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Thread: How to start the vegan journey?

  1. #1
    misskatie85
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    Default How to start the vegan journey?

    Hi guys!

    I've been toying with the idea of going vegan for awhile now and would greatly appreciate any input or suggestions. I'll tell you my story so you can get a better idea of my motivations and health concerns. I am warning you now, that I am going to be very honest in this post, so if you are offended by bodily functions, please don't read this. Thanks in advance!

    I feel like there is something very unbalanced in my body. I have some days where I will relieve my bowels twice a day and some weeks where I will only relieve my bowels once a week. I was diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) when I was little and have been battling it since. I'll eat something and not have any problems with digestion and then the next time I eat it, i'll have violent diarrhea. I've been to several doctors to do allergy and intolerance tests, but everything that comes up as a potential allergy or intolerance is mild at the most. Mainly, gluten and dairy.

    Even though my dairy allergy is very minimal (according to 3 different doctors), I am believe it's causing me to have scalp irritations. I have severe seborrheic dermatitis on my scalp. I tried a dairy free diet for a few months and it nearly cleared up completely, whether coincidence or not. However, I caved and fell off the dairy free wagon.

    Another concern is my weight. I am about 40 lbs overweight (my own standards, not the doctor or a magazine). While my diet is not terribly compared to that of a normal American's, it is not great. I need to change this for my health. I am 25 and I have barely any energy, I wake up in the morning and I immediately want to go back to sleep. It's taking a toll on my mental health for sure, I don't want to feel so sluggish anymore. (I should add here that I do NOT drink coffee, but I love tea).

    Ideally, I would like to get to the point where I am eating/juicing vegan 6 days a week and have one day a week be a cheat day (at least at first). Now my main question to the vegan community is: would you suggest going cold turkey? Or would you suggest slowly integrating the new diet into my current diet, maybe start a day or two of purely vegan and slowly increase the amount of days?

    Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Limburg, Netherlands
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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    A good way to start is to take this challenge. http://blog.nikonians.org/digitaldar...histogram.html If you want email support then another cycle will certainly be available in the future. I faced some health issues myself, so embraced his plan for eating. You might also google Neal Barnard, MD. My readings suggest that you just do and not have the cheat day at all. Good luck!!

  3. #3

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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    Hi katie,

    It's nice that you are considering following a vegan diet for your own health... but why not go vegan out of ethical concerns whilst you are at it? You have some health issues that you describe - and although they aren't life threatening - they sound like very annoying, a great discomfort, and probably have some social implications as well. Imagine how animals must feel, locked up in growded cages, often not seeing daylight untill they are tossed on the truck to the slaughter house.

    As for how to go vegan: stop buying animal products! Use what you still have but don't get anything new. Before something runs out (food, clothing, hygiene and personal care products,...) google for an alternative.

    Make sure you're not the only one benefiting from a changed LIFESTYLE, but stop using animals altogether and become vegan for all the right reasons. If a vegan diet brings you some health improvements consider it a bonus. Eat a balanced diet... don't live of vegan burgers or nuggets every day. Eat fresh produce, fruits, vegetables, all sorts of sprouts, some nuts [not the salted kind with added oil], a healthy amount of starch like potatoes, rice, couscous, quinoa,... not just a pile of french fries... A changed diet might or might not help the issues you described, but BEING VEGAN and not just eating like one is the right thing to do regardless.

  4. #4
    baffled harpy's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    Hello misskatie - Well, I would make the transition as fast as feels comfortable for you. It may take you a little while to work out what to eat (though there are lots of ideas on here), and also if you have a delicate digestion it may take it a little while to adjust to different food. So maybe experiment - try having a few vegan meals and if that goes well keep going? Like charliko, I don't see the point in a cheat day.

    Most of us here wish we had gone vegan faster and/or sooner than we did because of the harm that we now realise was done to animals by not being vegan, but you have to do what works for you.

  5. #5
    FaerieSuzy's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    Hey MissKatie! I agree with Harpy, I would make the transition as fast as you feel comfortable. Plus if you go 'cold turkey' you may be able to pinpoint whether cutting out dairy etc is helping you healthwise (with your scalp etc). If you are simply cutting down slowly any benefits may not be as noticeable and you may feel disheartened.

    I made the transition to vegan overnight, and personally I found that best. But whatever works for you!
    Even the smallest person can change the course of the future

  6. #6
    amethyst's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    No matter how you do it, or why you do it, going vegan is a win-win for the world, the animal kingdom, and for you and your health. Try to stay with it, being very strict about what goes in, and each day it will get easier. A complete change without cheat days or temptations inside the home will be a bit of a challenge in the beginning, but I feel it makes the complete change a lot easier in a shorter amount of time. Slow transition literally equals slow transition. Vegan overnight equals a quick change of life and lifestyle that is easy to LIVE with.

  7. #7
    Glory's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    I went vegan overnight. It was the same when I went veggie. I just woke up and said, "I'm not eating this crap anymore."

    I called my sister (who is not a veggie) and she came over and picked up all my non-vegan food that could not be donated. Then I went grocery shopping for a fresh start. There are only a few non-vegan foods in my house (all for my hubby), but those I am not at all tempted to eat.

    Here's the thing. I bet if you do the first 6 days of being vegan, when your cheat day rolls around, you won't even want the icky non-vegan food. Seriously.

    But whatever way you do it (6 days on, 1 day off), just know that you're having an impact on the world and that is something.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    I also stopped eating cheese "cold turkey" after 20 years as a vegetarian (and heavily relying on cheese, milk and eggs). Only after about half a year did I try out some vegan cheeses, and it was a controlled thing to just add a new item to my diet (very sparingly).

    I guess cutting back on the dose or replacing with the vegan stuff would have been more difficult.

    Best regards,
    Andy

  9. #9

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    Default Re: How to start the vegan journey?

    Don't feel pressured to go vegan for animal rights. If that's your reason then fine, but it's perfectly fine to go vegan for health reasons with animal rights being a nice side effect along with other things.

    What I did was just phase stuff out. So when the milk ran out I replaced it with soy, almond, rice, etc. When the mayo ran out I replaced it with a vegan alternative. And on and on with eggs, burgers, cheese, etc. It took about 3 weeks altogether.

    If you can go cold turkey then great, but I definitely needed the time to figure out all the new vegan brands!

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