Episode 560, air date July 2nd, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Radical Kindness: Living with Compassion for Animals, the Earth, and One Another with Anitha Rao-Robinson

Radical Kindness: Living with Compassion for Animals, the Earth, and One Another with Anitha Rao-Robinson

What does it really mean to live a life of kindness? Not simply kindness to the people we know, but to animals, the planet, ourselves, and future generations?

In this heartfelt conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes author, conservationist, and Kindness Is Everything podcast host Anitha Rao-Robinson. Together they explore the transformative power of what might be called “radical kindness”—a way of living that extends compassion beyond our immediate circle and into every aspect of our lives.

Anitha shares the story of her own vegan journey, inspired by her teenage daughter after watching Cowspiracy. The conversation also touches on her Indian heritage, her life in Canada, and how those experiences have shaped her understanding of compassion, conservation, and our responsibility to the natural world. Victoria and Anitha discuss the many meanings of the word “conservationist,” the joys and challenges of eco-travel, and highlights from the AVA Conference in Toronto.

At its heart, this episode is an invitation to live more consciously, to embrace kindness as a daily practice, and to recognize that even small acts of compassion have the power to change the world.

In This Episode

What “radical kindness” looks like in everyday life
Anitha’s journey to veganism after watching Cowspiracy
Different perspectives on conservation and environmental stewardship
The influence of Anitha’s Indian heritage and Canadian upbringing
The opportunities and challenges of eco-travel
Highlights from the AVA Conference in Toronto
How kindness benefits animals, people, and the planet alike

About Our Guest

Anitha Rao-Robinson is an author, conservationist, and creator of the Kindness Is Everything podcast. A former accountant, she now devotes her life to helping animals and writing children’s books, including A Family for Faru, Sari Sisters, and Music of the Bells. Anitha lives on a hobby farm with her family—both human and non-human—and continues to inspire compassionate living through her writing, podcast, and advocacy.

Connect with Anitha

Website: https://anitharobinson.com
Instagram: @anitharobinson4
Kindness Is Everything Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kindness_everythingpod/
Podcast: Kindness Is Everything (available on all major podcast platforms and through Anitha’s website)

Mentioned in This Episode

Cowspiracy
The Vegan Report with Rayane Laddi
Oblivious: A Vegan Memoir by Sande Nosonowitz

Anitha’s books:

• A Family for Faru
• Sari Sisters
• Music of the Bells

Also Mentioned

Main Street Vegan Academy — Cohort 39 begins this October via Zoom. If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a vegan lifestyle coach or simply deepening your knowledge of plant-based living, we’d love to have you join us. Podcast listeners receive $250 off tuition with the code vegcoach250.

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted June 30, 2026

Exploring How Conscious Choices Can Help Create a Healthier Future for People, Animals, and the Planet

The History of Environmentalism

Humans have had a relationship with the natural world since our existence on Earth. However, humans did not acknowledge the impact their actions have on land, water, and air, and develop methods to minimize harm and reverse damage until the last hundred and fifty years.

Early conservation efforts began in the late 1800s, when advocates focused on protecting wilderness areas and wildlife from industrialization, leading to the founding of the Sierra Club in 1892 and the U.S. Forest Service in 1905. The environmentalism movement really began in the 1960s with the publishing of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, which illuminated the devastating effects of pesticides on the environment and human health. Then, April 22, 1970, marked the first Earth Day. Since that time, the movement has evolved into a global political force, addressing climate change, carbon footprint, green initiatives, renewable energy, animal welfare, alternative meat and dairy, and rewilding.

Sustainability is the overarching concept that we as humans live in a way that meets our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The word is used everywhere, from government policies and corporate initiatives to social media campaigns and everyday conversations. But what does sustainability actually mean, and how can we incorporate it into our daily lives?

It means using resources responsibly, protecting ecosystems, reducing waste, and creating a world where people, animals, and the planet can thrive together. While sustainability can seem like a complex global challenge, it is also deeply personal. The choices we make every day—from how we travel to what we eat—can have a significant impact on the environment. Living consciously requires considering the greater good.

The Three Pillars of Sustainability

Sustainability is often described through three interconnected pillars: environmental protection (the planet), social equity (people), and economic viability (profit). True sustainability only occurs when all three pillars work together. For example, a company that uses renewable energy (environmental), pays fair wages (social), and remains financially successful (economic) is operating sustainably.

Environmental Sustainability

This pillar focuses on protecting natural resources (like water and soil), reducing pollution and physical waste, preserving biodiversity, minimizing our impact on the planet, and exploring alternative and renewable energy sources.

