Transitioning to Veganism/Vegetarianism

Keesha said:
I don’t know them all but here are some medicines made from animal products.


Pig derived products-dessicated thyroid , heparin , pancreatic enzymes
Horse - Premarin
Animal cartilage- gelatin capsules ( many drugs made from gelatin including acetaminophen , gummy vitamins , chondroitin
Animal bones - calcium
Animal blood - heme iron - Proferrin
Shellfish - glucosamine , oyster shells
Fish - omega 3 fatty acids
Sheep - ( sebaceous gland extract - lanolin ) vitamin D3

Vaccine preparations ( grown in eggs )
Flu vaccine
Measles, Mumps, Rebella Vaccine
Rabies vaccine
Yellow fever vaccine
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Same info I got off line.
 
Questions I have for any other vegetarians.

1/. A). When you first started changing your diet and introducing a lot more vegetables, grains, and beans etc., did you have a lot more bloating? B). Do you take digestive enzymes and do they work for you?

My first few days I was actually very bloated so I looked this up and found it’s very common when starting a new diet, especially a vegan or vegetarian one and they suggested digestive enzymes.

Note: I’d forgotten all about digestive enzymes so got some today. These are the ones I got. They are made by Garden of Life.
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2/. When you transitioned to a vegan diet, did you find all your senses became more acute?

I know it’s only been 4 days but I’m already discovering that my tastebuds have livened up and my sense of smell much better. In fact my chronic sinus infection is clearing up on its own.

3/. This is a very personal question and I completely understand if you don’t want to answer it but when you transitioned did you find your internal hygiene better?

4/. Is there a ‘detox’ effect from starting a vegan diet and if there is, how long does it generally last? Will the digestive enzymes & probiotics help with this?

Note: I do understand there may be too many variables to answer this fairly.
 
I can't answer in the state of being vegan but I had lots of bloating when I ate more fruits and vegetables. Like really bad. Are the enzymes supposed to help with that?

Another issue I experienced was diarrhea. I was reading that these issues are supposed to only be for a short while as your body adjusts.
 
MarciKS said:
I can't answer in the state of being vegan but I had lots of bloating when I ate more fruits and vegetables. Like really bad. Are the enzymes supposed to help with that?

Another issue I experienced was diarrhea. I was reading that these issues are supposed to only be for a short while as your body adjusts.
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Oh goodness. One of my first few days I looked about 7 months pregnant and must admit it was discouraging and it’s probably one of the things thats stopped me in the past from continuing. The gas from eating too many fruits and vegetables.

This was something I looked up yesterday and yes it’s normal and yes digestive enzymes apparently help a lot. I’d forgotten all about them so purchased some today. I did get a bit of diarrhea one day but it cleared up quickly and haven’t any issues in that department which I’m thankful for; just really gassy for a bit . Oddly enough it wasn’t the day I ate lots of beans but the day I had the most vegetables.
 
The reason I ask about the enzymes is because I had a hysterectomy and the gas gets so bad and so painful that sometimes it affects my mobility.
 
MarciKS said:
The reason I ask about the enzymes is because I had a hysterectomy and the gas gets so bad and so painful that sometimes it affects my mobility.
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I can’t guarantee they will work for you but I’m fairly certain they will help. Before purchasing these I did a thorough research and was really surprised at the reviews. People with multiple food allergies said taking these allowed them to tolerate these foods whenever they purposely or accidentally ate them. It also said that older people don’t digest their food as well as when they were younger . Others mentioned it helping with all categories of food including gaseous foods like beans, fruits and vegetables . Most have specific enzymes for digesting specific things like lactase for digesting lactose.
Let’s see what treeguy & Starsong say
 
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treeguy64 said:
In reading the latest posts, in this thread, I have to say that the hair splitting on animal ingredients in this or that, is precisely what I referenced in my original post, here: If I had to plan every move I made in my life to make sure I wasn't in violation of some "Vegan Manifesto," I strongly doubt that I would have been as successful as I've been over these past, many decades, in my dietary choices.

