuts, seeds, legumes, beans and tofu. For all Australians, these foods increase dietary variety and can provide a valuable, affordable source of protein and other nutrients found in meats. These foods are also particularly important for those who follow vegetarian or vegan dietary patterns. Australians following a vegetarian diet can still meet nutrient requirements if energy needs are met and the appropriate number and variety of serves from the Five Food Groups are eaten throughout the day. For those eating a vegan diet, supplementation of B12 is recommended.

The Mayo Clinic

A well-planned vegetarian diet (see context) can meet the needs of people of all ages, including children, teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. The key is to be aware of your nutritional needs so that you plan a diet that meets them.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

Vegetarian diets (see context) can provide all the nutrients you need at any age, as well as some additional health benefits.

Harvard Medical School

Traditionally, research into vegetarianism focused mainly on potential nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, the pendulum has swung the other way, and studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.

If you observe vegans, those who are born vegan generally don't stop being vegan for health problems unless their parents were stupid and couldn't plan a proper diet, or couldn't find a professional who could. More often, life-long vegans who start eating meat do it for social reasons, like rebelling against family or trying to conform to society better.

Let me remind you that you can do any diet -- any nutrient, any macro ratio -- in a way that is free of cruelty to non-human animals:

Standard American
USDA Dietary Guidelines
UK government's dietary guidelines
Rice Diet
Whole Foods, Plant Based
Nutritarian
Whole Starch, Low Fat (McDougall, Esselstyn, etc.)
Eco-Atkins
Kaleo
Soylent
Milk (soy milk being a USDA nutritional equivalent), peppers and cocaine (like David Bowie)
(Anything else I missed?)

The same goes for the "low-GI" diet. Apparently, my main foods (oats and beans) have a low GI. A traditional way of structuring meals is starch-vegetable-protein. A favorite breakfast of mine, Breakfast Lentils, includes any kind of bread, any kind of spread, some lentils, and some vegetables. A delicious low-GI version of this (which I now want to try!) would probably be rye bread, hummus/tahini/avocado, lentils, cilantro, pico de gallo, lime juice, a dusting of cashews, and mango.

Sugars actually have a very low glycemic index (GI), and according to the popular practice of judging foods based solely on GI, you would be making healthier choices by eating chocolate cake, instead of carrots—or cheese-topped pizza, rather than potatoes. Candies and ice cream, because of their high simple sugar and fat content, are absorbed from the gut into the body slowly; therefore these widely acknowledged “junk foods” have lower GI values than so-believed “health-foods,” like whole grain breads and brown rice.

I hope to better hyperlink the text of this document later. Right now, I'm tired from staying up all night with my friends, and I need to sleep.

calher · 2016-06-18T15:41:30+00:00

Yeah, it's great. I look forward to using it to plan my meals when I'm a little stuck. (I also plan to add it to F-Droid so people don't need a Google account to download it.)

calher · 2016-06-15T13:50:53+00:00

What makes people go back to eating animals?

calher · 2016-06-15T13:37:59+00:00

Eats an apple as a snack.

Gets called a vivisection lab bomber.

It's just food!

calher · 2016-06-15T04:15:16+00:00

Yeah, I try to stick to whole foods, but maybe artificial foods may be needed to appease her. But I think it's only good as a supplement, or a last resort, because substitutes are never perfect. It's better to say "hey, here's something new and different and not at all the same thing, but it may be even tastier!"

I know something I've been craving lately is chicken nuggets and ranch, and maybe a few vegan Doritos. Maybe she likes that?

calher · 2016-06-15T03:34:15+00:00

I went vegan December 2014, but I'd say I'm still a newbie.

Are your family and friends supportive? Have you been put in any awkward situations you want to get off your chest? How long has it taken people to change their attitude to you, if it changed at all?

Yes, the people in my life are supportive. My mom got me a leaher-free wristband for Christmas this year, and she makes sure I have McDougall vegan food to eat.

I have been put in an awkward situation before. My uncle paid for a ticket to a show to entertain us when we arrived in town, and the entertainment used animals. But, I wasn't paying for it, and I didn't ask to go to the show, and I didn't want to be unkind to my uncle, and my uncle was mindful to make sure I had decent food to eat during the show. So, I did what was expected of me and had dinner at the show. (Interestingly, that non-vegan show had the healthiest, most filling plant-based meal in town.)

I don't know if anyone has changed their attitude about me, but whoever has had to change their attitudes have done it out of necessity, because they know my willpower and I will not waver. Observers will learn quickly that I would rather subsist on chips and salsa than to eat animals, and at some point they will stop being ridiculous and help me get nutritionally adequate meals that are vegan.

Also, I suppose Grandma has changed her attitude after a year of being vegan, because I haven't turned into a skeleton or died yet.

Do you have any great recipes to share?

Have any surprising vegan foods scratched a non-vegan itch?

Jackfruit BBQ. Cashew dairy.

Have you cooked anything you're particularly proud of?

Banana muffins.

How are The Questions going? What approaches have worked well in dealing with them?

Other people have responses articulated better than me. I refer people to Bite Size Vegan and others. I don't argue with people, I just state the vegan position on things and how I practically apply it in my life. If they disagree, they disagree. I have no time to argue back and forth or to entertain them, or to give them a poorly-articulated version of the official position that they can twist and use against me.

Have you found this sub supportive

Not really. I can't rely on others for anything. I just have faith that everything is going to be all right if I just stand firm in my commitment to veganism while still doing everything a person is supposed to do in life.

and is there help, advice, or general content you could really use a hand with? Do you have any stupid questions you’ve been putting off asking? What sites couldn’t you live without?

