vegetarian pilots? blood pressure, heart disease, body fat and a lot more

[natedog74]

I’m an aspiring airline pilot and it recently occurred to me that the fact that i'm a vegan (a strict vegetarian, no animal products - meat, dairy, eggs...) might have a negative impact on my prospects.

I digressed a little so I’ll copy-n-paste the end of my posting here, before getting into the ‘case for veganism’
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Although I’m sure that a healthy diet will be looked upon favorably (supported by test results, no doubt) the issue of meals (both in-flight and during layover) might come up with somebody as ‘picky’ or strict as me. Sure, major carriers offer vegan meals by request, but majors aren’t gonna be in my league for quite some time, so here is FINALLY my question to the airliner flying public - are there any vegetarian pilots, have you even mentioned it on your application, did it come up during interview, what was your answer, etc, etc

Comments appreciated

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My reasons: health and shape.
couldn't give flying funk about animal rights, reincarnation or whatever other crap people come up with as a reason to abstain from consuming animal products.
Well it’s not completely true, to each his/her own and yeah, I do feel sorry for cuddly dolphin dying in nets, blah blah blah….

I won’t get into the science of it all - just the backbone: contrary to what you’ve been taught, your body is NOT omnivorous. Or carnivorous. It’s a special kind of a herbivore (yes, plants), the same kind primates are (surprise! - you ARE a primate) - a combo of plants and seeds is all God meant you (and chimps, ‘tangs…) to consume (see genesis - only after flood did He tell Noah to feast on beast).
Anybody with even cursory knowledge of human and animal anatomy will find the few random following facts irrefutable.
Teeth.
Look in your cat’s or dog’s mouth (carnivores - shaped to tear-off-and-swallow feeding (muscle, yum!)). check yours. Although we’re not plant-only herbivores like cows, and therefore what once went down the gullet, stays down the gullet, they are shaped for - chewing. Intestines.
Feet and feet and feet of them. In most everybody’s fiber-poor diet, stuff stays in there for days. In carnivores it’s a one-night stand, in and out. BTW they have no appendix either. theirs are smooth, ours have lobes. why is that? Ever left any meat outside fridge overnight? Or passed even fairly recent road kill with top/window down? Eeewww, right? Right. meat decomposes inside you. Even if you ate tons of fiber and therefore were free of rotting deposits in those lobes of 30 years (I believe they found about 20 lbs of this stuff in john wayne after his death - a classical example of steak-3-times-a-day diet), it would still rot there for days at a time. Large intestine is more than a passageway. It extracts water and minerals from what once was food. Unfortunately, it will also extract carcinogenous (cancer-producing) toxins (poisons) that form there -or anywhere- meat rots.
A quickie on milk.
Your body has no enzymes to split and digest milk, HUMAN MILK that is, after 3yrs of age. It never had any to begin with to digest cow milk, much like calves’ digestive system lacks enzymes to split human (or whale , for that matter) milk. Dairy products have been linked to all kinds of allergies. I myself was early diagnosed with dust/pollen. You have no idea, there wasn’t a day in my life I wouldn’t blow my nose 300 times, like having a bad cold year-round. I became a vegetarian at 16 and have since forgotten how to spell ‘handkerchief” . in other words - allergies gone.
Got milk indeed.

That’s theory (the anatomy, etc). facts are all around us, obesity, hart disease in your 30’s, cancer and many, oh so many more speak louder than words.

Anyway, I’m not trying to make anybody a believer - I’m hardly one myself. I’m really too lazy to do some things (red meat, dairy…) ‘moderately - I just took an all-or-nothing approach. And reapt the benefits.

I’ll never ever have to worry about hear disease, problems, rhythm, blood pressure - all major killers of licences. last time I gave blood my cholesterol was 124.

Same goes for staying in shape.

I could get into particulars of what I actually eat and how I get more proteins, nutrients and vitamins and minerals that the average joe (despite misconceptions to the contrary ) with no great effort - but I’ve already taken up ton of webspace with anon-aviation stuff already, so feel free to contact me if you want to know more.

