Are You an Over-50 Vegan? Tell Me Your Story

Hi, I’m soon to be 59 yrs old. I’ve lived a PLANT BASED diet for 5 yrs now.
We have always had vegetarian food for most of our meals except three days a week, until I decided to eat only vegetarian 6 yrs ago. Then, I read The Engine 2 diet book and decided to try plant based to see if I could do it. It was easier than I thought to eat that way, and so I still eat that way now.
It was a struggle dealing with friends who eat the standard American diet. People react strangely to MY choosing to NOT eat meat, fish and dairy. I felt that they were accusing me of doing something wrong. Finally, after many get togethers, I told them that I didn’t enjoy being put on the spot. After all, I didn’t tell them how to eat, so why should they be so offended that I don’t choose to eat in the same fashion that they did. After that, everyone seemed to be nicer about it.
I feel that more people could live healthier, and more people would have food on their plates if we all quit eating animal products.
I lost 60 lbs within 4 months eating like this, my cholesterol is lower, my sugar stays at 82 annually when it’s checked.
My husband eats what I fix, but he can’t give up his milk and when we go out to eat he eats whatever he wants.
My biggest problems are that we live up in northern MI and there isn’t the availability of different foods up here. Heck! We’re lucky to have a grocery store within 50 miles, let alone a health food store. So, forget about dining out.
I have, just recently, developed asthma, but other than that I feel amazing.

I am 62. I have a daughter, granddaughter and nephew who are vegan. they have been telling me for decades about the problems with meat. My life partner has been vegan most of our 27 years together. My doctor told me that I am pre diabetic and still I did not change my ways. The vegans in my life told me about how eating meat hurts animals and while I love animals and would never do anything to hurt them myself…i did not have a problem with others hurting them to put meat on my plate.To say that I am stubborn is a mild comment.

Then my life partner asked me if I wanted to listen the the Food Revolution conference in May 2013, I did not really listen until Rip Esselstyn talked about how cars need gas to run efficiently and that trucks need diesel. He then compared our bodies to a high performing car engine..and stated that no one in their right mind would trash a high performance engine with diesel (meat). Well – that did it. Having worked on cars in my past – it finally made sense. I decided I wasn’t going to gunk up my engine anymore. That was May 9th 2013….and I haven’t gone back and have no plans to. I call already tell the difference in my body as it runs on plant strong fuel. I hope to met Rip and tell him.

At 60-something, I was an ex-runner (hips had gone south), a life-long meat lover with consistently high cholesterol pushing the 300 level, and a recently remarried widower. My wonderful bride is an open-minded, beautiful lady of the same age and has long been interested in the role of food an her health. I, on the other hand, had been equally interested in hamburgers and doughnuts.

One day – out of the blue – my sweetheart reported that her nephew and his family had decided to try a 28 day “challenge” of eating no animal products, no sugar and no refined flours.

“Hmm,” I replied. “He always seemed so level-headed.”

Well, one thing led to..as they say, and we were off on our own 28 day adventure. I never cheated and was absolutely blown away when, after about 3 weeks, I had my cholesterol retested and it was down 100 points!

Now, here’s the key to our continued – now 2+ years plant eating adventure – my lover and I do this together. She is a wonderful veggie cook and I do some food creating too. We’ve had no trouble finding amazing recipes – and have become familiar with odd and arcane ingredients like sorghum flour and vegan cheeses.

So – I’m 20+ pounds lighter than when we started, have an immensely healthier blood profile and now look exactly like Brad Pitt (one of those assertions may or may not be true.)

Still getting healthier, happier and – my wife may not agree – ever so much smarter.

Good luck with your project!

Thanks for asking. Interesting stories here. I’m 59, became a vegetarian at age 20 and a vegan at age 42. I’m in it for the non-humans. I don’t like how we treat them. The health benefits are a side-benefit. I’ve been a lazy vegan, though, and while I wouldn’t describe my earlier self as a junk-food vegan, I did eat more than my share of potato chips. I’m gradually eating and otherwise consuming a lot more healthily and ethically. I’m always inspired by others whom I know who are great models for ethical veganism.

I know that consuming ethically is by degrees. There is no acceptable/unacceptable demarcation to determine whether one is consuming ethically. Also, veganism is not just about food and clothing. Even bicycles are made of materials that have to be mined and processed; habitats are destroyed. More and more, I’m drawn to primitivism, though I know we, as a species, can’t go back, despite that we should. It’s a conundrum. Definitely nix so-called ‘development’ and ‘growth’. So, ethical veganism is political. I’m increasingly activist. I wish I had been of this mind when I was 20.

