Truth about being Vegan?!

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It's not true. It's a little less convenient to be vegan, but like all vegetarians they are actually healthier than meat-eaters, on average.

A good friend of ours is vegan. She had diabetes which led to kidney failure. She came up on the list for a kidney transplant (actually they transplanted both a kidney and a pancreas!). The doctors told her she'd have to eat meat to get enough protein to get better after her transplant. She refused. But after several months she was doing just fine. If you know what to eat to get all the essential amino acids, you can get just as much protein as a vegan as eating meat.

I believe that if you're working to keep enough vitamin B12, iron, protein, calcium, and vitamin D in your diet, being a vegan is a very healthy lifestyle. It takes a lot more work to be a vegan, and that's not really a bad thing. You're more conscious of your meal and snack choices and often, you can't just run to grab something at a fast food drive-through.

You must take a vitamin B12 supplement because the only way it's found in nature is in meat, eggs, and milk, unfortunately. You can add nutritional yeast flakes to various baked items and cereals to get enough B12 in your diet, also.

To get enough iron, you need to have enough beans, seeds, fortified cereals, and spinach. You also want to get enough vitamin C in your diet because it helps your body absorb the iron.

Protein is also very important, and you can get that from nuts, peanut butter, lentils, legumes, and soy foods.

Some foods are calcium fortified, but you may also want to consider taking a calcium supplement to keep your bones healthy throughout life. Taking one with vitamin D in it as well will help your body absorb the calcium better. A lot of orange juices are fortified with calcium now, also.

If you maintain a balanced diet and get all the nutrients from other foods that you would otherwise be getting from meat and dairy products, there's a very good chance you're going to end up much healthier than a lot of your meat-eating friends and family members. Just make sure that you are getting the right nutrients and you won't end up unhealthy.

Meat and dairy do not provide any nutrition that you can't get from plants. In fact, they are cancer and disease-promoting, and toxic to humans. However, being vegan doesn't automatically make a person healthy. Humans require a highly varied diet including a wide variety of greens, fruits, vegetable, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. A well-rounded, whole-foods, plant-based, non-processed vegan diet is the healthiest, and will provide you with inifitely more nutrition than meat and dairy ever could. Do your research so you can spit some facts back at those who question the health of your vegan diet. There is tons of evidence and resources backing up the power of a plant-based diet in preventing (and even curing) cancer and diseases.

Watch this video, its long but VERY educational and has all the info you need and more: http://www.vegsource.com/news/2010/01/me…

Don't let people tell you being vegan isn't healthy, even doctors. The truth is, they don't know because they aren't well informed at all. Find the information for yourself.

The China Study by T.Colin Campbell
Solving America's Healthcare Crisis by Pam Popper
Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell Esselstyn
http://www.vegsource.com/news/2010/01/me…

When the people who are telling you that are 45, have a heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure, are overweight, etc...and most vegans at that age have no troubles, you tell me who is unhealthy and will die an early death? Most meat eaters, sorry to say, are overweight and have several things going wrong at that age.

Vegans who know about nutrition are getting the necessary fats, sugars, etc. Fruit has sugar, but it's a healthy sugar.

pfft, that's ridiculous. As long as you're getting enough vitamins, minerals and eating enough, you'll be fine. In fact, almost all vegan food has no cholesterol, so you'll probably be healthier than them. I'm 16 and i'm vegan, and i'm fine. My friend was vegan when she was 11, 12, 13 and 14 and she's fine. In fact, the worse thing that's happened to our health has been a cold. People can be pretty ignorant about the vegan diet. Like my grandma disagrees with it and tries to feed me ice cream every time i see her, but i have two friends who'll be 17 this year and think it's bad.

As long as you get enough vitamins, minerals protein etc, you'll be fine. Although you might feel a bit tired at first, it fades within about 3 weeks

No true at all. In fact you live longer and look younger. There is a study on reduced calorific intake, and it has been proven to increase longevity. You can look up 'restrictive calorie diet'. Most vegans eat fewer calories than normal, so vegans live longer. And you never get sick. I stopped drinking milk almost a year ago, and I never get sick even if people come and sneeze on my face. I have travelled a lot in public transport lately and never picked up flu or anything. When you stop dairy, you stop producing excess mucus so you never get cold or sick. Vegans are the healthiest people ever. Don't let uninformed people change your mind. Try it for yourself and you will feel the difference. Just make sure you eat lot of fruits everyday. Good luck!

If you are less than 16, keep drinking milk or some form of protien till you reach your full height. after you reach your full height, you can stop dairy products completely. Good luck!

I'm a vegan and for my 50th year I celebrated by riding my bicycle 5,000 miles during the year. I've run several marathons, 24 triathlons, and countless other fun runs. Went veg 30 years ago and expect to outlive the omnivores easily while having fun and staying strong. Brianna MD and Gem have already shared lots of good information which I would echo. Have fun, explore the world of real food. Limit your sugar and simple carbs. And exercise! You'll do fine!

I wonder if these are the same people who tried going "vegetarian/vegan," ate bread, fries, chips, cookies, and potatoes and other junk all day, and wondered why they felt like crap?

I am a vegetarian but I have nothing against people eating meat because of this: any diet is considerably healthy if moderation is the key term and as long as you're eating a BALANCED diet.

Now go do your vegan thing.

You need to read these resources and you will feel so much better:

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/5-tips-on-how-to-be-a-happy-vegan/
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/3-good-reasons-to-stay-vegan-that-only-vegans-know-about/
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/got-protein-the-plant-based-diet-and-protein-part-1/
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/got-protein-the-plant-based-diet-and-protein-part-2/
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/your-plant-based-food-guide-to-natural-immunity-part-1/
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/your-plant-based-food-guide-to-natural-immunity-part-2/

There are many more articles on the site.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org

No it's not true!! People need to do their research before spiting out answers!!! If you are truly going vegan or just want to learn more read Alicia Silverstones Book The Kind Life & Skinny B*tch is another fave of mine. They are pack with all kinds of info!!!!!! I swear they have changed my life and I've never felt better!! I think if someone becomes Vegan and doesn't know the proper foods to eat daily they can lack some things. But a vegan life style is very healthy and it;s know to cure and prevent like over 40 deceases!!!

I'm a Vegan

The problem with the vegan diet is that you aren't getting a lot of essential amino acids, essential fatty acids and some of the fat soluble vitamins. You need to be very careful to include foods like tofu and good quality vegetable oils.

Vegans and vegetarians actually live longer than meat eaters.

hello....... well if your friends are telling you this these aren't the friends your needing right now i was vegan for a long while and i still am and you should see how healthy i am. I say u go girl! It's not best to start really young but maybe try cutting down bit by bit but before you become vegan try out some food vegans can eat and don't give up but remember if it becomes dangerous your health is the most important thing. If there's any problems please go and see a dr they are there to help you.
Also good luck :D I know with enough encouragement and balanced diet you can do it!!
Well done, Good on you and good luck with everything
hope i helped just tht little bit xxx

im a fellow vegan

It is not a good idea for young people to become vegan.

Read the articles that the vegetarians and vegans here don't want you to see:
http://chetday.com/vegandietdangers.htm
http://www.listen2yourgut.com/blog/dange…

Yes that's true, I was vegan when I was 17
And to tell you the truth it will make you very weak and animic... its been 5 years from now and I'm still animic
Its your choice, just keep in mind what I told u

Yes, it's true. Vegans don't get all the necessary vitamins, proteins, fats and glucose.