Just can't do it?

[Imapeach]

I know there are similar threads to this, but couldn't find one that answered this exact question...

I was wondering if anybody knows of any genuine health reasons for not being able to go vegan? For example, I know a girl who leads a vegan lifestyle but eats fish occassionally because she gets anaemic without the protein... She says she has tried several times to go completely vegetarian but always ends up feeling really sick... Now in my head I think she could just try a little harder to get adequate protein... but maybe she really can't do it? So does anyone know if there are any people in the western world who suffer from a chronic illness that genuinely need to eat animals or animal products in order to keep healthy?

I already know what the general consensus for this argument will be here... but i'd appreciate any opinions :p

Edit: Just like to point out that i am not looking for health "excuses" for eating meat here... I have pulled them out of my butt before as a meat eater and know better now.

[adam antichrist]

It sounds like that person might have an enzyme deficiency, which can be remedied once diagnosed.

[Imapeach]

It sounds like that person might have an enzyme deficiency, which can be remedied once diagnosed.

Can you give me anymore info on the cure for that? That does make sense, thanks, Adam :)

[adam antichrist]

Well, you'll have to seek more accurate info but remembering what an herbalist friend of mine said last summer was a diagnosis can be made through hair samples. Enzymes are biological catalysts, so if you are deficient in the ones that work to break down protein for example, you will always be susceptible to anaemia. If the deficiency is severe enough, you will die.

I am not sure if there are vegan sources for the enzymes we need if we don't manufacture them sufficiently ourselves. I am also unsure if this is a condition which can just occur at any stage in a persons life, or exists for the entirety.

I just looked up my trusty Collins English Dictionary to chaeck the spelling of 'entirety' and the example they give is: "You must follow this diet for the entirety of your life" :)

Here, here.

[Imapeach]

Wow thanks for that. Will definitely pass that info on!




I just looked up my trusty Collins English Dictionary to chaeck the spelling of 'entirety' and the example they give is: "You must follow this diet for the entirety of your life" :)



Hmm. that sounds like a good topic for another thread - "The Vegan Dictionary" :p

[Realfood Mary]

Protien deficiency wouldn't cause anemia. Iron deficiency would cause anemia.

Maybe your friend also needs to look at the iron vitamin c ratio. Vitamin c helps with uptake of iron, and non haem iron in vegan foods is easiest to digest with vitamin c. So eat plenty of green leafy veg, whole grains, and drink fruit juice with the iron sources. Also, if she is like many women and gets anemic around her period she should maybe supplement with iron around then. If she is not diabetic the best way to supplement is to stir in a bit of molasses when she cooks soups, stews, etc.

If you like get her to ask me for a vegan buddy, and I will send her some female friendly iron rich recipes. :)

Mary

[Kimberly]

I couldn't imagine, unless they were allergic to all non-animal sources of protein, and that sounds fairly ridiculous. There are so many kinds! Lentils, beans, nuts... In any case, I am not certain about the correlation between protein and anaemia.

I have a tendency to anaemia myself, have all my life, and I am doing better being vegan than when I was a meat-eater. I make sure that I get lots of iron in the vegetables that I eat and juice, and I eat overall a much better balanced diet than I ever did before. And if I wasn't, I could still take iron pills.

[spo]

Protien deficiency wouldn't cause anemia. Iron deficiency would cause anemia.

Maybe your friend also needs to look at the iron vitamin c ratio. Vitamin c helps with uptake of iron, and non haem iron in vegan foods is easiest to digest with vitamin c. So eat plenty of green leafy veg, whole grains, and drink fruit juice with the iron sources. Also, if she is like many women and gets anemic around her period she should maybe supplement with iron around then. If she is not diabetic the best way to supplement is to stir in a bit of molasses when she cooks soups, stews, etc.

If you like get her to ask me for a vegan buddy, and I will send her some female friendly iron rich recipes. :)

Mary
This is what I would say, both as a nurse, and just my general common sense opinion.
Wait a minute, though. This might help: I always had trouble digesting tofu and other soy products and thought that it was some kind of allergy, since my father had the same trouble.
But then I happened upon an all-complete enzyme supplement that absolutely made it possible for me to digest soy, without the slightest difficulty. Here is a link describing the product I use:
www.internatural-alternative-health.com/ingr/ingr842470.cfm

Your friend doesn't need to get this exact one, but maybe she can find another brand that contains the full spectrum enzymes that are in this one.

Maybe this will help. :o
spo

[Tigerlily]

I know of some people who have terrible allergies to a lot of different vegetables and fruits, which in my opinion, would make it difficult to be an all around healthy vegan but it's not entirely impossible.

[Realfood Mary]

I'm coeliac, and that limits my options a lot. However, there are thousands of different edible fruits and vegetables, so with a bit of persistence and research something can always be done.

My fellahs tonight are having smoked tofu and vegetable pie with steamed potatoes and gravy, while I am having BEAUTIFUL sushi. :D I don't use sushi rice, it is too expensive. I use ordinary rice, and stick it together with thinned down tahini. In the middle I have chinese pickled tofu, pickled ginger, slices of avocado, etc.

But the main thing is I love seaweed! I used to think that I liked eating fishes, but it turns out I just like the taste of the sea.

It would be worth your friend having a really good nutritionist look at her. How about Pat Reeves? She advises on vegan diets.

Mary

[adam antichrist]

I thought protein was the best source of iron? Hence if proteins aren't broken down, the iron is not utilised. That would explain why eating a food with a higher concentration of iron enriched protein than vegetables would alleviate the anaemia somewhat.

[Imapeach]

Thanks a lot, chaps! I shall pass on all this information.
Much appreciated :)