vegan diet will make me ill?

[Knk]

I decided to become vegan about a week ago. I did it cold turkey and so far i haven't experienced too many negative detox symptoms. I went to the health store to buy some kind of vegan supplement and talked to the sales person. He used to be vegan when he was younger but stopped due to health problems.

What he told me really discouraged me from becoming vegan. He said that he ended up losing so much weight that he ended up only being 98 pounds and became really ill. Apparently his body couldn't handle the vegan diet and needs a certain amount of animal protein. He said that if you have a certain blood type then you can't tolerate the vegan diet. I'm starting to become really concerned, because the last thing I want is to become sick.

Anyways, he went on to tell me that the vegan diet is extremely unhealthy, and although your body can survive on it, it will eventually become very sickly and weak.

What do you guys think of this? Are there certain steps I can take to avoid his fate, or is the vegan diet really so terrible?

[Albalida]

I've been hearing stuff like this, too. My therapist mentioned a friend of hers who tried a vegetarian diet and became bedridden, because (my therapist's words) "Not everyone can be a strict vegetarian..." Personally, 6 months on, and apart from one vitamin B deficiency induced fainting spell, I've been doing okay as a veggie-piscean without milk or eggs.

My blood type is O, but I've heard that doesn't matter:
Veg.ca - The "Blood Type Diet": Fact or Fiction?

[Erin Pavlina]

Just try it and see. There are thousands of people who are healthy vegans. See if it works for you. If you start losing weight rapidly or getting sick, then stop.

[James Reno]

Yes, and you also don't have to go all or nothing. I am 90% raw vegan and have lost weight and feel great. Occasionally I'll have some salmon or chicken. I think the main thrust for health is to cut out red meat, dairy, processed white flour and sugar.

To Your Health!
James Reno (editor)
Starting A Raw Food Diet Is Easy! Welcome to Raw Food Repair!

[Andrew Brunelle]

Originally Posted by Erin Pavlina

Just try it and see. There are thousands of people who are healthy vegans. See if it works for you. If you start losing weight rapidly or getting sick, then stop.

Yes, and there are millions of healthy people who eat meat. Some people can thrive on a vegan diet while others need animal protein. How many people have gotten sickly from a 100% vegan diet that were perfectly healthy before the switch? I'm not saying we should eat the SAD, but a little meat goes a long way when it comes to staying healthy for a good proportion of the population.

[seafoam]

I tried a vegan diet and couldn't do it. I wasn't sickly, (well, no more so) but I found myself ordering up the greasiest burger in town. Pretty much once a month. When I learned about the blood type diet, it made perfect sense; I need a little beef in my diet.

Coke and french fries are vegan, but no one can argue that they're 'health food.'

If you do get 'sickly' you're not going to collapse all of a sudden. Just add some meat back into your diet.

There's no one thing that works for absolutely everyone. You need to find out what's right for your body.

[newmark]

LOL, I know quite a few very fat vegetarians and some fat vegans too. Like Erin says just try it.
The fat vegetarians I know love french fries and beer. I'm sure you will find healthier alternatives.

[aelle]

Ex vegans are, understandably, extremely vocal when it comes to justifying why they gave up... Give it a try for yourself, and get in touch with real life vegans (current vegans) for inspiration and support.

[Beuford]

At first you might feel limited with food choices, but my advice is go shopping and buy a good variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. You'll then see it's really not that difficult once you get on a lot of those foods. If you eat grains make sure they are wholemeal. Don't live off white pasta and candy.

[Cochonette]

It's beyond silly to suggest that "the vegan diet is so bad" because "certain blood types [supposedly] can't handle it." You said you feel fine so far, so what does that have to do with you? There are millions of vegans, and obviously not all of them became sick. Why do you look to the worst case scenario and worry about it instead of all the good scenarios? There are some people who can't eat meat because it makes them sick. I know someone who has Crone's disease and therefore can't eat red meat or poultry. I know someone who can't consume dairy because she's severely allergic to it - she's vegan, but she can always tell when something is not 100% vegan. I have a friend who's allergic to soy, avocado, many other foods, and cats. Everyone's body is different. What if a person who always ate a plant-based diet suddenly started eating meat and became severely ill? Would you then think that meat is "so bad"?

[Holistic Star]

I became ill after eating a vegetarian diet - but then I lived for years on meals like
quorn sausages and packet rice,
smash, paxo and bisto! (not sure if that translates it's powered mashed potato, stuffing mix and gravy granuals)
spaghetti and pesto
I did eat salads but had loads of chips, curries and alcohol too.

