Vegan for five years and considering eggs

[Gillian]

So as the title suggests, I went vegan when I was 15 and am now vegan, and it changed my life, became my identity. I am vegan for all the reasons, for the environment, for my health and most importantly for the animals. I pride myself so heavily on this and veganism is so important to me. Almost like a religion.

But I've been pushing down my health problems for some time now. luckily my hair stopped falling out when I added more and more protein into my diet. But I'm dizzy all the time, and lately, it's been the fatigue too. I am type O blood, which means that my body needs the most "animal products" out of any type to function. I've been anemic for most of the time I've been vegan, other when I've had high doses of iron prescribed by a doctor but that isn't always doable. There's just so much brain fog and anxiety and jitters and it would be so great if this wasn't related to veganism, but I've been to so so so many doctors in the last two years hoping to find the overall answer. No matter how healthy I eat, I feel like I am missing something, and worry about what long term damage I may have done on my body.

So eggs have popped into my head for a while now. But I am a STRICT vegan. I am highly educated on animal industries and will know the answer to any stupid question a non-vegan has to ask, and I care so deeply about the honey bees and chickens and everything involved. Not to mention that my body feels pure, adding an animal product into my body seems like contaminating it. And I don't even kill mosquitos!!! I truly am that hippy-dippy save everything kinda person.

I'm terrified, but I'm considering going to a farmer's shop or market, finding their eggs and telling them my story and ask about all the conditions of the chickens, because I will never support the horrific egg industry. I will not be the cause of all those male baby chicks being ground up, I just want to take them home.

I'm scared of losing this identity like it will make me a fraud. I love every vegan birthday I have and that I can say that I've been vegan for five years. And I kind of think that if the only eggs I ever eat are as ethical as they can be, I don't think that stops me from being vegan. My vegan culture is the strongest culture I really have.

I think I really just needed to get this off my chest and would love some insight, this is the hardest choice I've had to make and I'm still not sure about it. But I'm studying abroad and I want to absorb as much knowledge as I can, but my brain just isn't functioning properly.

 

[Three Chickpeas]

Not discounting your health issues, but where do you arrive at the "O type blood needs more animal products" conclusion? I'm O+ and have zero issues relating to fatigue, brain fog, anemia, etc. I don't think that has anything to do with it, and if its your Doctors feeding that to you, it seems suspect.

Now, if you were going to violate the vegan diet with anything (in my mind), eggs from a neighbor or other local backyard-chickens person might be best. I don't even like cage-free farms because their intent is to make money and may still not have the best methods employed. I have a friend that has chickens roam his property and he just collects the eggs. I have no issue with the way he does it as the chickens really do just live their life. True free-range organic. Seeing it first hand is much more reassuring than not knowing where its coming from. Its still eggs though, and that's a decision you have to make for yourself.

Good luck, and I hope you find resolution to your health issues.

 

[TofuRobot]

Have you considered consulting a plant based nutritionist? I am also O+ And have none of the issues you are reporting, so I don't think it has anything to do with blood type.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

It's great that you were savvy enough to adopt a vegan lifestyle at such a young age and stick with it good for you.

Your desire for eggs seems a bit arbitrary for me. It may not be the solution. Avoid factory farmed eggs including free range and organic, none are morally justifiable. Depending on where you are there may be some you can buy from a very small operation. If it's literally in someone's garden and they are keeping the chickens until they naturally die I can say it's not so bad. Although I'm still not convinced you need eggs.

Are you getting enough B12 and iodine and Omega 3s? If yes, I suggest making the effort to go to blood tests and a vegan nutritionist, if you can afford it.

 

[Emma JC]

I am also O+ and have none of the symptoms you have described.

I second @TofuRobot and @Jamie in Chile 's suggestions and add also to consider tracking your nutrition and calories on Cronometer.com

Emma JC

 

[amberfunk]

I'm O+ and I have the same issues. It's an iron issue. Do you eat a lot of beans. tofu, greens (not spinach) and have some kind of food with vitamin c with them? Doing that combo helps me out a lot. I only take an iron pill when I absolutely have to because they rip through my stomach. Adding more healthy fats such as nuts, seeds and avocados might help the brain fog part of it as well.

 

[PapaJack]

You must be missing some good food out there. Eating by blood type is just hype. Plants as you know have all the protein you need. Watch Diet Fiction. What the Health., etc. You need to do a little more research on eating a whole plant food. I am proud of you to have done this at such a early age. I waited until I was 60. Watch Dr. McDougall on the starch diet. Good luck you you. OH YEA! The Government - BY LAW - does not allow the egg companies to say eggs are healthy or good for you. Yea I was surprised too.

