Returning to Lacto-Veg from Vegan (Yabbit, please read)
Hiya all.
I have been strict vegan for 4 months. Not so strict vegan for 8 months before that. I was lacto-ovo veggie for 4 years pior to that.
Anyways, I had a thread a few weeks ago about losing weight too fast. Someone mentioned that if I loose too much, that's a problem. I became veg*an for health reasons in the first place, but I think being vegan (diet-wise) is actually making me sick. I lost a lot of weight, I have NO energy, all I want to do is sleep, and I'm ALWAYS hungry eventhough I eat three meals a day (and a snack here and there).
I never had any problems when I was lacto-ovo. So, I did a "test" run with it. Last week, I had my usual salad (lots of greens, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, ect) with italian dressing. But I put cheese on it this time. OMG!!! I had a burst of engery an hour later. People at work thought I was nuts, I was acting "goofy," having fun, and I had engery to do my work (I actually did extra). The rest of the week, I ate vegan. I was back to no energy, my tummy hurt from hunger, and I was sluggish. I had cheese pizza last night at a birthday party, and I woke up with energy this morning. I cleaned my whole house already (still have to do recycling, and shopping, though).
I think I'm going to try going lacto-veg for 2 weeks, and see if my health improves. I still don't want eggs, and I will still buy my beloved Earth Balance, ect. I will still eat/cook 90% vegan. And I will still stick to my other vegan items (clothing, recycling, ect).
What do you all think? I'll keep ya updated as I go.
Do you eat nuts and seeds? I always find that a handful of pumpkin seeds throughout the day gives me a boost.
I'm not vegan though. I eat cheese about once a week...
what did your typical daily vegan diet consist of? the lunch salad you described sounds yummy but i think it's definitely missing some lean protein which would help give you some energy.. i really like those morningstar chik'n strips on salad with some cashews, it makes it more of a meal. plus those strips are super low in fat and cals which is way better than the cheese.
Thanks for the shout-out, KK! I think, if your body is healthier and happier as a lacto, go for it. We're all individuals, and there are no "veg*n police" who are going to say you're wrong and hale you before the "authorities"--because there are none. Do what's best for you.
I'm ovolacto, and I have all the symptoms of low thyroid, which my current "specialist" refuses to recognise. (I think her patients take up too much of her time.) I'm supposed to see her again on Monday and if I get no satisfaction, and DO get more brusque rudeness, I'm off to find a second opinion.
We also have very limited access to specialty products such as analogues, etc. which are VERY high in price here, and as we're on a fixed income, veganism just isn't something I'm going to be engaging in. For those who can, that's great, though.
Did I answer your question, KK? Hope so! ((KK))
Maybe your body is craving the vitamins/minerals that are found in dairy products...?
Maybe all you need is some supplements added to your diet.
When I went vegan, I didn't really notice a difference in energy. Some people claim that they have more after going vegan, but for me, any change was pretty unnoticeable.
It's a shame to have to go back to being lacto because of this =( I'm hoping there's some other way that will make you just as energized and happy... evidently there's something in dairy, particularly cheese, that is giving you something you're missing otherwise. I'd try eating different foods with those same dairy-components in them (protein, calcium, magnesium, D, B12, riboflavin, omega-3, potassium, selenium, and plain ole fat)... well, that's a lot. anyway, if your vegan diet might have been missing some /one of these, you might try finding a good source of it and seeing if that makes a difference for you. I doubt that your body is screaming "I need animals!" ;D or cholesterol for that matter.
Whenever I'm feeling completely sleepy for no reason, it's usually fixed from taking the B-12 supplement I haven't had in a while, eating some potassium from somewhere, or balancing out the whole fat/carb/protein ratio. I'm usually carb-heavy, which amazingly isn't always good for me... ::)
Have you exhausted all vegan routes? Some great food for energy: quinoa, nuts, spinach, tofu, seitan, tempeh, lentils, beans, beans, beans!
I'm sure other vegwebbers can think of some other foods for more energy...
I hope I'm not being an a-hole by saying that I'd hate to see you go back to eating cheese. I think it's wonderful that you made the choice to eat vegan and stuck it out for four months! I'm pretty sure that whatever it is in cheese that makes you feel better and gives you more energy you could find in some plant-based foods. I'm sure you know what's best for your body, and hopefully I'm not being pushy! I want what's best for you. I just thought I'd be one of the advocates in this thread on the side for veganism. :)
Oh, and about those poor abused cows in the factory farms... :'(
(...NOW I'm being a militant vegan a-hole, huh! ;D)
I really hope you’ll also do some non-dairy “experimenting” as you figure out what your body needs. You’ve gotten great suggestions so far. As for the salad (sounds so healthy!) you can try adding to it the things that people like me who carry extra weight have to limit: avocado, sunflower seeds, raisins, dried cranberries, etc. If you’re missing cheese, I think you might have mentioned in another thread that you liked FYH cheeses. Those work really great in casseroles that can be reheated and taken to work for lunch.
