"i'm allergic" vs "I'm raw!"

[azalea]

So I've become pretty sick of all the strange looks and comments I garner when people find out that I'm raw. So I've started to tell people that I'm allergic to meat, roasted nuts and dairy (you'd be suprised by how many products contain milk in some form!) and the reaction I've been getting is like night and day. Now I do have to put up with people's pitying comments (Oh dear, you poor poor thing, not being able to eat [insert SAD food here]!) when they see me eating raw but it's *way* easier to ignore than ostrasizing behavior and narrowminded comments/unsolicited advice. AND the best part is, people now go *out of their way* to make sure I have something to eat when they invite me over or when we're picking a restaurant, etc (hey, even if that's the pity talking, i'll take it :D)

I just find it hilarious that not having control over something (ie, an allergy) is more acceptable than having agency and doing something really wonderful for my health. Go figure!

[Colorawdo girl]

I used to go out of my way to make reasons or excuses. Now I do not. I am proud I take care of me and I do not need to disguise it in any way. That is powerful for raw.

Best to you in this process. You are on a journey and it is good.

[jurence]

I stick with i'm vegan. I have to tell the full story when they actually know what a vegan is.

[juliebove]

Comments like that only do a disservice to people like me who have real food allergies. Yes, people can be allergic to nuts. But not just roasted ones. I can't eat almonds raw or roasted.

[circle]

i say i'm vegan, too. =)

i hate having to explain myself.

[spicyfull]

I Love to tell them just how their food is prepared. How the Animal died. If they leave My Business alone, I'll leave theirs alone. I don't try to save or convert them, only if they ask for help but I don't allow them to wast My time with a lot of questions with no intentions of following thru. After a while you don't care what they think. This is My Life and you are in My Space.

[RawkinOnSunshine]

I hate having this conversation with people. I've been getting crap for being vegetarian for years..I can't imagine explaining raw vegan. Every time I'm sick all my coworkers say "it's because you don't eat meat".

If people asked I used to just say "I don't eat animals. I like them." If questioned further I explain VERY basically the ethics, sustainability benefits, and how many people meat farm land COULD be used to feed if converted to crop land. Unless I'm in a bad mood, then I just tell them to look it up...maybe that would be more helpful to their ignorance anyway.

[JCB44]

I love this I might try it just for fun

[mattshor]

I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals, I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants.

leaves them wondering.

[SweetTangerine]

Every time I'm sick all my coworkers say "it's because you don't eat meat".

This one really annoys me! I usually just say "Well, so were you two weeks ago and you eat meat."

[Veronica01]

I was talking to my sis about this yesterday who has celiac. I have an upcoming work Galla that is a cooked chinese food dinner and she suggested that she come with me as she is allergic and it would be better that we both brought our own food instead of me being singled out for my choices. I thought that was nice. She did however get quite peeved when i said it's unfortunate i can't just say I have an allergy. It bothers her because a lot of people that have sensitivity to dairy or wheat say their allergic. When she says oh im a celiac i can't have wheat people assume that it's just a mild sensitivity and at a restaurant her food still comes in contact with wheat from a mixing spoon or a counter top etc, and then she is full on ill for days, with mouth ulcers, vomiting, diarhea etc that she can't even leave the house. I can understand from both perspectives that we wish we could say we had an allergy to make it easier on us, but it does depreciate the publics view on the severity of other people who have life threatening allergies.

[Raw Joy]

I admit I have used the allergy thing a few times at restaurants when I wanted something custom made and didn't feel like I was going to get much cooperation. If I want to change the menu too much, sometimes I think they're just going to roll their eyes at the picky person. If I say I have an allergy, they bend over backwards to make sure I get what I ask for.

shrug. I don't do it very often. Just when I sense a little hostility because I'm asking someone to do something that's not in their routine.

[ruffsongraw]

i have said in a few situations that i had a sensitivity to such and such rather than allergy. if they ask me anything i say "i cant eat it." and i dont elaborate. mostly, i just order a salad and say No meat, no chees, no croutons....and i dont say why. dont care if they look at me like i am weirdo, b/c i am proud to be a weirdo. but i do say everyting nicely so they dont spit in my food (ya never know!).

{last night i had a dream i i was eating a coconut shrimp. i woke up feeling all guilty like it had really happened. haha!!---sorry, had to add that!}

jen

[Moretta]

I tell people I'm a raw vegan and sometimes I get questions that I gladly answer for them. Other times, it doesn't go any further than that.

[Veronica01]

I used to waitress last year and our company's policy was to find the EXACT reason why someone requested an exception to a meal. We had to know if it was a preference or allergy, and if i was even an intolerance or mild allergy we still had to have a manager go and speak to the person, double check and then tell every single person in the kitchen. The kitchen didn't seem to care if it was an allergy, but anytime even me as an employee ordered something modified (no cheeze no sauce etc) they wouldn't listen and send it out regular and say too bad pick it off... So it is sad that food choices aren't respected. I've always modified stuff for no croutons and no cheeze, no it's just going to be no nuts/meat and no dressing as well.