Social Sustainability

A sustainable society promotes fairness, health, well-being, and equal opportunities for all people. It addresses fair wages, safe working conditions, gender equality, health equity, and strong community relationships.

Economic Sustainability

Economic systems should support long-term prosperity without depleting natural resources or creating social inequalities.

Why Sustainability Matters

The world is facing a range of environmental challenges including climate change, deforestation, ocean dead zones, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and increasing levels of waste. Many of these issues are linked to unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.

The good news is that individual actions, when multiplied across communities and countries, can contribute to meaningful change. By adopting more sustainable habits, we can reduce our environmental footprint and help create a healthier future.

How Can We Live More Sustainably?

Consume More Mindfully

One of the simplest ways to live sustainably is to buy only what we truly need. Fast fashion, disposable products, and excessive consumption place enormous pressure on natural resources. Social media, pop-up ads, and fast checkout present the illusion of need versus want and convince shoppers that immediate gratification equals happiness.

Choosing durable, high-quality products and supporting responsible businesses can help reduce waste and environmental impact. Adding things to an online shopping cart and waiting a few days before completing the transaction allows time to consider the purchase. Borrowing items from neighbors, renting tools from a business, and buying gently used clothing and books are sustainable alternatives to typical purchases.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

The familiar three Rs remain essential. Reducing consumption should come first, followed by reusing items whenever possible and recycling materials that can no longer be used. When recycling, it is easy to think we are acting responsibly, however, for it to matter, we must learn how to properly dispose of plastic, glass, metal, and paper.

Small changes, such as carrying reusable bags, bottles, and coffee cups, can make a difference over time. Cleaning, fixing, and repurposing frequently used items helps prevent unnecessary trash. Try using sauce and jam jars for storage, old sheets and towels for rags, handing down clothing, and organizing local swap events.

Choose Sustainable Transportation

Walking, cycling, carpooling, and using public transportation can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to driving alone. Choosing lower-impact transportation options helps decrease our carbon footprint. Additionally, walking and cycling are great for health, and traveling with others builds community.

Support Local and Seasonal Food

Buying locally grown and seasonal foods can reduce transportation-related emissions while supporting local farmers and communities. It can also encourage a stronger connection to where our food is produced.

Embrace a Plant-Based Lifestyle

Perhaps one of the most impactful ways to live more sustainably is through our food choices. Animal agriculture requires vast amounts of land, water, and feed while contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and worldwide food insecurity. In contrast, plant-based foods generally require fewer resources, have a lower environmental impact, and provide sustenance to more people.

A vegan lifestyle not only helps reduce demand for resource-intensive animal products but also aligns with values of compassion and respect for animals. By choosing fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, individuals can support a food system that is often more efficient and environmentally responsible.

Sustainability is not achieved through diet alone. However, plant-based eating plays an important role in addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Sustainability Is a Journey

Living sustainably is not about perfection. Few people can eliminate their environmental impact entirely, and sustainability looks different for everyone depending on their circumstances.

Instead, sustainability is about making conscious choices and continually seeking ways to reduce our impact. Every reusable bottle, every plant-based meal, and every thoughtful purchase contribute to a larger movement toward a healthier planet.

Sustainability is about creating a future where people, animals, and nature can coexist in balance. While governments and businesses have important roles to play, individual actions matter, model, and amass.

By consuming less, wasting less, supporting ethical practices, and embracing more plant-based choices, we can all contribute to a more sustainable world. Veganism is not the only path to sustainability, but it is one of the most powerful ways individuals can align their daily habits with the goal of protecting our planet for generations to come.

References:

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962.

EAT-Lancet Commission. Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems. The Lancet, 2019.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Livestock’s Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options. Rome: FAO, 2006.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Geneva: IPCC, 2023. https://www.ipcc.ch/reports/

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Bonn: IPBES, 2019.

Our World in Data. “Environmental Impacts of Food Production.” Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food

Poore, Joseph, and Thomas Nemecek. “Reducing Food’s Environmental Impacts through Producers and Consumers.” Science 360, no. 6392 (2018): 987–992.

Purvis, Ben, Yong Mao, and Darren Robinson. “Three Pillars of Sustainability: In Search of Conceptual Origins.” Sustainability Science 14 (2019): 681–695.

United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. Oxford University Press, 1987.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Earth Day and the Origins of the Environmental Movement.”