Relationships? Tough one. I’m single and can’t imagine hooking up with a carnivore now. That’d be like a pro-lifer with a pro-choicer. With a vegetarian? Not sure. Prefer not. I’m ok with that.

I started the transition to a vegan diet right before I turned 50. We saw Dr. Neal Barnard speak in Septemeber of 2011 and did his 28-Day Challenge, but when it ended my boyfriend wanted to do “vegetarian”. That led to falling off the wagon by the holidays. Then in January 2012 we saw Rip Esselstyn speak and did his 28-Day Engine 2 Challenge. This time it stuck for almost a year. When we moved we were living out of a suitcase and financially strapped for 2 months and resorted to fast-food and our old ways. Not only did we gain all our weight back, but we feel sick, tired and in pain. We’ve been back ON the wagon for a month and feeling better already, but wondering why we feel so tired. We are struggling and my bf is getting frustrated as he feels it is getting “too hard and complicated”. I reasoned with him that we did it for almost a year, we COULD do it again. I think our problem lays more with the fact that I have to commute to and from work and have far less TIME to cook and prepare healthful, tasty vegan meals. I don’t feel like cooking when I get home. I’m tired.We are both terribly obese and want this to be our permanent new lifestyle. I will be 51 in July.

Hi, I am 58. I started my diet/ lifestyle change in Oct 2012. I had a brief fling with vegetarianism in the 70s but have always consumed dairy. I started investigating the meat trade after I learned about the atrocities of the live export, (I live in Australia). I stopped eating meat. Then I started learning of the awful dairy industry, I stopped eating dairy. I have been vegan now for 5 months. I have found it very easy as I am so convicted. I have lost a dress size too which is a nice side effect to a compassionate diet! Also, I was taking 8-10 codeine every day, now I might take a couple of paracetamol a few times a week! I have not had my blood tested but I stopped taking statins fir cholesterol months ago. I am still taking high blood pressure medication though. I wish with all my heart that I had done this decades ago.

I’m 66 now, started eating mostly vegan just 3 years ago and am so happy to have done it. I was motivated by medical reasons, had received a diagnosis of prediabetes. I was inspired by Dr. Neal Barnard’s work, and T. Colin Campbell’s The China Study. I have felt increased mental clarity and general well-being since I started. Additional motivation was provided by my vegetarian daughter, and by reading Will Tuttle’s “The World Peace Diet.” I have several friends who also recently went vegan or nearly-vegan, so we share recipes and inspire each other. I recently started a chapter of Dining for Women with a mission to serve only vegan food at our meetings.
Like some of the others responding here, my husband eats vegan at home and gives me helpful feedback on the meals I prepare. As I have more experience day by day, I find easier ways to eat vegan when I travel and eat out. I love to cook and have bought at least 20 vegan cookbooks, so trying out new recipes is a great delight.
It has been interesting to observe that my vegan focus pretty much determines which restaurants we choose when eating out — I always check the menus and point out when some restaurants really have no vegetarian/vegan selections. I make a point of thanking restaurants that do offer them.
My prediabetes went away and my cholesterol is excellent, never having had to take any statins. My seasonal allergies are much milder now, so I no longer take any prescription medications for them.
I am a more conscious cook and a more aware eater as a result of studying about veganism and can now say that my reasons for choosing this life approach are more than medical, also environmental and ethical. It is satisfying to know that I am making a difference with every meal I eat. Thank you for your resources, which help so many of us.

Cookie. You want old? older than above? How about 88 years old and Vegan since about 2 years ago.

My main reason was because meat began to disgust me and therefore began as a vegetarian and gradually into a vegan but my only weakness is cheese.

Oh I do slip into skim milk but always have soy milk on the side for cereal. It has been easy for me. My main problem is when I’m invited to a friend”s house and I don’t expect her to cook anything special for me…then perhaps I might have a small portion of whatever is being served but rarely does that occur.

I love how I feel and move and think. I just feel GREAT! I don’t miss any of my old habits in fact I wish I has started when I was younger.

To be truthful I also inherited good genes and mother was raised in the pyrinees (spelling?) Mountain range between Spain and France and most of the time they ate just vegetables, kale, collard green etc.so it is easy for me to change. Susan

I am 54 and have been on a whole food, plant based vegan diet for nearly two years. I was inspired by Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s PBS show initially and then read 30-40 books by a wide range of vegan proponents and decided to alter my diet. I was overweight, on cholesterol and blood pressure medication and wanted to be sure I was around to see my grandchildren, whenever that may be. I have subsequently lost 30 pounds and stopped taking my cholesterol medicine (total is now 108). I feel much better and don’t really miss the meat or dairy much at all. I do all the cooking and grocery shopping and its just me and my wife in the house now, so that made it easier. She is a nurse and is very supportive of my diet change and eats anything I make her, although she will still eat a little fish and meat occasionally. My daughter eats vegan quite a bit, but I have some work to do on my son! We both exercise regularly and are looking forward to spending many more years together!

