What effect have switching to a vegan diet had on you?
My health and/or sense of well-being is strongly reduced
My health and/or sense of well-being is a little reduced
No change
My health and/or sense of well-being has improved a little
My health and/or sense of well-being has improved a lot
How has the change to a vegan diet affected you?
What effect have switching to a vegan diet had on you?
I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.
Oh, and one more thing: let's not be fanatic. If the switch means that you feel worse, have less energy or whatever, let us know. (Having said that; if you very recently have gone vegan and experience what is normally described as 'detox effects' like eg. acne, please wait with replying until you have been living on a vegan diet vegan for at least a month or two.)
I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.
Interesting question. I think my health improved a bit - mainly because I couldn't digest dairy products very well latterly but it may also have resolved some hormonal problems.
My sense of well-being improved a lot though because I don't feel (so) guilty about what I eat any more (leaving aside the questions of airmiles, exploited labourers etc!)
I like myself better and have less stress. I feel at peace.
my asthma is basically gone, my bones dont ache, my nose isnt sniffly and sneezy 24 hours a day, my allergies have gone down significantly, my skin glows, and i can wake up in the morning without feeling horrible.
My hair and skin seem a lot healthier, I have lost 17 pounds, I don't bloat like I used to, I don't get menstrual cramps as bad as I used to, I have more energy than I used to and I don't seem to need as much sleep as I used to.
I've been vegan for well over 30 yrs. Started basically for ethical reasons - compassion for the animals killed to be eaten, and tortured/killed by people in white coats in laboratories. But for some time now, for health reasons, I'm glad to have taken such a step. Moreover it is obviously better for the planet the more vegans there are.
The number of veggies and vegans has increased over the years, suitable foods available has improved enormously, the number of activists in the antivivisection movement has grown. BUT, the sad part is that over time the number of animals slaughtered has increased exponentially, both for eating and for experimentation - running to billions per annum.
i had spots over my forehead and temples after about three weeks but all gone now! also, i feel less 'clogged'!
Healthwise, I am not really sure how I have been affected. I was anorexic before, so I am certain that eating anything would have been a good thing!!!! Anyway, I did have a blood test a few months back which revealed high levels of each vitamin, except iron which was on the low side of normal. I am not sure about calcium. B12 was excellent too. But surprisingly, I had a very high cholestrol reading...must be hereditary because my Mother had this problem and my grandfather died from a heart attack after several years of heart and cardiovascular problems.
I crave a lot of sugar and dairy products though. Especially yoghurt. I hate soy yoghurt. I also get IBS depending on my stress levels if I eat certain things that are a bit fatty, like peanut butter or anything fried or cooked in excess oil. Since I stopped eating oats all the time, I don't get stabbing pains in my guts anymore.
If I have anything with a high GI on it's own, I get shaky and dazed about an hour or so later, which is fixed by more food.
As far as my spirit is concerened, I feel good that I am doing something good - I love animals and being a vegan has almost helped me build an identity after being ill. I have some sort of a purpose. But I also feel somewhat controlling and also a little deprived...this makes me feel guilty because I feel evil and self indulgent. Why should animals die for my pleasure?
So there is good with bad, bad with good. I don't know if I will be vegan forever...only time will tell.
Dear Banana,
Hello from Chicago!
From your post, it seems like a vegan diet really agrees with you, and that's terrific! You're absolutely right--being a vegan does give a person a purpose. You're doing something positive to help animals, other people, and the whole planet.
I've been a vegan for about 10 years (my dog is a healthy, 4-year-old German Shepherd mix who is also a vegan--with her veterinarian's hearty approval!).
I am also very fortunate--I watch my diet and I enjoy good health. Being a vegan has brought me nothing but good, and I'm not just talking about the direct health benefits and the number of animal lives that have been spared because I don't eat animal products! (If that weren't enough, right?)
I've met people who are interested in helping animals, helping others, making their lives better, making the planet better--how? By being vegans.
So this is just a short note of encouragement to stick with your vegan lifestyle. It sounds like you're doing so well already--and things will only get better from here, guaranteed!
Best regards,
Kukla's Mom
hello banana
You mention a high cholesterol reading. Same here, even though I've not eaten animal products for so long. And you're right, it is hereditary. As to effects from high glycaemic, well obviously you'll have to carefully choose low glycaemic. This is something that anyone with type 2 diabetes needs to do.
