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Skajen
Aug 16th, 2005, 05:43 PM
Hi

Became vegan 3 weeks ago....

My mum wonders where i'm going to get PROTEIN and CALCIUM from, where do we get this from? i think maybe beans for protein, not sure on calcium?

She is also blaming me feeling down and tired on the diet- what do you guys think? Did u find u felt a little bit down in the dumps when you first converted to veganism?

All advice would be great!

Jen x :)

harpy
Aug 16th, 2005, 06:09 PM
I for one don't remember feeling down but I probably made the switch more gradually than you. Were you vegetarian before or...?

Protein and calcium are not hard for a vegan to get but your mum is probably right that it's worth thinking about where these nutrients are going to come from, and also iron, vitamin B12 and a few other things - then you can make sure you get a balanced diet. Iron is an important one - I have always had a bit of a tendency to be anaemic (even when I was an omnivore) and that does make me feel down in the dumps.

The Vegan Society's web site has a section on nutrition and there are pages on all of these topics. http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nutrition/

FR
Aug 16th, 2005, 06:49 PM
Tell your Mum to relax a bit. A well-balanced vegan diet will provide superior nutrient content when compared to her animal based diet. You should be asking her if she is getting an adequate amount of nutrients.

A high content of protein is found in whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Green leafy veggies and fortified plant milks provide more than enough calcium.

It is possible you are feeling tired due to what you have been eating, Since going vegan, what have you had everyday?

Skajen
Aug 16th, 2005, 07:22 PM
Since going vegan i've eaten say...porridge or toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and then a good tea (e.g. stew and veg or pasta or rice dish), with vegan choc, yoghurt or fruit for snacks. my appetite has gone last few days so aint been eating much, but i dont think its realted to the diet. just wondered if anyone else felt down after changing diet to elminate it as a cause really!

thanks for the advice guys! x

Green Bandit
Aug 16th, 2005, 07:31 PM
When i first became Vegan, i remember after about a month, i was really tired all the time, and didn't have any energy. My parents are "health nuts" so they would try to help me find food with proteins calcium etc. I was still tired, and everytime i would stand up i would get really nauseous. So i started taking iron pills, and Centrum complete. They are just vitamins to replace the stuff you miss out. We should all be taking vitamins anyways, herbivores and omnivores. So i would suggest getting vitamins, if you still feel weak etc, get a "Full comprehensive blood panel test" and take it to a nutritionist. That is what i ended up doings as well, everything was beautiful, i had perfect everything but 2 things (which i cant remember) so he instructed me to take a another type of vitamin, and i was better. See i went straight form FULL omnivore to full vegan. So the change was a shock to my system, so for a month everything was fine, then it hit me.

I just suggest you get your vitamins in, and good luck!

mophoto
Aug 16th, 2005, 07:38 PM
how weird- i actually wanted to post the same question about appetite. i have only been vegan a month and for the first week i felt almost sick. i still don't have an appetite like i used to (which is a good thing). Now i am just looking at what i eat as fuel for my body, not to say that the food i am eating doesn't taste good- it does. i am starting to really feel good about going vegan. i don't miss anything i used to eat and i am learning about new tastey foods.

good luck.

urbandryad
Aug 16th, 2005, 07:41 PM
I make sure to buy a well fortified soymilk to get what I need, since I drink the stuff all the time. Foritfied cereals for breakfasts and stuff like that help too. :3 And then there are natural sources like beans and nuts etc. XD

I need to get mums recipe for walnut brownies and find a way convert it to vegan. XD Yummy.

Skajen
Aug 16th, 2005, 09:03 PM
how weird- i actually wanted to post the same question about appetite. i have only been vegan a month and for the first week i felt almost sick. i still don't have an appetite like i used to (which is a good thing). Now i am just looking at what i eat as fuel for my body, not to say that the food i am eating doesn't taste good- it does. i am starting to really feel good about going vegan. i don't miss anything i used to eat and i am learning about new tastey foods.

good luck.

i feel sick as well and a bit headachey and depressed. I used to eat like an absoulte pig but now i just don't snack at all, i don't love food as much as i used to....don't get me wrong a vegan diet is fantastic and there's lots of eat, i just don't fancy food as much at the moment. i don't know wether its related to a change in diet, i was vegetarian for 6 years before i became vegan...its interesting that you have/had the same symptoms!

