36 Years Vegan! Mary Finelli's Story and Perspective

Mary Finelli is the founder and president of Fish Feel, the first organization focused on promoting the recognition of fishes as sentient beings deserving of respect and compassion. Mary has worked with various animal protection organizations, primarily focusing on farmed animals. She produced Farmed Animal Watch, a weekly online news digest, and co-wrote a chapter of In Defense of Animals: The Second Wave. Mary’s essay in Vegan Voices is titled “Swimming Against Ignorance and Cruelty.”
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00:00 When and why did you go vegan?
2:01 What happens when you go vegan?
2:33 What are the most important reasons for you to be vegan?
3:21 Why is it important for others to go vegan?
6:18 How do you encourage others to be vegan?
7:56 What challenges did have you had and how did you overcome them?
9:02 Any Regrets?
9:11 Why do you think some people quit veganism?
11:03 How do you suggest others get started?
12:02 What resources do you recommend part I?
12:49 Do you have a success story you would like to share?
13:44 Will you ever eat animals again?
14:14 What resources do you recommend part II?

[@fitawrarifitness6842]

Im really enjoying these, because all these ex-vegans, who were vegan for a month think they are experts.

[@VeganLinked]

Lol, exactly

[@iamdebmiller]

Great to know fish are being represented by people like Mary, as they are among the least understood, appreciated and protected animals. Nice interview!

[@joule23]

It is sad to see everyday the number of people that still want to believe that fish don't feel pain.

[@VeganV5912]

@Annette Yeoland .. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIWnXnV4qryMj5Y . Shaiolin Kung Fu 🥋, fast quick💨. ‘Vegans’ ✅❤️...

[@jojofids]

Just met Mary at the Pittsburgh veg fest today 😊 she inspired me to stop eating fish, though this video and then more info on her website. Thanks for this interview.

[@vickytsao6862]

people who are vegan really have a clear and good skin !

[@milobickmore1053]

You're really beautiful . The vegetables are doing you a world of good .

[@vegasvegan5282]

Very inspiring and informative.

[@ER-dn3pk]

Thank you very much Mary 👏😊👍!

[@tivoni]

I very much enjoyed hearing your personal story, very proud of you.

[@paulveg8524]

Bravo!

[@kihondosa4]

In my experience I had a few conversations with people who tried vegetarian/vegan diet 2 out of 3 had to go back since, as they claimed, their bodies needed some nutrients they couldn't get from plants so their health drastically declined yadayada doctor visits. Yet, there was one person who who just dropped animal product with no further consequences. Myself, I had never had a plan to turn into anything, just listened to how the body felt and slowly transtioned into plantbased diet. Every step in the way was an enjoyment. I believe that not everyone can just sacrifice their habits and jump into diet for animals but still craving for programmed savory tastes and filling in their bellies. Also, once as a child when I dropped drinking cows milk all at once I had acidic disbalance and it wasn't pleasant. yoga helped a lot cleaning all that bacteria by morning purging exercises. Anyways, love the interview. thank you for sharing

[@VeganLinked]

Everyone can be vegan but it's hard for some people because because we live in a culture where most people are not. Doctor Joel Fuhrman did a fantastic talk today that touched on why people fail. They leave his retreat in perfect health and then call him later saying they relapsed essentially And their health problems came back. It's kind of like when I was in rehab as a child and then got out successfully only to be thrown back into a broken dysfunctional world that Messed me up to begin with. Fuhrman said you have to be a leader to be successful at this because if you're a follower and everyone around you is eating animals you're probably just going to follow them.

[@VeganLinked]

As for health problems they may have been detoxing. Other lifestyle behaviors can make it feel like health problems are related to the diet as well. Literally everyone can eat whole plant foods and live healthier as a result. But if we are coming into this from having been broken it feels easier to do something that is worse for us. Imagine someone the 1st time they smoke they cough and gag but then their body gets used to doing this bad thing and if they try to quit they feel like they do better smoking as if fresh air is the problem. Same thing happens with drug addicts. What we eat all day everyday we become acclamated and addicted to. Some people have to work harder at overcoming this. It's easy and feels great once you know how to do it but at 1st there's a lot to learn. You have to learn what are the best foods to eat and when you should eat them (i.e. only in the day) because we weren't brought up properly and don't know these basic healthy lifestyle behaviors. But if you learn the right way and practice it and repeat it eventually becomes 2nd nature. And before you know it you become an advocate because you realize it's the healthiest thing for everyone including the environment and of course the animals.

