VEGAN NEWBIE

runettethomas
runettethomas Posts: 60 Member
edited November 26 in Getting Started
Hello, I recently became a vegan about a week ago. I would like some helpful tips and advice on this lifestyle, for starters the dos and don'ts. Thanks!!! :)

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Welcome!

    Do eat and use stuff that is made from plants.

    Don't eat and use stuff that is made from animals or their secretions.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Welcome!

    Do eat and use stuff that is made from plants.

    Don't eat and use stuff that is made from animals or their secretions.

    Yup... that's about it.

    Do you have a reason for going vegan? I spent a very long time researching before I took the plunge because I'd heard such negative things from family, friends and other non-vegans... that and I like to be thoroughly educated about all that I do with my body.

  • kvansteen
    kvansteen Posts: 82 Member
    B12! It's hard to get from non-animal sources but nutritional yeast is great and tastes like "cheese" without it you can suffer from anemia. Also since you're on myfitnesspal make sure that you are reaching a decent protein goal daily. Finally, enjoy all of the wonderful benefits that come from eating plants. theppk.com is an excellent cooking site.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    kvansteen wrote: »
    B12! It's hard to get from non-animal sources but nutritional yeast is great and tastes like "cheese" without it you can suffer from anemia. Also since you're on myfitnesspal make sure that you are reaching a decent protein goal daily. Finally, enjoy all of the wonderful benefits that come from eating plants. theppk.com is an excellent cooking site.

    Not all nutritional yeast has B12. If you are using it to meet your nutritional needs, make sure the brand you are buying is fortified.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    edited November 2015
    kvansteen wrote: »
    B12! It's hard to get from non-animal sources but nutritional yeast is great and tastes like "cheese" without it you can suffer from anemia. Also since you're on myfitnesspal make sure that you are reaching a decent protein goal daily. Finally, enjoy all of the wonderful benefits that come from eating plants. theppk.com is an excellent cooking site.

    Nutritional yeast does not contain B12 unless it has been fortified with B12. Please be careful giving this advice as a B12 deficiency can be extremely serious. I also use fortified Nutritional Yeast as a source of B12... but you have to be certain that it's fortified.

    *ETA lol... @janejellyroll beat me to it. :)
  • runettethomas
    runettethomas Posts: 60 Member
    I'm doing it for health reasons and for the animals as well. I watched the documentary Earthlings and Forks over Knives I put the meat and dairy products down every since.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    BecomingBane wrote: »
    kvansteen wrote: »
    B12! It's hard to get from non-animal sources but nutritional yeast is great and tastes like "cheese" without it you can suffer from anemia. Also since you're on myfitnesspal make sure that you are reaching a decent protein goal daily. Finally, enjoy all of the wonderful benefits that come from eating plants. theppk.com is an excellent cooking site.

    Nutritional yeast does not contain B12 unless it has been fortified with B12. Please be careful giving this advice as a B12 deficiency can be extremely serious. I also use fortified Nutritional Yeast as a source of B12... but you have to be certain that it's fortified.

    *ETA lol... @janejellyroll beat me to it. :)

    Great (fortified) minds think alike . . .
  • abadee9
    abadee9 Posts: 8 Member
    I just purchased two books that promote a vegan lifestyle. The Forks over Knives Plan and The Eat to Live Plan to Reverse Diabetes. Both are excellent and have plenty of recipes. Forks over Knives has a wonderful website with helpful emails and an APP. Good luck. I'm going to try it too for my diabetes.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    ooh... Earthlings is horrifying and makes me sick to watch.... and I've got an incredibly strong stomach.

    Be careful with forks over knives as it's not based on sound science and generally frowned upon. There are many good points in it... but, for example, T. Colin Campbell's China study has been soundly debunked.

    Good for you for making the decision and more power to you. The internet is full of great resources, but I'd caution a bit to check the science behind anything you read as some claims can be straight bunkum.

    Here are some good links to start.

