Today you will get answers to frequently asked questions about how to gain social support and inspire others to adopt a whole food, plant-based diet.
Gain social support and inspire others
Watch this video by Dr. Nandita Shah to learn the best way to gain social support and inspire others to adopt a whole food, plant-based diet.
Key Points
- When you’re invited to eat a meal with friends or family, offer to bring your favourite whole food, plant-based dish to share.
- Give your friends and family a short, honest, heart-felt response—preferably one or two sentences—if they ask you why you’re not eating all the food.
- Take your most delicious meals to work.
- If you go out to a restaurant, don’t be shy—politely ask for what you need. Choose a suitable restaurant in advance and call ahead of time if you’re going in a large group.
- Don’t tell others what to eat. Inspire others by letting your own amazing results and delicious food speak for you.
Frequently asked questions
Get answers to frequently asked questions about social situations and inspiring others.
What if my friends and family don’t support me or make fun of my new diet?
Be forthright and tell them that you are trying a diabetes reversal diet for 21 days and request their support. Don’t forget to mention the benefits you have already experienced. You may find that they want to know more too.
What if my family doesn’t want to follow the diet?
Make your food delicious by testing and practicing some of our recipes and customizing them to the likes and dislikes of your family while still adhering to a whole food, plant-based diet. Your food will look so colourful and appealing that your family will not be able to resist it for long. Never force them to try it or lecture them on how healthy your food is and unhealthy their food is. There is no need to tell them it is oil- or dairy-free or special in any way, which might put them off as nobody likes to be told that they are doing something wrong. Be patient. Focus on your health and your improvements should inspire them to support you more and more.
My cook isn’t cooperating.
Being patient is definitely a virtue when it comes to house help. Take the time to explain to your cook in simple words why cooking without oil or making brown rice is so important for you to get well. Be creative. For example, one of our clients motivated her cook to use little or no oil by offering him the money saved from not buying oil as a bonus every month.
What if no one will cook without oil for me?
Learn to cook yourself. The best strategy to take your health into your own hands is to learn to cook, even if it is just a few dishes. Cooking is an act of self-care. When you get involved with the process by deciding what to eat, buying the fresh vegetables, and preparing the meal, your food will taste even more satisfying and delicious.
What should I do if I’m invited to share a meal with friends and family who eat differently?
Offer to bring your favourite whole food, plant-based dish to share. That way you’ll be guaranteed to have something to eat, and they will get to see how delicious vegan food can be.
What should I do if I’m attending a social function where there won’t be anything that I can eat?
You can eat before you go, call the host in advance and check if there will be anything that you can eat, or focus on the fruit and salads that are often abundant at large social functions like weddings.
What should I say if I’m asked why I’m not eating other food?
Give your friends and family a short, honest, heart-felt response—preferably one or two sentences. For example, you could say, “I am really touched by your concern. Recently I learned that animal products and refined food are the cause of my diabetes and that eliminating them from my diet can help me control and even reverse it, so I decided to give it a try.” This will usually lead them to ask you more about your diet. If they ask the questions and you answer in a positive way, they’re more likely to follow your example.
We generally sit and share our lunch boxes at work. What do I do?
Make and take your most delicious meals to work. In addition, refrain from giving lectures to others and share your food instead. Rainbows on your plate will attract other people to taste your food, and learn about the way you eat. You may find them bringing food that they can share with you.
What do I do if my meals are provided at work?
Unfortunately you will still need to bring your own food. We cannot get well by continuing to eat the same food that got us sick in the first place!
What should I order at restaurants?
If you go out to a restaurant, don’t be shy—politely ask for what you need. You are paying, after all. Spell out exactly what kind of food you need and request the chef to cook a wonderful meal. It’s helpful to choose a suitable restaurant in advance and even call the restaurant ahead of time if you are going in a large group. If you are able to choose the type of restaurant, favour cuisines that naturally include a lot of vegetarian and vegan food such as Thai, Chinese, and Japanese. Just request no or low oil and enjoy your meal! If you have a rainbow on your plate, others often will feel that you have the best meal. Remember that no matter how hard we try, eating out almost always means compromises. Maybe you will have to settle for a bit of oil here and there or white rice or white flour. Its best to be strict about everything being plant based and avoid the fried things. It’s sometimes easy to go to a vegetarian restaurant and tell the waiter that you are allergic to milk and animal protein. This way he can help you ensure that no animal products are in your food. Its important to minimize eating in restaurants.
What should I eat when I travel?
Pack your own healthy snacks when you travel. You can carry fresh or dried fruit, nuts, roasted chana or peanuts, etc. At the airport or train stations, look for fruit and ready-made vegan snacks. When you book your flight, request a vegan meal. If you are on extended travel, then check for healthy restaurants in your new area or request your meal preferences to your host. View our city directories for a list of vegan-friendly restaurants throughout India. You can also visit Happy Cow for a list of vegetarian restaurants and health food stores in India and around the world. In addition, you can enjoy home-cooked meals with local vegans around the world through MealTango. As you get clearer in your own mind about sticking to this path towards your health, the options will keep appearing as you create your own reality. And always remember that nature’s fast food—fruit—is everywhere!
How can I convince my friends and family to adopt a whole food, plant-based diet?
Many people resist change—you may have resisted change at the beginning of this programme. But now that the programme is almost over and you’ve experienced such positive results, you may want to share your experience with friends, family, and colleagues—especially those who have diabetes or other health issues—and convince them to adopt a whole food, plant-based diet too. This is great! However, remember that nobody likes to be told what to do, and most people think that what they eat is their private business. If you tell them what to eat, they are likely to rebel and do the opposite. Also remember how difficult it was for you to give up caffeine or some of your favourite food.
The best way to inspire others is to let your own amazing results and delicious food speak for you. Once they see how well you’re doing and taste how delicious your food is, they may want to try the diet for themselves.
Mayavi Khandelwal was highly diabetic and was advised insulin. She was determined to avoid this. Now she has been free of diabetes for 3 years, and is also free of medicines for high blood pressure and thyroid too. She has shut down her lucrative chocolate business and now helps people to get healthy again with a food service.
“This was a turning point in my life. It changed the way I looked at everything.”
A Life Connected
“A Life Connected: Vegan” is a short uplifting video about the positive power of making conscious consumer choices that are consistent with our shared values of kindness, justice, and compassion for other people, for the planet, and for animals.
