I’m really sorry for all you’re going through personally, be it a result of health issues and social media. Feel better Alex! Thanks for all the thought provoking content and for always advocating for reasoning, tolerance and kindness!
Hello Alex, thank you for opening up about this topic. I totally understand where you're coming from. I've been vegan for over 7 years now. The only time I questioned veganism was when my IBS symptoms were so bad that there were very few foods I could eat without causing a reaction. I had been through a stressful and emotional period then so I knew that is what caused the IBS to get so bad. Yet, I was still wondering, as a last option, if eating animal products would somehow relieve it. I didn't quite get to that point but the contemplation was there. It took me a while, through medical help, dieticians and relaxing more (with meditation and walking a lot) that I was able to see improvements and eventually eat properly again. I still have issues from time to time but it's not as bad as it was. A healthy advocate is a better advocate. I hope your issues become more manageable and you can thrive. Maybe you can go back to plant-based once you're in a better place. The door isn't closed. I wish you all the best, Alex! Take care.
I have IBS and many issues digesting plant based foods. I push through. I push through even if it could endanger my life because it's not about me it's about the animals. There's never a good excuse.
@@rootwo6772 With a strong will, the mind can usually prevail over matter. It is an accomplishment so long as it doesn't feed the ego. The Buddha, as a mendicant, did not reject an offering from any follower merely because it was meat although he consumed only a meagre quantity. His life was dedicated to teaching the masses his way to liberation. Millennia before his time, there were hermits who lived on nothing other than nature - dried plant matter. They believed it was an essential austerity to purifying their Karma. I believe the Buddha was a model in being not attached nor obsessed nor fastidious on food when there is a higher purpose in life.
All the best Alex! I have struggled with some of the problems you described as well and can relate 100%. I know how frustrating, conflicted, and disempowering it feels. Give yourself permission to focus on yourself. Get better above all else. You have done so much good for the world, now give yourself the same kindness.
This was obviously a painful moment for you. Proud of your honesty and continued compassion. Whatever happens, you’re greatly appreciated by many, and it’s good that you’re staying healthy.
Hey Alex, you mentioned struggling to get a sufficient amount of calories and veganism aside, here's something that helped me. I have an eating disorder and for long periods have also had days where I was eating, as you said, 0-700 calories. Meal replacement drinks such as Soylent or Huel were helpful for me as it allows you to drink several hundred calories very quickly and as a nice bonus they are also vegan. Also, making smoothies with things like protein powder/banana/peanut butter. Not gonna comment on anything else here just wanted to leave this here in case anyone finds it helpful.
I switched primarily to Soylent from a diet of microwavable pizzas and burritos about a year ago. I eat it for 90% of my food, and do appreciate that its vegan though I am not.
I have always struggled to attain the recommended minimum BMI with my high metabolism. Your advice to drink your calories is a good one, based on my experience, and Dr. Greger's video on the subject on the Nutritionfacts YT channel and his site. I use a lot of peanutbutter powder as a type of protein drink, and used 1-2 fruit and protein smoothies a day to allow me to reach the minimum BMI goal on a vegan compatible diet. Resistance training also helps since it leads to muscle gains instead of unhealthy fat gains. It also improves the appetite without burning excessive calories. Trail mix (including dates) helps too as a calorically dense, healthy snack.
Of course, I can't comment on how appropriate this would be for Alex's particular life situations, but meal replacement drinks or bars were the first thing that came to mind when he spoke about getting the calories or nutrition in his difficult circumstances. I don't have have the time or energy to cook breakfast in the morning most days, so I bring a Soylent with me to work. I want to empathize with Alex, but it's hard for me to envision a scenario where he couldn't think just a bit more outside of the box to keep it practical for himself.
It will probably trigger the poor man’s IBS. I come from an indian vegetarian background which I had to give up because anything vegetarian aside from nuts gives me the runs.
I am so sorry about this. You deserve as much compassion as the animals. Kindness and love is supposed to be the heart of the movement. The community can be it's own worse enemy. Sending lots of love and compassion.
I have followed you for many years. I am so sorry to hear that you are struggling physically and mentally. Please take care of yourself. Those who are bringing down the proverbial hammer on you don’t represent the majority of us who love and respect you, no matter where you come out on this issue.
He's hurting people because it's not easy not to. I can love and respect him while still thinking that's a messed-up thing to do. He's sick, in one way or another, and needs help, not vitriol. But he's causing others pain and suffering, knowingly and avoidably, and I simply cannot excuse that as if no-one is getting hurt. The separation of his system of philosophy from his lived life is an indication that something has gone wrong. He seems to want to keep his philosophy while living contrary to it. This is definitely a "let he without sin cast the first stone" situation. I bought Cheetos after deciding I would eat a vegan diet. I think most of us have realized that something we've been consuming after we became vegan had something non-vegans in it. None of us are perfect. We've all made mistakes. The question is how best to respond. Vitriol is unlikely to help. If we look at it consequentially, what option of response ought we pick? I'd like to propose we organize a fund to pay for the purchase and delivery of a full vegan diet to Cosmic Skeptic, to both let him know he's loved and to help him live as he would wish he could, according to the philosophy he himself has articulated. I believe this represents the best possible outcome. Rather than knock him down, let's hold him up.
@@RandomAmbles Pretty sure he's more than fine financially. He also has nutritionists and a vegan doctor among his patreons and youtube friends. Given his incomplete and reactionary (focusing on the minority of bad vegans instead of engaging with the good ones) public statement and his more recent behavior (even just talking to someone like the Peterson daughter), chances are he's just never asked for help on this matter.
As many have already stated, our viewpoints are very different; but I am always excited when you upload because you are so genuine. I really learn a lot from listening to your perspectives. You have my support & I hope you are able to focus on healing whatever struggles you alluded to in this video.
I'm one of the people that has become an advocate because of you and for what it's worth I do not feel betrayed or upset in the least. Thank you for the update and stay strong, friend
First of all; I hope that your mental and physical health issues get treated well Alex. Your honesty and integrity is appreciated; you made me consider veganism and your latest update does not discourage me at all. Hope you get back on track as soon as possible, best wishes and all the support!
As someone who gave him lots of hate because he is directly causing the mass suffering of hundreds of thousands by using his platform so recklessly I stand by every characterization. Hope he decided to evolve a moral compass or concern for others outside of himself someday. Thank you for featuring my comment Alex!
@@praxisdragon Would you have him no longer be vegan and not saying anything about it? Perhaps that's the right thing to do from a utilitarian perspective but it think most vegans are more deontologists
I remember watching Alex's speech at a veganism festival where he called out Sam Harris for exactly the same reasons Alex is not a vegan today. He wasn't charitable to Sam and his health reasons for Sam not being a vegan. That video is no longer available on YT. Anywho, I wish you the best and thank you for the positive effect you have had on my and my friends' lives.
@@mariolis he's still extremely wrong (especially claiming that anything that is found in animal foods can be obtained from plants) and has a long way to go
@@mariolis How was he wrong? He was not. He is wrong now and that is why he "presumably" deleted this video. In other occasions where he was actually wrong about something and changed his mind he didn't delete the video where he was wrong.
I respect you a lot for your honesty. It’s very difficult to own up to mistakes and to change your mind on something you were very sure about in the past. Good for you for not being pressured into sharing details of your personal life when you don’t want to. Best of luck to you, especially with your health.
It was right not to give too many personal details. People won’t always treat sensitive info sensitively so that was a smart move. You have my support Alex.
@@elijahp9424 "did he consult a medical doctor, yes or no?" If yes, then everyone would have been more understanding. If no, then he has shown how he himself is not as logical as he likes to claim. We don't need to know who the doctor was or for what specific medical condition, just that he actually sought professional expert advice. But sure, he doesn't share that with his audience, it sure would help his credibility in other matters.
@@joshwarrey3728 His medical history is private, and you are not entitled to it. If she wants to share his medical history, he can do that but not everybody feels comfortable doing the style.
@@palesgensler3099 we don't need to know his medical history. Knowing that he sought medical advice is not the same as knowing his medical history. Stop making strawman. You do know that his argument for veganism was "extraordinary harm requires extraordinary justification". So far, he has no extraordinary justification presented. Convenience is not an extraordinary justification.
Alex's content has been the ONLY thing that has made me shift more toward a plant-based diet. As always, it is fact and philosophy based, without being preachy. I would love to see a poll on the channel to see how many people have experienced this type of change because of Alex. What he does for his own health won't change the mountain of information on the topic that he has given me.
Too bad it's all lies. Not that Alex is lying, I think he's a very honest person from the way he handled this, but the studies are all lies. He's repeating cleverly devised falsehoods. Plants are generally and overwhelmingly indigestible to humans. Many of the nutrients they claim to have cannot be absorbed because of insoluble fiber, oxilates and defense chemicals. Plants do not want to be eaten, and they cannot run away, unlike animals. So they have anti-nutrients which stop you from digesting them. Leafy greens are a particularly ridiculous proposition. Ruminants eat leaves. They have four stomachs. We have one. They clearly have the tracts to digest the leaves and greenery, we do not. (A huge part of the reason humans developed IBS, but since we're so conditioned against thinking plants could be the problem because we've been told countless times they're healthy, Alex cannot see this is indeed the cause of IBS, and a host of other autoimmune disorders) That's why all those nutrients they claim to have, are absorbed by the animal and then we eat the animal. This makes the nutrients extremely bioavailable to us, which they absolutely are not in plants. And by the way, there is no environmental argument for veganism. It's all lies too. Traditional regenerative farming fixes all the problems with modern industrial animal raising. And monocrop farming for pesticide laden, phytoestrogen-filled non-human food, displaces and kills untold numbers of animals. Permanently, mind you. Regenerative farming let's wildlife live in it's natural habitat.
Veganism doesn't work for me either, but I don't think that should change anyone else's outlook on their diet if it's working for them. Not being universally applicable doesn't constitute any serious threat to the actual philosophy of veganism, imo. You do you!
Thanks for your honesty and integrity Alex. I truly hope you're getting the help and support for your mental health issues. Don't be alone on that journey.
Honesty would also mean telling us what he has been eating exactly. Integrity would mean for him to contact a plant based doctor and make simple adjustments. Integrity would also mean to address the constructive feedback he has received instead of focusing on the insults.
@@benh6737 Honestly it's not anyone's business what he eats, which doctor he sees, or what he focuses on in the comments. Everyone here uses animal products needlessly. No point in having a witch trial just because he is doing what is right for him.
@@janieswanson2549 The only argument you keep on pushing by leaving THOUSANDS of comments on vegan related content, (needless harm) has already been refuted countless times. So, you can cope with whatever narrative fits you the most, i don't really care...
As someone diagnosed with Crohn's (IBD), I can totally empathize with you. It's rare to see a big youtuber discuss their gut issues. Thank you for being so open and honest. I hope you're doing well.
As a vegetarian, and on again off again, vegan for the last 25 years, I can understand where you're coming from. The times that I slip back to eating cheese or breakdown and say "OK I'll have the pancakes, even though they have eggs in them" are almost inevitably times when the rest of my life is overwhelming me. My unsolicited advice is to do the best you can to do the least harm you can. If that means falling off the wagon for a while, then don't let that stop you from climbing back on when you are ready. Be as kind to yourself and others as you can.
@@Rezc0 eating eggs and fish isnt vegan. Thats the point. People claim vegan and they’ve been eating fish eggs milk for years. Long term vegans dont exist. Hence why people quit
@@Black-Circle I haven't eaten meat in 25 years. My wife hasn't eaten meat in 35 years. I stopped eating eggs and cheese regularly about 7 years ago and will occasionally will have a slice of pizza or pancakes when I am eating out and there is no vegan alternatives. I know plenty of 25year+ vegans who are far stricter than I.
@@macrumpton thats not vegan tho. I highly doubt you are strong and muscley. More likely frail and grey hair grey skin. Lying about your health as well
I won't pretend it was not disheartening. You were possibly the main reason I went vegan. Even though I always valued your content on phylosophical matters more, the cognitive dissonance video really spoke to me. I was angry for a moment, but I knew it wouldn be wise to write anything with emotions being the main factor driving me. And here I am. Where I stand now is that I am still grateful you helped me make the change. Because all your previous arguments still make sense. And I feel sorry for you having sort of explain yourself here. Must be tough. Take care Alex.
What’s more disheartening are the disgusting comments the vegans sent to Alex. They’re on the same level as the radical religious people and ironically, most vegans are atheists.
I went from vegetarian to vegan in 2020 due to Alex O'Connor. But that's ok, Alex. You may have reverted on your position but I am going strong. I am a pharmacist and pursuing medicine, I have taken graduate level biochemistry (I feel fairly knowledgeable in biochemical and physiological processes), and my partner and I are doing the same without animal products (and have been for years) - no food items, no feathers, no wool, etc. It is possible, numerous clinical studies show the benefits nutritionally, and good luck with your IBS.
You described my symptoms many years ago. It “may” be an allergic reaction to certain foods. For me it was chicken, lamb, wheat, rice, and corn. I had no idea until I was tested. Once I removed those things the insomnia, fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, and stomach issues went away. You are a super smart person and probably have great health care so you may have already checked for this possibility. I love your content and your respect for others. I hope you find the solution for you and too bad about the vitriol from others. You are amazing.
Compassion and acceptance are some of the keys to moving forward in some things, and granting yourself some compassion is key to moving forward as a human.
I really admire your honesty Alex! I’m not a vegan but in watching your videos I have drastically cut down my consumption of animal products. I now will often times choose vegan or vegetarian options at restaurants. At home I have started experimenting with cooking tasty food that is totally vegan. You were the main influence for these changes in my lifestyle, so thank you!
Same here. I’ve cut WAY back on my animal product consumption, in large part because of his advocacy. I’ve never heard of any of the people attacking him now. They are only hurting their cause, pushing away possible converts. That’s what fundamentalism can do.
I think it's important not to think in absolutes here. If everyone drastically reduced their consumption of meat, the total amount of animal suffering would plummet. Of course, our ultimate goal is to reduce unnecessary animal suffering to the lowest level possible, but taking meaningful steps towards that goal is admirable in and of itself.
@@mikolmisol6258 If serial killers decided to half the number of people they murder, there would be less murder in the world. Does that somehow make it ethical?
@@UraniumFractal not at all, but it would be a better world nonetheless. From a practical point of view, gradual change is the way it's going to work for most people. Patience, compassion and being welcoming: That is how to make people feel open to changing. Thinking in absolutes is how you scare them away and make us seem like a cult. You are vegan because of your compassion. It can be immensely frustrating to see people seemingly intentionally not getting the point, but I promise compassion is again your best friend.
@@agentdarkboote We don’t coddle and sympathise with serial killers than ‘only’ kill 2 or 3 people. If someone is doing something immoral, they have no justification to act offended when someone calls them out on their bullshit.
@@User-bl5cw I dont have IBS.Human babies dont ameliorate IBS.If they did of course.If an animal was starting to devour your loved one and you had the means to kill it,would you do it?.
