Milestones

[Stravinsk]

October 2017 is when I went Vegan, it is now October 2022.

Marking the 5th year as a vegan.

In answer to @Lucian Hodoboc 's question in another thread - no - I am not a raw vegan. This would be way too extreme for me, as I enjoy all kinds of cooked food, including wholegrain bread, potatoes, beans etc.

 

[Lucian]

Whoohoo! 5 whole years! Congrats! So what do you eat?

 

[Stravinsk]

Whoohoo! 5 whole years! Congrats! So what do you eat?

Thanks

It varies though my staples are often potatoes, high fiber wholegrain breads, legumes, nuts and seeds (in particular almond, pepita, flax, peanut, sunflower), corn, rice, and a wide variety of vegetables (cooked and raw) and the use of various sauces (mustard, ketchup, vegan mayo, vegan garlic aioli, soy sauce etc ). In addition I enjoy vegan pizza on occasion (I usually make it myself), vegan Ice Cream (there are some wonderful tasty commercial varieties around now), falafels, bean dips and in moderation, some junky chips and snacks.

Besides avoiding all animal products, I also avoid the highly processed, usually high protein faux meat products. Some of them can be quite tasty (for example, I once had some vegan "chickin" nuggets that were indistinguishable from the real thing...but I had to finish the whole box to even begin to feel satisfied. Not good.) I also don't bother with the fungus-protein stuff.

New and aspiring Vegan needs to remember 2 very basic guidelines to keep it up and they are:

1) You want to cultivate and keep a gut microbiota that thrives on processing starches, and as important - fiber. These bacteria are at odds with the bacteria that processes animal protein, so don't cheat, and if you're hungry after eating then more eating, this is very likely because there are too many stripped starches (white rice, low fiber bread etc) in your diet and not nearly enough fiber rich, nutrient rich foodstuffs.

2) Calories. Cabbage is great but don't expect to live on it. Keep your calories in line with your activity/exercise level. This doesn't need to be measured. If you are hungry, eat.

 

[Lucian]

Do you follow the advice of any vegan internet celebrities (YouTubers, nutrition experts, authors etc.)? Have you purchased any books or other materials on veganism?

 

[Stravinsk]

Do you follow the advice of any vegan internet celebrities (YouTubers, nutrition experts, authors etc.)? Have you purchased any books or other materials on veganism?

I purchased a book on vegan recipes when I was vegan curious, but before I went vegan.

As for advice, I have picked up some from various internet sources but have no gurus, so to speak. Some I will listen to more than others especially if they have a good history of past research. Nutritionfacts.org is one, but again only because he usually does good research, not that I agree with everything.

Most Vegan teachers (in print media and internet) advise to take B12, and some advise other supplements (sometimes which they are selling!), and I think this is the biggest rub for me. If I thought the Vegan diet was deficient and needed "help" to sustain a person it would cause me to doubt it on some level. For instance, Veganism may seem "new" but it actually has a very long history going back to even biblical times. In fact, it's the diet commanded in the garden of Eden, and is God supplying B12 pills with their meals? Eh - no.

To that end I got a tip on B12 in particular and Chlorine (common in tap water). Chlorine seriously messes with B12 production and absorption, according to several research papers I've read. Our digestive systems may be dissimilar to other vegan animals, but they are more similar to many of them than carnivorous animals. No vegan animal I know of needs a B12 pill, and no vegan animal drinks chlorinated water in the wild. So...

I regularly de-chlorinate my drinking water. This is easily done by setting it out in the sun for a day. I do not take B12 supps on a regular basis (although I have in the past...I'm near positive this was a total of 5 times or less in 5 years), and I do sometimes eat a product that is fortified with it (a special brand of Vegemite), although on the whole it's really sort of rare for me to get any at all from an outside source.

 

[Lucian]

Veganism may seem "new" but it actually has a very long history going back to even biblical times. In fact, it's the diet commanded in the garden of Eden, and is God supplying B12 pills with their meals? Eh - no.

The explanation I've read in regards to this issue was the the human DNA has been altered (corrupted, if you will) more and more with each generation. That's why Adam and Eve's children were able to interbreed and have offspring without genetic mutations, but that is no longer possible nowadays.

Also, even herbivores eat insects, whether accidentally or intentionally, every now and then, so that's where they get their B12 from.

 

[Stravinsk]

Year 6

Of being Vegan.

This year I was somewhat concerned that I might be B-12 deficient, as I'm at/near/past the conventional wisdom that by now it's been mostly used up.

But no. Earlier this year I had a blood test and my B-12 was fine. Interesting to me, because I think I've perhaps supplemented less than 10 times in the last 6 years (a B-12 pill) and I hardly ever eat B-12 fortified foods. I'm pretty sure that means my gut is making it. One thing I will credit, however, is de-chlorinating the majority of the water I drink. Chlorine kills B-12 producing bacteria.

