Sort of reluctant to do this, but here goes.

[William Loney]

I am new to this board, and saw this section, so after lurking a bit, I guess I will do the intro thing.

I am not fully vegan, but may be someday. I still eat certain fish, and although I am not proud of that, I try to ensure that it comes from sustainable means, and not wild caught. I stopped eating meat and dairy a couple years ago. I get certain cravings from time to time, but am able to fight them off. Just a byproduct of being raised on meat heavy diet, and my body occasionally wanting something it hasn't had in a while out of habit.

I do feel better since changing my diet, and have seen many health benefits. I do however constantly fight with family about it, and they often ridicule me for my stances. The sad part, is I never try to influence them, but they are constantly on me about my choices. I bring my own dishes to our get togethers, and am the only person that eats them. They refuse to even try anything I make. It makes me very sad, and even depressed, that they are so narrow minded.

I dont like them, but I love them, if that makes sense. I have always been on the outside looking in, and my siblings seem to relish in the fact they are favored over me.

Sorry for the therapy session, but here I am, and this is me.

 

[Lou]

Friends are what are given to us to make up for our families.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on going vegan.

 

[Chryssie]

 

[William Loney]

Friends are what are given to us to make up for our families.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on going vegan.

Thank you for the welcome. There is so much information here.

 

[William Loney]

 

[alleycat]

G'day and welcome

 

[Emma JC]

welcome to the forum - here you are surrounded by friends that are ready to step up and help anytime

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[bEt]

Welcome!
By the way,
some good info if you'd like to check it out:

Nutrition Tips for Vegans

The latest blog post from VeganHealth.org

veganhealth.org

And if you want to post any of those recipes that your family won't eat, some folks here may like to see them-- I rarely follow recipes but love to read them, myself.

 

[William Loney]

Welcome!
By the way,
some good info if you'd like to check it out:

Nutrition Tips for Vegans

The latest blog post from VeganHealth.org

veganhealth.org

And if you want to post any of those recipes that your family won't eat, some folks here may like to see them-- I rarely follow recipes but love to read them, myself.

I am the type that rarely uses a recipe for anything. I will read one, and then wing it with what I have, or modify it to what I like. I have friends and family ask me for recipes, and I don't have them. "If you want to learn how to cook that, be in the kitchen when I'm cooking and write down the recipe as I go" is usually what I say.

My mom taught me to cook that way.

 

[PTree15]

Welcome to VF, William!

 

[Deleted member 3018]

Welcome, William.

Perhaps your family will eventually see things from the animals perspective and stop harassing you...

Until then, people here surely help you.

 

[Clairey]

I am new to this board, and saw this section, so after lurking a bit, I guess I will do the intro thing.

I am not fully vegan, but may be someday. I still eat certain fish, and although I am not proud of that, I try to ensure that it comes from sustainable means, and not wild caught. I stopped eating meat and dairy a couple years ago. I get certain cravings from time to time, but am able to fight them off. Just a byproduct of being raised on meat heavy diet, and my body occasionally wanting something it hasn't had in a while out of habit.

I do feel better since changing my diet, and have seen many health benefits. I do however constantly fight with family about it, and they often ridicule me for my stances. The sad part, is I never try to influence them, but they are constantly on me about my choices. I bring my own dishes to our get togethers, and am the only person that eats them. They refuse to even try anything I make. It makes me very sad, and even depressed, that they are so narrow minded.

I dont like them, but I love them, if that makes sense. I have always been on the outside looking in, and my siblings seem to relish in the fact they are favored over me.

Sorry for the therapy session, but here I am, and this is me.

Hello. I just wondered what is the difference between a wild caught fish and a substainable fish.

 

[Lou]

Hello. I just wondered what is the difference between a wild caught fish and a substainable fish.

Some people will argue that there is no such thing as a sustainable wild caught fish. Kind of like humane meat. or free range chickens. Maybe it exists in theory but not in reality.

I think William might be referring to farm raised fish. Which I guess is in a sense sustainable. However, there are many valid arguments against farm raised fish. In many ways farm raised fish seem to be an attractive alternative. When I first started my vegan journey I would have fish once a week because I hadn't been convinced (then) that not eating meat at all was a healthy option. After some research I settle on farmed raised catfish from the American South East. These fish live in ponds and are fed plant based farm waste for the most part. So they are vegan too.

What I later learned is that the ponds are not closed systems. Polluted water does go back down stream into river and lakes. Also occasionally a catfish escapes and spreads diseases among the native species. Although I imagine there are solutions to those problems.

But maybe even more importantly is that I learned that fish - even catfish are animals with feelings. they may not have the same kind of feelings we have but there is no doubt that they experience their environment and can react to it.

And also we don't need fish for their protein. or any other special nutrient. We can live on plant based food with a B12 supplement and maybe a little help in the omega 3 front.

So let's just skip the fish.

 

[Clairey]

Some people will argue that there is no such thing as a sustainable wild caught fish. Kind of like humane meat. or free range chickens. Maybe it exists in theory but not in reality.

I think William might be referring to farm raised fish. Which I guess is in a sense sustainable. However, there are many valid arguments against farm raised fish. In many ways farm raised fish seem to be an attractive alternative. When I first started my vegan journey I would have fish once a week because I hadn't been convinced (then) that not eating meat at all was a healthy option. After some research I settle on farmed raised catfish from the American South East. These fish live in ponds and are fed plant based farm waste for the most part. So they are vegan too.

What I later learned is that the ponds are not closed systems. Polluted water does go back down stream into river and lakes. Also occasionally a catfish escapes and spreads diseases among the native species. Although I imagine there are solutions to those problems.

But maybe even more importantly is that I learned that fish - even catfish are animals with feelings. they may not have the same kind of feelings we have but there is no doubt that they experience their environment and can react to it.

And also we don't need fish for their protein. or any other special nutrient. We can live on plant based food with a B12 supplement and maybe a little help in the omega 3 front.

So let's just skip the fish.

Yes. Skipping the fish is a nice idea. I was actually thinking along the lines of the wild caught fish being healthier if you caught it yourself.

 

[Lou]

Yes. Skipping the fish is a nice idea. I was actually thinking along the lines of the wild caught fish being healthier if you caught it yourself.

Could be. lots of variable there. but ocean species live in the same polluted ocean as the commercially fished species.
And then you (the fisherman) are also depleting the fishery - just one fish at a time

The fish you find in lakes and rivers - were they seeded by the wildlife service? if yes then they too were bred, born and raised in tanks. If no, what are you doing to that fishery.

And no matter what - fish are still animals.
Friends Not Food.

 

[Brian W]

Welcome to the forum William.