I never ate nuts or seeds and didn't take any supplements.

However it was a loooong time (i.e. years) before I noticed the ill effects and they were easily reversed.

I'm back on a vegetarian diet now. Mostly raw, lots of seeds, sea vegetables etc.

[Aleksander Krstic]

Only temporarily. But if you weather through it, you'll actually become healthier than you are now.

[Dimond]

Every single person is meant to be vegan and can be successfully. However, most either do it incorrectly or do not find a way to make it work for their health needs. No one needs animal foods at all, this is a complete misconception. Doing research on successful long-term vegans, any health issues you may have and paying attention to how you feel are important.

[Beuford]

Originally Posted by Dimond

Every single person is meant to be vegan and can be successfully.

I agree for the most part and a lot of people will convince themselves that they are made to eat meat by using such arguments as the taste argument, "well if I'm not meant to eat it, why does it taste so good"(apply that to deep fried mars bars). Though there may be a rare exception like if someone is severely allergic to nuts, it might make it less convenient going vegan.

[Talkofthatown919]

I was on a vegan thing for quite sometime. All i would eat would be vegetables, tuna and protein bars. I lost a whole lot of weight. So after sometime i got off of the vegan thing. Now i just eat more healthy. I wouldn't necessarily say that it will make you ill its more so about what your body is accustomed to already. And will it be able to cut out those foods and etc.

[aelle]

Originally Posted by Talkofthatown919

I was on a vegan thing for quite sometime. All i would eat would be vegetables, tuna and protein bars. I lost a whole lot of weight. So after sometime i got off of the vegan thing. Now i just eat more healthy. I wouldn't necessarily say that it will make you ill its more so about what your body is accustomed to already. And will it be able to cut out those foods and etc.

Tuna= not vegan.

[scorpio1980]

Originally Posted by Dimond

Every single person is meant to be vegan and can be successfully.

LOL, What a crock. I tried your vegan crap for almost 6 months, and my blood work got bad, along with lack of energy. My body was never meant to eat nothing but plants. You aren't me, so don't tell me what I should eat to be healthy, and feel good. How much plant food grow in your area during the winter? Mine is limited.

[Dimond]

You just admitted you didn't have the food necessary to make it work. Has nothing to do with vegan not working. Also fruits and vegetables are only part of a vegan diet. People need to know much more about health and how to make it work than simply not eating meat. You choose not to, this is your choice. You do it correctly, it works. If not, it won't. It's simple.

The best way for anyone new to get support and more info is on a vegan forum. There's also wonderful raw forums for those that are eating mainly or all raw. Best wishes to everyone in being healthy and making conscious choices.

[agnostic]

Originally Posted by scorpio1980

LOL, What a crock. I tried your vegan crap for almost 6 months, and my blood work got bad, along with lack of energy. My body was never meant to eat nothing but plants. You aren't me, so don't tell me what I should eat to be healthy, and feel good. How much plant food grow in your area during the winter? Mine is limited.

I'd agree.

Just watch this:
Monkeys hunting other monkeys for food.

[coolbgdog]

These 'vegan diets aren't healthy' arguments are ridiculous, spurious at that with frivolous arguments. First, what exactly did these people eat daily and what did they ingest in themselves to make them sick? Fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains don't make people sick. Some people may misconstrue cleansing and detox symptoms as sickness but that's not true. That person could have been taking harmful prescription drugs and eating plenty of processed foods such as lots of soy, refined grains and starches and then in the absence of meat, the sickness feeling is blamed on the meat absence period.

Supplements aren't needed when people know what to eat but since it can be difficult to supply yourself with a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients, supplements and organic supplements should be taken(plant derived, carbon based.)
I know it sounds like I'm just saying that because I'm a vegan but I at least tried the vegan thing before I went cold turkey and since I knew what the body can assimilate based on it's bio-genetic makeup, I haven't had any 'ill' feeling yet(over a year now)

[agnostic]

Originally Posted by coolbgdog

Supplements aren't needed when people know what to eat but since it can be difficult to supply yourself with a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients, supplements and organic supplements should be taken(plant derived, carbon based.)

Well, you said it yourself. It can be difficult to supply yourself with a full spectrum of vitamins etc.

While we may be able to avoid malnutrition today with fruits and veggies available year round when we know what to eat, I doubt humans evolved that way. I do think we need some meat in our diet.

