Positive (side) effects of going vegan

[VeganDaze]

A brilliant effect of veganism is that the longer I am vegan, the more philosophical/ethical ideas I have about why I shouldn't eat all that crap, and the more I find the idea of eating corpse repulsive...... by which I mean that to start with I went vegan for ethics (I liked eating meat etc), but now I wouldn't eat flesh even if it was somehow ethical and cruelty free!! yuk yuk yuk

Plus, veganism got me interested in nutrition and now, like Healthy, I am making a positive career choice and training to be a nutritional therapist!

[Healthy]

Congratulations Vegan Daze!

[VeganDaze]

Thank you

Imagine when I can legitimately tell people they shouldn't eat meat!

[Sluggie]

... by which I mean that to start with I went vegan for ethics (I liked eating meat etc), but now I wouldn't eat flesh even if it was somehow ethical and cruelty free!! yuk yuk yuk

I know what you mean. I can't find any ethical reason for not eating roadkill, but ... yuk.

[escarmalanes]

I've not had heart burn for 6 months, Yay!
Maybe I was lactose intolerant?

[Ian0723]

My Favorite Unexpected Effect was some sort of "Feeling" I got Months after becoming Vegan. Have you heard of "Runner's High"? It occurs when you Jog a lot IIRC. It has the same Feeling as being high on Drugs minus the Negative Effects. I get the same Feeling. I called it "Vegan High" (Haha). I felt... Light... Not because of Weight... Just... Light. Like I could Jump Out a Window and Fly. It felt great. That was probably the best Feeling I have ever had. Sadly, it's gone. I would never do this, but even I considered Eating Meat again and Stopping to get Vegan High again ^_^

[bryzee86]

I've not had heart burn for 6 months, Yay!
Maybe I was lactose intolerant?

Perhaps! Well I used to get acid reflux after, and inbetween, every meal I ate for about 4-5 years before going vegan. I've had it (literally) ONCE since going vegan. It was about 2 months ago. It scared me because I hadn't noticed it had gone until it came back. Then I realised how much agony I used to be in, every day. But no more! Thanks veganism!

[xxrequiem]

My skin's gotten clearer!
And I'm more environmentally conscious. I've also gotten really into animal rights. :]

[Jiffy]

Just thought of another one. I no longer get Athlete's Foot.

[erfoud]

Veganism has made me a better person. My expanding circle has gone to the limit. The supreme triumph of ethics, a heavenly feeling!

[applebaby]

Angered far less easily for some reason! more mellow temperment.

Other than that... sweating less and less greasy face.

[mogthecat]

More focus and clarity, less "fuzziness" of emotions, less vague guilt (not just about eating meat/dairy - about everything).

REAL, genuine, unmistakeable, glorious HUNGER, which I don't think I have genuinely felt for years. Freedom from being ignorant, confused, frustrated and angry with my body's reactions to all the crap I used to feed it.

Bewilderment at how I could possibly have been so stupid as not to question what I was eating for years, and frustration (which I usually curb) with friends and family for not recognising all the things that are (now I understand) so obviously wrong with eating meat/dairy.

[pavotrouge]

Due to veganism, I met a lot of nice people that are like-minded to me in many other aspects of life, too!

[Shells]

I've gotten really into animality and applied ethics, ecofeminism, and whole new areas of liberation philosophy and radical democracy. I'm finding my career niche, which I thought would never, ever happen.

I also realize that I was probably lactose intolerant. I had always thought it was normal to be crampy and bloated all the time... I didn't even notice how bad I was feeling until I started using rice, soy, and almond milk - I enjoy every soooo much more now and I feel so incredibly, gloriously better. I can have a Soy latte and not feel like crap. I'd always thought it was the coffee that was getting me so I drank mostly herbal teas. Not so - I'm much freer without dairy!

Oh, and I'm slowly losing weight. However, that might be more due to the fact that I'm becoming more and more sedentary as I approach exams (studying is not a physical acitvity) and my muscle is atrophying...

hmm...

[hullabaloo]

My allergies aren't as bad! My eyes used to be streaming, sore and itchy, I used to sneeze like mad, my throat swelled and my nose ran. Now I just sneeze a couple of times and that's it! It's fantastic.

I think it's because my immune system has been given a general boost. I used to catch everything and anything that's going and now I haven't been ill for ages. I have gotten the cold but I haven't felt ill and just got on with things. Before it would knock me out for at least a week.

[littlewinker]

My skin is a bit less spotty

[buttons]

I can drag my bum out of bed for a full day of uni and not need to fall back on sugar-free 'V' (energy drink) or sugar.

Also, it is no longer uncomfortable to walk up four flights of stairs!