United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/recycle

United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Transportation and Climate Change.” Retrieved from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/fast-facts-transportation-greenhouse-gas-emissions

United States Forest Service. History of the U.S. Forest Service.

Sierra Club. History of the Sierra Club.

Jenny Cheifetz is a certified trauma-informed life and breathwork coach and Main Street Vegan Academy graduate. She is the founder of The Flirty Vegan, where she advocates for and celebrates the benefits of veganism. Guided by ethics, concern for the environment, and the desire to live with vitality and vibrancy, she supports clients who want to look and feel better through plant-based nutrition and lifestyle modifications. The Flirty Vegan Podcast is available everywhere and features interviews with fascinating, mission-driven vegans whose stories offer encouragement and inspiration.

Jenny is a mom, wife, coach, and animal lover from New Hampshire. She enjoys cooking, baking, knitting, attending concerts, walking in nature, being near the water, spending time with friends and family, and learning.

Episode 559, air date June 25th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher

Can a person raised in ranching culture have a change of heart so profound that it transforms not only their life, but the lives of countless animals?

In this inspiring and deeply personal conversation, I speak with Renee King-Sonnen, founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary and author of the memoir Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher. Renee shares the remarkable story of how she went from life on a Texas cattle ranch to becoming one of the most recognized voices in the animal rights movement.

What began with a growing awareness of the individuality and emotional lives of the cattle in her care led Renee and her husband to make an extraordinary decision: save their herd from slaughter and transform their ranch into a sanctuary. Their story captured national attention when it aired on CBS Evening News and continues to inspire people around the world to rethink their relationship with animals.

Renee reflects on the challenges of questioning long-held beliefs, compassion to create unexpected change and the movement she has helped build. This episode is a testament to the fact that no matter where we begin, it is never too late to align our lives with our deepest values.

In This Episode

How Renee’s life changed from cattle ranching to animal rescue
The pivotal moments that led her to embrace veganism
Saving a Texas cattle herd from slaughter
The national attention that followed their transformation
What ranching culture taught her and what she had to unlearn
The mission and impact of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary
The story behind her new memoir, Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher
Why compassion has the power to change hearts, families, and communities

About Our Guest

Renee King-Sonnen is the founder and executive director of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. She became an international voice for animal protection after helping transform her family’s Texas cattle ranch into a sanctuary and her story gained attention following a CBS Evening News feature in 2016 and helped put her into the forefront of the animal rights movement. A speaker and activist, Renee shares her journey in her memoir, Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher, published by Bloomsbury in June 2026.

Connect with Renee

Website: https://rowdygirlsanctuary.org/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rowdygirlsanctuary
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rowdygirlsanctuary
TikTok: tiktok.com/@rowdygirlsanctuary

Also Mentioned

Renee is currently traveling on a nationwide book tour for Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher. Watch for appearances at VegFests, conferences, bookstores, and special events across the country.

Subscribe, rate, and review the Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the newsletter at www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive a FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

Become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted June 23, 2026

Yes. That said, it’s understandable that most parents want assurance before letting their children trek the tofu tundra.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the largest organization of registered dietitians in the world:

“Appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns can be nutritionally adequate and can offer long-term health benefits.”

Getting Politics Out of the Way

Since 1988, AND has officially endorsed appropriately planned vegan diets for all life stages, including children. However, the most recent position statement (2025) focuses only on adults, where the evidence is strongest. It’s not an ideological retreat—it represents professional caution, not backpedaling.

AND continues to support properly planned vegan diets for children and families. Others agree, with a recent meta-analysis concluding well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets can support child health, with a caveat to pay attention to key nutrients.  

What Does “Appropriately Planned” Mean?

AND emphasizes the role of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists in planning healthy diets, and balanced vegan diets are no exception. The often-used phrase “appropriately planned” indicates energy needs, key nutrients, and variety are considered, as well as age and life stage. So, for example, a diet consisting largely of frozen veggie burgers isn’t varied and doesn’t take into account vitamin B12 or other important nutrients.

What if a Vegan Teen Wants to Participate in Sports?

If teens choose a vegan diet, they should not have any issues participating in sports. The key is making sure the diet isn’t “vegan in name only”—for example, one built around potato chips and energy drinks.

For athletic teens, adequate energy intake is critical. Yes, they need protein, but if total calorie intake is too low, the body will break down protein molecules to meet energy needs instead of using them for muscle repair and growth.

