Veganism: Making the Transition
In response to a number of comments left on my article Going Vegan, I decided to write something like a guide for people who need help with the transition into veganism, those who are curious about the transition, or those those who need something to read. You need to remember that this guide should not be your only source for the transition. Another thing that should be kept in mind is that the way I describe the transition into veganism in this article is not for everyone. I will do my best to not put omnivores down or insult them. If anything serious happens please consult a doctor. Just as a warning, the first week and a half, depending on the individual, may be painful. When I made the overnight transition from omnivore to herbivore, 4 days in I started developing painful headaches that soon went away.
Before you make the switch to veganism from vegetarianism or eating meat, you must first figure out why you want to be a vegan. When I talk to people around my school who attempted vegetarianism or veganism, I discovered the biggest reason they failed was because they didn't have an inspiring or passionate reason to stick with it. I believe that without a motivation to be a vegan, or anything for that matter, will cause you to fail. I'm not going to say "try again, you can do it" or "keep trying" because: 1) I know you don't want to hear it; and 2) you have no drive to be a vegan. The top 4 reasons omnivores and vegetarians go vegan is for their health, for the environment for moral/animal rights, and for spirituality [1]. Not all vegans turned vegan because of just one of the four reasons stated. I'd like to highlight the sentence states "The top 4 reasons" to prevent any arguments. Like sports, and everything else in life, it is important to have a great mental attitude and a reason for motivation in order to accomplish anything.
Research about veganism is very important. Just because you have a motivation doesn't guarantee you won't fall on your butt later. There's some things that need to be researched and explored. For example, getting enough nutrients and vitamins are one of the big things that are misunderstood about veganism by both omnivores and vegetarians. Something that needs exploring is finding out where vegan products and food are available.
Family and friend support is very important too. Often parents or guardians will force their beliefs onto their children. Not that all parents so this. Something I often hear at school is that peoples' parents refuse to buy vegan things for their child if they become vegan. This can be discouraging for people who want to explore veganism. If your parent doesn't approve, maybe you should buy your own food if you have a job. If not, try to explain to your parents your reasons and beliefs for wanting to be a vegan. Since my parents for the most are understanding, I can't offer much personal advice on how to sway your parents into supporting you.
Another problem is friends. No offense to any fellow teens, but I find we are far more savage towards animals and beliefs than ever. I'm always hearing groups of boys laughing in the cafeteria about how they kicked a dog in the face or flushed a hamster down a toilet. A few people at my school even ridicule me for being a vegan. If your friends aren't the kind of people who are animal abusers or belief bashers than you have nothing to worry about. If they are, you may want to find a new group of friends. However, that is not the only solution. If your friends are talking about throwing rocks at the cats the crazy cat lady has down the street, try politely to persuade them not to. Or maybe explain how you'd appreciate it if they didn't talk about that stuff around you. If it's a case of you telling them you are now a vegan, and them now making fun of you, calmly explain why your doing it. If they continue to tease and make fun of you, simply leave the table. I understand what it feels like to be ridiculed. What people really want is to argue and make you crack. Don't give in to peer pressure. If your friends stop talking about things your not comfortable with and stop teasing you, then you have the most understanding group of friends in the world.
Another thing that I just thought of mentioning is that you have to understand yourself; do you like vegetables? Do you like some vegetables? Do you hate all vegetables? Certain vegetables? I for one don't like raw mushrooms, raw onions, or olives. How about beans? What's your opinion on them? I hate beans. I have since I was a little girl. But now that I'm a vegan I told my parents I'd be willing to try them again since my taste buds may have changed since a few years back. I suppose it all depends on what you like and how you like it. I like cooked onions but not raw onions. I'll tolerate breaded mushrooms but I hate them raw. Everyone has different tastes. It's important to realize that even though you say "I hate broccoli" because you tried them years and years ago doesn't mean you should try them again. You may like it again. If not, try cooking it and flavoring it. Carrots are okay by themselves, but glazed carrots are the best. I am in love with them. For recipes, go to goveg.com.
