Just wow! I don’t know what to say but thank you so much for sharing this- It’s such an important subject and one which should not be ignored like it has been so often in the past. I am definitely in favour of the book idea. Thanks for introducing me to Matt too- he seems like a great guy :D

Ooooh, I must watch your talk! Vegan recidivism just blows my mind….and makes me sad. When I hear of vegans (mostly internet vegans who I don’t know in real life) going back to the dark side, it just breaks my heart.

And I spend way too much time obsessing over why they’re doing it (seriously, I think about people I don’t even know and why they’re going back to eating meat all the time….like while I’m cleaning the house and while I’m walking my dogs). It really bothers me. I try to be respectful and understand that everyone has to do what they think is right for them. And I would never preach or scold anyone for going back. But I can never get over it.

I don’t for the life of me understand how someone can live an ethical life and then suddenly go back to eating meat. I don’t understand how they can live peacefully with that decision. Blows my mind. Once your eyes are open and your heart is enlightened, how does one go backward?

I can’t wait to watch this — your story is specifically one that keeps me motivated and encouraged me to really watch my nutrition/intake. Thank you so much for talking about this. <2

Thank you so much for sharing this, Sayward. I especially enjoyed the point about the dangers of promoting veganism as being easy.

I also find Matt’s discussion about being a ‘quiet’ vegan vs. one who makes ‘every meal a moment of activism’ very interesting. It can be very difficult to strike that balance – I tend to be quiet, despite often feeling like I should be sharing my views in a more open way. I don’t always know how to do this without being overly negative or ‘preachy’. I often feel like not only could I be doing more to encourage others to reconsider their eating, but also that because I rarely share my whys of veganism, people don’t actually know why I’m doing it.

I would love to see a book, and look forward to more discussions on the topic.

PS. Lovely dress, too :)

Dang, girl, you are on fire! I love the enthusiasm and confidence in your voice and writing. Matt is so awesome, too. Thanks for the restaurant recommendations. Woo-hoo!!!

Thanks lady! And yeah, Matt is awesome and I feel super lucky to be working with him. I think we’re a nice balance for each other. =)

Oh Bianca you have to watch it! I actually speak to exactly what what you’re describing here – that feeling of not being able to understand how someone could go back. I think it’s something that a lot of us say in an offhand way, but I think it’s actually something we need to examine. Anyway, you’ll see when you watch.

I spend a ridiculous amount of time worrying and wondering about ex-vegans as well, so I hear you girl. Hopefully this project will give us all a place to channel that frustration!

♥ ♥ ♥

Thank you, that’s so great to hear that my story is helping and inspiring people. That’s exactly why I do what I do, so thank you!

Hi Emma, thanks for the comment. You make interesting points here and we spoke a little bit about this in the discussion. People often ask “how should I act in X situation?” or “what should I do in this case with this person?”, etc. I always tell people you have to be authentic. If being a bit more quiet is where you’re comfortable, then that’s just who you are, and that’s your brand of outreach/activism. Remember that you might be influencing countless people without ever even realize it – people who appreciate being able to witness you being vegan without having to confront it and talk about it. You never know, but i think that’s an important face of veganism – which, in order to be effective, needs to have myriad faces.

I hope that makes sense. I guess my point is, don’t sell yourself short! Be authentic, and most likely, you’ll be doing exactly what you need to do. =)

Aww, thank you Carrie! Hey, next time you’re down this way we should meet up! If you’re ever going to be in LA, let me know. I can make a day trip down. I’d love to get together and gab!

Love the talk. Thanks for sharing it. Maybe your masters degree should look into ex-vegans? ;)
Anyways, as an MD, it bothers me to see nutritional advice from anyone with an agenda (ie selling something). I recently highlighted a bunch of vegan nutritional books I recommend because I don’t consider myself an expert, either.. or have the time to dedicate myself to the effort of making this a better community.. and will instead lead people to others I trust. I suppose it is a different kind of activism. Know your own limits.

Sorry for how long this is. . . .

I love this blog and I really appreciate how you post such thought provoking
material. I think we do need to be authentic and real about this
lifestyle. What is interesting is that I have been a vegan for 4 years, and being vegan, if you can hang in there, is such an interesting process, you continue to change and see things differently. I have different needs as a vegan now than I
had four years ago.

I’d like to add in my thoughts on the way vegans talk about how being a vegan is easy. Although I have been a vegetarian since I was 18, I resisted becoming a vegan initially because I felt it was too extreme, I already felt like the weird vegetarian girl. Four years ago I read Alicia Silverstone’s book and I became a vegan the day I finished it, and I have not looked back and if possible, I never will. I’m stubborn too. :) It was her approach, the “this is easy” approach that worked for me. It was the approach that this isn’t some challenging, isolating, lonely endeavor, but a joyous way to live an authentic life and help the world, and especially the animals which are completely the reason I live this way. And after four years, I think veganism can be both, depending on what resources and support you have. I agree the important work is going to be in supporting vegans and vegetarians once they decide to join the movement. And for me, your blog has been one of those supports in my life. There is just so much to say. . . I read an article on PETA about activism and it also talks about vegans being hung up on certain ingredients and losing sight of the overall mission which is to reduce suffering. I have lost sight of that too at times and so it is that reminder that we too have to come back to center and reaffirm our real
purpose for living this way.