anyone else found this?

x

mophoto
Aug 16th, 2005, 09:24 PM
i too feel tired and depressed at times. wonder if it has anything to do with sugar withdrawl?? or my vegetarian junk food intake- grilled cheese and fries, pizza

tipsy
Aug 16th, 2005, 10:41 PM
you people all sound like you need some good supplements!!! :eek:

i have had more energy and am more hungry than ever since going vegan!!! :D

Skajen
Aug 17th, 2005, 08:14 AM
i'm on special vegan supplements from holland and barratt! maybe its just me at the moment, as there's nowt wrong with the vegan diet- despite what family members, friends and work colleagues keep telling me!

FR
Aug 17th, 2005, 08:56 AM
I do not believe protein or calcium have a bearing on ones mood. i do know a lack of Omega 3 fatty acids can make one "moody". Eating a handful of walnuts per day is supposed to put one in good spirits.

Kiran
Aug 17th, 2005, 10:20 AM
Some companies creating soya milk, induce calcium in their milk. This will be stated on the milk carton. Buy such soya milk and you don't have to worry about calcium.

eve
Aug 17th, 2005, 06:32 PM
Here's articles for newbies, including food info, at http://veganic.net/Xtra.html

ConsciousCuisine
Aug 17th, 2005, 09:34 PM
I think that eating a well-rounded diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables is the best "supplement" one can take!

Are those of you who feel tired eating at least 2 servings in each group of the following daily?

Daily healthy choices, not limited to, but including the following:


Green Vegetables: broccoli, kale, chard, mustard or collard greens, bell peppers, green beans

Orange/Yellow Vegetables: Squash, yams, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, bell peppers

Dark Red/Purple Vegetables: tomatoes, Beets, red cabbage, eggplant, red onions, bell peppers

Fruits: all citrus, berries, melons, apples and so on (2 or more)

mophoto
Aug 17th, 2005, 09:52 PM
thanks for all of the wonderful advice. i never really thought about what i ate, up until recently, and i used to eat out way too much. i guess i just need to prepare better foods for myself and include a variety of fruits and veggies. i have been doing pretty good on eating nuts (in moderation).

Sproutpout
Jul 2nd, 2009, 11:18 PM
I've been feeling overly high and energetic since becoming vegan, probably because of the junk ive cut out, quite alot of people have complimented me in work on how "bouncy" I've been. I'm hoping that's me getting enough energy than not enough!
What supplements from holland and barrett are you taking Skajen?
I've been taking a multi vitamin (green ones for vegetarians and vegans) and these big horse sized pills of calcium and magnesium.
The reason I ask is because I read the back of the bottle today and apparently the calcium ones contain like...oyster shell or something.... that really p***ed me off!!!!

gogs67
Jul 3rd, 2009, 11:48 AM
I've been feeling overly high and energetic since becoming vegan, probably because of the junk ive cut out, quite alot of people have complimented me in work on how "bouncy" I've been. I'm hoping that's me getting enough energy than not enough!
What supplements from holland and barrett are you taking Skajen?
I've been taking a multi vitamin (green ones for vegetarians and vegans) and these big horse sized pills of calcium and magnesium.
The reason I ask is because I read the back of the bottle today and apparently the calcium ones contain like...oyster shell or something.... that really p***ed me off!!!!
The H & B 'Chelated Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc' tablets which say 'suitable for vegetarians and vegans' on the back don't list oyster shell in the ingredients!:confused:
And the vegan multi vitamin i get from them is brown not green!
Must have a different Holland and Barrett in Ireland!:D

*live*&*let*live
Jul 5th, 2009, 05:18 PM
thanks for all of the wonderful advice. i never really thought about what i ate, up until recently, and i used to eat out way too much. i guess i just need to prepare better foods for myself and include a variety of fruits and veggies. i have been doing pretty good on eating nuts (in moderation).

Make up a 'sprinkle', on porridge or other breakfast in our house I sprinkle wheatgerm, a mix of seeds ie pumpkin, sunflower, linseed etc and a small amount of dried fruit. I only have this about three times a week but my OH has it every morning. :heart:

Roxy
Jul 5th, 2009, 09:34 PM
Good, simple advice. I should try to follow it more often, myself!! :)


I think that eating a well-rounded diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables is the best "supplement" one can take!

