Veganism and the pursue of nursing

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Hi I'm a senior in high school and recently I've considered being vegan because of my profound love for animals . I'm very concerned whether my veganism in the near future can it affect my management with critically ill patients. Or can it affect with my relationship with my future colleagues? I'm vegan , I love animal , I know I shouldn't be this doubtful but I'm just concerned :/

Specializes in hospice.

I've said many times that humans evolved as omnivores for a whole lot of good reasons. I've also said that only in an affluent modern society can people afford to refuse to eat entire categories of valuable nutrition. As Chris Rock said, "If you are one of the few people in the world lucky enough to get your hands on a steak, bite the (expletive) out of it!"

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Specializes in MedSurg, PACU, Maternal/Child Health.

The article is about RAW vegans and not regular vegans, who cook their food. Raw vegans as per their name do not cook food. Cooking is necessary as is using oils and other sources of fat. (Not bashing on any raw vegans, but as i do not have understanding on raw diets...i do not know how to make it work without cooking any ingredients). Bigger brain does not always mean smarter...because it's brain quality not quantity that makes intelligence. I guess these articles is trying to say that whoever does not eat meat will become unintelligent and fail at life? I met those that are vegan since they were babies for religious or culture (for example, Seventh Day Adventists and Caribbean Rastafarians) and they ended up just fine in terms of intelligence, health , and functioning in life and in terms of growing, some are very tall...its all about genetics. What is important is the balance of nutrients, which can be acquired through variety of food and meat substitutes. Most vegans who eat properly do not have anemia or anything abnormal. As for B12 , supplements are available.

Just saying that vegan diets are valid also and vegans who eat properly are in good health. I had people lecture me and say i am an idiot just for saying no thanks i dont eat meat when the KFC box is passed around...I wish people would be more tolerant and open to hearing the facts of the other side. If you had a vegan patient (in big cities, there are more of them as there is more people and more diversity), would you tell him/her that she is making a bad choice if he/she had no issues relating to diet? Or if diet is poor, advice him/her what foods can fit their lifestyle without saying being a vegan is bad?

As RNs/LPNs, I think the nutrition class in school does not do well to teach us on the diverse diets we encounter either kosher, muslim, hindu, ayurvedic, or other religion, vegan, raw vegan, etc. We get instruction on the standard American diet (which is not all that good, as per research studies, the eating of too much animal protein has negative impact on health) but little to nothing on all the different diets out there (I do not mean atkins, or south beach, cabbage soup, or any other "fad" for weight loss). IF and when we encounter patients with alternative eating , how do we advise them to better their eating without saying the have to eat "standard American food pyramid type things"?

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What on earth are they suggesting that people eat, then? If we take out both plants and animals....what's really left?

Two words - "Soylent Green". :wacky:

----- Dave.

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Aaaand...back to the OP.

If you can put a plate of food in front of a patient that has meat products on it, help them to eat it & log quantities consumed without issue, I'd say you'll do just fine.

----- Dave

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Two words - "Soylent Green". :wacky:

----- Dave.

LOL, I'm one of the few people I know who get that reference! :D

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

As RNs/LPNs, I think the nutrition class in school does not do well to teach us on the diverse diets we encounter either kosher, muslim, hindu, ayurvedic, or other religion, vegan, raw vegan, etc. We get instruction on the standard American diet (which is not all that good, as per research studies, the eating of too much animal protein has negative impact on health) but little to nothing on all the different diets out there (I do not mean atkins, or south beach, cabbage soup, or any other "fad" for weight loss). IF and when we encounter patients with alternative eating , how do we advise them to better their eating without saying the have to eat "standard American food pyramid type things"?

Speak for yourself, but my PN and BSN education (not just in Nutrition class but in Fundamentals) did a great job in instructing about first in the hospital, as well as ethnic diets and how it incorporates into the food pyramid.

The best aspect of nursing school is that we are always constantly learning and to use our resources, which includes the Internet, dietitians, and, of course the patients themselves in order to collaborate on the best optimal diet for THEM.

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.
Tyvin, i think u had too much raw veggies that's why it lead to some issues. Too much of anything, even a good thing is not good. Eat variety of vegan food (if you are pursuing vegan). Limiting food (for example, only raw veggies, only bread and butter and chips, etc) is what causes many people on alternative eating to fall ill...you have many proteins to choose from as well as calcium sources (a science article on milk not being all that good was out i think 3 months ago, dairy people please dont bash me. If people really want dairy, in small amounts it is ok but too much has bad effects). If patients ever ask any advise on vegan or veget, we can give them advise to not limit themselves to only a few foods because that is when the benefit will not last. People also need some oils in their system...a little fried food is not bad.

Thank you for your reply. I wrote the post in the OP's thread as a warning to women who are thinking of, are on, or are on a raw/vegan regime and having medical concerns. I am still eating raw green veggies and fruits but I am careful when and what I eat. Women who have thyroid concerns or are prone to kidney stones should be aware of the information I posted (it's all researched). The information is also beneficial in your practice.

We are RNs not dieticians. I believe that nurses need to be more aware of what they are eating in relation to diseases. I have hypo thyroid and am prone to kidneys stones. When I became so weak after going raw and eating green curly kale everyday I researched it and that's the info I put out for others to be aware.

Very true that season veggies and fruits use to be only available to us in season but now days we get everything 24/7, 365 days a year. There are things we shouldn't be eating often. I specifically pointed out oxalates and cruciferous goitrogens.

Women with thryroid and stone concerns should be aware the oxalate values of their food and be careful when consuming cruciferous veggies (kale for example). The kale was my downfall and now I eat it twice a week raw. You can cook the bad stuff out of these things but I want only raw (also throw out the water that it's cooked in).

I feel great now that I've targeted the problem. Please reread my other post because as I said it serves as a warning to others who are going the healthy route. You are absolutely correct when you say too much of one thing is not good for our bodies.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCwQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmy.clevelandclinic.org%2Fservices%2Furology-kidney%2Ftreatments-procedures%2Fkidney-stones-oxalate-controlled-diet&ei=v0fJVIKmCoGwogSt7YH4Bg&usg=AFQjCNELCG0pLIJ9l9LopBOc-np47T8SHA&sig2=8NtRNeLCtrlG7FznPsJDGQ&bvm=bv.84607526,d.cGU

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthyroid.about.com%2Fod%2Fsymptomsrisks%2Fa%2FAll-About-Goitrogens-thyroid.htm&ei=hkfJVNO7Dsy3ogSAjYKoDw&usg=AFQjCNGrmmijFxQSXVDd_F7oFelSiDcM_A&sig2=WGAPRG0qo3BnVFh_e3_vYw&bvm=bv.84607526,d.cGU

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Frawfamily.com%2Fnews%2F2012%2F05%2F12-05-04.html&ei=bkjJVOu3GNbhoAS3o4DYBQ&usg=AFQjCNFOTshpbd3Cig5WSiuk045eVBirpA&sig2=HXnFdchfwL3PgKrXXn_4VQ&bvm=bv.84607526,d.cGU

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OP, The only diet that is dangerous to patients is cannibalism. I think you will be ok!

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Specializes in None yet..
Joke time!

An atheist, a vegan, and a cross-fitter walked into a bar. How did I know? They told everyone in the first five minutes. :D

:roflmao:

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