Re: Question: Toddlers and veganism

Hi!

Some vegans who accidentally eat meat have some intestinal distress. Others don't have any problem. Either way, eating some meat won't cause any permanent damage.

Don't forget to make sure your little one is getting enough Calcium, B12, and other nutrients.
(By: rocketkoala)
2012.01.28 - 05:02
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question:

I have to say that there are so many myths about food. Back in the 1800\'s it was the so called \"snake oil\" that was supposed to cure everything. Today it is 1,000\'s of items at your local health food store that says they will cure everything. The major difference today, compared with the snake oil, is that then they said that one bottle would cure everything and today they usually say theirs will cure one or and few problems. So take these claims as being nothing more, in most cases, than a lot of hype to make money for them. Generally a vegan only needs a vitamin B-12 supplement each day. I know that I do not need a multi-vitamin but I take one every day as an insurance policy. There may be one vitamin that is reduced in my body because of my heart medication or my prostate medication so I may need to supplement that vitamin. That is my only reason for taking a multi-vitamin. You need to decide if you are going to take one or not but please take B-12 everyday. We vegans, and many flesh eaters and vegetarians, also need it everyday.
(By: Doc)
2011.11.24 - 19:38
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: B12

That is an excellent question Patsy. Let me explain why we need vitamin B-12 in our vegan diet. When we were foragers for food, we did not clean the fruits and veggies. The food had dirt on them and that dirt had vitamin B-12 in it. As we became more civilized we cleaned our food before eating it. Thus we eliminated vitamin B-12 from our diet.

Contrary to popular belief, flesh is not the only place to get that essential vitamin. If that were true then how do we get a vegan vitamin B-12? It comes from the fermenting process of molasses and a few other foods. Also remember that many flesh eaters need to take vitamin B-12 supplements so it is not just vegans that need it. Using your analogy, if a flesh eater only ate flesh would they be able to survive? No! They also need fruits and vegetables. So does that mean that say that humans need to eat fruits and veggies? Humans can live with only eating fruits, nuts, and veggies but a flesh eater can not live for any long period of time only eating flesh. Think about that.

Now for your last part. I have two leaky heart valves and my cardiologist recommended a vegan diet for being the best diet for someone with heart problems. He was not a vegan but he still recommended it. He felt that a vegan diet was too difficult for him to follow so that is why he was not a vegan. He did cut way back on flesh, dairy, and eggs because he knows what they do to the heart. A vegan diet keeps the arteries clean. Scientific studies show that it depends on what kind of oils that one uses and not just all oils. Extra virgin olive oil has been proven to be of benefit for anyone including those with heart problems. Lard on the other hand is very harmful to almost everyone. Maybe your cardiologist said oils to make it simple to remember what to stay away from. Please do some research and you will see that science backs up what I wrote. One last point, please do not over heat olive oil. It can create a carcinogen if it is over heated.
(By: Doc)
2011.11.19 - 22:37
Category: Becoming a vegan
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Re: Question: nauseous after becoming a vegan

No, it's not normal! Maybe you've picked up a bug, or maybe easing up on the tempeh might help? Depending on the brand, it might have some preservatives that aren't agreeing with you.
(By: rocketkoala)
2012.02.06 - 01:55
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: Vegan for 3 mths feeling less energy...something wrong?

That's great that you feel "good about the change" and congratulations on making the commitment and maintaining it for over 3 months.

Regarding the fatigue, one reason could be that when you start a healthier diet your body will often go through a detox period. As your body is getting rid of toxins you will feel drained.

With respect to the specific foods that you are eating, I'm sure you only listed a handful but make sure you have a wide variety of foods so that you get the best range of nutrients. Also, make sure to add more protein rich foods such as tempeh or tofu. In the morning, you could have a fruit smoothie with some Vega protein and the protein would sustain you through the morning. (start off with a smaller amount of Vega than suggested)

Another possibility is with regards to the quality of the produce you are using. If you are eating way more produce than before and it is not organic then you may be consuming a high amount of pesticides that will affect the way you feel. Ones that have thin skin (ex: strawberries) or ones with high surface area (ex: lettuce) are the items that should be eaten organic. Ones that have thicker skin are more safe. Also, you can buy a veggie wash to clean vegetables, but again it will not be very effective for produce like strawberries.

Regarding the weight loss, unfortunately it is easier for men to lose weight than it is for women. Depending on how old you are (even moderately young), hormones will be a factor as well.

Let me know if you have any follow up questions.

(By: VeganDiane)
2011.08.27 - 06:16
Category: Becoming a vegan
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Raw Grains

Does anyone know where I can buy raw grains, literally the way they grow, raw grains? Do I have to go to a feed store. Or does anyone know of any chains or companies that would have them?
(By: Borges)
2011.09.02 - 01:18
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: Vegan for 3 mths feeling less energy...something wrong?

Hi!

