Added benefits of eating vegan

naschulze

I read this article the other day and its great to see that vegan eating is way more than just weight loss. These are real people that experienced a lot of unexpected health benefits, no scientific analysis or studies in this article, just regular people and real results.

http://gentleworld.org/rewarded-for-being-vegan/

I've been eating vegan for a couple weeks now and have already experience less acne and more weight loss without exercise. I'm never starving, I don't feel groggy, and its just great to see the numbers go down on the scale without even trying. My bf has had asthma since birth (he's 25) and in these last couple weeks of veganism he's gone from an inhaler 2+ times a day to 1 time or less, hopefully it will disappear altogether as it has for others. Also, he has always had allergies around our friend's cats, but he visited them the other day and the cat was on his shoulders - no sneezing, no runny nose, no puffy eyes. This is the first time that has ever happened. We have a dog and he hasn't had to take 1 zyrtec since becoming vegan, when that used to be a regular occurence.

Any other vegans with weight loss or health benefits to share?

bathsheba_c

Not to rain on your parade, but there are also plenty of people who report negative health effects from being a vegan, even doing everything correctly.

Not to mention that oreos, potato chips, french fries, and soda are all vegan.

naschulze

Not to rain on your parade, but there are also plenty of people who report negative health effects from being a vegan, even doing everything correctly.

Not to mention that oreos, potato chips, french fries, and soda are all vegan.

I've personally experience some of these health benefits so no rain here. Care to share a link with people that have negative health effects?

And yes, we all know some very unhealthy foods are vegan, I don't know what these people ate, but I'm trying to lose weight here so those are all foods that are a big step in the wrong direction.

deb3129

I have been nearly vegan for about 11 months. I say nearly because every once in a while when we eat out I will eat something that contains cheese or egg. But I do not ever cook with animal stuff at home. I have seen a TON of benefits. The weight loss obviously, but so many other things. My skin is fantastic, it looks great and I have not had to touch lotion all winter. I have a lot more energy, I no longer suffer from acid reflux. I also was diagnosed with iBS as a young adult, and have had problems with it my entire adult life. But once I changed my diet all my IBS symptoms disappeared within about 2 weeks, and it has not given me a problem since. I wake up every morning feeling fantastic, and my energy level remains constant throughout the day. No more afternoon slump, or dragging myself through my evenings anxiously awaiting the time to crawl into bed. For me, it has been wonderful. My yearly physical in November showed that my blood pressure was way down, my cholesterol was 148, and all other lab work looked great as well. I could not be happier

naschulze

I have been nearly vegan for about 11 months. I say nearly because every once in a while when we eat out I will eat something that contains cheese or egg. But I do not ever cook with animal stuff at home. I have seen a TON of benefits. The weight loss obviously, but so many other things. My skin is fantastic, it looks great and I have not had to touch lotion all winter. I have a lot more energy, I no longer suffer from acid reflux. I also was diagnosed with iBS as a young adult, and have had problems with it my entire adult life. But once I changed my diet all my IBS symptoms disappeared within about 2 weeks, and it has not given me a problem since. I wake up every morning feeling fantastic, and my energy level remains constant throughout the day. No more afternoon slump, or dragging myself through my evenings anxiously awaiting the time to crawl into bed. For me, it has been wonderful. My yearly physical in November showed that my blood pressure was way down, my cholesterol was 148, and all other lab work looked great as well. I could not be happier

That's awesome! Good for you. I hope to be like you and eat vegan all I can but if I'm eating our or at a family function I wouldn't care about eating some dairy or egg.

mazzasweet

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...

naschulze

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...

So Delicious makes a greek yogurt and its really good. I eat their regular yogurt all the time and it has a good amount of calcium plus most of the same active cultures that dairy yogurt has. I've found it at whole foods but they have a store finder on their website. The ice cream is great as well
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products

chatogal

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...

So Delicious makes a greek yogurt and its really good. I eat their regular yogurt all the time and it has a good amount of calcium plus most of the same active cultures that dairy yogurt has. I've found it at whole foods but they have a store finder on their website. The ice cream is great as well
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products

why eat fake dairy products?

naschulze

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...

So Delicious makes a greek yogurt and its really good. I eat their regular yogurt all the time and it has a good amount of calcium plus most of the same active cultures that dairy yogurt has. I've found it at whole foods but they have a store finder on their website. The ice cream is great as well
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products

why eat fake dairy products?

I wouldn't call them 'fake' as it's made from coconut milk which isn't a fake ingredient, its just better for you than dairy and tastes the same. Isn't that the point of dieting? Substituting things you like to eat with healthier versions? In my opinion a vegan diet is just one step up from that as it cuts out the ingredients that are considered ok calorie-wise but bad for you in the long run.

