Comments on: Oprah, Kevin Rose, and the Vegan “Challenge” http://www.goatless.org/2008/05/21/oprah-kevin-rose-and-the-vegan-challenge Music, Veganism, Travel Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:08:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Alta http://www.goatless.org/2008/05/21/oprah-kevin-rose-and-the-vegan-challenge#comment-12853 Alta Sat, 24 May 2008 00:42:04 +0000 http://www.goatless.org/?p=177#comment-12853 You beat me to the punch. I was just going to blog about it. I just read this Oprah Vegan thing and really became pissed on so many levels. I am grateful for positive influences, particularly when it comes to health, wellbeing, spiritually, socially and ethically. I have struggled for so long to obtain a better relationship with food. My choices for changing the way I eat have nothing to do with a social cause or popularity, but health and my inner core. I have recipes featured on my blog but with the premise that it is a life choice and personal. I have started with asking for my family recipes, translate them into the first step in healthy eating. Then the idea is to proceed to the next step at your pace. Not just follow some recipes on a site. Call yourself what you want. But be responsible to your audience. I understand veganism, vegetarianism and what I call seagetarianism. I use this term because I still ingest fish and dairy. This makes me not a vegetarian and certainly not vegan. I am working towards the next level. It is a personal choice. Will this become another failed "diet" trend for such an important celebrity? This is a celebrity we have seen gain and lose. Has she been living in such an ivory tower for so long as to have lost track of the cost of food. Many cannot just start this lifestyle nor can they afford it. I challenge her instead of taking road trips with Gail, take a road trip and live with family her and see how they do not have money for food. Why not teach people how to be a vegan with a budgeted life. This will instill in a new generation, purchasing local product, budgeting skills and a long healthy life. I have probably gone on for too long and there is so much more to say on the subject. Thanks for the soapbox platform. You beat me to the punch. I was just going to blog about it. I just read this Oprah Vegan thing and really became pissed on so many levels. I am grateful for positive influences, particularly when it comes to health, wellbeing, spiritually, socially and ethically. I have struggled for so long to obtain a better relationship with food. My choices for changing the way I eat have nothing to do with a social cause or popularity, but health and my inner core. I have recipes featured on my blog but with the premise that it is a life choice and personal. I have started with asking for my family recipes, translate them into the first step in healthy eating. Then the idea is to proceed to the next step at your pace. Not just follow some recipes on a site. Call yourself what you want. But be responsible to your audience. I understand veganism, vegetarianism and what I call seagetarianism. I use this term because I still ingest fish and dairy. This makes me not a vegetarian and certainly not vegan. I am working towards the next level. It is a personal choice.

Will this become another failed “diet” trend for such an important celebrity? This is a celebrity we have seen gain and lose. Has she been living in such an ivory tower for so long as to have lost track of the cost of food. Many cannot just start this lifestyle nor can they afford it.

I challenge her instead of taking road trips with Gail, take a road trip and live with family her and see how they do not have money for food. Why not teach people how to be a vegan with a budgeted life. This will instill in a new generation, purchasing local product, budgeting skills and a long healthy life.

I have probably gone on for too long and there is so much more to say on the subject. Thanks for the soapbox platform.

]]> By: Jo Tyler http://www.goatless.org/2008/05/21/oprah-kevin-rose-and-the-vegan-challenge#comment-12408 Jo Tyler Thu, 22 May 2008 16:55:00 +0000 http://www.goatless.org/?p=177#comment-12408 P.S. The quote you mentioned IS still up on Oprah.com. Here's a link: http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/food/cleanse/blog/blog_1.jhtml P.S. The quote you mentioned IS still up on Oprah.com. Here’s a link:
http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/food/cleanse/blog/blog_1.jhtml

]]> By: Jo Tyler http://www.goatless.org/2008/05/21/oprah-kevin-rose-and-the-vegan-challenge#comment-12407 Jo Tyler Thu, 22 May 2008 16:52:22 +0000 http://www.goatless.org/?p=177#comment-12407 I understand what you mean about the word "Challenge" making veganism seem like something to be endured rather than celebrated. But I think most people just aren't aware of how wonderful, delicious and varied a vegan diet can be. Trying it out for a few days or weeks is a way of exploring the possibilities. Of course committing fully and "doing" rather than "trying" is best, but it doesn't do the movement much good to paint vegans as rigid and perfectionistic folks who insist on 100% or nothing at all. No one is perfect, and doing something is always better than doing nothing. I think we should always encourage people to try.... To quote Lyle Lovett: "But what would you be if you didn't even try. You have to try. So after a lot of thought, I'd like to reconsider. Please, if it's not too late, make it a VEGGIE burger." (Ok, so I took a little creative license with that one!) I disagree with the person who commented above and believe there's a good chance Oprah will adopt a plant-based diet. If her chefs know what they're doing, she will be eating delicious meals over these next few weeks. That, combined with her interest in health, spirituality and the veg-friendly advisors, authors and doctors she continues to surround herself with, I think a "veganized" Oprah is not only possible but likely. (Well, we can hope.) Your optimistic & loving wife, Jo I understand what you mean about the word “Challenge” making veganism seem like something to be endured rather than celebrated. But I think most people just aren’t aware of how wonderful, delicious and varied a vegan diet can be. Trying it out for a few days or weeks is a way of exploring the possibilities. Of course committing fully and “doing” rather than “trying” is best, but it doesn’t do the movement much good to paint vegans as rigid and perfectionistic folks who insist on 100% or nothing at all. No one is perfect, and doing something is always better than doing nothing. I think we should always encourage people to try….

To quote Lyle Lovett: “But what would you be if you didn’t even try. You have to try. So after a lot of thought, I’d like to reconsider. Please, if it’s not too late, make it a VEGGIE burger.” (Ok, so I took a little creative license with that one!)

I disagree with the person who commented above and believe there’s a good chance Oprah will adopt a plant-based diet. If her chefs know what they’re doing, she will be eating delicious meals over these next few weeks. That, combined with her interest in health, spirituality and the veg-friendly advisors, authors and doctors she continues to surround herself with, I think a “veganized” Oprah is not only possible but likely.

(Well, we can hope.)

Your optimistic & loving wife,
Jo

]]> By: Sharon http://www.goatless.org/2008/05/21/oprah-kevin-rose-and-the-vegan-challenge#comment-12141 Sharon Wed, 21 May 2008 18:49:41 +0000 http://www.goatless.org/?p=177#comment-12141 I know people who have gone 'Jewish' for a couple of weeks. Sure, it's a tad silly; but the point is, if they learn and are more educated about something, then more power to em methinks. Of course Oprah won't become vegan. Of course many of her viewers won't become vegan either. But if they learn more about what veganism is, I would consider that a good thing. Additionally, if they choose to eat meat, eggs, dairy, perhaps then in that choice they will pay more attention to the meat and think about where is came from; that would also be a good thing. From, Current omnivore by choice, former vegetarian and macrobiotic. I know people who have gone ‘Jewish’ for a couple of weeks. Sure, it’s a tad silly; but the point is, if they learn and are more educated about something, then more power to em methinks.

Of course Oprah won’t become vegan. Of course many of her viewers won’t become vegan either. But if they learn more about what veganism is, I would consider that a good thing. Additionally, if they choose to eat meat, eggs, dairy, perhaps then in that choice they will pay more attention to the meat and think about where is came from; that would also be a good thing.

From,
Current omnivore by choice, former vegetarian and macrobiotic.

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