[@KJSvitko]

Be kind to people and animals.

[@VeganV5912]

@Annette Yeoland . .. What animal foods is it we can’t get from plants, fruit, nuts, berries and tubers ?? Magic fairy dust 🧚‍♀️🌟🦠🍖🔴🤥. Hint hint 🌾🌞Sun. Scientific fact. WHO, NHS..... ✅❤️💪😬🦷. No plaque if you eat plants and fruit and nuts and berries and tubers... Scientific fact. No other animal does this, brushes teeth and no plaque. Only humans have plaque because of animals 🧟‍♂️🦠🥓🥩🍣🍖.... We’ve got long long stomachs. You’re not supposed to eat animals. Fat deposits block the arteries, 51% death rate !!! That is extremely high !! Vegans don’t have this problem because fat is animals. 4% cancer and that’s it...

[@VeganV5912]

@Annette Yeoland .. ✅❤️🐶 “The picture below shows Bramble, a blue merle collie, who lived to 27 years of age (189 human years). What’s even more incredible is the fact that Bramble ate a vegan diet consisting mainly of rice, lentils and vegetable. user uploaded image The dog, Bramble,lived in the UK and held the Guinness World Record for being the oldest living dog at the time. What’s most amazing about this story is that the dog actually lived on a vegan diet of rice, lentils and organic vegetables. The owner of the dog, Anne Heritage, was a vegan herself. She explains that Bramble “is an inspiration and [he] just goes to show that if you eat the right things and keep on exercising you can extend your life”. Seven Human Years for Every One Dog Year The age of 189 years comes from the common usage of counting 7 human years for every one dog year. This method is sometimes debated, but any way you count it - Bramble lived a long life.”.

[@VeganV5912]

@Annette Yeoland , . In the morning oats and couscous and Mixed Spices (Cinnamon, Ground Coriander, Nutmeg, Allspice, Clove, Ginger, and Nutmeg) Big teaspoon, and ground Black Pepper and apple and Dates and oranges et cetera. And then brown bread with peanut butter and Mixed Spices, and mustard seeds and a little bit of Cabbage and raisins and pumpkin seeds. And then dinner I have vegan curry and sweet potatoes and squash and onions and garlic and mushrooms and lentils or beans, et cetera. And 1 or 2 nori sheets, put that at the bottom and vegan curry. Or sometimes I do Mexican vegan burritos et cetera. Marmite, or yeast B12 🦠, teaspoon, every two weeks more or less, 500% !!!!...

[@VeganV5912]

@Annette Yeoland .. George Bernard Shaw, Albert Einstein, Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, Plato, Nikola Tesla, Leonardo DaVinci, Voltaire, they were plant based/vegan !!! Genius !!! What animal foods is it we can’t get from plants and fruit and nuts and berries and tubers and lentils and beans et cetera ?? Magic dust fairy 🧚‍♀️🌟🦠🍖🔴🤥. Sun 🌞🌾. Peer reviewed science 🧬. Gorillas 🦍 are plant based, never ever eat animals !!!! And they are Huge !! 10 times as powerful, as humans. 99% the same as us !!!! 1 percent cancer in the wild ✅❤️ 🦍. Fat deposits clog the arteries eating animals 😮/😵🦠🍖🥩🥓🍣🧀🍕🍳... 51% death rate !!! Peer reviewed science !!!!!

[@VeganV5912]

@Annette Yeoland .. Patrik Baboumian, Number 1 EVER, 555kg 10m walk, Vegan ✅❤️💪😬🥇🏆. David Haye, it’s vegan ✅❤️💪🥊😬🦷. Lewis Hamilton 6 time number 1, Ever 🏎💨 ✅❤️🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Venus Williams gets 90th match win at Wimbledon ✅❤️👩🏾‍🦱 Nimai Delgado, no meat since birth, no steroids, BIG💪✅😲. (Hint hint 🦍✅❤️💪😬 flat teeth 🦷) Carl Lewis ✅❤️😬 🏃🏿‍♂️💨🥇 Harvey Lewis ultra runner vegan, 158 miles in one day !!!! 🏃🏻‍♂️💨✅❤️🏆.......

[@marybelforero4679]

You are so awesome. I. Hope one day vegan people live together ❤️ ❤️

[@reesecarr2105]

I am vegan for animals too! 8+) great video!!