[ericabiz]

Originally Posted by seafoam

I tried a vegan diet and couldn't do it. I wasn't sickly, (well, no more so) but I found myself ordering up the greasiest burger in town. Pretty much once a month.

I had a similar reaction when I went pescetarian on a 30-day trial. I actually found two things that got rid of that:

1. Omega-3 supplement every day (especially if you're not eating fish every day.)
2. To stop a craving in action, asparagus. Just eat the raw tips. Eat them until they stop tasting "sweet" (you'll know what I mean if you are in the craving mode.) They have tons of minerals in them.

Your red meat craving is actually a mineral craving. I'm also currently taking a powder called VitaMineral Earth every day (I just stir a tablespoon of it into some apple juice.) That stops the cravings, too.

-Erica

[ericabiz]

Originally Posted by coolbgdog

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains don't make people sick.

1 in 133 people are gluten intolerant. Whole grains *do* make them sick. I know, because I'm one of them (recently confirmed by tests.)

There is no "one diet" that works well for everyone. The only thing I advocate for is *testing*! Know what's wrong so you can get on the right track. Gluten testing via stool sample has only recently become available, and it would have saved me years of exhaustion to know I had an allergy vs. trying all kinds of diets that didn't work and getting more and more frustrated.

-Erica

[BoBoGuy]

According to Dr. Alan Walker, a Johns Hopkins University anthropologist, Homo Erectus, the species immediately ancestorial to our own Homo Sapiens, had evidence of an omnivorous diet. Every Homo-Erectus tooth found was that of an omnivore. However, a small sample of teeth from the human-like species during a 12 million year period leading up to the Homo-Erectus period, indicates the earlier species may have been a fruit eater. Even if this species, way before our own, lived on a fruit diet, they probably would not have consumed what we consider typical fruits. Hundreds of plants produce fruits that are tougher, more substantial foods than what we eat today.

All relevant anatomical traits suggest that humans are classical examples of omnivores. There is simply no basis in anatomy or physiology for the assumption that humans are pre-adapted to a purely vegetarian diet. For that reason, the best arguments in support of a meat-free diet will remain to be ecological, ethical, and health concerns.

Our biological make up is between that of vegetarian animals like cows and that of purely meat eating species like cats and dogs. In other words: we get to choose.

Bo

[Cochonette]

It's always funny when people say "we need meat." Y'know, it's one thing to say "I need meat," but "we need meat" sounds like it could be an expression of arrogance. I don't need meat, period. I interviewed a guy who said he almost became vegetarian but followed his bodily intuition and now eats a good deal of meat... at the end of the interview he told me "I believe meat is necessary." I was like, where did that come from??? He went from talking about his personal bodily intuition to making a huge generalization.

there may be a rare exception like if someone is severely allergic to nuts, it might make it less convenient going vegan.

The thing is... veganism isn't about convenience - eating meat is. Veganism exists regardless of convenience. That is not to say I would put a huge pressure on some individual to go on a vegan diet if they felt it was extremely inconvenient, but I think that society as a whole needs to stop viewing animals as matters of convenience. Anyway, I have a friend who I lived with over the summer and was interested in learning about veganism from me, and she is allergic to soy, avocado, raw beans, seafood, and a number of other things... nonetheless, she is interested in starting a vegan support group on campus with me. Personally I just primarily want to start a vegan activist group - the support group was her idea.

[coolbgdog]

Originally Posted by agnostic

Well, you said it yourself. It can be difficult to supply yourself with a full spectrum of vitamins etc.

While we may be able to avoid malnutrition today with fruits and veggies available year round when we know what to eat, I doubt humans evolved that way. I do think we need some meat in our diet.

Eating processed, cancer causing cooked meat doesn't automatically fill the lack of nutrients though. I didn't say it would be difficult to supply yourself with a vegan diet, I was speaking generally of today's eating habits.

[jeff3]

Originally Posted by Knk

I decided to become vegan about a week ago. I did it cold turkey and so far i haven't experienced too many negative detox symptoms. I went to the health store to buy some kind of vegan supplement and talked to the sales person. He used to be vegan when he was younger but stopped due to health problems.

What he told me really discouraged me from becoming vegan. He said that he ended up losing so much weight that he ended up only being 98 pounds and became really ill. Apparently his body couldn't handle the vegan diet and needs a certain amount of animal protein. He said that if you have a certain blood type then you can't tolerate the vegan diet. I'm starting to become really concerned, because the last thing I want is to become sick.