 

[Booney]

So as the title suggests, I went vegan when I was 15 and am now vegan, and it changed my life, became my identity. I am vegan for all the reasons, for the environment, for my health and most importantly for the animals. I pride myself so heavily on this and veganism is so important to me. Almost like a religion.

But I've been pushing down my health problems for some time now. luckily my hair stopped falling out when I added more and more protein into my diet. But I'm dizzy all the time, and lately, it's been the fatigue too. I am type O blood, which means that my body needs the most "animal products" out of any type to function. I've been anemic for most of the time I've been vegan, other when I've had high doses of iron prescribed by a doctor but that isn't always doable. There's just so much brain fog and anxiety and jitters and it would be so great if this wasn't related to veganism, but I've been to so so so many doctors in the last two years hoping to find the overall answer. No matter how healthy I eat, I feel like I am missing something, and worry about what long term damage I may have done on my body.

So eggs have popped into my head for a while now. But I am a STRICT vegan. I am highly educated on animal industries and will know the answer to any stupid question a non-vegan has to ask, and I care so deeply about the honey bees and chickens and everything involved. Not to mention that my body feels pure, adding an animal product into my body seems like contaminating it. And I don't even kill mosquitos!!! I truly am that hippy-dippy save everything kinda person.

I'm terrified, but I'm considering going to a farmer's shop or market, finding their eggs and telling them my story and ask about all the conditions of the chickens, because I will never support the horrific egg industry. I will not be the cause of all those male baby chicks being ground up, I just want to take them home.

I'm scared of losing this identity like it will make me a fraud. I love every vegan birthday I have and that I can say that I've been vegan for five years. And I kind of think that if the only eggs I ever eat are as ethical as they can be, I don't think that stops me from being vegan. My vegan culture is the strongest culture I really have.

I think I really just needed to get this off my chest and would love some insight, this is the hardest choice I've had to make and I'm still not sure about it. But I'm studying abroad and I want to absorb as much knowledge as I can, but my brain just isn't functioning properly.

Firstly stop going to Doctors! Take your health into your own hands - you know yourself better than anyone else!
Secondly eating animal poducts cures nothing and in fact causes most of our illnesses. So this is not the solution!
We can ALL thrive on Plants! But this does require some thought and effort for optimum Health and Well-being.
Perform a factory reset! You almost certainly need to Fast and Detox - as we all should do sometimes.
I strongly recommend that you research a raw plant based regime and do not consume refined sugar, gluten, coffee, alcohol, ect. Avoid processed foods!
Look up DR.Robert Morse on Utube and you will probably find some info on your problems that are no doubt all related to a compromised lymphatic system - as most health issues are!
There are various people you can consult for advice eg. Mark James Gordon who is a DR. Morse trained Iridologist.
My only relationship with the above are through consulting them for advice for my own health issues which I am currently dealing with. Consequently this is not meant to be medical advice and you should always consult a qualified proffessional. Good Luck!

 

[veganDreama]

I don't know what is wrong with you, only a doctor can help you there, but it isn't because you are vegan. You are NOT damaging yourself in any way by eating a plant based diet so you don't NEED eggs although I agree with the others. If you DO insist on eggs you will have to source them well. Unfortunately 'free range' isn't as free range as all that. This might be out of date as I got the information a long time ago but if you INSIST on eggs get some with the soil association stamp on them. They at least have higher welfare standards then other eggs.

 

[poivron]

So as the title suggests, I went vegan when I was 15 and am now vegan, and it changed my life, became my identity. I am vegan for all the reasons, for the environment, for my health and most importantly for the animals. I pride myself so heavily on this and veganism is so important to me. Almost like a religion.

But I've been pushing down my health problems for some time now. luckily my hair stopped falling out when I added more and more protein into my diet. But I'm dizzy all the time, and lately, it's been the fatigue too. I am type O blood, which means that my body needs the most "animal products" out of any type to function. I've been anemic for most of the time I've been vegan, other when I've had high doses of iron prescribed by a doctor but that isn't always doable. There's just so much brain fog and anxiety and jitters and it would be so great if this wasn't related to veganism, but I've been to so so so many doctors in the last two years hoping to find the overall answer. No matter how healthy I eat, I feel like I am missing something, and worry about what long term damage I may have done on my body.

So eggs have popped into my head for a while now. But I am a STRICT vegan. I am highly educated on animal industries and will know the answer to any stupid question a non-vegan has to ask, and I care so deeply about the honey bees and chickens and everything involved. Not to mention that my body feels pure, adding an animal product into my body seems like contaminating it. And I don't even kill mosquitos!!! I truly am that hippy-dippy save everything kinda person.

I'm terrified, but I'm considering going to a farmer's shop or market, finding their eggs and telling them my story and ask about all the conditions of the chickens, because I will never support the horrific egg industry. I will not be the cause of all those male baby chicks being ground up, I just want to take them home.