What else?

I stopped, mostly, drinking soda. This has actually helped alleviate foot pain. Between the coffee, beer and soda, it's still possible to have too much acid as a vegan even if one is eating mostly alkaline in their solid food regimen. Most sodas are incredibly acidic.

 

[tango]

I was amazed at the difference it made to me when I more or less stopped drinking sugary fizzy drinks. The main thing was that weight fell off me - the amount of sugar you can take on through those drinks is terrifying, especially in diners that offer endless free refills.

 

[Stravinsk]

I made it around 7 years Vegan. Then it had to stop. Between alcohol usage and heavy carbohydrate intake in general, I found myself with some major problems. It got to the point where even during periods of total alcohol abstinence (for example, 60 days). my body was not processing carbs well - even from "healthy" things like fruit. I developed nerve damage in a foot that was excruciatingly painful and would keep me up nights in intense pain. That damage is still there, but substantially lessened after only 3 weeks on a diet of mostly:

Meat: Pork products, beef, fish, Turkey, eggs etc
Fat: Meat-fat, Ghee, butter, MCT oil, fish oil.
Sauerkraut.

Very low carb intake (0 sugar, sweets, very small amounts of carbs in general, only occasional bread)
No seed oils (Canola, Sunflower etc....anything that comes in a bottle that isn't animal fat) and especially no commercial fried food (seed oils are used for the majority of fried fast food).
No Fructose esp (contains carbs, but this is especially inflammatory - it will oxidize unstable fats like crazy....and industrial seed oils are unstable fats that have been destroyed but chemically made to taste and smell neutral). Table sugar is 1/2 Glucose, 1/2 Fructose so anyone eating any sugar (white, brown, etc) is getting Fructose into their body).

My former Vegan diet consisted of a ton of foods made with unstable seed oils, and these seed oils stay in the body for a long time and are oxidized quickly with glucose spikes, and even more so with the use of Fructose. The Vegan diet I followed was also a typical one that was mainly focused on Carbs for energy.

Keto, no seed oils, animal fat and meat has worked for me to heal from the damage I did as a Vegan over nearly 7 years. I haven't even stopped alcohol completely and there was still an improvement.

I came back here primarily to share this. I didn't want anyone to be encouraged by my experience into going Vegan long term. There's a lot of missing nutrients on it, not just B-12. One can live on it for a long time, but the deficiencies catch up eventually. The people I know in life all tell me I am looking much healthier now. My thinking is also clearer, mind doesn't race as much, and I can get better sleep.

I don't know why The Universe, The Gods, or God has helped me here, but whatever it was, I am grateful for the chance at living without the pain. This has actually been a catalyst (not the only one, but a big one) for me to look at other faiths and to better follow in the steps of my ancestors, who I have disregarded for many years. As such, I don't really belong here, so after a few hellos and goodbyes, I will take my leave again and go elsewhere.

Thank you for reading, and blessings to all on their journey through this life!

 

[Lamb]

I made it around 7 years Vegan. Then it had to stop. Between alcohol usage and heavy carbohydrate intake in general, I found myself with some major problems. It got to the point where even during periods of total alcohol abstinence (for example, 60 days). my body was not processing carbs well - even from "healthy" things like fruit. I developed nerve damage in a foot that was excruciatingly painful and would keep me up nights in intense pain. That damage is still there, but substantially lessened after only 3 weeks on a diet of mostly:

Meat: Pork products, beef, fish, Turkey, eggs etc
Fat: Meat-fat, Ghee, butter, MCT oil, fish oil.
Sauerkraut.

Very low carb intake (0 sugar, sweets, very small amounts of carbs in general, only occasional bread)
No seed oils (Canola, Sunflower etc....anything that comes in a bottle that isn't animal fat) and especially no commercial fried food (seed oils are used for the majority of fried fast food).
No Fructose esp (contains carbs, but this is especially inflammatory - it will oxidize unstable fats like crazy....and industrial seed oils are unstable fats that have been destroyed but chemically made to taste and smell neutral). Table sugar is 1/2 Glucose, 1/2 Fructose so anyone eating any sugar (white, brown, etc) is getting Fructose into their body).

My former Vegan diet consisted of a ton of foods made with unstable seed oils, and these seed oils stay in the body for a long time and are oxidized quickly with glucose spikes, and even more so with the use of Fructose. The Vegan diet I followed was also a typical one that was mainly focused on Carbs for energy.

Keto, no seed oils, animal fat and meat has worked for me to heal from the damage I did as a Vegan over nearly 7 years. I haven't even stopped alcohol completely and there was still an improvement.

