Being Vegan

[ShadowBlue]

I did it for about a year before, then gave it a one year hiatus (undoing all the health progress achieved), and since the first of this month am devoting myself a lifetime of health with my second and final round of devotion.

I cut out the booze (after a history of dangerously heavy drinking) and tobacco, for a change at prolonging my life, and attaining the best health imaginable living with HIV.

So far, I've been taken of my blood pressure medication, and have lost ten pounds.

Being vegan; it's a journey that, at first, will test your dedication through resisting ridiculously strong temptation, and, for the long run, will continue to assist me in staying strong and focused through other areas of my life.

Any one else here vegan?

[texaninnyc87]

Mostly vegan. I eat some cage free local eggs. Been a vegetarian for 13 years. I think it's the only ethical diet choice there is and the health benefits are just an added perk! Vitamins are a must though and regulating your protein and amino intakes can be a little tedious, but it's definitely worth it in the long run.
Congrats!

[mecch]

When I was about you age I was vegetarian for a couple years then I was vegan for a year.
Honestly in retrospect I think this was an acting out of OCD tendencies and some body dysmorphia, that runs in my family. I am not OCD but just short of it, according to two shrinks I have seen at different stages of my life.
At the time I was vegan my sister was bulimic / anorexic.  I myself got rail thin and I liked that. It was something I valued.  Also working a stressful job in the city and also running. A lot - km a week. I liked the streamlined almost "purity" I felt in my youthful strength, the extreme lightness of my body. I liked the power of control I had.

I really enjoyed the not smoking, the not drinking, and only somewhat the dietary restrictions, but lets say it was an interesting experiment. Course back in the 80's it wasn't as easy as today, to find things to eat when being social - out with friends, visiting family, etc etc.  Luckily I lived near one of the best whole food coops of the time and also had some nutrition courses at University.

I wasn't HIV at the time. My GP didn't like my diet nor my thinness. Old fashioned brooklyn gal Dr.  Towards the end of that year I was diagnosed with misc fatigue issues. I went to some healers and they said I wasn't grounded anymore. I had become ethereal. My doc ordered me to stop and go get a meatball grinder and focus my powers of control on other spheres of my life.  Which I did. In retrospect it was expert advice and I moved on.

Im sure there were many ways I did the vegan thing wrong but I wasn't completely reckless about it, either. 
I think its great that you are drinking less or not at all, quit smoking, and putting whole foods in your body.

Remember that some of what vegans are doing is really about morality and politics, and not so much about any proven nutritional or health benefits.  Yes, some middle aged folks find the vegan diet a lifesaver after heart disease, cholesterol problems, diabetes perhaps, etc etc.  Cant deny that.
My contribution here, is that please take some critical distance in this "devotion" to a diet / regime.  First of all, you said its your final "devotion" but IMO its wise not to set yourself up for such "lifetime" commitments about things, so young.  Roll with it and enjoy it but don't sweat times you might break away.

Enjoy the good things about being vegan but watch that it doesn't become dysfunctionally involved with any OCD tendencies, control issues, or body dysmorphia you might have.  Always listen to what your friends and doctors say about this journey and keep an open mind to their outside perspectives.
 
Always please remember you don't need to be vegan to have a "whole foods" diet, a bio diet, or a well-balanced healthy diet...  And also that while there are benefits, there are risks and downsides.  And that you will miss out on many wonderful amazing foods and dinners, etc.!  Also you can live a long life on any healthy diet.  The number one action you took was not smoking, IMO.

[cupidsbwter]

It can be really challenging at times to think about being vegan given the requirement of vitamins and nutrients from a meat diet. Being vegetarian i'm became a meat eater and now cant think about a day without meat. Perhaps i'm eating for all that i missed in the last 8 years. But the questions would be on a strong anit-HIV medication can we sustain and be vegan or vegetarian on a long run?

[mecch]

But the questions would be on a strong anit-HIV medication can we sustain and be vegan or vegetarian on a long run?

