How would you react in this situation??!

How would you react in this situation??

I was recently at a barbecue at my boyfriend's families house.
His uncle, who might i mention was sweating liquor through his pores begins to tell me and my boyfriend that we will have to eat meat eventually because it is really unhealthy and that we need to eat meat. After that he begins telling us about a vegetarian that he knew that after six years had to go to the hospital because he was so sick from supposedly not eating meat. I replied (trying to be polite, i can't be mean i still have to have my boyfriends parents like me until we get married haha) "Actually, you are extremly incorrect people only need small amounts of protein and iron which they get from vegetables, nuts, beans as well as the mock meat products, Also, my doctor told me that i should not eat meat due to my heart problem that i was born with because meat is so bad for your heart as well as other things" After i said all this he continued to tell me that i was wrong and that i will get sick.. What do you say to someone who bombards you like this in front of a ton of people.

1 day ago
I really do not understand why vegetarians have the stereotype of forcing people onto their ways and criticizing the way people who are not vegetarian eat. When to me it seems the exact opposite, i would never complain to someone eats meat about what they are eating. Why can't i get the same in return?

He's just a typical meaty narrow minded person and you have to find your own way to deal with these people, you will come across them about all topics in life.

just say "Yep, the line up in MacDonalds is a real picture of fit and healthy people."

He knew "a" vegetarian that was sick. Oh yeh, how many meat-eaters has he known that were sick in the same timeframe...hundreds no doubt

I've been veggie for 27 years, i own an arable farm, i work at my business all day, i work all hours on the farm, i build houses, i manage my own woodland....

never ill, no supplements. How much fitter does he WANT me to be for gods sake !

Personally, i never have people want to argue or criticise me for being veggie. I can't beleive it just "luck" after 27 years, i think its more to do with how / if / when you tell people. The majority of people i know, even people i go out to dinner with, do not know i'm veggie. I don't hide it, they just never bother to ask about it probably becasue i find no need to tell them about it. Those i do tell, never mention it or try to respond adversely.