The entire point of understanding what we "should" do is also about understanding what we "can" do. So I hope you are able to grow and progress without being too hard on yourself. Thanks for your videos and perspectives!
This isn't about what Alex could - or could not do. He had literally a top patreon supporter that is a meal-planning expertise plant-based nutritionist. If Alex wanted to - he would. He just didn't want to. The problem is putting "practability" as a need. It wasn't a need, but a want. Alex doesn't oppose the killing, abuse and exploit of non-human animals.
It's pretty selfish for vegans who don't have health issues to speak so aggressively to a man who's so kind to them and clearly caring to as many as possible. You can't please everyone and honestly, philosophy can break the mind sometimes. It put me further into depression, when I realised that being fixed on philosophy was harming me I took a step back, I really don't understand why this is so controversial for him to do
@@veryfitting It's also pretty selfish to kill sentient beings and eat their flesh because you are too "mentally ill" to seek help for your diet problems.
@@davidgomes4383 The meal planner can’t account for IBS or IBD flare ups no matter how hard they try - they’d have to systematically go through each food type for multiple weeks at a time to test which foods triggered inflammation. Coupled with how mental health severely affects likelihood of flare ups, it’s very difficult as someone who does eat plant based and has Ulcerative Colitis to be callous to his suffering. Meal planners can help with, but by the nature of what Alex said - it screamed eating disorder to me. Restrictive diets are detrimental to people with eating disorders - inherently so. I would seriously reconsider the position you have out of empathy for people with eating disorders, Bowel Diseases and for general mental health issues
Bro… I’ve learned much from you and once again I find myself stepping back and thinking “here’s an example of someone genuinely trying to figure things out in an intellectually honest way”. It seems unfair but your struggle with this situation means that, yet again, we get to watch a brain sort through ideas and arguments in a healthy, decisive way. I can’t be the only one who has benefited from this. You push and navigate your way through these things and we get to reap the benefits. Many thanks, my guy. To so many of us, you are worth your weight in gold.
I also have severe IBS and gluten intolerance (not allergy). When you convinced me to go vegan, I talked to my doctor, who referred me to a nutricianist because I already was struggling with eating healthy. After some attempts and an overall increase in some areas of my health, my nutricianist quickly asked me to compromise my veganism and switch over to a pescatarian diet: seafood and animal products, but no non-seafood animal meat. Much like you, the limits of my lifestyle and work prevent me from being around a kitchen to cook, so I often have to rely on frozen dinners, veggies and fruits. I also suffer from mental health issues, so it is much more crucial that my diet help me function daily. Ultimately, I still hope to one day become full vegan, but until then, I'm not. It kinda feels validating to see you join me, albeit in a selfish way. I wish you the best!
@@tradehut2782 - If I had the money to afford fish every day, I'd be set for life, honestly. Lol In other words, you can rest easy knowing fish is only once or twice a week, when I do eat it. I mostly stick with seafood in general.
I was a strict vegan for a long time, but now I consume some fish and pasture raised eggs, if they're certified humane. I feel weird about it sometimes, but I feel a bit healthier.
@@lisao6928 If you cared about health and ethics, you'd just eat bivalves. Eggs and fish are a bs cogdis you convince yourself of that you're being ethical when those are some of the most harm-causing foods out there.
Thank you for being open about your struggles and for being brave enough to share this. It would have been easier to have just never posted about this change in the first place, but you made the hard decision to not live your life as a hypocrite. As a Christian, I often disagree with the content in your videos, but I respect you so much as a person. And you being willing to work through this publicly rather than living your life as a hypocrite makes me respect you that much more!
Huge respect for your authenticity. Your videos have had a great impact on my thinking and what I appreciate the most is your ability to be honest to yourself and always question everything. Most importantly, that is what I can find from this video as well. I will continue following your content and wish you all the best.
Alex, you were one of the clearer voices that helped me process my thoughts and feelings when I was deconstructing. Coming out of religion, I started to notice lots of patterns in all sorts of ideologies. I would say when I deconstructed, your content helped me deconstruct from ideology itself rather than one specific religion. Though I’m not a vegan myself, I really felt it when you said you hoped people wouldn’t view veganism differently because of the vitriol that you have received. I felt it because for a long time, I’ve been noticing that the types of groups who advocate their righteousness the loudest, also have some of the most insidious and despicable behavior saved for the people who don’t “toe the line”. The very people who claim to be the most caring, often have the most potent venom made special for the ones who deviate in their eyes. For me, I can look past that and take the arguments for veganism on their own merit. Im glad you have the wisdom to minimize suffering in a way that includes yourself too. To have a perfect moral compass when talking about when it’s ok to eat animal products to stay alive and healthy, we would need a perfect understanding of consciousness and nutrition. I just hope we can all stumble forward together in a more healthy way where we treat eachother with respect first, then extend that respect to every living thing. Cheers man ❤
Three quick things in response to your comment: 1) kudos on a thoughtful compassionate response to a thoughtful compassionate honest human being wrestling with the difficulty of setting positive standards for themselves and experiencing the reality that people can’t always / don’t always meet those standards 2) I think there is something quite important in the observation you make about the venom of the (often self-proclaimed) ‘morally superior’ and the patterns of human behaviour in tribes defined by religious or other ideologically purity.. it’s a dangerous and damaging pattern that needs to be observed and called out more. 3) I think the original phrase is “toe the line” - worth a quick Wikipedia look - I think it’s from being ordered to stand exactly behind a line; thought you’d like to know. I guess you maybe live near a river/lake? Funny how phrases have different meanings to people depending on experience - I was discussing more “strings to a bow” with a musician friend and he said it should be “hairs” (thinking of instrument bows) whereas I thought it was bows as in bows-and-arrows.. I haven’t looked up who’s ’right’ - both are interesting imho. (P.s hope all well in your world, good luck with your guitar videos they deserve more views)
@@drmartinbartosHey thanks for the kind words. I did a quick search on that phrase and I think “toe” is what I meant. Guess I had some image of a bunch of people pulling on a rope really hard and one person decides not to and gets dirty looks 🤣 English is fun.
@@drmartinbartos Remind me where thoughtful compassion is in throwing another innocent living being into a hell hole slaughterhouse? You clowns are like necrotic flesh. Like what you eat.
And putting the animals’ lives a much more significant second place, which unfortunately in this analogy, happens to be an utterly unnecessary battle royale of species.
Stay strong Alex. You've been a major influence in my transition to a plant based diet, so even if couldn't continue with it yourself, I still want to thank you for this wonderful change you've made in my life. I wish you the best Thank you, truly
@@peterkropotkin1158 The universal euphemism for "I cant come up with a response so im just going to throw around false accusations of trolling and run away!!!" BTW love the profile pic you use as you defend enslaving those who don't look like you. You're definitely not a clown or anything.
@@DiahRhiaJones do you care about the animals that are indirectly killed due to pest control, habitat loss, being caught up in harvesting machinery and the people in 3rd world countries forced into slave labor to pick the avocados, quinoa and other crops that sustain your vegan diet, or do you only pretend to care about animals as long as the end result of the exploitation is on your plate? There's no such thing as a cruelty free diet under capitalism get of your high horse and stop pretending your own shit dosen't stink
@@peterkropotkin1158 Nice level zero anti-vegan tropes. 1. Where are the overwhelming vast majority of crops that are being grown going to again? 2. Theres nothing ethically wrong with protecting food needed for survival, even if it has to be done violently. 3. Since when does avocado = vegan? 4. "There is no such thing as a cruelty free diet" is another meaningless throwaway garbage catchphrase like "there no such thing as ethical consumption". Throwing around that garbage doesn't absolve you of responsibility for tossing a baby cow into a slaughterhouse to have her neck slashed or a pig into a gas chamber because you're a manbaby that can't give up "bacon." 5. Im a vegan, I dont ride horses, dipsht. Though I am an infinitely better person than you are because I dont abuse animals like you do. Thats for sure. Who's trolling again?
I've been watching you since before you were vegan and was over the moon when you started your vegan journey. You've done so much to progress the movement and I've always found your videos insightful and meaningful. I'm definitely sad and disappointed to see it hasn't worked for you and truly embarrassed on behalf of the people who have had such a violent response - what a bad look. Talk about compassion! I hope you're doing alright and I look forward to your next project. ❤️
I don't agree with the name calling and personal insults but if you're vegan that does not entail compassion. It's just about respecting basic rights through empathy.
"Talk about a bad look!" Here, let me roll some slaughterhouse footage and we'll all be reminded what we're talking about here while you claim that insults are the "bad look" here. CLOWN!
Much support to you Alex. The human body is a complex machine and lifestyles are more complex still. I think the key takeaway is empathy towards our fellow man in understanding the difference between the championing of moral causes and self care.
Hope you find a better mental and physical space man! Sometimes the remorseless suffering that life presents us can result in complete breakdowns of capability, I find that such instances are harsh reminders of existential awareness and its spectacular, dreadful and beautiful consequences.
I have also suffered from ibs for most of my life, in a way that sounds very similar to you. I wouldn’t go anywhere without a toilet and was constantly suspicious of any tiny feeling in my stomach in case it was a sign of an attack coming on. My gastroenterologist described my case as ‘refractory’. In fact, long before I was vegan he made a point of recommending that I never go on a plant-based diet because it would make me feel worse. Luckily, when I did decide to go vegan almost three years ago, my symptoms decreased dramatically. It’s not completely gone, but it doesn’t rule my life in the same way. I’m so sorry that it couldn’t be the same for you, because ibs is such a painful and distressing condition when it’s severe. I hope you find a way to manage it.
I appreciate the level of understanding demonstrated here. Someone with your personal history could've just as well blamed him for not doing what you could. Thanks for showing compassion, especially in an environment where it's so easy to attack people.
Same case here, and also a huge improvement from eating a whole plant based diet, but then everyone is different and also it takes a bit of time getting adjusted to it, reading the right books and learning how to cook. I feel very compassionate about him and really hate some people being so awful about this
@@flutiyama Why the fuck do you morons keep talking about compassion? Do we have to roll some slaughterhouse footage to remind you of how absolutely clownish you look right now? What does it take to get you to keep quiet?
If it’s any consolation, it’s great that we are in such a privileged position to be able to have these discussions about the ethics of our diet. It can be really tough to work through having to admit you no longer agree with a stance you once had, especially when it’s one as passionate as this. But your health should always take precedent over the fine tuning of little moral decisions like this.
This is a very thoughtful, well-done video (not that I'd have expected anything else from you). Thank you for being so nuanced and transparent (but also thank you and my big respect for firmly setting your boundaries) and I wish you all the best for the future
sorry to hear you haven't been well, sincerely wishing you good physical and mental health! I hope to see you continue to advocate for reasonable treatment of all life forms on this earth. You never know what the future holds. - from someone whose been vegan for 10+ years
Man, I really feel for you Alex. The inner turmoil must be excruciating. Not to mention the additional physical issues you mentioned. This must be an exceptionally challenging time to navigate. All love and support here! ❤️
I appreciate you because of your process, and all that you are. I'm so glad you have the channel, and selfishly hope you continue to find value in it. I'm sure you've got a wide web, but, you know, if you ever need a hand
bro appreciate the honesty doesn't take away from the good work you are doing keep it up! don't let these pathetic losers that respond with intense hate get you down!
You’re a great person Alex and have helped so many people including me with your insight and intelligence. It must be a tough time for you and a difficult decision but you must prioritise your own health. Both physical and mental. It must be hard when you’re a public voice but try not to let the judgment of others affect your well-being too much. ❤
@What About B12? It seems like you’re finding it hard to stand in Alex’s shoes, which I guess makes sense because you’re so used to comically large shoes (and rainbow wigs) Good luck!
I have learned there are quite a few vegans that are simply not worth having in your life. I suppose this is not unlike some other groups. They are not helping the cause for sure.
@@earthysophie Speaking for myself, I’ll decide my own choices based on what is important to me and my understanding of the issues. It is another question entirely whether I want to associate with a group of people or not, even if our decisions on certain topics are similar.
I was vegetarian for 5 years before turning pescatarian for two years. I then went back to being veggie but honestly feeling a little bit jaded with the whole thing. Content like yours and earthling Ed's helped not only to renew my conviction but also to take the further step to veganism. You are young: I have no doubt that with your curiosity and conscientiousness you will continue to explore this issue and eventually find your own convictions renewed. These things can sometimes take time. I too was very strong in my views early on, and learned from this as well.
@@themudpit621 No judgement from me. I refer to his convictions because in his community post he says this "For quite some time I have been re-evaluating my ethical position on eating animals". I know that in this video he focuses more on the health issues associated with his diet, but I think the two things are related. And he appears to give no definitive renunciation of veganism here, thus leaving the door open for a possible change again.
Really hope you just get back to a state of health, your content is very valuable, and very much appreciated in my opinion. I really wish people didn’t just assume malice with your community post because quite frankly some of the things I’ve seen directed towards you on this subject have been truly untethered and shocking! Anyway, hope you feel better as soon as possible Alex!
I think I can relate. I had IBD, Ulcerative Colitis. IBS or IBD can become so bad/erratic there is in essence no way around but to eat what works and when possible to literally stay on your feet. Severe cramps, nausea, diarrhea, being unable to keep food down, or to have it in your system long enough to extract calories and nutrients. All this and more can seriously mess up your life. Sleep (when, length and quality), energy, strength (physical and mental), ability to do things. Everyone and every case of IBS/IBD reacts differently to different foods oftentimes even at different periods. Besides, IBS can seriously erode your mental health (there is a correlation between IBS/IBD and mental health issues as it is) which complicates things even further. Alex, I wish you all the best and to the vegan advisers who say do better, it can be done or consult the dieticians: don't speak of what you know nothing or little about. It's embarrassing and presumptious
Always remember, the vast majority of viewers literally never comment anything on your videos. There's always gonna be some people hating and getting in your face about it but most people will be quietly watching and enjoying your content. Keep it up! All the true fans get where you're coming from because you're being super genuine!
@@dom4521-je3fu tbh, that's true. We're all very flawed so I think it's incredibly important to value people for who they are and accept their choices, because it's pretty likely that we are all way less virtuous than we think. Remember to acknowledge and accept your flaws!
@@dom4521-je3fu aside from that, I do think he's acting with integrity. Many people would have just never mentioned that the diet was too difficult for them to handle and tried to keep making as much money as possible off their TH-cam channel. I plan to continue simping for my boi 🙏
as someone with food allergies and IBS who is only able to manage being vegetarian, something i always appreciated in your vegan content was your frequent acknowledgement of the existence of circumstances that could make veganism unattainable. you always exercised empathy towards people with dietary restrictions - an empathy that contrasts the vitriol i've had other vegans give me. i hope some of these people find the same empathy for you. look after yourself and thank you for your honesty.