[Nyphur]

A brilliant effect of veganism is that the longer I am vegan, the more philosophical/ethical ideas I have about why I shouldn't eat all that crap, and the more I find the idea of eating corpse repulsive...... by which I mean that to start with I went vegan for ethics (I liked eating meat etc), but now I wouldn't eat flesh even if it was somehow ethical and cruelty free!! yuk yuk yuk

Ditto. I live at home with omnivores and the smell of meat makes me gag now. In my head, it smells like corpses even though I've never smelled a human corpse. People keep expecting that being vegan for years would make me want to eat meat more, my mum in particular keeps asking if I would like a "nice bit of bacon" or if I miss eating chicken. They just don't get that the entire idea of eating an animal's cooked corpse gets even more repulsive to me as time passes. It's just plain not an option now or ever again.


My favourite thing about going vegan is how my tastes have changed to reflect my new diet. I used to hate mushrooms and red peppers but now they're awesome. Also, I am one of those people that tend to crave something when they need it. Sometimes I get a craving for brazil nuts, eat a few and get sick of them or I suddenly want to eat bananas and celery. More importantly, when I don't need something it doesn't taste nearly as good. Sometimes dark cabbage and spinach tastes awesome, sometimes it's yucky.

I've never EVER had a craving for meat but I recently had a very strong craving for a big vegan cheeseburger. The craving was specifically for the vegan soya burgers I buy, not meat at all. I swung by the local health food shop and picked up some cheap vegan soya burgers and fake cheese slices, then went Tesco and bought some big baps and this bag of pre-chopped white cabbage, red onion, carrot etc. Those were some awesome cheeseburgers, two of those and I was happy all day like a big fat penguin who's just eaten his weight in fish .

[Stopthelies]

well, one is that everything is in HIGH DEFINITION!

I'm finally beautiful to myself, inside and out.
I've lost 35 lbs
My hair grows twice as fast
I'm softer, my skin is
I just feel beautiful.

I'm smarter, faster, stronger, better, louder, funnier.

AND it cured my depression.

(That's not even my whole list!)
Thank goodness for Veganism.
My life feels, for once, right.

[pat sommer]

shopping/dining out is so easy to choose....
"I'll have the only vegan option,please"

[XxsarahxX]

been vegan has helped be nicer.
made it even clearer that I'm the healthiest one of my family (smokers drinkers and meat eaters).
i no longer have low iron,
my depression is gone i still have bad days but not as many.
my skin is getting clearer (still have to cut back on sugar)
i get less heart palpations,
I'm more environmentally friendly
I'm just happier over all
i should of become vegan when i thought about it when i was younger oh well i made it

[xErasedCitizenx]

Didn't really find anything changed much, although I have stayed the same weight but found I eat LOADS healthier now. But that's a combo between two factors : veganism means I can't just grab a pizza or bar of chocolate or cake anywhere, I have to actually put thought into seeking those things out or making them, so naturally that means less junk. The other factor is that since I went vegan I got a job in an organic veggie cafe, which really made me rethink my attitude towards food, and being there a few times a week means I can get all my food shopping there and have decent food in to eat.

[HotSquirrel]

Biggest change was no more asthma or bronchitis. That and a clearer conscience!

[Arabfrancophile]

well, one is that everything is in HIGH DEFINITION!

I'm finally beautiful to myself, inside and out.
I've lost 35 lbs
My hair grows twice as fast

you're lucky Stopthelies but my hair needs to grow on turbo speed to cover my balding spot....LOL.......and I'm sure I can't blame it on Phoenix heat

But seriously like many people on this forum, I've lost so much weight and my depression is almost gone and it was very severe once.

I think one of the benifts is that I'm taking vitamin B 12 and Omega-3 and both have great benefits for depression.

Another benefit is the acid reflux that I've been suffering from for so long is almost gone and I'm not taking any meds for it. I'm also been much more educated about nutrition since I've become vegan.

The interesting thing I've always considered myself spiritual but I have to say how can be fully spiritual when he is contributing to the murder of his fellow creatures.......peace, Mike

P.S: Stopthelies, we have 3 Arizonans now

[vorpal]

well, one is that everything is in HIGH DEFINITION!

I was playing World of Warcraft (as I do all too frequently) chatting to my mates about how everything was so spectacular looking and I was noticing all the amazing colours and textures.

My friend sent me a whisper asking if i was stoned haha! I said no as I was not. I explained how everything in game and in real life looked so much better now that I was vegan, it is as if the graphics card in my brain has been upgraded

[emzy1985]

I was playing World of Warcraft (as I do all too frequently) chatting to my mates about how everything was so spectacular looking and I was noticing all the amazing colours and textures.

My friend sent me a whisper asking if i was stoned haha! I said no as I was not. I explained how everything in game and in real life looked so much better now that I was vegan, it is as if the graphics card in my brain has been upgraded

I love gamers! Everything in our lives relates to computers. AWESOME!

