Any vegans out there?

[Mac85]

Hey guys,
I have been a vegetarian for about 4 years, my bowel care and health really improved since I changed my diet and I am thinking of going vegan.
Just looking for some folks that have the knowledge and experience.
My question is was it hard for you to start? How long did it take you to get used to it? How long have you been a vegan? Do you have any good recipes?
And to all you meat eaters please don't hate, I ate meat for 26 years and loved it

[Silvio GS]

Being vegetarian is not bad thing, even that eating healthy lean meat in moderation wouldn't harm you but the contrary.
But going vegan is a bit extreme in my opinion, especially having a spinal cord injury, you need a proper diet rich in all the healthy nutrients in order to function properly and to improve our already low stamina, because life is hard enough with SCI, why make it harder?

[CapnGimp]

Yes, I am. I first started in the mid to late 80s and stopped, 2-3 yr stint that first time. Seventh Day Adventist here, learned about God's plan for health through His Word. Fell away for a few years but continued to stay away from some things, started eating vegan again right after I came out of my coma after injury in feb 96. I wanted to give my body the best chance to heal. Moved back in with the gf and fell away again for about two years. Started eating vegan again in 99 because of pressure sores, bad health and desire to return to Christ. Health improved greatly and pressure sores went away within a month, even though I was not exercising. I had real problems and kept bladder infections all those years and took fluoroquinolones regularly as dr prescribed. Took a toll on shoulders(you never recover from that but exercise strengthens what is left) and wound up using powerchair mostly. Ran into BAD pressure sore in 2003-4 and spent next 4 years fighting it with bad dr advice, many surgeries and finally charge myself. Got off their antibiotics, got a hand cycle, used some natural remedies and closed it enough to live normally about 2005. HC/exercise was the last addition needed along with wound care clinic's diagnosis of bone infection(why it never healed) and final surgery in 2007. Doc did not think it would heal then and I said just stitch it up and let God handle it from there. All the while folks were kicking on my vegan diet, and I was the healthiest person in the building. After surgey, stitches came out a week later and they sent me home on daily IV antibiotics for about a month to get rid of bone infection. I stayed in bed about two weeks during that time except to drain my legbag. A few days of an hour or two of sitting in my chair rolling around the hut and I went to 6-8 hours a day sitting in my chair. At then of the month after leaving hospital, started riding handcycle again and living normally. No problems for years until I got pressure sore from a failed cushion in 2012( I stopped vegan diet around 2009.stupid<) that I healed myself with veterycyn and a new cushion. Took about a month. I started eating vegan again in Dec 2015 and am sticking with it this time. I might add the times I wasn't vegan were the times I stepped back 'into the world' and did not follow God's direction. When I follow God and walk honestly with Him, I have no problems that can not be overcome. I stray, life falls apart. It was through the Bible I learned about health. Research and practice faithfully. Another BIG thing is stay away from ANY GMO or GMO ingredient-containing food. I eat organic, non-gmo, vegan. 80% of the poisons they sell in grocery stores under the guise of 'food' is just that...poison. Take a look around you, obesity and bad health are rampant and no one cares, as long as they can get a pill from a 'doctor' that is supposed to allow you to continue living in your present lifestyle.
If you pay CLOSE attention to what goes into your body, it will go well with you. You wouldn't put muddy water in your gas tank and expect your car to go very far. Diet, exercise and natural remedies and you don't need doctors for the most part. I eat simple. My staples are different kinds of beans and whole grain rice. I avoid wheat(soaked with glyphosate to force drying fast), avoid all sugars, use only honey in small quantities and drink ginger root tea to prevent inflammation from all the broke bones and damage in my body. I use any plants that are anti-inflammatories to back that up. Do your research if it is important to you. Get a copy of the China Study and read it. DON'T trust your government to take care of you. They are on the side of the corporattions like Monsanto, Dow, etc that are poisoning you to death.
If someone says you need animal products for 'good' health, run from the government educated, to be pitied, individual. Willful ignorance abounds, it is the last days.

[Bonnette]

I've been vegan since 1991, except sometimes at restaurants where the only things I can find to eat contain dairy. My lab values are consistently good, BP normal.

