Don’t fall for the same mistakes I did when I started my vegan diet.
Because of missing nutritional elements, I couldn’t quickly adapt to a more conscious, vegan lifestyle. Strangely, my wife started her diet at the same time, yet she did far better than me.
Fast forward 3.5 years later… and I’m now thriving on a vegan diet. I feel filled with energy and more motivated than ever. Frankly, my blood tests are beautiful to look at. And trust me, I was a bit hesitant in the beginning, but it all came to pass.
Coming from a traditional family, I had skeptics reminding me that without meat, it wouldn’t be possible to have the energy to push through life. I was also frequently reminded of my slenderness (despite the healthy weight), along with the occasional “vegan food has no taste” remark.
Sometimes it feels like an uphill battle, but it’s important to remember what’s at stake. Animals die left and right; global warming gets worse each day, and heart disease remains the 1# cause of global death. We can change that.
Let me provide you with a few snippets of my experience, as it’ll help you save time and avoid a few headaches.
10 Vital Tips For Brand-New Vegans
#1 – Never Stop Researching
Take this #1 advice to heart. New studies are often released, and while the benefits to a vegan diet are numerous, limitations also exist, and they may weigh on you over time.
If you never stop researching, you can always be up to date with the latest and most credible information. Based on my experience, we can’t rely on just one source of information.
Here’s one example to illustrate what I mean.
Potential Misconception #1
Back in 1990, the vegan community implied osteoporosis was a disease of calcium loss from the bones rather than a lack of calcium in the diet. This concept was tied to two points.
a) Research suggesting the incidence of hip fractures transpired in countries with a higher dairy product consumption, and
b) A study showing that animal protein led to calcium loss through urine.
Both notions were misleading. Firstly, the hip fracture incidence in the study was indicative of the risk of falling — not osteoporosis. And secondly, the calcium loss from the bones was attributed to isolated protein, whereas if you ate protein from whole foods it wouldn’t lead to calcium imbalance.
Plus— according to various studies, bone mineral density appears to be lower in vegans, than non-vegans. (Note: Bone mineral density is a measure used to detect osteoporosis.)
Lastly, two Oxford studies found that vegans consuming more than 525 mg of calcium per day have the same fracture rates as meat-eaters and ovo-lacto-vegetarians. Why is this important? Because it emphasizes the importance of a nutrient-rich diet!
*Credit to veganhealth.org for the information.
Misconceptions like the one above are dangerous for your health. Whenever you find new information, you should verify the credibility of the source. Yes, you’ll make a wrong guess now and then, but that’s why you should never stop researching.
Here’s another quick example.
Potential Misconception #2
At some point during my last three years, I felt increasingly lightheaded and tired. Which was surprising because I usually take extra precautions and plan out my meals to incorporate nutrient-rich ingredients.
While I don’t know why I felt those symptoms, I came across something that may have positively impacted my health.
The vitamin b12 recommended dietary allowance for adults is 2.4 mcg. A number that number emerged from a study with 7 people back in 1958. (That is quite old, and the sample of people is small.)
However, a more recent study suggests the new recommended dietary allowance should be between 4 and 7 mcg.
Needless to say, I increased my b12 intake and the balance was restored. Was it a placebo effect? I don’t know. What I know is that I bought a new vitamin b12 supplement, and this time one with a higher dosage.