Let's Watch Cosmic Skeptic's "Ex-Vegan" Video
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- Опубликовано: 14 мар 2023
- Reacting to Cosmic Skeptic's video explaining why he's no longer vegan. It isn't about us.
Alex's video
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Alyse Parker making a 30 day carnivore challenge video shortly after quitting veganism seems like a pretty good example of "sensationalising"
And she was very quick to get sponsored by a meat company
Nikocado Avocado.
Used to love her, but she wasn’t ethically vegan.
Thing is she was “sensationalizing” quackery as vegan, so didn’t really matter whether she was vegan or not none of her messaging was ok either way.
Tim Shieff? (spell?) Update- I just learned that Shieff was a raw food vegan, which may explain the fact that he eventually concluded that a vegan diet isn't viable long term.
“I can’t even think of one example of that”
Nikocado Avocado: HELLLOOOOOO 😠 *stomps foot
She should have said CREDIBLE example 🤣
bro became an eat-it-all-atarian
I mean he definitely popped in my head when she said that, but I think she meant gaining subs from quitting veganism and his was more just being crazy and having really dramatic mental break downs lol
bro became an eatotalitarian
What a refreshing, objective and compassionate take on this issue. I love your statement “I feel sorry for him because I’m a human being” and how we should be more compassionate and listen to his side and struggles. I love how you respond to his struggles as a rational HUMAN BEING. Most of the response I know, for example “I find it not practical” and some vegans would go straight to “How about the animals?!”. It’s truly not helping, for both parties (the people struggling to keep up with veganism and the vegan movement itself”. Well done 👏🏼👏🏼
based
The portion of your video where you mention that "maybe" your video will make a difference for someone. I can assure you that you do.
I spent about a year or so watching your videos before I decided to finally make the change. Your approach towards veganism was much more practical and realistic than most of the other vegan content creators I had seen at that time, and the wealth of information I've been able to gather from your videos have been invaluable in making my transition to veganism much easier since I haven't gone in blind nor with idealism and rose-tinted glasses.
I've had the seed of vegetarianism or veganism in my mind since around 2006, but where I lived it was extremely difficult back then, there were just no available products, and I didn't know how to cook for myself to be able to do it with whole foods. Clearly times have changed, but there was still that huge layer of uncertainty and hesitation. Your content ended up being a large portion of why I decided to take the jump. And as one of the (likely) many people like me that you've had an impact on, all I can say is thank you. Becoming vegan has lifted a huge weight off me that I didn't realize I had.
I suscribe this 200%
I so much agree to this❤
The fact that Partner went vegetarian as a child when his parents weren't is legendary. I wish I was that cool as a kid.
I have a friend who went vegetarian at 8 and his brother, who was 4, also went vegetarian. They're 30 and 26 now, respectively, and still vegetarian (mostly vegan, they eat egg / dairy if they absolutely have to when they are traveling). Their parents weren't vegetarian when the kids went vegetarian and they weren't for many years after (although they are now), but they supported their kids' and researched adequate vegetarian nutrition and fed their kids accordingly. I have so much respect for that whole family.
I did too 😊
@@shivangi1307 Your math is not mathing 😁
@@kikiTHEalien maybe her math is mathing, its you who's math is not mathing correctly.
@@anildhull6377 @Shivangi edited her post
Alyse from Raw Alignment left veganism, gas-lit her audience, and promoted carnism, took ad deals promoting meat only and meat heavy diets. She definitely did what you said no prior-vegan RUclipsrs have done.
She was problematic even as vegan she promoted problematic health messaging so her being non vegan is just a different version of being problematic.
Well ... some influencers just (ab)use veganism as a temporary food trend, treat it like a fad diet ... and never saw it as a serious, legit lifestyle in the first place.
she cray
haven’t had her on my radar for years. Just checked her channel. She went from 50.000-500.000 views to 2-5.000 views 🫣
The goal for society is to eat LESS animal products. We cannot expect everyone to go completely vegan but starting off by decreasing it slowly is better than nothing. Great video btw!
seeing some empathy is really nice. after watching some other videos (idk why i did that it’s never a good idea), the consensus seemed to be a condescending “try harder idiot”, despite having no idea of his personal circumstances.
I really appreciate the nuanced and compassionate approach that you bring to these conversations. As someone with food allergies (treenuts and peanuts, sesame, and avocados) and am unable to have wheat, soy, dairy, fish, shellfish, or eggs, due to my EoE, it’s always been frustrating and confusing to me how conversations about making veganism accessible never seem to address common food allergies and how prevalent they are in a lot of vegan products. Anything I buy in store has to be top 8 allergen free and while these are often vegan they’re also expensive and often junk food like muffins, cookies, chips, granola bars etc. I would love to go vegan, but it’s not feasible for me right now. What I’m encouraged to do by you and your channel is to not let perfect get in the way of good enough when it comes to animal product reduction in my life.
I've never seen another vegan advocate talking about veganism the way you do: so objectively, so rationally. I think you're very reasonable and, as you yourself put it, charitable. You think about how others feel or might feel, and for me that is so natural! I just don't understand how there are so many vegans out there who are so harsh and aggressive 😥
I have no stats, but I bet Swayze has reduced so much more animal suffering by her approach than any other vegan youtuber. She makes veganism seem accessible and ok to slowly convert and have a better chance of staying vegan or mostly vegan.
@@cherrybearylemondrop I don’t want to diminish what UV does, and I don’t think it’s a competition but I’m certain that Earthling Ed has done more. It’s not that her approach is better, it’s just different. Different approaches work for different people. Being calm and logical is important, but I understand why people get so frustrated doing activism, especially if you’re someone who attends vigils and does undercover work. That’s draining, yet vital for bringing awareness to the issue.
@@will532 great point. I think Earthling Ed is amazing at what he does too.
@@mikethecornking lol yesh that'll make people wanna be vegan.
@@mikethecornking Thank you Mike, I thought this entire comment section was going to just be on Alex's side discussing HIS mental health like that's all that matters. As Alex himself has said, "extraordinary harm requires extraordinary justification". This is about the animals more than anything, because no matter how bad we humans think we have it, animals have it way worse, they always always always get the short end of the stick, and what I'm missing from all these "compassionate vegan" videos is ANY mention of the animals whatsoever.
