Has becoming a vegan improved your health?

[littlepeas]

I am already a pescetarian and have been thinking for some time about becoming a vegan. I really dislike meat and cows milk, so already use almond milk for coffee and so on. I rarely eat eggs anyway and could give up fish easily enough, as I only really have it to give us more options for dinners at home (non veggie dh and dc) and am less emotional about it than meat. I like cheese a lot, so there is my challenge!

I'd really like to hear positive health improvement stories! I am not in the best health, I want to feel better.

[Roundandroundtheapartment]

Marking place
But I do have a friend who's gone vegan and her skin is absolutely glowing!

[chipscheeseandgravy]

Vegan free cheese does exist. 👍

[CatsOclock]

I'm almost vegan now (still have the odd egg and honey). I've been juicing recently too and can really feel the difference. I think, the more pure food you have, the better.

[Imnotababycow]

Yes, it has made a huge difference. More energy, better skin, better night sleep. Some of the vegan cheese out there is awful but some is pretty good - would recommend avoiding it altogether for a few months after stopping eating cow cheese before trying it as the taste isn't quite there. Tesco's own stuff melts very nicely though so really hits the spot if you were after a toastie/pizza.

[Vegangelist]

If you have Netflix, watch What The Health.
www.whatthehealthfilm.com/
Welcome to veganism.

[ppeatfruit]

There are foods I don't eat for my health which lot of vegans eat e.g. coconut, chickpeas, aubergines. Just being a vegan doesn't necessarily make you healthier.

It does if you're terrible with dairy. I've always had an intolerance to it; lots of tonsillitis, bad colds, allergic reactions etc. They all cleared up when I stopped dairy.

[Laura2018]

I think you can be very healthy eating vegan but my friend is vegan and all he eats is chips and fizzy pop and is really obese! Everything in modetation etc.... don't forget that oily fish and eggs are very very healthy!

[ownedbySWD]

Kicking my cheese habit gave me a lot more energy.

[ppeatfruit]

Not eating meat gives me energy. I do occasionally have some properly raised salmon.

[Slimthistime]

Ppeat, why don't you eat aubergine?

[SuffolkBumkin]

Definitely. I have lost 3 stone. Skin is probably the same,but I only switched from vegetarian to vegan, so not a huge change in diet.

[Blackbutler86]

Yes, honestly becoming vegan changed my life. I was vegetarian before but suffered terrible acne and one day after googling acne cures (having tried numerous things like acne products, chemical peels, facials etc) I read that dairy can be a cause for some. The next day I gave up dairy and within a week my skin cleared up for the first time in ten years. I also had mild ezcema that went away and so did my asthma of 24 years.

It's been nearly 3 years since I went vegan and I would never go back. I will say I have never found a vegan cheese that's quite like dairy but I've found so many other things to eat I really don't miss it. If you do decide to go vegan make sure you eat a balanced diet and get enough iron, protein etc. I had times in the early days where I didn't and had no energy but now I know what I'm doing I feel great.

[ppeatfruit]

I don't eat the deadly nightshade group of veg. aubergine is one. I follow my Blood Type and it's too acid forming for me. Ok for others though!

I used to get eczema and rosacea, when I stopped eating the DNS veg. my skin cleared up totally.

[littlepeas]

Thanks everyone. I have seen What's the Health and Forks over Knives, but was really interested to hear from real people. We did 2 straight weeks after I posted this, then went back to fish/veggie for 2 weeks because we're on holiday (and it's impossible - would love some advice on eating vegan abroad). Interestingly I think it's cemented for me that I want to make a serious effort once we get back - dh too.

[ppeatfruit]

littlepeas I know what you mean about eating abroad. It's ok in some European cities (I had a lovely vegan, Russian, meal In a restaurant in Berlin 3 weeks ago). They're just catching onto veggies in the countryside but vegan and GF is difficult !!

My dm had a small plate of very under done baby veg. as a main course in our fave restaurant with a Michelin star near Poitiers (we had rung them to say she didn't eat meat or fish) So they had notice and are usually imaginative just not with vegans!!!!

[dangermouseisace]

I found giving up dairy made a massive difference when I went from veggie to vegan. I stopped getting really horrendous colds (e.g. can't breathe when lying down) and hayfever also got a lot better. Running became easier due to not having to cough/wheeze at the start. I didn't get eczema so badly either. I also started to eat a lot more healthily as I couldn't rely on convenience foods (this was 20 years ago).

Going abroad is easier if you do your research first e.g. find any veggie/vegan restaurants. Find out which local dishes are likely to be vegan or can be easily veganised. Learn how to say 'no meat, fish or dairy' in the language of the place you are going to. If you're in a city often chinese/japanese/indian etc have good vegan options- sometimes you need to order a variety of side dishes.

[littlepeas]

I think my skin may be looking better!! I've had horrible spotty patches (possibly undiagnosed rosacea- too lazy to go to GP over skin problems as I have been there for too many other things recently) for ages, but they are almost gone! I have a chronic condition - joint hypermobility syndrome - which can make me very tired at times and I have all sorts of aches and pains in my joints. I am hoping beyond hope that a plant based diet helps with this - time will tell, keep thinking about the arthritis lady in what the health and hoping. I am definitely happier on a plant based diet - it feels very right to me to eat this way! I guiltily ate some fish and pizza while we were away, but actually feel relieved to be back and able to cut it all back out again - will be more prepared for the next time we are on holiday!! Dh is keeping fish but is otherwise doing it too - 2 out of 3 dc want meat (other is strongly inclined to be veggie, even before this change) but they can have it at school and when we eat out. I am yet to find any nice pretend cheese, but never mind, I'm still happy! Thank you everyone for your advice.

[AddictedtoAIBU]

I love this thread! So glad you decided to give vegan a go OP!
I was veggie for years, husband a massive meat eater and dd13 very fussy (beige only food type of thing) We went vegan a few months ago and haven't looked back. The meat eating husband is the biggest fan (probably as noticed the most change)
The biggest difference I have noticed is me and daughter don't clash so much. My PMT have gone and her hormones seem more stable. I think that as big dairy fans before we were consuming a lot of the mother cow's hormones maybe?! Only thing I can think of!
Our diet is a lot more balanced, we think about what we eat and the effect it has more. I would recommend it to anyone.
I am hearing of more and more people going vegan every day :) the animals will be grateful I'm sure!

[ppeatfruit]

Yes Addicted Most people forget that cows' milk is plugged full of oestrogen of course! They go on about soy being full of hormones though!

If you tell your dh that tofu (I only eat organic or Alpro soya though) is full of protein , more than steak!

littlepeas I follow the Hay way of eating which stops my aches and pains.It's eating fruit on an empty stomach and not eating high protein with carbs. Beans are alright.