Yes, glycerine comes from animals, as does leather. Ditto, some medicine ingredients. I don't worry about that. Rather, I eat no animal products, about 99.9% of the time. Occasionally, at a party, I will have a slice of cake that contains eggs. I don't care.

I view my dietary choices as better for me, better for other species, better for the planet. That's it, that's all I need. I'm happy.
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I completely agree with what you wrote. Like you, I couldn't have done this if I was going to split every hair (hair being animal-based), or hyper-examine every food, home product, medication, etc., that comes my way. A set up for failure.

I especially like the way you phrased the sentence that I put in bold font. Beautifully said.

p.s. My son and DIL, who are quite strict vegans (based on their love for animals), found a way to manage their consciences and balance the scales for an occasional piece of cake or slice of pizza. They make a monthly donation to a farm animal rescue organization as compensation for their (truly rare) breaches.

They were married last year and used a catering company that provided all vegan foods. Many guests were surprised to learn how delicious and satisfying vegan foods can be.
 
K, when I became a vegan, I had already been vegetarian for over ten years. I noticed no dramatic changes, except I didn't sweat constipation issues from eating dairy, anymore. That was great!

Gas is a fact of life with the vegan lifestyle. I make no excuses for my flatulence, and, yeah, they truly don't stink! Actually, nobody knows the deed has been done unless I feel like standing up and blasting forth! Hard to believe that, as a kid, I was called, "The Fartless Wonder!" I'm sure that had a lot to do with my near-constant lower GI distress when I was a young guy.

I take an amazing probiotic. I know its creator, and she's the real deal. It definitely helped me end my appendicitis attacks without surgery.
 
@Keesha and @MarciKS, I've never used digestive hormones. (Edited to say - I've never used digestive enzymes nor probiotics, which is what I meant.)

My body was a little gassy (emphasize little) when I first moved to WFPB, but not exceptionally so. No bloating or discomfort.
Dairy foods gave me way more digestive issues than whatever I experienced when transitioning to beans, extra veggies, and the additional fiber from leaving meat and dairy behind.

I don't generate any more gas than omnivores, but I definitely poop more often because of the fiber. Not a bad thing.

One thing that we haven't discussed here - but won't be true for @Keesha because her husband is a meat eater - is that vegan/WFPB kitchens stay much cleaner and germ-free. Most dangerous food pathogens come from meat, not veggies. I don't have to worry about sanitizing cutting boards and various surfaces during and after meal prep. I wash them down and am done with it.

Ditto with foods being out for a long time. If salad, grilled veggies, beans, hummus, salsa, nuts, and grains are out for a few hours they might wilt or warm up a bit, but they won't make you sick.

I've never tried probiotics, digestive enzymes or any other digestive assists, nor needed to. But every body is different.
 
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StarSong said:
I've never tried probiotics, digestive enzymes or any other digestive assists, nor needed to. But every body is different.
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Enzymes and hormones aren’t the same thing. They are completely different with different purposes.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_enzyme

And I’m actually very surprised you take neither probiotics or enzymes especially since you have IBS. Wouldn’t the symptoms of such a disorder cause a need for such things?

Oddly enough just recently, while doing this research , found there were a few items I’ve gotten to help my digestive issues and every item mentioned that they helped IBS. Whenever I go to purchase anything I faithfully read many reviews first and there were so many positive reviews about both digestive enzymes and probiotics.

Thanks for answering my personal questions but MOST of all thank you for suggesting this diet when we had our discussion last year. It’s taken me a while to get there but I’m there now. ❤😎
 
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treeguy64 said:
K, when I became a vegan, I had already been vegetarian for over ten years. I noticed no dramatic changes, except I didn't sweat constipation issues from eating dairy, anymore. That was great!

Gas is a fact of life with the vegan lifestyle. I make no excuses for my flatulence, and, yeah, they truly don't stink! Actually, nobody knows the deed has been done unless I feel like standing up and blasting forth! Hard to believe that, as a kid, I was called, "The Fartless Wonder!" I'm sure that had a lot to do with my near-constant lower GI distress when I was a young guy.