So finally the reason for this posting:

Although I’m sure that a healthy diet will be looked upon favorably (supported by test results, no doubt) the issue of meals (both in-flight and during layover) might come up with somebody as ‘picky’ or strict as me. Sure, major carriers offer vegan meals by request, but majors aren’t gonna be in my league for quite some time, so here is FINALLY my question to the airliner flying public - are there any vegetarian pilots, have you even mentioned it on your application, did it come up during interview, what was your answer, etc, etc

Comments appreciated

[Aussierotor]

GEEZ,
Think i will give up eating altogether and stick to the liquid diet.

Dont think being a vegeterian will have any influence .
Maybe being a vegeterian is more healthy although the ones i know dont look it.

It all comes down to moderation.If ya eat McDonalds every day then expect the side affects later on.

There is no set rule in health.Many obese people who eat fatty foods etc have low cholestrol and others seem to keep an average weight.

Have to agree a bit though ,most countries that eat fatty foods are over weight.You dont see many asians on the large size ,so maybe fish and rice is the way to go.
But then again,they work hard ,dont drink beer like we do.

On those thoughts it must be the beer ,so to hell with it.
Time to open a tinnie ,lay on da couch and watch the footy and maybe order a pizza.

[typhoonpilot]

Hi Natedog:


Obviously you read " Diet for a New America "

To answer your question, it is very difficult to be a vegetarian airline pilot primarily because we are on the road so much. It will depend on what job you get and how much effort you want to put into making and carrying your own food as to how easy/difficult it will be to remain strict vegetarian.

I was a vegetarian for about 4 years and even flirted with veganism for about six months. It began when I was working for a charter airline and was home most every night, or at worst had a short overnight and was back home by lunch. With that job it was easy for me to make and bring my own food along on trips. Then I moved to Taiwan and was working for a domestic airline. At our welcome banquet the V.P. of Ops saw me picking at the food and asked me if I didn't like Chinese food. I told him I was a vegetarian, he marched into the kitchen and ordered a bunch of vegetarian stuff for me. That was the only time I said that and for the next three years all my crew meals were vegetarian and every banquet I attended had vegetarian food especially for me. :ok:

In the last six years I have had jobs that have me on the road for much longer stretches of time and it is impossible to carry my own food for that long. Add to that getting married to a non-vegetarian and it just made it too difficult to stay strictly vegetarian.

It can be done but it does take a lot of extra time and effort.

Typhoonpilot

[aviate1138]

Comments appreciated.....

two things -

1 use a spell checker

2 most professional pilots think they are God [ especially the ones in the left seat!] so whatever you decide to eat should't be a problem!

B J


Happy being a VFR PPL

Closest I got to God was in seat 10D at FL600 in a Concorde.

[Moben]

Typhoonpilot, when you say it's hard to be a strict vegetarian, what do you mean by that? To me strict vegetarian means basically vegan, but to others it's just someone who don't eat red meat, that's quite a difference. I guess what I want to know is if you have to eat meat, or if you have to eat egg and dairy products?

[Rowardennan]

I’ll never ever have to worry about hear disease, problems, rhythm, blood pressure


Really?

That's amazing

You seemed to have an insight into medicine that I'm sure would be the envy of cardiac specialists around the globe


I suggest that you forget about becoming a pilot and specialize in medicine..with your knowledge I'm sure you could make a lot more money..Maybe even a Nobel Prize?

[fmgc]

Natedog,

Your resonings are floored and contradictory.

eg In one para you state that we are herbivores and in the next you state that we are not herbivores!!

I’ll never ever have to worry about hear disease, problems, rhythm, blood pressure - all major killers of licences. last time I gave blood my cholesterol was 124.

What an arrogant misguided comment. I would suggest that you look at another career if you are going to maintain that "It'll never happen to me" attitude.

Many of those things are genetic, you can delay the inevitable with diet, but never eliminate the chance.

[tom775257]

Just a quick point

'Your body has no enzymes to split and digest milk, HUMAN MILK that is, after 3yrs of age. It never had any to begin with to digest cow milk, much like calves’ digestive system lacks enzymes to split human (or whale , for that matter) milk. Dairy products have been linked to all kinds of allergies'

No, that is incorrect. Although it varies between different ethnic origins, at least in Caucasians there is a dominant mutation that exists in about 90% of the population that allows continued lactose metabolism after childhood...indeed if I remember correctly it is the fastest spreading mutant allele on record in the human genome. And don't worry, human milk and cow's milk contain the same sugar: lactose, the problems appear when lactase isn't produced.

