- One guy who's a social media influencer
has dropped veganism.
He's not a nutrition expert, he's not a doctor.
I don't, I really don't think he has any
nutrient deficiencies, and I think there may be more
business opportunities elsewhere.
- Hey everybody, this is Klaus from Plant Based News.
So if you've heard the news about Jon Venus,
the ex-vegan bodybuilder, he now claims the vegan lifestyle
might not be as healthy as he thought it once was.
But it certainly caused an uproar in the community,
including from medical doctor Dr. Garth Davis,
who's got some opinions on this topic.
- Why are people freaking out because one guy
who's a social media influencer has dropped veganism?
He's not a nutrition expert, he's not a doctor,
maybe freak out if McDougal says
he's no longer vegan, or Dr. Greger comes out
with a video with a whole bunch of references,
or if I say boy, I was wrong about protein,
you ought to get a whole bunch of protein right now
and it better be coming from me.
But why freak out because some guy who built big
muscles on a vegan diet is no longer vegan?
Is that, are you vegan because he's vegan and therefore
now that he's not vegan, you no longer wanna be vegan,
is that why you're vegan?
I find it weird that he isn't vegan anymore because of
nutrient deficiencies in people that he's counseled.
Now why are you going to him for counseling?
I don't understand, I see a lot of nutrient deficiencies
in a lot of different people, not just vegans.
In fact, I see very few nutrition, nutrient deficiencies
in vegans and it's easy to treat if I do find it,
vitamin D deficiency or things like that.
But you're not, veganism, you're not doing veganism
for health reasons, it happens to be extremely healthy
and we've got tons and tons of evidence regarding that,
and I've published that in my in my book and
on my social media feeds.
But I'm not vegan because of my health,
I'm plant based because of my health but I'm not
vegan because of my health.
You know, occasionally I go out and get a beer,
that's not necessarily healthy, or drink a glass of wine.
I have been known at times to smoke a cigar,
these aren't healthy things.
I do them once in a blue moon.
But if I was doing veganism for health reasons,
then on some blue moon, I'd have a cheeseburger.
But I'm not doing that, because I'm vegan for an ethic.
And if you're vegan for ethic, the idea of leaving that
because of a nutrient deficiency seems a little bit strange
to me, it means you no longer have that ethic.
Because these nutrient deficiencies are rare and when
people have them they're extremely easy to supplement.
I've been vegan for many, many years,
I've treated many people who are vegan,
and I see more nutrient deficiencies by far
in people eating meat.
But by far, not even in the same ballpark.
So I don't really understand it, but to each their own,
if you don't wanna be vegan anymore,
you don't have to be vegan.
If he's gonna go on a predominantly plant based diet,
I'm sure you'll be very healthy that way.
I understand he had a new kid and I understand the fear
with children, you just don't want to make any mistakes.
And so you wanna do what most people tell you to do.
Can you have healthy vegan children?
Yeah, you can have healthy vegan children.
My children are by and large vegan,
and when they're not vegan, because I don't want to create
eating disorders in them, it's when they're out
on the town eating and it's not like they're eating
any meat, which they don't, but it's ice cream and pizza.
And if they're eating that, it's not exactly healthy,
so they're much more healthier when they are vegan,
and they are extremely healthy.
In fact, everybody I know who has vegan children
are extremely healthy, it's easy to do, it's not difficult.
So I still understand when someone is worried about it,
but you gotta understand that I mean if you're looking
at protein, you're worried about protein deficiencies.
There's been multiple studies,
in fact, one showedthat it was
fruit and vegetables in children that was most associated
with growth and weight gain unless you're looking at
third world countries, and they could get all the different
nutrients they need, so long as they're eating a very plant
based diet, and so he just needed to have
proper counseling, and that counseling shouldn't be
a guy who works out at a gym, it should be a nutritionist
or a medical doctor who's experienced
in these kind of issues.
So yeah, I don't understand the uproar
when someone leaves veganism,
everybody's got their own ethics,
and our own worries and concerns.
There's no recent study to say veganism's bad for you.
There's no recent study to say that vegans have any more
deficiencies than anybody else out there
who has deficiencies, I see vitamin D deficiencies
in everybody, because no one's getting
in the sun anymore.
So I would tell people to relax.
I mean, if you've got your ethic, stand behind
your ethic feel for your ethic.
I do what I do, not for anybody else,
but for what I believe to be right
and you should be the same,
it shouldn't be threatened because some guy,
either is, I don't I really don't think he has
any nutrient deficiencies.
I think there may be more business opportunities elsewhere,
or he simply is nervous about raising
a kid and I'm sure he's probably
gonna stay predominantly plant based.
Unless there's a lot of fame in some other areas,
but don't let that you know, figure into your decisions.
You be vegan because you have that ethic
and be plant based because all the studies show
that it is extremely healthy for you and if I ever
find out it isn't healthy for you, believe me,
I will post a video saying why I am no longer vegan.
(upbeat music)