How has the change to a vegan diet affected you?

[sugarmouse]

i have only been a vegan for about three weeks...maybe even less (second time round!lol)


but..i am sure i feel better..obvioulsy i do mentally..shoulld have re done it a long time ago!...but physically..i am sure i feel healthier and i have lost weight..is this just psychological or could it be true even after such a short time??i just havemore energy and just feel better!! i n general.

[Seaside]

Anything is possible, sugarmouse! ;)

[Nivvie]

It's very possible. I remember after a week I found it hard to sleep I had so much energy!

Just think, the majority of tobacco toxins are out of your system after two weeks of not smoking, so the chances are the dairy is well and truly gone.

[Glen]

Very very possible, thats how I felt too; Woo for veganism!

[foxytina_69]

it was possible for me. i lost weight and felt great after three weeks of being vegan :)

[Peas'nHominy]

I don't think it's just pyschological. I've taken toddlers with asthma off milk before, and witnessed the healing; I don't think the 2- and 3-yr-olds had any conscious awareness that their diet was changed...I just replaced cow's milk and such products with soy and/or rice products. ;)

Congrats on going vegan again! Keep it up and I really believe you will find yourself much healthier this year. I very rarely get sick, even dispite being exposed to sick children a lot. :D

[Cryospark]

well lecithin I heard is in your brain and required for function soy has it, where as high protein generates acid sucks calcium chromium and trace minerals from your body these are required for healthy cells, healthy cells carry oxygen to the brain more efficiently, ofcourse it makes you think better not to mention the vitamins and antioxidants and such you will be getting from vegetableswhich regulate brain function B vitamins and iron that is for all the iron in meat without vit c it is absorbed poorly and more then likely stripped from you by the meat itself. so yeah ofcourse it has a physcological impact.

[Caitlin]

I know that I'm allot healthier but that wasn't my motivation to becoming vegan.. I know that I can look at animals in peace now and know that I don't eat them anymore.

[moochbabe]

I'm not sure about healthwise yet, although I was pleased that my dietician had no qualms about my becoming vegan, and seemed to believe that it's an extremely healthy way of life. However, emotionally and mentally I think that I am much happier. I feel good about what I put into my body, and no longer feel any twinge of hypocricy when I talk about living sustainably! :D

[urbandryad]

This option wasn't in your list.

The effect of being vegan is that I find myself eating less. Though I FEEL alot better about the environment, I think on a vegan diet I'm SUPPOSED to be eating more. This is confusing. I'm also finding myself struggling a little more with buying groceries cause I have to be so dang careful of every single cent I spend now on food. Everything I have to be able to eat, cause otherwise its $8 for a soy pizza or $6 for a box of only 4 veggie burgers I may not end up liking, and thats money I can't get back. ^^

[berta_the_aspie]

Wow, what amazing little miracles. But seriously, better/less sleep, cuts healing faster? Could it be scientifically proved? I just cant believe those things. The things I agree with is that I just feel better in general.


On a similar note, my coworker put her youngest son, who is diagnosed with seizure disorder, ADHD and autism on the Feingold diet. This diet is centered around whole-grains, fruit, veg, no dairy, no artificial colors or sweeteners....hmm, sound familiar?? Anyway, since she put her son on this diet, people have asked her what medication he's been on because his behavior have improved so much.

Im sorry I don’t believe that a diet could affect ADD/ADHD or autism. I am autistic and it just has NOTHING to do with diet. Maybe the “behaviour” was better because that kid was off of sugar or something.

Last year this is what I ate everyday: White bread toast with butter. Choco milk. Pasta with butter. Rice. Grilled cheece sandwich. Yoghurt. Milk.Chocolate. Ice cream.

Too much milk, but I had no idea it could be hurtful. I mean there is nothing on TV or in the papers. But now I know.
I believe I developed a kind of resistance for diary, especially melted cheece and ice cream. Because I used to eat it everyday, all day. Then one day I stopped. In May I tried being a vegan for a month, and that worked out pretty well. But then I “cheated” and ate chocolate again. So I had to start over like maybe 20-30 times or something. But now I have discovered many famous vegans and vegan chocolate spread so I am defenately not ever going back to that lifestyle again.. So basically it took me about 6 months to become a vegan.