[Pug Ugly]

.I feel awake for the first time.
.I've always felt that there was so much wrong with the world, and somehow .now I see more clearly what it is.
.My breath smells good.
.My back doesn't hurt.
.I find it therapeutic to read labels at the grocery store now.
.I was an angry human being and realize now that (part of) it was because I resented myself for not doing anything about all the stuff that pissed me off. I feel righteous. At the same time I don't feel the need to stuff it down peoples throats.
.I just feel good.

[emzy1985]

Good for you PUG and welcome to the forum!

[mogthecat]

.I find it therapeutic to read labels at the grocery store now.

So true! I never thought of it like that before.

[veggirl77]

I"ve been vegan since I was 12 so dont know about weight"loss".......I've always been thin though. My favorite unexpected effect was the fact that I went back to my pre-pregnancy weight/size after each of my 7 kids. At 49 I weigh what I did as a teenager!

Aside from that, it is the one and only area of my life that I can feel guiltfree............and I never ever get sick.

[ellaminnowpea]

7 kids!! wow! thats an accomplishment in itself!

[pat sommer]

I am treated as an 'Authority'.

Folks ask the VEGAN about cooking weird veg or what nutrients are in kelp or even environmental questions... hey, we gotta know; we're vegan, right?

(not really a favorite but makes me laugh)

[lizzo]

broadening the range of foods i cook! I originally thought I would have a harder time finding things to eat when in reality I've found the complete opposite. I've become quite the cook! ALSO, my live-in boyfriend (current omnivore) is realizing that my way tastes and FEELS better! DUH! ;-)

[Silver Owl]

I'm a newbie vegan, after years of being veggie. And it feels GREAT!! I keep going to my kitchen cupboards just to have a look, because they're all stuffed full of new and wonderous things now!! I feel so proud of myself!

[Arabfrancophile]

I'm also amazed about all the new food I discovered since I've become a vegan. Now, when I go grocery shopping I spend most of my time in the produce section trying to find a new vegetable or a new herb. For the life of me, I have no idea why restaurants find it so difficult to prepare a couple of vegan dishes for their customers.

[BurritoFiend]

been a Vegan for almost 3 months. I have lost 20lbs, what more can be said. I didn't even care when I started what I was going to eat, I just didn't want to eat animals anymore it was too cruel for me. Tell me something though, does everyone who recently turns Vegan believe something big is coming? I feel like there is the huge movement on it's way...a general shift towards healthy vegetarian eating. I feel like there are big changes happening right now and stronger ones on the way...or maybe those are just silly pipe dreams.

[BurritoFiend]

oh yeah and someone tell me about this color thing. Everything starts to look brighter? what? lol I mean....awesome I guess.

[pavotrouge]

don't you think it's more like being generally more aware of your environment?

[Tigerlily]

If I want someone to leave me alone, I just fart.

[pavotrouge]

I think omni farts stink worse by far.

[VeganDaze]

I think omni farts stink worse by far.

Lol, that is actually true though - meat eaters have different bacteria in their gut and the ones they have that we don't produce methane, which is stinky!

[Russ]

I think we need to set up a peer-reviewed double-blind experiment to put this one to rest once and for all ...

[pavotrouge]

yeah even omni food... today I was totally put off when a coworker wanted to show me a website during lunch and she had a steaming bowl of soup with cream in it in front of her and I thought it smelt like it had gone off T_T

Oh well off topic...

[VeganDaze]

I think we need to set up a peer-reviewed double-blind experiment to put this one to rest once and for all ...

I nominate you for the smelling panal. I'll adjudicate

[pavotrouge]

now let's gather some omnis. I shouldn't be posting it, but really... omni farts and poo smell really bad. I won't go into the details as why how I know.

PS.: Of course vegans only fart flowers

[VeganDaze]

Vegans are too delightful to fart, I think you mean!!

[Russ]

I nominate you for the smelling panal. I'll adjudicate

Very well ...

*shakes up and cracks open tin of haricot beans*

Do we have a volunteer .. ? Fork not supplied ..

[VeganDaze]

[Elahiya]

i also realized that i´ve gotten extremely sensitive to the smell of omni-food. man, do they know, what they eat? oh, i forgot, if the knew they were also vegans. haha. it makes me feel sick having to smell their sh**.

but there´s another positive effect: my hafever has gotten much better. it already was not that bad las year and this year it has also been not that like hell like all the other years before. i can leave home without any medicine and loads of hankies! it´s s great!!!

[pavotrouge]

I know what you mean... even smelling a soup with dairy with it... seems to have an off taste to me... though I'm not sure that's a positive aspect?!