by Eric O’Grey

www.vegandinnerparties.com

My story

Medical and scientific facts

Common questions and objections

Implementing a healthy, sustainable, and cruelty-free world

August 21, 2010

Hired a vegan nutritionist/life coach

Committed to plan/weekly meetings

Adopted a dog from my local shelter

Walked my dog for a half hour each day

Learned to cook

Only ate organic whole plants

No processed sugar or processed foods

Lost 105 lbs in 7 months!

Before

280 lbs

Type 2 diabetes

Cholesterol: 300

BP: 160/100

>$1000 meds/mo

Waist: 50/Shirt: 3XL

Neck: 18.5

Shoes: 11.5 EEE

After

175 lbs

Normal glucose

Cholesterol: 114

BP: 96/60

Zero meds

Waist: 32/Shirt: M

Neck: 16

Shoes: 10 D

From couch to Boston Marathon in 2 years

Dramatic improvement in skin and appearance

Peety

What do you eat?

Where do you get your protein?

Don’t you miss eating meat and dairy?

Aren’t vegans radicals and extremists?

My doctor said I need to eat meat and dairy.

I can’t afford to be vegan.

Animals eat animals, why shouldn’t people eat animals?

I only eat “humane” and “free range” animal products.

Top Questions/Objections

What I eat - breakfast

What I eat – lunch and dinner

Where do you get your protein?

Do I look like I need more protein?

Where do elephants and bulls get protein?

UN: People only need 5% dietary protein.

Medical fact: Except in cases of malnutrition, there has never been a documented case of protein deficiency in the history of the world.

Athletes: Do the protein math - as you workout, you eat more calories, so you are eating proportionately more protein.

Where do you get your protein?

“Americans on the SAD consume six-to-10 times more protein than they need. That excess protein overworks the liver and kidneys, causing both these organs to become enlarged and injured. Excess protein consumption causes the kidneys to pull large quantities of calcium from the body, causing bones to weaken and kidney stones to form.”

Dr. John McDougall, M.D.

Where do you get your protein?

Aren’t vegans radicals and extremists?

My doctor said I need to eat meat and dairy

My doctor said I need to eat meat and dairy

Most doctors do not receive adequate nutritional training. Nutrition Education in U.S. Medical

Schools: Latest Update of a National Survey, Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 2010.

Most patients are given drugs instead of a plant based option because many doctors assume patients won’t follow nutritional advice. Mostly Plants, American Journal of Cardiology, 2009.

The majority of non-vegans need statins to reduce their cholesterol to healthy levels. Preventing and arresting coronary atherosclerosis, American Heart Journal, 1995

Yes you can, especially in California.

Buy healthy unpackaged food from sources including Berkeley Bowl, Rainbow Grocery, and Farmers markets.

Buy grains, legumes etc. from Bulk bins.

Buy only 100% organic (non-GMO) whole foods.

Don’t buy anything in a can, box, package or frozen (except products such as organic tofu, dried pasta, unsweetened almond milk, and frozen blueberries).

I can’t afford to be vegan.

Examples of why this notion is ridiculous.

Are you a human, or a jackal?

Some animals are carnivores, but every human can thrive on a vegan diet:

“Well planned vegetarian [including total vegan] diets are healthful for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.”

Position of the American Dietetic Association, 2009

Animals eat animals, why shouldn’t people eat animals?

There are no such thing as “humane” animal products.

Animals raised for food live 10 to 20 percent of their natural lives on average.

An animal is not a stalk of corn, the life of every creature means as much to it as your life means to you.

Examples of the horrors of factory farming and slaughterhouses

I only eat “humane” and “free range” animal products.

Global Benefits of a Vegan Diet

Environmental: Raising animals for food damages the environment as much or more than all fossil fuel used on the planet. United

Nations Report, 2006.

Healthcare costs: $200 billion per year in US for obesity related illness, $200 billion for memory care, etc.

Animals: Nine billion animals are slaughtered each year in the US for food.

Global hunger: 70% of US agriculture is fed to animals raised for human consumption.

Essential Resources: What everyone should do:

Netflix: Watch “Forks Over Knives”

Netflix: Watch “Earthlings”

Download: “Vegan Starter Kit” from PCRM

Cookbooks: Forks Over Knives Cookbook and thousands of other vegan cookbooks

Internet: Thousands of vegan blogs

Dine vegan: Many great vegan restaurants

Get involved: In your local vegan community