Sure I bet it is possible.
But as you say, its a lot of work.
I personally don't think it gives any "bonus" to living healthy with HIV.
Healthy eating is healthy eating whether its vegetarian or not, its not obvious and easy to eat healthily - you have to make a point of it.

[cupidsbwter]

certainly it is helping me to to be in better control of my energy levels. It might be psychological but it is helping. but i'm of the opinion that after as certain period i will go back to being vegetarian for ethical reasons more so than other. It is quite interesting to see that i cant live without meat these days and fells much better overall.

[osric]

I became vegetarian in the early '90s. I've been vegan since 2008. Diagnosed 2011.

My doc sent me to a nutritionist when I was diagnosed and the nutritionist just told me to keep eating what I was eating.

I take my omega-3s, B-12, and vitamin D in the fall/winter.

It can be great fun if you like to cook -- there are zillions of vegan cookbooks and recipe blogs out there. I tend to eat seasonally, so I'm looking forward to lots of roasted root veggies as the cooler weather kicks in.

[Keepstrong]

hi

I'm a vegan for health reasons, have been since beginning of this year now. I didnt go vegan for ethnic reasons at all, i done my reasearch and came to, we dont need animal products to live a healthy life.

I just finished reading the 80/10/10 diet book by douglas graham. hope you can give that a read as it is great for explaining about vegan, especially about consuming fats as that is where most people go wrong, consuming to much fat.

[jessica123]

been veg for around 10 years ( since is was in high school).
thinking about becoming vegan soon ( I don't drink milk, do eat organic eggs and cheese )
i might try finding that book to check out

[DodgerDawg]

Cool, being Vegan is a political statement and has no fact whatsoever in "Health". Read all the books you want, I'm all for it.

Just Sayin.

Love BBQ, Big ass black n blue steaks, In-n-Out double, double w/ cheese and everything, pile on the Dairy Queen... Tommie's, Carne Asado Tacos, Pulled pork, Bacon...Sausage.. Root beer floats and oh yeah watermelon on a hot summer day. Did I mention corn on the cob w/ extra butter? Sea salt. Goat cheese, eggs, french toast, maple syrup... Corned beef on Rye w/ a side of cole slaw. Pastrami w/ a dill pickle; it all works, please pass the soy textured protein, yum, yum. Soy bacon cooked in butter, yum...

Extra animal please.

DD

[ShadowBlue]

First, I'd like to thank everyone for responding. I don't come here often, as this post is about two years old. A lot has changed, and like the rest of the world, I continue to live and learn. I'm going try and respond to all of your responses in this one post.

With that said, I'm still a vegan. Currently, I practice a high carb, low fat, and mostly raw approach. It's actually an easier and cheaper approach to living, opposed to those than aren't vegan. Maybe that deoends on where you live, as I have large selections of local farmer's markets.

And yes, are segments of "the movement" that can be a bit cultish. I'm more of a down to Earth type of vegan who loves the outdoors and getting plenty of fun in my exercise routine. Look up Laura Miller on Youtube. She's closer to my "cup of tea" when it comes down to my approach towards this lifestyle.

Despite popular belief that it's a sad, deprived way of life, I actually eat way better than most practicing meat and dairy consumers. Quite frankly, I have more options and variety for mouth-watering dishes that even meat eaters could appreciate. There are endless meat and dairy alternatives to satisfy my desires, if need be.

Perhaps my OCD played a role in this at first, but it came from an honest desire to achieve optimum health. I did it for selfish reasons, while adopting a love for animal rights and a concern for the wellbeing of our polluted planet, in the long run.

Also, It's a lifestyle, not a politically motivated "statement". Sure, there are more extreme clusters of people in our community that are political (and I think that's great!), but personally, I don't care to persuade those who chose to not have open dialogue about this topic. The research is there, on my side, when it comes down to the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet, as well as the health risks and serious environmental consequences posed by eating animal products.

Anyways, it's cool to see others who share these values, while "on my boat", with regards to my HIV status.