Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

I'm certainly aware of the negative overtones associated with the word vegan. And most vegans I know are also aware of them. I've seen plenty of them, when asked to describe their diet, just describe it in visual and / or geometric terms. eg the colours, textures, length, width, proximity to the sun etc. Anything to avoid the word vegan.

Dr. McDougall does not tell people this WOE is "Vegan" or "Vegeterian" because it scares them. What he tells them is that he has lived on a diet of starches, vegetables and fruits with the exception of a Baby Ruth candy bar on Holloween and a slice of turkey every other Thanksgiving so they do not call him a vegan. Also, on some Easters he will have egg whites.

Here it out of his mouth - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cubSjwu9Zg

He understands the negative views the word has. I do not identify myself as a Vegan and am offended if called one. I identify myself as eating plant based whole foods when asked. Most of the time I say I am a special needs eater or I like potatoes.

To me, this WOE is more about what we eat and not about what we don't. People say to me, "oh, you can't eat that" and I reply, "I can eat what ever I want, I do not want that right now". I also like the idea of that with this WOE, feasts or even over indulging for an evening (or weekend) in SAD will not cause us to fall off the wagon.

Really, is it worth all the argument? Sally, if you want to call yourself a vegan, then go for it. Others do not want to be called vegans. Why is it such a big deal that you keep arguing the same point over & over again?

I am afraid I just do not understand, although some of the responses to you have been kind of funny.

Salley wrote:

Norm wrote: My diet sure does differ from a vegan diet... I have paleo friends who could accommodate my diet easier than some vegans I know.

I really have a hard time believing this to be true...

Really? I can tell my paleo friend "No animal products, no added fat" and pretty much be assured that he'd understand what I wanted and that he'd be able to offer me something I can eat. Granted, it might not be the most filling of meals as it'd probably lack the heavy portion of starch I'm used to. But I'd happily munch away at what he did come up with.
On the flip side, I can tell some vegans I know "No processed foods, no added fat" and they'd be utterly clueless what to serve me from what they'd routinely eat or have on hand. They might even need to go to the store to buy "special" food for me cuz I'm too uppity to eat their food.

The word vegan doesn't care at all about processed foods. The word paleo does. That is why it'd be easier for me to explain my diet quickly to a paleo eater than to many vegans, even though my diet is mostly vegan.

-Norm

Great points, all.

I know that in the small Texas town I live in, vegan has negative connotations and some generally unfair stereotypes politically. I prefer to avoid dealing with that. I also think that eating like Dr. McDougall advocates is much healthier and, since it is much more specific about what I do and do not eat, I tell people I eat a whole plant-based diet.

I also do not tell people that I am something if I am not. When asked, I still tell people what I am trying to do as I have eaten non plant-based food as recently as this month and do not want to mis-lead them. Why would I claim to be a vegan when I am not?

Just my thoughts,
Fulenn

Theodore wrote:...but in fact, the public's desire to avoid being labelled as a vegan ?

Uhm... no. People eat SAD because sweet/fat/salty foods tickle the taste buds and appeals to the appetite and makes people feel happy.

C'mon, face it. Bacon tastes fracking good! I was leaving my apartment the other day and a neighbor was cooking bacon. I'll admit it... I felt a craving for some. It takes a conscious effort, moral fortitude and self-discipline to deny oneself that indulgence. Or, perhaps I just haven't fully grown into my plant-eating convictions yet.

No, I did not go buy any bacon.

rickfm wrote:C'mon, face it. Bacon tastes fracking good! I was leaving my apartment the other day and a neighbor was cooking bacon. I'll admit it... I felt a craving for some. It takes a conscious effort, moral fortitude and self-discipline to deny oneself that indulgence. Or, perhaps I just haven't fully grown into my plant-eating convictions yet.

Take it from a longtime McDougaller:

Rob wrote:After 16 years I have completely lost any desire for meat, eggs and dairy. Even added oils. I now find these foods repulsive but never imagined that my food preferences would change so radically.

I was never a big bacon eater so maybe that is why it no longer appeals to me. The smell repulses me now.

Saying that I follow a vegan diet and that I also don't eat oil is a quick and easy way to communicate my diet to people I may be eating with. This is what I use at work, for example, to keep someone from going to a lot of trouble to bring in a vegan cake for my birthday. (I get lots of fruit on my birthday instead, which is wonderful.) I don't particularly identify myself as vegan, but it's a very useful term to use in these situations.

"Whole foods, low fat vegan" is also a useful descriptor though people might not understand that it means "no oil". What low fat means to the general public isn't always what we mean here.

"Plant based" and "starch based" are also useful terms, but I've not yet met anyone IRL who knows what they mean. (And a diet could be "plant based" but still include small amounts of animal products.)

I think "herbivore" is also a useful term, or saying "I only eat plants."

I expect I'll just keeping saying I eat a vegan diet with no oil. It gets the message across really quickly without going into all the details, which most people I've met aren't that interested in anyway.

shell-belle wrote:I was never a big bacon eater so maybe that is why it no longer appeals to me. The smell repulses me now.

"Traditional" American breakfast was probably my favorite meal. Bacon, eggs and hash browns all the way. And buttery toast to soak up the egg yolk.

Where I'm at in my plant-food life, right now, I might be able to enjoy the momentary pleasure of such a meal, but I would be having serious remorse and regret afterwards. And then I'd be counting the hours until I felt like it had worked it's way out of my system.

I get the feeling Wild4Stars is about to make a good point.

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Wild4Stars wrote:Why this overpowering need to label the way you eat? I eat what I eat. I don't explain it, I don't label it. I don't expect others to explaine or create a label for the way they eat, why should I? I eat a healthy diet. MY definition of healthy. PERIOD.

Because in social situations, for example eating out with friends or at someone else's house, it's helpful to be able to explain what you eat.

Wild4Stars wrote:.

I couldn't've said it better myself.