Everybody has their excuses for not wanting or not being able to go vegan. For example, nut allergies.There are such things as multivitamins. Pop one of those suckers every day and eat your veggies then you are good to go. However, the only allergy I can understand that doesn't allow you to go vegan are allergies to soy and beans. Soy and beans, I suppose, are a big part of veganism. Having allergies to them are disastrous for those who want to be vegan. There are probably supplements available for what you can't get, but I wouldn't want to take a dozen vitamins a day either. Taking several pills a day does more harm than good for the body. However, possibly with research into your allergy, there is a way around it.
Another thing is cravings. "Oh I need ice cream" and "I need my fat juicy steak". Ice cream and steak are the ones I'm told people can't like without. A girl in one of my classes said she'd die if she couldn't eat ice cream (sorbe and sherbert are dairy free ice creams... duh). Another girl in a different class says she loves meat because her dad makes the best meals everyday. She said without her steak she'd die too (a lot of people would die without the food they crave for apparently). I guess veganism is a way of showing how disciplined you are and how responsible you are. Sticking to something for a long time could have it's benefits. For example, would someone hire someone who has had 9 jobs in the past year (my sister'd kill me if she knew I used her as an example) or a vegan who hasn't had a job but has stuck to veganism for.. oh say a year. Not saying it happen, but I'd question why someone has had 9 jobs in a year. Commitment issues? Exactly. No one gets anywhere if they have commitment issues.
Another excuse is "won't the animals starve to death if we eat all the vegetables?" I doubt it. Yes, animals do eat fruits and vegetables, but they mainly eat plants. This question could also tie in to "animals taking over the world". I don't see how. If they over populate then there won't be enough food for them to eat and then they'll die. Then the cycle will start over again. they'll breed, eat, over populate, die. Then eat, breed, over populate, die. That is the natural cycle of things. We humans will probably over populate more than we have right now and start dying. Then those who survive will be able to replenish food, then breed more, then in another 2000 years when we over populate, we'll die.
I have come about so many excuses that it only be a waste listing them all since this is about the transition into veganism, not "the list of reasons people won't go vegan". Even though fellow vegans might disagree with me, but I believe there really are things that prevent a person from not being able to go vegan. So I agree with some of you omnivores when you say "veganism isn't for everybody", cause out of the 6 billion people in the world, there's bound to be groups of people who physically or mentally can't make the change.
So with only the memory of the last time you ate meat, you are now a vegan. There are some debates that some people tend to argue about vegans. For instance, how long do you have to be a vegan to be considered a real vegan? Honestly, the moment you cut meat and dairy products out of your life and start thinking like a vegan is when you are a real vegan. Just because your only a vegan for a couple of days doesn't mean you shouldn't be looked at as a disciplined person.
Since going vegan overnight is all I know, I can't offer much information on the transition from vegetarianism to veganism. I don't imagine it's too different. For starters, I realize not many people probably do research like I said a few paragraphs back, so I'll do a bit here. For those who don't understand fully what a vegan is, a vegan is something who doesn't eat any animal bi-products or products, wear anything that comes from an animal, or use any animal products. Simply, a vegan cuts out all animals from every aspect of their life, except of course for companion animals. No milk, no eggs no sour cream, no cheese, no butter, no pork, no beef, no chicken, no fish, no wool, no suede, no leather; no animals. If your a vegetarian and you eat fish, you're not a vegetarian. You are a pescotarian.
It may appear that I am coming off as very strict. It's important to realize though that even though a vegan tries to cut out the use of animals from their life, it is 100% impossible to be 100% vegan. Reasons can range from vegan food being made in factories that also make meat and dairy products (dairy particles get in the air and on vegan food, or maybe the machine was previously used for meat or dairy products) to those sneaky ingredients hidden by another name in food. Can you believe vegans don't eat jello that has gelatin in it? Gelatin is an animal bi-product. It's important to read the ingredients on something such as soup to make sure there are no animal products in it. Here's a link to a list of animal ingredients/products.