I'm scared of losing this identity like it will make me a fraud. I love every vegan birthday I have and that I can say that I've been vegan for five years. And I kind of think that if the only eggs I ever eat are as ethical as they can be, I don't think that stops me from being vegan. My vegan culture is the strongest culture I really have.

I think I really just needed to get this off my chest and would love some insight, this is the hardest choice I've had to make and I'm still not sure about it. But I'm studying abroad and I want to absorb as much knowledge as I can, but my brain just isn't functioning properly.

There is some kind of nutrient that you're not getting. I also had some problems after about 4-5 years of being vegan. After a lot of research I realized that I was probably low on vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iodine, as well as DHA/EPA. (Iodine is really important, but few vegan web sites talk about it. If you're not eating seaweed every day, you're probably not getting enough.) I started taking the following supplements and started feeling better within a week or two. (The links are where I buy these; you can choose other vendors):

Vitamin B-12: one 2500 mcg tablet once a week (dissolve most of it in your mouth, then swallow the rest with water)
https://store.veganessentials.com/vegan-sublingual-b-12-by-deva-p2007.aspx

Vitamin D3: one 5000 I.U. capsule three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
https://store.veganessentials.com/vegan-vitamin-d3-capsules-by-the-food-movement-p3730.aspx

Iodine: 1/8 teaspoonful of bladderwrack powder once a day after dinner, dissolved in a glass of water.
(It's important not to overdo this. It's best to start with 1/16 of a teaspoonful or even less per day for a week, and then gradually increase the amount to 1/8 teaspoonful per day.)
http://seaveg.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=10

DHA/EPA: I take one tablet per day of this:
https://store.veganessentials.com/o-mega-zen3--epa-vegan-dha-supplement-by-nutru-p3403.aspx
(I don't think this is absolutely necessary if you're getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.)

I also put two tablespoons of ground flax seed on my oatmeal every morning.

After starting to take these supplements, I felt much better, but recently, I started having problems again. I currently run about 12 miles a week, and I've been having a lot of trouble going up to 16 miles a week. I've also been gaining weight despite not eating a huge amount and running 3-4 times a week. After doing a lot of Googling, I realized that I wasn't getting enough protein! I had always taken for granted that protein was not a problem. As it turns out, it can be a problem if you don't pay any attention to whether you're getting enough of it. One has to really make an effort to eat beans, chickpeas, or lentils every day, in addition to things like oatmeal, soymilk, and tofu. I've been feeling better since I've increased my intake of plant protein.

I suggest that you take a look at Dr. Michael Greger's list of nutrition requirements:
https://nutritionfacts.org/2011/09/12/dr-gregers-2011-optimum-nutrition-recommendations/
If this doesn't indicate what you're missing, then I suggest that you buy a copy of "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina and read it from cover to cover.

Eggs might give you the nutrient you're missing, but there is no guarantee that they will, and they will also give you cholesterol and clog your arteries, on top of making you feel bad for not living according to your beliefs. It's better to identify what the problem is and take steps to solve it. Good luck!

(I'm also an O+, by the way. The idea that blood type has anything to do with diet has been thoroughly discredited. See: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140115172246.htm)

 

[Forest Nymph]

I'm an A+ so the origins of my type is supposed to basically be the Middle East, but it's also commonly found in tribal peoples in North America and Australia, as well as Scandinavia. I actually used to be quite interested in this pseudo-science, since basically it propped up the idea that I should be a vegetarian, or avoid most animal flesh. My mom even says we shouldn't eat red meat because our cardiovascular systems can't genetically handle it or something, and she's a "flexitarian", not a vegan or even a vegetarian. She pushes the whole olive oil/fish/goat cheese thing along with beans, grains, veg and fruit. She loves hummus and eats veggie burgers, but at the end of the day, I think my sisters and I would have to pry meat from her cold, dead hands.

Don't use blood type to justify your diet. While some of us may be ancestrally related at some point far back in history to peoples who were more agricultural, or to those who hunted more often, I think eating for blood type is akin to eating because you're Black or Asian. Don't get me started on the white nationalists yammering about how their heritage is blood sausages and horse meat casserole.

What you think is "healthy" is probably just too restrictive. I've never had any of these problems you're describing, and I eat a really varied and relatively relaxed vegan diet with a mix of whole foods and some processed veggie meats. "Super vegans" always worry me far more than junk food vegans, because the irony of it is that the very restrictive health food diets are often the ones that are too low in calories, fat or protein. Please do some research before you start back into animal products again.

Also just know if you did eat eggs but went back to veganism you aren't going to burn in hell, and you'll still be welcomed back with open arms. It's not like the Roman Catholic church where you're going to be excommunicated forever. I think this "all or nothing, I'm not a vegan anymore" attitude is also pretty toxic. While I don't justify people eating animal products all the time, I don't like that people think they can't ever go back to veganism because they had a health problem or a nervous breakdown or a financial crisis and ate some cheese. We want you to be vegan in the long-term, not complain about how once upon a time veganism almost killed you.

