The China Study
discussion
Veganism
date
newest »
newest »
I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian for more than 15 years, but I'll be transitioning to a more purely plant-based diet after reading this. The research is compelling. Also, I learned of this book while sitting in a hospital waiting room with my mother who was going in for her second heart surgery. A woman across from us was reading it. All she said was that it was "life-changing". After I picked it up, and read was it was about, the synchronicity struck me. Jung says we should pay attention to the world when it offers us these kind of striking connections!
I found this book to be extremely insightful. Nutrition books can become a bit overwhelming because so many of them can contradict one another. This book and its perspective is based on factual evidence, and it is simply refreshing. After finishing the book, I followed-up with Dr. McDougall, who is mentioned towards the end of the book. I switched to a vegan, oil-free lifestyle. At first it was difficult, but now I find it pretty easy.
I came across this book while I was reading reviews on Amazon. An impressive reviewer recommended this book, and I'm so glad that he did.
Yes, I became vegan four years ago even before finishing this book. I changed my diet to plant-based food literally over night, donated all the unused animal based products in my freezer and little food pantry and never looked back.I learned about the book from a coworker of mine over a group lunch at a hamburger shop out of all places in Sunnyvale, CA :-) In a nutshell, reading The China Study has a been a life changing experience for good!
Getting close to celebrating my three year vegan anniversary after reading The China Study and eating a very good nutritarian diet at this point (lots of veggies, fruits, and whole foods). I cook a lot more now and enjoy it. My transition has not been completely trouble-free as I discovered a gluten intolerance a year in. I think this has a lot to do with why I didn't do well on a vegan diet when I tried it in college. I wish I'd had better info then on how to go vegan.
Yes I am planning to change to vegetarian diet. I wouldn't mind small amount of animal based protein only on occasion ( eating out, social gathering ).I heard about this book from quotes in Eat to live book by Dr.Fuhrman. Though I can't recall how I get to know Eat to live in the first place :(
Wendy wrote: "Has anyone changed their diet and become a vegan after reading this? If yes, how did you originally hear about this book?"
Yup, I did (although like the author, I'm not to fond of the word "vegan" due to the usually moral connotation it has). I just happened to come across a Spanish translation of it in a local mall here in Argentina, thought it might be interesting so made a bit of research about it and later bought it. Probably the best decision I took in quite some time.
Yes, after reading this and Eat To Live, I converted. It was difficult because I had a newborn son and an uncooperative husband, so I would have to say I was about 90% vegan. People don't think you can raise healthy vegan kids and so the constant defending of my position wore on me. I am vegetarian now and my son is primarily vegetarian when at my house - the now ex-husband is eating hamburgers alone somewhere. What people eat is such a personal and complex issue I find I don't really discuss it much with people unless they have the same beliefs. The carnivores are pretty adament about their meat. I don't have the energy to save everyone, just me and my kid I guess.
I was vegan before I read this book. But the china study helped me understand the nutrition issues deeper. I also then did the certification course on plant based nutrition offered by cornell.
Shel wrote: "Getting close to celebrating my three year vegan anniversary after reading The China Study and eating a very good nutritarian diet at this point (lots of veggies, fruits, and whole foods). I cook a..."Shel wrote: "Getting close to celebrating my three year vegan anniversary after reading The China Study and eating a very good nutritarian diet at this point (lots of veggies, fruits, and whole foods). I cook a..."
Interesting that you brought up Gluten issues. I read the book, cleaned out my cupboards and proceeded to go in blind really. Within I'd say one to 1.5 years I had a full blown gluten issue which was discovered when I went for gluten shots in my lower back for loose ligaments. Strange really but I got completely lucky and have not looked back. I do not stick to vegan however that said I do not touch meat. I wondered if I was the only one who didn't fit the profile of feeling great and losing weight? I lost a bit but with all the grains and the misconceptions of going on such a strict regimen I really messed up my digestive system. Would love to hear how you are today?
I just finished reading and reviewing T. Colin Campbell's "Whole" and am enjoying his daughter LeAnne's "official China Study" cookbook. I'm eating and enjoying a whole foods, plant-based diet — I'm now working more on eliminating added oils, salt, and sugar. I got a juicer (Breville Fountain) and have added juices to the mix.Digestive issues resolved, no true gluten-intolerance. All good again.
Sejal wrote: "I was vegan before I read this book. But the china study helped me understand the nutrition issues deeper. I also then did the certification course on plant based nutrition offered by cornell."Sejal, I'm tempted to take that plant-based nutrition course too, just for personal interest. What did you think?
I immediately switched to veganism upon reading the first few chapters of the book. My wife has too, although she has expressed that she periodically wants to 'cheat' and eat cheese, e.g. pizza. I keep telling her 'you gotta read what he says about casein'. I don't want to beat her over the head with the casein/dairy thing (I'm speaking figuratively of course :-). I will be satisfied when she's read the book, hopefully cover to cover like I did; In my case within about 3 weeks. We had already been inching ourselves away from meat and toward vegetarianism, but this clinched the deal for me. I'm already feeling better physically and mentally and I've only been eating a vegan diet since the beginning of this month. I've had digestive issues less frequently than before. As far as I can tell, it (the diet, the lifestyle change if you prefer that term as my wife does) is working! It's hard to resist the urge to want to share this news with everyone I know, but I've been a religious cult before so I know how 'zealotry' can seem obnoxious or unwelcome; I just find the right moment with people who seem open to chatting about it. I fully expect the results (I will be thinner, and healthier) to speak for themselves over time. If I commit to a more serious exercise regimen beyond just brisk walks, then I figure I'll be in even better shape rather than just being mostly sedentary at work, but other than that, not real active. I'm not overly ambitious right now, especially about (not) setting the bar very high for myself for exercise, but that's a personal choice. Not to get off-topic but I was thinking just now about Bill Maher (his RealTime show on HBO). He's half-joked for years about how 'it's the food, stupid', and (justifiably) ridiculed the standard American diet. Contrasting with Maher's acerbic wit, I think the author of this book expressed empathy and compassion for the people of the U.S., in the midst of all the misinformation, which he establishes in many cases has been funded at the behest of our Federal government, no less! I kind of wasn't surprised too much at the 'connections' he reveals between the medical establishment and political systems, etc. I hope this book continues selling in droves, so as to yank the veil off the notion that eating meat is healthy, and I plan to buy a copy (or two or three, etc.) for friends and family.
This book was a stepping stone for me in my transitioning into vegan. I was vegetarian (ovo-lacto) for 10 years and knew that I wasn't thriving. Reading this, watching forks over knives and now adopting the Eat to Live philosophy by Dr. Joel Fuhrman I'm thriving!!! I love what I'm doing for myself and for the animals!
If yes, how did you originally hear about this book?