The Reluctant Vegan

ladykendrick24

Can you take iron pills?

ladykendrick24

Hello all,

I was a vegetarian for 3 years, but introduced beef in my diet two months ago. The reason being, I got really sick and was told that I would have to include red meat in my diet. I do not enjoy the taste and get extremely depressed and sad when eating it because I know of what the animal must have gone through. Would love to cut meat completely out of my diet, but I'm scared of getting sick again. Has this happened to anyone else?

Sry can you take iron pills?

caribougal

Hello all,

I was a vegetarian for 3 years, but introduced beef in my diet two months ago. The reason being, I got really sick and was told that I would have to include red meat in my diet. I do not enjoy the taste and get extremely depressed and sad when eating it because I know of what the animal must have gone through. Would love to cut meat completely out of my diet, but I'm scared of getting sick again. Has this happened to anyone else?

There are other good sources of dietary iron.
Egg yolks
Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)
prunes, raisins
Oysters, clams, scallops
Artichokes

Probably others. Salmon?
If you do eat meat, try for grass-fed and finished. More expensive but better for you.

ericcharleslindstrom

I loved this post. I am fairly recently a "pescatarian/lacto/ovo" vegetarian. I incorporate a lot of vegan meals, though (maybe 60%), and have severely cut down on dairy. I never ate a lot of eggs anyway, unless they were in something else. Fish is a rarity. I want to make the switch to fully vegan but haven't had the guts to do it cold turkey. Seeing your story is an inspiration. I think maybe I'll start a 30-day vegan challenge and see how it goes. Maybe I'll just keep going like you did! Thanks for sharing your story.

You are welcome and good luck. As I tell more and more people about being vegan, I continue to remind myself that I am now (finally) making good food choices. I never thought about it before but being SO limited (I am also gluten-free) makes me eat only things that are good for me (with the occasional french fry and potato chip).

thebigcb

Do whatever makes you feel good.

I hate high and mighty vegans etc

ericcharleslindstrom

I loved the OP's story. It was well-written, funny and inspiring, and it's wonderful to hear success stories. Thank you!

I hope this thread doesn't devolve into a debate of vegan/vegetarian versus meat-eaters. This post was too great for that.

What I find interesting is that the OP DID NOT replace his meat/eggs/butter with candy, mountains of pasta, and processed soylent green. When in Minnesota, he could have had a big bowl of glutinous spaghetti at the steak house, but because he's gluten-free also, he didn't. He had a colorful (yet, bland) salad.

He could have snarfed down huge bowls of fruit loops while his buddies carb-loaded on that lumberjack special, but instead he had oatmeal. To me, regardless of whether he was vegetarian, vegan, or omnivorous... his healthy (albeit reluctant) choices were the key to success.

Was it the meat that was raising his LDL before? Well, maybe, but also maybe because it was eaten along with whatever else he wanted and as much as he wanted. Our OP did not just eliminate meat/eggs/dairy, he has also eliminated gluten, and is eating in a healthy way.

My sister eats a "plant-based diet". She has swooned over Forks Over Knives and the China Study, so I've heard it. I've engaged in crazy texting debates about it. I also eat a plant-based diet minus the grains and legumes, along with meat and healthy fats. I have watched the movie too. I also read the detailed critiques of the movie and the debunking of the China Study. http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fallac/ Too bad the correlations espoused by the study/movie are tenuous, but I'm not surprised. It's so hard to study pesky humans! And really, does it matter? If the movie gets people to eat in a more healthful way and stop supporting CAFOs... that's great.

Eat meat or don't. Drink milk or don't. What matters is that we get healthier, and support great stories of success like this one.

Now all you paleo/primal/vegan/vegetarian/pescatarian/ketosis-loving people... go eat a salad! Top if with steak. And bleu cheese. Or not.

Thanks for this! I actually get to dine with T. Colin Campbell now and again and have told him of my vegan adventures. I will keep saying over and over that the TRUE benfit of my vegan lifestyle (notice I say lifestyle instead of diet) is that I am finally making smart food choices. And there's nothing wrong with that!

cjc166

Awesome! I watched 'Forks Over Knives' last month, followed by 'Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead', and promptly made the switch to a nutritarian lifestyle. I can't ever go back.

ericcharleslindstrom

This was a great read. I watched the same movie. It changed my life along with my families. I have never had such good blood work and health checks as over the last year. I am a new person!

Yay!

ericcharleslindstrom

Do whatever makes you feel good.

I hate high and mighty vegans etc

Me too.

skonly

Hello all,

I was a vegetarian for 3 years, but introduced beef in my diet two months ago. The reason being, I got really sick and was told that I would have to include red meat in my diet. I do not enjoy the taste and get extremely depressed and sad when eating it because I know of what the animal must have gone through. Would love to cut meat completely out of my diet, but I'm scared of getting sick again. Has this happened to anyone else?

It happened to me and looking back I really think starting up with meat again caused more problems. I have cut all red meat out again recently. It makes me sick and it's also hard to eat it when I have cows in front of my house. I look at them being sweet and happy and a hamburger seems very selfish and mean to me. I have been chicken though so I'm a hypocrite.

When I started getting sick with all my stuff the first doctor I saw told me to start eating meat again because I was so anemic. Every doctor since then has told me it probably made me worse. I guess it all depends on what is wrong with you.

When I went vegan years ago it had nothing to do with health. I'm older now and health is more important to me so I'm going to try to work my way back into it.

ericcharleslindstrom

Hello all,

I was a vegetarian for 3 years, but introduced beef in my diet two months ago. The reason being, I got really sick and was told that I would have to include red meat in my diet. I do not enjoy the taste and get extremely depressed and sad when eating it because I know of what the animal must have gone through. Would love to cut meat completely out of my diet, but I'm scared of getting sick again. Has this happened to anyone else?

Sry can you take iron pills?

Yes. There are vegan iron supplements. However, vegans also get iron from all the fruist and vegetables we eat. It's like the old protein argument ... there is plenty of protein in vegetables (as well as nuts, beans and tofu).

TanzaMarie

Love this! I've been mostly vegan for about 9 months (a occasional sushi makes me really happy), but last weekend I fell off the vegan wagon during a family reunion. FYI, if this every happens to you, you will feel terrible for at least a week. And despite feeling terrible it's hard-ish to get back on the wagon! (I went vegan for better health - maybe it's easier for those who do it for ethical reasons)

beebee0925

bump