Making sure to keep your nutrition balanced is very important as a vegan. When I first went vegan, my hair started falling out. This can happen with extreme dietary changes, but I made sure to take Biotin in order to keep my hair where it belongs! As I have gone through this journey, I have found wonderful holistic pharmacies and vitamin shops with people who are happy to help me. Some holistic pharmacies even have homeopathic doctors that come in twice a week to consult with clients for free. I definitely take advantage of that opportunity whenever I feel that something is going on that I need to address with my health.
Why the holistic route? If I take something that is over-the-counter and it has any kind of animal byproduct in it, I get sick to my stomach. Many remedies that one might find at a regular drug store have pill casing made from animal products. Once my body got used to not having those products, it made me completely sick when I took a pill that had non-vegan coating. Also, the whole point of going vegan for my health was that I planned to avoid these things.
Always do your research before showing up to any holistic shop or vitamin store! For example, someone who is suffering with mild depression could go into a holistic pharmacy. The first instinct of the person selling the medication might be to give you Saint John's Wort capsules. Anyone who does their research would know that you cannot assume that something holistic does not interact with other medications! In some studies, Saint John's Wort has been shown to assist the body in breaking down estrogen so, for someone who is taking birth control, this can be more of a problem than a solution. Of course there are other options, but knowing a little bit about what you are looking for and being aware that herbal remedies can interact with each other as well as prescription medications is very important.
After making any huge dietary change, becoming aware of the nutrients you might be lacking is very important. With a little bit of research and assistance, these things can be made up for with minor adjustments. We all have to be our own advocates.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Eating at Restaurants
Going out to eat as a vegan was really intimidating at first. First of all, I am a broke-ish college student. Unless my parents want to hang out and go out to eat, I try not to go out to eat more than once a week. When I am out, I don't want to be that annoying friend at the table who asks the waiter fifty questions and then decides they don't want the dish they were asking about. Here's what I do check:
The easiest way to order out with minimal questions are the three S foods:
- Salad - Remove meat and dairy. Replace meat or dairy with avocado, if you like it. Order dressings like balsamic vinaigrette or something you know is not dairy based.
- Sandwich - Just double check that the bread is not buttered. Sometimes this isn't stated on the menu and generally happens with panini sandwiches. Replace meat or dairy with avocado if you would like a more filling sandwich.
- Soup - Double check that the broth is vegan, even if it is a vegetable soup.
Things to be careful with or avoid:
- Don't eat fried food - It is generally dipped in eggs or eggs and dairy. It is also most likely fried in the same oil that their fried meat or fish dishes were in.
- Be extra careful to make sure pasta dishes don't have cheese mixed into the sauce. It can be lightly mixed into red sauce, so you don't notice it until you have a stomach ache. Also, the things that are used to flavor sauces can be tricky. Try and stick to pasta with veggies on top. Make sure they don't butter the noodles.
- I tell waiters that I am allergic to dairy when I order a dish that originally had dairy in it. Not only am I a vegan, but I am also lactose intolerant. This helps ensure that they will be extra careful.
These are just some basic, but very important things to remember when going out to eat. They allow you to ask just one or two questions about your meal to avoid a big stomach ache.
The easiest way to order out with minimal questions are the three S foods:
- Salad - Remove meat and dairy. Replace meat or dairy with avocado, if you like it. Order dressings like balsamic vinaigrette or something you know is not dairy based.
- Sandwich - Just double check that the bread is not buttered. Sometimes this isn't stated on the menu and generally happens with panini sandwiches. Replace meat or dairy with avocado if you would like a more filling sandwich.
- Soup - Double check that the broth is vegan, even if it is a vegetable soup.
Things to be careful with or avoid:
- Don't eat fried food - It is generally dipped in eggs or eggs and dairy. It is also most likely fried in the same oil that their fried meat or fish dishes were in.
- Be extra careful to make sure pasta dishes don't have cheese mixed into the sauce. It can be lightly mixed into red sauce, so you don't notice it until you have a stomach ache. Also, the things that are used to flavor sauces can be tricky. Try and stick to pasta with veggies on top. Make sure they don't butter the noodles.
- I tell waiters that I am allergic to dairy when I order a dish that originally had dairy in it. Not only am I a vegan, but I am also lactose intolerant. This helps ensure that they will be extra careful.
These are just some basic, but very important things to remember when going out to eat. They allow you to ask just one or two questions about your meal to avoid a big stomach ache.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Quick Fix
While becoming a vegan helped with a lot of my health problems, the issues that I have with my stomach are not just going to go away forever. I do, however, have fewer difficult periods of time and they are much farther apart. I also am able to tell when they are coming on and prepare accordingly now.
Many vegans will not take medication that contains animal products. I was absolutely shocked at the lack of over the counter medication available. I choose to stick with vegan remedies because, after a while, it is easy to become ill when suddenly introducing something non-vegan. Aside from my stomach, I truly have noticed a serious decline or complete disappearance of all other health related issues.
One thing that I have come across that is very helpful for stomach aches is what I like to call Tummy Tea. When a person first goes vegan, it takes some time for the stomach to catch up. There are some animal byproducts that may take up to three weeks to leave your system! In the mean time some upset tummy situations may occur, so here's the recipe...
Tummy Tea:
1/4 cup ginger root (peeled and cut into large pieces)
10-ish peppermint leaves
1 small lemon
agave nectar to taste
Put water, ginger, peppermint, and lemon into a pot. Heat on the stove until it comes to a boil. Strain and pour the mixture into a cup with a little bit of agave nectar at the bottom. If there is any leftover, I keep it in the fridge for iced tea.
Yes, it says agave nectar in the recipe. There is a long standing debate in the vegan community over whether honey is vegan or not. I feel agave is more delicious and lacks controversy, so I use it.
Many vegans will not take medication that contains animal products. I was absolutely shocked at the lack of over the counter medication available. I choose to stick with vegan remedies because, after a while, it is easy to become ill when suddenly introducing something non-vegan. Aside from my stomach, I truly have noticed a serious decline or complete disappearance of all other health related issues.
One thing that I have come across that is very helpful for stomach aches is what I like to call Tummy Tea. When a person first goes vegan, it takes some time for the stomach to catch up. There are some animal byproducts that may take up to three weeks to leave your system! In the mean time some upset tummy situations may occur, so here's the recipe...
Tummy Tea:
1/4 cup ginger root (peeled and cut into large pieces)
10-ish peppermint leaves
1 small lemon
agave nectar to taste
Put water, ginger, peppermint, and lemon into a pot. Heat on the stove until it comes to a boil. Strain and pour the mixture into a cup with a little bit of agave nectar at the bottom. If there is any leftover, I keep it in the fridge for iced tea.
Yes, it says agave nectar in the recipe. There is a long standing debate in the vegan community over whether honey is vegan or not. I feel agave is more delicious and lacks controversy, so I use it.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Why I went vegan...
I became a vegan six months ago because I was having gastrointestinal problems that my doctor could not easily resolve. He explained that figuring out what worked best with my diet would be important because these problems are here to stay. After trying many different dietary changes, I came across a few books that suggested being a vegan. My doctor agreed that it was worth a try and, much to everyone's surprise, I picked a day to start. That morning I woke up, cleaned out my refrigerator, and went to the market. At first I ate a lot of salad, but then began to learn that there are so many options out there for vegans. I use vegan herbs and teas for different ailments that I have had, learn new recipes, and discover fun products. This blog is a new way for me refer back to my own discoveries as well as sharing them with others.
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