It has been more than two months since I started a May trial of veganism. It seems very likely that this is something that I will stick with for the long term. My primary reasons for becoming vegan are ethical and the Cruelty Free Dairy article sums up my reasons. I have learned a lot about veganism through this experiment and even more about other people’s attitudes. If you choose to try veganism here are some things you may want to know:
Myth 1 You need milk to build strong bones
It is interesting that this belief is everywhere, my grandmother in India is always encouraging the kids to drink milk to have strong bones. I wonder if this is from advertising- that is certainly the case in the UK. I would suggest you read “Building Bone Vitality”, co-authored by Amy Lanou, UNC Asheville assistant professor of health and wellness. Other studies have also suggested that when you digest milk’s high amount of protein it actually works to weaken bones by leaching calcium from your bones. It is interesting that India has the highest rates of Osteoporosis in the world now when more meat, eggs and dairy are being consumed than ever in the past.
Myth 2 You need to get protein from meat
Protein is often misunderstood. Vegetables contain plenty of protein, for example spinach is has about 50% protein. Even celery has about 2o%. Other foods such as beans are also high in protein. Protein deficiency is rare, it’s usually iron that is an issue with vegans and vegetarians. I will write an article about how to increase your iron levels as this is something I had a lot of success with last year. You don’t need to combine non meat foods a certain way to make a “complete” protein either. Frances Moor Lappé’s theory was proved to be incorrect, and Lappé herself admitted this wasn’t the case. As I have been vegetarian for more than twenty years I have personal experience of getting enough protein without trying.
Myth 3 Indians all need milk as it is Sattvic
In Ayurveda milk and dairy products in general are used extensively because of their “Sattvic” properties. Sattvic means pure goodness. As the holy cow is seen as the mother for providing us with milk- the milk is seen as very important. This is a part of nature, and many Hindu’s choose to ignore how dairy is produced. If the cow is sacred how can we perpetuate the killings of millions of cows in the process of milk production? Unfortunately I have yet to get a satisfactory answer about this from ISKCON, which I find sad as I would hope they would be at the forefront of cow protection. Perhaps once New Gokul is built things will change?
Apologies for digressing but I feel quite passionately about this. There are lots of Sattvic foods- fresh organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Omitting milk has made no difference to the way I feel in terms of purity. My Yoga is going just as well as before and my general health is good too.
Many Asians are lactose intolerant and cannot effectively digest milk anyway!
Just some food for thought!
Back to my personal update- I must admit it is going really well. I don’t miss dairy at all. I have a real love for Extra Virgin Olive Oil which I use instead of butter on Jacket potatoes and toast. I do still eat honey as in the UK bees are now dependent on human intervention for survival. Rapeseed honey crystallises quickly, and must be removed from the hive very fast or it becomes useless. It would then be useless as a food store for bees. According to the Radlett Horticultural Society bees would probably not survive for more than six months in the wild. I continue to eat honey as beekeepers in Britain are ensuring that honeybees survive.