I take an amazing probiotic. I know its creator, and she's the real deal. It definitely helped me end my appendicitis attacks without surgery.
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This ^^^^^ is what I was getting at but wasn’t quite sure how to approach the topic tactfully.
Besides increased energy , a livening of my senses is what I’ve noticed most & a cleaner feeling from the inside out. Even my teeth and mouth in general feel cleaner so I’m hoping my breath is fresher. Overall my entire body feels cleaner and THAT in itself is worth the change in diet. It’s changing how I feel about myself from the inside out and I don’t think I could be happier about it.

Thanks for answering my personal questions👍
 
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I know hormones and enzymes are different. I'm sorry to have misspoken above and edited the post to reflect that.

I've never been steered toward probiotics or enzymes by my doctor even when I had a rather dramatic episode right in front of her, nor do people in my circle happen to use them. Or if they do, they haven't mentioned it.

Digestive additives may indeed be helpful for IBS, they've just never blipped up on my personal radar.

I've learned to live with and manage my IBS, which is much reduced since I stopped eating meat and dairy.
 
StarSong said:
I know hormones and enzymes are different. I'm sorry to have misspoken above and edited the post to reflect that.

I've never been steered toward probiotics or enzymes by my doctor even when I had a rather dramatic episode right in front of her, nor do people in my circle happen to use them. Or if they do, they haven't mentioned it.

Digestive additives may indeed be helpful for IBS, they've just never blipped up on my personal radar.

I've learned to live with and manage my IBS, which is much reduced since I stopped eating meat and dairy.
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Please try a probiotic. I believe it might help your IBS the way it did away with my acute appendicitis attacks.
 
Aneeda72 said:
All that fresh vegan food is expensive. She wouldn’t eat honey cause it can have bee parts in it.
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You should actually be saving money by eating plant based. I don’t buy any of the expensive commercial vegan foods, but what I do buy is a lot of fresh produce (fruits and veggies) plus I get grains, legumes, and greens, none of which are nearly as expensive as meat is.
I hate cooking with a passion, and my meals are all pretty basic and easy to make; so I probably won’t have special recipes to share .

A meal for me is usually as simple as a salad with lots of romaine, tomatoes, green onions, frozen peas, red beans, and some cheese, ACV and olive oil dressing with herbs/spices.
Sometimes just a slice of Dave’s Killer Bread with avocado on it is fine for an easy meal.
I make my own veggie-patties, and freeze them, so I can have one anytime I feel like having a veggie burger.

I don’t like the commercial almond milk, but I do like it when I make my own almond milk, it is richer, has more almonds in it, and no preservatives of any kind.
 
Has anyone else tried making kimchi for a probiotic ? I make kimchi and sauerkraut, both of which have natural digestive enzymes, and will help give your gut the proper ones needed to function properly.
You do not have to eat very much of them, just even a couple of spoonfuls is supposed to give you all of what you need.


One really easy to understand book explaining kimchi and probiotics is called “The Kimchi Diet” , by Suzanne Bennett.
This is a screenshot of one page explaining about the importance of probiotics and our gut biome.

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StarSong said:
I'll look into them, thanks. :) Any suggestions or recommendations?
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YES !
Garden of Life RAW primal defence ULTRA

it’s dairy free and vegetarian but not completely vegan but they possibly could have a vegan one.

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And if you do decide to add an enzyme this one IS dairy free and soy free. It’s chewable and they take



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These are quality items. A but pricey but worth it
 
Happyflowerlady said:
Has anyone else tried making kimchi for a probiotic ? I make kimchi and sauerkraut, both of which have natural digestive enzymes, and will help give your gut the proper ones needed to function properly.
You do not have to eat very much of them, just even a couple of spoonfuls is supposed to give you all of what you need.


One really easy to understand book explaining kimchi and probiotics is called “The Kimchi Diet” , by Suzanne Bennett.
This is a screenshot of one page explaining about the importance of probiotics and our gut biome.

View attachment 106866
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I used to make kombucha but lost the mother and I’ve read about the sauerkraut and find it fascinating only haven’t done it yet. None I’m into trying.
Thanks for posting this.
 
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