Positive (side) effects of going vegan

[Haniska]

The only thing that really surprises me is that I experience hunger in a different way to when I was vegetarian, i don't have gradual stages of hunger from fullup- peckish- quite hungry- starving I leap straight in at the starving end and it can be without warning. I must eat five times a day! even though i get plenty of carbs and protein to keep me going.

Maybe, for you, it is because you are not getting enough fat?
It's funny because I have always been that way for as long as I can remember. My fiance would take me out when we first started dating and he would say "Where do you want to eat?" And I would say "I'm not hungry I just ate." And he would say something like "Well, we had better find a restaraunt right now then!"
Funny since I went vegan he seems to have forgotten that entirely and now blames my hunger entirely on "You only eat vegetables."

I'm trying to think of some unexpected effects and I guess one is that my nails are so strong and have a fairly even white color rather than being clear in places like they were when I was lacto.
Another thing which is more of a cause for my veganism:
When I quit smoking and made it through the withdrawal, I noticed that when I didn't eat meat for any amount of time I would get a similar feeling to nicotine withdrawal. VERY similar.

[speedylemons]

I just realized that my nails, once brittle and unable to grow past my fingertip [as in suuuuuuuper short], now grow nicely. :D

Agatha, i know what you mean. I have to eat pretty often, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.. but i do go from feeling fine to ravenous.. which kind of sucks. I will eat a medium sized meal and an hour or so later i will feel hungry again. :rolleyes: Usually i end up eating something every couple of hours.. and i try to keep the portions smaller so theyre not a bunch of giant meals.

Some other things that i'm a bit nervous about since going vegan is that though my hair is nicer feeling and looking, it seems to have thinned out a bit. I also lost my period a while ago.. as in over a year ago [i've gotten it once since, for like two days..]. But i'm not sure if that's even related to the veganism. I was a vegetarian before, so yeah.. who knows. I have a doc's appt in a few weeks. Apparently it runs in the family or something. :confused:

[lauradawn]

I am loving being vegan! I have a new appreciation (more like obsession) for cooking. I'm addicted to vegan cookbooks! I didn't realize that I would have NO cravings for nonvegan foods. I'm so happy about that! I crave dates, nuts, and mushrooms !
When I look back, I have never felt this great before. I never really loved cheese, meat, and yogurt, etc. But I would eat it anyways in moderation. Now that I have made that switch, I am so much happier. Especially when I have a great vegan meal infront of me.
I also love when my family and friends try my recipes and really like them. I like to fool people and tell them later it's vegan. :)
Does anyone use Beano? If you haven't tried it~ Do it!!! (if there is anything bad about using it, will someone tell me:rolleyes: , Thanks!)
Now that I am eating and living this way, I am suprised to see how animal based other peoples diets are. Strange, but "normal" to them. Im just thankful to not be like that anymore!
Lastly, my friends say that I look healthier (bonier, one friend said, even though Im not) and that my face looks thinner!

[poppy seed]

^^^^ Amen to all of that!

I don't gain weight. I eat absolutely everything I want, and I don't gain weight - for me, it's amazing since I've dieted my whole life. I love food, and it loves me!

Also, I feel a new comraderie with wildlife. No-one is a "pest" and I see new and great value in all kinds of life.

[foxytina_69]

youre lucky poppyseed LOL. i wish i could eat everything i wanted and not gain weight.

[Bluey]

[COLOR=darkslateblue][B]I am loving being vegan! I have a new appreciation (more like obsession) for cooking. I'm addicted to vegan cookbooks!

:cool: I found this also. Going to the supermarket became a whole new adventure. Food became like a whole new discovery, it was as if it hadn't existed before!!

[lauradawn]

So true~ I have completely restocked my entire kitchen and have no more room for new ingredients that I continue to discover. My fiance says that he loves my cooking and that I make vegan food taste really good! Not that it is that difficult, but all the new recipes are so fun and interesting. I'm just glad that he isn't missing meat that much! Maybe he'll convert???
So, what else? My skin became more clear and I just feel that I have a new healthy glow, which may just be happiness? I just made scrambled tofu, breakfast veggie chorizo, banana/zucchini/choc chip bread, eggplant rollatinis, and date wrapped apple slices ("caramel apples") for my Moms Mothers day brunch, and everyone was really impressed. Especially my Grandma~ she said everything was so gourmet (but really it was just simple delicious ingredients put together without eggs, butter, and pork). Then I made a whole wheat pizza with zucchini, veggie sausage (homemade), onions, mushrooms, and tofu ricotta for an early dinner and my family loved it. I love being able to share great healthy non-animal food with people I love. I also convinced my sister to read the Skinny Bitch book, which is an amusing introduction for her. She was hooked! That is very satisfying as well!
That's all for now- have a great mothers day!

[Roxy]

Lauradawn, I found this (http://www.drugs.com/pdr/ALPHA_GALACTOSIDASE_ENZYME.html) list of ingredients for Beano. It seems the tablets contain fish-derived gelatin.