SwimFan1981

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...

http://www.livingonthevedge.net/2011/10/vegan-greek-yogurt-so-delicious-yes.html


Not tried it, but it does exist

SwimFan1981

There's a few groups that might interest you, I am part of this one http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/62-happy-herbivores
Unfortunately, vegan threads don't last too long before getting attacked....

Jaulen

*snip*
My yearly physical in November showed that my blood pressure was way down, my cholesterol was 148, and all other lab work looked great as well. I could not be happier

Just thought I'd say, that my total cholesterol is 152 (and for me that is high, when I weighed less it was in the 130s), and I eat a lot of animal products. With HDL levels > 60, LDL levels < 100, and Triglicerides <100.

Glad to see that your cholesterol level is in the healthy range, but a lot of cholesterol readings aren't related just to animal product intake in diet. Weight, age, sex, and heck...genetic predisposition will also have a role.


Note: I tried going vegan for a while in college, after going to a couple of feedlots for my internship *hork*. Was only able to stick with it for about 8 months.

chatogal

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...thank you for the info...although I have to contest that dairy products are baf for you "in the long run"...but I realise that you probably feel deeply evangelical on this subiect and I teally have no wish to offend

So Delicious makes a greek yogurt and its really good. I eat their regular yogurt all the time and it has a good amount of calcium plus most of the same active cultures that dairy yogurt has. I've found it at whole foods but they have a store finder on their website. The ice cream is great as well
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products

why eat fake dairy products?

I wouldn't call them 'fake' as it's made from coconut milk which isn't a fake ingredient, its just better for you than dairy and tastes the same. Isn't that the point of dieting? Substituting things you like to eat with healthier versions? In my opinion a vegan diet is just one step up from that as it cuts out the ingredients that are considered ok calorie-wise but bad for you in the long run.

chatogal

can you pkease explain to me why coconut milk is better for you?

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...thank you for the info...although I have to contest that dairy products are baf for you "in the long run"...but I realise that you probably feel deeply evangelical on this subiect and I teally have no wish to offend

So Delicious makes a greek yogurt and its really good. I eat their regular yogurt all the time and it has a good amount of calcium plus most of the same active cultures that dairy yogurt has. I've found it at whole foods but they have a store finder on their website. The ice cream is great as well
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products

why eat fake dairy products?

I wouldn't call them 'fake' as it's made from coconut milk which isn't a fake ingredient, its just better for you than dairy and tastes the same. Isn't that the point of dieting? Substituting things you like to eat with healthier versions? In my opinion a vegan diet is just one step up from that as it cuts out the ingredients that are considered ok calorie-wise but bad for you in the long run.

stephgas

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...

So Delicious makes a greek yogurt and its really good. I eat their regular yogurt all the time and it has a good amount of calcium plus most of the same active cultures that dairy yogurt has. I've found it at whole foods but they have a store finder on their website. The ice cream is great as well
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products

why eat fake dairy products?

vegans don't eat anything that is produced from an animal or animal's byproduct. this includes cow's and goat's milk, dairy cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream, and sometimes honey. some vegans also will not wear wool. yogurt made with coconut milk instead of cow's milk isn't a 'fake' dairy product, it's just a different way to make yogurt.

normars1

Today is the start of Lent for those who are catholic and everyone in my family typically gives up something they love to do (smoking or eat), so this year I am giving up all meats. Any good sites out there where I can find good balanced vegan dishes to cook? Also, what do you do with the gas and bloatiness that I hear you get with bean dishes?

stephgas

Today is the start of Lent for those who are catholic and everyone in my family typically gives up something they love to do (smoking or eat), so this year I am giving up all meats. Any good sites out there where I can find good balanced vegan dishes to cook? Also, what do you do with the gas and bloatiness that I hear you get with bean dishes?

i don't get bloated with black beans (they're really the only bean i enjoy) but the veggies can do a number on me. one of the main things i've learned is to use the whole rainbow of veggies to get the widest range of nutrients. if you're adventurous, you can try cooking with tempeh or tofu in stir fry dishes. vegetable curries are popular as well. allrecipes.com has a lot of meatless dishes. it doesn't have to be all beans and pasta!

Silver14

People who have acne are generally advised to stop drinking milk, it's breeds acne, so that's why your skin is great now, not the whole vegan lifestyle.

allie_rat

Meant for normars1...I managed to forget to quote!