[@fyrish100]

The secret to life 💯🙏

[@anantharao279]

Just saw few videos of long term(20+ years) Vegan diet people. Most seems to have started as vegetarian & then switched to Vegan. This is the best way(for common people) to be vegan for life; first switch to vegetarian first & thn transform to Vegan. To be vegan directly from meat eating calls for strong conscience & will power to remain vegan for life. So many people may give up after few years.

[@VeganLinked]

No need to start vegetarian, I didn't. They only did because they didn't know any better. Their regrets were not going vegan sooner!

[@harveyplantharvester1502]

@Anantha Rao No, these people went vegetarian DECADES AGO before the dairy industry was exposed for cruelty, pre-Internet. Also, there were no alternatives for cheese (which is usually the last thing/addiction they give up) like there are now. back then there was only rice milk. BIG DIFFERENCE from today. It's ridiculous to be vegetarian instead of vegan now.

[@helpimlost.62]

The dairy industry is the meat industry.

[@cherij7000]

Thank you Mary. How do you reconcile having a pet?. I noticed your beautiful black cat. I have had dogs/cats in the past and am at a crossroads about it. Especially since cats are obligate carnivores. I am just so torn...

[@VeganLinked]

I can't speak for her, but I think they're rescue cats. And there are cat foods that are coming out that are vegan supplemented with the amino acids they need. Pretty straight forward.

[@guidenredhawk]

Carnivores are designed to eat meat and no one should feel “guilty” about feeding them the food that they are meant to eat. The problem is when humans eat meat. We just aren’t designed to.

[@VeganV5912]

@@guidenredhawk , Bigger and stronger and fitter on a plant-based diet. I feel great. And I don’t stink like a corpse. I don’t need deodorant because I’m clean and fresh my boots, socks, armpits are absolutely clean and fresh because fibre is plants and fruit and nuts and berries and tubers. Meat and cheese and milk et cetera have no fibre. Stays in your body for a long time puuu-trifying !!!🧟‍♂️🦠💩🥩🍖🥓🍗.... Scientific fact !!. Timelapse... 5 days or more sitting inside your stomach... 🧟‍♂️🦠🍖... 🤮 Puuuutrifying your guts !!! Over a burger !! 5 minute burger et cetera !! kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4vTZZ-YprtlbqM kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6XUfIqibbGWjrs kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKWXgKiefZ5jqdU kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmLHo3SHl6mKhKc 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️🦠💩🥩🍳🥓🍖... 5 days or more sitting inside your stomach puuuu-trifying !! No fibre if you eat animals !!! Hard arteries. Scientific fact !!!! ✅❤️💪😬🦷⭕️ Plant-based/Vegans don’t stink. Smooth arteries. Loads of fibre if you eat plants and fruit and nuts and berries and tubers. Scientific fact. We are herbivores. Scientific fact. Long, long stomachs. Flat teeth. Little flat teeth. Scientific fact !!!!!!

[@VeganV5912]

@@VeganLinked . kzbin.info/www/bejne/epvclaGiobmYbqc Pufferfish, Fish ⭕️🐟🐡🤓 hoop kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6GYn2ykl8mqd8U Pufferfish ⭕️🐡🤓 hoop !!!!

[@harveyplantharvester1502]

@@VeganLinked One site that sells vegan cat food has this warning/disclaimer: "This food is not intended to be fed to cats as a sole diet." That's because when the cats get sick from living on synthetic supplements, GMO corn and grain (as would also any human herbivore), they won't sue that company. That's the facts. Feed dehydrated to cats until there's lab meat, no other solution. Slaughterhouses are open for humans, not pets.

[@vestcoat]

Hi! I enjoyed your video. I notice your cat looks quite healthy. How do you deal with him or her being a carnivore?? I am vegan but would never make my cats eat vegan. It goes against THEIR nature!?! Thanx

[@gregmeissner9960]

love the class-reunion comment

[@ponnamy]

Hi Vegan Linked, please ask long-term vegans about vitamin B12. None of them talked about vitamin B12. How often do they take vitamin B12 ?

