hello I buy vegeterian yoghurt but sometimes i see that they are expired for eg from 2 weeks a go. are they healthy to use?
thank you very much for your answer
(By: sara) 2011.12.24 - 21:53 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Re: Question: duration of use
Hello Sara,
I often purchase vegan foods that are going out of date that day or the next day. Many times they stay in my refrigerator for a few days past the expiration date. I have never got sick from any of them. Also the health food stores say that it is safe for various days past the expiration date. That day depends on what the item is. So I would eat the yoghourt two weeks past the expiration date and not worry about it. Breads and much more can be frozen for months as still be good. I do this often especially when I get a great deal of the food.
I recently switched to a plant based diet. Some of my carnivorous friends tell me that I will get sick and die prematurely due to a carnosine deficiency, since carnosine is only found in meat. \"Protein glycation\" is the term they use to describe my coming early death from lack of carnosine. I have heard that taking a vegan form of the amino acid Alanine could help avoid some problems. Do you know what might be done to resolve carnosine deficiency? Thank you for your kind help in this matter!
I now get a chance to use my biology class that I was able to get instituted in college. The course did not require any animals being dissected. It was completely on nutrition. Anyway here goes.
The human body needs 12 essential amino acids. A vegan diet only gives you eight of those. So it looks like we are in trouble. Now for the good news. The other four are synsitized by the other eight. That is backed by scientific proof. Please feel free to check it out by using solid scientific organizations.
There is only one thing that we need that is not provided with a vegan diet. That is vitimin B-12. We must get that with a supplement.
I have been a vegetarian for 44 years and the last 15 years has been as a vegan. I receive regular physicals and blood tests. I am 70 years old and I have been in excellent health for a man my age. Since I have had two leaky heart valves from childhood, I have had several tests with cardiologists. They have all found my arteries are whistle clean. Each of them said that the vegan diet is the best diet for heart problems. Without a vegan diet I would have mechanical heart valves by now.
Also it has been shown that vegans and vegetarians live at least five years longer on average than with non-veg\'ns.
Hello,
I've been vegan for four years now, however in the last two years my hair on my head has stopped growing. It has not grown a mm in years and though it is thinning as a result there is some new hair coming through, its mostly a length problem.
My doctor said it must have been the shock of changing my diet, but I've noticed doctors blame everything on veganism. I was a vegetarian for a decade before so it was a smooth transition to vegan and in every other respect I'm perfectly healthy.
After some research , I've discovered zinc is responsible for hair growth and is stored in the body for many years before depleted. If this is the case as I don't take supplements I've upped my almond intake, but to no avail.
Is this a common problem with vegans? Is there any other cure I can try.
I just got the news from my doctor. My cholesterol level is 250, trigicerides are 354. I have been hearing a lot and reading a lot about the vegetarian lifestyle curing all of these issues. Is it something I can count on to help me out of this jam I'm in? I have been dabbling in veganism for the last month and I can feel a difference already in how much energy I have. Any information would be very helpful.
Thank You,
Mrs. Maria Redlich
(By: Marie) 2011.07.23 - 20:23 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: cholesterol issues
You are definitely on the right track. Very few vegans have cholesterol issues. The one thing to keep in mind is that there are still many vegan foods that are "junk food". Once you are looking at processed, packaged foods then you have to still note the ingredients and in most cases limit the intake of these foods. Many of them will be healthier than their non-vegan counterparts but they may still not be the best. I have no cholesterol problems and I have a processed vegan food on occasion. :)
Stick with the whole vegan foods and you'll be a specimen of fine health in no time! (By: VeganDiane) 2011.08.27 - 07:00 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Question: are there any prescription sleeping tablets, either benzodiazepines or non-benzo that are suitable for vegans i.e. no gelatin or lactose
i have been vegan for four days, but i eat some meat and now i feel sick is that a bad thing
(By: amber p) 2011.03.26 - 03:53 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: Question: sick
> i have been vegan for four days, but i eat some meat and now i feel sick is
> that a bad thing
If you change your eating habits suddenly, it is normal to feel some side effects. That should be nothing to worry about. It is just your body expelling toxins and adapting.