[BlueEagle]

As an aspiring airline pilot I would suggest that you don't mention your eating habits at interview, blood sugar levels and "will you always be asking for special, (i.e. expensive), meals", will spring to their minds. Once employed you should be prepared to make your own eating arrangements but in my experience, when flying with vegetarian crew, the CC have always been only too pleased to help where they can and are usually able to provide a green salad, bread etc. and some fruit.

Also suggest you don't go down the 'discrimination' route either, you may be correct but you won't be either popular or sought after!:ok:

[ww1]

Hey Nate!
I've got a special hotdogs-and-snickers diet, and my cholesterol count's better than yours!:p
Moderation, friend. Everything in moderation.

[redsnail]

I like eating meat. :E

[minus273]

I like eating vegans, they are just so tasty and so few calories.

:E

[Pianorak]

Consider and discuss:

a) There are some primates (gorillas) who are cannibals which makes them carnivores.
b) It appears that the Atkins Diet (high protein, ie meat) lowers triglyceride (a blood fat like cholesterol) levels.
c) Quoting the Bible on matters medical rather weakens the case.

[dicksynormous]

"2 most professional pilots think they are God [ especially the ones in the left seat!] so whatever you decide to eat should't be a problem! "

At least you know your place . First officer are you . Want some red meat with those chips?

If the digestive process is so rotten in meat eaters how come all the veggies have worse farts than us. Both in quantity any stinkyness.

Personnally I'm all for one big smelly meat laden fart than a flight of continuous compost chuffs..
also if we were not meant to eat red meat why was red wine invented
:8

[typhoonpilot]

Hey Nate:

I figured this thread would degenerate to the level it has already. I learned a long time ago that others don't appreciate hearing about your eating habits, especially when you try to justify it the way you have.


Moben:

When I said strict vegetarian I meant non-ovo, non-lacto vegetarian. In the strictest interpretations a Vegan would not consume any animal product nor would they wear or otherwise use any product that incorporated animal parts in it. So there is a difference.

Typhoonpilot

[natedog74]

Wow, a slew of comments, but I did ask for it with a title fashioned after late-night infomercial claim…

typhoonpilot

Thanks for the comment, very interesting story, esp. for me - I hope to get a gig in the area once my tt is up to par. Always enjoyed yr posts, keep ‘em comin’ !

BlueEagle

Thanks, that probly comes closest to an answer to my post.

Almost (but not) everybody else

Sorry if I made it read like this whole vegan-ism is a big - or any - deal to me, that I claim to have knowledge and/or expertise of the science behind health/nutrition/cardiovascular conditions, et al -

It’s not and I don’t, this whole issue doesn’t even make it on my list of priorities - what does, though, is to know what to expect on an interview, which is a point y’all conveniently missed as you proved once again the age-old truth about us humans : we like nothing better (includes sex :) than to tell somebody else they’re wrong .

I guess it goes w/o saying that this statement alone invited another pile of posts reprimanding me for venturing into the fields of psychology and behavioral sciences - fire away.

For those , however who DID NOT forget what this website’s about, if you heard , witnessed or are yourself part of as story that relates to VEGEATRIAN PILOT and APPLICATION/INTERVIEWS , your posts are welcome.

[Rowardennan]

Sorry if I made it read like this whole vegan-ism is a big - or any - deal to me, that I claim to have knowledge and/or expertise of the science behind health/nutrition/cardiovascular conditions, et al


Then how come that's exactly what you did?

[I. M. Esperto]

I quit drinking milk 50 years ago. I avoid vegetables as much as possible. I eat lots of meat and cheeses.

I'm 72, and all that bothers me is Arthritis, which is very common in us old farts.

I also drink a lot, and not water. A Martini before supper mandatory, and I'm talking a double here. (Try this new Tanqueray 10!).

When I settle down for the eventing, I take two double higballs of VO and Seltzer. OK, so I piss a lot at night.

I never exercise. I smoke 2 stogies a day.

Most of the men in my family lived until they were 90+. I think this is the answer.