I just have to say, I love that people can feel comfortable posting things like this on a vegan cooking site message board asking for feedback and not get beaten up for it. What a great place this is. :) (warm fuzzies)
Your situation reminded me of this http://www.vegfamily.com/dietician-marty/mental-health.htm
The answer from a nutritionist might be helpful for you, if you still want to be vegan. :)
Wow, that was a great read, Susan.
To KarateKid: I always promote this website: www.nutritiondata.com (i think i spelled it right this time! last time i didn't and people were pulling up porn... :o). You can check out what there is in your cheese or other dairy that makes you feel better and search for vegan sources for those nutrients. Here's how I do it:
Go to "tools" on the site, and to "nutrient search". Search for your nutrient under "highest in..." *and* do a "lowest in..." for cholesterol for the same search (gets you vegan results, save for egg whites and a few others). I usually change the portion size (at the bottom) to per 100g instead of per 200 cal, because then you'll pull up some low-calorie foods that have a huge nutrient/calorie content because of the low calories (e.g., eating 10 cups of new zealand spinach to get B6, only because it has 9 cal/cup!)
I find that this is really useful in finding natural sources of weird-o nutrients (or just ones not listed on the Nutrition Facts labels) rather than taking supplements. The info's waaaaay to detailed for my brain to handle... 16:1 undifferentiated monounsaturated fats, anyone?
I think everyone has given very good responses. :)
All I have to add is that I found I had much, much more energy after going vegan. That was 16 years ago. Everyone's body is different, so it is good to listen to what is right for YOU. But, I do agree that whatever you were missing is probably available in the plant kingdom.
You may also be a Vata (do you know your ayurvedic body type?), which requires more grounding foods than, say a kapha (me, who has to eat more light foods to keep from gaining weight). Vegan Vata types need to eat seeds, nuts, avocados, etc. to avoid becoming "spacy." Kapha vegans could go weeks without these things and feel great.
Also, my instinct would be to wonder if you were getting enough to eat as a vegan.
Just salads and veggies would give anyone a headache and low energy without enough good higher calorie things to go along with them!! I am very curious what you were eating while you were vegan, and if it was enough calorie-wise. ;)
I haven't noticed a difference in energy being a vegan. But, I really do think it is up to your individual body. I don't believe this is a diet for everyone - across the board. My partner who I jokingly call a "vegan" meat eater (he eats no dairy or animal products - just organic, local meat) could not do without meat. For some reason, his body would not tolerate it. He did 6 months of a vegan diet, and was so sick, we thought his cancer was back. And it wasn't because he wasn't getting the right foods - he's big into nutrition and athletics, and knows what to eat to get everything right. We think his whole body was upset via the chemotherapy, which did a number on him. Foods he used to be able to eat, his digestive tract won't tolerate any more.
So, personally, I think your health should be most important. If you are more healthy eating dairy - go for it. Honestly, in terms of sustainability and humane treatment ... you can do this while eating dairy. Just find a local farm near you, and research their practices. More often than not, a local farm is organic and humane. I know this is what my partner did when he decided to go back to eating meat. He did his research and found a sustainable, organic farm an hour away. The animals frolick free, and are never treated in a way that hurts them. Outside of his home, he eats like I do - vegan restaurants, vegan options, etc. But, inside our home, he eats meat from the local farm.
Definitely experiment with adding more to your vegan diet first. But, if it still doesn't work - I wouldn't sacrifice your health.
=/... that probably depends on where you live. Here, the most local farms are factory farms. Welcome to California!
Plus, I'm unsure of the feasibility of milking a cow while feeding her calf. I'm not much of a farmer to know ::)
But first, be healthy. Eat the dairy if you need to. You can do the opposite of what you've been doing (staying vegan while experimenting for a day with dairy) and try being vegan for a day, while including a high-nutrient food that might do the trick.
Did you eat alot of protein when you were vegan?
Are you anemic? I thought I heard there's many reasons for anemia but I'm not sure on that one.
And there's many others reasons for having low energy. I suggest you tell your doctor that.
Plus, I'm unsure of the feasibility of milking a cow while feeding her calf. I'm not much of a farmer to know ::)
Not to go off topic, but you can actually do both. Milk while the calf eats. Like women who pump off of one breast while breastfeeding the infant on the other. :) It's what the local farmer does where my partner goes to. The calves always have access to the mom, and the farmer still gets enough milk for his family. He doesn't sell the milk, though ... that's just for his family. I mean, he's offered us some extra raw milk ... but, uh, we don't eat dairy so we've always passed. Otherwise, I don't think he's "commercially" selling the milk.
So, maybe it's different when they're actually selling dairy. Back in the "olden days" they separated the calf from the cow for the night. That way, in the morning, there was plenty of milk and during the day the calf was with the mom.
But, I have no idea how it's done now on small farms that sell dairy. I know factory farms, but am unsure about small, local ones.
