As always I love your insight and clearifications—thanks for sharing, Michael!
As a Vegan, I still primarily identify my diet as Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB). As you mentioned, "plant-based" and "Vegan" can often be distinct and mutually exclusive, but an individual can certainly still be both plant-based and a Vegan.
My commitment to animal welfare drives my choices, but I also care about my health to ensure I'm strong enough and around to advocate for the animals. It’s important to note that a vegan diet isn’t always a healthy one; for example, eating nothing but French fries, Coke, and Oreo cookies is still technically a "vegan diet."
I consciously avoid unhealthy vegan options, heavily processed foods, and (of course) all animal products, including dairy, eggs, meat, and honey. (I think of it as a health-based vegan diet, which might be a more appropriate name than Whole Food Plant-Based)
To me, WFPB is inherently a vegan diet since it science-based and excludes all animal foods which aligns with extensive research showing that healthy plant-based diets can protect against and even reverse many diseases. And increasingly, more major health organizations, such as the WHO, Heart & Stroke, NHS, and various cancer societies, continue to recommend minimizing or removing (regular) red meat and other animal products from our diets, which also highlight the negative health outcomes associated with consuming animal products of any kind.
While my passion for animal advocacy is paramount, I recognize that human health is crucial to this fight. So I'm a Vegan that eats a WFPB diet, because If we neglect our own well-being who will stand up for the animals? I do it for the animals, but I also do it for us, so we can continue the fight.
Your approach beautifully combines vegan ethics with health-conscious WFPB choices, showing that veganism can also prioritize wellness. Avoiding processed vegan options underscores commitment to personal health and animal advocacy. Leading health organizations support plant-based diets for disease prevention, emphasizing how ethical eating and well-being go hand in hand. Thank you for sharing this insight!
Great post! I've noticed people seem to react differently depending on whether I say I'm 'plant-based' or 'vegan.' The term 'plant-based' often feels more approachable to some, whereas 'vegan' can sometimes spark stronger reactions or assumptions. It's interesting how just a slight shift in wording can change the whole conversation!
As always I love your insight and clearifications—thanks for sharing, Michael!
As a Vegan, I still primarily identify my diet as Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB). As you mentioned, "plant-based" and "Vegan" can often be distinct and mutually exclusive, but an individual can certainly still be both plant-based and a Vegan.
My commitment to animal welfare drives my choices, but I also care about my health to ensure I'm strong enough and around to advocate for the animals. It’s important to note that a vegan diet isn’t always a healthy one; for example, eating nothing but French fries, Coke, and Oreo cookies is still technically a "vegan diet."
I consciously avoid unhealthy vegan options, heavily processed foods, and (of course) all animal products, including dairy, eggs, meat, and honey. (I think of it as a health-based vegan diet, which might be a more appropriate name than Whole Food Plant-Based)
To me, WFPB is inherently a vegan diet since it science-based and excludes all animal foods which aligns with extensive research showing that healthy plant-based diets can protect against and even reverse many diseases. And increasingly, more major health organizations, such as the WHO, Heart & Stroke, NHS, and various cancer societies, continue to recommend minimizing or removing (regular) red meat and other animal products from our diets, which also highlight the negative health outcomes associated with consuming animal products of any kind.
While my passion for animal advocacy is paramount, I recognize that human health is crucial to this fight. So I'm a Vegan that eats a WFPB diet, because If we neglect our own well-being who will stand up for the animals? I do it for the animals, but I also do it for us, so we can continue the fight.
Your approach beautifully combines vegan ethics with health-conscious WFPB choices, showing that veganism can also prioritize wellness. Avoiding processed vegan options underscores commitment to personal health and animal advocacy. Leading health organizations support plant-based diets for disease prevention, emphasizing how ethical eating and well-being go hand in hand. Thank you for sharing this insight!
Great post! I've noticed people seem to react differently depending on whether I say I'm 'plant-based' or 'vegan.' The term 'plant-based' often feels more approachable to some, whereas 'vegan' can sometimes spark stronger reactions or assumptions. It's interesting how just a slight shift in wording can change the whole conversation!