Would you recommend going vegan?

@DJKookie

Well, I'm not vegan but mostly vegetarian now (considering veganism at some point in the future). I'd say that the rule of thumb with most diets is, do your research and make sure you're eating enough of what you need. Vegetarianism or veganism definitely has its health benefits, mostly tied to the fact that processed meats and red meat has been linked to an increased risk of cancer/diabetes/high blood pressure. It's also been a bit easier on my digestive, as I've noticed that with dairy cheese and cow milk, it tends to aggravate my IBS. After going vegetarian, I'd say that I do feel better (lost some weight through it) and have the same amount of energy as before. I'm slowly incorporating non-dairy items into my diet such as almond milk and I actually tried a soy cheese pizza yesterday (wasn't bad!). If you aren't vegetarian already, I'd recommend trying that out first. Then if you're comfortable with that, start incorporating non dairy or egg alternatives into your diet. There are a lot of options out there, I'd say it's easier going vegan today than ever before.

Don't know if that helped or not, but I'd say with the proper knowledge, you're probably going to feel better after going vegan. Good luck! 😊

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vegan-diet-benefits

https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/how-go-vegan

@DJKookie

Hi! Yes, it's healthy, come to the vegan side, we have cookies!

Ok, seriously, now, I'm 99% vegan (I very rarely consume meals with dairy) and I would definitely recommend going vegan. It's not magic, so don't expect all your health problems to go away in a short time. Also, keep in mind that you can be vegan and not healthy. For example, sitting on the couch eating fries and drinking soda is vegan, but not healthy. Also, there are vegan burgers, pizza, ice cream and what not. If you're just going to replace your food with vegan options, it will be healthier, but not by much.

I would say the way to go is to eat mostly whole foods. That is fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Work with those and make healthy vegan meals (look into meal prepping to save time and money). A healthy vegan diet is one of the best things in my life. I'm healthy, fit, my energy levels are high (my ex used to say I consume rocket fuel) and I've had people saying they thought I was in my early 20s (or even 18) when I'm actually 28.

Give it a try and see how it goes. You don't have to make the transition suddenly, you can eat vegan meals 2 days/week for example, and see how it feels. There are a lot of good websites and youtube channels with good advice and recipes and you can also ask me any questions you may have or if you need help with anything!

@DJKookie

I am vegan and it has helped my help a lot. I used to have really bad arthritis and its helped nearly 50%.

When I accidently eat something I shouldn't, I can feel it immediately as my arthritis worsens.

I have also seen an improvement in my hair, skin, complexion, nails and blood pressure.

My teen son has also gone vegan and he says he feels really good and is glad he chose to do it. He feels he is making a better choice for the environment. He went vegan immediately after watching the movie "What The Health"

I just had full bloodwork and my cholesterol and glucose have improved into the good ranges.

I notice I am not aging as quickly as my meat and dairy eating siblings.

Of course, these are my personal experiences I share and nothing more is meant by them.

Good luck on your journey in finding what works for you.

I just took a 22 day vegan challenge that began on August 25. I really did enjoy it and learned lot. I feel much better, and it has only been about 7 weeks. I went from omni straight into the challenge. I will say that I haven't been perfect. So far, I'm just working on the vegan diet, so I guess you could say that I've been more plant-based than vegan. My health coach nurse was thrilled to hear that I had begun eating this way and said that it was very healthy if done right.

So if anyone wants to talk about recipes, ingredients, products, etc., I'm game! :D

Yes

I'd love to, but im such a big eater haha so i dont think vegetables are just enough for my tummyyy hehe I need meat!

No because I ate vegan for 2 1/2 years and ended up worsening my depression around the end, even though the first few months were experienced beautifully. The turnover rate for vegan diets is around 75% of people. There are key nutrients lacking in plant foods kindgom such as omega-3s DHA and EPA and other fats, proteins, selenium, vitamin D and vitamin B12, amongst others. For these reasons I would simply advocate for a whole foods diet high in plant foods (not devoid of animal products), and between 2-3 raw fruit and/or vegetable meals/snacks a day.

Hi! I started going vegan in July 2017 but I went vegan because of the animals, the environment, achieving inner peace, and because of my values. For me, the health benefits are just a bonus. Before I became vegan, I was sickly and it's hard for me to exercise or even walk up and down the stairs. I was diagnosed with GERD (acid reflux) because my stomach can't handle the dairy and meat that I consume on a daily basis. I even have dextroscoliosis (dairy is acidic, and when our body is acidic, it tries to combat the acidity by getting calcium from our body, thus weakeaning our bones). When I finally became vegan, I noticed that my health improved! It's now easier for me to exercise because my muscles recover quickly compared before. I can now walk a few miles without the feeling of my lungs bursting.

To answer your question, yes, I recommend it. But you need to know that there are different kinds of vegans. There are junkfood vegans (those who still eat junk food and processed food) who may not be as healthy as others, there are athletic vegans who are obsessed with their muscles, and there are whole foods, plant-based vegans who don't eat junk food or processed food. I mostly eat whole foods but I still sometimes eat processed food and junk food. A whole foods plant-based diet is the healthiest. I even lost weight so fast so now my problem is how to gain weight. The only vitamin you need to watch out for is vitamin b12 because vegans have a high risk of having vitamin b12 deficiency. It's not easy for us to get vitamin b12 from plants because we only get it from bacteria. People usually get that vitamin in the past by not washing the plants that they eat, but given that our world is now polluted, we now need to wash our plants properly before cooking and eating them. Meat eaters can also have vitamin b12 deficiency though. I hope you consider being vegan. I wish you the best of luck! I'm here if you have questions about veganism. I'm new but I'll do my best to answer

I did consider it myself. As it improves your long term health and if you really look into nutrition and diet theres really no need to consume meat AT ALL. Plant based nutrients are better for you period. And some poor animal needn't get it's throat slit for your dinner anymore. I'm making the transition to veganism, I went veggie three months ago, I will go full vegan soon!

@DJKookie

It is great that you are considering a vegan diet. :)

Now, is it true that a vegan diet is a healthy diet? Not neccessarily. It depends on the choices you make.
For example: there is still junk food for vegans! Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos and Oreo cookies are vegan....but maybe not the healthiest.

It is true that a primarily plant based diet has been proven to be healthier than a typical diet. So if you keep away from the packaged and processed foods and stay mostly in the fresh produce area of the grocery store when you do your shopping, you'll find lots of healthy options. In addition, you might check out beans, quinoa, pasta, rice, oats, etc.

Hope that's helpful!