@@joshwarrey3728 most vegans are able to get protein and iron from nuts and wheat-based sources, while i cannot. chickpeas and beans (and other legumes) are great options i enjoy frequently, but the fact of the matter is i was informed by my doctor that a vegan diet would not be sustainable for me. i also cannot get zinc, magnesium, or calcium from nut-based sources the way many vegans can. most vegan food options carry a 'may contain nuts' warning which - as someone anaphylactic - i must avoid. i wish i didn't have to eat eggs and dairy and feel immensely guilty every time i do, hence why i try to use substitutes where i can (e.g i use oat milk and eat vegan chocolate). you'll probably try to tell me otherwise, but i know from the struggles i've had transitioning to even just a vegetarian diet that veganism would harm my health greatly. attacking people like me does nothing to progress the vegan movement. i love animals just as much as you and encourage everyone to make more ethical choices
@@anka9405 The minerals you mentioned are very inexpensive to take as vegan friendly supplements if you are unable to obtain the amount you need from your day to day diet. Whether you choose to transition to a fully plant based diet or not, it is a good option to have access to.
@@thesayerofing it is a great option! i take supplements daily and was already taking prescribed iron supplements prior to going vegetarian. i take vegan friendly omega 3 tablets to enable me to function without fish in my diet too :)
@@anka9405 Hi, I'm just wondering... If you eat legumes frequently, why do you think you need to supplement iron or zinc? Is it just nuts you're struggling with? Why do you take nutrition advice from your doctor? Most doctors have no clue about nutrition, since they get little to no training on it. If all you need to avoid is wheat and nuts, you still have plenty of options.
Sometimes people forget, that TH-camrs are human beings. With bodies, baggage and broken bits. You did your best....and are still doing your best. And that's all you owe anyone. I still admire the shit out of you for all that you do. But I respect your humanity as well as I'm sure many, many, many of your viewers do. Hang in there buddy. You got this. One day at a time. ❤️
Boy these comments are so dumb! He's exposed himself as a liar and hypocrite. If this was a pro-religious Christian philosopher/writer these SAME people would be laughing at THAT person. But with Alex everyone seems to be oh I feel so sorry... meanwhile the dead tortured animals. WELL ... lets concentrate on his positive virtues... lmao A bit biased aren't we? LOL
@@examiningkubrickphilosofia1530 Because of your comment, I’ve decided to purchase a pound of steak from Costco. Thought you should be aware that you are directly responsible for the death of an animal, as are a couple other people who have posted disgusting comments like this. For every reply you make to me or anyone else that attempts to insult, I’ll buy another pound
Sometimes people forget that animals are raped into existence just to be exploited and killed for their own selfishness, I'm assuming like yourself. You want to offer sympathies, look who is on your plate/coat/bathroom product and apologize to them. Better yet, stop paying for it and go vegan.
Hes not doing his best, he acknowledges that he could eat a healthy and nutritionally adequate diet given his health issues. He just doesnt want to put in the effort
I have always found the value of your channel to be the well-reasoned and supported positions you present or discuss. I think you are showing that same value here, by explaining your position and showing your work. It also takes quite a bit of courage to publicly announce a change, in any direction, around such a contentious issue. I wish you the best and look forward to your next video!
maybe I'm missing but how has he provided justification or support for his belief. In fact he obviously contradicts himself multiple times by saying that he believes one can get a perfectly nutritionally complete diet while being vegan and also acknowledging that harming animals is wrong and that they have moral worth. So hes essentially admitting he doesnt think its worth his time to figure it out. curious what your thoughts are? (edit - typo)
Alex, thanks for being so vulnerable and transparent. Everything you said is exactly what I deal with emotionally, mentally, socially, etc. regarding my IBS. I could relate to everything you said and I’m with you in your struggle. Stay strong and do what’s best for your health! Nobody else should have any say in regards to that. It’s your body and your life! Thanks again for this video.
Oh damn, I don't really know what I expected, but this cut close to home for me. I think this is the first time I've ever heard a public facing person describe the same quite embarrassing issues I've dealt with my whole life with IBS. It's only a few years ago that I started being comfortable enough to even talk about it with my closest friends and only then I noticed how insane some of it is - that I've just internalized that it's normal for me to simply go hungry if I'm going to be outdoors with friends cause I don't dare to eat anything if I don't have safe access to a toilet. All of the "oh, it's ok, I'm not hungry" while trying to hide my stomach rumbling. I've learned to breathe through the most horrific of stomach aches while trying to look unfaced cause my social anxiety is not really friends with my IBS... I relate very hard! And I know it's just a comment among others, another profile pic in the crowd, but trying to reach out a virtual hand at least to say thank you for sharing this!
Well, thank YOU for sharing THIS as well, then!! Was not expecting such understanding towards Alex, especially after the initial backlash. Happy to see people acting like this❤️
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 Struggled with that too, was vegan for 2 years a while back, then ran into bunch of unrelated mental health issues including eating disorder. With the mentality of "all or nothing", I kinda gave up on veganism, thinking that if I can't commit to it 100% (and seeing similar reactions like cosmic skeptic has gotten) it doesn't matter and I'm just a bad person so why even bother. Today, I have a more relaxed relationship to it, and would estimate that my diet is ~80% vegan and increasing, which works way better for me. The IBS is pretty much unchanged though, it gets extremely worse with certain foods, but I've never experienced what it's like not to have stomach ache after basically every meal.
@@skabbmask as a fellow IBS sufferer I fully relate. My issue with Alex advocating veganism was because of health problems some people have and they could be made to feel guilty for no fault of their own. I have never been vegan but my diet has always been “almost” vegetarian with a lot of fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately some years ago my condition worsened and I developed intolerance to dairy products and most fruits and vegetables. Just eating an orange makes me go to the bathroom. I have tried all sorts of adjustments, but no lasting improvements. Only giving up fruits and vegs (and several other things) seems to work.
@@pansepot1490 I have no issue with advocating veganism, and was actually convinced of the morality of it by Alex (which hasn't changed, and from what I understand, hasn't changed for him either). I feel Rationality Rules (see his video on "why veganism will win in the end" or something like that) have a stronger case for the pragmatic there, but ultimately I can't defend not being vegan on a moral basis. However, I don't see anyone living a 100% consistent ultimate moral life in 100% of all of their aspects of living, it's mainly this that has made me more relaxed with it all - and what I really despise with these vocal aggressive vegans is that they're also doing and supporting immoral things like the rest of us but don't seem to be aware of it, strutting around on their high horses sniffing their own farts spitting in the face of people with real problems. So, you should definitely not feel bad for not being able to live like a ridiculous fantasy-saint :) We're all human! Pick your battles, do what you can, help others, be kind to those who deserve it (and even kinder to those who don't deserve it, it pisses them off so nicely >=)), and stand your ground against the assholes ^^ Really just satanism, haha x)
He will never be a better person than you, sure, you can try but you can only be human. No more, no less. Now go be happy. Try your best to live or die trying.
I also have a condition, that comes with extreme gastrointestinal issues, which severely restricts my caloric intake. This makes it very hard to even maintain my weight and it is even worse, if I restrict my diet. I’m vegetarian and I try to eat as little animal products as possible, but as hard as I try, I can‘t always be perfect and that‘s ok. Many angry people here claim to care for the suffering of all living beings, but ignore, that you can suffer too. You were and will continue to be a big inspiration for me and my life. You always make me rethink my positions and helped me with my mental struggles and I hope, that there will be better times for you.
Hope you're doing better man. I really respect the transparency. I hope people don't continue to make you feel guilty for this. I find your position very understandable. Your stance has always been "reduce animal harm to the greatest extent PRACTICABLE" and I think you're still adhering to that.
This is not intellectual honesty, this is a religious apology video to prevent ex-communication. Intellectual honesty would be admitting veganism is unhealthy
He just said he had IBS b4 going vegan and he still has it as vegan. Doesn't sound like a good reason to go back to eating animals. Can you be a NAZI AND PUSH JEWS TO DEATH CHAMBERS and STILL CARE FOR THE JEWS? HE just said inconveniences isn't worth it and thereby telling everyone to continue shoving fkesh into their mouths since changing what you eat will ALWAYS entail SOME inconvenience
I have been a vegan for nearly forty years, that said, I appreciate your honesty and candor. You remain a person I have a lot of respect for and I wish you all the best...struggle means we are living life to the fullest, I do believe.
I am sorry you went through it! I discoverd you about a month ago, I think...you are extraodinary and I hope you have good friends that support you! You do not deserve vitriol! You should be understood, especially when you are talking about a private decision, especially when you are talking about it! Your honesty deserves understanding, if nothing else
Being vegan is about causing the least harm as possible, is it not? Does that include harm to oneself? Continue to do what you need to do to stay healthy physically and mentally while causing as little harm as possible.
@@taylormarinescu805 if you think he’s saying that you’ve lost the plot. He repeatedly said he’s not trying to justify it and it’s not just about the dietary needs but his personal life etc. you think every reason someone isn’t vegan somehow is about “justifying” it or not when sometimes it’s not because they don’t value animal suffering.
I suffer from IBD and get the difficulty it causes, especially as it can be so unpredictble. In my case, I've been vegan for 5 years now (vegetarian 10 years before that) and adopting a vegan diet significantly helped reduce the frequency of flare-ups - stress is by far the biggest antagonist for me and studying at uni put my flare-ups into overdrive. I would really suggest seeking professional advice before deciding what a healthly diet for you should look like. We are very fortunate in the UK to have access to a plethora of vegan foods and suppliments, there likely is a way forwad here. No doubt you know this, so best of luck - I genuinely hope you can get the stress levels down.
As a someone who became vegan and realized I have a problem with eating legumes I can sympathize. Luckily in my case its not as bad, it consists mostly of bloating gassiness, tiredness and in extreme cases I even got hives on my whole body (symptoms proportional to how much I eat). I am not eating out much so I was able to circumvent the issue by eating seitan as my main substitute and the occasional slip is not too bad. I hope you still experiment with vegan food and find something that works for you, you might need to avoid certain foods or food groups like me but it still better than the alternative. Of course if that does not work I understand your decision even though I regret the situation is at it is, by no fault of your own if I may add. The truth is life is not perfect and we do the best we can and that means different things for different people.
For me, it's been a matter of going very slowly and my tolerance slowly increased alongside. But the real game changer was starting to take in sauerkraut. I had to start that really slowly as well, but now I'm much more capable of digesting just about anything without having bad symptoms. This leads me to think it was a microbiome issue in my case. It could be worth exploring for yourself as well! It needs to be live culture stuff - expensive from the grocery store but dirt cheap if you make it yourself, and easy to do! Seriously changed my quality of life in my case, so I thought I'd share! (Tim Ferris has a sauerkraut recipe, Google will find that, that's what I use with a few modifications to make it simpler, and at the beginning start with just a forkful per day and slowly increase over the next couple of months. I have heard that 2/3 of a cup per day is the end goal, but I started seeing benefits well before that. Note: I had suspected this for a while, I tried probiotic capsules as well, back before I went vegan I had also tried kefir, but only sauerkraut has had a noticeable positive effect)
As a veggie, I have had problems with bloating (and gas), constipation and fatigue. On the recommendation of a Vegan friend, I have incorporated Kefir Yoghurt, Kimchi and Tempeh in my diet, and this has helped.
The trick to not having gas/bloating after eating legumes is to regularly eat (thoroughly cooked) legumes. The gut microbiome can adjust to diet changes in a matter of ~3 weeks. Thats why the first 2-3 weeks on a proper plant-based diet are always the hardest on your gut because a lot of the micro-organisms in your stomach that break down nutrients are suddenly obsolete, die, and are replaced.
@@agentdarkboote thanks for the reply. I tried fermented foods for a while, maybe ill try again in the future. I also tried eating soy/tofu (and other legumes) for a year and my energy levels were really poor which clearly showed on my running performance. I can explain away all the symptoms to the microbiome/digestion but I can't explain the hives I got that way. I really think its not an issue with getting used to the food but genetic, maybe I'm wrong. Edit: added "(and other legumes)"
Thank you so much for being so open and honest. I found myself in a similar situation after three years of being vegan (and absolutely loving it) after gallbladder removal surgery. I became unable to digest fruits, vegetables, or legumes without having to rush to a bathroom. I had to give up my vegan diet and I literally hate it. I'm stuck and it sucks. I don't want to eat animal products but I can't eat much else without having issues. I miss veganism and I try from time to time and I always end up very sick (due to my inability to digest most foods and newly diagnosed IBS) I sincerely hope you find a balance that supports your gut health better ❤
Veganism kills more animals usually than eating more carnivore. If I were to only eat beef I'd be responsible for 1-2 lives a year but if I eat all plants it'd be loads more. People who operate those harvesters have shared the extent of all the animals who get killed.
Thank you for the update - I hope you’ll get better soon. As a vegan for many years myself I’m sorry for the rage that you experience from some in the community. People are lashing out with the hurt of someone let down by a star player leaving their favourite sports team. Others claw in despair feeling the animals suffer the loss of a brilliant advocate. I very much relate to this sadness but understand that the link between our food and how we feel is different for people and you might not experience the satiety, fullness or energy from restricted meals that are perfectly satisfying for someone else. I also know that tasty vegan meals sadly are not everywhere (yet) and that homecooking them nutritionally packed, Ibs friendly AND great tasting is not always the same thing. It can absolutely be time consuming (but enjoyable if you like cooking) and devoting the time and interest in researching, planning, shopping, preparing, cooking multiple items, storing, cleaning - that can be overwhelming for anyone with passions elsewhere. Or problems elsewhere. And when you’re away from home the quality and taste of what you get can sometimes be awful. I have had many bland vegan meals served - even terrible ones. I quite soon go into low energy stand-by mode if I don’t get a real meal (a banana and some nuts are not enough). I try to help people around me by sharing vegan food I cook or help them cook to show how to make meals tastier and richer. Some just need a boost of practical inspiration sometimes. I don’t doubt that you are doing the best you can, in a time of struggle and with hopefully better times ahead you might one day be energized again to navigate any challenges of a vegan lifestyle. Once the food part is solved in the practical sense, it really is a lot easier and joyful. I wish you the best.
Have you heard of huel, it’s a vegan shake that you can take with you anywhere that is meant SPECIFICALLY for people with ibs and hyper busy lifestyles. Like the reason why people are justified in being upset is because Alex completely abandoned the philosophical principles he said he holds so easily. If killing and eating animals was wrong to him he would find another way. if you haven’t seen his interview with mikalah Peterson you really should it was obvious he was eating animal products then as well. The point I’m trying to make is that Alex hasn’t provided sufficient justification for his objective mistreatment. If you actually wanna be vegan there is no health reason to not vegan, as stated by the American and British dietitecs Association after 117 peer reviewed studies came in concluding the same thing.
Imagine telling people you will be vegan till the day you die, and then while your in France you ask Joey Carbstrong if it’s okay to eat meat because you don’t know how to look up what’s vegan around you. (True story) he doesn’t care. If he would be real I wouldn’t care but he wants to act like he does.
Hey Alex, your meat eaters guide to veganism video introduced me to veganism whereas I otherwise was predisposed against it. I appreciate your transparency with this video and all the content you have put out over the years. Thank you.