Anyway, I'd definitely experiment with enriching your vegan diet first. Sometimes variety is all that it takes. But, if that doesn't work ... you don't want your health to deteriorate. Although, I must say that it's odd your body would need dairy. Human adults, beyond the age of breastfeeding, don't need any dairy - milk, cheese, or otherwise. But, we're all different, I suppose.
Warning! I'm actually posting with one of my low energy moods, so bear with me.
Thanks for responding Yabbit ;) I wanted you to answer because you are lacto ovo. Yes, you were helpful, just like everyone here that posted.
To answer my diet questions, I can't eat beans (except green beans) of any kind, except for lentils and split peas. They don't seem to bother me. I have gasritis (no joke, this is true). There's some veggies I need to avoid. BUT I got plenty of protein (tofu, fake meat, lentils, ect). I do put fake turkey in my salads usually, but the time I decided to put cheese in it, I didn't. I eat Boca everything (burgers, chicken patties, homemade chili with no beans, but plenty of Boca crumbles in it ... or straight up Boca crumbles in some kind of meal ... can't ya tell I'm a big fan of Boca LOL ... or Tofurky slices or sausage).
The problem is, I think, is the fact that I'm vegan, and I also had to further limit (like always) with less "gassy" foods. So I wasn't getting enough of something. I do want to stay vegan, but my diet is so limited as it is, I don't know what to do.
Plus my job is so physically demanding. I work in a machine shop. I weight 125 lb (at 5' 8 ), and I'm one of 2 girls out of 15 people in the machine shop. I work a lot of overtime, and it's really getting to me (ok, that part was a rant, sorry :( ). I lift a lot of weight all day (about 50 to 75 pounds). That's half my weight (yes, I got buff arms and legs LOL .... protein isn't the problem)!
I am really bad at taking any kind of pills. Even B12 pills. I hate taking that sort of thing. I can never remember to take it.
My diet isn't that bad. I get lots of protein. I eat lots of greens (spinach, lettuce, bok choy, ect). Lots of veggies (V8 juice, carrots, celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, avacodo, onion, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, cucumber .... the list goes on). I eat grains ... lots of whole wheat bread, soba noodles, ect. And nuts (peanuts, pine nuts, ect).
I just want to know what's missing? I'm stumped. I thought my diet was ok, even with gasritis.
Considering all the exercise you do, I'd try B12 and potassium (these seem to get depleted the most easily, and most people don't get a whole lot of either). I hate taking pills too (I often "forget" to take my calcium...), so I got this nifty sublingual B12 spray from veganessentials. It tastes like cherry! And since B12 is stored in your system and it has 8333% per spray, I only "take" it about once a week.
Potassium's a funny little mineral, in a wide variety of random-seeming food. Good sources include: whole soybeans (not tofu or texturized protein), cocoa powder, tea, coffee, chiles, palm hearts, tomatose, apricots, bananas, and potatoes. (in that order... interesting that bananas are the famous-for-potassium ones).
Faunablues, thanks for telling us about potassium. My GP told me to eat plenty of bananas which while I love them, is playing havoc with my wieght. I have to really watch things or I gain, gain, gain. I'm assuming your "tomatose" (hee hee) are the fresh raw ones...gotta go get some.
Faunablues, thanks for telling us about potassium. My GP told me to eat plenty of bananas which while I love them, is playing havoc with my wieght. I have to really watch things or I gain, gain, gain. I'm assuming your "tomatose" (hee hee) are the fresh raw ones...gotta go get some.
eeek... yes, tomatoes=tomatose=tomatos . according to this thing, one large raw tomato (november thru may :o) has 12% potassium. http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20le.html (btw, this thing is awesome)
I suggest you look up in a yahoo search
put in reasons for gastritis
go to number 5
www.umm.edu/altmed/article/gastritis-000067.htm It doesn't come up that way just do it the yahoo search way.
It states alot of information. It says avoid high fat foods.
I'm not a vegan - I'm replying to your "Am I missing anything?" post. Another caveat - I am not a medical professional. Recommendations are guesses at best.
Cheese is high in fat.You did mention that you eat nuts, but (while I don't know you and I am not a medical professional) you might not be eating enough to get the fat you need. I've had gastritis before, and I didn't have any issues eating fatty foods. Everyone is different, I guess. Can you eliminate the cause of your gastritis?
Also, it doesn't look like you're getting a lot of sugar (I think you've mentioned in other posts that you're hypoglycemic. You need some sugar). Try eating five servings of fruit throughout the day.
You're calorie intake might be a little low for your level of physical activity. You look like you're getting plenty of protein and fiber - both of which might make you feel too full to get the calories you need. Check out this site to find out how many calories you should be getting based on your weight and physical activity level:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Adding more fat and sugar to your diet will up your calorie intact.
I highly recommend the sublingual supplements. They're easier on the stomach. It isn't going to me easier to remember to take these than pills. It helps to start a routine - take them in the morning or at night as you are brushing your teeth. Put a little sign up by you're mirror that says - Take Vitamins! or something. You'll get into the habit of taking your supplements after a month.
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