[Corporate Yank]

IME- I think you're on the right track. Although I was never perverted enough to drink martinis until I obtained my rotorcraft rating late in my career, I now consider them a celebration of life. As far as Tanquaray, it's not bad at all; god knows I've heaved up barrels of the stuff and found it to be of exceptional quality. Full speed ahead-CY

[M.Mouse]

natedog74

I gave up reading your post after the first few lines but one glaring inaccuracy needs correction, you said

a combo of plants and seeds is all God meant you (and chimps, ‘tangs…)

Chimps regularly eat monkeys and chimps also commit infanticide followed by a devouring of the hapless infant (cannabilism).

Amazing what you learn from National Geographic in the middle of the night.

If you wish to follow your own quirky eating habits because you can use some distorted logic to justify it then feel free but don't try and convince the rest of us that we need to see the light.

I like meat and besdes which what possible use is a cow or pig if not for food?

[Whirlybird]

natedog74,

I don't work for the airlines, but in my life I've been in loads of jobs and countries where there were similar potential problems with getting special food. I've been vegetarian for years, and I'm allergic to milk and eggs in large amounts, so that's fairly close to the difficulties a vegan has. I tend to carry food with me in case I can't get any, and I don't mind living on fruit and muesli bars for a while if I have too. Nobody minds; they usually don't notice, and all people ever object to is if you think you're better than them because of what you do or don't eat. Because you're not. The theories abound on what humans are "supposed" to eat, none with any clearcut evidence. And since we're not living as we used to (we're flying aeroplanes, dammit!!!), why should we necessarily eat what we used to? And does it make us healthy? I have a lifelong veggie friend with all sorts of health problems, and a 20+stone carnivorous friend with the lowest cholesterol her doctor had ever seen. There are all sorts of other factors. It's fashionable now to think you can control your health completely by what you eat, but you can't. Healthy eating is merely the latest in a series of medical paradigms for the causes of disease...try reading some stuff on the history of medicine.

I hope that might be of some use.

[Hahn]

Hi Nate!
It´s pretty easy to bring your own food onto a flight, as a vegie you won´t need much anyway, and you can easily stock up during a nightstop, so no problem at all. Just be carefull with the missionary part, let the others eat what they like, and die like they choosed. Not your business.

cheers!

[Gerund]

I have been vegetarian for over twenty one years, drink like a fish, and smoked up to 60 a day until last December. (Hurrah! weed free for eight months now!). Healthwise? Bloody awful. The AME says I MUST lose weight by next medical....maybe I should take up smoking again.

Where is this woffle leading? Oh yes.....what on earth are you thinking about? Why tell anyone you are vegetarian until you need to? Believe me, after 21 years .....NO ONE is interested.

[tinpis]

And the honesty award goes to...

Reddo!

:ooh:

[aviate1138]

""2 most professional pilots think they are God [ especially the ones in the left seat!] so whatever you decide to eat should't be a problem! "

At least you know your place . First officer are you . Want some red meat with those chips?""

Never been a first officer, I sit in the front seat and the one behind is usually empty.

I guess anyone with the narrow mind of a bible punching veggie must expect a little ribbing.
Meat and red wine are my staple diet also brocolli and spinach.

My suggestion would be change your vocation Natedog 74 - lets hope the previous 73 have a wider view on life.

B J

"Never argue with a fool; people might not be able to tell the difference"

[Notso Fantastic]

nate-if I may say you have a peculiar philosophy. Why do you want to wear your vegetarianism like a very large "'n your face" badge? Don´t be so sure it is the only way. I do not eat any meat, hardly any milk or dairy-I prefer soya products, no salt, no alcohol, no smoking. My blood pressure went through the roof-very high, so I should be careful of any pious feelings of "I will be alright and you sinners are doomed" thoughts. Blood pressure is a little more complicated than that.
I would suggest from experience that if you are determined to have such a diet (that is NOT looked on as healthy by professionals by the way), then in professional aviation you are going to have a problem. And be careful not to bore your colleagues to death with philosophical discussions about it!

[strafer]

My grandad ate nothing but meat. He drank and smoked to excess and refused to do anything remotely physical. He led a happy and contented life and died peacefully in his sleep.

Mind you, he was only 25.

[maggioneato]

Natedog, is smoking and alcohol banned as well? I have a very good friend who is a surgeon, his philosophy is, every thing in moderation except sex, bet no one argues with that one.

[unwiseowl]

Life would be so dull without the occaissional fillet steak or bacon butty. Besides, vegetarians are usually communists and therefore best avoided:p