Going Vegan any tips?!?!

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I was anemic as an omnivore but my iron levels are completely normal as a vegan. Surprisingly, vegans have about the same rate of anemia as omnivores do so don't let them tell you that you need meat.

To be a healthy vegan you should rely on a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts. You also need a reliable source of B12. I get mine from fortified soy milk, cereal and by taking a supplement a couple of times a week.

Most people lose a little weight at first, but weight loss is not guaranteed. A calorie is still a calorie and being vegan doesn't mean you don't have to watch what you eat.

Take your supplements. B12 is not available in plant food.

What does a lack of B12 do to you? From VeganHealth: "Overt B12 Deficiency

B12 protects the nervous system. Without it, permanent damage can result (e.g., blindness, deafness, dementia). Fatigue, and tingling in the hands or feet, can be early signs of deficiency.

Vitamin B12, like folate (aka folic acid), is needed to help red blood cells divide. In some cases, vegans may get so much folate that even with B12 deficiency, their blood cells continue to divide properly. In other cases, their blood cells will fail to divide properly and they will become fatigued and suffer from macrocytic (aka megaloblastic) anemia.

Mild B12 Deficiency

Homocysteine is a byproduct of protein metabolism. Elevated homocysteine levels are linked with increased risks of heart disease and stroke. From 1999 to 2003, there were many studies comparing the homocysteine levels of vegans and vegetarians who do not supplement their diet with vitamin B12 to those of non-vegetarians (more info). In every study, the vegans or vegetarians had higher homocysteine levels than the meat-eaters and in the range associated with heart disease and stroke."

http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/vita…

In the begining, youre going to have some cravings. To avoid caving in, make sure you have some "fakes" on hand that you can make in an emergency.

-Frozen veggie burgers
-Vegan Mayonaise
-Tofurky
-Veggie hot dogs
-Soy cheese
-Frozen cheeseless pizza (you can top with fake meats and nutritional yeast flakes)

There is nothing lacking in Vegetarian food
If you are a known anemic eat everything that is "red" and nuts
Beetroot, carrots, tomatoes and Dates.

My answer is not as good as the others, but take my advice.

1. Eat enough.
2. Caeser salad = awesome.
3. Keep the bacon thoughts out of your head.

You might find some useful recipes at www.suprememastertv.com/veg

Get some of those fake meats from the store there is always candy and chips yummy

+1 to having tasty fakes around at first
( I really like the vegan sour cream and vegan cream cheese-- don't forget bacon bits! The crunchy kind that you put on salad is completely vegan, just be sure to check the label! Also check the label on breads, and margarine and 'soy' cheese [sometimes they have whey in them still], etc.)

+1 to taking vitamins
(until you get the hang of having a really balanced diet you're likely to be missing something-- plus, it doesn't hurt!)

I'm not sure if you're saying that the alleged weight loss is desirable for you or not, but it can really go either way. If you're eating a ton of carbohydrates and fat, you're still likely to gain weight. I found that veganism really seemed to balance my weight out to where it should be.

Vegan staples:

BEANS! Filling, high fiber, high protein, and if you eat them with the right grains (try quinoa!) they power together to make awesome protein for your body, which you'll need

Avocados! So so so good, filling and creamy, definitely can fill in for mayonnaise and cheese cravings

Peanut Butter and Jelly! (and if you're feeling ballsy, try peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches! Seriously, my favorite sandwich, like, ever. Trust me.)

Cereal and Soy Milk!

Also check out "Amy's" cans of chili, I always have them on hand.




You should try googling vegan blogs online, I get some great recipe inspiration from them.

Good luck!! =)




OH, how could I forget. OREOS are vegan =)