The worst place to be vegan
Posted by Anonymous on Oct 03, 2007 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
for some reason in the middle of the night last night I decided to wake up and ponder the worst places to be vegan.
prison
nursing home
school cafeteria
military
hospital
and what if you were a volunteer for, say, red cross or something. You have to eat whatever you can I suppose.
well maybe I'm wrong, maybe some of these places offer vegan food. I just hope if I'm ever old and in a nursing home, or have an extended stay in a hospital they have some vegan food for me.
I have to admit that I too have thought of being senile and in a nursing home and someone feeding me meatloaf or who knows what. The thought really bothers me. Really bothers me.
The toughest one I think is a nursing home.
In a school cafetaria something has to be there for you to eat.
In a hospital at least they try to accommadate you
I just hope if I'm ever old and in a nursing home, or have an extended stay in a hospital they have some vegan food for me.
I do know that last year when my Dad was in the hospital (exactly a year ago when he was there..and it's now only a few more days to the 1 year anniversary of his passing...ugh...boy that sucks)....
When I looked at the menu dropped off in his room everyday (though I don't know why they put them there everyday....he could not eat and was on a respirator)...they did have vegan choices for every single meal. I have to say I was kind of impressed by that. Granted that is not the case in every hospital. Even the cafeteria had lots of vegan food....it was one of hospitals where my brother does surgery in Bethesda, MD. I can pretty much bet most hospitals are not the same. :-\
At least for me personally...I was thankful I was able to eat there and not have to leave the premises to do so.
I'm reading John Robbins' "Healthy at 100" right now (highly highly recommend it!!) and according to bunches of studies on aging and lifestyle, us veg*ns are already doing a good job to avoid many things (diseases/conditions) considered by our Western industrialized culture to be "the normal, unavoidable decline into decrepitude." By eating a healthy plant-based diet and avoiding as much as possible processed foods and animal products, we are helping prevent many age related conditions. So, if we keep it up, odds are we will not have to spend our elder years wasting away in nursing homes. We will be vital and energetic and able to eat yummy vegan food up to the end.
Also, in addition to diet, make sure you get regular exercise and build and maintain close, supportive relationships (yay VegWebbers!)! :) :) :)
yeah, the hospital has to accommodate you. i work in one and if someone asks for vegan/vegetarian they have to get it. there are TWO problems, though. 1) hopefully the cooks know everything to look for in vegan 2) at my hospital they don't have much in terms of substitutes... no tofu, etc. you're probably getting pasta and veggies.
I'm reading John Robbins' "Healthy at 100" right now (highly highly recommend it!!) and according to bunches of studies on aging and lifestyle, us veg*ns are already doing a good job to avoid many things (diseases/conditions) considered by our Western industrialized culture to be "the normal, unavoidable decline into decrepitude." By eating a healthy plant-based diet and avoiding as much as possible processed foods and animal products, we are helping prevent many age related conditions. So, if we keep it up, odds are we will not have to spend our elder years wasting away in nursing homes. We will be vital and energetic and able to eat yummy vegan food up to the end.
Also, in addition to diet, make sure you get regular exercise and build and maintain close, supportive relationships (yay VegWebbers!)! :) :) :)
I bought this book for a friend and she didn't like it so she gave it back. I forgot that I had it! Thanks, maybe I will pull it out and read it.
Add college to the list. Their idea of providing for me is: baked potato and lettuce salad. Everyday. I opened up a dialogue with the dietary staff because I don't eat simple carbohydrates like potatoes and am going to waste away on salad!!! Wtf, how hard is feeding me some mixed vegetables and a handful of beans everyday? I don't even need cooked vegetables!
I'm reading John Robbins' "Healthy at 100" right now (highly highly recommend it!!) and according to bunches of studies on aging and lifestyle, us veg*ns are already doing a good job to avoid many things (diseases/conditions) considered by our Western industrialized culture to be "the normal, unavoidable decline into decrepitude." By eating a healthy plant-based diet and avoiding as much as possible processed foods and animal products, we are helping prevent many age related conditions. So, if we keep it up, odds are we will not have to spend our elder years wasting away in nursing homes. We will be vital and energetic and able to eat yummy vegan food up to the end.
Also, in addition to diet, make sure you get regular exercise and build and maintain close, supportive relationships (yay VegWebbers!)! :) :) :)
I read this book! it was very inspiring. Unfortunately for me, I work a job where I sit on my butt all day every day. Also, I don't have room to grow my own food. However my genes should be good! none of my grandparents are in a nursing home. I particularly liked the sectioned that mentions how people with pets at home recover faster than those without. I swear thats in the book somewhere, let me know if I made it up though :)
My husband is in the Air Force and is vegan - I boast to everyone I know that he did, in fact, GAIN weight during basic training, increased his endurance, made Honor Graduate, and has increased in his weight lifting...all without consuming animal products ;D
Granted, when he goes out to the field, it may be a bit difficult; I'm not sure if they're willing to give out Veg. MRE's without a large group demanding them..but so far, he's not had too hard of a time - it's just a little repetitive, since he's having to eat at the dining facilities.