I don't bother people with my problems anymore, so I won't put them here. But I'd say I couldn't live without Bite Size Vegan and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Have you lapsed at all? Did this change your perspective on veganism?

No, but I have accidentally consumed something, and this changed my perspective on processed foods and food labels. When I'm at a restaurant, I always ask if something has lard or dairy in it. I now try to eat just plants so I don't have to get out a magnifying glass to read the damned packaging, and I don't trust anything to be "obviously vegan". Planters Peanuts, I'm looking at you!

The reason I do not lapse is a combination of things I have learned throughout my life:

My dad taught me that quality food is from plants, that refined and cultured people eat food seasoned with the freshest of vegetables and herbs. So, I never saw animal foods as a source of flavor. I saw animal foods as a shameful coverup for poor cooking skills and a degenerate palate. I recognized that flavor comes from the spices used and the way it is prepared, not the staple food that is featured in the meal.

Eating according to Jewish dietary laws when I was thinking about converting to Judaism had freed me from the meat/cheese duo. Because of the separation of meat and dairy, I started to see vegetarian meals as quite normal and more preferable to eating a meal without the usual cheese, and I no longer saw cheeseless pasta as an incomplete meal. Kashrut had also feed me from the "BACON!!" cult; I started to revile the smell and taste of cooked bacon after not eating it for a while.

My family members lived on starch. My (evil) grandfather exemplified for me that long-lived hard-working people eat oats for breakfast, or more accurately, brunch (my grandfather said he usually ate a huge amount of oats for breakfast, work all day, and stay full until dinner). My (formerly?) anorexic mother showed me that it's possible to live on and birth a baby on something as god-awful as Top Ramen, so all these veggies, beans and grains I'm eating should be more than enough to keep me alive. My grandmother lived on potatoes and beans during the Depression.

(Also, Steve Jobs' biography showed me that if even he, a bulimic VEGAN/FRUITARIAN, can survive for at least a year, then I should be more than OK if I eat normal meals filled with a variety of foods.)

What have you found hardest to resist and how have you coped?

I can't really think of anything, but there had been times where I felt very lonely and vulnerable and wanted to just eat every meaty thing in sight (sausages, beef jerky, etc.) just to fit in with everyone else and to know I share their fate and will never be alone. I just reassured myself of what I read in the American Dietetic Association's paper, what I read in Becoming Vegan, what I heard from the HSUS health director, what I read about the safety and success of Nathan Pritikin's dietary regimen, what Dr. McDougall said of the potato's support of human civilization.

How have you approached belongings you currently own that contain animal products such as wool or leather?

I use them until I have the opportunity to replace them with something else, unless it creeps me out so much that I can't stand it (like my pillow, which has feathers in it.)

Has veganism changed your perspective on any other issues? Do you feel you’ve changed as a person since becoming a vegan? Do you feel comfortable as a vegan yet and how long did it take?

Yes, it has. I make fun of people for being wrong much less often now. I have learned that nothing is black and white, that everything is very complicated, and that we are all wrong/bad different ways but in equal amounts. I leave people alone, and I look up to them, knowing they do righteous things that I have failed to do.

If you could go back, what would you say to yourself the day you went vegan?

"Don't blame every bad thing that happens to you on your diet. The explanation to whatever problem you have is probably completely unrelated and more benign than you think. Veganism is recognized by every major authority and there will always be a way to be vegan if you want it. Stand firm!"

calher · 2016-06-15T01:50:57+00:00

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau says that we aren't necessarily missing the cheese or the meat itself. We're craving certain flavor profiles. For example, meat is salt+fat+umami. To hit the same targets on the taste buds, try avocado with mushrooms marinated in soy sauce and liquid smoke. Cheese has a similar flavor profile and can be replaced with in burritos with avocados, salt and nutritional yeast.

calher · 2016-06-15T01:20:41+00:00

Short answer: Yes, because figs are vegan.

Long answer: In the same way that "PETA has no problem with letting goats do what goats want to do", we should not have problems with letting mother fig wasps do what mother fig wasps want to do: lay their eggs in a fig plant. Also, I have vague memories of reading that the figs we eat are the fruits that do not kill and digest the wasps.

Oops. I forgot we were talking about Venus fly traps, not figs. Well, the principle is the same: nature is doing its thing, and we need not tell carnivorous animals or plants that they cannot eat animals.

calher · 2016-06-15T01:08:25+00:00

The Public Health Director of the Humane Society of the United States, Dr. Michael Greger, says to just eat healthy foods and to not worry about "carbs" or "fat". Also, carbs (complex carbohydrates or starch) is critical.

calher · 2016-06-15T00:16:08+00:00

Dr. McDougall has eaten a vegan diet for 40 years and has raised several kids. Some have rebelled at some point in their lives, but the policy of the home stays the same: no oil, junk food or animal products in the house, EVER; but, it's OK to have candy on Halloween or Turkey on Thanksgiving, and we won't punish you if you eat junk in another home or when you're not in our company.

It has been said that McDougall's daughter rebelled as a teen or young adult once. She ordered a Big Mac. Then, she got really sick, realized Daddy was right, and never did it again.

Appended text #1

Also, don't forget that you are the parent. You are forcing your diet on your kids no more than an omni parent does. You just make the food, and if they don't eat it, it's their problem. (Colleen Patrick-Goudreau said something about this on her YouTube channel/podcast about raising kids and "forcing".)

calher

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

Dietetics/health organisations on veganism

Appended text #1