I thought more nurses would be veg....
Posted by nursingveg on Jan 16, 2011 · Member since Jan 2011 · 5 posts
I work in the nursing field and am very surprised as to how few nurses are veg. I only know one, and she isn't veg for ethical or health reasons. You would think that compassionate people would be more likely to not eat animals...
I suppose I am just a little disappointed :(
I REALLY agree that nurses should know much more about nutrition. i don't expect them all to be vegans or vegetarians, but in their field, they should at least understand plant-based diets. i don't see why it's necessary that i have to defend my diet/lifestyle to people in healthcare.
Also, i think personal trainers should know a bit about veganism! i met this trainer at my gym (who was a total jackass), and when i said i was a vegan he was like wtf? and he kinda thought i was crazy, and he was like i don't know how you can get your calories from only eating fruits and vegetables, and then he explained that if a paid for an expensive fitness package, he would train me and teach me good nutrition. :-\
long story short....i did NOT get buy any training sessions.
THIS! I have a friend that used to work as a personal trainer at a gym. He's the weight-lifting type, tons of meat, lots of reps, looking big. I run, like a slimmer profile, and am vegan. He was SHOCKED when he found out I was vegan and ran marathons and was a better rock climber than him. I gave him a damned CLINIC on veganism and how it can work so well for an athlete. He told me about one girl he knew who was vegan and unhealthy and blah blah blah. I responded by saying I knew quite a few omnis that are really unhealthy. He got the point. Now, I think he's converted to thinking veganism is at least okay, since we've known each other about a year. And he loves my baking!
I'm not a nurse, I'm a medical assistant, but can totally identify with this. And I also have to say that nurses are THE WORST patients! Of course that's a generalization, and mostly applies to older nurses, but dang! The doctor that I work for has had quite a few patient complaints against him from nurses who are so very unhealthy, that when he tells them they are obese etc, they don't want to hear it so they complain about him, as if it's his fault. Now I'm not saying by any means that all nurses are unhealthy, veg or not, etc. I'm just saying that there's a population of older nurses who are extremely non-compliant with medical advice and care. That being said, it is sad that they don't teach more nutrition and diet related classes, since it's really the key to your health! Where I work, the nurses don't have too much to do with diet and nutrition, but we do have our own nutritionists and dieticians that you can send your patients to. But even nurses are people too and have the same weaknesses all of us do I suppose :)
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