My second attempt...

[Cabbage Panda]

I was vegan from the end of October until mid-November. I was very dedicated to my cause, but I got a little ill from going about my diet the wrong way. Now that school is ending for the summer, I'm trying again. I thought this would be the proper place to post my story and some of my questions. I tried using the internet as a resource, but there's just SO much information... it's hard to sift through the truth and fiction.

I have a few questions...

I hear bad things about soy. I hear it alters your hormones and such... so, I avoid it like the plague. Is there a way to get the nutrition one would get from dairy from something other than fortified soy-milk and soy-cheeses?

My family isn't very poor, but we're not too wealthy, either. I want to avoid the expensive vegan versions of 'normal foods', because they're processed and have a lot of inorganic ingredients. I'd rather eat organic foods, for a simpler diet. Would this organic diet do a whole lot of damage to my funds? Also, would this diet be healthier for me?

Lastly, would that simple diet cover all my nutritional bases? I'm not big on taking vitamins and supplements, so I want to avoid doing that.

Thank you.

[DiaShel]

Cabbage:
I'm no expert but here's my thoughts
You don't need any nutrients from soy milk or cheeses. An organic whole foods diet is the healthiest you could possibly eat. All the essential nutrients are found in veggies, fruits, nuts, legumes, and seeds. Be sure to eat a good variety and lots of leafy greens! Some of these foods are very expensive like almonds and cherries but there are also a lot of inexpensive foods like bananas and oranges. You don't need to take supplements, the only thing that might be a concern is B-12 but I use nutritional yeast for this.

[xrodolfox]

Cabbage:
I'm no expert but here's my thoughts
You don't need any nutrients from soy milk or cheeses. An organic whole foods diet is the healthiest you could possibly eat. All the essential nutrients are found in veggies, fruits, nuts, legumes, and seeds. Be sure to eat a good variety and lots of leafy greens! Some of these foods are very expensive like almonds and cherries but there are also a lot of inexpensive foods like bananas and oranges. You don't need to take supplements, the only thing that might be a concern is B-12 but I use nutritional yeast for this.

^ Very true.

Regardless, the "science" behind all the "soy is evil" campaigns is shoddy at best. Most of that disinformation is from two pro-meat organizations rather than trying to disseminate useful information.

Anything eaten exclusively or in huge quantities isn't healthy. However, soy, like bananas, and rice, and many other foods, isn't remarkably less healthy or dangerous than others.

[Justin]

hey, welcome to the club

I take this whole vegan thing pretty easy, a buddy used to get quite wound up about it so I was lucky to see first hand 'how not to be a vegan'. I work a lot so I mainly eat ready made soups 'cos I can heat 'em up at work, bread, humous- that sort of thing. I also try and buy some raw fruit and veg again, cos it's easy to eat at work. that apart? I drink loads of soya lattes, used to be if I drank more than a litre of soya milk- I didn't feel too good, must have got used to it- I wasn't going to stop

good luck with this, you're doing a good thing. if you can relax and have a bit of fun with this new routine you're trying and maybe show someone else a new way thru your example- all the better

ciao

[cobweb]

i agree, relax, you'll be fine. Plant based nutrition and health is a good read, and there is a lot of info here and on the vegan society's website.

I use soya but you don't need it.

[VeganQ]

Don't worry about avoiding soy - the science is controversial. I wouldn't worry about it. Think of it this way, Asians have lived on soy and tofu for thousands of years and they are fine! But like anything in life, moderation is key. I am sure you can find problems with too much of anything. Heck! Drinking too much water can give you water poisoning. Soy is actually very healthy.

Also, what kind of nutrition are you referring to that you would need from dairy? Like calcium? If so, you can get that from a variety of sources like broccoli, blackberries... Just do a google search and you will find loads of lists.