Vegan Diet Advice wanted

[SadeyedLady333]

Hello, I am desperate to lose weight as I am feeling quite unhealthy but I am vegan and have recently been eating a lot of vegan snacks and drinking coke when out and about to avoid my blood sugar level dropping. When this happens it is very scary, uncomfortable and embarrassing. Can anyone suggest an easy to follow diet free of all animal products that I can stick to when not at home. I take flaxseed oil capsules, vitamin, Vitamin B12 and vegan multi vitamins. Would appreciate advice as soon as possible. Thanking you in advance.

[Pigivi]

As Michael Pollan says, eat real food, in moderation, mainly plants.. Try to eliminate all processed ready made food, this includes 'healthy' snacks- try make your own snacks, without sugar or artificial sweeteners. Oatcakes with hummus, a trail mix, look for energy bar recipes, and pick one with no sweeteners , dates are brill for unexpected sugar lows, but try to avoid them to happen in the first place . Have a good breakfast, like porridge with fresh fruit and nuts and seeds, or unsweetened muesli, or my favourite breakfastf, stir fried rice and vegs, with cashew nuts. Fresh fruit to carry with you on the go, but again do not overdo it. The main thing , is to avoid anything that comes in a packet , and really stay away from coke.... Always bring a bottle of water with you, wherever you go .

Search online for low GI foods, and replace your snacks with those, it's the best way to keep blood sugar levels even.

Oh, and if you are caught with no nibbles in your bag, read the label!

[SadeyedLady333 in reply to Pigivi]

Thank you so much!!!

[nhs2015]

Can't advise you there as I don't know much about Vegan.

I am just surprised you can be overweight as I know of two vegans (a male and a female) which are both very very skinny and grey (since becoming Vegan) and one of them, to her surprise, has been diagnosed with cancer. Not having much knowledge on this, I have been thinking that perhaps a Vegan diet stops some people getting the correct nutrients?

[Pigivi in reply to nhs2015]

It is more complicated to balance the nutrients on a vegan diet, but it is completely feasible and safe if one takes the time to read, study, and get proper information.

It is also possible to get fat on a vegan diet - again is down to eating real food, and many processed foods are vegan. On top of that one way to get the full protein intake from things like beans is to eat them with grains (look at traditional Italian peasant food and you'll find things like pasta and chickpeas, rice and peas and so on) - and that makes for high calories food. Not to talk about the incredibly yummy cakes one can bake with no eggs, milk and butter!

In a way being vegan is more labour intensive if one stays away from processed food - but one can have a perfectly balanced diet (I am using the word diet in its widest meaning, as what one eats daily, not a slimming regime)- the only real risk is probably deficiency of B12 - which is also quite difficult to absorb orally

[nhs2015 in reply to Pigivi]

Thanks for this Pigivi, knowledge is power isn't it

[GoogleMe]

Have you had a look at the Vegan Society and Viva! resources?

How much are you above a healthy BMI? When you say your blood sugar level drops, do you know that's what is happening or do you mean you feel unwell and wobbly and you take that to mean your blood sugar is low? (I go dangerously wobbly if I have cereal (processed or unprocessed) and milk... any kind of milk, animal or plant... porridge is fine though... and it is OK to have cereal if I have something else to eat as well... which is obviously not a sustainable strategy so I just don't have it)

A good breakfast is likely to be helpful. Most vegans I know do carry emergency supplies of some sort with them because of not being able to rely on getting a meal... the trouble is that when you've got it it is very easy to convince yourself you need that snack even if you are not in a 'nothing to eat for my lunch' situation.

[Pigivi in reply to GoogleMe]

Interesting how our bodies can be different and there is not one solution that fits all. ... If I have porridge made with oatflakes I start shaking and sweating an hour later, unless I have it with loads of fruit and nuts, wether with or without milk - But if I have a porridge made with plain whole oat groats or pinhead oatmeal I'm fine... Have often wondered if the flaking process changes the way the carbs in the oats are processed by my body

[nhs2015 in reply to Pigivi]

The good thing is that most of us are aware of how our body works and how things work for us.