> To be clear, you think it's "easy" to live on a diet without any animal products, and also without soy or gluten, and that I'm "weak" for not doing so, despite other health issues I had on the diet? This is another aspect of veganism that completely turns me off, the pervasive self-righteousness within the community at large. Please tell me what restaurants I could visit with those dietary restrictions? And what quick lunches / fast food I can buy on that diet, on say a 30 minute lunch break, for instance...?

People don't really realize what they eat, especially when it comes to gluten and soy. I developed a wheat allergy after college (which my doctor said was caused by stress and working in a pizzaria full of wheat) which caused me to have to switch to a gluten free diet. That means your prepared meal options are massively reduced, more of your time is spend cooking (which imo is a good thing, I'm conscious about what I eat now), and if you do eat out, take on a "gluten-free tax".

People who go on these holier-than-though fad diets don't understand what people who actually have dietary needs go through. There is no wiggle room for us. If we don't follow our diets there are real and serious medical consequences. We don't just "feel down on ourselves" for not following the diet and the strictness with which we must follow our diets cause real inconveniences.

The parent seems to be suggesting that a vegan diet didn't work for them for health reasons. But countered objections to this by saying that it's difficult. (Which it is. Stupidly difficult to eat meat, gluten and soy free in my experience) But convenience is a different argument from health. Which is it? If the issue is convenience, I concede. If it's health there may be room to explore other options.

Though I admit there is nothing inherently healthy about eating vegan (oreos are vegan and I've gained weight while still being vegan while learning how to bake) I'd argue that choosing a diet on the availability of fast food choices is an indicator of an unhealthy decision.

> The parent seems to be suggesting that a vegan diet didn't work for them for health reasons. But countered objections to this by saying that it's difficult. (Which it is. Stupidly difficult to eat meat, gluten and soy free in my experience) But convenience is a different argument from health. Which is it? If the issue is convenience, I concede. If it's health there may be room to explore other options.

Why can't it be both? A diet can be both medically necessary and inconveniencing. See my own example or a diabetic diet.

Actually, v*gns -- most of whom will become violently ill if someone sneaks a little ground beef into their food -- have a good understanding of "what people who actually have dietary needs go through".

Well then that means that it's not a "holier-than-thou fad diet" for that person, right?

Most Indian vegetarian food has no soy and can be paired with rice instead of bread. It doesn't sound like that's a sort of food that's common in your area.

> To be clear, you think it's "easy" to live on a diet without any animal products, and also without soy or gluten, and that I'm "weak" for not doing so, despite other health issues I had on the diet?

Yes I do. I'm a vegan and have been for 3 years. In Denmark at least, it's easy to avoid gluten when you buy bread. If it isn't in your country, bake your own. Soy? Also easy. There are thousands of other plants.

> Please tell me what restaurants I could visit with those dietary restrictions?

Any vegan(-friendly) restaurant.

> And what quick lunches / fast food I can buy on that diet, on say a 30 minute lunch break, for instance...?

I eat pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, salats, pasta salats, cold pasta dishes, rice and curry (heated up) and so on for lunch. Anything really. If you can't buy it as take-away, cook your own.

That just means that it's easy for you. In the US, for example, wheat flour is found in pretty much everything. It's used as a breading, thickener, binding agent etc. It's even a filler in meat.

Glad I don't live in the US then :)

I've seen an increase in gluten-free products in the last years though, and also heard that it's been happening in the US and UK among other places too. Even in candy. Is that not true?

It is. Luckily the gluten free diet has become more of a fad here for people with money, so there are more options. However, there are no where near as many options to achieve gluten/gluten-free parity.

I guess that's one of the benefits of not living in "processed or manufactured everything" America. We have the benefit of not having to cook as much, you have the benefit of having more control over what you put into your food.

> I guess that's one of the benefits of not living in "processed or manufactured everything" America. We have the benefit of not having to cook as much, you have the benefit of having more control over what you put into your food.

I like to think that I choose to cook my own food because it's healthier than (most) take-away (except if it's incredibly fancy and expensive) and mass-produced food sold in supermarkets, and because I can't afford to go to expensive restaurants for every meal :D