When My BF was in the hospital they actually ha da ton of great veg options. At his hospital they had a large menu in every room so you could just order whatever you wanted for each meal. I think the medical comunity is getting better about providing for different lifestyles.
I found the hospital to be a horrible place to eat vegan. Twice I was in for 3 days recovering from c-sections. I kept telling them repeatedly that I was vegetarian ( still ovo-lacto at that time). I repeatedly got chicken and beef broth, unhealthy processed juice ( with high fructose corn syrup) mixed with 7-up. This was the first 2 days when I could not eat any solids. (The 2nd time I made sure to bring my own organic veggie broth and organic juice.)
Also included is jello ICK!
When you get ready to leave they make you a celebration dinner ( either steak or chicken) ACK!
Hospitals are the most unhealthy places to eat, hopefully it has changed a bit in the past 4 years.
Add college to the list. Their idea of providing for me is: baked potato and lettuce salad. Everyday. I opened up a dialogue with the dietary staff because I don't eat simple carbohydrates like potatoes and am going to waste away on salad!!! Wtf, how hard is feeding me some mixed vegetables and a handful of beans everyday? I don't even need cooked vegetables!
eep! even my school's dining centers have a program where you can request special diets, with even specific concerns like yours. I feel bad for you. :(
I'm so freaking glad to be out of the dorms and into my own place where I can cook whatever the hell I want....even if I do live in a state that deserves its place on this list:
I O W A
...where most people think a vegetarian option equals chicken or fish,
and the word "vegan" isn't part of the vocabulary at all.
(except most of Iowa City)
being on tour in a van isnt very great. in between towns when the only stops are gas stations...you can have bbq potato chips, nuts....and...thats about it
so you have to stock up in the towns on snack foods
Unfortunately, I must add my local hospital to one that pretty much sucks.
I went in for low weight. I told them I was vegan, that I could eat everything but animal products. Well, over the course of three days of "accidents" (including one where they forgot too feed me breakfast altogether...) I lost two pounds.
It was pretty ridiculous.
Unfortunately, I must add my local hospital to one that pretty much sucks.
I went in for low weight. I told them I was vegan, that I could eat everything but animal products. Well, over the course of three days of "accidents" (including one where they forgot too feed me breakfast altogether...) I lost two pounds.
It was pretty ridiculous.
That's unbelievable.
I mean, I believe you. But that's just mind-boggling.
I mean, I believe you. But that's just mind-boggling.
Tell me about it. The final day I was there, after an angry complaint from the physician that got me hospitalized, they brought snacks into the room, and "found" the soymilk they'd been talking about for days. They just had no idea what to do: one night peanut butter and jelly with mashed potatoes (had to send back first time.. they had gravy), another night a plate of raw vegetables. I told them, "You know, seriously, you may as well send me home, because my calories are a lot higher when I cook for myself at home." ::)
That sucks. I was in the hospital when my sister had her first son (I was just visiting, that is). I wasn't even vegetarian then, but was thinking about it. I looked at the menu they had for her .... arg!
I was in the hospital for my endo surgery (a days stay) about two years ago. I was lacto-ovo then. But all I can eat off the menu was crackers, garden salad, and OJ. GGGRRRRRR >:(
But the worst place to be vegan, for me, is Brandon VT. We camp about 5 miles from there. And they have the only grocery store within 10 miles or so ... unless I wanted to drive to Rutland. I had nothing to choose from except for raw old veggies, and pasta (or something canned ... yucky).
EDIT: I forgot to mention my job, too. We have a cafe there, but nothing vegan-friendly, except Gatorade and a garden salad or juice and a plain bagel ..... boring ....
ok, with the hospitals you usually have to not only special request but specify what is and id not vegan. a lot of people don't know!
today, we had a raw foodist at my hospital :) of course, i don't know how good of one she was because she said she would drink almond milk and obviously if you don't make it yourself it is pasteurized. oh damn, that just reminded me, the dietitian wanted me to go talk to her about food preferences and stuff since i would 'understand best' and i forgot :-[
anyway, she requested raw veggies, almond milk, and something else (i can't remember) and she got. my boos went to the store just to buy her almond milk.
Office birthday celebrations or breakfast meetings.
They always order birthday cakes and ice cream for birthdays that are NEVER vegan-friendly, as well as muffins, danish and sweet rolls for breakfast meetings.
Unfortunately, there's no vegan bakery nearby to stop at, and I take public transportation to work so I can't take baked goods with me into work.
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