Yes, I’ve had conversations like this. And as a chronically ill vegan (auto-immune diseases for 30 years) I’m sick and tired of this ‘it’s your own fault‘ fingerpointing from health vegans.
Me: I have a chronic illness
Health vegans: Go vegan. You will be cured!
me: I have been vegan for 10 years
Health vegans: You are just not doing it right
me: sketch image of frustrated face
Side banner: #stophealthshaming – Logo criphumanimal
A plant based diet is no miracle ‘cure all’.
Yes, a plantbased diet, and certainly a WFPB diet can reduce the risk for certain conditions, like hypertension, diabetes type 2 and certain cancers, but a plantbased diet is no guarantee or a magical bullet for good health.
Next to diet, other factors also play a role: lifestyle, genetic predisposition, environmental factors, access to health care (and think of how socio-economic factors intersect here).
Stop this health shaming. Stop presenting veganism as a magical cure-all.
This marginalises chronically ill vegans within our movement, and sets out unrealistic expectations.
Veganism is first and foremost an ethical issue: a lifestyle with respect for animal rights. Veganism is a matter of justice: for humans and other animals.
see also this presentation at VegfestUK:
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