My biggest complaint about Alex’s video is that in his post, he clearly states that he is “re-evaluating his ethical position” on eating animals, and then in his video, says that this decision is strictly related to his health and practicability and doesn’t mention anything about his ethical position changing. So he’s talking out of both sides of his mouth a little bit. I respect Alex and hope that he can get help for his mental health issues and his IBS, and then give this another try some day.
I do not believe those statements by Alex are mutually exclusive. The moral imperative for an individual to avoid eating animal products to reduce animal suffering is not a "compelling" philosophical argument. The fact that I am vegan is insignificant to the animals. The markets will not change in any way due to my abstinence. I however "feel better" knowing I'm not "part of the problem."
However, the argument is around reducing demand. A groundswell of people *could* make a difference... But it won't outrun population growth to net negative animal consumption. I think his phrasing was off, but what I interpret he is getting at is if you can't change the eating behaviors of the people significantly, you should still eliminate the disgusting processes of mass manufacture. Eliminating factory farming could reduce supply, driving up costs, reducing demand. We would love to say personal ethics will prevail, but maybe the ethics need to be on the markets and compel people where it "hurts," the pocketbook.
@@EverythingIsPhotogenic
Agreed.
His health is now foundational to his ethical worldview.
I too would feel forced to reevaluate my stance on animals in light of what I was going through. It would be pretty difficult otherwise, to live with. The fact he is able to identify this process as it happens, and refer to it, is pretty advanced. We all justify our actions after-the-fact all the time, and most of us don't even have a clue we are doing it.
@@alexwilder8315 Exactly. I had to stop being vegan for the same reasons as Alex and I did the same thing as him with regards to reevaluating my views on the issue. Feeling guilty all the time isn't helpful when people can't be vegan for health reasons. I think encouraging the reduction of animal consumption as much as possible is more important than encouraging everyone to be vegan ( because it won't happen). For someone in Alex's (and my) situation, choosing vegan candy, chocolate, etc., options is something doable since that isn't something that needs to be eaten.
@@EverythingIsPhotogenic yup, that’s the part that is a deep hole, it’s hard to know that making a difference isn’t as simple as we want it to be. Even though I call myself an ethical vegan there are things that aren’t inline with my ethics that I can’t avoid, like certain medical tests that I know have some animal ingredients, medications that have been tested on animals etc, it’s complicated and a deep heart wrenching hole and I get the practicality and how it can feel like individual actions mean nothing, how it feels virtually impossible to be 100% vegan in some aspects of life even when I’m making every effort to do that.
There are some people who just cannot be vegan. I am an example: I have Crohn's Disease. I am supposed to minimize plant consumption. Anything high in insoluble fibre is right out. I can eat some fruit but my doctors are always encouraging me to eat more meat and simple carbs. My Vit B12 was considered undetectable on my last test, and my D was so low that my gastroenterologist is convinced (and she is probably right) that I have permanent neurological damage from this, because while I was never purely vegan, I did try to maintain a diet low in animal products and high in vegetables, which resulted in me requiring two massive intestinal resections. I have now lost 40% of my intestines and I am one more surgery away from requiring a feeding tube. It is a difficult disease and depressing, and while Alex has IBS and not IBD, it is still incredibly difficult and can cause tremendous pain and illness.
Alex looks so sickly in his recent video - at least to me - that I am surprised at the viciousness of the attacks he has received. I understand that people might be disappointed or feel betrayed, but that does not justify many of the comments I've seen. We are not all the same. Some of us have nutritional needs and restrictions that others don't have.
I'm sorry to read that, but I can already smell the comments saying something like "I'm having all those issues too and I manage to be vegan".....
I hate that attitude that just because it is possible, that somehow means everyone can do it. Humans are not that easy. It's possible to do many things and people fail for whatever reason.
Just look at your health first and if someday you manage a healthy diet easily, you could try to adapt. That is what I would suggest. :)
I'm sorry you've gone through all of this. Have you looked into or tried low FODMAP plant-based foods? I know Lifting Vegan Logic's channel has a lot on this particular subject because he also has Crohn's disease quite severely. Most doctors know next to nothing about nutrition as it isn't required for their degree. Just something to think about. Hope you get better.
@@mikethecornking aka you are in a death cult
I am incredibly happy for your empathy and understanding towards Alex. We need more people like you in the world.
I loved that he and you talked about calorie density/eating disorders. This was one of my hardest learnings. I went through times of intense feeling sick, and IF I could eat, it would be the most calorie dense food I could stomach. To reach the conclusion that that's okay and I have to prioritize my physical health was so cruel to me, and the start of my recovery after all.
Thank you for having empathy for that and still showing "a healthy" veganism!
It is always best to prioritise your mental and physical health and don't let any vegans tell you different. Whatever you can manage in terms of reducing consumption of animal products is great.
What you're doing is not okay. You're paying for innocent animals to be tortured and stabbed in the neck, because you don't have the strength of character to prioritize their lives over your mental comfort. I've had severe mental health issues since I was a very small child, but I would never try to use that as a justification for committing murder.
@@mmhmm9271 murder is when you directly kill someone or something, not when you eat animal products.
@@powderandpaint14 I was speaking neither you nor to any other anti vegan trolls, bud. Crawl back under the bridge.
@@mmhmm9271 You also have the choice to not be a horrible human animal. I'm very sorry you still choose to be one.
The way I see it, the most ethical amount of animal products to consume is the least amount possible. For many people, especially those in developed nations with no major underlying health problems, that quantity is zero. But for some people, like Alex, that quantity is greater than zero.
My approach is to encourage others to reduce their animal products as much as they can. Sure, I'd prefer if they went completely vegan, but that's not always feasible or practical, at least not right away. But the more people reduce their consumption of animal products, the more we starve the animal Ag industry of business and the more we boost plant-based foods. The more that happens, the more high-quality vegan foods are available and the easier it is for people to go vegan, or mostly vegan.
A little unrelated, but Drew Monson was also the one who made me feel not so alone about mental health ❤️
Same! Drew’s video where he talked about his experience with depression changed how I viewed my own mental health. I’m forever grateful to him ❤
I can identify with Alex more than I want to. I haven't talked to many people about my IBS - it's very awkward, even with trusted loved ones, even with therapists, even with my gastroenterologist. So when I heard you acknowledging and validating those issues as truly challenging, I got the heckin waterworks. Thanks, pal.