The best thing I feel about it now is that I am defining my personality and who I want to be. I am also setting new standards for myself and demands (as to how I want to be treated by meat-eaters etc)
The bad thing about it is that my mother thinks I am trying to be alternative on purpose, witch I am not. (Sorry to rant about my mom, Im gonna stop it when I move out very soon)
Well basically I have never felt better, exept when I was 13 and got up every day at 6 to jog and bike and stuff… I am planning to loose weight too, I think I need to have more “portion control” and not eat so damn fast and much and late at night.
By the way: does any one of you have a problem with hot meals? I used to as a meat-eater and a vegetarian, and I still do kinda.. I just don’t like it when foodies are hot. Maybe I will go raw after a vegan while…
There is no need to cook stuff is there? For health reasons I mean. And if I cook stuff like; pizza, rice, casserole, whatever and just put it in the fridge and eat it later, will it still be a “real dinner”???

I guess I will know for sure when I have been a vegan for a longer while. I have officially been a vegan for 13 days, but I have tried so many times in 2005 and I do feel “lighter” in a way. (I haven’t had as much chocolate and cheece in 2005 as before…I hope you wont tell me to type this in the “not a vegan yet” forum, cause I am a vegan now for real, Im just saying; that’s how it used to be)


I know that I am not contributing to the meat indsutry. I can look a cow in the eye now!

Uhm... in what situations do you meet cows? I only meet them on my aunts farm, and I dont feel very comfortable in the "stables" because the people on the farm kill them, or at least drink theyr milk . hehe oh was this supposed to not be of literal meaning :cool:

I hope this isnt too off-topic or too long, its just that: veganforum is the only place that understands me and that is so great :)

[Roxy]

My father told me a week or so ago, that when I visited them back in Australia earlier this year I had "a real glow". I had been vegan for about a year and a bit by then, and had not seen my family for 3 years. He then said "your diet really seems to be working for you". :D

[screamingcarrot]

good stuff roxy!

im going to see my 2 sisters for the first time in 3 years soon, so i wonder what they will say about me?

since being vegan my period cramps arent as bad. i no longer suffer from IBS, i feel more energetic and kind of 'lighter' too,i kind of have a more 'pure' feeing, of connciense and body, if that makes sense. :rolleyes:

the only downside is when i travel it takes us ages to find a place to eat (my bf has the patience of a saint!) i have to live on salads in some countries and carry my weight in baked beans and nuts in my backpack!!

[Jesse]

My health has improved.
And I feel more like myself, if that makes sense.

[aubergine]

I was very ill, and a bit overweight as a meat eater. I am now at my ideal weight, and am not plagued by the intestinal problems.

[skye]

Well all these changes in my diet have been fairly recent. I tend usually to be an all or nothing sort of person (not with others, but with things I do), so these changes have been somewhat quick - still sorting out a few things though (like sugar, honey, meds). I feel alot better about my choices and as a result myself. Physically it has been another story, my skin has been alive, breaking out, itchy, dry & oily. Also I have altered between feeling run down, like I'm fighting something off (runny nose and stuff but never seem to get the cold) and feeling I have more energy. Feels like I'm in detox - which is not always plesant. PMS :mad: was a bit better this month (I stuggle with severe PMS and have been seeing a specialist). And let me not forget the way I smell has changed and not in a paticulary plesant way :eek: - mostly its my sense of smell, always strong, seems stronger. It's also the different foods though and I think the detox thing, luckly no one else seems to notice! (and I do ask!) Despite all of this it feels like I am healing, more often now I am feeling more energetic, enjoy what I eat and am very satisfied by my choices.

[moochbabe]

skye, I've heard that for some people, the vegan diet can result in detox-like symptoms so that could very well be what's happening to u. i think if u just keep up the good work, it sounds like ur planning to anyway, the symptoms will go away and u will reap the benefits of the diet. It's really strange though that u feel u smell worse, i feel that i now smell better than i used to, but it could be a plecebo thing. :D

[anneh]

I think my health is a bit worse... but that's okay. I wasn't doing this for my health.

