Page 24 - Vegan Life - Issue 59 (February 2020)

experts

Ask the

Send us your questions and we’ll pitch them
to the team at Veganuary. Whether you’re
unsure about the best way to cook tofu,
or you need some vegan dating advice,
they can help.

When you turn vegan,

should you notify your
GP/doctor?

For most people, there is no need to inform your doctor — or
anyone else — that you are changing to a plant-based diet. Ater
all, would you book an appointment to let them know you’ve
decided to eat more healthily?! That is essentially what you What’s the best way to tell a
would be telling them.
However, if you have any underlying health conditions or are meat-eater that you’re vegan
on medication that might be afected by diet, it would be wise to when you’re on a date?
discuss this with your GP. Remember, however, that GPs know
very little about diet and health, and even less about veganism.
One GP recently told the BBC that around 80 per cent of people
he sees have lifestyle-related illnesses. As new medical students For most non-vegans, dating a vegan brings some challenges. First,
complain about the lack of training on dietary education, a vital they will wonder if you will limit their own choices — of restaurant
part of our health, things will change, but it hasn’t happened yet. or meal — and so by simply choosing a plant-based dish and
If you have concerns and can aford the cost, it might be carrying on with normal conversation, you can allay this concern.
more appropriate to seek advice from a vegan health and What our date orders tells us something about them, and so
nutrition expert. Then take it slowly and assess your body’s we all pay attention to what they choose. For this reason, your
response to the change in diet as you go. choice is likely to open up a conversation that starts with: ‘Are
you vegetarian?’ and continues: ‘I’m vegan, actually’. How they
star date, or start looking for ways to bail out of this one.
respond ater that might just influence whether you want a second
Our buy be judging them — and they might have a point! It isn’t pleasant
Another main concern your date might have is that you will

Becoming Vegan: Express Edition, by Brenda Davis and to watch someone eating meat when you know what that animal
went through, and you may both feel that this diference is a deal-
Vesanto Melina breaker. But don’t rule them out at this point. They are not likely to
This book is a great resource for diet-related health and go vegan on a first date just to please you, but if they are kind and
nutrition advice, and can answer any questions you might compassionate, open-minded and decent, they may just get there
have about things like how to get enough protein, one day. ■
how to have a healthy vegan pregnancy, and
the best ways to obtain plentiful vitamins and For more from Veganuary, visit veganuary.com
minerals. It also comes in a Comprehensive
Edition, for health professionals or those who
want to delve even deeper. Email Gemma.Tadman@primeimpact.co.uk with your
£16.99, amazon.co.uk
questions about veganism.

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