This is the opposite of transparency. He's willing to bring up IBS as a vague suggestion of why he "can't" be vegan, but all of a sudden it becomes "private" before he gets to actually explaining why that prevents him from being vegan, which is the only reason he supposedly brought it up in the first place? How does that seem honest or open to anyone?
I tend to have similar stomach issues. A problem with a lot of the plant based substitutes is that they have wheat, and wheat absolutely wrecks my stomach. But a trick I learned that helps me digest other vegetables that I’ve struggled with is to steam em…Ie carrots, spinach
Hey Alex, just wanted to thank you for the great content you've been making all these years. I'm so sorry you've been experiencing health issues, and the personal attacks over the community post would just be rubbing salt in your wounds. I wish you all the best as you work through these things, and I'm sure the majority of your audience does too ❤️ Keep up your great work when you feel ready.
You are a good person and I know that cuz I have listened to your pods many times so whatever reason may be behind giving up the diet i think you know what's best for your health because I think you are a very rational being so keep it up buddy and I hope you can return to a plant based diet again if you want to
Sending lots of love your way Alex ❤ life is never as straightforward as we'd like it to be and the only thing we can do is make the best out of it and be kind to each other along the way x
If he were "going back" to eating dogs, especially ones that have had their teeth chopped out with bolt cutters and tails cut off, would you still be regurgitating this dribble?
Thank you Alex for your thoughtful explanation and honesty, and I'm very sorry you're experiencing issues with your mental and physical health. Many ex-vegans will say "I found it hard/inconvenient to eat a vegan diet, therefore veganism no longer has any ethical basis." People most likely do this because they feel the need to justify their decisions and maintain their moral superiority. This is a very pathetic behavior in my opinion. Thank you for making the distinction between the moral/practical, and using logic and nuance in your statements. You've been such a valuable contributor to the animal rights movement and that is not lost! I hope you get well soon.
Really sorry to hear about all the issues you've been going through and I hope they improve. Unfortunately not everyone is the same and health conditions can play a factor in your lifestyle. Personally I've been vegan for about 7 years and have only felt better with time, but everyone is different. It must have been tough to make this video as the vegan community definitely can be ruthless, but I'm sure you also understand that it comes from providing a voice for the animals and the amount of pain and suffering that they go through. It's not an ideal situation for anyone but hopefully your health will improve and we'll welcome you back one day brother 🤝🏼
IBS doesn't make it impossible to be vegan. Any decent nutritionist can work out a diet plan with you if you put in some effort. Alex has easy access to professionals in his patreons (among them a vegan doctor) and among his youtube friends. All it takes is one message. I know vegans who suffer from IBS and have stayed vegan after reaching out for support. I myself have alot of allergies (essentially can't eat half of all fruits and veggies including soy) and also managed with some help. If he had just said that he has mental health issues, I'd find that more convincing than implying IBS = no vegan diet, "practicability" (whatever that means) and focusing on 0.5% of mad vegans. Sorry, but that makes it kinda hard to look past.
@@Luftgitarrenprofi he explicitly explained this applies to himself. Not that veganism isn’t practical for anyone with IBS. The whole thing about IBS is it’s not an adequate diagnosis in the first place. There isn’t much understood about it. You often get diagnosed with it when doctors can’t find anything else physically wrong, which makes treating it and managing it complicated and not a one size fits all. In fact A LOT of people don’t have luck with dieticians and doctor’s guidance on IBS because it’s such a vague diagnosis. I’m glad you seem to know people with success stories. But that isn’t the case for everyone. He still advocates a vegan or plant based diet, just does not find it practical for himself. Additionally. No one owes you an explanation. He could very well have mental health factors playing into this decision. We don’t know. But he does not owe an explanation of potential mental health factors to you.
@@mkaylagomez1959 Alex does owe his audience an explanation if he wants to be taken seriously as a public advocate. And his explanation is lacking. I've already unsubbed two years back when he gave WLC way too much leeway, so this inconsistency doesn't really come at a surprise. Alex has expert nutritionists and a vegan doctor among his patreons. Give me one reason why he would leave the information out that he tried everything he could with professionals who know more than he does if he did indeed do it? Instead, he focused on some vague "practicability", some undefined mad vegans and a diagnosis you just admitted is so vague that it doesn't mean much. That's not enough of an out to start supporting animal suffering and death again after his aggressive ethical vegan content (remember the cognitive dissonance video)? At this point I'm really just waiting for the no longer an atheist "my road back to theism" video. Lol
@@enterthevoidIi I don't watch any vegan youtubers aside from an occasional Ed video. I just have an alllegiance with the truth. Sorry if that doesn't fit in your otherization view of people you don't like.
So I don't usually comment on videos but kudos to you on how you decided to handle this. I wish you the best and keep yourself healthy. (that should be your 1st priority but you already know this) And yes I will stick around and look forward for what you have in store for us.
I just came here to say that I really can understand your suffering with IBS. I have it as well but discovered it was specifically triggered by gluten. I stopped the gluten and the IBS stopped soon after. I’m not sure if you’ve tried eliminating the common food allergens such as gluten, soy, grains in addition to animal products? You may find some help in that I hope. Best of luck and hope you’re better soon🙏🏻🙏🏻
Did you consult with a dietitian at all? Also, didn't you say that being vegan meant reducing animal suffering to the extent practicable? If being 100% plant-based was no longer practicable for you, couldn't you still call yourself vegan if you were doing the most you can? Not trying to be mean, btw. Genuinely asking.
The thing is, eating 100% plant-based and not wearing /using products made out of animals is practicable and the minimum one can do. I think you might be confusing practicable with convenient. Practicable means it can be done, it's available to you to be done. Completely possible/doable. Also it's not so vague that that it means if you eat 1% veg and use 99% animal stuff for everything else, you are "doing the most you can". Then the label becomes totally meaningless. It has a minimum viable behavior that it refers to, and it's not completely abstract that you can label anyone and anything with it.
The best nutritionist in the world can't help you if you have a behavioral/psychological problem that makes it so you have trouble preparing and eating your meals. They can tell you the healthiest way to do something, but if you're stuck in an anxiety loop thinking something bad is gonna happen if you eat anything while out, then you aren't going to do it. It sounds like Alex has a problem with execution, not with knowledge. Especially regarding executing a nutritional diet around his mental and physical health issues. This is perfectly understandable. Ultimately, rationality and moral righteousness can't sustain behavior, especially when your iron levels are dropping and your head is too fuzzy to think things through. Only good planning and execution can sustain action.
@@nosnawseinaj But he himself cares about his 'murderous ways'. He views it as morally wrong to kill animals - he just gets ill from not being able to practicably follow a diet that is vegan and healthy. He is not saying it isn't possible for most, nor that he hasn't made changes he still keeps.
@@dom4521-je3fu that is a false equivalence and you are the equivalent of the deranged religious people that get mad at non-believers. Eating disorders and mental health issues aren’t a joke and basic human empathy is possible on the internet
hope you keep ya chin up man and remember you've opened a LOT of people's eyes to the ethics of this stuff my self included. so don't let the bastards grind you down 💪
30+year vegetarian here with IBS and an eating disorder called ARFID. I completely relate. I am fifty, and I have opted to live the way you described where I avoid situations and food because of my conditions and dietary choices. I am still a relatively strict vegetarian but it's NOT EASY. And beyond not being easy, it's VERY difficult. ((hugs)) good luck on your journey, I'm on it, too.
Hopefully, Alex can find a way to slowly get back into a vegan or vegetarian diet. Whilst it's not ideal to be consuming animal products, we should meet people at their current point and if Alex needs to consume animal products for a period of time in order to rethink and strategies a new approach then we need to support him. He clearly still believes in the movement and it's great to see people in similar situations being empathetic and supportive.
@@IvyOfCthulhu Alex never said he needed to. In fact, he has explicitedly stated that it wasn't a possibility case, but a practability one. It was not about if he could - or could not. It was a case of wanting not to do it. He just wanted to go out to eat some sushi, that's the reality of it.
@@davidgomes4383 Stop acting like an English teacher, it's a TH-cam comment. All I was saying was he thought it was best for him to go back to eating animal products and I got the implication this isn't a permanent situation ass he still believes others should be vegan and repeatable defends the vegan diet. We just need to give him some time, especially given he's not in the best place mentally. No one is perfect and sometimes we fall back to old habits when times are difficult, we're far better off being understanding than angry. If the video was renouncing the movement then I'd understand being angry, but as he said, he still wants to advocate veganism and pushing him away from that prevents others from hearing our side. Given Alex's history on the topic, it's really bad faith to just say he wants to eat sushi, he's done more for the movement than most of his audience combined.
@@davidgomes4383 you either dont understand what certain words mean or you just want to slate a man for any old reason, alas whatever. he mentioned that it is completely POSSIBLE to have a balanced diet and live perfectly fine as a vegan, but its practicability is hindered by several different factors. he most definitely COULD stay a vegan, but you would be missing the point of the video entirely. as someones whos struggling with mental health rn, i cant even go to my lectures and supervisions. its absolutely possible for me to go to them, my legs are fine, the weathers decent, etc. but its practicability is hindered by factors relationg to my mental health. to just brush it away as some moral weakness is disgusting and i hope you realise that. in that same sense, it is clear from what alex is saying, and if we are to trust him, which i have little reason to not believe him, that there are health and mental health reasons which hinder his general ability to function normally and as an extension hinders his diet. saying its "a case of not wanting to" jesus. like mate go do one please, pathetic. peoples tribalistic dogma creates such deep hate its just religion written all over. you can hardly blame the misanthrope, were all so pathetic. when a person struggles with a certain "simple" thing for unexpected health reasons, and particularly mental ones, its not just a matter of perservering. a lot of the time its about stepping back, reverting to something basic and working forward to enable yourself to head back in the direction you once were headed. with that, we work from simpler principles and hopefully, for alex, that means becoming vegan again in some future date. do better.
I’m really sorry for all you’re going through personally, be it a result of health issues and social media. Feel better Alex! Thanks for all the thought provoking content and for always advocating for reasoning, tolerance and kindness!
Hello Alex, thank you for opening up about this topic. I totally understand where you're coming from. I've been vegan for over 7 years now. The only time I questioned veganism was when my IBS symptoms were so bad that there were very few foods I could eat without causing a reaction. I had been through a stressful and emotional period then so I knew that is what caused the IBS to get so bad. Yet, I was still wondering, as a last option, if eating animal products would somehow relieve it. I didn't quite get to that point but the contemplation was there. It took me a while, through medical help, dieticians and relaxing more (with meditation and walking a lot) that I was able to see improvements and eventually eat properly again. I still have issues from time to time but it's not as bad as it was. A healthy advocate is a better advocate. I hope your issues become more manageable and you can thrive. Maybe you can go back to plant-based once you're in a better place. The door isn't closed. I wish you all the best, Alex! Take care.
I'm sure he's still eating plant based. He's just mixing in a few animal products.
Thank you. This is how veganism should be. Positive, understanding and welcoming. The vitriol of other certain vegans is vile and very sanctimonious.
I have IBS and many issues digesting plant based foods. I push through. I push through even if it could endanger my life because it's not about me it's about the animals. There's never a good excuse.
@@rootwo6772 That’s a decision you made for yourself.
@@rootwo6772 With a strong will, the mind can usually prevail over matter. It is an accomplishment so long as it doesn't feed the ego. The Buddha, as a mendicant, did not reject an offering from any follower merely because it was meat although he consumed only a meagre quantity. His life was dedicated to teaching the masses his way to liberation. Millennia before his time, there were hermits who lived on nothing other than nature - dried plant matter. They believed it was an essential austerity to purifying their Karma. I believe the Buddha was a model in being not attached nor obsessed nor fastidious on food when there is a higher purpose in life.
All the best Alex! I have struggled with some of the problems you described as well and can relate 100%. I know how frustrating, conflicted, and disempowering it feels. Give yourself permission to focus on yourself. Get better above all else. You have done so much good for the world, now give yourself the same kindness.
This was obviously a painful moment for you. Proud of your honesty and continued compassion. Whatever happens, you’re greatly appreciated by many, and it’s good that you’re staying healthy.
Hey Alex, you mentioned struggling to get a sufficient amount of calories and veganism aside, here's something that helped me. I have an eating disorder and for long periods have also had days where I was eating, as you said, 0-700 calories. Meal replacement drinks such as Soylent or Huel were helpful for me as it allows you to drink several hundred calories very quickly and as a nice bonus they are also vegan. Also, making smoothies with things like protein powder/banana/peanut butter. Not gonna comment on anything else here just wanted to leave this here in case anyone finds it helpful.
I switched primarily to Soylent from a diet of microwavable pizzas and burritos about a year ago. I eat it for 90% of my food, and do appreciate that its vegan though I am not.
I have always struggled to attain the recommended minimum BMI with my high metabolism. Your advice to drink your calories is a good one, based on my experience, and Dr. Greger's video on the subject on the Nutritionfacts YT channel and his site. I use a lot of peanutbutter powder as a type of protein drink, and used 1-2 fruit and protein smoothies a day to allow me to reach the minimum BMI goal on a vegan compatible diet. Resistance training also helps since it leads to muscle gains instead of unhealthy fat gains. It also improves the appetite without burning excessive calories. Trail mix (including dates) helps too as a calorically dense, healthy snack.
Of course, I can't comment on how appropriate this would be for Alex's particular life situations, but meal replacement drinks or bars were the first thing that came to mind when he spoke about getting the calories or nutrition in his difficult circumstances. I don't have have the time or energy to cook breakfast in the morning most days, so I bring a Soylent with me to work. I want to empathize with Alex, but it's hard for me to envision a scenario where he couldn't think just a bit more outside of the box to keep it practical for himself.
Soylent and huel are not food, you have teeth for a reason. Vegans are just going out of their natural way of living for an idea.
It will probably trigger the poor man’s IBS. I come from an indian vegetarian background which I had to give up because anything vegetarian aside from nuts gives me the runs.
I am so sorry about this. You deserve as much compassion as the animals. Kindness and love is supposed to be the heart of the movement. The community can be it's own worse enemy. Sending lots of love and compassion.
Jesus saved my wretched soul Hallelujah praise God
The animals are being murdered and need advocating for and Alex has IBS.. which many people deal with on a plant-based diet every day. Not similar.
I have followed you for many years. I am so sorry to hear that you are struggling physically and mentally. Please take care of yourself. Those who are bringing down the proverbial hammer on you don’t represent the majority of us who love and respect you, no matter where you come out on this issue.
Frankly, Alex was looking pretty rough. I’m glad he decided to start taking care of himself. 💜
He's hurting people because it's not easy not to. I can love and respect him while still thinking that's a messed-up thing to do. He's sick, in one way or another, and needs help, not vitriol. But he's causing others pain and suffering, knowingly and avoidably, and I simply cannot excuse that as if no-one is getting hurt.
The separation of his system of philosophy from his lived life is an indication that something has gone wrong. He seems to want to keep his philosophy while living contrary to it.