I am 63 years old. My son became vegetarian at 16 and vegan at 17. He is 31 years old now. My daughter became vegetarian in 9th grade and vegan a few years later. She is 21. Their reason for being vegan is philosophical. I became vegetarian for philosophical and health reasons. I became vegetarian due to the influence of my children. That was about 8 years ago, although for the first two years I ate salmon ta few times. I realized that I couldn’t call myself a vegetarian if I still ate fish–even if it was just once a year! My son made that very clear to me.
I am in the health and fitness business and know that we would all be much more healthy eating a plant-based diet. With the exercise and my vegetarian diet I look and act much younger than my years.I am healthy and have so much energy and can do physical things easier than most of my students that are a third of my age. I am proud to tell them about the vegetarian lifestyle and show them films about health and eating and our relationship to animals, people and the environment. I want them to know the impact that we have on life here on earth.
I am still finding it difficult to become vegan. It’s easy to go out to eat and find vegetarian dishes, but much more difficult to find vegan options at a regular restaurant. If I go to a party it’s easy to find vegetarian food but much more difficult to eliminate everything that may have eggs or dairy. I know that dairy is not healthy for humans and I consume very little, but it is hard to give it up totally. At some point, that will happen.
With the help of my kids and their great vegan cooking I am happy that I am almost there!

My husband has been a runner all his adult life. A few years ago at age 64 he was regularly running with a man a year or so older who was on a pretty strict diet. With lots of time to talk while they ran, my husband asked about the diet, and a few days later a copy of Dr. Esselstyn’s “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” showed up at our door.

My husband read it and was intrigued, but suggested that I not read it because he didn’t think I’d want to make big changes in our diet. So of course I had to read it, and was 100% convinced that switching to the Esselstyn/Fuhrman/Ornish/McDougall diet would give us the best chance to enjoy good health as we grew older.

We made the change to a plant based/no oil diet nearly three years ago at age 63 and 65. We both still run and are not on any medications and feel great. Additionally we also both dropped to what we weighted in 9th grade despite eating boatloads of plant based foods. I’ve enjoyed cooking more than ever before as I’ve explored the meatless and dairy-free cuisines of the world.

The original motivation for the plant based diet was our health; now I have learned that not only is a plant based diet the best for human health but it’s also the best for the health of the planet and all its creatures. We eat this way for our grandchildren – so that we’ll be around to enjoy them. And as more people follow a plant based diet, we hope that our beautiful planet will be healthier for generations after us to enjoy. I am so grateful that we learned about the ways the Standard American Diet is harmful to us and to our environment, and happy that we made the change.

The biggest problem that we encounter is that our grown children feel like we’ve changed the rules of family gatherings. We just try to be sure that there’s always something we want to eat as well as something they want to eat at family gatherings, and it mostly works.

I am now 50, and have been a Vegan for the past 18 months.

My path to veganism took about 8 years, although I did not realize I was on the path until the end.

At age 42 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Initially, I was told, “take your meds,” and you’ll be fine. Maybe when you’re in your 70s you’ll need a cane.”

By age 45 I couldn’t walk, I had blurred vision and cluster headaches, I couldn’t work or support my family and my new doctors (MS Specialists at UCLA) told me that my disease had spiraled out of control, meaning I was among a small percentage of MS patients (3%) who will die directly from the disease within a couple of years. (most MS patients die of related illnesses after many years).

My doctors did try a radical therapy of chemo, which eradicated my immune system (MS is Autoimmune) temporarily; and while I did not get better, I stopped getting worse.

I was promptly let go from my job for “not keeping pace with my colleagues during the six months I was in chemotherapy,” so without health insurance (or funds), I had to take my treatment into my own hands.

I began to learn about the direct connection between food and illness, and modified my diet a great deal, cutting back on meats and processed foods, increasing fish, etc. (A classic Mediterranean diet). In fact, my wife started a Mediterranean Tapas catering business based at the time. Three years passed, and while I was not getting worse, I was in constant pain due to the severe, demyelination on my spinal cord.