Just wondering how things are now going with your vegan lifestyle. I, too, saw forks or knives as well as a couple other food documentaries and decided to give it a try. After about a month now I am beginning to feel the same weak feeling you described. I'm a runner and training for my first marathon and I do bootcamp 2-3X/ week. For the past couple days I have felt completely drained and very weak. Wondering if it will pass and I should stick it out or if this is just not the right diet for me. I would be interested to know how things turned out for you.

Thanks,
Angeline


> Hello!!!
> Very Excited to find this site! My husband and I saw the movie Forks over
> Knives and both decided at the same time to go vegan! It\'s been about 3
> months and I (Sherry Ann) am not feeling better, I am actually feeling more
> fatigued and have had more things seeming to not be well! All we read is
> how well people feel and we are thinking we must be doing something
> wrong?????
>
> I really feel good about the change and feel more \'right\' about our
> lifestyle and the choices we are making!!
>
> We are new at this, not sure what to look for, we are not sure if our diet
> is enough protein or not, we were taking a supplement for Vitamin B12
> (Trader Joes) and trying to eat well. Though we have to admit we found some
> vegan baked goods and have added them to our diet. Not on a large scale
> though! We take supplements, exercise regularly.
>
> What is a \'good vegan\' diet you are talking about, what should a
> day/week look like?
>
> My husband had lost weight, lots ;o), I have not, ;o(!! We eat oatmeal
> every am with fruit. I make a broccoli salad with Veganaize and other nuts
> etc. Home made granola bars.
>
> Anyway, I am concerned as my muscles feel different when I stretch, they
> hurt and feel like an old rubber band. I am having back problems now.
> Digestive....that seems to have settled some, at first it was a lot of
> baloatedness. Just not a really good feeling, the zip is gone!!
>
> Any wisdom you have would be appreciated.
>
> Thank you,
> Sherry Ann
> (By: Sherry Ann)

(By: Angeline)
2011.10.13 - 03:10
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: Vegan for 3 mths feeling less energy...something wrong?

VeganDiane has great suggestions. Also, make sure you're eating enough. Unless you're cooking with a lot of oil, you're probably taking in fewer calories than when you were eating meat and cheese. Try adding a few small meals (rather than eating 3 big ones) or snacks (nuts provide fat and calories), or count your calories for a week to make sure you're getting enough food!
(By: rocketkoala)
2011.10.18 - 01:50
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question:

One way is to take recipes that you are already used to preparing and veganizing them. For example, you can still make spaghetti without animal products. Try adding more vegetables and voila, a healthy and yummy meal. Another easy idea is to make some rice and add a variety of steamed vegetables and maybe some edamames for protein or another protein source. Mmmm, another one is your basic salad of romaine lettuce and veggies but then add some chick peas and/or sunflower seeds or walnuts. You can make a dressing with garlic, lemon, and olive oil with various herbs in it.

Start to experiment with foods you may not have used as much in the past such as tempeh, tofu, various beans or lentils. There are so many websites with vegan recipes.

For me I found the easiest way was to veganize meals that I'm used to and then once a week or so I would try a brand new recipe.
(By: VeganDiane)
2011.08.27 - 06:36
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: Do you have to wait a period of time before becoming a vegan?

You don't need to wait! Some people will go through a transition period just because they are developing new habits. Once you have made the decision and commitment and are no longer consuming animal products then you can call yourself vegan.

(By: VeganDiane)
2011.08.27 - 05:47
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: teen vegan

Hello Sammy,

I thank you for your concern for animals. I see a dilemma. I want everyone to become a vegan so we can save the animals of the world but I also believe that children should respect their parents. I am almost sure that your parents will notice you trying to eat vegan. Instead, sit down with them and discuss the whole issue. Maybe you can convince them to allow you to become a vegan. Maybe you will have to compromise by cutting down on the amount of flesh, eggs, and dairy that you will eat. Maybe with a compromise they will allow you to become a vegetarian instead of a vegan. This is not a perfect solution but it is better than nothing. Your parents love you very much and they believe that a vegan diet is not safe for you. That is a common belief in this world. Actually they are right if you eat a junk vegan diet. That can be very dangerous. You need a well balanced diet with a vitamin B-12 supplement. A well balanced vegan diet is probably the best diet that anyone can have. You just need to do more research and pass that on to them. As you know, knowledge is very valuable.

Even if your parents never come to your understanding remember that in less than four years you will be 18 and you can eat whatever you want. In those three plus years you can do a lot of research. You can join VEGAN Mailing List, go to VEGAN 2050, read my blog (Doc's Blog), and do a Google for more sites. As far as recipes go to Vegweb.com. They have thousands of vegan recipes. You can also ask more questions on this site. Our mentors have no limit on the number of questions that you want to ask. Again thank you for awaking to the plight of the worlds animals.
(By: Doc)
2011.07.10 - 00:10
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question:

That does not make sense. There is no reason that a good vegan diet would cause a problem with your teeth. What exactly is the "teeth condition" that you are talking about?