This is definitely a "let he without sin cast the first stone" situation. I bought Cheetos after deciding I would eat a vegan diet. I think most of us have realized that something we've been consuming after we became vegan had something non-vegans in it. None of us are perfect. We've all made mistakes.
The question is how best to respond. Vitriol is unlikely to help. If we look at it consequentially, what option of response ought we pick?
I'd like to propose we organize a fund to pay for the purchase and delivery of a full vegan diet to Cosmic Skeptic, to both let him know he's loved and to help him live as he would wish he could, according to the philosophy he himself has articulated. I believe this represents the best possible outcome.
Rather than knock him down, let's hold him up.
@@RandomAmbles Pretty sure he's more than fine financially. He also has nutritionists and a vegan doctor among his patreons and youtube friends. Given his incomplete and reactionary (focusing on the minority of bad vegans instead of engaging with the good ones) public statement and his more recent behavior (even just talking to someone like the Peterson daughter), chances are he's just never asked for help on this matter.
As many have already stated, our viewpoints are very different; but I am always excited when you upload because you are so genuine. I really learn a lot from listening to your perspectives. You have my support & I hope you are able to focus on healing whatever struggles you alluded to in this video.
I'm one of the people that has become an advocate because of you and for what it's worth I do not feel betrayed or upset in the least. Thank you for the update and stay strong, friend
What is your icon pic?
@@ataraxia7439 Grahf, one of the main antagonists from Xenogears on PS1 as painted by Jake Murray
You're a Vegan apologist 🤡
@GrahfMetal His future victims who are forced to die in slaughterhouses feel betrayed.
@@fruitsalad7611 victim tho
Hypocrite
First of all; I hope that your mental and physical health issues get treated well Alex. Your honesty and integrity is appreciated; you made me consider veganism and your latest update does not discourage me at all. Hope you get back on track as soon as possible, best wishes and all the support!
As someone who gave him lots of hate because he is directly causing the mass suffering of hundreds of thousands by using his platform so recklessly I stand by every characterization. Hope he decided to evolve a moral compass or concern for others outside of himself someday. Thank you for featuring my comment Alex!
@@praxisdragon Would you have him no longer be vegan and not saying anything about it? Perhaps that's the right thing to do from a utilitarian perspective but it think most vegans are more deontologists
@@praxisdragon ideologue
@@praxisdragon Commenting on TH-cam because nobody wants to talk to you in real life is praxis, right?
Fuck off, kid. Adults are talking.
That a good way to put it
I remember watching Alex's speech at a veganism festival where he called out Sam Harris for exactly the same reasons Alex is not a vegan today. He wasn't charitable to Sam and his health reasons for Sam not being a vegan. That video is no longer available on YT.
Anywho, I wish you the best and thank you for the positive effect you have had on my and my friends' lives.
Is that the Sam Harris who said he didn't care if Hunter Biden had pictures of dead kids in his basement on his laptop?
He realised he was wrong , and now he has changed his mind
I think this is a sign of growth , and not of hypocricy , which I assume you mean
@@mariolis Vegans are worse than the trans community for not forgiving anyone who leaves their cult.
@@mariolis he's still extremely wrong (especially claiming that anything that is found in animal foods can be obtained from plants) and has a long way to go
@@mariolis How was he wrong? He was not. He is wrong now and that is why he "presumably" deleted this video. In other occasions where he was actually wrong about something and changed his mind he didn't delete the video where he was wrong.
I respect you a lot for your honesty. It’s very difficult to own up to mistakes and to change your mind on something you were very sure about in the past. Good for you for not being pressured into sharing details of your personal life when you don’t want to. Best of luck to you, especially with your health.
It was right not to give too many personal details. People won’t always treat sensitive info sensitively so that was a smart move.
You have my support Alex.
Funny how the only detail that was really only needed was did he see a medical doctor and he deliberately didn't mention it. What a cosmical joke
@@joshwarrey3728 yeah you are probably entitled to know that 🙄
@@elijahp9424 "did he consult a medical doctor, yes or no?"
If yes, then everyone would have been more understanding. If no, then he has shown how he himself is not as logical as he likes to claim.
We don't need to know who the doctor was or for what specific medical condition, just that he actually sought professional expert advice.
But sure, he doesn't share that with his audience, it sure would help his credibility in other matters.
@@joshwarrey3728 His medical history is private, and you are not entitled to it. If she wants to share his medical history, he can do that but not everybody feels comfortable doing the style.
@@palesgensler3099 we don't need to know his medical history. Knowing that he sought medical advice is not the same as knowing his medical history. Stop making strawman.
You do know that his argument for veganism was "extraordinary harm requires extraordinary justification". So far, he has no extraordinary justification presented. Convenience is not an extraordinary justification.
Alex's content has been the ONLY thing that has made me shift more toward a plant-based diet. As always, it is fact and philosophy based, without being preachy. I would love to see a poll on the channel to see how many people have experienced this type of change because of Alex. What he does for his own health won't change the mountain of information on the topic that he has given me.
Too bad it's all lies. Not that Alex is lying, I think he's a very honest person from the way he handled this, but the studies are all lies. He's repeating cleverly devised falsehoods. Plants are generally and overwhelmingly indigestible to humans. Many of the nutrients they claim to have cannot be absorbed because of insoluble fiber, oxilates and defense chemicals. Plants do not want to be eaten, and they cannot run away, unlike animals. So they have anti-nutrients which stop you from digesting them. Leafy greens are a particularly ridiculous proposition. Ruminants eat leaves. They have four stomachs. We have one. They clearly have the tracts to digest the leaves and greenery, we do not. (A huge part of the reason humans developed IBS, but since we're so conditioned against thinking plants could be the problem because we've been told countless times they're healthy, Alex cannot see this is indeed the cause of IBS, and a host of other autoimmune disorders) That's why all those nutrients they claim to have, are absorbed by the animal and then we eat the animal. This makes the nutrients extremely bioavailable to us, which they absolutely are not in plants.
And by the way, there is no environmental argument for veganism. It's all lies too. Traditional regenerative farming fixes all the problems with modern industrial animal raising. And monocrop farming for pesticide laden, phytoestrogen-filled non-human food, displaces and kills untold numbers of animals. Permanently, mind you. Regenerative farming let's wildlife live in it's natural habitat.
Veganism doesn't work for me either, but I don't think that should change anyone else's outlook on their diet if it's working for them. Not being universally applicable doesn't constitute any serious threat to the actual philosophy of veganism, imo. You do you!
@@Shadare why are there so many scientific analysis against a mass veganistic diet not really being sustainable for our planet?
@@rebelresource What are some of these scientific analysis' you are speaking of?
@@frederikkurstein3878 jumbo jumbo 123
love you man. I understand. and I'm really sorry for the people who are incapable of understanding your situation.
Thanks for your honesty and integrity Alex. I truly hope you're getting the help and support for your mental health issues. Don't be alone on that journey.
Honesty would also mean telling us what he has been eating exactly.
Integrity would mean for him to contact a plant based doctor and make simple adjustments.
Integrity would also mean to address the constructive feedback he has received instead of focusing on the insults.
@@benh6737 Honestly it's not anyone's business what he eats, which doctor he sees, or what he focuses on in the comments.
Everyone here uses animal products needlessly.
No point in having a witch trial just because he is doing what is right for him.
@@janieswanson2549 If it isn’t your business, then stop commenting. Alex knows better
@@benh6737 Good to see you have nothing to refute what I typed and are reduced to wanting me silenced.
I accept your concession.
@@janieswanson2549 The only argument you keep on pushing by leaving THOUSANDS of comments on vegan related content, (needless harm) has already been refuted countless times. So, you can cope with whatever narrative fits you the most, i don't really care...
As someone diagnosed with Crohn's (IBD), I can totally empathize with you. It's rare to see a big youtuber discuss their gut issues. Thank you for being so open and honest. I hope you're doing well.
Yeah, because eating corpses and dairy cow's milk full of hormones and suffering and death will make you the picture of glowing health
@@Empathy4Animals411 nice strawman.
Does having a disease excuse someone for abusing others? (Ill politely wait for the answer)
@@DiahRhiaJones what a disingenuous comparison to make
@@chromaticrain6301 You're not the person I asked, but you're free to answer it as well.
As a vegetarian, and on again off again, vegan for the last 25 years, I can understand where you're coming from. The times that I slip back to eating cheese or breakdown and say "OK I'll have the pancakes, even though they have eggs in them" are almost inevitably times when the rest of my life is overwhelming me. My unsolicited advice is to do the best you can to do the least harm you can. If that means falling off the wagon for a while, then don't let that stop you from climbing back on when you are ready. Be as kind to yourself and others as you can.
You're not a vegan if you're eating meat in between. I highly doubt there are many strict 20-30 yr vegans about.
@@Black-Circle But you would however be mainly plant-based. Again being vegan is a lifestyle that inherits a plant based diet.
@@Rezc0 eating eggs and fish isnt vegan. Thats the point. People claim vegan and they’ve been eating fish eggs milk for years. Long term vegans dont exist. Hence why people quit
@@Black-Circle I haven't eaten meat in 25 years. My wife hasn't eaten meat in 35 years. I stopped eating eggs and cheese regularly about 7 years ago and will occasionally will have a slice of pizza or pancakes when I am eating out and there is no vegan alternatives. I know plenty of 25year+ vegans who are far stricter than I.
@@macrumpton thats not vegan tho. I highly doubt you are strong and muscley. More likely frail and grey hair grey skin. Lying about your health as well
I won't pretend it was not disheartening. You were possibly the main reason I went vegan. Even though I always valued your content on phylosophical matters more, the cognitive dissonance video really spoke to me.
I was angry for a moment, but I knew it wouldn be wise to write anything with emotions being the main factor driving me.
And here I am.
Where I stand now is that I am still grateful you helped me make the change. Because all your previous arguments still make sense. And I feel sorry for you having sort of explain yourself here. Must be tough. Take care Alex.
What’s more disheartening are the disgusting comments the vegans sent to Alex. They’re on the same level as the radical religious people and ironically, most vegans are atheists.
I went from vegetarian to vegan in 2020 due to Alex O'Connor. But that's ok, Alex. You may have reverted on your position but I am going strong. I am a pharmacist and pursuing medicine, I have taken graduate level biochemistry (I feel fairly knowledgeable in biochemical and physiological processes), and my partner and I are doing the same without animal products (and have been for years) - no food items, no feathers, no wool, etc. It is possible, numerous clinical studies show the benefits nutritionally, and good luck with your IBS.
What was his best argument? Cause none of them convinced me.
Such empathy. Nice to see that here 👏
"It's okay to eat fish
'Cause they don't have any feelings"
-Nirvana
You described my symptoms many years ago. It “may” be an allergic reaction to certain foods. For me it was chicken, lamb, wheat, rice, and corn. I had no idea until I was tested. Once I removed those things the insomnia, fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, and stomach issues went away. You are a super smart person and probably have great health care so you may have already checked for this possibility. I love your content and your respect for others. I hope you find the solution for you and too bad about the vitriol from others. You are amazing.
Compassion and acceptance are some of the keys to moving forward in some things, and granting yourself some compassion is key to moving forward as a human.
No compassion for the animals he is going to eat though right? Hehe
@@karambadodox I am sure you are so compassionate. How much slave labor and abuse of the global south do you partake in every day?
I really admire your honesty Alex! I’m not a vegan but in watching your videos I have drastically cut down my consumption of animal products. I now will often times choose vegan or vegetarian options at restaurants. At home I have started experimenting with cooking tasty food that is totally vegan. You were the main influence for these changes in my lifestyle, so thank you!
Same here. I’ve cut WAY back on my animal product consumption, in large part because of his advocacy.
I’ve never heard of any of the people attacking him now. They are only hurting their cause, pushing away possible converts. That’s what fundamentalism can do.
I think it's important not to think in absolutes here. If everyone drastically reduced their consumption of meat, the total amount of animal suffering would plummet. Of course, our ultimate goal is to reduce unnecessary animal suffering to the lowest level possible, but taking meaningful steps towards that goal is admirable in and of itself.
@@mikolmisol6258 If serial killers decided to half the number of people they murder, there would be less murder in the world. Does that somehow make it ethical?
@@UraniumFractal not at all, but it would be a better world nonetheless. From a practical point of view, gradual change is the way it's going to work for most people. Patience, compassion and being welcoming: That is how to make people feel open to changing. Thinking in absolutes is how you scare them away and make us seem like a cult. You are vegan because of your compassion. It can be immensely frustrating to see people seemingly intentionally not getting the point, but I promise compassion is again your best friend.
@@agentdarkboote We don’t coddle and sympathise with serial killers than ‘only’ kill 2 or 3 people. If someone is doing something immoral, they have no justification to act offended when someone calls them out on their bullshit.
Sacrificing health for an ideology is irrational and unethical
If eating human babies ameliorated your IBS, would you do that? If not, that would be you sacrificing your health for an ideology.
@@User-bl5cw I dont have IBS.Human babies dont ameliorate IBS.If they did of course.If an animal was starting to devour your loved one and you had the means to kill it,would you do it?.
@@daviddeidaDo you understand what the word “if” means?
@@User-bl5cw Yes I do,and answered your question using if .Now are you going to answer my question honestly ,or cower ?
I don’t think you can be unethical to yourself.
honestly youre so cool for the honesty. Your content has always been awesome to watch, keep it up!
The entire point of understanding what we "should" do is also about understanding what we "can" do. So I hope you are able to grow and progress without being too hard on yourself. Thanks for your videos and perspectives!
This isn't about what Alex could - or could not do. He had literally a top patreon supporter that is a meal-planning expertise plant-based nutritionist. If Alex wanted to - he would. He just didn't want to. The problem is putting "practability" as a need. It wasn't a need, but a want. Alex doesn't oppose the killing, abuse and exploit of non-human animals.
He could go ask a nutritionist for help with his health issues. He is surrounded by people who would be willing to help.
It's pretty selfish for vegans who don't have health issues to speak so aggressively to a man who's so kind to them and clearly caring to as many as possible. You can't please everyone and honestly, philosophy can break the mind sometimes. It put me further into depression, when I realised that being fixed on philosophy was harming me I took a step back, I really don't understand why this is so controversial for him to do
@@veryfitting It's also pretty selfish to kill sentient beings and eat their flesh because you are too "mentally ill" to seek help for your diet problems.
@@davidgomes4383 The meal planner can’t account for IBS or IBD flare ups no matter how hard they try - they’d have to systematically go through each food type for multiple weeks at a time to test which foods triggered inflammation. Coupled with how mental health severely affects likelihood of flare ups, it’s very difficult as someone who does eat plant based and has Ulcerative Colitis to be callous to his suffering. Meal planners can help with, but by the nature of what Alex said - it screamed eating disorder to me. Restrictive diets are detrimental to people with eating disorders - inherently so. I would seriously reconsider the position you have out of empathy for people with eating disorders, Bowel Diseases and for general mental health issues
Bro… I’ve learned much from you and once again I find myself stepping back and thinking “here’s an example of someone genuinely trying to figure things out in an intellectually honest way”.