I also had begun to slip back into some old habits and eventually grew worse. So bad, I had trouble standing for long periods of time (i.e., a minute or two).

I thought it was just an MS relapse.

Turns out I was bleeding internally with a cancerous tumor in my stomach.

Less than 24 hours from bleeding to death, I had emergency surgery, and plenty of time to rethink my priorities.

During that time, I watched “Forks over Knives,” which, among other things, made a strong case for the connection between meat and dairy proteins and cancer.

With really nothing else to lose (I already had one foot in the grave; the other on a banana peel); I decided to go Vegetarian (at first). Three months later, I decided to go full Vegan.

In 18 months, I’ve lost 25 pounds. I feel better than I ever have in my life–even before my illnesses (although I still suffer nerve damage pain, it is considerably less intense); and I’ve taken up exercise again (I used to be an avid jogger, skier and tennis player. 20 more pounds and I’ll weigh the same as I did in college.

As for the Cancer, I had no insurance, no one would sell me any; so I could not afford the precautionary chemotherapy prescribed for my cancer ($approx. $40,000 a year on top of my MS meds which were another $60,000 a year I could not afford).

So my diet was really my only defense going forward after successful surgery. And while my doctor did not initially support my decision to go Vegan, my last CT Scan was so clean, he said it looked like I had never had the cancer. “Whatever you’re doing,” he said. “Keep doing it.”

As the son of a doctor, I would never recommend going against doctor’s orders like this; but I do firmly believe my Vegan diet has kept me alive and will do so for many years to come.

Hey hi,
I actually don’t fit your exact criteria…I’ve been vegan for about 45 years now but I am over 50!
Have to tell you that I was divinely blessed that first month at boarding school when I made the decision…too much to tell via this format but suffice to say, it has become the most important decision of my life in the most positive ways possible.
Keep up the great work!
jt

So inspiring to read people’s stories here! I’m not technically eligible for this because I was 46 when I went vegan, but I thought I’d share anyway just to join in with the general positivity. Like the great majority of the population, I think I was an omnivore who was vaguely uncomfortable with the moral dimension of what I was eating, but quickly looked away. My girlfriend (longtime vegetarian, had been vegan for a few years but relapsed to omni after having a doctor tell her she needed to eat meat to keep her kids healthy – gah!) finally got her bearings straight and went right back to vegan after about 20 years. I read Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, given as a gift by my omnivore sister who is interested in sustainability, food history, locavorism, and the like, and thought it was awesome. Since then, I’ve developed many resistances to Pollan’s limited and somewhat hypocritical approach, but I still credit him with inspiring me in the first place.

I knocked off the meat along with the girlfriend, but kept eating my beloved cheese (I was a big cheese-eater) for about a month. Then I knocked that off to try to address some digestive issues (had no effect), but realized that hey, I actually didn’t crave cheese after about a month! That was more than 5 years ago, and my primary motivation now is ethical, although environmental impact (and, to a much lesser extent, my own health) play into it. Thanks for launching such a great project. I’m now 52, and never happier with the way I eat, the way I feel, and how both of those align with my ethical view of the world.

Hi – I am a 54 year old woman, vegetarian since I was 18 (ate dairy, fish and seafood) and adopted a vegan diet in September of 2012. Influences to go completely plant-based included Jonathan Safron Foer’s book “Eating Animals”, as well as the numerous documentaries and ongoing revelations about the horrendous conditions that farm animals are subjected to and the suffering of dairy cows and their offspring, to produce all things milk-based. I also have realized that the depleted state of the oceans demanded that I forego a rare treat of fresh but sustainable fish. I found it most difficult to give up eggs and cheese, although I did not substitute anything other than an occasional sprinkle of nutritional yeast on some dishes. I am a chef by trade, so I had an easier time adapting than probably most people, and because I’d been meatless most of my life, the change was not quite so dramatic. I do not purchase ‘vegan cheese’ as most of the products I’ve encountered contain casein, and sourcing this enzyme requires calf stomachs. The most significant physical changes I’ve enjoyed include a complete elimination of all arthritic pain (I believe this is a benefit of a dairy-free diet). While my symptoms and pain were limited in scope, they were regular and ongoing, and prominent in my hands, knees and hips (too many years ‘chef-ing’ on yachts). I also no longer have the annoying throat-clearing and stuffy sinuses I dealt with on daily basis. I’ve also noticed that I haven’t had a sinus infection in the past year, and they used to be a regular occurrence. I recently started working with 2 young children, and they, along with their parents, were sick an average of 4 to 5 times each this past winter (Florida), and I am happy to say I didn’t even suffer a cough or cold. I take no medications whatsoever; I supplement with B12 and amino acids, along with iron every now and then. I eat an extremely healthy diet, a good portion of it raw, but still find a struggle with maintaining an ideal weight (ten pounds lighter would be my most comfortable). No sodas, no candy or junk, I do like my glass of red wine and some dark chocolate, but that’s my “bad”. I get blood work done every 6 months, the last one in March of this year, and all of my markers are optimal. I’d be more than happy to share any additional information, and look forward to reading more about like-minded people out there on similar journeys. Many thanks for your research!