    http://www.veganhealth.org/
    http://vegweb.com/
    https://www.vegansociety.com/resources
    http://www.nomeatathlete.com/50-vegetarian-resources/
  • runettethomas
    runettethomas Posts: 60 Member
    Thanks everyone!!!!
  • k4tism4tic
    k4tism4tic Posts: 1 Member
    I take a B12 supplement just to be on the safe side. Not sure how you feel about supplements but it makes it a lot easier! Just make sure to get a lot of protein & calcium and all the basics. Also too much soy is not good for you!(but too much of anything isn't really) :p Try to stick to fruits, veggies,and grains as opposed to relying too much on substitutions...Don't know if you were vegetarian before but watch out for gelatin as its made from animal bones! Though lactic acid is ok (who knew! Apparently the name is just based on the process in which they make it?) Oh & don't believe what they say- OREOS ARE NOT VEGAN! They replaced gelatin for soy lethicin so they're vegetarian but the cookies themselves still contain chocolate therefore they contain milk(it says it on their website). Can't think of anything else at the moment but welcome to the fam :p
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    k4tism4tic wrote: »
    I take a B12 supplement just to be on the safe side. Not sure how you feel about supplements but it makes it a lot easier! Just make sure to get a lot of protein & calcium and all the basics. Also too much soy is not good for you!(but too much of anything isn't really) :p Try to stick to fruits, veggies,and grains as opposed to relying too much on substitutions...Don't know if you were vegetarian before but watch out for gelatin as its made from animal bones! Though lactic acid is ok (who knew! Apparently the name is just based on the process in which they make it?) Oh & don't believe what they say- OREOS ARE NOT VEGAN! They replaced gelatin for soy lethicin so they're vegetarian but the cookies themselves still contain chocolate therefore they contain milk(it says it on their website). Can't think of anything else at the moment but welcome to the fam :p

    Regardless of how one "feels" about supplements, it is essential for vegans to either supplement B12 or eat foods that are fortified with it. There are no plant sources of B12.

    I'm not sure how much soy you think would be "too much." This is a pretty vague suggestion -- if you have details on the specific levels of soy someone should consume, this would be more helpful. And a source would be nice as well.

    Some lactic acid is plant-based, but some comes from animal sources. So, no, it isn't always appropriate for vegans.

    Chocolate, in and of itself, is from plants and is appropriate for vegans. Some chocolate has milk added to it, so vegans would avoid that. But the chocolate used in Oreos isn't milk chocolate, it's just cocoa. Cocoa is perfectly appropriate for vegans. Can you link to the part of the website that you're referring to?
  • plantedinpots
    plantedinpots Posts: 44 Member
    hullo fellow vegan :# as mentioned above, i do also take vitamins to make sure that i'm covering all my bases, but other than that, following a vegan diet has made me feel amazing. i used to get frequent brain splitting headaches and i never even guessed that they had come from eating animal products. the first couple days i got one serious bad migraine, and no headaches since! i didn't change anything else, just cutting out animal products, and the lack of headaches is enough for me to not want to go back! i'd recommend watching this youtube video as well, someone recommended i watch it, and i'm passing it on. youtube video and, also check out this website! it shows you which vegan/vegetarian places are near you and has good ratings on them-- happycow.net
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    BecomingBane wrote: »
    ooh... Earthlings is horrifying and makes me sick to watch.... and I've got an incredibly strong stomach.

    Be careful with forks over knives as it's not based on sound science and generally frowned upon. There are many good points in it... but, for example, T. Colin Campbell's China study has been soundly debunked.

    Good for you for making the decision and more power to you. The internet is full of great resources, but I'd caution a bit to check the science behind anything you read as some claims can be straight bunkum.

    Here are some good links to start.

    http://www.veganhealth.org/
    http://vegweb.com/
    https://www.vegansociety.com/resources
    http://www.nomeatathlete.com/50-vegetarian-resources/

    ^This. Vegan is a big lifestyle change, not just to your diet but it can be a big change on everything you wear, use, etc. Forks over Knives isn't a reliable source of info, to be honest, but if you are really committed to making that big of a change in your life, good on you. Just make sure you look at the links Bane posted :)
  • VeggieMelissa
    VeggieMelissa Posts: 28 Member
    I have the same experience as plantedinpots. I used to get chronic migraines, so bad that I would miss school because of them. I went on a medication that I took 2 times daily which controlled them.
    I went off the medication 2 weeks ago and have not got 1 headache. I tried doing this in the past when I was vegetarian and not vegan, and got a migraine within a few days.
    Veganisn has changed my life for the better and I won't ever go back
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    There are Vegan groups on here but searching is difficult since they improved things.
    - does anyone have the links to Happy Herbivores or the Vegan groups?
  • cloggsy71
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
    runettethomas wrote: »
    I'm doing it for health reasons and for the animals as well. I watched the documentary Earthlings and Forks over Knives I put the meat and dairy products down every since.

    Well done you!
  • runettethomas
    runettethomas Posts: 60 Member
    cloggsy71 wrote: »
    runettethomas wrote: »
    I'm doing it for health reasons and for the animals as well. I watched the documentary Earthlings and Forks over Knives I put the meat and dairy products down every since.

    Well done you!

    Thanks!
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