But high in spirit, well that's great. Feeling deprived? Of what, animal products? Both you and the animals benefit from a vegan diet, and so does the planet.
I wish you all the best.
Eve
Thanks for the encouragement guys!!!! I feel a lot better now. It is hard sometimes when you think how cadbury is more delicious then soychocolate...but then again, I suppose the deliciousness comes at a painful cost!
I think my lips are a prettier color since going vegan, for whatever reason.
The rawfoodists seem to enjoy the effect of their diet too: http://www.rawfoodsupport.com/read.p...=20621&t=20621
i think since becoming vegan i look better because i have lost excess weight and have more energy, but i am suffering from quite bad acne, it's not a detox thing because i've been vegan nearly a year and it hasn't got any better. i think it's hormonal as i've always had high testosterone for a girl and i was taking the pill to counteract it, but stopped taking it when i went vegan (if anyone has any vegan remedy for this please see my other post on the subject!).
i feel healthier and mentally more stable (had a few mental health problems in the past, not cured but a bit better). as many people here have said i feel more at peace with myself and i have more of a purpose.
i've stopped getting bad pms.
I also notice that my hair is so soft. I don't even need conditioner. I love it!
Bowel movements like clockwork. Somebody had to say it, may as well be me.
This is from the vegan md .
Now get that pic out of your head.Bowel Movement Frequency
With a title like "Nutrition and Lifestyle in Relation to Bowel Movement Frequency," I knew it just had to be good.[1] In the biggest study of it's kind ever, British researchers compared the reported bowel habits of about 15,000 meateaters to 5000 vegetarians and about 1000 vegans.
The study was peppered with memorable quotes like "That non meat-eaters have a higher frequency of defecation is well documented" and "Our finding of a very clear trend towards an increasing number of bowel movements with a more rigorous degree of vegetarianism could be a field for further investigation."
Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States, leading to millions of doctor visits every year. Constipation can increase one's risk for a hiatal hernia, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and painful conditions with names like "anal fissure."
The researchers conclude "Being vegetarian and especially vegan is strongly associated with a higher frequency of bowel movements." Vegans, for example, were three times more likely to have daily BMs.
It's like we've always said: vegans are just regular people
This is a great thing! To be regular and not have that toxic matter sitting in the bowel where the toxins can get reabsorbed, causing headaches, foul breath and other toxic symptoms. Natural health proponents believe the healthiest people have a bowel movement after each time the person eats...
Another article on the bowel movement topic, this time in the lastest The Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation UK magazine.
Regular veggies
We might be embarrassed to talk about constipation but its probable link with colorectal cancer should make us open up! Infrequent bowel movements is one way of diagnosing constipation but its causes are not well understood. The aim of a study published early this year was to investigate just how different lifestyles and diets affect bowel frequency.
Researchers were able to tap into a massive piece of current work. It's called the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), is Europe-wide and is trying to assess what aspects of our life might influence cancer. EPIC-Oxford is the British contribution to the study. The lifestyles of over 20,000 men and women were analysed via a questionnaire that included a question on how many bowel movements they had each week. There were very clear differences. Vegans had the most, followed by vegetarians and fish-eaters, with meat-eaters having the lowest number. Fibre and fluid intake and vigorous exercise were found to increase bowel movement.
The answer seems to be - get moving with a veggie/vegan diet!
i must be healthy then!ConsciousCuisine
Isn't that funny. I used to live with a guy who would have a bowel movement after every single thing he ate. I thought it was weird. Even if we were eating out - he would have to go to the bathroom straight after the meal, before leaving the eating establishment.
And then at the other extreme, my partner's ex-wife has something wrong with her, where she only has a bowel movement every 4 or 5 days. Perhaps that's why she's the way she is!!
Roxy
oh god that would be horrible :\
Yeah she is lol
Being vegan has ment complete recovery from an ED, fulfillment of an optimally healthy lifestyle (physcially and psychilogically) and at least alleviating my conscience about eco matters... Also made me proud and feel strong and independent as vegans were a matter of awe to me... Whilst becoming vegan, I have discovered new traits to me and feel I have finally become the person I want to be
I agree, Fruitbat, I wake up every morning with a sense that I am becoming more and more whole, and feel a proper part of the universe!
