Vegan activism

Can a Vegan Support Meatless Monday?

I’ve been in this business a long time—as both an activist and a dietitian—and I must say, I’ve never been so confused about all of the terminology and events and opportunities surrounding plant-based eating. My head is often spinning but I’m starting to see that this is a good thing. The reason there is so much going on is that lots of people are talking about animal agriculture.

When I first became a vegan the only people who even knew the term factory farming were other vegans. Now almost everyone knows what it is and that it’s […]

By Ginny Messina|2009-06-22T11:18:00-04:00June 22nd, 2009|Tags: Meatless Mondays, Vegan activism|10 Comments

Help Animals With Healthful and Practical Vegan Diets

I take some flak for my stance on raw foods and low-fat-vegan diets. But that’s okay; I stand by my opinion that neither is a good idea. I’m bothered as a dietitian because I don’t think these diets are the most healthful way to eat. But it bugs me way more as an activist since I don’t think either approach helps animals. In fact, I think it hurts them.

If our goal is to put an end to the inhumane treatment on factory farms, we need to encourage as many people as possible to embrace vegan diets. […]

By Ginny Messina|2009-05-20T14:25:00-04:00May 20th, 2009|Tags: Fat, Raw foods, Vegan activism|6 Comments

Outside the Vegan Comfort Zone

I treasure my wonderful group of vegan friends and colleagues, people I know both on and off the internet. They provide a sanity-saving little oasis for me in this non-vegan world. They are also a source of information and inspiration, which I think helps me to be a more effective activist.

Wouldn’t it be great to live in a world where everyone shared our vegan values and goals? Where you could always find vegan food on the table and didn’t have to watch other people eating meat? How great would it be if no one […]

By Ginny Messina|2009-05-07T11:50:00-04:00May 7th, 2009|Tags: Vegan activism|6 Comments

For Vegans, Good Health is Good Activism

As a dietitian, I end up saying a lot of things that some vegan activists just don’t want to hear. When I write that some vegans don’t get enough calcium or that getting adequate zinc might be a challenge, it can sound kind of negative.

But a big part of promoting a positive image for veganism lies simply in being healthy. When scientific studies uncover health problems among any group of vegans, it discredits plant diets and gives people one more excuse to eat meat or drink milk. That’s why choosing to believe that you […]

By Ginny Messina|2009-04-09T16:56:00-04:00April 9th, 2009|Tags: Health, Vegan activism|2 Comments

Vegan For The Health Of It?

I’ve been resisting the urge to write about last week’s big news story concerning meat and mortality. The study made a case against high intakes of meat and got lots of press. It reinforced the idea that red meat is bad for us, so that’s a good thing for anyone who promotes a plant-based diet.

Like all epidemiologic studies, it had its share of weaknesses, but the large number of subjects helps to counteract some of that. Furthermore, the results are supported to some extent by other research about the dangers associated with red meat consumption. […]

By Ginny Messina|2009-03-30T14:23:00-04:00March 30th, 2009|Tags: Health, Vegan activism|9 Comments

Convenience Foods Are Okay for Vegans!

I had a few emails from readers about my last blog post. They were surprised at the number of canned and processed foods in my list of fast meals for vegans who hate to cook! Aren’t vegans supposed to eat whole plant foods?

Well sure—whole plant foods are the best foods for everyone, vegan or not. And, for many reasons, cooking meals from scratch is the ideal approach. But making responsible food choices is a balancing act and we have to create room for some compromise. It’s not just a matter of choosing the foods that […]

By Ginny Messina|2009-03-23T11:07:00-04:00March 23rd, 2009|Tags: Vegan activism|3 Comments

Promoting Vegan Diets: The Way to Anyone’s Heart Is Through Their Stomach

I ate meat and cheese and eggs for the first 28 years of my life. It would never have occurred to me that I could live without them. So when I hear people say “Oh, I could just never give up meat!” I understand exactly how they feel.

And I think it is a big reason that many people simply do not want to know about factory farming. If you can’t imagine a life without meat (or cheese or eggs), it creates a lot of uncomfortable inner conflict and psychological discord to hear that meat-eating is unethical. It’s no […]

By Ginny Messina|2008-04-11T10:52:00-04:00April 11th, 2008|Tags: Vegan activism|1 Comment

Be An Effective Vegan Advocate: Take a Calcium Supplement

Some recent research has shown that vegans have lower calcium intakes than omnivores and that they have a higher risk for bone fractures.

That’s bad news for vegans. It’s also bad news for farm animals. Anything that makes a vegan diet look inferior is likely to convince more people to eat animal foods.

So what can you do about that? Some vegans choose denial. They say a vegan diet is better for bone health and they cite old—usually outdated—research to prove it. Many vegans cling to the unproven belief that those who eat plant diets need […]