Nutrition is a big part in veganism. There are also just as many misconceptions about veganism. Many people believe all vegans are anorexic and are malnourished. This is not true for all vegans. Being a vegan is very healthy you. Only boneheads who don't bother doing their research or bother eating the right foods are the ones who give all us healthy outgoing vegans a very bad name. Seriously, I personally hate it when people think one vegan stands for one vegans. I very much dislike dumb vegans who don't bother taking care of themselves. Another misconception about veganism is that their is a nutrient that's only in meat, therefore humans must eat meat and dairy products in order to be healthy. It's not true. It's just that meat has the most significant amount of it (protein, b12). There is something that's only in meat, but it's not a nutrient. This thing in meat isn't even something you need. The culprit for this mess up: Dietary Cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is the absolute only thing in meat that can't be found in or made by plant products [2]. Your body already creates all the cholesterol it needs. If your body feels like it needs more cholesterol, than it simply makes more [3]. Why eat cholesterol in meat if you can already have high cholesterol level from the amount your body makes [3]?
Now that we're on the topic of nutrition, I want to talk about some nutrients that need special attention. B12, Omega-3, Calcium, Vitamin D, and Iodine are the main ones that needs lots of attention.
B12: A myth that you can only get it from animal products [4]. However there is no reliable source of B12 in plants that aren't fortified [4]. Fortunately B12 is created by something called bacterial fermentation, so it doesn't need to be obtained from animal products since it comes from soil [4]. It is important to get B12 because it protects the nervous system and helps with red blood cell division [4]. Without B12, your nervous system won't be protected, meaning a B12 deficiency may result in blindness, deafness, or dementia. Signs of a deficiency are tingling in the hands and feet, and fatigue. I highly recommend taking the time to look up fortified foods, and looking into getting a one-a-day pill at your local pharmacy. Nutritional yeast is a food that has B12 in it.
Omega-3: It's important to get Omega-3 because it prevents heart disease, depression, and eye problems [4]. Foods that contain Omega-3 are canola oil, English walnuts, black walnuts, chia seeds, soybean oil, flax seeds, flax seed oil, camelina oil, and walnut oil. I also recommend looking into supplements for this.
Calcium: Calcium is very important for your bones. It helps them stay strong. Without calcium your bones will break easily [4]. Some foods with calcium are fortified orange juice, sesame seeds, navy beans, cooked collard greens, cooked broccoli, almonds, tahini, and cooked kale. There are also calcium supplements.
Vitamin D: It is used to prevent rickets and osteomalacia [4]. Most people get their Vitamin D through sunshine. Mushrooms that have been treated with UVB rays have a high source
of Vitamin D. Fortified foods and supplements are what I recommend if you don't like the sun.
Iodine: It is important for metabolism. Seaweed contains lots of iodine. However, too much or too little iodine can cause a goiter [4]. Most vegan multivitamins contain iodine [4].
Protein: An easy nutrient to get. Not enough of it will result in loss of muscle ass and/or reduced immunity [4]. Foods with a high amount of protein are beans, peanuts, and soy products. Other vegan foods with protein are veggie dogs/ burgers, cooked chickpeas, cooked oatmeal, cooked brown and white rice, carrots, taco shells, and sunflower seeds.
Iron: You can increase your iron by simply cooking food in a cast iron pan [4]. Of course not everyone has a cast iron pan. Some other foods containing iron are pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, raisins, fortified cereals, blackstrap molasses, and cooked oatmeal.
You don't need to take one pill for each nutrient you need. There are multivitamins. I take one once a day. You also don't need to eat a specific food for each nutrient. Tofu and chickpeas are examples of foods that contain more than one significant amount of certain kinds of vitamins and nutrients. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of tofu unless it was previously marinated. I love teriyaki tofu. It tastes the best. Yum, yum.
More and more companies are making vegan products and food since the number of vegans in the world are increasing. My personal favorite brands are Tofutti and Tofurky. For a list of companies who make cruelty free and vegan products, visit shopcrueltyfree.peta2.com/index.aspx. Only companies marked with a "V" make vegan products.