It used to be harder to go vegan than it is now - there are really excellent non-GMO meat substitutes these days, if you miss a particular taste or texture. Even regular grocery stores usually have a good selection of vegan choices, and of course places like Whole Foods are a dream-come-true, compared to the little health food venues of years past. In addition, the learning curve is not nearly as steep as it used to be, thanks to the internet and labels that list all ingredients (many of which are animal-derived). Google is your friend. There's almost nothing you can't find out online, down to the smallest details. It's not like the old days, where it was tofu or nothing!

[t8burst]

Why GMOs are a good thing: http://blog.soylent.com/post/1480000...made-with-gmos

I've been vegan since 1991, except sometimes at restaurants where the only things I can find to eat contain dairy. My lab values are consistently good, BP normal.

It used to be harder to go vegan than it is now - there are really excellent non-GMO meat substitutes these days, if you miss a particular taste or texture. Even regular grocery stores usually have a good selection of vegan choices, and of course places like Whole Foods are a dream-come-true, compared to the little health food venues of years past. In addition, the learning curve is not nearly as steep as it used to be, thanks to the internet and labels that list all ingredients (many of which are animal-derived). Google is your friend. There's almost nothing you can't find out online, down to the smallest details. It's not like the old days, where it was tofu or nothing!

[zagam]

Sort of as have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperhomocysteinemia and have to limit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methionine and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cysteine in the diet. Must also avoid sesame. Do have milk in coffee if some gets me one. Black when I make my own.

About 10% have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl...late_reductase that is less active and could benefit from restricting (but not eliminating) these amino acids. Methionine is an essential amino acid.

I also take B12 and B6. Have heaps of B9 (folate) due to vegetarian diet, but did find B12 was very low so take 1 mg/d.

Brown rice and lentils provide energy and B vitamins, but low Methionine. Combined with lots of dark leafy things for B9.

[hlh]

If you make the switch, I would check in with your doctor and possibly a nutritionist to make sure you are getting the appropriate mix of vitamins. Most of my friends who went vegan actually developed problems with it. Three became severely vitamin deficient, with B12 the culprit for two. Another couple friends had a hard time with weight gain, as their diet became very carb heavy, and they were eating more because it wasn't as filling as their prior higher protein/fat diets.

This is not to say that it cannot be done, but requires quite a bit of organization to eat healthy and not get bored with your choices.

One friend became so severely B12 deficient she developed severe neurologic side effects and changes in her thinking. And she should have known how to avoid.... she's a doctor, and an excellent cook. But most docs don't know much about nutrition!

[Spitzbub]

Vegan for four years. Following the Swank / Jelinek diet, so no oils either except for minimal olive oil to cook. Annual blood panels perfect: protein, calcium, vitamin D all bingo, cholesterol fell dramatically. If you research and ask questions, it's not difficult or expensive. Learn sources of protein (like beans, green leafy vegetables, lentils) and fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, etc.), supplement with B12, D3 (sunlight is much better, but difficult for me) and I started out with a multivitamin. Probably sounds like I live like a monk, but the food is delicious when you flavor with peppers, spices and herbs.

The first two years, I had zero new MS activity; for the last two, I can't say the same. But Swank's work shows the diet is defensive in nature, minimizing deterioration over the long term (as in 'if you had continued eating the saturated fat of a standard American diet, your condition would be even worse'). But the diet brings many benefits regardless, including much better bowel, no mucous reactions or drowsiness after eating, and others.

[Mac85]

I went back to eating turkey and eggs because my pressure sores wouldn't heal... Now that heal very fast

[Hutch]

Great Post! Thanks!

[slow_runner]

Why GMOs are a good thing:

Nah. GMO= control and ownership of the food source. So, despite all other arguments, in my mind GMO is bad for humanity.

Monsanto et al are evil.

[UrbanWheeler76]

I don't consume meat, eggs, and dairy products, but I wouldn't label myself a "Vegan."

Most vegans extend the definition of veganism to go beyond just food and will also avoid the use of all personal and household products tested on animals, and avoid purchasing and using all animal-derived, non-food products, such as leather, fur, and wool. There is some debate as to whether second-hand animal products, such as a leather jacket from a thrift store, can be included in a cruelty-free vegan lifestyle or not.

I don't do those type of extremes. So yeah, all-and-all veganism seems to be more politically oriented to me. Besides, I include raw honey in my teas and other food preparations and honey is something 'true' vegans tend to avoid eating.

[Mac85]

I started eating meat - sausage, cheeseburger, just no chicken... tasted so good after not eating for almost 5 years