MaximumNEET wrote:
I got turned onto the vegan diet by my good friend 2 months ago shortly after cutting out all those dirty dairy products from my diet. I can attest to the following symptoms in this short timespan:
- Increased energy and motivation.
- Increased resistance to illnesses and allergies
- Acne that has troubled me for 7 years starts disappearing.
- Lower heart rate and better circulation (I could not stand cold weather until now where I can wander about in a pull-over and t-shirt at -6 degrees).
- Improved strength (deadlift and press have gone up 10kg after stalling for nearly a year). What's all this nonsense about animal protein and eating 1 gram per lb of lean body mass a day?
- Clear conscience from not financing animal cruelty on a mass scale (which is one of the main motivations from doing this
).
Oh yeah, and I also dropped 10lbs of fat.
If anyone is curious about going vegan/vegetarian, I would highly recommend it - if only for a few weeks. However, it probably won't work out if you eat crap like seitan, tofu, 'quorn' and all this other rubbish. Stick to your green vegetables and eat TONS of fruit, herbs and nuts. You'll reap the benefits instantly.
Generally, I agree. However, generalities are rarely true across the board. I started the transition almost a year ago (simply because I can't digest animal proteins!) and am still awaiting most of the above results - probably due to some undiagnosed medical condition. I've lost 20 pounds in the last year, almost half of that in the last two months (yet my bloodwork is normal - explain that one), leaving me at a feeble 118 pounds. I eat almost non-stop, yet my hunger is insatiable, and I will be freezing in the same room my sister is sweating in....
I love being vegan (and gluten-free, soy-free), especially since it helps me psychologically as well, but I hate being sick. Two or three of my favorite vegan chefs have stepped back into the omnivorous world battling other health issues as well. Veganism is not for everyone, but it is perfect for many, and all would benefit from eating more veggies (quantity and percentage-wise).
*If anyone has ideas on a possible diagnosis or cure, please send me a PM. I'm open to just about anything at this point.