Low Calorie Intake—What Parents Need to Know

RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) occurs when a young athlete—vegan or not—consumes too few calories to support normal growth and training demands. When the body lacks energy, it conserves fuel by slowing down key systems. Long-term, this can lead to:

• Altered bone strength (higher risk of stress fractures)
• Alterations in hormone production and menstruation
• Altered immune function
• Changes in mood, focus, and academic performance
• Altered athletic performance and recovery

Preventing RED-S

Parents can support teens by encouraging:

• Enough total calories, not just “clean” foods like salads or fruit
• Carbohydrates for fuel (oats and other grains, pasta, potatoes)
• Plant proteins (beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, soy milk)
• Healthy fats (nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocado)

Who Should Be Involved if RED-S Is a Concern?

Because RED-S affects both body and mind, care often involves a team:

• A sports medicine provider
• A registered dietitian
• A mental health professional, if needed

Early support is essential to prevent long-term health problems and help young athletes feel confident, strong, and well fueled.

Calorie and Protein Needs

Calorie needs for teens, 14-18 years, range from 1800-2400 for girls and 2000-3200 for boys. Very active teens often need the upper end of these ranges—not only due to training, but because their bodies are still growing.

Generally speaking, young athletes ages 14–18 need about 1.5 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. As an example, a 130 lb teen needs about 89g protein daily. (Divide a person’s weight in pounds by 2.2 to convert to kilograms (130/2.2 = 59kg))

59kg × 1.5g of protein = ~89 g protein/daily

Building a Nutrient-Dense Vegan Diet

Encourage teens to focus on foods that deliver both calories and nutrients:

• Prioritize nutrient-dense foods: whole grains, legumes, healthy fats (nuts, peanut butter and other nut butters, avocado, soy), fruits, and vegetables
• Experiment with soy foods: tofu, tempeh, and steamed edamame
• Try seitan: a high-protein option made from vital wheat gluten
• Include nuts and seeds: as snacks or in meals like veggie “meatloaf”
• Vary grains: brown rice, quinoa, freekeh, farro—to avoid taste bud burnout

Key Principles to Emphasize

• Getting enough total calories
• Including diverse protein sources
• Being mindful of key nutrients (vitamin B12, calcium, omega-3s, iron). Ask a healthcare professional about fortified foods or supplements

Common Vegan Protein Sources

• Seitan (25 g per 3 oz)
• Tempeh (20–30 g per serving)
• Tofu (10–20 g per serving)
• Lentils (18 g per cup)
• Edamame (17 g per cup)
• Beans (14–16 g per cup)
• Soy milk (8–10 g per cup — more than most oat or almond milks)
• Quinoa (8 g per cup)

Sample Daily Menus

Example A

Breakfast (~38g protein)

• Tofu scramble (18 g)
• Whole-grain toast with peanut butter (12 g)
• Soy milk (8 g)

Lunch (~35g protein)

• Black bean burrito with rice, tofu, and veggies (35 g)

Snack (~20-25g protein)

• Protein smoothie with pea or soy protein (20–25 g)

Dinner (~30g protein)

• Tempeh and quinoa stir-fry with vegetables (30 g)

Total protein: ~120 g

Example B

Breakfast (25–35 g protein)

• Tofu scramble with veggies (18–20 g)
• Whole-grain toast with avocado
• Soy milk (8 g)

Lunch (25–35 g protein)

• Burrito bowl: lentils, brown rice, veggies (15 g) + tofu (15–20 g)

Snack (20–25 g protein)

• Smoothie:
• 1 scoop pea or soy protein (20–22 g)
• Banana
• Flaxseed
• Soy milk

Dinner (25–35 g protein)

• Seitan, quinoa, broccoli (~35 g)

Before Bed (8–10 g protein)

• Soy yogurt with fruit
• Nuts or seeds
• Soy milk
• Apple or orange
• Trail mix (pumpkin seeds, walnuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate chips)

Total Protein: ~110g

Adequate energy intake and attention to key nutrients—not the presence of animal foods—determines whether a diet supports healthy growth and performance.

References

Everett S. Optimizing Performance Nutrition for Adolescent Athletes: A Review of Dietary Needs, Risks, and Practical Strategies. Nutrients. 2025; 17(17):2792. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17172792

Hecht C, Bank N, Cook B, Mistovich RJ. Nutritional Recommendations for the Young Athlete. J Pediatr Soc North Am. 2024 Feb 12;5(1):599. doi: 10.55275/JPOSNA-2023-599. PMID: 40433081; PMCID: PMC12088083.