It seems unfair but your struggle with this situation means that, yet again, we get to watch a brain sort through ideas and arguments in a healthy, decisive way. I can’t be the only one who has benefited from this.
You push and navigate your way through these things and we get to reap the benefits.
Many thanks, my guy. To so many of us, you are worth your weight in gold.
Damn, that's a wise post. You clearly have a rational thought process
Very well said.
I also have severe IBS and gluten intolerance (not allergy). When you convinced me to go vegan, I talked to my doctor, who referred me to a nutricianist because I already was struggling with eating healthy. After some attempts and an overall increase in some areas of my health, my nutricianist quickly asked me to compromise my veganism and switch over to a pescatarian diet: seafood and animal products, but no non-seafood animal meat. Much like you, the limits of my lifestyle and work prevent me from being around a kitchen to cook, so I often have to rely on frozen dinners, veggies and fruits. I also suffer from mental health issues, so it is much more crucial that my diet help me function daily. Ultimately, I still hope to one day become full vegan, but until then, I'm not. It kinda feels validating to see you join me, albeit in a selfish way. I wish you the best!
Fish has mercury. Not something you should eat everyday
@@tradehut2782 - If I had the money to afford fish every day, I'd be set for life, honestly. Lol
In other words, you can rest easy knowing fish is only once or twice a week, when I do eat it. I mostly stick with seafood in general.
I was a strict vegan for a long time, but now I consume some fish and pasture raised eggs, if they're certified humane. I feel weird about it sometimes, but I feel a bit healthier.
I have celiac disease too and veganism isn't a problem. Struggled with IBS-like symptoms a lot in the past. This isn't an excuse.
@@lisao6928 If you cared about health and ethics, you'd just eat bivalves. Eggs and fish are a bs cogdis you convince yourself of that you're being ethical when those are some of the most harm-causing foods out there.
Thank you for being open about your struggles and for being brave enough to share this. It would have been easier to have just never posted about this change in the first place, but you made the hard decision to not live your life as a hypocrite. As a Christian, I often disagree with the content in your videos, but I respect you so much as a person. And you being willing to work through this publicly rather than living your life as a hypocrite makes me respect you that much more!
Huge respect for your authenticity. Your videos have had a great impact on my thinking and what I appreciate the most is your ability to be honest to yourself and always question everything. Most importantly, that is what I can find from this video as well. I will continue following your content and wish you all the best.
Alex, you were one of the clearer voices that helped me process my thoughts and feelings when I was deconstructing. Coming out of religion, I started to notice lots of patterns in all sorts of ideologies. I would say when I deconstructed, your content helped me deconstruct from ideology itself rather than one specific religion.
Though I’m not a vegan myself, I really felt it when you said you hoped people wouldn’t view veganism differently because of the vitriol that you have received. I felt it because for a long time, I’ve been noticing that the types of groups who advocate their righteousness the loudest, also have some of the most insidious and despicable behavior saved for the people who don’t “toe the line”. The very people who claim to be the most caring, often have the most potent venom made special for the ones who deviate in their eyes. For me, I can look past that and take the arguments for veganism on their own merit.
Im glad you have the wisdom to minimize suffering in a way that includes yourself too. To have a perfect moral compass when talking about when it’s ok to eat animal products to stay alive and healthy, we would need a perfect understanding of consciousness and nutrition. I just hope we can all stumble forward together in a more healthy way where we treat eachother with respect first, then extend that respect to every living thing. Cheers man ❤
Three quick things in response to your comment:
1) kudos on a thoughtful compassionate response to a thoughtful compassionate honest human being wrestling with the difficulty of setting positive standards for themselves and experiencing the reality that people can’t always / don’t always meet those standards
2) I think there is something quite important in the observation you make about the venom of the (often self-proclaimed) ‘morally superior’ and the patterns of human behaviour in tribes defined by religious or other ideologically purity.. it’s a dangerous and damaging pattern that needs to be observed and called out more.
3) I think the original phrase is “toe the line” - worth a quick Wikipedia look - I think it’s from being ordered to stand exactly behind a line; thought you’d like to know. I guess you maybe live near a river/lake? Funny how phrases have different meanings to people depending on experience - I was discussing more “strings to a bow” with a musician friend and he said it should be “hairs” (thinking of instrument bows) whereas I thought it was bows as in bows-and-arrows.. I haven’t looked up who’s ’right’ - both are interesting imho.
(P.s hope all well in your world, good luck with your guitar videos they deserve more views)
@@drmartinbartosHey thanks for the kind words. I did a quick search on that phrase and I think “toe” is what I meant. Guess I had some image of a bunch of people pulling on a rope really hard and one person decides not to and gets dirty looks 🤣 English is fun.
@@drmartinbartos Remind me where thoughtful compassion is in throwing another innocent living being into a hell hole slaughterhouse?
You clowns are like necrotic flesh. Like what you eat.
You are needed in this world so thank you for putting your physical and mental health first. I have nothing but respect for you.
And putting the animals’ lives a much more significant second place, which unfortunately in this analogy, happens to be an utterly unnecessary battle royale of species.
@@cornsockgabz Don't you think human health is much more important in that case?
@@amask99 👍
Stay strong Alex. You've been a major influence in my transition to a plant based diet, so even if couldn't continue with it yourself, I still want to thank you for this wonderful change you've made in my life. I wish you the best
Thank you, truly
Do you tell the animals in the torture and murder factories to "stay strong" as well?
@@DiahRhiaJones go troll somewhere else
@@peterkropotkin1158 The universal euphemism for "I cant come up with a response so im just going to throw around false accusations of trolling and run away!!!"
BTW love the profile pic you use as you defend enslaving those who don't look like you. You're definitely not a clown or anything.
@@DiahRhiaJones do you care about the animals that are indirectly killed due to pest control, habitat loss, being caught up in harvesting machinery and the people in 3rd world countries forced into slave labor to pick the avocados, quinoa and other crops that sustain your vegan diet, or do you only pretend to care about animals as long as the end result of the exploitation is on your plate? There's no such thing as a cruelty free diet under capitalism get of your high horse and stop pretending your own shit dosen't stink
@@peterkropotkin1158 Nice level zero anti-vegan tropes.
1. Where are the overwhelming vast majority of crops that are being grown going to again?
2. Theres nothing ethically wrong with protecting food needed for survival, even if it has to be done violently.
3. Since when does avocado = vegan?
4. "There is no such thing as a cruelty free diet" is another meaningless throwaway garbage catchphrase like "there no such thing as ethical consumption". Throwing around that garbage doesn't absolve you of responsibility for tossing a baby cow into a slaughterhouse to have her neck slashed or a pig into a gas chamber because you're a manbaby that can't give up "bacon."
5. Im a vegan, I dont ride horses, dipsht. Though I am an infinitely better person than you are because I dont abuse animals like you do. Thats for sure.
Who's trolling again?
I've been watching you since before you were vegan and was over the moon when you started your vegan journey. You've done so much to progress the movement and I've always found your videos insightful and meaningful.
I'm definitely sad and disappointed to see it hasn't worked for you and truly embarrassed on behalf of the people who have had such a violent response - what a bad look. Talk about compassion!
I hope you're doing alright and I look forward to your next project. ❤️
I don't agree with the name calling and personal insults but if you're vegan that does not entail compassion. It's just about respecting basic rights through empathy.
@@henrywalton5967 what?
"Talk about a bad look!"
Here, let me roll some slaughterhouse footage and we'll all be reminded what we're talking about here while you claim that insults are the "bad look" here.
CLOWN!
@@DiahRhiaJones ok
Carry on Alex. I hope you stay strong and sharp, and overcome these forces which are trying to pull you down.
I admire your honesty and openness. Walk your line with pride.
Please stay healthy Alex. Can’t help others until you help yourself.
Much support to you Alex. The human body is a complex machine and lifestyles are more complex still. I think the key takeaway is empathy towards our fellow man in understanding the difference between the championing of moral causes and self care.
Hope you find a better mental and physical space man! Sometimes the remorseless suffering that life presents us can result in complete breakdowns of capability, I find that such instances are harsh reminders of existential awareness and its spectacular, dreadful and beautiful consequences.
Sorry that you had to go through all this dude, wish you better days, looking forward to the next videos.
Hope your IBS improves and you feel better 💚 thanks for being so honest.
He's only honest with how much of a sob story he wanted to portray. And for most of his followers it worked. And the animals lose like always.
I have also suffered from ibs for most of my life, in a way that sounds very similar to you. I wouldn’t go anywhere without a toilet and was constantly suspicious of any tiny feeling in my stomach in case it was a sign of an attack coming on. My gastroenterologist described my case as ‘refractory’. In fact, long before I was vegan he made a point of recommending that I never go on a plant-based diet because it would make me feel worse. Luckily, when I did decide to go vegan almost three years ago, my symptoms decreased dramatically. It’s not completely gone, but it doesn’t rule my life in the same way. I’m so sorry that it couldn’t be the same for you, because ibs is such a painful and distressing condition when it’s severe. I hope you find a way to manage it.
I appreciate the level of understanding demonstrated here. Someone with your personal history could've just as well blamed him for not doing what you could. Thanks for showing compassion, especially in an environment where it's so easy to attack people.
Same case here, and also a huge improvement from eating a whole plant based diet, but then everyone is different and also it takes a bit of time getting adjusted to it, reading the right books and learning how to cook. I feel very compassionate about him and really hate some people being so awful about this
@@flutiyama Why the fuck do you morons keep talking about compassion? Do we have to roll some slaughterhouse footage to remind you of how absolutely clownish you look right now? What does it take to get you to keep quiet?
It decreased because you were vegan or coincidentally?
If it’s any consolation, it’s great that we are in such a privileged position to be able to have these discussions about the ethics of our diet. It can be really tough to work through having to admit you no longer agree with a stance you once had, especially when it’s one as passionate as this. But your health should always take precedent over the fine tuning of little moral decisions like this.
This is a very thoughtful, well-done video (not that I'd have expected anything else from you). Thank you for being so nuanced and transparent (but also thank you and my big respect for firmly setting your boundaries) and I wish you all the best for the future
sorry to hear you haven't been well, sincerely wishing you good physical and mental health! I hope to see you continue to advocate for reasonable treatment of all life forms on this earth. You never know what the future holds.
- from someone whose been vegan for 10+ years
Man, I really feel for you Alex. The inner turmoil must be excruciating. Not to mention the additional physical issues you mentioned. This must be an exceptionally challenging time to navigate. All love and support here! ❤️
What an intellectual wimp for someone who loves to claim he's logical
I appreciate you because of your process, and all that you are. I'm so glad you have the channel, and selfishly hope you continue to find value in it. I'm sure you've got a wide web, but, you know, if you ever need a hand
bro appreciate the honesty doesn't take away from the good work you are doing keep it up! don't let these pathetic losers that respond with intense hate get you down!
You’re a great person Alex and have helped so many people including me with your insight and intelligence. It must be a tough time for you and a difficult decision but you must prioritise your own health. Both physical and mental.
It must be hard when you’re a public voice but try not to let the judgment of others affect your well-being too much. ❤
Almost as hard as what the animals must be going through now because of him...
@@NoInjusticeLastsForever cry harder
@@Assassin99584 Found the coping anti-vegan cultist
@@NoInjusticeLastsForever still crying I see
more coping from the cope master
Alex get yourself tested for celiac disease if you haven’t already, often IBS is misdiagnosed and gluten is actually the problem!
Shhhh stop making sense you might jeopardize his tasty animal products 😂😂
@@whataboutb12 ableism and belittling peoples health issues is still a thing in 2023 i see -_-
@What About B12? It seems like you’re finding it hard to stand in Alex’s shoes, which I guess makes sense because you’re so used to comically large shoes (and rainbow wigs)
Good luck!
@@heypeopleitsmatt is speaking with a nutritionist hard? no? that's what i thought.
@@synscient7446 cute story. Do you also harm animals like Alex?
Skimming through some of the replies to your community post, I’m starting to realise that the online vegan community may not be the nicest group…
Seriously, it’s really putting me off being vegan
I have learned there are quite a few vegans that are simply not worth having in your life. I suppose this is not unlike some other groups. They are not helping the cause for sure.
I can understand that but ideally you’d still decide off the arguments, not a few bad eggs
Nicer than working in a slaughterhouse that's for sure.
@@earthysophie Speaking for myself, I’ll decide my own choices based on what is important to me and my understanding of the issues. It is another question entirely whether I want to associate with a group of people or not, even if our decisions on certain topics are similar.
Hey Alex, Love all your content. I have experienced something very similar and I completely understand where you are coming from. Hope you are ok.
I was vegetarian for 5 years before turning pescatarian for two years. I then went back to being veggie but honestly feeling a little bit jaded with the whole thing. Content like yours and earthling Ed's helped not only to renew my conviction but also to take the further step to veganism. You are young: I have no doubt that with your curiosity and conscientiousness you will continue to explore this issue and eventually find your own convictions renewed. These things can sometimes take time. I too was very strong in my views early on, and learned from this as well.
Some bodies just can't hack it. It's not about convictions. You can't judge what it's like in another person's skin.
@@themudpit621 No judgement from me. I refer to his convictions because in his community post he says this "For quite some time I have been re-evaluating my ethical position on eating animals". I know that in this video he focuses more on the health issues associated with his diet, but I think the two things are related. And he appears to give no definitive renunciation of veganism here, thus leaving the door open for a possible change again.
Really hope you just get back to a state of health, your content is very valuable, and very much appreciated in my opinion. I really wish people didn’t just assume malice with your community post because quite frankly some of the things I’ve seen directed towards you on this subject have been truly untethered and shocking! Anyway, hope you feel better as soon as possible Alex!
I subscribed just to show you support from the sane side of the aisle. You eat whatever you need to stay healthy.
I think I can relate. I had IBD, Ulcerative Colitis. IBS or IBD can become so bad/erratic there is in essence no way around but to eat what works and when possible to literally stay on your feet. Severe cramps, nausea, diarrhea, being unable to keep food down, or to have it in your system long enough to extract calories and nutrients. All this and more can seriously mess up your life. Sleep (when, length and quality), energy, strength (physical and mental), ability to do things. Everyone and every case of IBS/IBD reacts differently to different foods oftentimes even at different periods. Besides, IBS can seriously erode your mental health (there is a correlation between IBS/IBD and mental health issues as it is) which complicates things even further. Alex, I wish you all the best and to the vegan advisers who say do better, it can be done or consult the dieticians: don't speak of what you know nothing or little about. It's embarrassing and presumptious
Always remember, the vast majority of viewers literally never comment anything on your videos. There's always gonna be some people hating and getting in your face about it but most people will be quietly watching and enjoying your content. Keep it up! All the true fans get where you're coming from because you're being super genuine!
"I care more about this person than what he does or the integrity he lacks!"
Good to know!
simp much?