[@VeganLinked]

I have asked some of them. And it comes up in some of the videos. Opinions vary widely but the science is more important so I've been ambivalent about getting into that too much thus far. Dr Neal Barnard is a long time vegan and he takes B12. I just uploaded a video of him today and he talks about it. I tried to dig deeper on the subject with him about analogs, high levels and other underlined conditions, and what not but he gave me what he gave me which didn't really answer my questions lol so I got what I could and that was all I had time for with him. So far almost all of them seem to take it though. There was maybe 1 or 2 that didn't... I would stick to the science on that though and not worry about the anecdotes too much. But I will keep asking and see how things appear in that way... And even though anecdotes aren't all that much to get excited about seeing how great these vegans do for so long is in showing it absolute viability. Thanks for the suggestion! And thanks for watching. :)

[@anantharao279]

It is said B12 deficiency can cause joints problems. numbness, etc however it was observed at a diagnostic centre (in south India), most of them were life long meat eaters. It is important even EU/US must collect data & reveal findings of actual reality of B12. Most vegetarians in south India are near Vegans & never seen anyone suffering from any deficiency issues, most live longer.

[@ponnamy]

@Annette Yeoland ALL vegans get seriously sick, but they just lie about it? Really? Say this to Jehina Malik, a vegan since birth female bodybuilder ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJjdgHyIhLuJeKs

[@ponnamy]

@Annette Yeoland Only stupid vegans who don't take vitamin B12, don't take adequate calories, and follow stupid diets like fruitarian and raw diet ruin their health. Vegans who follow a whole food plant-based diet with regular vitamin B12 intake can live healthily. Period!

[@VeganLinked]

@Annette Yeoland Maybe if he ate whole plant foods and didn't cheat he would have done excellent.

[@vestcoat]

Beautiful, healthy people who have been vegan for 25, 35, 45 years. What more proof do you need. If it’s not for you then fine but do not discount the fact that it is not necessary to eat animal products. I have fish in my pond and believe me, they have feelings like every other living being….

[@kevinwilson3337]

She’s a little too over weight thou .

[@VeganLinked]

What is you shallow and irrelevant and inaccurate point?

[@kevinwilson3337]

@@VeganLinked my point is , if you’re eating the natural vegan food you shouldn’t be overweight

[@VeganLinked]

@@kevinwilson3337 she is vegan, she looks beautiful, you're being shallow and irrelevant. When I was with her doing this we took a nice long walk and ate together. She was very capable and ate very healthy. She isn't here for you to judge like that.

[@11235Aodh]

@@kevinwilson3337 It's to throw off all the carni's whining about vegans being so emaciated..., people have different body compositions though, some are more round and others more square (jin and jang).

[@zionenlightenmentprotocols9095]

just wondering..im vegan and have a cat.. does your cat eat meat? is it humane for a vegan to grow carnivorous animals?

[@VeganLinked]

They are rescue animals usually. We are on the verge of having vegan options for cats that include the amino acids they need

[@paulkelly6691]

Go vegan

[@VeganV5912]

@Annette Yeoland .. 👈🖕🙄.. Says the voodoo magic 🤪📍🐻📌📖 says the storybook !!! Time for bed 🤱🛌 . Next please ✅🙋🏼‍♂️.......

[@naturewoman1274]

You sound quite judgemental, did you ask everyone in your school reunion if they were vegan did you ask what there health issues were, where they are from originally, I'm a vegan but I have lots of health problems and I got them when I was born people might say I look older than I do because I take cortisone, my friend is English and is 65 she looks like she's 50 and she eats meat. Anyway all I'm saying you're vegan be compassionate not only to animals but to humans as well you don't know what people are dealing with.

[@VeganLinked]

understood, but it does get old dealing with people that eat animals knowing that "their" diseases and being overweight and overall decline is most likely due to eating animals. Sure, nonvegans can age well. But, it's only natural to make these observations as Mary has. It's unfortunate that people are doing this to themselves. And maybe you would be better off if you were vegan your whole life eating nothing but whole plant foods. Science is showing us this may very well be the case for most people.

[@VeganRebelLove]

I don't feel she sounded judgmental at all. She was making an honest observation of her former classmates at her High School reunion.

[@VeganLinked]

This vegan is 71 and some say she looks 30 lol kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKeuZX6bjrSYf5I

[@VeganLinked]

@@VeganRebelLove Lol, you're right, when I listened back it didn't. :)

[@VeganRebelLove]

@@VeganLinked Your statement was so correct though. It does get old listening to excuses of people knowing thier diseases are most likely due to eating animals. 💚🌱