Lotti, S., Panizza, G., Martini, D., Marx, W., Beasley, J. M., Colombini, B., & Dinu, M. (2025). Lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan diets in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of nutritional and health outcomes. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2025.2572983

Mary Brewer has passionately served as a registered dietitian for more than four decades, combining that expertise with many years’ experience as a registered nurse. Mary advocates for plant-based nutrition and compassionate living and is a Main Street Vegan Academy graduate.

She resides in the serene Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband of 20 years, Lawrence, who is also a compassionate vegan. Together, they care for their beloved rescue friends, Edina, Lulu, Patsy, Petie, and Spike. Mary is committed to health, wellness and social justice, particularly as it pertains to fair and equal access to affordable, nutritious food and healthcare.

Episode 558, air date June 18th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Natural Health’s Power Couple; Dr. Frank Sabatino and Jayney Goddard

Has modern wellness lost touch with one of its most important truths? In this thought-provoking conversation, Victoria Moran welcomes two respected voices in complementary and integrative health: Dr. Frank Sabatino and Jayney Goddard.

Together, they explore a perspective that was once central to the natural-health movement and remains deeply relevant today: the body is fundamentally a self-healing organism. When we provide the conditions for health — nourishing food, rest, movement, emotional balance, and connection with nature — the body often possesses a remarkable capacity to restore itself.

Victoria reflects on her long friendship with Dr. Frank, whom she has known since the mid-1980s and trusted for decades as her personal health-consultant go-to. The discussion examines how the plant-based movement became increasingly medicalized over time and why complementary approaches to health, once closely aligned with plant-based living, have increasingly been embraced by communities promoting very different dietary philosophies.

Grounded in science, experience, and a profound respect for the body’s innate wisdom, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on health, healing, and human potential.

In This Episode

Why the body is designed to heal and regenerate
The roots of complementary healthcare and lifestyle medicine
How plant-based nutrition supports the body’s natural healing processes
The difference between treating disease and creating health
Why complementary medicine is attracting new audiences today
The role of personal responsibility in lifelong wellness
How to cultivate vitality through everyday choices

About Our Guests

Dr. Frank Sabatino is a chiropractor, educator, and internationally respected authority on health science, therapeutic fasting, and plant-based nutrition. For decades he has helped individuals understand the body’s remarkable capacity for healing through evidence-based lifestyle practices. A longtime educator with the National Health Association and Main Street Vegan Academy, Dr. Frank is widely admired for his clear, compassionate, and deeply informed approach to health.

Jayney Goddard, MSc, PG Dip Ed, FCMA, FRSM, is the Founder and President of The Complementary Medical Association (CMA), one of the world’s leading standards-setting organizations for complementary and integrative medicine. An internationally recognized speaker, author, and educator, she has spent more than three decades advancing evidence-based approaches to healthy aging, neuroplasticity, lifestyle medicine, and plant-based nutrition. She is the author of Rewind Your Body Clock.

Connect with Our Guests

Dr. Frank Sabatino

Website: https://healthscience.org

Jayney Goddard

Website: https://www.JayneyGoddard.org
The Complementary Medical Association: https://www.the-cma.org.uk

Facebook: Complementary Medical Association
Instagram: Complementary.Med.Association
YouTube: The Complementary Medical Association
LinkedIn: Complementary Medical Association

Also Mentioned in This Episode

Main Street Vegan Academy — Our 39th cohort begins in October via Zoom. Dr. Frank Sabatino is one of our beloved instructors. Podcast listeners can receive a tuition discount using code Vegcoach250. Questions? Reach out through the Contact page at MainStreetVegan.com.

National Health Association Conference — Learn more about the upcoming conference, available both live in Cleveland, Ohio, and online via Zoom. Both Dr. Frank Sabatino and Jayney Goddard will be presenting. Visit: https://healthscience.org

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the Main Street Vegan blog and newsletter at https://www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive your FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

And become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted June 16, 2026

Over the years I’ve met many people who, when they find out that I am vegan, say something like, “oh I tried that, for a while, but it just didn’t work for me,” or “it didn’t make me feel great.” The message is always centered around them and how it didn’t serve them or give the results they wanted—as if living a vegan lifestyle was a tool to serve them. If it didn’t work, they’d move on to another way of eating, working out, or whatever was the next thing they had researched that could serve their personal goals.

Thinking about this, I remember when I first became a vegan 10 years ago. I joined the vegan community and repeatedly heard the many benefits I’d gain if I became a vegan. At Veg Fests, of course there were messages about supporting the animals and the environmental benefits, but most of the information and talks centered around how great it would make you feel, and what other benefits could come to one’s life from becoming vegan.