But to avoid those side effects, you can change gradually over time (e.g., eat less and less meat for a period of 1 month or so, until you leave it completely). Then the adaptation should be easier for you.
My daugter has been a vegan for the past year. She eats only raw foods and follows it very strict. She is careful to get all her proteins, very little bread, and gets plenty of exercise. She is heavier now than when she started, bloated, and bad acne. I feel like something is not right..she should not even have to think about her weight, she eats soo healthy. What could be going on? I feel her body is rejecting this diet, yet she eats soo healthy.
> My daugter has been a vegan for the past year.
> [she's having problems] What could be going on?
A "vegan diet" can be almost any diet at all, as long as it does not contain any animal-derived products. So there are theoretically MILLIONS of ways to eat a vegan diet. If her current food choices are giving her trouble, she can change it around in all sorts of ways (more cooked food, less raw, more greens, less starchy food, etc), until she arrives at a diet with a variety of foods that she tolerates well and thrives on. Keeping a "food diary" may help a lot. That way she can figure out which foods cause trouble, and which ones don't. Tell her not to give up.
(By: Chef Deb) 2011.05.03 - 21:28 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: My daugter has been a vegan for the past year. She eats only raw foods and follows it very strict. She is careful to get all her proteins, very little bread, and gets plenty of exercise. She is heavier now than when she started, bloated, and bad acne. I feel like something is not right..she should not even have to think about her weight, she eats soo healthy. What could be going on? I feel her body is rejecting this diet, yet she eats soo healthy.
Chef Deb gave some very good advice but I am going to add something else. If your daughter is on a junk vegan diet then she will almost surely have trouble. A junk vegan diet is one of the worse diets in the world. We vegans need to take a vitamin B-12 supplement. That is basically all that we miss on a GOOD vegan diet. A good vegan diet is one of the best diets, if not the best diet, that anyone can eat. When I say a junk vegan diet I mean things like candy bars, sweets, chips, and food and snacks without good nutrition value to them. A good vegan diet had a lot of fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, soy (like tofu), and other foods with good nutritional value.
Please have your daughter use the resources of VEGAN 2050 including this sub area of it. We are more than happy to help her and Chef Deb will give her some great recipies. All you need to do is ask any of us. Chef Deb has her own sub section of VEGAN 2050.
(By: Doc) 2011.05.03 - 22:35 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Vegan Recipes
>
> Please have your daughter use the resources of VEGAN 2050 including this
> sub area of it. We are more than happy to help her and Chef Deb will give
> her some great recipies. All you need to do is ask any of us. Chef Deb
> has her own sub section of VEGAN 2050.
> (By: Doc)
VEGAN 2050 also has a Facebook page, with lots of vegan "mini-recipes" and ideas.
I am 50. Always been a meat eater like my Dad and uncles, but they passed from colorectal cancer.
I have always had a slow metabolism like them and irritable bowel syndrome.
I gave up red meat for lent and felt a lot better. Now since Jan. 1 I have been a vegetarian. Havent lost weight yet but digestion is better and belly still shrinking (very slowly).
Maybe I am geneticly programed to be a vegetarian and meat is harmfull to my system?
My buddy is the opposite-eats tons of meat but is very slim and healthy.
Thanks!
(By: bud) 2011.02.02 - 18:49 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Are some people just \\\'made\\\' to be vegetarians?
If you give up a food and you feel much better, that should tell you something important. Likewise, if you eat something new and it gives you trouble, that is important information too.
People who \"can eat tons of rich food\" and remain rail-thin are genetically unusual. We are designed to turn food into fuel and repair material for our bodies. When times were tough, people who couldn\'t put on weight were in big trouble. Those folks who could put on weight for the lean times survived, while the skinny folks often did not. It\'s just that nowadays, almost everything we do is automated, so people don\'t get as much exercise anymore, and it is much easier to gain weight.
(By: Deb) 2011.02.03 - 04:23 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Problem Gaining Weight During Pregnancy
I am currently pregnant with my second child. I am 14 weeks along and feel very sick. I feel nauseous and weak all the time, wake up at night due to the nausea, and have been unable to gain any weight. I am currently at my pre-pregnancy weight. (I am 135 lb and 5' 4").