From a fellow internet stranger, wishing you luck with your issues 🤗
I'm quite new to your channel but I enjoy your content. I'm happy to see a sort understanding and friendly approach that still thinks about it so critically. I have mixed feelings about Alex's video/experience. I've watched many responses to his post and video. Joey for example was quite rough but at the same time I sort of understand his thoughts. I've became vegan thanks to Alex so it was quite a shock to me, especially since I have IBS as well so a sort of red flag popped up in my mind saying "when will you give in?". Anyway, I went on bit of a tangent, thanks for the kind and objective message and your overall approach to the topic of veganism!
Lol an IBS suffering vegan is all too common, drop the plants and eat meat kid. Not even unnatural vegan is 100% plant based. It’s a fad diet that has been proven not optimal for human health.
Damn 1000$
@@lisanyugenhascancer6332 it's a 1000 HUF :D not dollars, it's more like 3$
Thank you!
@@Gabeee 😂😂😂
Being vegan is often difficult for those struggling with autoimmune diseases. However, I hope people will consider choosing ethically sourced products & reducing consumption of animals as much as practical for them ❤
I love your videos! I watch while I’m at my desk at work and I always feel like I’m hanging out with a cool friend
He said it was inexcusable to eat animals and now his excuse is that it is challenging... I can see why he's embarrassed.
I really wanted to say that I appreciate your content. You’ve really helped me through a lot of difficulties in being vegan over the years. You are literally why I see gray in the world and not just black and white. I appreciate that you have compassion for humans, as well as animals. Your approach to veganism is so refreshing. Thank you for helping me make room for nuance, as well as others, I’m sure. You’re awesome!
Since I started watching you I was able to switch to a vegetarian (sometimes vegan) diet 5 days of a week. I know it is not perfect, but I feel like I have made huge strides and I did it alongside my husband in one of the countries where meat is super popular. Thanks for not making me feel judged for not being perfect
I love the compassion and empathy in this video. Alex said in an older interview something along the lines of "Veganism is about empathy. Empathy for the all the animals suffering. We can extend that empathy for our fellow human beings and understand it can be difficult to make the switch."
Thank you for this video. I will share it with my vegan family and friends! It's a reminder on how to advocate for veganism in a way that inspires ❤
Speaking of sharing a personal experience in hopes of helping others…I was diagnosed with costochondritis once and had that shooting shoulder pain too. Turns out-not chostochondritis. It was an ectopic pregnancy and internal bleeding. So if the pain gets worse, don’t wait to get checked out!
Thank you for the most kind and compassionate response to this yet. As a strict vegan with chronic health problems, it was easy for me to not sympathize with him much, but I think your response is the correct one. Everyone has their own life and we have to listen charitably and understand that bodies are different.
*"As a strict vegan with chronic health problems"*
Such as?
@@amazinggrace9675 Hey guess what none of your business! Neat!
@@amazinggrace9675 Haha but no they're unrelated to veganism in every way.
"Everyone has a life" ... except the animals who are being murdered with justification.
@@autonomymind Hey man I agree. I like to think if I had IBS I still would be vegan. Hopefully he's just vegetarian now? I don't know. I don't really think there's an excuse for eating dead animals, but I do think we need to be charitable and patient with people who are struggling to stay vegan.
Hey, not-quite-vegan here, you have been really helpful on my journey and I'm definitely more left-leaning than you. You do reach people who don't think the same 😉
Well said. Ditto
Same
Samsies
I find her content helpful on veganism too. Even though I'm like, a massive communist lol
@@IsThatEtchas Same. Do you know the Queer Kiwi by any chance?
First time viewer here. You strike me as very empathic which is really cool. I'm not vegan for practical and financial reasons, but I fully accept all the moral arguments for veganism and hope to be vegan one day. I only just heard about this, but I believe Alex genuinely tried to make it work and didn't quit because of a little discomfort. He's well aware of how this makes him look and I doubt he made this decision lightly or with any joy.
Unnatural Vegan is an awesome channel to watch if you want to hear a fair, reasonable and non cult like vegan talk about subjects in a factual, scientific and empathetic way.
May I ask what are the financial and practical barriers for you that prevent you from going vegan?
I have some financial and medical challenges to 100% vegan but I want to for the moral reasons. One of the things I learned about on this channel was "reducitarianism" which is doing as much as we can now instead of waiting until we can do it perfectly. So if you can't be vegan right now, maybe it will help you towards your goal. 🙂
The joy comes AFTER the switch.
Veganism is both cheaper and easier to make.
Nikocado and Alyse definitely sensationalized it. Alyse even ended up on tv doing her carnivore diet
I like both your and Alex's video, and I'm glad you were so calm and concise with this
Aw I feel so bad he struggled with all of us, totally understand this decision. Thanks for having empathy on this video, people can only try their best - and for some it's just a lot harder to be vegan
I think you are a wonderful person. I’m much older than you and have recently realized how brittle all of my *opinions* make me. Thanks for being a Light. ❤️💯
Every video you make is a breath of fresh air
About preaching to a coir: I looked at your video criticizing Abby Sharp, and I thought you were wrong. I followed her advice on eating what satisfies me. I gained 20 kg doing that. As I was thinking of what I did wrong and when the weight gain would stop, your video popped into my head, and I could finally understand what you meant to say and sort out my diet again. I still eat what satisfies me, but now I am trying to find healthy meals that do that because I need to save calories. Corona was a hard time for me, and I think I would have gained weight anyways, since I was severely overweight as a child and have to be very mindful to prevent that now that I am older. I am 100% sure that I would have taken action way before and would not have put my body under so much unnecessary stress.
Love your compassionate and pragmatic attitude!
Crikey, a vegan activist reaction that is compassionate to the human as well as the animals. Well done.
Thank you so much for making this video, I've heard so many irritating response videos about this that at the very least had some unreasonable bias to them.
I appreciate what you do with your objective view on veganism.
Compassion I thought was a cornerstone of being vegan? So many betraying that basic idea.
