It started with a phone call. A highly unusual phone call.

My family could be described as passive-aggressive in terms of dealing with just about anything that might hurt someones feelings. Rather than telling you that you look ridiculous in those skinny jeans, I might tell you that I really like the sweater you wore last Christmas eve. It takes more than a genius to read the tea leaves in my family.

Out of the blue, my adult son Scott called me in 2016 to tell me that I made a major mistake while raising him. He told me what I did wrong and asked, what in the heck was I thinking? I was confused. I wondered who was this impersonator with the gall to confront me so strongly? I soon discovered that my son had been researching animal rights and had come to the conclusion that I had been unnecessarily abusing and killing animals and teaching others to do the same. Scott added that my wife and I had been feeding our kids a much less-than-ideal diet all those years.

Well, that wasnt the type of phone call I expected that, or any other, day. So I picked my ego off the floor, expertly deflected his arguments, and put aside the anger from having him tell me the emperor has no clothes. That said, I had a nagging feeling that I needed to figure out what all this was about and why he was suddenly so passionate about veganism. My vegan journey was just starting.

First of all, I wondered what exactly is veganism. My moms side of the family were dairy farmers and I had more experience helping work a farm than your typical American, so certainly I must know about how to treat animals, I thought. I scooped so much cow manure with Grandpa that when I drive near a farm, I still associate the smell of manure with warm feelings about my grandparents, who were nice, honorable people and even had framed photos of prized cows like they were part of the family.

Surely, I couldnt be doing anything wrong by maintaining my current diet. We need the protein and vitamin B-12 from cows milk and meat, and those cows will die eventually anyway. I mean, I know Grandpa just did with the cows what was needed to feed America. Before Scott called, I never considered that the average dairy cow lives about three to four years of their 20-year natural life expectancy, and they have it good compared to cattle raised for beef. My son must be nuts, I thought, but Ill humor him and look into this vegan thing. I wondered if vegans were just angry antagonists hell bent on challenging

the status quo and unnecessarily questioning our dietary traditions and animal agriculture? I also wondered if some crazy vegans lost their taste buds, forced my son into a cult and now hes totally lost his way?

The first step on my journey was to attempt to rationalize my dietary choices. Yeah, my cholesterol and blood pressure were a bit high in spite of being razor thin and doing triathlons, but I loved BBQ pork and beef steaks. Yeah, my skin issues were troublesome, but I love dairy and need that vitamin D. I started by watching some of the standard shocking vegan scare videos you can find on YouTube, like those by Gary Yourofsky, and watched movies. I was swayed but not totally moved because I felt I needed (OK, wanted) these products for my health if I wanted to continue to be the solidly mediocre athlete I was. That said, I wanted to support Scott and better understand him, so I went vegan for a month or two and continued my research. I figured that after time elapsed, Id be able to come back to Scott with a solidly researched and irrefutable explanation for why veganism wasnt for me or most people.

My first plant-based food month went poorly. Fortunately, my wife joined me on the adventure or I probably would have given up after a week; we monitored each other. I felt hungry a lot and I missed my BBQ after the first week. I bought fake meat, and it tasted like a poor substitute for what I was used to. I couldnt find a decent butter or milk substitute, but hey, I was committed and prepared for a short adventure. I tried to keep up my fairly intense exercise schedule but felt a bit more run down. The only upside was that I felt much more energetic after meals, whereas I previously needed to rest after a heavy meal. What also helped keep me motivated was that all the medical research I was doing indicated that I should be able to thrive, not just survive on a plant-based diet. I also started to learn how to discern real science from feel-good propaganda. I found that the seemingly endless amount of non-plant-based advertising, articles and social media supported by the meat and dairy industries was much less scientific and research-based than the information I found supporting thriving on a plant-based diet. I came to understand that most people didnt want to stick to a plant-based diet and there were plenty of people with misinformation and half-truths out there to support them. I was starting to realize that maybe we didnt really need to eat all these animals to be healthy and enjoy food. Could Scott have been correct that vegans are just trying to help the world become more compassionate and sustainable? But nah, I wasnt not sold yet. Plus, if I couldnt prove to myself that I was just as healthy and reasonably satiated on a plant-based diet, I was out.

Cary Anderson, who went vegan because of his son, shows off some vegan Korean tofu tacos he made.

My second plant-based month was a transition. I still craved and occasionally tried meat and dairy, but I was starting to get used to my new food choices. My taste buds started to change and I was appreciating more subtle flavors, as long as I didnt eat too much fake meat. Some plant-based eaters believe fake meats are a great way to transition, but my personal feeling is that the fake meats keep people from fully appreciating plant-based foods because theyre similar to what youre comfortable with, but not what you enjoy. Theyre also just as fatty and salty, so your palate doesnt change as much. The main thing I learned in month two was I needed to eat way more food. I was eating the same amount of food, but a plant-based diet isnt nearly as calorie or protein-heavy as a diet with meat. This was a recipe for disaster, but I found that you almost cant eat too much on a plant-based diet. I like to eat a lot, so thats good for me. I simply needed to find protein-intensive and high caloric meals for athletes, and once I did, I started to feel better.

On my third plant-based month I decided to be vegan for a year; not only to enjoy the challenge, but to see what the impact would be on my health. During this period, I discovered that most pre-made and restaurant plant-based food is terrible. I bought several vegan cookbooks and went to work. The more recent the cookbook, the better, as vegan cooking techniques are rapidly improving. I even dabbled with the idea of opening a vegan dessert shop because I could make vegan desserts that matched or surpassed my old recipes and could not be found elsewhere.

Meanwhile, I continued my research to counter Scotts claims about veganism. I was moved by the overwhelming scientific research connecting our environment with animal agriculture and surprised by how large of an impact it had. I started to see the effect of animal agriculture on those less economically fortunate worldwide. My eyes were opening.

By the end of year one, I was almost all in but I dont give up easily.

Teresa and Cary celebrating an anniversary with a vegan meal and great view at Greens restaurant in San Francisco.

I started my journey by trying to counter Scotts animal welfare arguments so I could continue my old diet, but Id found no rational science-based counter argument. Not only that, but I found its better for my health, the environment and those less fortunate. I also wasnt craving my old food. So, by the end of year one, I had all these reasons to stick with it. Like most of us, I tried to live in a way that matched my values. Empathy and fairness and regard for the earth were aligned with plant-based eating.

Then I stopped: a good reason to stop all this plant-based nonsense would be going to the doctor for an annual exam and see what blood tests say. I was still playing basketball twice a week, doing Crossfit and getting lots of other exercise. I wanted to stay fit and healthy long-term. If doc said Im worse now, I might give up. No way in heck was I giving up my health for others.

Howd the exam go? Every single health indicator was better or the same, including B-12, and my borderline high cholesterol was now in the low range. I had essentially become younger.

Fast forward eight years to 2024. As I turned 63, Ive found that Im just as healthy and just as mediocre an athlete as before. Im still doing that research, but Ive given up on trying to convince Scott that hes wrong about veganism. In fact, every day I find more reasons to stick with a plant-based diet. My wife and I are still in this together and other family members have joined us over the years.

Scott, thanks for that phone call. It changed my life. By the way, those skinny jeans really look horrible on you.

Go here to read the rest:

Skinny Jeans and a bumpy father-son vegan journey - Los Altos Town Crier