For me, becoming vegan was a very gradual process.
At age 44, I found myself 90 pounds overweight and sick of it! I had tried a high protein diet, lost about 70 pounds, and gained it back within two years.
Then I read a book, The Okinawa Program, about people on the island of Okinawa, Japan, who lived into their 90-100s in a very healthy, lean manner, and who, among other things, ate little meat and mostly veggies and soy products. I started cutting down on meat, and felt better and better The weight started slipping off, and my energy skyrocketed. I had no plans to go even vegetarian, though, thinking that was too extreme for me, and frankly I thought vegans were kind of strange.
However, I got the usual questions about protein deficiency, etc, when people saw I was cutting back on meat, so I started researching the issue on the internet to make sure I was doing it right. I saw the films about CAFOs and treatment of animals in those, as well as films showing the intelligence of pigs, chickens clucking to their eggs, etc, and more and more the eating of meat bothered me. So in 2009 I went vegetarian.
The more I learned about conditions in dairy CAFOs as well as health (I read The China Study and The Food Revolution, which were profound influences) going vegan was much harder – I would stick to it for awhile, and then get irresistible cravings for ice cream and processed desserts. In 2011 and 2012 I tried over and over to go vegan, only to fail each time.
Then I started coaching with Victoria Moran, and she asked me a question, “What kind of veganism are you interested in?” Uh…I didn’t know there were “kinds.” The low fat high starch kind was the only kind I had known.
So I started researching the issue, and came across Joel Fuhrman’s books. That struck a chord with me…it all made sense. In 2013, I made a New Year’s Resolution to follow the vegan version of his plan, and everything fell together, thanks to his books and Victoria Moran’s book and coaching.
Now, life is good! The first 60 pounds disappeared when I went vegetarian, but now the last 30 are gone as well! For good! I ran my first half marathon this spring, everything fits, and numerous people have commented on my weight loss. I no longer have the uncontrollable cravings, and am having a blast trying to cook new foods. Joel Fuhrman’s plan and ideas for Michael Gregor’s website seem to fit my metabolism, and for the first time ever I am keeping the weight off without feeling I am constantly struggling not to eat.
I hope I can be a vegan the rest of my life, and my plan is to run a half marathon every year til I hit age 100. And as a vegan, I think I can do it!

I am 58 years old, and “going vegan” immediately, from consensus between my general physician and myself. I am not at all a “vegan by morals” person, although I decry the cruelties rampant throughout the animal industry. Eating meat is not “wrong”.

I never enjoyed eating meat/poultry while growing up, probably because my mother was a poor cook. When I became Eastern Orthodox Christian at age 21, I was happy to accept that Orthodox Christians are vegans for nearly two-thirds of every year. We have many days, and some extended periods, when our religious practice and beliefs prohibit eating meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs. I cook well, and enjoy both vegetarian and vegan foods.

After undergoing surgery for a serious leg injury in 2003, I remained unable to exercise (particularly running) because of pain. This is permanent, although at “good times” I can walk at a moderate pace. My weight soared from around 115 lb. to its current 180 lb.

This past December, tests showed that I had passed from osteopenie to osteoporosis. My cholesterol and triglyceride numbers were, once again, bad. (totals drawing near to 300)

The doctor prescribed Niaspan as an alternative to statin drugs. I had not read enough about rosacea (which I have had for nearly two years), to know what a mistake that would be. The rosacea “exploded”, sending me for the first time to a dermatologist.

This summer, the doctor suggested a trial of Simvastatin. By the time that twelve days had passed on the medication, I was sleeping for several hours each day, and was too exhausted to do ANYTHING. As the statin drug was the only “new variable” in my life, I read more about it. The 2012 study from the University of California at San Diego confirmed what was happening.

This past week, I met again with the doctor for a brainstorming session. He did not want to try any more statin drugs, and understood why the niacin-based medication was off-limits. He has had patients who “went vegan” in order to lower their cholesterol and who succeeded (so long as they maintained a vegan diet). The doctor recognized that I have enough experience with vegan cooking and meal planning that I am “a good bet” for making this commitment.