And to add to that, I also have ibs, some of my earliest memories was going to the hospital for constipation etc, when I was a teenager it turned to ibsd though and I dropped out of high school because of it, like he said the anxiety around the bathroom, I would walk home from sleepovers at 6am before anyone woke up because I was so embarrassed to have my stomach act up at someone else’s house, it’s just a daily struggle trying to manage it, as I reached my 30s it turned into ibsc though and the plant based diet actually HELPED, I do want to go back to eating a more plant heavy diet for that reason
I have to say I appreciate your channel and how rational you are. Thank you for teaching me loads about nutrition in small digestible videos so my stupid brain can retain the information. I just realized, and maybe it's a sign of maturity in me that I found myself saying the other day that you're an interesting person to me and I don't think that we would be friends if we met in real life. And now that I had such a thought of course I know, I would probably try to make us be best friends. Oh well, from one meat eater to a vegan, I recognize the hard work you do for the dear animals and our fragile planet and ecosystem. Thank you for your service.
I think your approach to this is really encouraging. Its heartwarming to see your compassion and I think it will help Alex in his struggle and his honesty In announcing his difficulties. You seem like a decent human being, so thanks again x
Such a powerful statement!
Greetings from France 💓
Quit veganism Melina, or you will end up like Jean-Michel Trogneux.
I’m like you. I never think what I am doing is difficult. Even once, I was a volunteer somewhere where for about 5 days I was in a severe calory déficit because there was not a lot of vegan food. I founded the situation annoying bc I had the people know beforehand but I never thought about not being vegan those days. So it is very hard for me to understand why people quit. Especially when they were ethical vegans. I know the situation is different, I’m just saying is hard for me to understand. Although bc of medical issues, I can get it.
Thankyou would love your input on Joey carbstrong response to cosmic skeptic ie Alex that would make a great video!
Swayze, thank you so much for your videos, and this in particular! I find some of the responses so weird, how can people be so mean to people, when they're so compassionate towards animals?
@Day you're probably right... I bet a lot of people are vegan just to feel superior.
@@mikethecornking you, especially, are grandstanding. I do still hope that you're a troll, cause it's just sad if these are your real opinions
I do appreciate your compassionate and understanding position on that, well done.
Compassion is key! Thanks for your show of compassion.
from the very beginning of my following your content, you got all my sympathies, probably because of your down-to-earth outlook and conciliatory tone which notably set you apart from others, "mean" vegans. this video will only make that difference even bigger and more obvious.
Your videos on ethics and reducing suffering are very insightful and helpful in getting past an all or nothing mentality when it comes to thoughtful consumerism. 💕💕
I feel so bad for Alex, my bf has IBS pretty bad and he has similar trouble and limitations and I believe I may have Chrohn's disease (colonoscopy next month) and unless I have a flare I am actually struggling less than he is because changes to diet have much better mitigated my pain and symptoms than he has been able to and it is so severe I stick to the diet very strictly unless I have gone so long between flares to tolerate better, something that never works for him, the tolerance never goes up enough for any degree of safety to an unsafe food.
At the same time, I have been in exactly the same position as described during a flare and it is a misery. I recall feeling better and going to visit a friend, something that was much needed, and curling up on their floor immediately in pain, having to leave. Eating nearly only bananas and scraps of bread and not even wanting to drink water.
It is difficult to eat healthy period with IBS regardless of any other restrictions.
Also his mom has IBS also and has had to cut out PEPPER. There is nothing I like more in this world than ground pepper. And IBS is one of the reasons we have decided we should not have children, it is very heritable.
This was such an encouraging and refreshing take.
I am with you on that gray hair bit at the end. My bestie has the streak and I Love it but alas mine didn’t do that.
I am bit concerned how so many people have ibs we need more studies. In my country is a growing problem among young people.
I just love most of your takes on things. Such a refreshing, realistic and compassionate perspective on things.
I started watching you because my SO was raised vegetarian and I couldn't figure out why it wasn't working for me. Every month I gave it a go by week two I was needing to pry myself out of the bathroom. Add to the top of that i was a heavy bleeder and pretty anemic when I finally went to the doctor to have a check up done... I genuinely need a person/dietician to experiment on me and do the thinking/cooking when the pain starts.
Hei! Thanks :)
I think your analysis was great and actually helped me to think slowly about my own attitudes. I sometimes catch myself being a bit too critical of those who I love for not eating vegan all the time (or almost never)... but the truth is that, since I went vegan 12 years ago, they have reduced their meat and fish consumption A LOT, some of them have even become vegetarian and avoid other animal products as often as "they" can... so I should be happy, and proud, and encouraging all the time, and frustrated and disappointed (almost) never.
Again, thanks for this video in particular!
I don't think I've ever commented, but I've been watching/subscribed for several years. I'm not vegan, I'm pescatarian, but your channel has taught me so many things, including being more mindful about what I choose to eat. I find myself eating vegan/vegetarian probably 50% of the time, just because I'm more conscientious about the choice I have. I agree that it feels like the easier thing sometimes to consume animal products, but having the awareness from people like you makes that choice heavier each time and has impacted my food choices over the years. I never really thought about it until you made the comment in this video that you don't know if your focus on the difficulties of veganism comes across as negative or net positive. It is net positive for sure girl. I'm not doing anything at all spectacular for the animals, but I felt compelled to tell you that consuming your content has at the very least introduced micro-changes into my lifestyle that I have never really thought about, and I'm certain I'm not the only one you've affected that way, despite not going vegan. After watching your videos for so long, I'm much more likely to choose the non-animal choice when presented with the option. Not every time, but when I do it, it's because, as you've said - I can. I learned that from watching you!
Maybe you like her content because it doesn't make you feel bad for killing innocents?
@@caiofernando thanks, I just couldn't put my finger on it :)
You're not preaching to the choir, but to your congrigation. ;) You sometimes (well to be honest, quite often) teach me things I didn't know) and mostly remind me of things I already knew. This helps to take that way of thinking into every day decisions (like staying vegan), so I think it's rather significant. And I thank you.
I honestly feel so ‘seen’ by this video, thank you so much for sharing! I am someone who wish I could go vegan but can’t for practical reasons and seeing so many vegans force people to justify these reasons is so upsetting.