[screamingcarrot]

I think my health is a bit worse... but that's okay. I wasn't doing this for my health.

hi anneh
your comment worries me a bit.. :(
if you are eating a well balanced vegan diet, your health should be excellent..
are you sure there is not something you are missing?

its important to keep yourself healthy, not only for your own sake but to provide a good example to omnis of how healthy a vegan lifestyle is.
otherwise if you look and feel ill, itll just reinforce their notion that we need animal products to be healthy..

[Kumem]

I was thinking yesterday that I actually can't remember when I have felt really, really ill whilst being vegan. I have had days when I have been off colour, but it clears more quickly now.
I don't feel more energetic or anything, but I am leaning towards being more healthy and more concerned about what I eat and always eat organic now, despite the fact that it is ridiculously more expensive :(

[screamingcarrot]

My health has improved.
And I feel more like myself, if that makes sense.
i know exactly what you mean..
btw i LOVE your avatar!

[anneh]

hi anneh
your comment worries me a bit.. :(
if you are eating a well balanced vegan diet, your health should be excellent..
are you sure there is not something you are missing?

its important to keep yourself healthy, not only for your own sake but to provide a good example to omnis of how healthy a vegan lifestyle is.
otherwise if you look and feel ill, itll just reinforce their notion that we need animal products to be healthy..

I know I "should" be, but I'm not -- maybe it's not the veganism, but maybe that's not what's making people feel better either. I wanted to believe that vegan was healthier, but my experience hasn't shown it -- and although I found recently that I was missing iodine because my information about sources had become outdated, I'm as sure as I can be that my diet is otherwise healthy...

Of course there is an argument to present the image of perfect health to make veganism more attractive but I think it's also a bit dangerous. Vegans do still get ill and they also even die, although in the past prominent vegan's deaths have been kept quiet. There seems to be a fair amount of depression and other stuff suffered by the lovely people who gather here and I think it's rather mean to them to say "but you're vegan you're not allowed to get sick, what will the evil omni's think?". (Few people know I am vegan, I don't wear a label above my head or preach so don't worry about my being a negative advert to the world at large!)

It's wonderful that it does make so many people feel better, but I posted here because felt that someone who did not feel healthier, reading this, might think that this was an indication that being vegan was not suitable for them, that they were clearly not "one of you". Or that someone might adopt veganism to cure their ailments and give it up when it doesn't work and as a result also block out the more important and valid messages and reasons that make veganism worth considering...

:)I feel spiritually healthier for it, which is more important.:)

[screamingcarrot]

I know I "should" be, but I'm not -- maybe it's not the veganism, but maybe that's not what's making people feel better either. I wanted to believe that vegan was healthier, but my experience hasn't shown it -- and although I found recently that I was missing iodine because my information about sources had become outdated, I'm as sure as I can be that my diet is otherwise healthy...

Of course there is an argument to present the image of perfect health to make veganism more attractive but I think it's also a bit dangerous. Vegans do still get ill and they also even die, although in the past prominent vegan's deaths have been kept quiet. There seems to be a fair amount of depression and other stuff suffered by the lovely people who gather here and I think it's rather mean to them to say "but you're vegan you're not allowed to get sick, what will the evil omni's think?". (Few people know I am vegan, I don't wear a label above my head or preach so don't worry about my being a negative advert to the world at large!)

It's wonderful that it does make so many people feel better, but I posted here because felt that someone who did not feel healthier, reading this, might think that this was an indication that being vegan was not suitable for them, that they were clearly not "one of you". Or that someone might adopt veganism to cure their ailments and give it up when it doesn't work and as a result also block out the more important and valid messages and reasons that make veganism worth considering...