With that said I have to add one more thing. When I said that there is no reason that a vegan diet would cause that problem, I have to qualify that statement. Since you said that you have been drinking soy and almond milk I made the asumption that you had a good vegan diet. If that is not the case then almost anything could happen. A junk vegan diet is one of the worse diets that anyone could have. It is even worse than a junk SAD (Standard American Diet). On the other hand a good vegan diet is probably the best diet that anyone can have.

The only thing that a vegan needs to supplement is B-12. The rest can be had with a good vegan diet. Almost every medical doctor today asks people to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables. Well, vegans with a good diet will eat far more of these than a flesh eater will. So we are far better off in this area.

Please check your diet carefully and if you are eating a junk vegan diet or not taking a B-12 supplement, then make some changes right away. A junk vegan diet will cause you all kinds of medical problems. Many young vegans today do not eat a well balanced vegan diet. Please eat well and if you need help just ask. We will give you free solid advice.
(By: Doc)
2011.06.29 - 19:41
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: what kind of milk should I feed my 6 mos old when I stop breast feeding

Hello Michelle,

Even though one of my hats is as a psychologist, I do not have a complete answer for you. I believe one of the female vegan mentors could give you a better answer. Here is my partial answer.

Breast milk is by far the best milk for every baby. If you feel that you can not expose your breasts in public to feed your baby then you can get a breast pump and place it in a bottle. You can also bring a baby blanket and cover your baby while s/he is sucking.

I believe that there is a vegan formula but that is where someone else needs to answer. Just remember that breast milk is the best.

I believe that your baby will be healther as a vegan if s/he has a good balanced diet. It will also help all the animals that you and your baby will not eat. It will also be a great diet for you. Let us know if we can help in any way.


(By: Doc)
2011.06.28 - 05:10
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: What should vegan people eat?

Wow Gia, you have ask a question that is not easy. Think of someone asking a flesh eater what they should eat. They would have a hard time answering the question. It is the same for a vegan. We eat almost everything that a flesh eater would eat except for flesh, dairy, and eggs. Even those things could be veganized. In addition we have so many other choices. Most flesh eaters do not eat tofu, temphe, and so many other things that vegans often eat. So in reality a vegan with a good diet will have so many more choices then the average flesh eater.

As an example, tonight I had fried tofu with Asian flavoring along with Jasmine rice. For a drink I had tomato juice. For desert I had coconut yogurt with fresh blueberries on top of it. It was delicious and nutritious.

You can find thousands of recipes by going to Vegweb.com. The site is owned by "Veggies Unite!". It was the first veg'n web site that I ever went to when the Internet was new. That was back in 1995. You can find recipes for almost everything. It is a great source of information for vegans just as VEGAN 2050 is.
(By: Doc)
2011.06.25 - 03:41
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question:

Hi Marsha,

There are several vegan foods that are high in iron. You can also get an iron supplement. I would have to research foods that are high in iron and I am sorry that I do not have the time right now but it is easy to do a web search to find out which vegan foods are high in iron. This way you will also find a complete list and not just a listing of a couple of iron rich vegan foods.


(By: Doc)
2011.06.11 - 21:23
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question: Iron

3oz (1 serving) of beef has about 3mg of iron in it. To get this much from plants, try:

1 tbs. blackstrap molasses
A 6”x ½” slice of watermelon
¾ cup of cooked leafy green vegetables (spinach may have less available iron than other greens)
½ cup of chickpeas
A little more than 1/2 a cup of cashews
½ cup walnuts (3.75mg)
¾ cup raisins
¾ cup lima or kidney beans
½ cup prune juice (5.2mg)
Enriched cereals

You should be eating about 10-18 mg of iron a day. To improve absorption, eat your iron-rich foods with Vitamin C. You can also try cooking in a cast iron pan (tomato sauce cooked in cast iron has about 5.7mg of iron). If all else fails, try a supplement!

For a list of other iron-rich foods, try http://www.umm.edu/blood/aneiron.htm or http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/iron.htm

(By: rocketkoala)
2011.06.13 - 21:26
Category: Becoming a vegan
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ANS: Question:

1. Butter is not vegan but there are some products that are not the same as the traditional margarine which is unhealthy. For example, there is a product called Earth Balance which is made from oils that are not hydrogenated.

2. You can heat olive oil if the heat is low. You can also use canola oil which can take a higher temperature but it's better if it's organic since canola is often genetically modified.

3. Regarding alcohol, there are lots of alcoholic beverages that are not vegan but there are also many that are fine. Gin is usually okay. Wine is more difficult but there are many that are vegan. Here is a website that will help. http://barnivore.com/

4. Here is a webpage with a good explanation about the coffee dilemma for vegans. http://veganbits.com/vegan-coffee/

Let us know if you have any more questions. Good Luck!



(By: VeganDiane)
2011.05.23 - 22:45
Category: Becoming a vegan
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