Did I make a mistake?!
Did I make a mistake?
I am a devoted vegan. Today I was at work and I decided to eat an apple because I was really hungry and there wasn't anything else I wanted to eat. (I work at a restaurant and I really don't trust the salad bar or any of the other food that is prepared).
I went and got an apple and washed it with soap because that's what I always do- just in case some idiot decided to serve a chicken dinner and then restocked the fruit section.
I'm always nervous about washing the apple with soap because I am aware that there may be glycerin or other animal products in the soap.
So while I'm eating the apple I'm always checking to see if I taste soap. Sometimes I don't know if I'm imagining the taste of soap or if there is still soap. Today I thought I tasted soap a couple of times and really tried to rationalize if it was just my imagination.
I never went back to the sink to rinse the apple off again. Now I'm wondering if I did something wrong- like whether I was too lazy
1 month ago
to go and rinse the apple off again. Then again, I am trying to rationalize whether it was my imagination.
1.) Have I failed at being vegan?
2.) Do I have to start time over? (Most people will say how long they've been vegetarian or vegan)
Please don't put mean answers because I feel bad already.
1 month ago
Yes, I do have extreme OCD.
:( And this question is entirely true. I know I need to get some help for OCD.
1 month ago
I think it's the idea that I might have been too lazy that is scaring me the most.
Yes, I will go see the doctor about the OCD
Answers:
1 month ago
to go and rinse the apple off again. Then again, I am trying to rationalize whether it was my imagination.
1.) Have I failed at being vegan?
2.) Do I have to start time over? (Most people will say how long they've been vegetarian or vegan)
Please don't put mean answers because I feel bad already.
1 month ago
Yes, I do have extreme OCD.
:( And this question is entirely true. I know I need to get some help for OCD.
1 month ago
I think it's the idea that I might have been too lazy that is scaring me the most.
Yes, I will go see the doctor about the OCD
Don't beat yourself up over it!!! If you did taste soap it was an honest mistake....it will be ok
no, it was your choice btw
I would see a phychologist about your OCD and your phobia of Soap
Im not sure if this is serious or not, but you do sound pretty sincere. Anyhow, I've never rinsed my fruit off with soap (am I in the wrong there??), however I wouldnt bother yourself over it. You aren't in AA and you didn't just fall off the wagon. For every vegan out there, they have all at one time eaten some sort of animal product whether they were aware of it or not. In your case there is no starting over, nobody is keeping score, and the days, months, years is completly irrelevant. My guess is if you feel this guilty over the possibility of digesting soap that you are a very devoted vegan who has nothing to prove to anyone! :)
*gives you a big hug*
It's ok. No one can ever be 100% vegan. We accidentally squish bugs when we drive or walk in the grass etc. Just know you are doing the best you can. Have you thought about packing a lunch? veganlunchbox.com and fatfreevegan.com have some great recipes.
and no, I wouldn't consider youself not vegan or start your count over. The best thing to do is move on and realize that all vegans accidently injest animal products from time to time. If you're really worried you could also bring your own soap. Kiss my face is one mostly vegan line of bathroom products.
P.S. not to be rude, but it really does sound like you may have OCD. I say this out of concern, you may want to check it out.
Instead of soap, use a vegetable scrubber. Actually, since you seem a little OCD (don't worry, I am kinda too) why don't you rinse the apple and then peel it, then you don't have to worry about soap. I've been vegan for years and there are always going to be things happening every once in a while by mistake. You can't start over, because it's not a race. It's your lifestyle choice. Basically, you do the best you can. Also, I got the vibe that you feel uncomfortable in your workplace. Do you really want to work somewhere when you can't trust the food that you're around all day. Are there any other options such as a vegetarian place/ coffee shop/ or non food related career in your area? Good Luck and don't worry so much!
Okay, if you're joking, you've put way much time into this.
Um, wow. I'm going to second the post about OCD. I've definitely never washed produce with soap. I do make use of a vegetable brush from time to time, and they have that produce wash stuff, but....
Okay, being vegan isn't a 100% thing. It's just not possible. Even rubber isn't vegan, so your eco-friendly bicycle trip and your canvas shoes--not perfect. Being vegan is about replacing animal products with non-animal alternatives when possible and going without if you can. Sometimes you can't, and sometimes it's not possible. Sometimes you just have to take those antibiotics that were tested on animals and probably contain magnesium stearate, or whatever. Sure, you can try to ask your doc for an alternative, but when you're on some random Greek island with some village doctor, and it burns when you pee....you catch my drift.
