Vegan for 8 years?!
Vegan for 8 years?
i met a woman today who has been vegan for 8 years and she said she has trouble with hormones. does this happen? what exactly is it and is there something that can prevent it?
Answers:
Female Trouble - herbal remedies for hormonal problems - Brief Article
Vegetarian Times, July, 1999 by Bree Altman
Beginning with the onset of menstruation and continuing through menopause, women experience physical and emotional highs and lows linked with fluctuating hormone levels. And the symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and insomnia, can be particularly distressing.
Conventional medicine prescribes pharmaceutical estrogen to supplement a menopausal woman's diminishing estrogen production--a regimen known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But there are other, more gentle herbal options for handling this transition. Mother Nature has given us her own HRT, in the form of phytoestrogens. When taken as food or herbs, phytoestrogens, or plant estrogens, act like the body's own estrogen, keeping our hormones in balance.
To find the best estrogenic herbs, as well as other plants that may be beneficial to a woman's health at all life stages, we consulted Therese Walsh, L.Ac., Dipl. Ac., and senior herbalist at Elixir Tonics and Teas in Los Angeles; and David L. Hoffmann, M.N.I.M.H. Below are some of their recommendations of important herbs for women. But take note: Not all herbs are appropriate at all times. Especially to be avoided when pregnant: black cohosh, blue cohosh, chasteberry, dong quai and red clover.
Herb Function
Black Cohosh Estrogenic, antispasmodic (fights muscle ten-
(Cimicifuga race- sion), emmenagogue (regulates menstruation),
mosa) Used primarily for regulating hormones during
menopause, where it has proven effective in
relieving hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
Treats delayed and painful menstruation.
Blue Cohosh Antispasmodic. Regulates menstruation and
(Caulophyllum relieves cramping. Useful in treating chronic
thalictroides) uterine inflammation caused by enaometriosis.
Chasteberry Emmenagogue. Because of its hormone-
(Vitex agnus- regulating effect, this herb is useful in
castus) treating menopausal symptoms (like hot
flashes and vaginal dryness), PMS, ovarian
cysts and fibrocystic disease. It also
increases breast-milk production.
Cramp Bark Antispasmodic, analgesic. Reduces muscular
(Viburnum oputus) and uterine cramping. Protects against
miscarriages.
Dong Quai Emmenagogue, sedative, analgesic.
(Angelica sinensis) Considered the "ultimate woman's herb" in
Traditional Chinese Medicine, dong quai
regulates menstruation, treating painful or
delayed periods. Useful in alleviating
menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes
and vaginal dryness. Often prescribed along
with other herbs, including chasteberry and
red raspberry.
Red Clover Estrogenic, antispasmodic. Contains
(Trifolium isoflavones, which are believed to have a
pratense) preventive effect for estrogen-receptive
breast cancers. Good source of calcium, which
can reduce cramping. Some antibiotic effect.
Red Raspberry Uterine tonic and relaxant. Treats irregular
Leaves or excessive menstruation. Tea can be
(Rubus idaeus) consumed in third trimester to facilitate
childbirth.
Herb Dosage(*)
Black Cohosh Tincture: 2 to 4 milliliters ([ml.] 40 to 80
(Cimicifuga race- drops), daily
mosa) Capsules: no more than 2 (500-mg.)
carosukes a day
Tea: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (tsp.) in 1 cup
boiling water, 3 times a day
Blue Cohosh Tincture: 0.5 to 2 ml. (10 to 40 drops),
(Caulophyllum 3 times a day
thalictroides) Tea: 1 tsp. dried root in 1 cup water,
2 times a day
Chasteberry Tincture: 3 ml. (60 drops) daily
(Vitex agnus- Capsules: 2 (500-mg.) capsules daily
castus) Tea: 1 tsp. ripe berries and leaves in
1 cup boiling water, 3 times a day
Cramp Bark Tincture: 4 to 8 ml. (80 to 160 drops), at
(Viburnum oputus) least 1 to 3 times a day, as needed
Tea: 2 tsp. dried herb in 1 cup water,
3 times a day
Dong Quai Tincture: 2 to 4 ml. (40 to 80 drops) daily
(Angelica sinensis) Capsules: 4 to 6 (500-mg.)
capsules daily
Tea: 1 to 2 tsp. in 1 cup boiling water,
3 times a day
Red Clover Capsules: 4 to 6 (500-mg.) capsules daily
(Trifolium Tea: 1 to 3 tsp. in 1 cup boiling water,
pratense) 3 times a day
Red Raspberry Tincture: 2 to 4 ml. (40 to 80 drops) daily
Leaves Tea: 2 tsp. dried herb in 1 cup boiling
(Rubus idaeus) water, 3 times daily
Herb Warning
Black Cohosh Large doses may produce
(Cimicifuga race- headaches and nausea. Avoid
mosa) during pregnancy.