@@dom4521-je3fu tbh, that's true. We're all very flawed so I think it's incredibly important to value people for who they are and accept their choices, because it's pretty likely that we are all way less virtuous than we think. Remember to acknowledge and accept your flaws!
@@dom4521-je3fu aside from that, I do think he's acting with integrity. Many people would have just never mentioned that the diet was too difficult for them to handle and tried to keep making as much money as possible off their TH-cam channel. I plan to continue simping for my boi 🙏
as someone with food allergies and IBS who is only able to manage being vegetarian, something i always appreciated in your vegan content was your frequent acknowledgement of the existence of circumstances that could make veganism unattainable. you always exercised empathy towards people with dietary restrictions - an empathy that contrasts the vitriol i've had other vegans give me. i hope some of these people find the same empathy for you. look after yourself and thank you for your honesty.
So what's the special nutrient in cow's milk and chicken eggs that makes them necessary for you to consume?
@@joshwarrey3728 most vegans are able to get protein and iron from nuts and wheat-based sources, while i cannot. chickpeas and beans (and other legumes) are great options i enjoy frequently, but the fact of the matter is i was informed by my doctor that a vegan diet would not be sustainable for me. i also cannot get zinc, magnesium, or calcium from nut-based sources the way many vegans can. most vegan food options carry a 'may contain nuts' warning which - as someone anaphylactic - i must avoid. i wish i didn't have to eat eggs and dairy and feel immensely guilty every time i do, hence why i try to use substitutes where i can (e.g i use oat milk and eat vegan chocolate). you'll probably try to tell me otherwise, but i know from the struggles i've had transitioning to even just a vegetarian diet that veganism would harm my health greatly. attacking people like me does nothing to progress the vegan movement. i love animals just as much as you and encourage everyone to make more ethical choices
@@anka9405 The minerals you mentioned are very inexpensive to take as vegan friendly supplements if you are unable to obtain the amount you need from your day to day diet. Whether you choose to transition to a fully plant based diet or not, it is a good option to have access to.
@@thesayerofing it is a great option! i take supplements daily and was already taking prescribed iron supplements prior to going vegetarian. i take vegan friendly omega 3 tablets to enable me to function without fish in my diet too :)
@@anka9405 Hi, I'm just wondering... If you eat legumes frequently, why do you think you need to supplement iron or zinc? Is it just nuts you're struggling with? Why do you take nutrition advice from your doctor? Most doctors have no clue about nutrition, since they get little to no training on it. If all you need to avoid is wheat and nuts, you still have plenty of options.
Sometimes people forget, that TH-camrs are human beings. With bodies, baggage and broken bits. You did your best....and are still doing your best. And that's all you owe anyone. I still admire the shit out of you for all that you do. But I respect your humanity as well as I'm sure many, many, many of your viewers do. Hang in there buddy. You got this. One day at a time. ❤️
Wholesome
Boy these comments are so dumb! He's exposed himself as a liar and hypocrite. If this was a pro-religious Christian philosopher/writer these SAME people would be laughing at THAT person. But with Alex everyone seems to be oh I feel so sorry... meanwhile the dead tortured animals. WELL ... lets concentrate on his positive virtues... lmao A bit biased aren't we? LOL
@@examiningkubrickphilosofia1530 Because of your comment, I’ve decided to purchase a pound of steak from Costco. Thought you should be aware that you are directly responsible for the death of an animal, as are a couple other people who have posted disgusting comments like this. For every reply you make to me or anyone else that attempts to insult, I’ll buy another pound
Sometimes people forget that animals are raped into existence just to be exploited and killed for their own selfishness, I'm assuming like yourself. You want to offer sympathies, look who is on your plate/coat/bathroom product and apologize to them. Better yet, stop paying for it and go vegan.
Hes not doing his best, he acknowledges that he could eat a healthy and nutritionally adequate diet given his health issues. He just doesnt want to put in the effort
I have always found the value of your channel to be the well-reasoned and supported positions you present or discuss. I think you are showing that same value here, by explaining your position and showing your work.
It also takes quite a bit of courage to publicly announce a change, in any direction, around such a contentious issue. I wish you the best and look forward to your next video!
That is a good point.
maybe I'm missing but how has he provided justification or support for his belief. In fact he obviously contradicts himself multiple times by saying that he believes one can get a perfectly nutritionally complete diet while being vegan and also acknowledging that harming animals is wrong and that they have moral worth. So hes essentially admitting he doesnt think its worth his time to figure it out. curious what your thoughts are?
(edit - typo)
He didn't provide evidence or reasoning for anything. This whole video was an exercise in contradictions and vaguery.
@@GhostCorvid20 no. he did you're just too braindead to see it
Alex, thanks for being so vulnerable and transparent. Everything you said is exactly what I deal with emotionally, mentally, socially, etc. regarding my IBS. I could relate to everything you said and I’m with you in your struggle. Stay strong and do what’s best for your health! Nobody else should have any say in regards to that. It’s your body and your life! Thanks again for this video.
Oh damn, I don't really know what I expected, but this cut close to home for me. I think this is the first time I've ever heard a public facing person describe the same quite embarrassing issues I've dealt with my whole life with IBS. It's only a few years ago that I started being comfortable enough to even talk about it with my closest friends and only then I noticed how insane some of it is - that I've just internalized that it's normal for me to simply go hungry if I'm going to be outdoors with friends cause I don't dare to eat anything if I don't have safe access to a toilet. All of the "oh, it's ok, I'm not hungry" while trying to hide my stomach rumbling. I've learned to breathe through the most horrific of stomach aches while trying to look unfaced cause my social anxiety is not really friends with my IBS...
I relate very hard! And I know it's just a comment among others, another profile pic in the crowd, but trying to reach out a virtual hand at least to say thank you for sharing this!
Well, thank YOU for sharing THIS as well, then!!
Was not expecting such understanding towards Alex, especially after the initial backlash. Happy to see people acting like this❤️
Just wondering if you are vegan?
@@animalsarebeautifulpeople3094 Struggled with that too, was vegan for 2 years a while back, then ran into bunch of unrelated mental health issues including eating disorder. With the mentality of "all or nothing", I kinda gave up on veganism, thinking that if I can't commit to it 100% (and seeing similar reactions like cosmic skeptic has gotten) it doesn't matter and I'm just a bad person so why even bother. Today, I have a more relaxed relationship to it, and would estimate that my diet is ~80% vegan and increasing, which works way better for me. The IBS is pretty much unchanged though, it gets extremely worse with certain foods, but I've never experienced what it's like not to have stomach ache after basically every meal.
@@skabbmask as a fellow IBS sufferer I fully relate. My issue with Alex advocating veganism was because of health problems some people have and they could be made to feel guilty for no fault of their own. I have never been vegan but my diet has always been “almost” vegetarian with a lot of fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately some years ago my condition worsened and I developed intolerance to dairy products and most fruits and vegetables. Just eating an orange makes me go to the bathroom. I have tried all sorts of adjustments, but no lasting improvements. Only giving up fruits and vegs (and several other things) seems to work.
@@pansepot1490 I have no issue with advocating veganism, and was actually convinced of the morality of it by Alex (which hasn't changed, and from what I understand, hasn't changed for him either). I feel Rationality Rules (see his video on "why veganism will win in the end" or something like that) have a stronger case for the pragmatic there, but ultimately I can't defend not being vegan on a moral basis. However, I don't see anyone living a 100% consistent ultimate moral life in 100% of all of their aspects of living, it's mainly this that has made me more relaxed with it all - and what I really despise with these vocal aggressive vegans is that they're also doing and supporting immoral things like the rest of us but don't seem to be aware of it, strutting around on their high horses sniffing their own farts spitting in the face of people with real problems. So, you should definitely not feel bad for not being able to live like a ridiculous fantasy-saint :) We're all human! Pick your battles, do what you can, help others, be kind to those who deserve it (and even kinder to those who don't deserve it, it pisses them off so nicely >=)), and stand your ground against the assholes ^^ Really just satanism, haha x)
We support you Alex and I’m really hoping everything you’re going through gets better. Stay healthy ❤️
Be well mate. That's all that matters for me at this point. Live long and prosper 🖖
I am not disappointed, this is just life. You strive to be much better person than I could ever be and that is good enough.
He will never be a better person than you, sure, you can try but you can only be human. No more, no less. Now go be happy. Try your best to live or die trying.
I also have a condition, that comes with extreme gastrointestinal issues, which severely restricts my caloric intake. This makes it very hard to even maintain my weight and it is even worse, if I restrict my diet. I’m vegetarian and I try to eat as little animal products as possible, but as hard as I try, I can‘t always be perfect and that‘s ok. Many angry people here claim to care for the suffering of all living beings, but ignore, that you can suffer too. You were and will continue to be a big inspiration for me and my life. You always make me rethink my positions and helped me with my mental struggles and I hope, that there will be better times for you.
Hope you're doing better man. I really respect the transparency. I hope people don't continue to make you feel guilty for this. I find your position very understandable. Your stance has always been "reduce animal harm to the greatest extent PRACTICABLE" and I think you're still adhering to that.
Intellectual honesty seems rare nowadays, so it is to your absolute credit that you published this video.
This is not intellectual honesty, this is a religious apology video to prevent ex-communication. Intellectual honesty would be admitting veganism is unhealthy
Please don‘t let the hate discourage you from speaking up for the animals in the future. Wishing you all the best and thanks for the update!
He just said he had IBS b4 going vegan and he still has it as vegan. Doesn't sound like a good reason to go back to eating animals. Can you be a NAZI AND PUSH JEWS TO DEATH CHAMBERS and STILL CARE FOR THE JEWS? HE just said inconveniences isn't worth it and thereby telling everyone to continue shoving fkesh into their mouths since changing what you eat will ALWAYS entail SOME inconvenience
It is unbelievable to me that people like you exist. What the fuck?
I have been a vegan for nearly forty years, that said, I appreciate your honesty and candor. You remain a person I have a lot of respect for and I wish you all the best...struggle means we are living life to the fullest, I do believe.
pretty insane you think it's okay he now supports killing and torturing animals for no other reason but convenience
Vegan for nearly 40 years, lol, who believes this 💩?
I am sorry you went through it!
I discoverd you about a month ago, I think...you are extraodinary and I hope you have good friends that support you! You do not deserve vitriol! You should be understood, especially when you are talking about a private decision, especially when you are talking about it! Your honesty deserves understanding, if nothing else
Being vegan is about causing the least harm as possible, is it not? Does that include harm to oneself? Continue to do what you need to do to stay healthy physically and mentally while causing as little harm as possible.
I would argue the harm to the animals is greater than that to Alex's health
@@taylormarinescu805I agree but is it sustainable as long as Alex needs to eat
@@kx7500 he needs to eat but right now hes saying his lack of preparation and research justifies the harm done to the animals he eats
@@taylormarinescu805 if you think he’s saying that you’ve lost the plot. He repeatedly said he’s not trying to justify it and it’s not just about the dietary needs but his personal life etc. you think every reason someone isn’t vegan somehow is about “justifying” it or not when sometimes it’s not because they don’t value animal suffering.
@@kx7500 so his abuse of animals is unjustified? 😭
I suffer from IBD and get the difficulty it causes, especially as it can be so unpredictble. In my case, I've been vegan for 5 years now (vegetarian 10 years before that) and adopting a vegan diet significantly helped reduce the frequency of flare-ups - stress is by far the biggest antagonist for me and studying at uni put my flare-ups into overdrive. I would really suggest seeking professional advice before deciding what a healthly diet for you should look like. We are very fortunate in the UK to have access to a plethora of vegan foods and suppliments, there likely is a way forwad here. No doubt you know this, so best of luck - I genuinely hope you can get the stress levels down.
As a someone who became vegan and realized I have a problem with eating legumes I can sympathize. Luckily in my case its not as bad, it consists mostly of bloating gassiness, tiredness and in extreme cases I even got hives on my whole body (symptoms proportional to how much I eat). I am not eating out much so I was able to circumvent the issue by eating seitan as my main substitute and the occasional slip is not too bad. I hope you still experiment with vegan food and find something that works for you, you might need to avoid certain foods or food groups like me but it still better than the alternative. Of course if that does not work I understand your decision even though I regret the situation is at it is, by no fault of your own if I may add. The truth is life is not perfect and we do the best we can and that means different things for different people.
For me, it's been a matter of going very slowly and my tolerance slowly increased alongside. But the real game changer was starting to take in sauerkraut. I had to start that really slowly as well, but now I'm much more capable of digesting just about anything without having bad symptoms. This leads me to think it was a microbiome issue in my case. It could be worth exploring for yourself as well! It needs to be live culture stuff - expensive from the grocery store but dirt cheap if you make it yourself, and easy to do! Seriously changed my quality of life in my case, so I thought I'd share!
(Tim Ferris has a sauerkraut recipe, Google will find that, that's what I use with a few modifications to make it simpler, and at the beginning start with just a forkful per day and slowly increase over the next couple of months. I have heard that 2/3 of a cup per day is the end goal, but I started seeing benefits well before that. Note: I had suspected this for a while, I tried probiotic capsules as well, back before I went vegan I had also tried kefir, but only sauerkraut has had a noticeable positive effect)
As a veggie, I have had problems with bloating (and gas), constipation and fatigue. On the recommendation of a Vegan friend, I have incorporated Kefir Yoghurt, Kimchi and Tempeh in my diet, and this has helped.
The trick to not having gas/bloating after eating legumes is to regularly eat (thoroughly cooked) legumes. The gut microbiome can adjust to diet changes in a matter of ~3 weeks.
Thats why the first 2-3 weeks on a proper plant-based diet are always the hardest on your gut because a lot of the micro-organisms in your stomach that break down nutrients are suddenly obsolete, die, and are replaced.
if you remain vegan after all that you're just a religious idiot
@@agentdarkboote thanks for the reply. I tried fermented foods for a while, maybe ill try again in the future.
I also tried eating soy/tofu (and other legumes) for a year and my energy levels were really poor which clearly showed on my running performance.
I can explain away all the symptoms to the microbiome/digestion but I can't explain the hives I got that way. I really think its not an issue with getting used to the food but genetic, maybe I'm wrong.
Edit: added "(and other legumes)"
Thank you so much for being so open and honest. I found myself in a similar situation after three years of being vegan (and absolutely loving it) after gallbladder removal surgery. I became unable to digest fruits, vegetables, or legumes without having to rush to a bathroom. I had to give up my vegan diet and I literally hate it. I'm stuck and it sucks. I don't want to eat animal products but I can't eat much else without having issues. I miss veganism and I try from time to time and I always end up very sick (due to my inability to digest most foods and newly diagnosed IBS) I sincerely hope you find a balance that supports your gut health better ❤
Sorry to hear about your experience with that. Sounds really frustrating. Best of luck
He did make me go vegan but I gave in few months before he did
For the same reason, how ironic
Veganism kills more animals usually than eating more carnivore. If I were to only eat beef I'd be responsible for 1-2 lives a year but if I eat all plants it'd be loads more. People who operate those harvesters have shared the extent of all the animals who get killed.