Get over it. Nobody's going to judge you for not rinsing soap off of your apple. They might judge you for soaping up your fruit in the first place, cause really, that's a tad bit crazy. You said it yourself--you're a devoted vegan, and that's that. Would you judge someone for not rinsing soap off of her apple? I'd hope not. And by the way, that apple was probably already coated in an animal based wax that your soap wasn't going to wash off anyway. Try peeling it if you're that freaked out.
Happy eating and stop soaping up your apples! :-)
EDIT: You didn't mention how old you are, but my OCD was really bad as a teenager. I had some really bizarre behaviors, but I'm much better now. I've read that some people get better after adolescence, and some get worse. You should get some help though now, as it's affecting what you eat, and that could turn into a really bad situation eventually.
Ghandi,
was a vegan and if he was invited to someones place and they had meat he ate it. He made no big issue about it.
But in his daily practice he was vigilant.
Best way to clean an apples is take a knife pearing knife and holding it sideways scrape quickly all the wax off of it. Washing it doen't take the wax all off.
Lots of Luck
thats perfectly ok, you tried your best. nobody can be 100% vegan or vegetarian. for most people i dont think it would be a big deal if there was a tiny bit of some animal product in somthing, as long as it wasnt supposed to be in that somthing. [=
Everyone else was right, don't "restart the clock", and don't worry about. Besides, I'm betting that you were VERY thourough in rinsing off the soap and most likely was just imagining the taste of it ( or just smelling the soap on your hands as you would take a bite )
I agree with everyone else about getting a bit of help with your ocd tendencies but I have a suggestion for a product for you to try that should make you feel much more at ease when eating produce in the meantime. It's called Veggie Wash. It cleans better than using water and is made with organic citrus, no chemicals or glycerin to worry about. It cleans away the wax used on fruits and veggies, agricultural chemicals, and dirt. It comes in a spray bottle so you may just want to keep one stashed away at your work, or in your car.
You should be able to find it in any natural foods store and many of the larger supermarkets. If not here's a link where you can order it from.
http://www.veggie-wash.com/
Hope this helps!
Mistake? No. We all do what we can, and none of us is perfect.
You do need help with your OCD. See your gp and discuss this incident as an example of your behaviour, and ask to be referred for help. You'll get it, and you'll be better off for it.
In the meantime, give yourself a break.
Don't take vegan-ism so far that it controls your life.
You can never be 100% pure and its really suppose
to be about ending animal cruelty and refusing to
endorse it. I personally try not to worry about every
little thing because it is too time consuming and
it borders on the edge of narcissism or vanity.
Don't beat your self up and keep a sense of
proportion about personal purity.
You're fine. But for the future, I'd get some of that Veggie Wash stuff. If you pick up a Vegetarian Times magazine (go to vegetariantimes.com and you can get a free issue, then cancel if you don't like it), there is a card you can send in for more info to various vendors. VeggieWash is one of them and they send you this CUTE little travel-size/sample size bottle of the stuff.
BTW... I don't think anyone, no matter HOW hard they try, is 100% vegan. Our world just isn't made in a way we can avoid ALL animal products (unfortunately). Rubber, pavement, gasoline are just a few items that almost everyone uses that either have animal products in them or contribute to cruelty in some way. You'd have to go live on a deserted island and fend for yourself 100% to accomplish a truly vegan lifestyle. The best we can do is avoid what we can and try our best to minimize our impact on the planet and the other creatures on it.
You are totally neurotic in asking these farcical questions, who really care that you may have eaten soap, there are some really scary things going on around you and you are worried about soap. get a life
You're much stricter than most vegans I know. I would relax a little. Examine your reasons for being vegan. Is it to avoid contributing to inhumane treatment of animals and environmental problems? To promote your health? Eating an apple touched by someone who served a chicken dinner does not compromise these goals.
If you really need to wash your apple and you're worried about soap, scrub down the surface with a paste of baking soda and water. Works better than soap anyway.
You should be fine. I doubt you did anything wrong!!
you have ocd and i agree with the other answers, its a bit worrying tho if you think that people are touching food after handling raw chicken! health and safety an all that
no im sure you didnt make a mistake but if u did in accident that is ok foget about it and pretend it never happened. good luck.