Blink-182 drummer goes vegan

Travis Barker says a health scare earlier this year convinced him to drop animal products to improve his health.

Wed, Oct 17 2012 at 2:50 PM

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Vegetarianism & Veganism, Celebs

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Earlier this year, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker was told from very sobering news from his physician.

“I went to the doctor and found that I had eight ulcers in my stomach, and then I found that I had a condition from it, from excessive smoking," he told Music Radar. "I [also] had pre-cancerous cells in my throat. Right there, that was a game changer.”

Barker says he immediately quit everything and felt instantly better.

“I feel 100%, whereas before I’d think, ‘I feel good but last night I went hard.’ It’s a lot more consistent. You don’t really have good and bad days, you don’t wake up blaming something on a hangover, or you did this too much or that too much. It was a good, positive change. I definitely feel better than years ago when I was smoking heaps of weed and drinking.”

While Barker says that his new diet is vegan, he does have some slip-ups while on the road.

"I juice a lot, I get as much protein as I can because being a vegan there isn't much protein. But that's pretty much it. I just drink lots of water, too. I'll have a protein shake as well every morning. Once in a while I'll slip and get off my vegan diet and have egg whites in the morning, that's a good source of protein while I'm out on the road. If I can feel my body starting to tire those are good to keep you healthy."

That bit about being a vegan and not having access to quality protein is misleading. There are plenty of vegetables - from quinoa to soybeans - that can easily fulfill protein requirements.

Regardless, I'm happy that Barker has found something that works for him. He adds: "Some people don't get that wake-up call, they just go straight to the bad news, so it's a second chance."

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Comments: 6

Brad Dec 01 2012 at 4:52 PM

why are we attacking meat? it wasnt just meat, he was smoking alot aswell but veryone decide to ignore that part.

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kim Oct 19 2012 at 1:28 AM

i'm really starting to hate the "omg i got a health scare so i'm going vegan to get better" fade that seems to be going around. nothing wrong with doing it but it seems they are doing it for the wrong reasons and not really researching it as it can be a major lifestyle change. you can be perfectly healthy while eating meat (and veggies) but it seems people don't know how to do so in MODERATION, everything is about moderation, and just drop it all togther. his move to becoming a vegan seem half-cocked.

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does he really think meat is his main issue here? meat, from my understanding, does not cause ulcers. his major alcohol drinking/smoking may have been the real culprit. if he thinks it makes him feel better then good for him. however, his laspes makes me think he should have at least started out as a vegetarian then worked his way to becoming a vegan.

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jc_1 Oct 19 2012 at 11:08 AM

“The beef industry has contributed to more American deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined. If beef is your idea of "real food for real people" you'd better live real close to a real good hospital.” ~ Neal Barnard, M.D., Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine Eat like a Gladiatorhttp://drmcdougall.com/video/mcdougalls_moments_eat_like_a_gladiator.html The Paleo Diet Is Uncivilized (And Unhealthy and Untrue).http://www.drmcdougall.

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com/misc/2012nl/jun/paleo2.htm Seven Reasons Why We Have NOT ‘Evolved’ to Eat Meathttp://freefromharm.org/animal-rights/seven-reasons-why-we-have-not-evol... Human Ancestors Were Nearly All Vegetarianshttp://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/07/23/human-ancestor... 'Meat is manly? Think again (erectile dysfunction & prostate cancer)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB0zIg7Kl6A

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kim Oct 20 2012 at 2:56 AM

is this a reply to me? if so, i need statistics not some witty, misleading quote. beef has caused more deaths than all the wars of THIS century, as in 21st century? when was this quote made? if recent, so he's just not going to count all the wars that happened in other centuries then? how many wars have we had this century? you can count it on one hand and not even use all the fingers. he uses something that everyone knows means death and lots of them and downplays it by using "this century" because

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had he just said "all wars" then people would look at him funny. add in the fact that wars and natural disasters are infrequent and then ending with car accidents, which happen every day, it makes you think that he may be on to something since people die every day. if it's not from the first two and since people are not always driving when they're dying then of course it seems like more. nice word play but not very convincing.

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Sara Sawochka Oct 18 2012 at 1:07 PM

It sounds like he's made quite the turnaround. For more information on going veg check out ChooseVeg.com.

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rheynklaw Oct 18 2012 at 10:59 AM

It's nice to hear about another well-known person becoming aware of the benefits of plant-based eating, but he has no idea what he's talking about. Vegan diets can provide just as much protein as omni ones, and to say that he needs protein shakes and egg whites to make up a(n imaginary) gap does nothing but perpetuate the stupid, stupid myth.