I never though Pollan's recommendations in "food rules" were all that difficult or restrictive but it is sort of like, your money or your life. It sort of starts, eat food, not too much, mostly plants. It's pretty basic after that. Don't eat things your grandmother would not recognize as food, things delivered through the window of your car are probably not real food, etc. It seems awfully simple to me. Other than some nit picking, I really don't get someone getting down on the guy.
My inspiration for vegan was and is my dental hygienist. She is Seventh Day Adventist and has been a full time hygienist and lifetime vegan. She raised two healthy children as vegan and some of the time has been a single mother. Now, her children are out of the house and she is older, but she still spends day at a time backpacking in the mountains with her family. I know that as a fact being a vegan with good nutritional values is more difficult than observing Pollen's diet recommendations. I figured if she could do it, I could.