It's possible to make yourself temporarily lactose intolerant. You lose your ability to digest dairy if you stop eating dairy because lactase, an enzyme in your stomach, shuts itself off, so it can't digest lactose to make more lactase [5]. If you decide to become a vegetarian again or go back to being a meat eater, it may take time to turn your lactase back on [5]. Another thing that I mentioned at the start of this guide is that it may be painful to suddenly switch from carnivore to herbivore, since your body is switching from meat eater to vegan. It is quite possible, and maybe even guaranteed, that if you do start ingesting dairy and eating meat again, you will get severe headaches. I live in Canada, so my Thanksgiving is earlier than Americans. My nana bought a butternut squash soup in a can for me for Thanksgiving. After I was done and went home, I started feeling the most terrible headaches I've ever felt. It lasted for a few days. Later my dad took me to the store for some shopping and we came across the soup isle. My dad showed me the can my nana picked out. I took a look at the back and found out not only that the soup had milk in it, but it also had butter and sour cream. I'm not saying extreme headaches will happen to everyone if they eat dairy again. I'm saying it's a possibility since some fellow vegans also say they experience the same thing when they accidentally consume something that has dairy in it. I can't even imagine how much pain that I'd go through if I went vegetarian or carnivorous again.
Since I have a parenting class this semester, I just thought of writing about vegan pregnancy. After all, I'm sure most people want to have kids when they grow up, so why not get a little insight on what a vegan pregnancy will be like. I personally have no knowledge of what it's like to be a pregnant vegan. I suppose I'll start off by going over the extra nutrition you need to produce a healthy vegan baby. A vegan diet during pregnancy is challenging [6]. Eating whole grains while pregnant is important because they have lots of vitamins and minerals as well as protein [6]. It's important to drink fortified soy milk since it provides lots of protein as well as other nutrients. While your pregnant it's important to get calcium, to get protein, to eat leafy greens, eat whole grains and carbohydrates, eat foods high in Vitamin C and Vitamin A, to ingest fats and oils, to add salt to food, to drink plenty of water, and possibly take supplements.
The recommendation for protein intake is 71 grams a day [7]. An easy way to get 25 grams of that protein is eating 2 large bagels every day, or drinking 2 1/2 cups of soy milk throughout the day [7]. Assuming most people out there who are vegans are over the age of 19 when they decide to have a baby, a recommended intake of calcium and vitamin D are 1000 milligrams and 5 micrograms [7]. Vegans who get lots of sunlight (15-20 minutes a day) probably have all the vitamin D they need for the day. 30 milligrams of iron everyday are necessary during pregnancy because your body needs more iron when your pregnant than ever before, and it's not uncommon for vegans and non-vegans to have iron deficiencies during pregnancy [7]. 2.6 micrograms of B12 should be ingested everyday [8]. The best source is nutritional yeast [8]. 400 micrograms of folate should be eaten daily, and can be found in bread, pastas, and cold cereals [7]. Iodine is found in salt, so as long as you have at least half a teaspoon of salt a day, iodine is nothing to worry about [7]. It's also important to gain lots of weight while your pregnant, so be sure to eat lots. The more weight you gain, usually the healthier your baby is [7].
So this is it. All I can say about veganism is make sure you read ingredients (I printed out the list of animal ingredients at school), make sure your products have no animal parts in it (again, ingredients), and watch your health. Remember you may experience some discomforts during the transition from meatitarian to vegan. I can't stress enough to make sure you see a doctor if anything feels wrong. Veganism should be enjoyed, not put up with. I mean, how many people can go up to someone and say "I'm a herbivore"? When I say that, I think of a dinosaur. Another fun thing about being a vegan is that if it's ever brought up in class, that's all you seem to talk about for the rest of the class. My parenting class started asking me all these vegan questions and I was really excited that people were interested in veganism. I loved educating everyone about veganism and I even found out one of the twins in my class are vegetarian.