I’m not saying this messaging is wrong, because for sure many who become vegan and stick with this lifestyle experience amazing individual physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. However, myself and many other long-term vegans that I have become friends with and worked with over the years who stick with this lifestyle long term, understand veganism as something greater than as a tool to serve ourselves. The motivation is rooted in an understanding of the complexity of collective healing and how veganism can be a part of breaking interlocking oppressions.

Collective Healing Theory and Examples

Ecofeminist scholars have discussed the similarities around the belief systems and structures that create abuse of women, animals, and nature (Gruen, 1993). Through the process of “othering,” something different is placed in a lower category of value based on the qualities of something or someone in another category that has greater power (Adams, 2010). This process is used as the basis to create a belief system and structures that lead to all types of oppression and “-isms” such as speciesism, anthropocentricism, racism, and sexism. These scholars emphasize the importance of understanding the connections of oppression and how a path to freedom includes liberation of oppressed humans and animals (Gaard, 2002). Veganism is a revolutionary action that works on many levels to support total liberation of humans and non-human animals.

There are many examples exemplifying the amazing way in which veganism supports collective healing and simultaneously works toward breaking interlocking oppressions. I will give some related to my work as a therapist, researcher, and ecofeminist. In interviews I have conducted with vegan women intimate partner violence survivors on the benefits of a vegan lifestyle, the women often explain that once they understood the abuse that animals were enduring in the animal agriculture industry, they realized this mirrored the abuse they experienced in their intimate partner violence situations. This motivated them to choose a vegan lifestyle as they did not want animals to endure the types of abuses they understood firsthand, and they wanted to take steps to fight against oppressive systems that facilitated this type of abuse. Some even became vegan during their personal abuse, and seeing the animal suffering helped them to realize they did not deserve to be treated in that way and motivated them to exit a toxic relationship. They simultaneously were breaking free of patriarchal systems of control and not participating in the oppression of animals and the environment by choosing veganism.

Reducing veganism to a tool of individual transformation denies the radical, political action step that choosing to eat in this way each day has on collective healing and anti-oppressive benefits for human animals, non-human animals, and nature. A 2025 study showed that a vegan diet reduced carbon emissions by 46%, water use by 7% and land use by 33% after measuring over a 7-day eating period. Other studies have shown even higher percentages of benefit.

If we break down the numbers to think about the interconnected implications, by reducing carbon emissions, vegans are supporting not only their own ability to breathe and maintain life on earth but also not contributing to the exacerbation of climate change that impacts all living beings. By reducing water consumption, more water is available for sustaining life in a less oppressive manner outside of animal agriculture. Thus, supporting health and fighting oppression. By choosing a vegan diet, less land is required for grazing and other types of animal production activities and potentially returned to a more natural sustaining state. In a time when so many oppressive systems are trying to increase their power in a myriad of ways, the vegan lifestyle provides daily choices to opt out. Vegans stand against governmentally subsidized animal agriculture conglomerates that oppress everyone and instead take daily actions to support collective healing.

Key Take Aways

When talking to others about veganism, of course continue to include messaging around the amazing individual benefits of veganism, but if time and space allow, try and explain how the benefits they may experience are multiplied in connection with breaking of other oppressive systems, as well as the healing of the animals and environment. We have an ongoing problem of people leaving veganism for many reasons such as lack of support, resources, and community, but also because it does not serve as the magical tool they expected it to be for their personal benefit. Perhaps if we can educate the vegan community and those interested in becoming vegan on the continued benefits of collective healing, they can understand the radical power this lifestyle has beyond personal benefits and increase their motivation for continuing this transformational path.

If you are already a vegan, continue to remember the amazing and radical actions you are taking each day by choosing a lifestyle that not only leads to individual healing, but supports the interlocking healing and liberation of all beings. I will end on a quote by a great civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer who said, “nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” May we keep in the forefront of our mind the importance of continuing to choose veganism to support total liberation, collective healing, and justice for all living plants, animals, and beings.

References

Adams, C. J. (2010). Why feminist-vegan now? Feminism & Psychology, 20(3), 302–317. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353510368038

Gaard, G. (2002). Vegetarian ecofeminism: A review essay. Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, 23(3), 117–146.

Gruen, L. (1993). Dismantling oppression: An analysis of the connection between women and animals. In G. Gaard (Ed.), Ecofeminism women, animals, nature (pp. 60-90). Temple University Press.