 

[Slonaut]

Don't identify with being a vegan. You're an eternal soul having a temporary experience as a human being. Veganism is a tiny part of who you are.

You don't need more protein, it's a folk myth. Eat dried fruits (yes they can be a full meal, they're full of minerals and fiber) and raw salads, and start your day with juice of half a lemon in a mug of hot water and agave or sugar to taste. Give up starch, (rice, bread, potato, unripe bananas, etc), starch makes it harder for your body to absorb nutrients and they hardly contain anything useful. You will go through a period of detox, your body will shed mucus, it will seem like a cold, it will pass, diahrrea is very likely, it will be temporary, it's incredible how starch clogs you up, almost as badly as meat. It took me 10 years to find out. Simple natural raw foods will make you healthy again. If you really worry about protein simply eat beans then. Provided you replace bread etc with dried fruits, if you combine them with nuts you will feel more full. Always eat fresh fruits first, then salad for example, don't combine nuts with salads and fresh fruits, oils and water don't mix.

I also suggest CBD oil. It will help you relax and improve your overall health and awareness, its benefits are vast. Three times two drops per day will change your life.

Drink coffee if you have to, but tea is less bad, lemon or pure water is best and most natural.
Alcohol, even in small quanities is asking for trouble and intensifies anxiety. Cut it out.

Eating a few spirulina tablets also wouldn't hurt.

 

[Emma JC]

Please do your research completely before taking advice that cuts out starches. I disagree with that advice and also disagree with some of the other advice given above.

Emma JC

 

[Slonaut]

Carbohydrates are essential, starch is not. Starch is just a kind of carbohydrate but not necessary for good health. There is no starchy food that contains nutrients that can’t be obtained from non-starchy fruits and vegetables. The amount of nutrients in rice, potatoes and white bread are very little. If you really insist on needing starch then quinoa is perhaps the best, as well as whole wheat crackers, toasted whole wheat bread is better too since the starch is further broken down into more simple carbs by the extra heat. Although it’s better to eat raw. Anything that needs to be boiled or heated before ingestion is unnatural. Not saying it’s all bad, just not essential for good health.

 

[Olychka]

Being vegan really a pride. Generally vegan people does not eat any animal based food, like egg, milk and not honey also. Instead of eating egg you could find find some other supplements or capsule etc.

 

[SapphireLightning]

The whole "Blood Type Diet" where you eat certain foods based on blood type is unsubstantiated. The doctor who did the "study" never published the results, and everything I have seen about this guy was that he did it to sell books. Just food for thought

 

[Meyersaurus]

Maybe there is something else missing from your diet (iron, etc?)

But, personally I believe that consuming eggs of your own chickens or a friend's chickens does not make you any less of an animals lover or even a vegan for two reasons:

1. Laying eggs does not require anything from the chickens. It's basically their menstrual cycle (it comes naturally every day/every other day) If you own chickens and refuse to eat their eggs, most of them will just go to waste.
2. If the chickens are your own (or belong to a trusted friend of yours) and you can be certain that they are treated with respect and love, you will not be supporting any abuse on their behalf.

 

[Meyersaurus]

1. Laying eggs does not require anything from the chickens. It's basically their menstrual cycle (it comes naturally every day/every other day) If you own chickens and refuse to eat their eggs, most of them will just go to waste.

This is very important to me; When I started thinking about my future life I used to believe that if ever I were to adopt (or save if you will) animals from a farm, such as cows and chickens (and pigs because I love them, those are the most amazing, beautiful animals in the world!!!) I'd consume the chickens' eggs and the cow's milk because I would do it respectfully. However, after having done some research on the cow's production of milk, I have come to the conclusion that I will never use milk (no matter how many pregnant/mother-cows I would come to adopt lol) because it requires a tremendous amount of energy from the cow. In order for the cow to produce 1liter of milk, +/- 500liters of blood have to be pumped through the utter, which I think comes close to running a marathon... Chickens, on the other hand, just lay eggs regardless of their circumstances (except maybe if they're stressed?) so you wouldn't be demanding anything serious from them.

 

[SapphireLightning]

Just remember, for every chicken you buy, they have to kill one rooster.

 

[Emma JC]

Chickens, on the other hand, just lay eggs regardless of their circumstances (except maybe if they're stressed?) so you wouldn't be demanding anything serious from them.

This is not correct, @Meyersaurus - chickens naturally lay only 10-12 eggs per year.

Here is an article that explains it well...

https://freefromharm.org/eggs-what-are-you-really-eating/

Emma JC