Blue Cohosh Avoid during pregnancy.
(Caulophyllum
thalictroides)
Chasteberry Has a strong taste. Avoid if you
(Vitex agnus- are suffering from low libido.
castus) High doses can bring on
headaches and skin reactions.
Avoid during pregnancy.
Cramp Bark None
(Viburnum oputus)
Dong Quai Avoid
(Angelica sinensis) during
pregnancy.
Red Clover Avoid
(Trifolium during
pratense) pregnancy.
Red Raspberry None
Leaves
(Rubus idaeus)
Does she consume a lot of soy? I'm not sure on the details, but there is some relationship between soy and estrogen. Sorry I don't know more, but thought I'd mention it in case you want to google it or something.
yeah. EAT MEAT!! I have never met a healthy vegan. they dont get good nutrison
tell her to mix in a steak or 2..al those veggies aren't as good for you as you may think
I'm not quite sure what you mean by trouble with hormones. Hers? The hormones injected into animals destined for slaughter?
A good diet improves hormonal issues because there are no additional hormones being added to the diet. I have been vegetarian for 20 years. I reached menopause in my mid 40's (which is early and came early because I stopped ingesting hormones in meat years before). I went through menopause quickly and with relatively few symptoms. My meat eating friends are having a devil of a time with their menopause.
listen to Ron White on the subject. EAT MEAT!!!
Some amino acids which are not found in vegetables and only in meat. That is why there are some hormones not being produced due to missing some amino acids.
Its not a disease, but a deficiency in diet.
There can be various deficiencies from diet, to be specific, I am not sure which one your friend is suffering from without enough information.
Prevention, take supplements for that certian amino acid or protein. cure hormonal replacement therapy.
Hope i can help.
Looks like you have a winner with the first answer!
"vegetarians are cool, all I eat are vegetarians, except for the occasional mountain lion steak"
- the "motor city madman" Ted Nugent
your question is too vague. some people are more sensitive to hormonal changes than others.
I'm sure this can happen because when you're vegan you don't eat certain foods that have chemicals in them that naturally regulate your body's hormones. If this happens, there are herbal or nonherbal pills or formulas you can take to balance out the hormones in your body. If you're considering becomming vegan, you should also consider talking to a nutritionalist to find out what dietary supplements you should be taking to regulate your hormones. Good luck!
Vegans are crazy! I tried being a vegan for all of one week. It messes up your system because finding protein is almost impossible!
Humans are designed to eat Vegetables, grains, meats, fruits. Our body needs certain things to work at it's optimum. Moderation in all you eat is the best diet to meet those needs. some can choose to eat whatever they prefer, but take one spoke out of the wheel, and you got a flat spot. Many people tend to eat to much of one or two categories, instead of true moderation (additives and non-organic foods can cause more problems than most can imagine if not taken in moderation.) . Humans can handle and digest more and better than you can imagine also, but vegans , as well as meat and potato people can have many health problems, as will anyone who neglects the idea of moderation, just often different issues. People are the same, yet different on who can handle what, who will get ill, and who will not by eating or not eating different foods. You have to eat what is best for you, our social concience should have nothing to do with our diet, but what our body needs (not wants) is the real determining factor for our personal diet. Some people cannot digest meats, others have th same problem with vegtable sor fruits, and so they do have problems having a choice of an optimum diet, and like someone born blind, or cripple, thats a factor they have to learn to live with, it wasn't there choice, it's the bodies choice because ot has a problem for some unexplained reason. not a dietitians reason, not a religions reason, not a political or social groups reasons. Eat for you, and adjust as you have changes in life and age. And that is an issue for another day.
Maybe she hasn't included all the foods nessisary for good health wich can still be vegan. Indians are very strong and many of them are vegatarian. But they consume a lot of milk products. Many people have problems not from diet but from parasites! Google up human parasites and hormone problems! Also consider pollution or allergies or other sources of the problem, (like hereditary) Some powerful yogis eat very little. Maybe she should do some yoga for the glands.
From my knowledge ( i used to my a vegetarian)... When people dont eat meat they are not gettin all the nutrients they need.
I'm pretty sure nutrients are needed to maintain and balance hormones.
There are certain vitamins that vegetarians and vegans need to take to help keep there body healthy.
That is the main reason why I had to start eating meat again. My parents claimed they couldn't afford the vitamins, and my doctor had told me since I was a growing girl I needed the nutrients that meat would provide for my body.
I dont think being a vegan can interfere with your hormonal system. Probably, she already had some deficiencies since her childhood. She can just see a doctor and get it corrected.
Humans went from carnivores to omnivores over time, but a purely vegan diet will have consequences. I have some good friends that have been vegans for 12 years and their cholesterol is 360. Hypothyroidism is one of the risk factors due to lack of Iodine. Low B12 intake also causes all kinds of problems. These things come to us mainly from meat or fish.