Thanks for all you do.

Thanks for posting the video, actually got to watch the whole thing without being interrupted by screaming children! :) It was nice to hear the story of your spell of illness in more detail, and to have Matt put a different perspective on the topic, especially since I’m a fairly new vegan and especially struggled over the holiday season. I agree; it is an extreme overload when you are first starting this lifestyle change. Especially while sharing your roof with a robust carnivore!

jack, as an ex-ex-vegan i really appreciate your extensive posting on this topic. i would also add that
rhys southan’s blog is another good resource for open-minded discussion of recidivism from the point of view of an ex-vegan (who still cares about animal rights and the ethics of food).

And it’s this kind of attitude, bohemianmatka, that pushes people away from vegans and veganism. After 20 years of vegetarianism, I found out that I have degeneration in my spine, among other things, caused by nutritional deficiencies. After 20 years, you can’t say I didn’t give it a fair shake. And in my case, at least, it is not genetic. Vegetarianism/veganism is just NOT for everyone. We should be less concerned about furthering an agenda and more concerned with realizing that health is the most important thing. Without my health, I can’t teach and encourage my special education class and I can’t rescue dogs. I also can’t worry so much about buying organic and local. I just wish people would understand that one diet/lifestyle is not going to work for everyone. We can all live in harmony, but we don’t all have to be/do/believe the same.

Alas, no. I am currently juicer-less but replace juices with green smoothies these days. Hoping to have a new one by the summer so I can juice up some farmer’s market finds! :)

Finally got around to watching the video! Such an interesting topic that i’m very interested in…as an ex-vegan. I initially went vegan because I thought it was the healthiest diet for everyone, including myself.

I remember when you first posted on your health crisis and I remember thinking you were so brave for sticking to your moral dogma and for sharing it with all of us. At the time I was an egg eating ex-vegan. Now I’m an ex-vegetarian and it’s with a heavy heart that I say it aloud / write it here.

Personally, I was very conflicted and like you, I’m stubborn. I had SO much inner turmoil when I was faced with a difficult dietary decision. Even as the facts were in front of me I was trying to figure out a way to make my family plant based, it just wouldn’t work.

If nothing else, I know you can empathize with me as a mom. You see, at 9 months old my son had an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts. Up to that point he’d been a healthy happy fruit and veggies loving babe (we’d been introducing foods one at a time as recommended – hadn’t yet reached allergens like gluten, dairy, etc.). But after his blood work showed he was allergic to peanut, sesame, tree nuts, soy, wheat, gluten, and dairy…well…it left me perplexed on where to turn. I explained to our allergist and other MDs that we were vegetarian and that nuts and seeds made up a large part of our diet and I was told to avoid all nuts and all seeds (minimum) until he was 2. Additionally, since I’m breast feeding, I had to remove them from my diet as well (amazingly, that cleared up his eczema in a flash!). So what’s a vegetarian to do without soy, nuts and seeds (he HATES lentils and beans)? The MDs literally said, no hemp, no chia, no flax, none of it until he’s at least 2 years old and we can reassess. My son needs to grow and develop properly! I need to ensure he’s getting all the nutrients! I’m a smart woman, but I’m not an expert and there wasn’t anyone I could turn to who had the knowledge to guide me down this path in a vegan friendly way!

I feel guilty for what I chose, but at the same time, I know in my heart that I have to put my son first. What kind of mom would I be if I chose others over my own offspring? It’s a choice I never thought I’d make, and yet, here I am.

Maybe if we were still in Los Angeles there would be more resources, but either way I’m glad you’re putting this conversation out there. If nothing else, it would be great to have more specialists with education for vegans and vegetarians when they hit crossroads such as ours.

Wonderful talk guys! This is something that is so important for us to be talking about! <3

Dear Sayward,

Thank you for your talk. I relate so much! If you don’t mind me asking, what did you change about your diet that helped you get better? I think it would be nice information for any vegan to have.

Best,
Goldie

Sayward,

Thank you for sharing your story. What vegan foods do you eat now that helped raised your cholesterol and fix the markers for protein deficiency?

What suggestions do you have for people who are plant-based vegan but are suffering from fatigue and don’t want to go back to eat animals?

that’s because no one is talking about it. i had to do extensive research and finally found this article. now I have to find a way to fix the problem without reverting to eating animals