When I was pregnant with my first child, I had the same problem, only it was worse. By the beginning of the end of the second trimester, I had lost 8 lbs. Yet by week 20, the nausea began to go away and by week 36, I'd gained 27 lb! I had a healthy, 8 lb 11 oz baby boy. He is now 2 1/2 and doing great.
This time, I would really like to have a healthier pregnancy with gradual, stable weight gain, less nausea, and more energy. I'm encouraged by the fact that I haven't actually lost weight. But it's difficult to get the best nutrition. My vegan prenatal vitamins upset my stomach and so does brewer's yeast and algae-derived DHA.
I've tried every vegan anti-nausea cure I've come across. The only thing that works is ipecacuanha, which reduces the hypersalivation related to my nausea.
In any case, I had several blood tests done during my last pregnancy and all of my levels were normal. I'm using a midwife this time, but during my last pregnancy my doctors could find nothing wrong that would cause weight loss or excess nausea. My diet is balanced and varied - I make sure to eat lots of almond milk, fortified cereals, beans, nuts, and fresh fruits and vegetables. I take a calcium supplement. Yet I'm so nauseous and tired that I have a hard time doing anything. I'm even afraid to leave the house, since I've occasionally lost my lunch in public.
My teen daughter went from vegetarian to vegan at the start of the year, she is 16 years old, but I am concerned about her weight which has gone down significantly. How do I make sure she gets enough calories?
(By: Laura B.) 2010.10.04 - 16:56 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: Question:
I have to make this brief since I am late getting out of town for a few days. A vegan diet can be one of the best diets in the world or it could be one of the worse. Let me explain. If your daughter eats a junk vegan diet it can be dangerous to her health. On the other hand if she eats a well balanced diet you should see an improvement in her health. Yes, she will loose weight but it should not be dangerously low. If she gets too thin than there is a problem. She may be eating a junk vegan diet, which is even worse than a junk meat diet, or she has another problem. Please have her read books on a good vegan diet. There are many out there. She could also go to: for a lot of good information. They have VEGAN Mailing List, VEGAN Resourse Library, Doc\'s Blog (mine), and other valuable information.
You are the parent and even though you may disagree with her choice of diet, you can still make sure that she eats a well balanced vegan diet. Do not allow her to eat a junk vegan diet. At her age it could be dangerous to her health. Be as alarmed as you would be if she ate a junk meat diet. Both are bad for her. Insist that if she eats a vegan diet that it must be a good vegan diet. I hope that this helps and I am sorry that i have to run. I am already late.
A healthy vegan diet, with lots of fruits and vegetables, is not very calorie-dense. That means you may actually need to eat more food to get the same number of calories you were eating on a meat diet. If your daughter is eating a lot of grains, vegetables, and beans (which is good) she can increase her calories by eating more, or by adding some fat (oil, avocado, nuts).
It's important to remember that some fat is necessary for healthy cells, skin, and hair, and your daughter should make sure to include some healthy fats.
Using an online calorie/nutrient calculator can help your daughter make sure she is getting the calories and vitamins she needs. Try searching for "vitamin intake online calculator." If she's not eating enough, or if she continues to lose weight, definitely talk to a doctor or nutritionist.
(By: Rocketkoala) 2010.10.04 - 22:47 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
tofu liquid
HI. I am a vegan 3 years now. I read somewhere that the tofu liquid is healthy, having calcium and such, and we shouldn't discard it. I just got a Tofu Xpress and can retain the liquid if I want. The question came to me when I got a recipe for a tofu marinade that required 1 1/2 cups of water. I thought why not use the tofu liquid. I guess it could also be thrown into soups.
thanks in advance!
What do you think?
(By: Paula) 2010.09.13 - 22:29 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: tofu liquid
Hello Paula,
That is an excellent question. I wish that I knew the answer. My gut feeling is that it would work but I really do not know that for a fact. Maybe sone one else will have the answer. In the mean time I will try to find an answer for you.
If you make your own tofu, the liquid can be reserved and used in things like bread dough, etc.
Store-bought tofu, on the other hand, sits in water (sometimes in an open bin), and the water can be very unsanitary. This type of tofu liquid should be discarded.