Yes I get a feeling of purity and that I am Whole again! It makes me at Peace with myself and the planet - though not with other human beings.
i'll say one thing for being vegan: you learn to cook really well.
I waited until now to post, since I just went vegan this summer.
I feel better overall. The awful, knock-me-down stomach aches that I used to get 2-3 times a month are all but gone. I thought those were dairy related, but I had one the other day so I guess not. They are much less frequent though, and that's beyond fantastic.
I'm gaining weight, and that's not something I'm happy about. I need to eat more fresh fruits and veggies, but I have a major sweet tooth, I'm also a carb junkie. Bread and pasta and cereal.....Mmmm...
Mentally, I feel refreshed. I know that I am not contributing to the meat indsutry. I can look a cow in the eye now!
-JK
I just went vegan this past summer and I have already noticed positive changes in my body. I feel better about myself. I have also had to learn to make new things and now I really love cooking and baking. There isn't one part of my life that being vegan hasn't impacted.
"Animals share with us the privilege of having a soul" --Pythagoras
I'm now into my third month of being vegan and have already noticed huge changes. I have more energy, and sleep less. Prior to becoming vegan it wasn't uncommon for me to sleep 10 hours or more, then wake up feeling groggy and depressed. After about a month of eating strictly vegan, no hydroginated oils, no carbonated beverages, I would sleep for an average of 6 to 7 hours, then wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
Bowel movements are like clockwork for me too. No upset stomache, no bloating, no excess farting or burping, no headaches. I believe my immune system has improved as well. Recently, three of my co-workers, who all eat Doritos and drink Pepsi at lunch break, spread a sickness to one another over a period of one week. They were coughing and suffering from a stuffy nose and sore throat. Despite working in close-quarters with them, I have not become sick. Not even a single sneeze.
My boyfriend caught a cold recently that laid him up for almost 4 days. I got the bug, but only had the sniffles for 2 days and felt well enough to go to work both days. All I had was a stuffy nose and small headache. I told him "I'm vegan now, I don't get sick."
-JK
Banana, you say you hate soy yogurt, have you ever tried King Land soy yogurt? It tastes like real yogurt, not all watery like those other yukky brands. It is made in Queensland. The worst ones I tried were Soy Life (GE and owned by Pauls Milk, tastes terrible too) and Soygurt - it's not like yogurt at all!!! It's like water!
Yes, I believe my immune system has improved so much. I do not get the flu, coughs, colds, fever & viruses. In the middle of winter, I am the only one who is not sick. Before I became vegan I would get sick several times a year, always I would get that terrible mucusy cough in winter. Since I became vegan, I have only been sick about three times in nearly six years.
King Land is too rich and creamy for me - makes my tummy sore. When I get a yoghurt craving, I go for the Soygurt Natural, coz it is mild. The other flavours give me a tummyache too. The WORST soy yoghurt I have ever tried is the Earthangel Soyogurt - it tastes like raw tofu, but creamy and off
Oh and Soy Life is not vegan - has a dairy starter culture or something
I'm the lone vegan at work and I'm the only one who had bronchitis last month when the stuff was going around town.
Oh dear, Andie!
I think you were knobbled!
Either that, or it was a 'rogue' strain!
I'll have tomorrow to do a blood sample (It's been a while since I did one, I hate those !!! duh ! ) so I'll now how is my metabolism in a couple of days...
But as I am feeling...
Well... my asthma seems to have finally stop, my few heart problems too, and it appears that I had in fact a light dairy-products intolerance…
However, at the beginning of me being a vegan, I had soooooo much digestive problems if you see what I mean... lol *sweet drop*
One day, I'll die from an Asian junk food overdose ! lol
I have not been sick since becoming vegan 1 year ago.I need a lot less sleep also, 5 to 6 hrs. a night will do it for me. My energy level is much higher.........it's better on all fronts!
"Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends". ~ George Bernhard Shaw.
I used to have chronic sinus congestion. I would have a constant dull pain all around my eyes and parts of my nose. And I'd get a headache every day. It was quite horrible, worse than a migraine actually (which I got sometimes) because NOTHING would help my sinus headaches. I went to the doctor twice, nothing they can do. The first pill made my sick to my stomach and the nasal spray gave my nose bleeds and a very bad sore throat.
