Why being vegan is not always a sign of being healthy

And what to do to change it

Everyone has their own stories and their own reasons. And, for me being vegan is not a fad. My path through this lifestyle started at a very early age, where the information and shops back that time was little to none and didn’t happen from day to night, it has been a process, which mostly I had to learn all by myself by listening to my body and trough books from 80’s and early 90’s that my mom would buy but never open them till date.

What happened after I stop eating meat 

When I stopped eating meat, more than 2 decades ago, I had my first concerns about this change because my body was reacting in good ways and in other less pleasant ways…and was not because of the meat itself, because stopping eating meat made me a more very calm teen. But it was the other poor choices and more consuming of them because of lack of choices, made eat more bread, more pastries and more dairy. Which lead me to gain weight.

All this things I still see people passing through the same process this days.  But in an era of so much information at our fingertips, so much share of experiences, and some many new healthy business and options in normal places, I think I should share mine too, and make you privileged to don’t have to have the same unpleasant experiences I once had.

What happened after I stop eating meat 

Not having healthier substitutes at school or yummy snacks to pack apart from fruit, lead me to poor choices, every time I had to eat out, like pastries and dairy, and soon I gained weight…so at home I stopped eating cheese, so I could eat cheese outside, so the trick was balancing what I was eating at home so I could eat ‘whatever’ was available outside. And I see this partner happening these days, people go vegan or vegetarian but end up eating pastries and lots of bread, making poor choices.

Having cut with meat,  my mind was calmer and in peace, leading me to more calm and zen hobbies choices.

Even struggling I didn’t go back. I was vegetarian, and know and then would eat some fish or seafood, due to lack of options. I tough that having this diet and practicing sports would lead me to stronger health. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. And every time I would get sick I would wonder why.

I didn’t accept the fact of getting sick, either was the flu or anything else in the body that was just not normal. I didn’t like the fact to go to the doc and coming back with boxes of remedies and don’t have an explanation of how to avoid to happen in the future.

So…I started to listen to my gut feelings. Every time my body would complain or suffer from something, I made a decision of changing some habits of food in my life. I saw results, I saw my body to become stronger. And was because I saw these results on my own body that took me to explore alternative medicines, so I could keep changing my life for the better.

And one day I step in into Ayurveda…and that’s when I saw bigger and bigger changes, my world become more illuminate and so many things made sense to me. Although Ayurveda is not based on a vegan diet, it helps us to understand better how our bodies work and how we are so different. Because what it works for me, it might not work for you, because we are all unique inside out.

How to become vegan without compromising your health. 

I feel blessed for being illuminated during my path, this doesn’t mean that I didn’t need help during it. So, I advise you, if you want to reach better health and become vegetarian or vegan, stay away from white sugar, agave, refined flours, and processed food. And don’t be afraid to ask for professional help.

How to become vegan without compromising your health. 

Well, there are not perfect ways, and I think we should not stress ourselves in case we don’t find the perfect foods, special when we are traveling. But is also important to not jeopardize our choices and make the best we can for us anytime is possible. I always say: if you are eating a salad and not enjoying because you much rather prefer to eat that burger. Eat that burger! Because you will not be happy and satisfied with what you are eating. Or you can change your mindset and tell your brain that this is the most delicious and healthy food you ever had in your life. It’s tasty, nutrition and will bring amazing benefits to your body. And I am a believer that feeding our bodies and souls with foods that we truly enjoy makes us much better persons.  Of course everything balanced, I’m not saying for you to eat burgers all the time, but find plant-based foods that really satisfy your taste buds.

When choosing plant-based foods Pay attention too:

• labeled vegan food, either packaged or restaurants contain a huge amount of ingredients that are harmful to our bodies, full of additives, fattening, they might consist of too much sugar, and contribute to chronic diseases.
• Choosing to consume foods classed as ‘vegan’ can be just as damaging as consuming regular junk food
• ‘Oreo’ biscuit is considered vegan, but have a look at the ingredients, they are not that healthy

• read nutrition labels and pay attention to ingredients. If you don’t know what that ingredient is, just leave it on the shelf

• junk food vegan exists, a vegan who regularly consumes highly processed foods will likely have vitamin deficiencies

Choose:

• good quality foods, in its most pure form, no GMO, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains.
• foods that are grown organically, and are as fresh as possible, rather than only relying on packaged food that’s been certified as vegan-friendly.
• fresh nut milk, leafy greens, and superfoods in order to stay healthy.
• Vegetables rich in calcium like kale and broccoli are vital to protect our bones