I had anorexia 10 years ago and have always had loads of stomach problems: IBS, GERD, Gastroparesis, weak LOS. I recovered well, but my stomach deteriorated about 2 years ago. I was put on a highly restrictive low-FODMAP+++ diet and that triggered a relapse. I’m in recovery again but still cannot tolerate garlic, onions, lentils, beans, spicy food, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and I absolutely hate avocado and nuts.
I’ve not had dairy in 12 years and have not had meat in 3. But I eat one portion of fish a week and I eat eggs. I also shop vegan brands of non-food products. This is something I feel I can sustain for the rest of my life in a non-disordered, non-restrictive, health-ful way. And I hate that people out there think I’ve just not tried hard enough!!
Hi, that's a lot to deal with and you are doing much more than most to help animals. I hope you're recovery is going well, my friend had an ED and I know from what she has shared, that they are absolute hell to deal with. So all power to you for having the strength to recover. Go smash it, you absolutely deserve it and keep taking care of you too ❤
Thank you so much🥹 Recovery is going well thank you, its been very hard but is such a privilege to have the chance to get my life back!
There's no need for people to react with such hostility towards Alex. But what I wanna know is, did he actually do a significant amount of research to try and resolve his issues while still staying vegan? Did he talk to any creditable vegan-friendly doctors or vegan-friendly nutritionists about any of this? I highly doubt it. Sadly, this seems to be the case for most ex-vegans too.
My other question is, why does everything have to be so final and defeatest for him (and every other ex-vegan)? "It's too hard to be vegan for me right now, " ok..... So plan things out better and try again in the future? Or ya know, maybe go vegetarian for a while? Why is it always all or nothing?
I appreciate him saying that he still encourages people to try veganism, but again - why not say "right now may not be the right time for me, but I can try again in the near future"?
It just completely baffles me that a person who claims to make the ethical connection with animals could just start eating animals at the drop of a hat, without even talking to someone for expert advice and guidance.
I think vegan doctors and dietitians are not as readily available as people think, plus you can only access them privately at 80/100 pounds per session - that’s prohibitively expensive for most people. Plus if he has IBS he’s likely already cut out a lot of things, including gluten which means a lot of mock meats and higher-protein grains are off the table. Not to mention the cost of gluten free substitutes (and the majority are not vegan)… gluten free bread doesn’t even contain one gram of protein per slice but regular bread contains about five. At the end of the day the practicality of being began when you have a pre-existing condition… It’s much harder than people realise unless you are very privileged.
@@mancillado Everyone's IBS is different, but for me increasing gluten decreases my symptoms. I do my best to eat a balanced diet, but there are still many foods I personally can't eat.
@@mancillado Yes, I'm not arguing that being vegan while having a pre-existing condition is easy. I'm saying that, if a person claims to have such a deep ethical connection to the animals, great efforts should be made before they just decide to start contributing to their suffering again.
Also, I have some personal anecdotes on access to vegan-friendly professionals: I live in one of the most dangerous cities in my state (apparently with an FBI safety rating in the negatives) and the medical center down the street from me has a vegan-friendly dietician(s) on staff. A friend of mine, who's vegetarian, straight-up told her doctor (a regular GP) that he had to find her a vegetarian solution after he recommended she start taking an animal based supplement. Her doctor didn't fight her on it and was able to recommend an alternative. Vegan-friendly health professionals exist out there and through regularly accessible means. They may not be outwardly advertising it, but they exist. Now I know these are just anecdotes and it definitely is not the same everywhere, but I'm specifically talking about ppl like all these ex-vegans on RUclips (including Alex) who are clearly not living on the poverty line.
I'm so glad to see someone talking about the issue of IBS and veganism seriously. I personally know people who have turned away from plant based foods and even towards the carnivore diet (which is statistically not healthy long term) because of the symptoms triggered by high fiber foods. This is an area that needs more research and consideration for sure. I personally noticed some very uncomfortable/embarassing symptoms when I first turned vegan which made me limit my intake of fruits and vegetables and focus on more simple starches instead, which of course was terrible for my weight/metabolism. Eventually I was able to start incorporating more high fiber foods into my diet and my hypothesis is that it was due to adaptations in my microbiome which took place over time. I can only assume this would be more challenging for someone who has IBS to begin with. People with IBS have been shown to have alterations in their microbiome which can be worsened by stress/anxiety which likely makes the switch even harder. Important to note that the microbiome (aka the bacteria in your gut) is what is responsible for breaking down fiber, making fiber more tolerable, and is also responsible for many of the beneficial effects of fiber. Eating more fiber can help build up a healthy microbiome, but that process can be painful if you are someone who has IBS to start with. Dr. Erica and Justin Sonnenberg do some really cool research on this. In particular, they have observed that by eating a diet high in fermented foods (many of which are vegan - kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha) one can improve the diversity of their microbiome and improve inflammation in the gut with or without fiber. Theoretically someone struggling to incorporate plant based foods into their diet could start with fermented foods first before adding in more high fiber foods to build up a healthy microbiome first. I hope we can start having more productive science based conversations on this topic in the future. Thanks for the video!
Any proof carnivore diet is not healthy in the long term? I could only think about vitamin a liver toxicity from over eating certain organs. Whereas there’s an ENDLESS amount of evidence showing that the vast majority of those who try going vegan quit. It’s a fad diet, stop being so delusional.
Edit: It’s quite clear you don’t understand human metabolic physiology or nutritional science to its full capacity. Your rambling about fiber is point proven.
Please show me the data you use for your claim that carnivore is "statistically not healthy".
I think that many people who are diagnosed with IBS can have different things going on. I have another autoimmune disease & 1 symptom is low stomach acid. So I can’t really consume beans & such. If I eat uncooked broccoli, I become extremely ill, as it’s considered very difficult for some guts to break down. I suggest trying a cap full of apple cider vinegar for those who suspect they may have low stomach acid, & consider eating small quantities & slowly ❤
@@tinknal6449 I mean... we're omnivores. We technically need both meat and plants to be healthy, but it's more that it's hard to get all the nutrients we need from eating just one or the other.