My husband wishes to join me, from our wondering whether a vegan diet might reduce his arthritic pain. (He, like me, and the entirety of our family, already eats vegan according to the Church calendar.)

I found this blog a couple of days ago, and have ordered a copy of the recently-published book for vegan women. I look forward to learning from it. Some years ago, I purchased “Becoming Vegan”, by Davis and Melina, which gives me something of a baseline for education.

Hi Ginny,
I thought I’d respond to your request to hear from “over-50 vegans.” As a bit of background, I just turned 56 and was divorced in 1993 after 12 years of marriage, with no children, and was a healthy omnivore the whole time. I then became a “convenient vegetarian” in 2000 at the age of 42 after seeing the movie, “Babe.” While watching the movie, I looked down at my dog and knew I would never eat her, so decided I didn’t want to eat other animals either. However, I use the term “convenient” because when I was invited to an omnivore’s house for dinner, or when I had to move back in with my omnivore parents for a number of months to care for my father, I slipped back into eating meat during those times because it was just more convenient.
In 2012, at the age of 54, I saw the movie, “Forks Over Knives,” and decided to become vegan–again, for the animals. Within a couple of months, however, and without trying, I lost about 8 pounds, from an already slender frame, and it worried me so much that I went back to eating my eggs and ice cream for a few months. But I kept reading online about factory farming, especially in the egg and dairy industries, and decided that ethically, I just couldn’t keep eating animal products.
I am also an avid gardener with raised beds and many fruit trees and berry bushes, and love to “graze” in my yard, so that added the 4th “plus” to my decision to STAY vegan this time, along with the usual reasons of doing it for the animals, my health, and the health of the planet. As for my weight, for the last few months I’ve been 115 lbs. at 5′-8″ which I know is underweight, but I’ve decided to stop worrying about it, as I feel great. I do have osteoporosis, however, but don’t think my veganism was a factor as I’ve been headed in that direction for over 10 years, but I have recently upped my calcium intake, and have added Vit. D, an estrogen patch, and exercises to my daily routine to help strengthen my bones.
When I first became vegan last year and told my family and friends, I was extremely disappointed when NOBODY asked me more about it or expressed an interest in perhaps also becoming vegan. I was invited to a dinner party by some long-time friends and they went out of their way to serve me a vegetable enchilada with tofu sour cream while everyone else had pork enchiladas and cheese. Unfortunately, instead of making me feel special and included by having the same sort of meal, because they made a big deal about mine being different I felt ostracized instead.
Because I received no support from my friends or family and felt very much alone, this spring and summer I went to the Vida Vegan Con (where I met you briefly!) and took a Veg 101 Cooking class and a Master Vegan class, both offered by NWVeg in Portland, OR. What a joy and relief it was to be among people who felt as I did about what they ate! They also finally helped me realize that it seems that no matter what you say, everyone has to come around to veganism in their own time, in their own way, if at all. This has been a huge concept for me to grasp, but I believe I’ve finally acknowledged it. So now, I just try to be the happiest and healthiest vegan I can be, and to share terrific vegan recipes I’ve found. I love all the different vegan foods I’ve discovered and have begun to rely on, especially soy milk, quinoa and chia seeds! By the way, my dog is also on a vegan diet, and was 10 pounds overweight when I adopted her this spring, and has lost those 10 pounds this summer, and is now a svelte 42 pounds. She loves her carrots!
Although becoming vegan has not brought me closer to my friends and family, it HAS helped me feel more connected to vegans around the world–especially in Australia, where “Babe” was filmed. I have also become a more compassionate person and believe I am finally being true to myself by doing no harm to others each time I sit down at my dinner table to a delicious vegan meal…
Best of luck with your book and I look forward to reading about folks like myself who have made the switch to better health and a more compassionate lifestyle, no matter the age!

I was vegetarian for about 10 years before transitioning to a totally plant-based diet. That was in December of 2011. I am now 65. I had been dabbling in vegetarianism for a long time, had lots of vegetarian cookbooks, subscribed to Vegetarian Times, etc. for a long time before making the switch.

What made to turn vegan was reading The China Study, then all the other books (I’ve read them all!) out there on plant-based eating, also viewed Forks Over Knives. I am totally committed to it now and will never go back.

It’s just hubby and I here now, and I am lucky that he is happy eating vegan at home, even does the cooking some times. Eating out he might choose vegan or he might choose a meat-based meal, often times seafood. But he searches for restaurants that I can get a good meal at, which is awesome! He is very supportive.

