Wholly Plant-Based

[andyswarbs]

Like so many people I have been thinking about a name tag to describe my lifestyle. It's just that whole food plant based no oils seems like I am writing an essay. Also, although I accord with the ethics of veganism, and recently changed my hair care products to be more ethically aligned.

Anyway I just thought why not use the term wholly plant based. The term wholly can both be easily imply whole foods while at the same time meaning that it excludes non-plant products.

I'm not trying to take anything away from people who like the term vegansim for their lifestyle, rather that I came at this for health reasons and only after that was awakened to the fact that I had blinkers on regarding the horrors of the dairy industry for over 40 years!

Of course you could argue, what is in a name! Am I just paranoid. Well I think that I am not really aligned as a vegan, it just allows too much junk food into the body. And that worries me.

[Agoodenough]

Hi Andy, I see it that veganism can mean anything as long as it doesn’t contain animal products so can be healthy or unhealthy. As with any diet what one person considers healthy another person wouldn’t. With the shelves now stocking vegan convenience foods there will be a lot of unhealthy vegans around.

I would say you’re whole food vegan as you can be wholly plant based but does that imply you are only interested in the food side and have no interest in the animal cruelty etc which you’ve said came to you after becoming plant based.

And on it goes ......

Here’s a thought, I think if you tell people you’re wholly plant based it’s a term people aren’t familiar with and it will take longer to explain what you mean by that than it would to say you’re whole food, plantbased, no oils. 🙂

Enjoy your day.

Ali 🌱🙂

[benwl Volunteer]

It's an interesting question.

For me a lot depends on context; like you I came at this from a health perspective although I've been vegetarian for ages. In general conversation I tend to just say I'm vegan, (or sometimes low fat vegan) since it's the word most people know and it does capture the ethical side as well.

At first I was a little hesitant about it because some vegans can be a little possessive about the term, and claim you can't be a vegan if you wear cotton socks or whatever, but as I've read more vegan writings I've come to believe it's a broad enough 'church' to admit me.

It's rare in general life that I have to describe my diet in more detail than that. On a forum like this being more specific does make sense, so WFPB or your whollly plant based makes sense.

[Anne76]

I agree with the reply from Agoodenough. My diet is WFPBNO and all the people on the Forksoverknives forum recognise that. I wish no harm to animals but do not want to be associated in any way with the militant sector of Veganism. I am on this diet for health reasons only.

[Jens58]

I totally agree Andy. If asked about my diet I usually tell people I’m vegan but actually it would be more accurate to say that I’m WFPB. I like your “wholly plant based “ though so think I will adopt that. Thanks for suggesting it ! 👍