Eating only meat increases your risk of heart disease. A simple google result tells me this lol
@@JeanKP14 Actually no, it doesn't and the OP states that carnivore diets are "statistically not healthy". If this were the case, she or you could show me these statistics but you can't. You should read this study from The JACC;
JACC Journals › JACC › Archives › Vol. 76 No. 7
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Saturated Fats and Health: A Reassessment and Proposal for Food-Based Recommendations: JACC State-of-the-Art Review
Open Access
JACC State-of-the-Art Review
Arne Astrup
, Faidon Magkos
, Dennis M. Bier
, J. Thomas Brenna
, Marcia C. de Oliveira Otto
, James O. Hill
, Janet C. King
, Andrew Mente
, Jose M. Ordovas
, Jeff S. Volek
, Salim Yusuf
, and Ronald M. Krauss
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020 Aug, 76 (7) 844-857
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Abstract
The recommendation to limit dietary saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake has persisted despite mounting evidence to the contrary. Most recent meta-analyses of randomized trials and observational studies found no beneficial effects of reducing SFA intake on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total mortality, and instead found protective effects against stroke. Although SFAs increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, in most individuals, this is not due to increasing levels of small, dense LDL particles, but rather larger LDL particles, which are much less strongly related to CVD risk. It is also apparent that the health effects of foods cannot be predicted by their content in any nutrient group without considering the overall macronutrient distribution. Whole-fat dairy, unprocessed meat, and dark chocolate are SFA-rich foods with a complex matrix that are not associated with increased risk of CVD. The totality of available evidence does not support further limiting the intake of such foods.
I love how objective & understanding you are. Such a breath of fresh air on YT. 🫶🏽 Great video.
Thank you!
I hope he still tries to do the best he can. And I hope he gets better soon!
I have been trying to find the original video. It would've been nice if you had linked to it.
Love the 2014 Cedar Point shirt 🤣
Your partner is cool. A young man becoming a vegetarian? Thats tough
1:39 Nicocado Avocado
My jaw dropped when you mentioned Drew Monson. I love his (& your) videos so much! It makes me happy to know that you know and appreciate Drew as well. Also I just wanted to say I appreciate this video a lot. I went vegan basically overnight last year and it lasted eight months. Unfortunately, towards the end of last year, I went through a pretty significant loss and began struggling with my mental health. This is compounded by the fact that I already struggle with anxiety & depression as my baseline. During this time I have allowed myself to have a vegetarian diet. I'm allowing myself to eat eggs & cheese essentially, no other dairy products. I still agree with all of the ethical positions that comprise veganism, but it has become impractical for me to sustain it and be healthy in my current state for a few reasons. My goal is to return to veganism again, but this time I think I am going to do it slowly over time instead of trying to force it overnight. My point is that I've been watching you since I first went vegan and I appreciate that you are so understanding, and keep your focus on reducing and eliminating the suffering of animals; while acknowledging that its not productive to judge people. We're all on our own paths and trying to do the best we can (assuming you are actually trying lol).
What would your response be to an ex-vegan who stopped being vegan just because they no longer wanted to? No health reasons, they just didn’t feel compelled to continue after seven years- in other words, it wasn’t just something they tried for a couple years then quit. It was their lifestyle for quite some time. I’m going through this with a close friend who was also my vegan mentor years ago, and I’ve been struggling to look at my situation with a compassionate lens. Although I don’t like it, I have been quite angry and upset because animals are now suffering and dying because they can’t be bothered to continue.
Any tips for how to handle this with more empathy?
No experience with this particular problem, but I can tell you that you need to leave your friend room to change his mind. If you're super negative about his decision, then you make it a lot harder for him to change his views because it will cause him to lose face. People will often dig thier heels in if they feel ganged up on. Ask questions about his situation. Empathize. Be supportive and encouraging.
This isn't a very vegan statement, but you will catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
@@christines2787 thanks for your reply. She’s still somewhat plant-based at home, but she still have gone back to meats and cheeses. I doubt she’ll ever fully come back, but I’m tired of feeling bitter. I will continue sticking to my morals and maybe that’ll make a difference in their eyes, but I’m doing it for the animals, ultimately. If they come back, great- if not, then the sooner I make peace with it, the better.
@@alanrodriguez233 I used to feel like you do about a lot of things. Realizing that the only thing I can change is myself and the way I react to a situation has reduced my stress and anxiety. My life is so much more peaceful now. I look for the good in whatever the situation is because things could always be worse.
Just let them do what's best for them, there may be issues they're not telling you about or they may just feel the need to change. You can't force anyone into being or staying vegan.
Be compassionate and give them space. There is almost definitely something else going on, people don’t just change their mind like that with no trigger. They probably aren’t comfortable going into it with you for the very reason that they were a mentor to you - that makes it quite an awkward conversation to have! Also because they have been an influential person in your life, they may be quite wary of having an influence on you and your lifestyle in the other direction, when it is probably very personal decision to them
Unisom is, I believe, diphenhydramine, and if you don't have a tolerance, it can be like a kick to the head. I have wicked insomnia and I take the maximum daily dose before bed every night and it does nothing. For pain like you're describing, you might want to ask your doctor about cyclobenzaprine. I think it might help and not be so intense.
okayyy background decor, nice
I agree ❤
Thanks for being so tolerant and nice about it.
I think the academy of dietetics is talking about the general public, not people with certain conditions. If you have IBS or celiac’s you already have to cut out a lot of foods (my friends with IBS all avoid gluten) and have issues with absorption. Is it impossible? No, but it’s certainly not easy to meet nutrient needs in those cases and we can’t expect people’s entire lives to revolve around getting appropriate nutrition (not to mention it’s outrageously expensive)
I think you make a really good point about not having your entire life revolve around getting your macros and micros in. The braid statement that “if you tried hard enough you could make it work” often leaves out consideration for all the things that go into being a functional human being aside from just meal planning.
IBS is pretty common. It’s a real issue with the vegan diet. I think it’s why the raw till four woe was popular. I can eat fruit and raw with no issue but whole foods plant based with the beans and grains- no way. Thank you for being understanding. IBS is not always about needing the loo. For others like me it’s the constant pain and socially awkward gas all the time. Seriously, it’s not funny when you have to keep your distance on a walk!
16:58 I'm an addition to that. I used to be a less forgiving and understanding vegan. Even cruel I would say and I also used to not really like some of your ideas/approach. However, I do remember feeling the same about giving up animal products and in the end it is THE BEST decision I've made in the long run.
But for me - reason comes 1st and feelings afters. No regrets! I love your channel ❤ Very fresh to see a person who can criticize some thing despite them veing vegan-oriented while still maintaining a vegan position :-)
Thanks for this video!
Thanks 4 presenting a kinder take for Alex
You are the most sensible person with a lot of compassion! I am starting out as eating more plant based and I find that I feel much better and actually less gassy (hope that doesn't mean a problem lol)! I feel for him because he was vegan in the first place and he doesn't sound like all the other not vegan anymore videos!
Your videos talking about it all without claiming anything ridiculous whilst not compromising on why you think it's right are why my spouse and I are now vegetarian and (slowly, because finding new meals etc is hard) creeping towards veganism.
It just really stood out to me that you being 'different' as a child was atheism. Where I'm from it's so much less of a big deal!
For me, it is very personal to choose this path. I "ended up here". Vegan wasn't my goal, I slowly transitioned into it and I am very comfortable where I am as a 12-yr vegan. When I became a vegetarian, my boyfriend of 5 years said how glad he was, because he wanted to be a vegetarian but didn't want to do it alone. A month later, we became vegan (thanks to a cheese making class & bee keeping class we took). I didn't make him change, and told him he didn't have to because it was what I wanted for myself.
If I had kids and a husband who didn't want to, I could see how very difficult that would be (if not impossible) without loosing yourself or your marriage in the process. I am vegan because I want to be and that's what a lifestyle should be.
@@mikethecornking For me, it's not selfless and I'm not a marter. It's a "win win". I participated in animal rights events (public protests) before being vegan and I always loved animals. "Be vegan for the animals" didn't mean anything to me back then. The reason I was not vegan was because I saw myself, not as a primate (which humans are), but as other animals I adored with different needs from my own. This is the disconnect.
Why is it murder if I eat meat but not murder when a wolf does? Because I don't have to. To do so would be a choice to show violence when not deemed necessary. I transitioned in slowly (omni, flex, vegetarian, vegan) because being vegan requires a lot of knowledge I was not taught growing up. It's a lot of inward thinking on right and wrong, how to feed yourself without self harm, how to read labels, be resourceful, etc.
It's easy to say "for the animals" like it's easy to say "meat is murder" but both require that the person reading/hearing those messages understands why. The more I learned, the more I changed with the choices I made. This is how I "ended up here". I wasn't trying to fit a label, I was learning and growing as an individual and it lead me to being vegan. I feel very comfortable and very "me" here.
My chief complaint with Alex is he set himself up as Super Vegan Animal Activist, made money and gained lots of followers on the back of it, and slammed non-vegans hard. He is very, very disappointing. I have severe intestinal issues including bleeding and blood clots and have found ways to mitigate the situation. Yes, it can be difficult but consider how hard it is on animals, billions and billions of suffering animals. I struggle to have empathy with him. He lives in London/Oxbridge which are three of the top vegan cities on earth and loads of doctors and dietitians in his area.
♥
Knowing where he stands when it comes to animal rights is a big enough thing to inform me that he's not going to just jump into eating red meat all day long indefinitely. We're all just making assumptions here, but I appreciate the transparency first and foremost and - if he was experiencing these health issues and discovered that tweaking his diet helped and then feeling that keeping up a facade for the sake of vegan activism would be wrong (and it might even be counterproductive, which is my assumption as well) - it's all the more reason to appreciate him for coming clean! Especially since he's in the public eye. We hold politicians accountable for lack of transparency. This guy is holding himself accountable and taking us along with him in the decision - which, again, might not even be permanent. No lies, no deceit, no telling people to stop being vegan or any silly thing - the struggle is real and felt by so many who are going on and off plant-based diets. Saying that it's not difficult just makes people feel hopeless in their attempts. The benefits of a *largely, at least* plant-based diet aren't dismissed even by lovers of foie gras. I honestly can't find the part that made you "very, very disappointed" in him. I would agree with the argument of location, the UK certainly stands better in terms of variety of vegan restaurants, I'd assume - but this could be, in part, my bias, since I'm in Eastern Europe and we're preconditioned to believe it's better in the west... although most of my friends and family who've lived many years abroad haven't necessarily witnessed any kind of occidental dream, it was rather much of the same things we have here, very much dependant on particular regional location - distance to the closest Bioladen/bio foods store and local movements and events, if local businesses figured there were vegans, they'd adapt. Where there aren't, there aren't
A slight off-topic
Publishing anything anywhere can come along with some amount of recognition and gains, financial or otherwise. Now that doesn't mean he hopped on the vegan activism train for those benefits - that's dismissing a lot of the effort he put into his videos, research and collaborations with other great vegan activists. It's not fair to diminish that... I started watching his videos due to the initial purpose of the channel - you know, skepticism... around theology, at first - mostly. I still don't think he's as big of a vegan activist as many many other great youtubers out there whose only focus is that.
It's, of course, a profile that you see of people online, not the real deal. If you'd like, you could look up the theory of profilicity - the author actually has a youtube channel himself. I'm mentioning this because, just like advertisers tell you it's an ad, so does he with most of his youtube videos, adding a disclaimer that the content was constructed in order to attract viewers which, unfortunately, also means it's contributing to the selling of your information to advertising agencies. It's overall an interesting thing to look out fot in general, whenever you're consuming any type of media. Back to what I was saying... I, for one, haven't gotten any vegan-targeted ads - at all. AdSense would much rather promote a certain investment opportunity like the new hype video game, rather than a small vegan start-up. I doubt most of the profit C.S. makes comes from sources other than direct community engagement and support, but that's, again, a supposition based on what I've heard other vegan youtubers say about their income streams/analytics and so on. Can't know for sure
Why doesn’t anyone stay vegan?? I’ve done it for 7 years and I’m a drug addict so it’s not like I have tons of willpower or anything.
Would you consider diving into "the sculpted vegan" weight loss / body building company?
As a non-vegan this was my first video of yours. I'm interested in hearing more of your thoughts. Subscribed.
Thank you for being so reasonable! ❤️
IBS symptoms subsided, went vegan a few months ago. So far so good.
Alyse Parker and Jon Venus definitely turned into anti vegan grifters after the fact. The funny thing for Jon was they he still sold his vegan diet plans as he did it.
Gotta get those bags, right? ...
I loved your attitude. Very nice! Made me think too. We should be compassionate to everyone. ^_^
I don't know if this will be encouraging or discouraging, but I want to let you know that videos like this ARE helpful to me (especially this one), because they help remind me that I'm not a bad person just because I can't make veganism work. That sentiment is what's allowed me to continue making efforts in that direction rather than just saying "screw it" because I can't be fully vegan. Whenever someone I know asks, I tell them "I don't follow any particular diet, but all else being equal, I'll choose the vegan option". It's just that a lot of times, for me, all else IS NOT equal. I want to be vegan, but I can't, and it's nice to know that not every vegan out there thinks I should be condemned for that.
I mean if you are reducing animal products to the furthest extent possible, I’d still say you’re vegan. Veganism is a philosophy not a diet :)
I think you're making a great contribution! I eat vegan in 50-70% of my meals, but nobody around me (family or work colleagues) is vegetarian nor vegan. Making that choice and justifying it on every single meal is really tiring.
I totally get the practicality thing. I was vegan for 3 years, then the hardships got the better of me. I live in a not vegan friendly country. In most restaurants I can only get either lentil soup or french fries. And some salads that needs some directions of "don't include this&that". We don't get spinach or avocado or broccoli anytime we want in the markets either. It has been difficult, but manageable. It stops being manageable when I have to put my mental health in line and I cannot do that. If couple eggs will put my mind at ease, I will eat them. This is always my plan to go back to being a vegan when I move to a vegan friendly place. And hopefully it will happen in the near future. (Still a vegetarian tho, 11years in 8days 🎉)
Alex lives in one of the most vegan friendly countries in the world, the UK is great for vegans.
You yourself know how much you can do for the animals. And it doesn't seem to me like you are trying to find excuses for pleasure or taste, and that you genuinely care. Good job man, we are slowly moving towards getting veganism easier and easier for everybody. Keep going at it 💚
@@albawaterhouse Yeah but Veganism is not for him. Just like it's not impossible for this lady to be vegan in her country. But it was too difficult to maintain and keep her mental health. You live your life and we will live ours.
@@kylas1902 but the animals won't.
@@albawaterhouse You obviously don't have the issues that Alex has. I do and have had to stop being vegan as well. It sucks.
I will never be vegan, but consuming your content I get to know my vegan options and motivates me to eat less meat and animal products. My biggest recent hiccup is I now have high cholesterol and so many vegan dairy replacement products use coconut, and it's just easier to do fat free/light dairy. Wish I wasn't allergic to soy milk.
You're definitely not just like preaching to the choir! We differ dramatically in our social and political views yet I still very much enjoy your content. Just because we don't agree on everything shouldn't really matter and furthermore I recognize that you aren't coming from a place of hate.
Anyway, you helped me become vegan for sure. Without your content and your pushback against an all or nothing approach I would never have considered it. I have ibs and I do my best to control flares but can't always. When it gets really bad and starts affecting my ability to work I switch to a plant based but with meat and eggs (to give myself a break from beans, tofu, and mock meats which can all make symptoms worse during my flare). I don't like it, it sucks, but I know that in a couple months my body and mind will calm down and I can get back to eating vegan. I'm very open about it with the people around me. Luckily I haven't had a flare in a long time (but I get eczema now???). Anyway, content like this is important, it does help people move to more plant based eating.
I think the reason people are so upset with Alex is because he made it so many good points.
Interestingly he has not said any of those points are wrong.
Another thing about EDs is that there are times where whoever it is can only stomach one thing or has a craving for one specific thing. And sometimes that thing they can eat isn’t vegan. I’ve been vegan for 5 years but when I first moved away into a college dorm and learning how to live on my own, there was 2 weeks where I broke my veganism because I the only thing I felt like eating was some name brand snacks that were not easily accessible to make vegan. I hope people don’t feel shame for doing things like that because it can push someone away from eating mainly plant based or going back into veganism.
I was kinda scared to watch this video because I'm a big fan of Alex but I'm glad I took a chance
I have IBS and back when I tried so hard to be vegan, it was just painful and embarrassing. I've tried every single mock meat that is available (even the new ones as they've come out) and literally every single one gave me a horrific migraine within a half hour of eating it. I have no idea what in the mock meats is doing that, I haven't been able to nail it down, but I just can't do debilitating migraines just to avoid meat. The list of fruits or veggies I can actually eat without pain or running to the bathroom is extremely short (I related to him so hard when he talked about not going anywhere without knowing where the closest bathroom is). The only things that 100% don't make me hurt ever are meat/eggs/seafood/berries. I've tried several times over the last 17 years or so, and it's the same result each time. Migraines and intense digestive pain.
You should stay away from fake meats. It's processed garbage made up of like 50 different ingredients. When studies say a vegan diet can be healthy, that diet doesn't include those processed fake meats.
The healthiest diet in general is going to be one that is well balanced, varied and doesn't contain processed foods.
I also have IBS and hypothyroidism as well and I've tried pretty much every diet between 100% plant based and 100% animal based. I felt the best on 100% animal based but after a few weeks I simply wasn't hungry anymore. I was NEVER hungry. I'd have to force myself to eat. Maybe it was cutting out carbs pretty much entirely that did it. So now I'm mostly on eggs/meat/fish but I add green vegetables and things like mushrooms as well. I'll also add potato from time to time.
Just saying everyone's body is different and who is anyone to say he could easily solve his IBS on a plant based diet. Everyone has a different experience.
@@mikethecornking Plant based diets simply don't always work. You need to accept that reality.
@Mike The Vegan Beast "try to make it work"? Do you think it's possible for a human to survive on cucumbers and strawberries? Are you serious? It is simply not possible for some people, and that's okay. I'll not be martyring myself just to not eat animals. I'm not going to be in constant pain. Caring about animals doesn't magically make IBS go away, it doesn't suddenly make my body able to process plants without intense pain (my body doesn't even process most of them, they come out the same way they went in), and you being all snooty about it certainly doesn't fix my body either!!
Have the day you deserve.
Good video as usual
It's so weird that you have almost the same coloured wall so it literally looks like there's a mini Alex sitting next to you. XD
But great video as always, f the extremists on all sides.
Your pain sounds like it could be your gallbladder! I had to get mine removed after my 3rd pregnancy….