All tofu (except tetrapacked silken) should be kept in the fridge, in a closed container, submerged in water (the tofu, not the container!) This water should be changed daily to keep the tofu at omptimum freshness. Even tetrapacked silken (shelf-stable boxed) should be stored this way after the box has been opened.
(By: Deb) 2011.02.03 - 04:30 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Question: How does this work?
Hi, I am new to all of this. My 12 year old son and I have been vegans for exactly one week today.
We also are gluten free and use no added oils in our diet.
So, I just have a few questions and they may sound silly to you but please bear with me.
After yo-yo dieting and never feeling "quite right" the last 15 years, I have lost 8 pounds this week and my son has lost 10. Is that normal? Are we eating enough?
We eat 3 meals a day and snack when we want and we are always full (Bonus) but I am just curios.
My son has Asperger's Syndrome and an insensitivity to wheat, he could never gain weight until about 2 years ago but has went from 85 pounds as a 10 year old to 194 at 12. Very scary and every doctor I have taken him too keeps saying he's very tall for his age and getting ready for a growth spurt but I think something is not right.
He has never slept throug the night until the last 3 days and now he is going to be at 8:30 on his own and getting up at 7 the next morning and sleeping straight through. This has never happened? Is this directly related to being vegan now?
And all of his zits have completely cleared up, especially in the last day or two, its amazing.
So, what do I do for recipes? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
So sorry for the late response. Somehow we missed this and this is a classic story. All the changes that you mentioned are typical results. Sleeping better, acne clearing up, and losing the excess weight, these are all normal. Eventually the weight will stabilize and if you are eating a healthy vegan diet (vs junk vegan food), then you may have to eat a little more than before. It sounds like you are doing okay with this since you mentioned eating snacks. Keep eating those healthy snacks! Now that it has been a little while, I'd be interested to know if you are still enjoying the benefits and if things have stabilized so that this is now your new normal. (By: VeganDiane) 2010.11.26 - 06:18 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: Question: How does this work?
> Hi, I am new to all of this. My 12 year old son and I have been vegans for
> exactly one week today.
>
> We also are gluten free and use no added oils in our diet.
>
> So, I just have a few questions and they may sound silly to you but please
> bear with me.
>
> After yo-yo dieting and never feeling "quite right" the last 15 years, I
> have lost 8 pounds this week and my son has lost 10. Is that normal? Are we
> eating enough?
>
> We eat 3 meals a day and snack when we want and we are always full (Bonus)
> but I am just curios.
> My son has Asperger's Syndrome and an insensitivity to wheat, he could
> never gain weight until about 2 years ago but has went from 85 pounds as a
> 10 year old to 194 at 12. Very scary and every doctor I have taken him too
> keeps saying he's very tall for his age and getting ready for a growth
> spurt but I think something is not right.
>
> He has never slept throug the night until the last 3 days and now he is
> going to be at 8:30 on his own and getting up at 7 the next morning and
> sleeping straight through. This has never happened? Is this directly
> related to being vegan now?
>
> And all of his zits have completely cleared up, especially in the last day
> or two, its amazing.
>
> So, what do I do for recipes? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
>
> Thanks
>
> Jenn
> (By: Jenn)
I have a few gluten-free recipes you might like.
Feel free to add/omit ingredients to suit your taste.
---
Gluten-Free Pizza
1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil (can sub whipped tofu)
Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
Mix dry ingredients thoroughly.
Add oil and water. Mix until smooth.
Pour into 10" pizza pan.
Bake 10 minutes.
Add toppings, then bake 10 minutes more.
I recently went vegan a few months ago and instantly went to work to find out everything I could about veganism so I could defend myself. I have almost all of my bases covered so I can answer all my omni family's well meaning concerns for my health, but one issue has recently come up that has me baffled. I just had to have some fillings put in for some cavities in my teeth. I don't think this had to do with my diet, but it has my family all in a tizzy. They did some research about a vegan diet in relation to teeth health and found that healthy teeth has become a big problem with vegans. I have been researching this diligently and found all kinds of opinions from "just eat more greens and calcium enriched soy products" to "a vegan diet ruined my child's teeth". I am torn over this and worried about the future health of my teeth! Help!