Why not just google vegan recipes and see what comes up? I'm not vegan, but I recently went veggie and I can't have too much dairy as it makes me ill. I found that mushrooms are often a good alternative where you would normally eat meat (the large flat ones can be grilled in place of a burger or battered in place of using fish, or sautéed mushrooms with roast veg and gravy is good) and they're low in calories, you can make loads of soups and stews with lots of veggies in them, meat free mince isn't a bad substitute in a lot of meals. You don't need to eat lots of beans if they affect you, there's plenty of other stuff to choose from

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Not to rain on your parade, but there are also plenty of people who report negative health effects from being a vegan, even doing everything correctly.

Not to mention that oreos, potato chips, french fries, and soda are all vegan.

I've personally experience some of these health benefits so no rain here. Care to share a link with people that have negative health effects?



And yes, we all know some very unhealthy foods are vegan, I don't know what these people ate, but I'm trying to lose weight here so those are all foods that are a big step in the wrong direction.

This is the main one that gets passed around:

http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1728051

I don't personally have any strong feelings about veganism. If it works for you that's great

normars1

Thanks for the quick reply. I will try allrecipes.com and see what I can come up with. Your suggesstions are great. And like Allie_rat says on the next reply, I do typically google or youtube information, however it is always nice to hear what others have already tried. Thanks again!

normars1

Thanks Allie_rat! You are correct in using the google search engine or youtube to find information is great, and that is my typical resource, however I was just wondering what other have had as suggetions. I really love portobello mushroom, and that will definitely be one of my replacement for meat. Thanks!

redraidergirl2009

I didn't lose weight going vegan, but didn't gain either. However, my belly is far less bloated. I was always bloated before I was vegan, probably due to dairy since I"m lactose intolerant. It was then I also realized dairy was causing my allergies so I don't have to take allegra anymore.

I've noticed clearer skin. I rarely get acne.

However don't expect veganism to be a cure-all. I eat a pretty whole foods vegan diet so probably 80% whole foods and the diet has done nothing for my hypertension and psoriasis. You can win them all I suppose.

jjrichard83

Not to rain on your parade, but there are also plenty of people who report negative health effects from being a vegan, even doing everything correctly.

Not to mention that oreos, potato chips, french fries, and soda are all vegan.

Most think they are doing it correctly. Big difference.

Don't know what point as trying to be made with the junk food. Most vegans (usually) give up processed foods too.

jjrichard83

Awesome thread! Anyone have a good alternative for greek yogurt? I love it and it's the one thing that really keeps me from going vegan...

Just go vegan and still eat it. No need to give ur self. Title to define yourself anyway

jjrichard83

People who have acne are generally advised to stop drinking milk, it's breeds acne, so that's why your skin is great now, not the whole vegan lifestyle.

agreed.

Just like meat eaters, vegans are not immune to false information bias.

EvgeniZyntx

People who have acne are generally advised to stop drinking milk, it's breeds acne, so that's why your skin is great now, not the whole vegan lifestyle.

agreed.

Just like meat eaters, vegans are not immune to false information bias.

Indeed.

jenilla1

...I also was diagnosed with iBS as a young adult, and have had problems with it my entire adult life. But once I changed my diet all my IBS symptoms disappeared within about 2 weeks, and it has not given me a problem since...

I eat vegan-style most of the time, although I do consume chicken or fish a few times a week. I found that my decades of IBS misery ended after my doctor suggested I eliminate red meat, eggs, dairy and wheat gluten. Any of those things alone or in combination gets my bowels all worked up. Birds and fish don't give me any problems so I still eat them. I never had a weight problem before so I can't speak to that, but my cholesterol dropped 22 points in a month after dropping those foods. I'm sure there are a million stories to contradict my simple anecdote, but I don't mind sharing my story. You never know if someone with a digestive disorder may be helped by sharing info. :flowerforyou:

taunto

I think the only benefit of eating vegan is that for most people, its a false sense of superiority

Chadomaniac

NO BENEFITS

VirtualRosa

Not to rain on your parade, but there are also plenty of people who report negative health effects from being a vegan, even doing everything correctly.

Not to mention that oreos, potato chips, french fries, and soda are all vegan.

...hate to rain on your parade but you should know this....

"Refined, white sugar, like the kind used in Oreos is sometimes filtered through charred animal bones" source: http://voices.yahoo.com/are-oreos-vegan-might-surprised-11185218.html

and french fries (at least at Mc Donald's) are not vegan either ..."Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*" source: http://animalrights.about.com/b/2011/10/26/mcdonalds-french-fries-still-not-vegetarian.htm

As far as potato chips the only kind that I have found to be completely vegan are kettle chips..

I am not vegan myself but I like to know the facts Hope this is helpful