How did your body react?

[Snorkmaiden]

How did your body react when you became vegan? Did it undergo a withdrawl from animal products?

I ask because I'm only a couple of weeks into eating purely vegan food and, although I'm loving it and there's no looking back, my body is definitely reacting more strongly than I expected. Last week it seemed to be my digestive system taking a thrashing from the higher intake of lentils and beans than usual - that seems nearly back to normal now. My body feels clearer and cleaner, less phlegm, etc which must be the lack of dairy produce. I've also lost a little weight which was something I hoped might happen :)

The last few days though, I feel very drained and tired. Food doesn't seem to sustain me for as long as normal so I'm snacking on nuts, seeds, raisins and bananas and I feel like I have a cold hanging around me but not really coming to anything.

My sense of smell seems amplified too but everything smells slightly "off" and I feel quite nauseous - like a morning sickness kind of feeling but definitely not that!!

It feels like a withdrawl of sorts and I guess my body will just do it's stuff and get through it ok so I'm not hugely bothered, just curious. Did anyone else go through these sort of symptoms when they first gave up animal products?

[absentmindedfan]

It may be your body detoxing and getting rid of the omni junk left in your system, or you might have one of the summer colds that are doing the rounds. Just keep eating well and you'll be fine :)

[Mr Flibble]

How did your body react when you became vegan? Did it undergo a withdrawl from animal products?

no

I guess some people's bodies are more sensitive to a lot of food, for example chilli. Other than having things I know I'm allergic to I've never really had a problem. Certainly not from stopping eating a style of food.

[steven1222]

My sense of smell seems amplified too but everything smells slightly "off"
I found bad odors stronger shortly after removing animal products from my diet, and still do. As for things smelling slightly "off," that is probably a false interpretation. The way things smell to you now is probably the way they are supposed to smell, without any animal products distorting the sense. If it seems unpleasant, wait for your brain to adjust to the change.

As for me, I had terrible pain in the shoulders and collar bones when I first started eating only vegan food. It was worse after any meals or exercise. That was certainly related to diet as I felt the food rising from my stomach to the sides of my upper body. I also had some mild nausea, difficulty sleeping, and lower abdominal bloating. I think those were symptoms of dairy withdrawal. After ten days of 100% vegan food, those problems disappeared.

[Risker]

There's a fair few of these threads and I often wonder if people aren't just associating everything that's going on with their bodies because they recently wen't vegan.

There was a quit smoking ad on a fair while back with 2 guys standing by a beach saying "it's been just over a week now and smells are so much stronger" - I just thought, of course they're stronger, you're standing next to the sea!!

[Russ]

I went vegan nearly 4 years ago now, and I noticed:

- weight loss. I don't have a stomach any more. My body just goes down in a straight line. I'm like a stick person.
- no phlegm (except when ill.)
- I get ill far less frequently.
- very unusual to get heartburn / indigestion after eating (which I would sometimes get before going vegan.)
- more energy

[absentmindedfan]

QFT.

Except for the stomach part, I still have one :D

[Magenta]

I don't think I noticed any huge differences in the way I felt. On the other hand, every time I feel a bit different from usual I tend to wonder whether it's got anything to do with the vegan food I'm eating - though it probably hasn't. I can never tell for sure I guess.
There was a time when I thought my sense of smell was, as you said, amplified, so that was interesting...
I don't think I lost weight either, but that might've had something to do with the fact that becoming vegan also got me into baking all sorts of delicious things (cake!). :)
Anyway, I never noticed any negative effects.

[Otter_]

<homer voice>

Vegan cake ....

</homer voice>

[Snorkmaiden]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm feeling loads better now, the sickness has nearly gone and I feel really good actually. I usually get alot of pretty bad migraines but (touch wood!) I haven't had one at all in the past couple of weeks. I'm really wondering if it was an unnoticed dairy allergy ... well yippee for vegan food I say :)

[Boag]

I've noticed a lot less bloating since I ditched the dairy too, and to think I actually thought I'd miss it, me and my stomach are a lot happier without it!

[nervine]

It may be your body detoxing and getting rid of the omni junk left in your system, or you might have one of the summer colds that are doing the rounds. Just keep eating well and you'll be fine :)

jup, the detox symptoms are exactly like those of a cold. runny nose, headaches, maybe even a slight fever. its normal and it will pass.

[KarmaGirl]

I was a total milk junky. I went through Milk detox when I quit drinking it cold tofurky. It was like I was giving up crack or something. My body ached, I felt sick to my stomach, I smelled "rotten" stuff. It went away after a couple days. Don't ever plan to go back to those days.

[Snorkmaiden]

It's quite interesting how your body reacts to giving up dairy stuff - just goes to show all the harm it does for all those years! 2 weeks in and I still feel achy and full of cold but the sickness and wierd smells have calmed down :) Should have done it years ago!!!!!!!!

[emzy1985]

I had horrendous head aches and mood swings. I felt sick and had a bad tummy and skin for about 28days. I've been vegan for over a year now and didn't really have that much dairy to be fair as a veggie. The thought of drinking milk makes me want to throw up!

[XSveg]

pain?

[Glossgirl]

The dandruff on my nose dissapered
My skin became more oily and smooth
My hair started to glow
More energy
Felt more calm inside :)

[Spud Addict]

Can't say I noticed any difference at all. Everyone's different I guess.

[RachelJune]

When I first went vegan I remember feeling very, very tired and lethargic for a little while. But that was more to do with the fact that I wasn't too clued up on what constituted a healthy, balanced diet. Once I figured out what I should be eating to get all the nutrients I needed, I was fine. In fact, I now have a lot more energy than I ever used to have.

One thing that sticks in my head is that my friend who also went vegan mentioned straight away that one he gave up milk he felt so much more energetic and "awake".

I didn't lose weight. In fact, I probably put it on, due to having so many new and interesting foods to try :o

[Magenta]

I didn't lose weight. In fact, I probably put it on, due to having so many new and interesting foods to try :o

:D I know what you mean here.

[John]

I went from lacto-ovo veggie to vegan about seven years ago. I didn't have any negative changes. I don't know if the changes that did happen were coincidental or not but I noticed the following:

Improved complexion. My skin went from a pallor to a state where people--often strangers--would complement me on my skin.

A huge surge in energy. I began engaging in intense physical exercise most days of the week, and I either worked or went to school every day of the week. Along with that I gained twenty pounds of muscle. Though I'm certainly far from musclebound--I was rather thin to begin with.

I quit cigarettes at the same time so maybe that had something to do with it. In any event, I didn't experience anything bad. However, I wasn't expecting anything bad and maybe the mind can create problems if you are expecting them.