[~Lenore]

• SO much more energy. No, really. It's quite unbelievable!
• Attention span & concentration improved (and thusly, better grades :D)
• Food addictions and strong cravings diminished
• My stomach is flat now! I never knew what was wrong with my stomach, and why it was swollen and heavy-feeling all the time. Then I went vegan and it's actually flat and... normal-looking, even after I've eaten.
• To be honest, I'm just happier. :)
• Oh, and my nails are awesome all of a sudden. They used to peel and flake off in layers, now they are really hard and smooth, yay.

[monkey60613]

I feel so much more articulate. I have a whole new dialogue in my life and it has unblocked me creatively, spiritually, socially. I love to write. I kept a daily journal all through college but haven't written consistently since.

I've been doing so much research and reading lately, it has also helped my articulation, writing, etc. (I've heard those skills are very connected - when you slack on one it affects the other).

[lauradawn]

Hey Roxy~ Thank you for the Beano ingredient list. I didn't think to look, because they are little white pills. I didn't think that gelatin would be in there. Obviously gelcaps have gelatin, but I didn't think that these innocent looking tabs would. I'm sad. I feel yucky. Any suggestions? I know that I can find info in another thread, so I will search around. Thank you so much!!!!!!
Laura

[foxytina_69]

laura, if you slowly ease onto eating legumes you shouldnt need beano or products of the like.

[Patio34]

After only four weeks (yes, I'm really a newbie), I haven't noticed anything earth-shaking yet, but here are some definite changes I've noticed:

1. I've quit gaining weight though eating "ad-libitum" (as much as I want). This is definitely a first for me when not dieting. :D

2. My cravings (resulting from blood-sugar swings--pre-diabetic) have all but disappeared. This is amazing. :D

3. A feeling of peace and contentment knowing I'm being proactive in preventing disease in myself and not harming animals. This is subtle but definite. :cool:

4. A passion in reading books about it, trying new foods, shopping in new stores, and looking at many recipes. :D

[pat sommer]

years ago I had liquid beano on hand for guests. believe that's vegan

...unexpected effect on my daughter: she never stinks like other kids and only bathes when she feels like it

[Tigerlily]

The liquid Beano in our house has fish in it.

[pat sommer]

!!!!!!bluh!!!!!

[randomguru]

i've lost an incredible amount of weight over the years, being vegan. starting at 215 lbs. and going down to 173 lbs.

i'm a drummer at 48 years old, and i have been told i look like i'm in my mid 20's. plus i have a lot more energy to play the drums! :)

i think the yoga helps too...

[Limey]

Lauradawn, I found this (http://www.drugs.com/pdr/ALPHA_GALACTOSIDASE_ENZYME.html) list of ingredients for Beano. It seems the tablets contain fish-derived gelatin.

Crud! I live on Beano and yes, because they are not in gelcaps, I didn't think to look up the ingredients. What the heck am I going to do?! Blah. It's like trying to find women's vegan shoes that are size 11-12 wide. Absolute pain in the a$$! :mad:

I swear, the food is the easiest part to being vegan. I'm having more trouble with the rest of it. Grrr.

On a happier note, I feel better. That's all so far because I am in the very new and beginning stages.

[June]

After a month and a half,

-stronger nails
-clearer skin
-I find I'm less inclined to snack between meals and eating healthier food

[m.t.ness]

-deepening my Buddhist practice immensely
-keeping me a lean, mean veggie-chompin' machine
-look like i'm 22 instead of 32
-cholesterol readings in the basement even though high choloesterol runs in my family

But most of all... I found out last summer that I have a genetic disease of the immune system called CVID. My body is making almost zero immunoglobulin and no antibodies. My immunologist is amazed - he says the only time he's seen numbers as bad as mine were on people who were fighting for their life against runaway infections in the ICU. He can't understand why I haven't been sick. I think it has something to do with my diet (as well as my meditation practice, but that's another topic).

[Smoothie]

-i feel a lot healthier, and my allergies are almost gone (compared to how they used to be)..
-i now love to cook - i didn't like it when i was a omni (maybe it was because i was 11?)
-i feel good about myself when i look in the mirror - i live cruelty-free!
-my weight has balanced itself, it doesn't change by 20 pounds every month..
-i generally just love being a vegan!

[princessemma]

My weight is staying consistant I eat what I want (within reason :D )
and it stays pretty much the same no calorie counting.

[veganesquire]

I agree with lauradawn - I just love being vegan! Even after 9 years I am still excited by all the food choices and I have a ridiculous collection of cookbooks, which I just sit down and read all the time. I have so much fun cooking and trying out new things. When I first became vegetarian as a high-schooler i figured I would be doomed to salads for all eternity. Of course I know I couldn't have been more wrong!

[Haniska]

This is sort a a mixed and silly effect:
My fiance and I both drink out of our respective milk bottles right in front of each other! It's like, who knew we would grow up and be able to do that without reprimand? Hehehehehe.

[Bad Magic]

I feel so much more assertive and confident.
My allergies are definately declining.
I don't feel as apathetic and heavy all the time.

(and thats after only 3 months of being vegan!!)