I am vegan and a big fan of Dr Greger,Dr Ornice and Dr Ethylstein.Please don't feel sorry for the rant because these are all facts.I have taken step further-no oils and nuts either.I feel great.I am 6 feet tall and weigh 165 lbs(same weight from my university days)I lost 35 lbs in last 4 yrs without any efforts.

You're headed in the right direction by stating that you know that those processed foods are no longer foods.
I attended a lunch last friday where meats and pies were offered. I just attended to meet my neighbors. I didn't see anything edible. Many people asked me why I hadn't sat down with a plate of 'food'. I am way too old to be cutesy and shy about my food discipline. So my reply was, " I don't eat that crap".

It is often difficult to climb out of boxes and even more difficult to get others to do so as well. My nephew once asked my late partner (who was the director of his elementary school) why she was a vegetarian. She explained in detailed and clear terms and he listened respectfully (he was 18 at the time). Afterward, he said he could never become vegetarian and she responded, you mean you don't want to be a vegetarian and he had to agree. We can do most anything once we put our mind to it. Sometimes we have to be content with just planting seeds and hope some may germinate.

Rant on. It is cathatic. So I refer to "meat" as cadavers, carcasses,& corpses. That says alot in one word. Then the carnivore word. Carnivores hunt & kill their own food. Scavengers eat...see previous words. Scavengers are necessary to clean up the corpses, but don't say you are a carnivore unless you hunt & butcher your own food. Then therre is corporate procesased food. I do not consider brown & white items food. Colors are food. Then there is the abusive, toxic facory farming issue which you can just elude to as most folks are aware but only peripherally. If these folks don't wish to know then why do they ask? I usually think of it as an opportunity to educate. "Your whole family may eat meat", but America is an obese nation. Long term affests are diabetes, cancer, brain deterioration, heart disease..... Brown & white food do not have nutrition. Color does. Long term denial of necessary nutrition results in start naming all of the diseases that will rresult in the future. Explain you choose this for yourself & do not impose it on others. Keep it simple & suggest some research sites. But do they really want to know or just to absolve themselves of their nefarious eating habits. Sugar is an inflamatory drug that should be a dessert or a reward on ones birthday or special occasions. Not after every meal & all day long. Water is the fluid of choice. Not soda. Corporations have indoctrinated this country & the world emmulates us. Good luck.

I generally tell people that I'm vegan because "I'm a Chef, not Mortician".
Why do you owe anyone an explanation? Just tell them that you don't believe in harming animals...and that you don't want their blood and suffering on your hands.

No need to ever apologize about our feelings because we feel the same way that you do.
This is our place to rant and feel how ever we choose.

Just be you, do what you do. You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone. You can just say it’s for health reasons and for compassion for animals. If they seem genuinely interested in learning give them references/sources to look up. You can lead by example. Be healthy, cook and eat delicious food, live an enjoyable life. I find that that is contagious. When I went vegan most around me thought I was crazy. By now my SO is getting close to being vegan himself. He loves what he eats and has lost 30 lbs in just over a year. Most of my friends now eat less meat and drink more plant milks.

Definitely reach out online for support. There are many of us out there. A lot of us have good sources and links to send to non-veggie friends if they question you on anything. There are veggie meet ups, potlucks, fests, etc. in most cities if you are looking to make friends. Good luck and stay strong. We are here for you.

You can't change other people. That's the bottom line.

Regarding Micheal Greger. I disagree with some of his stances. He dismisses gluten sensitivity in a really patronising and hypocritical way, to say he's battling the dairy and meat industry.

He also ignores the problem of pesticides. I've asked his site if eating conventionally grown fruits and vegetables poses a problem to human health over the long term. (I've read a few scientific studies (there's not many about) which link pesticides with malignant tumours found in some Chinese citizens.) His site didn't answer my question. This is a valid question. Do pesticides outweigh the benefits?

I'm conflicted about eggs too. There is no definitive evidence either way. I still eat them. My only issue with them is ethical, but I don't think they're harmful if consumed occasionally.

If you join a vegan group on Meet Up that might help you to feel more supported and less alone in the world.