:)I feel spiritually healthier for it, which is more important.:)

hi,
of course there are other factors that contribute to a persons health aside from what they eat. i never said vegans are not allowed to get sick.... or die! we may be vegan but we are still human..and we all have our problems.

but regardless of whether a person is vegan or not.i think if their health has declined they should seek the reason for this.

i dont 'preach' to omnis or 'wear a label' but i do believe in setting positive examples to people who might also be interested in changing their lifestyles to become more environmentally friendly and cruelty free.

finally people have different reasons for becoming vegan, and although mine are primarily ethical, i do know some vegans who are solely in it for the health benefits, which i dont have a problem with at all, at least theyre not eating animals.

im sorry if you misinterpreted me..i am not saying vegans are perfect or have perfect health..i was merely expressing my opinion and also concern and support for you , a fellow vegan.

carrot ;)

[Kumem]

[QUOTE=anneh]

Of course there is an argument to present the image of perfect health to make veganism more attractive but I think it's also a bit dangerous. Vegans do still get ill and they also even die, although in the past prominent vegan's deaths have been kept quiet. There seems to be a fair amount of depression and other stuff suffered by the lovely people who gather here and I think it's rather mean to them to say "but you're vegan you're not allowed to get sick, what will the evil omni's think?".
QUOTE]

I don't think anyone here tries to promote the image of 'perfect' health. People are just trying to do their best and IMO being vegan is an ethical stance, as opposed to strict vegetarianism, which is about diet. I am not particularly healthy although I am vegan, but have noticed that basics like hair and nail condition have improved since going vegan.
Not sure what you mean about prominent vegan deaths being kept quiet. Personally I am 100% convinced that it is the healthiest way to live and nothing could sway that. If someone dies then I don't think it can be attributed to being vegan, whereas I think meat eaters deaths by cardiac arrest, stroke etc can all be associated with their meat eating. How widely is 'death by meat' journalised? It's not often you read about such and such a famous person dying due to consuming so much saturated fat and colesterol - they just say stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cancer.

With regards to depression, I like to think I can tell it from the other point of view. I suffered from clinical depression for over 10 years, was hospitalised and told that I would be on lifetime medication. Shortly after going vegan I came off antidepressants, came off contraception, and never take drugs unnecessarily now. I have changed my food lifestyle completely and only eat organic. I have not felt severely depressed since. So for me, that is a positive side effect of living a compassionate lifestyle. Of course you will read about people feeling down/depressed on here, but I think that is simply because this is a lifeline for so many people and an opportunity to share how they are feeling. I don't think it is associated with veganism in any way, shape or form. If omnis set up a site to promote meat eating, they would also talk about depression and bad days.

[tipsy]

I know I "should" be, but I'm not -- maybe it's not the veganism, but maybe that's not what's making people feel better either. I wanted to believe that vegan was healthier, but my experience hasn't shown it -- and although I found recently that I was missing iodine because my information about sources had become outdated, I'm as sure as I can be that my diet is otherwise healthy...

Of course there is an argument to present the image of perfect health to make veganism more attractive but I think it's also a bit dangerous. Vegans do still get ill and they also even die, although in the past prominent vegan's deaths have been kept quiet. There seems to be a fair amount of depression and other stuff suffered by the lovely people who gather here and I think it's rather mean to them to say "but you're vegan you're not allowed to get sick, what will the evil omni's think?". (Few people know I am vegan, I don't wear a label above my head or preach so don't worry about my being a negative advert to the world at large!)

It's wonderful that it does make so many people feel better, but I posted here because felt that someone who did not feel healthier, reading this, might think that this was an indication that being vegan was not suitable for them, that they were clearly not "one of you". Or that someone might adopt veganism to cure their ailments and give it up when it doesn't work and as a result also block out the more important and valid messages and reasons that make veganism worth considering...

:)I feel spiritually healthier for it, which is more important.:)


anneh-
i cannot understand why you think a vegan lifestyle makes a person un-healthy...

you say that vegans get sick and die....... yeah some vegans do...

and so do some omnivores...

as far as depression goes...yeah, people get depressed...studies show that as many as 4 out of 10 people may be depressed at any point in their life.. and that 8 out of 10 will or have had depression at one point in thier life.

i really dont understand why you think a vegan lifestyle is "dangerous"??.... :o