Abbie Nelson, LCSW, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, therapist, researcher, Main Street Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, and Assistant Professor at Southeast Missouri State University. She has 18 years of experience working in the areas of trauma, domestic violence, sexual assault, and immigration, and practiced in the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. As an ecofeminist researcher, her interests include interlocking holistic healing, collective empowerment, and the connection between social work and vegan values and ethics. Abbie is also a Yoga instructor and loves being in nature with her family. She can be contacted by email.

Episode 557, air date June 11th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

From Physician to Healer: Laurie Marbas, MD

The conversation explores the remarkable success of The Habit Healers, now one of the leading health publications on Substack, and Laurie’s mission to make scientific research accessible, actionable, and life-changing. This episode is packed with evidence-based insights and encouragement for anyone seeking better health through informed choices and daily habits.

In This Episode
How Laurie discovered the power of plant-based and lifestyle medicine
The turning point that changed her approach to healthcare
Common metabolic health mistakes even vegans can make
Simple adjustments that can improve long-term wellness
The inspiration behind The Habit Healers community
Making science accessible and actionable for everyday life
Why habits matter more than quick fixes

About Our Guest
Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA, is a double board-certified family and lifestyle medicine physician, U.S. Air Force veteran, author, and speaker. She co-founded The Habit Healers community with Chef Martin Oswald to help people reclaim their health through evidence-based lifestyle strategies. Through her Substack publications, podcast, and concierge medical practice, Dr. Marbas empowers people to make lasting changes that support lifelong well-being.

Connect with Laurie
Website: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrLaurieMarbas/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriemarbas/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrLaurieMarbas

Subscribe, rate, and review the Main Street Vegan Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

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Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.

Posted June 9, 2026

Do you homeschool your vegan child? Are you alone in a sea of non-vegan parties and other social events that leave you and your kids frustrated and lonely? Do you feel local homeschool groups ignore your needs?

I’m not the first person to raise a vegan child or the first parent to choose homeschooling. Years ago, I found myself at the intersection of two social movements, yet I lacked the guidance to navigate them easily. In 2005, when our family started homeschooling, both that choice and veganism were less common than they are now. The resources connecting homeschoolers and vegans were lacking, even though homeschooling vegan kids was (and still is) a wonderful way to avoid schools that promote the Standard American Diet in their cafeterias and snack times.

Today, more people identify as both homeschoolers and vegan, or they consider these viable lifestyle options. The shared experience built over time can help prepare you for an amazing, rewarding adventure with your family that you’ll treasure long after your kids graduate from college.

Here are six ways vegan homeschoolers can find solutions to sticky situations they might encounter, with a focus on park days, parties, and family. By honoring boundaries early in a child’s life, you set your kids on the path to continue veganism long after they become independent. For parents and caregivers brave enough to tackle these two communities at once, these ideas will get you started.

1. Join a Community

Research local homeschool co-ops and park days. It’s often easier to find homeschooling groups if you live in a big city. Connecting with parents or in groups with older children can take longer, depending on the dynamics. You can also start your own group. I helped form a new park day for toddlers and preschoolers that we attended in its various iterations for almost a decade. Once you find a group you feel comfortable with, attend as many events as possible to get to know the other participants. This may take time. Be patient. Make sure the group fits your desire for community plus your child’s needs and personality.

National homeschooling organizations provide general resources. Check out the National Homeschool Association. Contact state organizations for guidance and information about your state’s homeschooling policies. Find local groups that promote homeschooling.

The School House and A2Z Homeschool–THE A-to-Z of Homeschooling: Best of Ann Zeise’s Home Education Site both feature resources and archived articles.

2. Bring Food

Parties, field trips, co-ops, park days, relatives’ homes—these activities provide opportunities to share veganism with a larger audience but have the potential to create confusion. When attending a birthday party, bring treats just for your child or to share with everyone. If you bring something to share, check in advance with the host about allergies and food sensitivities such as nuts and gluten. When my son was young, I brought vegan lollipops or cookies to birthday parties, subbing those for non-vegan cake. After he discovered that the other kids at the party were allowed to eat birthday cake, but he wasn’t, I had to get creative and bring a cupcake or other cake-like treat. Luckily, many parents in our homeschool co-op were open to making vegan treats he could enjoy, and after a while, I didn’t even have to ask in advance.

Confirm that friends understand eggs, dairy, and honey aren’t vegan products. This allows for many opportunities to educate others with grace and compassion.