(By: Emily) 2010.08.13 - 06:40 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Are vegans known to have calcium problems?
Emily, thanks for making the decision to become a vegan. Those answering questions on VEGAN Q & A would love to answering any of your questions. As for this question I will say this: vegans that have a good vegan diet do not have more problems than flesh eaters. A junk vegan diet COULD cause you problems with your teeth plus many other health problems. A junk vegan diet is probably the worse diet that anyone can eat. It is even worse than a junk flesh eaters diet. On the other hand a good vegan diet is probably the best diet that one can eat. I am 69 and have been a vegetarian for over 43 years and of those, the last 14 years have been vegan. For my age my health is far better than others of the same age.
Please understand that flesh eaters will say anything to get you to quit being a vegan. Shortly after becoming a vegetarian I was able to get my college to instute a nutrution course for the biology requirement. The prof made a statement that vegetarians will have many health problems and strict vegetarians (vegans) will not live more than few years unless they become almost a scientist so they can balance everything. Of course I took issue with the prof. After several studies she came back with an appology to the class and admitted that she was wrong.
She admitted that vegetarians could live a healthy life but she increased what she said about vegans. She now said vegans could live up to 10 years unless they were almost scientists. I did not defend vegans because I thought that they were too strict. I just did not know the truth.
There are those that have been vegan all of their lives and are very healthy with excellent teath. If you join VEGAN Mailing List you will meet Lu and others that are around my age and have been vegan all their lives or at least 50 years. I think Lu is older than me and she is in excellent health. Vegans with a good diet have better health than a vegetarian or a flesh eater.
I hope that this helps and feel free to ask us any other questions that you have.
I have recently switched to a vegan/gluten free diet. Prior to this I have ALWAYS been regular. Since the switch I have become constipated. It's driving me crazy because I feel great in every other way, but the constipation is really starting to get to me. I have also been drinking plenty of water. Any suggestions?
(By: jill) 2010.05.27 - 09:57 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: Question:
A lot of gluten-free flours are pretty much pure starch, with very little protein or fiber. Most vegetables and fruits (especially the peels) have a lot of insoluble fiber (the kind that keeps you regular). Try eating about 5 servings of vegetables and 3 or 4 servings of fruit per day. That should solve the problem.
Question: What are the effects of not eating meat and how do I do my best to avoid them?
I am on my second week being a vegetarian, also no eggs or milk, I am becoming tired and am scared it has something to do with this. However I have absolutely NO interest in going back to eating meat. I am taking "Centrum" and vitamin pills and already looked up what other foods I could eat to replace the things we need that meat gives off such as protein and iron. Does me being tired have anything to do with this? and what other effects should I be looking out for?
(By: Christina Nichole) 2010.04.22 - 02:48 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
ANS: Question: What are the effects of not eating meat and how do I do my best to avoid them?
Hi Cristina,
Remember you are making a major change in your eating. That could be causing you to be tired. When I became vegan about 14 years ago I lost about 21 pounds in about two weeks. I felt so much better but I was not tired. I had to learn how to make the transition. Now I use Silk on my cereal, Nanonase on sandwiches, and other substitutes. I also eat much more variety that I did as a flesh eater. Being vegan is great!
(By: Doc) 2010.05.12 - 05:40 Category: Health Questions [ Reply - Print ]
Question: duration of use
hello I buy vegeterian yoghurt but sometimes i see that they are expired for eg from 2 weeks a go. are they healthy to use?thank you very much for your answer
(By: sara)
2011.12.24 - 21:53
Category: Health Questions
[ Reply - Print ]
Re: Question: duration of use
Hello Sara,I often purchase vegan foods that are going out of date that day or the next day. Many times they stay in my refrigerator for a few days past the expiration date. I have never got sick from any of them. Also the health food stores say that it is safe for various days past the expiration date. That day depends on what the item is. So I would eat the yoghourt two weeks past the expiration date and not worry about it. Breads and much more can be frozen for months as still be good. I do this often especially when I get a great deal of the food.
(By: Doc)
2011.12.24 - 22:12
Category: Health Questions
[ Reply - Print ]