Thank you for the update - I hope you’ll get better soon. As a vegan for many years myself I’m sorry for the rage that you experience from some in the community. People are lashing out with the hurt of someone let down by a star player leaving their favourite sports team. Others claw in despair feeling the animals suffer the loss of a brilliant advocate. I very much relate to this sadness but understand that the link between our food and how we feel is different for people and you might not experience the satiety, fullness or energy from restricted meals that are perfectly satisfying for someone else. I also know that tasty vegan meals sadly are not everywhere (yet) and that homecooking them nutritionally packed, Ibs friendly AND great tasting is not always the same thing. It can absolutely be time consuming (but enjoyable if you like cooking) and devoting the time and interest in researching, planning, shopping, preparing, cooking multiple items, storing, cleaning - that can be overwhelming for anyone with passions elsewhere. Or problems elsewhere. And when you’re away from home the quality and taste of what you get can sometimes be awful. I have had many bland vegan meals served - even terrible ones. I quite soon go into low energy stand-by mode if I don’t get a real meal (a banana and some nuts are not enough).
I try to help people around me by sharing vegan food I cook or help them cook to show how to make meals tastier and richer. Some just need a boost of practical inspiration sometimes. I don’t doubt that you are doing the best you can, in a time of struggle and with hopefully better times ahead you might one day be energized again to navigate any challenges of a vegan lifestyle. Once the food part is solved in the practical sense, it really is a lot easier and joyful. I wish you the best.
Have you heard of huel, it’s a vegan shake that you can take with you anywhere that is meant SPECIFICALLY for people with ibs and hyper busy lifestyles. Like the reason why people are justified in being upset is because Alex completely abandoned the philosophical principles he said he holds so easily. If killing and eating animals was wrong to him he would find another way. if you haven’t seen his interview with mikalah Peterson you really should it was obvious he was eating animal products then as well. The point I’m trying to make is that Alex hasn’t provided sufficient justification for his objective mistreatment. If you actually wanna be vegan there is no health reason to not vegan, as stated by the American and British dietitecs Association after 117 peer reviewed studies came in concluding the same thing.
Imagine telling people you will be vegan till the day you die, and then while your in France you ask Joey Carbstrong if it’s okay to eat meat because you don’t know how to look up what’s vegan around you. (True story) he doesn’t care. If he would be real I wouldn’t care but he wants to act like he does.
Really appreciate you and your honesty, I hope the hatred doesn't get to you too much and you keep providing the amazing and introspective thoughts 😊
Hey Alex, your meat eaters guide to veganism video introduced me to veganism whereas I otherwise was predisposed against it. I appreciate your transparency with this video and all the content you have put out over the years. Thank you.
This is the opposite of transparency. He's willing to bring up IBS as a vague suggestion of why he "can't" be vegan, but all of a sudden it becomes "private" before he gets to actually explaining why that prevents him from being vegan, which is the only reason he supposedly brought it up in the first place? How does that seem honest or open to anyone?
@@michaelkossin2765 Being reactionary irrational clown is very positive influence on your life i'm sure of that
This is anything but transparent.
u fkn slave
@@michaelkossin2765 maybe he does not want to bring it up because it's non of your f***ing business, or mine for that matter...
We love ya man keep living ur life the way you want!!
I tend to have similar stomach issues. A problem with a lot of the plant based substitutes is that they have wheat, and wheat absolutely wrecks my stomach. But a trick I learned that helps me digest other vegetables that I’ve struggled with is to steam em…Ie carrots, spinach
Those DMs are disgusting man. Do what you need to do, for your physical and mental health. You have helped a great many people in numerous ways.
Hey Alex, just wanted to thank you for the great content you've been making all these years. I'm so sorry you've been experiencing health issues, and the personal attacks over the community post would just be rubbing salt in your wounds. I wish you all the best as you work through these things, and I'm sure the majority of your audience does too ❤️ Keep up your great work when you feel ready.
Thank you for this video. Appreciate your honesty and you have my greatest respect (not only for this). God bless you.
You are a good person and I know that cuz I have listened to your pods many times so whatever reason may be behind giving up the diet i think you know what's best for your health because I think you are a very rational being so keep it up buddy and I hope you can return to a plant based diet again if you want to
Sending lots of love your way Alex ❤ life is never as straightforward as we'd like it to be and the only thing we can do is make the best out of it and be kind to each other along the way x
If he were "going back" to eating dogs, especially ones that have had their teeth chopped out with bolt cutters and tails cut off, would you still be regurgitating this dribble?
@@DiahRhiaJones shun the non-believer
I'm so sorry for what you've experienced 🥺
Stay strong! ❤️
Thank you Alex for your thoughtful explanation and honesty, and I'm very sorry you're experiencing issues with your mental and physical health. Many ex-vegans will say "I found it hard/inconvenient to eat a vegan diet, therefore veganism no longer has any ethical basis." People most likely do this because they feel the need to justify their decisions and maintain their moral superiority. This is a very pathetic behavior in my opinion. Thank you for making the distinction between the moral/practical, and using logic and nuance in your statements. You've been such a valuable contributor to the animal rights movement and that is not lost! I hope you get well soon.
Really sorry to hear about all the issues you've been going through and I hope they improve.
Unfortunately not everyone is the same and health conditions can play a factor in your lifestyle.
Personally I've been vegan for about 7 years and have only felt better with time, but everyone is different.
It must have been tough to make this video as the vegan community definitely can be ruthless, but I'm sure you also understand that it comes from providing a voice for the animals and the amount of pain and suffering that they go through.
It's not an ideal situation for anyone but hopefully your health will improve and we'll welcome you back one day brother 🤝🏼
IBS doesn't make it impossible to be vegan. Any decent nutritionist can work out a diet plan with you if you put in some effort. Alex has easy access to professionals in his patreons (among them a vegan doctor) and among his youtube friends. All it takes is one message.
I know vegans who suffer from IBS and have stayed vegan after reaching out for support.
I myself have alot of allergies (essentially can't eat half of all fruits and veggies including soy) and also managed with some help.
If he had just said that he has mental health issues, I'd find that more convincing than implying IBS = no vegan diet, "practicability" (whatever that means) and focusing on 0.5% of mad vegans.
Sorry, but that makes it kinda hard to look past.
@@Luftgitarrenprofi Stop acting like cult members please.
@@Luftgitarrenprofi he explicitly explained this applies to himself. Not that veganism isn’t practical for anyone with IBS. The whole thing about IBS is it’s not an adequate diagnosis in the first place. There isn’t much understood about it. You often get diagnosed with it when doctors can’t find anything else physically wrong, which makes treating it and managing it complicated and not a one size fits all. In fact A LOT of people don’t have luck with dieticians and doctor’s guidance on IBS because it’s such a vague diagnosis. I’m glad you seem to know people with success stories. But that isn’t the case for everyone. He still advocates a vegan or plant based diet, just does not find it practical for himself. Additionally. No one owes you an explanation. He could very well have mental health factors playing into this decision. We don’t know. But he does not owe an explanation of potential mental health factors to you.
@@mkaylagomez1959 Alex does owe his audience an explanation if he wants to be taken seriously as a public advocate. And his explanation is lacking. I've already unsubbed two years back when he gave WLC way too much leeway, so this inconsistency doesn't really come at a surprise.
Alex has expert nutritionists and a vegan doctor among his patreons. Give me one reason why he would leave the information out that he tried everything he could with professionals who know more than he does if he did indeed do it? Instead, he focused on some vague "practicability", some undefined mad vegans and a diagnosis you just admitted is so vague that it doesn't mean much.
That's not enough of an out to start supporting animal suffering and death again after his aggressive ethical vegan content (remember the cognitive dissonance video)?
At this point I'm really just waiting for the no longer an atheist "my road back to theism" video. Lol
@@enterthevoidIi I don't watch any vegan youtubers aside from an occasional Ed video. I just have an alllegiance with the truth. Sorry if that doesn't fit in your otherization view of people you don't like.
So I don't usually comment on videos but kudos to you on how you decided to handle this. I wish you the best and keep yourself healthy. (that should be your 1st priority but you already know this)
And yes I will stick around and look forward for what you have in store for us.
Not trying to sound a smart-ass but, have you tried hiring a professional dietician?
You mean like the ex vegen celebrities?
A professional dietitian worth his certification would have told him to eat animal products again.
If you need to hire a dietician to be healthy with your voluntary dietary restrictions then you probably shouldn't have those dietary restrictions.
All the best Alex. Keep healthy, strong and intelligent.
I just came here to say that I really can understand your suffering with IBS. I have it as well but discovered it was specifically triggered by gluten. I stopped the gluten and the IBS stopped soon after. I’m not sure if you’ve tried eliminating the common food allergens such as gluten, soy, grains in addition to animal products? You may find some help in that I hope. Best of luck and hope you’re better soon🙏🏻🙏🏻
Did you consult with a dietitian at all?
Also, didn't you say that being vegan meant reducing animal suffering to the extent practicable? If being 100% plant-based was no longer practicable for you, couldn't you still call yourself vegan if you were doing the most you can?
Not trying to be mean, btw. Genuinely asking.
The thing is, eating 100% plant-based and not wearing /using products made out of animals is practicable and the minimum one can do.
I think you might be confusing practicable with convenient. Practicable means it can be done, it's available to you to be done. Completely possible/doable. Also it's not so vague that that it means if you eat 1% veg and use 99% animal stuff for everything else, you are "doing the most you can". Then the label becomes totally meaningless. It has a minimum viable behavior that it refers to, and it's not completely abstract that you can label anyone and anything with it.
Why on earth didn't he consult a good vegan nutritionist? Ginny Messina, Jack Norris...
The best nutritionist in the world can't help you if you have a behavioral/psychological problem that makes it so you have trouble preparing and eating your meals. They can tell you the healthiest way to do something, but if you're stuck in an anxiety loop thinking something bad is gonna happen if you eat anything while out, then you aren't going to do it.
It sounds like Alex has a problem with execution, not with knowledge. Especially regarding executing a nutritional diet around his mental and physical health issues. This is perfectly understandable. Ultimately, rationality and moral righteousness can't sustain behavior, especially when your iron levels are dropping and your head is too fuzzy to think things through. Only good planning and execution can sustain action.
I hope you're doing ok. It's hectic how you've been treated, there's no justification for that.
Damn man, those were some venomous comments directed at you.
Wish you the best of luck moving forward
Focusing on mean comments and not caring about his murderous ways? Yep, he easily manipulated you. Sad you fell for it.
@@nosnawseinaj he doesn’t kill people? That would be a crime and illegal, something like that would put him in prison.
@@nosnawseinaj But he himself cares about his 'murderous ways'. He views it as morally wrong to kill animals - he just gets ill from not being able to practicably follow a diet that is vegan and healthy. He is not saying it isn't possible for most, nor that he hasn't made changes he still keeps.
@@nosnawseinaj Interesting how showing the vile comments he has received is manipulative
Appreciate the integrity this took. Sounds like you made a very thoughtful decision based on your own circumstances.
If he told you he was eating human babies I doubt you would be saying this hypocrite.
@@dom4521-je3fu now your just pulling the pud m8.
@@dom4521-je3fu that is a false equivalence and you are the equivalent of the deranged religious people that get mad at non-believers. Eating disorders and mental health issues aren’t a joke and basic human empathy is possible on the internet
Look after yourself, Alex! It's obvious you have a lot of people pulling for you and they seem to genuinely care for you.
but stab animals 💗
"Look after yourself, Alex! Especially if it means that another baby animal is r*ped and murdered!!! Much love!!! 💗"
CLOWN!
@@DiahRhiaJones Hey Alex! I'm beginning to see what you mean.
@@davidofoakland2363 Hey animal abuser, Fuck You!
@@davidofoakland2363 "I'm beginning to see what you mean! Abusing animals is totally justified when someone is 'mean' to me!"
Clown!
Hope you are doing better. Praying for you!
hope you keep ya chin up man and remember you've opened a LOT of people's eyes to the ethics of this stuff my self included. so don't let the bastards grind you down 💪
30+year vegetarian here with IBS and an eating disorder called ARFID. I completely relate. I am fifty, and I have opted to live the way you described where I avoid situations and food because of my conditions and dietary choices. I am still a relatively strict vegetarian but it's NOT EASY. And beyond not being easy, it's VERY difficult. ((hugs)) good luck on your journey, I'm on it, too.
Hopefully, Alex can find a way to slowly get back into a vegan or vegetarian diet. Whilst it's not ideal to be consuming animal products, we should meet people at their current point and if Alex needs to consume animal products for a period of time in order to rethink and strategies a new approach then we need to support him. He clearly still believes in the movement and it's great to see people in similar situations being empathetic and supportive.
@@IvyOfCthulhu Alex never said he needed to. In fact, he has explicitedly stated that it wasn't a possibility case, but a practability one. It was not about if he could - or could not. It was a case of wanting not to do it. He just wanted to go out to eat some sushi, that's the reality of it.
@montyollie You're an adult who is still being breastfed by cows? Sicko.
@@davidgomes4383 Stop acting like an English teacher, it's a TH-cam comment. All I was saying was he thought it was best for him to go back to eating animal products and I got the implication this isn't a permanent situation ass he still believes others should be vegan and repeatable defends the vegan diet. We just need to give him some time, especially given he's not in the best place mentally.
No one is perfect and sometimes we fall back to old habits when times are difficult, we're far better off being understanding than angry. If the video was renouncing the movement then I'd understand being angry, but as he said, he still wants to advocate veganism and pushing him away from that prevents others from hearing our side. Given Alex's history on the topic, it's really bad faith to just say he wants to eat sushi, he's done more for the movement than most of his audience combined.
@@davidgomes4383 you either dont understand what certain words mean or you just want to slate a man for any old reason, alas whatever.
he mentioned that it is completely POSSIBLE to have a balanced diet and live perfectly fine as a vegan, but its practicability is hindered by several different factors. he most definitely COULD stay a vegan, but you would be missing the point of the video entirely. as someones whos struggling with mental health rn, i cant even go to my lectures and supervisions. its absolutely possible for me to go to them, my legs are fine, the weathers decent, etc. but its practicability is hindered by factors relationg to my mental health. to just brush it away as some moral weakness is disgusting and i hope you realise that.
in that same sense, it is clear from what alex is saying, and if we are to trust him, which i have little reason to not believe him, that there are health and mental health reasons which hinder his general ability to function normally and as an extension hinders his diet. saying its "a case of not wanting to" jesus. like mate go do one please, pathetic. peoples tribalistic dogma creates such deep hate its just religion written all over. you can hardly blame the misanthrope, were all so pathetic.
when a person struggles with a certain "simple" thing for unexpected health reasons, and particularly mental ones, its not just a matter of perservering. a lot of the time its about stepping back, reverting to something basic and working forward to enable yourself to head back in the direction you once were headed. with that, we work from simpler principles and hopefully, for alex, that means becoming vegan again in some future date. do better.