I came back here primarily to share this. I didn't want anyone to be encouraged by my experience into going Vegan long term. There's a lot of missing nutrients on it, not just B-12. One can live on it for a long time, but the deficiencies catch up eventually. The people I know in life all tell me I am looking much healthier now. My thinking is also clearer, mind doesn't race as much, and I can get better sleep.

I don't know why The Universe, The Gods, or God has helped me here, but whatever it was, I am grateful for the chance at living without the pain. This has actually been a catalyst (not the only one, but a big one) for me to look at other faiths and to better follow in the steps of my ancestors, who I have disregarded for many years. As such, I don't really belong here, so after a few hellos and goodbyes, I will take my leave again and go elsewhere.

Thank you for reading, and blessings to all on their journey through this life!

I'm happy you turned things around and feel healthier now. I remember telling you when I was growing up that I hated meat...the taste, the texture, the fact that it was an animal, so I mostly was vegetarian and traded with my sister to give her my meat and I'd take her veggies. It wasn't until I was in my 30s that I actually found that meat helped my body. So I can relate to what you went through, even though my experience was a bit different, I'm a strong believer that strict diets aren't always the best.

Here's to many more years of health for you!

 

[tango]

Not really a milestone post, but welcome back Stravinsk!

 

[Stravinsk]

Not really a milestone post, but welcome back Stravinsk!

Thank you, but I'm not staying. The faith I'm looking into and starting to practice is not conducive with Christianity. Therefore, I will be at odds here with the assumptions of this MB, and most of the people, so it makes little sense to stay. My primary purpose for asking for this account back was to correct what I believe was a long standing error. I haven't decided, but I will likely dump this username also wherever I go. It's been a pleasure.

 

[tango]

Thank you, but I'm not staying. The faith I'm looking into and starting to practice is not conducive with Christianity. Therefore, I will be at odds here with the assumptions of this MB, and most of the people, so it makes little sense to stay. My primary purpose for asking for this account back was to correct what I believe was a long standing error. I haven't decided, but I will likely dump this username also wherever I go. It's been a pleasure.

Your call, if you don't feel like discussing things unrelated to the Christian faith in the off topic areas is worth your while.

What is the faith you're exploring?

 

[Stravinsk]

Your call, if you don't feel like discussing things unrelated to the Christian faith in the off topic areas is worth your while.

What is the faith you're exploring?

That's actually not entirely up to me. I asked for this account back to say what Í've said. I've done that now. The faith I'm looking into is Asatru. As this faith is diametrically opposed to Christianity in several of it's views, not least in it's rejection of both Yahweh/Jehovah and Jesus, while retaining it's own set of values and morals (some overlap with Christianity), with a different worldview that is also different from all the Abrahamic religions (including different with Islam and Judaism)....I can see no non-devisive/peaceful pursuit of such conversations on a Christian themed message board, in any area, even off topic.

I'm also not eager to engage in such discussions, notwithstanding the fact that I am new and merely exploring it, and am therefore not any kind of reliable reference or authority, but also because my interest in it coincides with a very hard, honest and reasoned look at Christianity that would probably rattle more than a few of the faithful should they come across and consider some of the things I say about it. This is "Christianity Haven" - a place for Christians looking for a safe place to discuss/argue their views. What place is there for me here? I'd rather leave in peace.

 

[tango]

That's actually not entirely up to me. I asked for this account back to say what Í've said. I've done that now. The faith I'm looking into is Asatru. As this faith is diametrically opposed to Christianity in several of it's views, not least in it's rejection of both Yahweh/Jehovah and Jesus, while retaining it's own set of values and morals (some overlap with Christianity), with a different worldview that is also different from all the Abrahamic religions (including different with Islam and Judaism)....I can see no non-devisive/peaceful pursuit of such conversations on a Christian themed message board, in any area, even off topic.

I'm also not eager to engage in such discussions, notwithstanding the fact that I am new and merely exploring it, and am therefore not any kind of reliable reference or authority, but also because my interest in it coincides with a very hard, honest and reasoned look at Christianity that would probably rattle more than a few of the faithful should they come across and consider some of the things I say about it. This is "Christianity Haven" - a place for Christians looking for a safe place to discuss/argue their views. What place is there for me here? I'd rather leave in peace.

Understood, I wasn't meaning about exploring the Asatru faith on the board in any area (you're entirely right that this is primarily a place to discuss the Christian faith rather than promote or explore other faiths), I was thinking more about discussing things unrelated to any faith. You used to post about playing Bach on the piano, for example.

But if you would rather leave in peace, I'll wish you well and wonder if our paths will cross elsewhere online.