One point of disagreement between he and I is that he likes to buy the fake meats. I’d rather not, but I figure it’s a compromise I can make since he is so otherwise supportive. We don’t eat them very often.

I have not been able to go off my blood pressure and cholesterol meds, which is disappointing. Probably if I gave up the wine, I could, but that’s not gonna happen, haha. I am at a good weight (lost 20# when I first went vegan) for my height, 125 at 5’4″, but would be happier with a lower body fat percentage (now at 31%).

I have tried to convince my brother-in-law to at least try it, as he has type2 diabetes and is obese with knee problems. I think he’d be willing if it were just him, but neither he nor his wife cook, and admit that they eat mostly frozen dinners. That really saddens me. She dos the shopping as she has celiac disease and needs certified gluten free foods, and get low carb meals for my brother-in-law.

I don’t know if these things are what you are looking for, but I hope so. I am totally dedicated to this plant-based diet forever.

I am 50 exactly and you could say I’m transitioning to being a vegan. Transitioning because I started very recently. I live in Argentina, probably the country with the highest meat consumption in the world. I never really liked meat all that much but I’ve been a life long dairy addict — and I do mean addict. It was the dairy thing that really kept me from doing this before. I have long agreed with vegans both philosophically and health wise. I’ve also always had a lot of problems controlling my weight. As the idea of using a vegan diet as a way to achieve better health has gained popularity I began questioning my own reasons for NOT becoming vegan. I guess my weight got to the point where nothing I tried was working. I’ve always healthy eating habits by traditional standards so I new I’d have to do something drastic to create a change. About six weeks ago I decided to just go all the way and become vegan. We don’t have a lot of specialty vegan products available here, but I’m a good cook. I make my own almond milk, even my own apple sauce. Before making the decision I had already experimented with the diet. I knew that I felt better when abstaining from animal products. I also love all vegetables, grains, beans, nuts — everything. I don’t crave animal foods unless I’m very very hungry. I find that I feel much better emotionally. There are two reasons for this. One, I am no longer at war with what I eat. (Aside from being vegan I don’t eat sugar, flower, fried food, or added oils.) Two, my philosophy on health, the environment and the treatment of animals is now aligned with the way I live.

This year my husband and I turned 70 and as a gift to our selves we are progressing to a plant based diet. We have removed gluten, dairy, and meat from our diet and are learning to eat very different. We started with juicing and now have added a solid supper to our diet. We have been doing this for about 3 months and can not believe how different we feel. I am a gourmet cook and I am having so much fun trying different recipesand learning about products and foods I did not know exsisted. I am so excited about eating whole foods and so I want to share with family and friends but I can not believe the hostility from a lot of people with what we are doing. Sarcasm reigns,
We both are overweight and see the pounds coming off but the feeling of no cravings, no hunger is amazing and it will be interesting when we have our annual check up to see the lab results.
Why does it take some of us so late in life to get smart.

Hello!
Yes, I’m kind of late to the (vegan) party. I embraced the vegan lifestyle approximately 3 months ago, & can’t believe what a difference it has made in my life. I am 52 years old, and only regret that I didn’t transitition to a plant based diet years ago. But enough beating myself up! I am enjoying this enlightened way of eating, and will NEVER go back to eating meat and/or dairy. The reason for my switch? ANIMAL WELFARE!

Hi, I’m not quite 50, but I felt so compelled to reply that I could not resist. Its how I feel all the time now after being a complete couch potato with 0 energy. I recommend that people watch the lecture called “Wheat Belly”. It further enhanced my recovery and in no time I was shooting imaginary jump shots and scraping my knuckles on the ceiling while doing so. I don’t know if I will make a full recovery though from Small Fiber Neuropathy. It is highly paainful, but I do have good days. Aside from the pain I feel like I’m about 21 years old physically and I haven’t even incorporated exercise into my daily routine. I am a raw vegan and it is my hope that PERHAPS by some miracle of sorts that my condition will disappear. If it doesn’t I’ll be okay because I feel certain that I will live to be 100 years old. Up until about a 6 mos ago I was pretty certain I would not see 60. I suffer with an autoimmune disease called Sarcoidosis , however, it has been in complete remission since I started. ALL joint pain has dissipated and sinus issues as well. Nothing short of miraculous so far so why stop believing in it now.

Having always been an animal lover I struggled with eating meat. However, growing up in an English household with the traditional animal protein as the centre of each meal I believed this was necessary for proper nutrition.