3. Be Consistent

When children are younger, you might feel tempted to let them eat cake, candy, or snacks that aren’t vegan-friendly. By being consistent with your values, you avoid vagueness or uncertain signals. Again, bringing an emergency vegan snack can save you from unhappy outcomes.

4. Encourage Older Children to Read Labels (And Younger Kids to Ask for Permission)

When my kid was a toddler, we attended a mommy-and-me music class once a week. At snack time, the parents of the other kids offered to share their food with my child. These were friendly folks, but they weren’t following anything remotely close to a plant-based diet. I encouraged my child to ask me first before eating the food. This experience makes it easier for older kids to ask hosts for a list of ingredients in the food they are serving at parties.

5. Respond with Grace and Dignity to Family and Friends

Avoid arguments. People will disagree with your parenting decisions. Both homeschooling and veganism, while less unusual than they used to be, still confuse friends and family members who don’t understand either and could even believe that you’re harming your children. Family members may question your decision to avoid feeding your kids traditional favorite foods or not sending them to a real school. Grandparents might even see it as an insult to their parenting skills or family customs.

Try to avoid responding to hurtful or ignorant comments with anger—this can take restraint. At my son’s second birthday party, a relative of my husband’s equated the vegan food we served with excrement. Still experiencing postpartum depression and sleep deprivation, I responded with an insulting comeback.

Books such as Carol J. Adams’s Living Among Meat Eaters: The Vegetarian’s Survival Handbook and Ed Winter’s How to Argue With a Meat Eater (And Win Every Time) offer sage guidance and wisdom about interacting with people who seek information or hope to provoke us into an unproductive argument. We won’t alter our choices because of their assertions, and they won’t either, at least not in that heated moment.

6. Organize a Field Trip to a Local Animal Sanctuary

 When our kiddo was younger, we visited various sanctuaries, including The Gentle Barn and Animal Acres (now Farm Sanctuary), both in Southern California. Later, I organized a homeschool field trip to The Gentle Barn. While we didn’t create instant vegans, I like to think that we modeled some of our reasons for adopting a vegan lifestyle and influenced, even if only on a subtle level, the families who attended.

Veganism and homeschooling are natural fits. Celebrate these brave actions: taking care of your children and teaching them to respect all life. May all your adventures be compassionate, memorable, and magical.

Andrea Zollman, a Main Street Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator, dreams of building a more vegan-friendly world. She’s earned certificates in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and the Forks Over Knives Online Cooking Course. The proud mom of a college graduate, she and her husband homeschooled their child from preschool through high school graduation.

Episode 557, air date June 4th, 2026. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Compassion, Practice & Living Ahimsa with Anna Ferguson

In this thoughtful episode, I speak with yoga teacher, author and activist Anna Ferguson about the connection between yoga, veganism and living a life rooted in ahimsa.

Anna shares her personal journey into both yoga and vegan living, and how these paths naturally intertwined to shape her life’s work. She explains how the practice of yoga can embody compassion as something we live through our movements, choices and relationships. This episode offers a look at how inner practice and outer activism can come together to support personal transformation and collective healing.

In This Episode
Anna’s journey into yoga and veganism
The meaning of ahimsa in everyday life
How yoga postures can reflect compassion for all beings
Sharing vegan values within yoga spaces
The vision behind Compassion for All

About Our Guest
Anna is the author of World Peace Yoga: Yoga for People Who Breathe, director of the Compassion for All Yoga Teacher Training, and founder of Our Collective Heart, a vegan nonprofit. Her work brings together yoga, activism, and compassion, helping people align their practice with their values.

Connect with Anna
Website: http://www.worldpeaceyoga.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldpeaceyogah
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldpeaceyoga/
Compassion for All Yoga: http://www.compassionforallyoga.com
Yoga for the Common Good: http://www.yogaforthecommongood.com

Subscribe, rate and review the Podcast to help more people discover the joy of living with vitality, spirituality, and compassion.

Sign up for the MSV newsletter at www.mainstreetvegan.com and receive a FREE e-book, Recipes to Help You Age Like a Yogi.

Become an insider by joining the Main Street Vegan Podcast Listeners Group on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/207997266555049

Main Street Vegan Academy – (listeners can get $250 off with the VegCoach250 code)

Complement are supplements made by vegans, Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD, Matt Frazier, and Joel Kahn, MD, to enhance diet. Check our their new product Sulfora HERE, and enter ‘MAINSTREET’ in the discount box to save yourself 10%.