Someone then told me to stop drinking and eating dairy. I thought they were crazy! But I decided to cut it out and then decided to go vegan for both health and ethical reasons.
I've been dairy and animal free since November 20th or so and I rarely get headaches and my sinus pressure is gone. I recently found out that the person who told me to stop drinking dairy was RIGHT. Milk protein causes sinus congestion for some people...go figure? I used to be such a dairy junkie....milk, yougurt, cheese every day. I had like at least 4 dairy servings a day. Yuck!
Tigerlily, I am just the same! I still get occasional Sinus congestion because I have a Dust Mite Allergy, but I use a Neti Pot when that flares up. The Dairy really causes Sinus problems in some people because our bodies reject what is bad for us. I'm glad you feel better, now.
I m a vegan for one year and a half, and can clearly see the difference between before and after the change
Besides the huge health gain ( beautifying of the skin, more energy, never sick
Respecting the environnment and every kinds of life became my favourite motto
Hence a better image of myself and the others.
I see that the the vegan lifestyle I ve chosen is full of benefits, especially when some friends ask me what my secret is
* My sinuses have improved a million fold - no more congestion, no more sinus headaches, no more allergies, no more stuffy noses. My ears don't ache like they used to, either and my sense of smell is quite sharp, now.
* I don't get sick as often. I used to get sick 4, 5, sometimes 6 or more times a year and it would take me 1-2 weeks to get over each illness, but now I'm down to MAYBE getting sick 1-2 times a year and I'm over it within 2 days.
* Cuts and bruises heal much faster than they used to although I'm still quite the clutz (the vegan diet hasn't helped that yet
* My skin is clearer and smoother. I also found that my lips stay red all the time, and I haven't had to use lipstick in ages. Those dark patches on my face are also starting to go away and for the first time in my life, I actually have some colour in my cheeks.
* My arthritis is better and I don't have any redness in any of my joints. Even on cold days. I still have a bit of problems with my energy, but it's nothing like I used to have.
* My digestion has improved by leaps and bounds. I'm quite regular these days (I used to be another once a week wonder
It's vegan, which means it's vegetarian which means there's nothing unheathy in it. -- my guy trying to explain vegan junkfood.
When I first turned vegan 5 years ago I noticed a huge difference ~ I'd been getting bad period pains every month since I was 11 and had to lie down with a hot water bottle because I felt too bad to do anything else, then after turning vegan, the pain was next to nothing. I doubt it could have just been coincidence as I'd been having bad pain for a solid 9 years and it just seemed to calm down the first month after I went vegan.
I'd also been constantly 'gacky' in my chest and throat and felt I had to kind of cough a little before speaking so that I could clear it - that all got better too though after a very short time.
I also feel better spiritually (if that's the right word) as I used to always feel really guilty about buying things with egg in the ingredients because I knew it probably wouldn't be free-range, or I'd feel terrible putting milk in my tea after I realised where veal comes from. It's a huge weight of my shoulders now and although I know I'm not going to change the world, I feel I'm living in a way that's less of a strain on the environment, animals & people.
I honestly can't think of any negative side effects I've had.
Wow wee. Over 70% of those that voted said that their health and/or sense of well-being has improved a lot. And almost 15% said their health and/or sense of well-being has improved a little.
*gert blows raspberry to any doubters
Has anyone else noticed that their nails grow fast - I mean like really fast?
It's vegan, which means it's vegetarian which means there's nothing unheathy in it. -- my guy trying to explain vegan junkfood.
Yes! I've been called a freak for this reason as I have to cut them (and my toe nails) so often!Has anyone else noticed that their nails grow fast - I mean like really fast?
Me and my husband were amazed at that as well. It's annoying because we have to keep our nails short for the babies but I think it must be some sort of sign of better health.Yes! I've been called a freak for this reason as I have to cut them (and my toe nails) so often!
I voted that my wellbeing changed a little. I guess when I went vegan [years ago now] I was hoping for sky rockets and firecrackers and that all my problems would be solved! But that wasn't the case hehehe I do not regret it any of it though and am happier *inside* because of it.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks