And Then Daddy Became A Vegan…

Monday, March 11th, 2013

2 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

Here’s the most flattering picture I’ve ever taken of you. (Sarcasm.)

There you are in the back seat on Saturday afternoon, indulging in a vegan chocolate cookie from Whole Foods Market.

You didn’t seem to notice there were no eggs or dairy in your cookie. All you knew is that for some reason, I was letting you pig out on a treat which you didn’t have to earn by going potty at the house.

As for the reason the cookie was vegan, that would be because, well… this is me officially coming out of the vegan closet.

I have suffered from severe allergies and sinus problems since 1992, when I was only 11; I’ll be 32 next month. But a week ago I decided to see what would happen if I stopped drinking milk with my coffee.

About two days into using coconut and rice milk instead, I noticed that my constant sinus pressure cleared up.

Then I became addicted to that version of life. It’s been 21 years since I’ve breathed so easily and have been able to think so clearly. The fog in my brain has lifted, in more ways than one.

I decided that if it meant going vegan (no dairy or eggs, in addition to no meat) to continue my heightened state of well-being, I would be willing to make the appropriate lifestyle change. Watching the documentary Vegucated on Netflix solidified my decision.

Granted, our family has been vegetarians for 15 months now. So I’ve been living an alternative lifestyle this whole time anyway. Here it is; the last picture of us together before I became a vegan. The following day I would become even weirder.

Just to be clear, the vegan thing is just for me; not for you or Mommy.

Though when I think about it, the only thing keeping you from being a vegan is Annie’s whole wheat macaroni and cheese and your Chobani Champions Tubes of yogurt.

You don’t like eggs. You don’t like milk. But you’ll eat cheese and yogurt so I want you to keep enjoying them.

Or at least I should say, enjoy them while you can.

I’ve already learned that you and I have basically the same medical issues. The only reason you and I don’t currently still have eczema is because A) I make sure that none of your soaps or lotions contain sodium lauryl sulfate or artificial dyes and B) other than special occasions, I deprive you of processed sugar; even 100% fruit juice.

So don’t be surprised in about 9 years when you turn 11, that you’ll suddenly get this sinus pressure that gets worse at night and any time the weather changes. It will feel like you desperately need to blow your nose, but there’s nothing there when you try.

Son, I hope the best for you. I hope you haven’t inherited my severe allergies and sinus problems, but if you have… at least you’ll have a vegan dad to help teach you have to live the peculiar life of no eggs or dairy, in addition to no meat.

Mmm… did somebody say vegan chocolate cookies?

Love,

Daddy

Healthy Parents: Why We’re a Whole Milk Family

Saturday, January 7th, 2012

13 months.

I grew up drinking skim milk; so did my wife. However, as of last summer we switched to whole milk. Why? Because despite contrary popular belief, low-fat milk is not healthier than whole milk. And I can prove it.

Last May, I read an article in Details magazine called “Is Skim Milk Making You Fat?“ It presented evidence from a study that showed how drinking skim or 2 % milk, as opposed to whole, actually causes people to be more likely to gain weight. Why?

Low-fat milk is more processed than whole- as the word “whole” naturally implies. When the fat is removed or reduced from the milk, so go the nutrients from that fat. Therefore, those who drink low-fat milk tend to feel “less full” and therefore consume more calories elsewhere.

It seemed too radical to be true. So what did I do last May? I switched to whole milk, after only drinking skim my whole life. After 30 days, I wanted to see if I had gained or lost any weight.

I documented this science experience on my personal blog website, both before and after. The funny thing is, during that month, I ended up doubling the amount of milk I drank each day, because it tasted so much better with the extra fat (and nutrients.)

The results? I didn’t gain or lose a pound. (And no, I’m not one of those people who can eat whatever they want and never gain any weight. That was only in high school for me.)

My weight stayed virtually the exact same after the 30 day switch. After seeing the results, or lack thereof, my wife switched to whole milk as well.

So are you the least bit curious? Are you tempted to switch to whole milk now? If you do, then you yourself can be the cool person who gets to drop the knowledge on your friends that no, drinking whole milk doesn’t make you less healthy.

Someone should tell Deb that.

Image: Woman holding bottle, via Shutterstock.