Are those of you who feel tired eating at least 2 servings in each group of the following daily?

Daily healthy choices, not limited to, but including the following:


Green Vegetables: broccoli, kale, chard, mustard or collard greens, bell peppers, green beans

Orange/Yellow Vegetables: Squash, yams, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, bell peppers

Dark Red/Purple Vegetables: tomatoes, Beets, red cabbage, eggplant, red onions, bell peppers

Fruits: all citrus, berries, melons, apples and so on (2 or more)

Kimberlily1983
Jun 22nd, 2010, 12:48 AM
how weird- i actually wanted to post the same question about appetite. i have only been vegan a month and for the first week i felt almost sick. i still don't have an appetite like i used to (which is a good thing). Now i am just looking at what i eat as fuel for my body, not to say that the food i am eating doesn't taste good- it does.

I've had some similar experiences. I felt great after I went vegan, except I did notice that I had a bit of a sore throat some of the time during the first month. It came and went. I thought maybe I was coming down with a cold, but I think it was probably the change in diet. Luckily, it was temporary (though it wasn't that bad).

I'm not sure if I would say I have less of an appetite, but that my appetite is satisfied on less food (due to higher fiber content, as well as more protein than when I was vegetarian), and I also don't have the mad cravings I used to have (for cheese, mainly, as well as ice cream). It's great; I've lost about 10 pounds, and have much more energy. :smile: I also no longer get acne! (Not that it was bad anyway, but still!)

Kimberlily1983
Jun 22nd, 2010, 12:50 AM
Some companies creating soya milk, induce calcium in their milk. This will be stated on the milk carton. Buy such soya milk and you don't have to worry about calcium.

Almonds, almond butter, sesame seeds, sesame seed tahini, and black strap molasses are also excellent sources of calcium. Kale and some of the other dark green leafies are also good! :D

Back-Space
Jun 22nd, 2010, 02:23 AM
I made almond milk and I add sesame seeds to anything I can :p The fortified bagels with peanut butter gives me almost 20g of protein in one sitting... I've experienced mood changes though. Same mood as before, just a shorter fuse. I got into an argument on fathers day because my mom had put margarine on everything. I guess I took it personally :(

Kimberlily1983
Jun 22nd, 2010, 04:42 PM
I made almond milk and I add sesame seeds to anything I can :p The fortified bagels with peanut butter gives me almost 20g of protein in one sitting... I've experienced mood changes though. Same mood as before, just a shorter fuse. I got into an argument on fathers day because my mom had put margarine on everything. I guess I took it personally :(

Do you think the mood changes are because of your diet, though, or because you care passionately about animal rights issues, or whatever it is that motivates you to be vegan?

I would say I've noticed a slight improvement in my mood, which I would guess is due to feeling better from not having dairy in my diet (not suffering from mad cravings for cheese, ice cream, cheesecake, whatever, and not putting up with the bloating and extra fat around my belly from indulging these cravings). I also no longer suffer from iron deficiency (which is linked to high or excessive dairy consumption), which means I'm not feeling weak, or breathless after a flight of stairs anymore. :D

Back-Space
Jun 22nd, 2010, 11:35 PM
Do you think the mood changes are because of your diet, though, or because you care passionately about animal rights issues, or whatever it is that motivates you to be vegan?

I would say I've noticed a slight improvement in my mood, which I would guess is due to feeling better from not having dairy in my diet (not suffering from mad cravings for cheese, ice cream, cheesecake, whatever, and not putting up with the bloating and extra fat around my belly from indulging these cravings). I also no longer suffer from iron deficiency (which is linked to high or excessive dairy consumption), which means I'm not feeling weak, or breathless after a flight of stairs anymore. :D

I'm not sure... Maybe a bit of both. It irritates the hell out of me when people wont try something because it's got vegan written on the side of it. Almost like because they're not vegan, they're not allowed to have it or something. "Eww, vegan chocolate?" "The chocolate chips you've been using for baking were vegan!!! What do you think vegan means?"

I've been buying more food to try and slow down the meat coming into the house, but they seem to go and buy more of it :sad: And I think the cravings I get when I'm hungry put me on edge. Especially when they're cooking eggs or steaks. It's unbelievable how badly I want some, and how much I don't...