In recent years (I am now 55yrs), I have watched my parents, siblings and friends develop various diseases, sadly some ending in death. The final breakthough came when a colleague in her early twenties was diagnosed with breast cancer. Another colleague had also had a breast lump scare and had been told to read the book, The China Study (T. Colin Campbell). I also read the book and it was life-changing. From that moment on I have not eaten meat, fish or eggs and have gradually weaned myself off dairy. Although I am now vegan I prefer to refer to my diet as T. Colin Campbell does, “whole-food, plant-based” as I avoid pre-packaged ‘vegan’ foods and try to eat food as close to its natural state as possible.

I have never looked back. My only regret is that I did not do it sooner.

I have been vegetarian most of my life. My parents raised us vegetarian (my mother for ethical reasons; my father because his mentor dropped dead of a cholesterol-related stroke at a hospital board meeting). I raised my children vegetarian. Occasionally, to please my previous husband we had chicken, and our neighbor had chickens and traded eggs for flowers. My current husband fishes for salmon during the run, enough for once a week through the winter. We do not eat mammals as a rule as I cannot reconcile petting one and eating the other.

My vice has been cheese. We buy SPCA-certified, but I dropped cheese from the menu two years ago and went vegan. When I turned 50, I decided to follow my ethical, culinary, and health interests and purge all animal products (except honey – we keep hives to encourage colonies) from our diet. It was not that hard as we were more than halfway there – I was surprised, actually, at how easy it was. The most important thing was to keep trying new things – always experiment (nut cheeses) and share our discoveries in pot luck dinners.

It has been three years of a (mostly) true vegan diet. My cholesterol levels are zero, my blood pressure is perfect, my skin looks great, and my overall health is wonderful. I love cooking vegetables, using herbs in novel ways, grilling fruit and using juices for poaching. We visit the local markets, support CSA’s, read widely, experiment and keep variety in mind, and try to choose fair trade items. We are lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest where veganism has caught on as part of the sustainability and food-to-table movement. We have growing numbers of restaurants and farmers markets – lots of support.

All good, except…

I have pernicious anemia, my sex drive is non-existent (no cholesterol, no sex hormones), and after 10am, I need a nap. I used to be a tri-athlete; now, I can just about get through a Pilates session. I eat beans, iron supplements, molasses in everything, and cook in a cast iron pan. I am so committed to this choice, but I can’t quite seem to make it work for my body…I am seeing a nutritionist, I have read all the books – is it possible that not everyone can be vegan? I do not want to leave this path, but unless I can find a solution to the iron deficiency issue, I don’t see how I can stay the course.

What is the name of the book? Where is it?

I was Pescatarian since 1984. I changed to vegan in 2013 because I realised it was the only moral and ethical way to live. I am now 55-years-old.

I grew up vegetarian, but had a period when I ate meat in my 20s. Then I went back to being vegetarian in my 30s. I am 64 years old now, and I just went vegan on January 29th, two months ago. I was reading The Vegan Sourcebook by Joanne Stepaniak that day, and was very moved, knew I couldn’t eat any animal food anymore. I’ve also read The China Study and other books. Have followed PCRM for years now. It has been easy to be vegan so far, once I decided. Something just clicked. I knew that was the end of eating that way. I’m doing it for the ethical reasons, the cruelty to animals, and for health and environmental reasons. I know I will never eat meat again, and the same goes for the dairy products. I don’t crave anything non-vegan, at least not so far. I doubt I will. I’m very interested in reading all the stories here. I know just one vegan in the rural cattle-eating environment I’m in here in Imperial Valley. … P.S. Perhaps I’m not a true vegan, because my shoes are still leather. I’m certainly follow a whole food “plant-based diet”.

I’m 57 and female. I’ve been an on again off again vegetarian. We generally eat pretty healthy healthy at home, but have gotten lax about the last year, having purchased a house with all the attendant headaches of home ownership. Unfortunately, my arthritis has gotten a lot worse, and my doctor says I might have fibromyalgia. I have been in constant pain and fatigue for months. I may not stay a vegan, but I’m at least going to try it until Thanksgiving. I am also eliminating gluten, just to make sure this isn’t aggravating my condition(s). Who knows, I may end up buying some variant of a Tofurky for Thanksgiving instead of the organic turkey I had in mind. I’ve been watching programs on the dangers of sugars, meats, etc, on Netflix to give me some motivation.

I’ve been a chronic insomniac for years. Should veganism fix that, then I will probably stay with it a lot longer, as I really, really, want to get off the medication. I’ve started off with a 12 day juice fast, and I’ll go from there. I’m just sick and tired of being sick and tired.