Anyways, he went on to tell me that the vegan diet is extremely unhealthy, and although your body can survive on it, it will eventually become very sickly and weak.

What do you guys think of this? Are there certain steps I can take to avoid his fate, or is the vegan diet really so terrible?

I agree with your friend somewhat, not really because you can't make it on a vegan diet, but because there is no need. If you will just do a little nutrition research and practice moderation with all foods, eat a varied but balanced diet, and avoid things that obviously cause you problems you're home free. If you want to go vegan for "faddish" reasons, go ahead, but don't be surprised if you have problems. As you can see from all the posts about the efforts necessary to maintain health while juggling around trying to find just the right combination of bean sprouts, asparagus, and juices....there's really no need. Americans are living longer each year and that's not because we are all going vegan, quit the contrary, only about 3% buy into that.

Now, if you have real personal/emotional issues with eating meat then meat may not be healthy for you, just keep in mind it's your attitude about it rather than the meat that is the problem.Whatever the case, work through it, and if you reach the conclusion that you should eat a veggy diet then I respect that. I believe that every person has the right to be themselves.

[VegasGypsy]

I became a vegetarian literally overnight after watching a video of the slaughterhouses. I feel it is morally repugnant to brutalize these helpless, gentle animals who have never harmed us in any way. So I dumped the crappy bloody animal products simply because of my compassion for animals.

I supposed it was a long time coming though. I always thought it was sickening, the blood dripping from the packages. Duh...

I believe we are actually herbivores simply because of our digestive systems. The long (approximately 28 feet) intestinal tract just cannot digest meat. All of the animals who have the same digestive system as we do are vegetarians. So I always say that animals are smarter than humans...they know what they should be eating.

The carnivores have a short digestive system, so they can naturally handle meat. That's also why they sleep 22 hours a day. The meat slows them down.

Most people vehemently oppose the very idea of giving up their precious meat. But as the German philosopher Schopenhauer stated, all truth goes through three steps:

First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Finally, it is accepted as self-evident.

I have heard the most asinine reasons from people explaining why they eat meat. The most ridiculous answer was that we have "canines" (teeth)... I didn't see any fangs protuding from their mouths. Geez...

Or, I'm from Texas, or Nebraska, or Iowa. I say, "So What?" You can't make a conscious decision on your own?

The beef industry has brainwashed people into thinking that beef is good for them. Well, if you think real beef is real good for you, I hope you live real close to a real good hospital.

[VegasGypsy]

Originally Posted by scorpio1980

LOL, What a crock. I tried your vegan crap for almost 6 months, and my blood work got bad, along with lack of energy. My body was never meant to eat nothing but plants. You aren't me, so don't tell me what I should eat to be healthy, and feel good. How much plant food grow in your area during the winter? Mine is limited.

I just had my blood work done, and my doctor said it was "perfect." I've been a vegetarian for nearly 3-1/2 years, and each year my blood work has gotten better.

There is a direct correlation between the high percentage of animal protein in the typical American diet and the high incidence of the nation's top two killers: heart disease and cancer.

I don't care what you eat. It's your life...and it's your health. I only know that mine is GREAT! And I just turned 62...

[scorpio1980]

Originally Posted by VegasGypsy

I just had my blood work done, and my doctor said it was "perfect." I've been a vegetarian for nearly 3-1/2 years, and each year my blood work has gotten better.

There is a direct correlation between the high percentage of animal protein in the typical American diet and the high incidence of the nation's top two killers: heart disease and cancer.

I don't care what you eat. It's your life...and it's your health. I only know that mine is GREAT! And I just turned 62...

My grampa is 94, perfect health , and still hikes, and rides a motorcycle. He eats meat, eggs, or fish at every meal. I have noticed remarkable changes in my well being simply by eating a healthy omnivoire diet. I could care less about what you eat, but when someone says that "anyone can live healthy on a vegan diet" it makes me laugh. I tried veggie, vegan, and even raw, and throughout the experience I got sick, pale, and my cholesterol went up, along with my fasting insulin levels, and yes I "did it right". I wish I had just forgot about trying a fad diet, and followed my gramps from the get go, and eat garden veggies, meat, raw milk, a little fruit, eggs, and most anything natural. A natural diet of these foods, and lacking in new man made foods will be a healthy diet. No need to supplement a healthy diet. Most degenerative disease comes from too much sugar in our blood, which increases insulin levels, which increases inflamation.