Please help, need advice on veggie roommate?

Question

I have a veggie roommate that has been getting real weak and having fainting spells. Since going on this fad veggie diet, she has become very pale and skinny. I am really concerned for her health. What can I do to convince her to start eating a well balanced diet?

minty, thanks for the advice. I totally agree with you. I am going to go buy some meat and fish and see if she will eat a little of that.

Nick L, I have reported you.

Answer 1

she needs to start adding vitamins to her diet... make sure she eats dark green leafy veggies, like spinach, she needs fiber... she should really put some protein in her diet too... maybe encourage wholesome cheese, yogurt, milk, i know some vegetarians do not eat dairy, but at least try and encourage it... also maybe some nuts... she shouldn't just be eating white bread, she needs bread high in wheat/grains, you can get bread that has protein in it too... maybe you could go rent/buy some books and research some things yourself, and make sure you know alot of information to share with her... good luck!!

Answer 2

Firstly let's establish that refering to vegetariansm as a 'fad' is uneducated and offensive to many people.
I understand that you are worried about your friend but dissing something because of one bad experience your friend is having is hardly representative.
Eating vegetarian foods does not have this affect on most people and as such I am assuming that she is not eating a properly balanced diet. Anything that is making someone ill and weak is obviously not good so she must not be getting all of the nutrients that she needs.
Trying to get her to visit a doctor would be a very good idea, if only to get her to understand why she is fainting. It could be to do with her diet but on the other hand there could be many other factors at play and it is very dangerous to not seek help in this state.
You can not make someone eat meat if they choose not to but you could try introducing well balanced meals into her vegetarian diet to improve her state of health.
If she has just became vegetarian it is likely that she is not eating grains or pulses, an integral part of a vegetarian diet.
Alternatively you could try making meals with meat substitues (quorn and the like) which have vitamins and minerals she may not be getting elsewhere.
Vitamins such as B12, Iron and calcium can be obtained through soymilk and fortified cereal and could definately help improve her health.

Try and make her understand that she is damaging herself by not getting all of the nutrients and minerals she needs and she needs to make some drastic changes if she is to stay on a vegetarian diet.

Best of luck with your friend x

Answer 3

I too would be concerned for her health.

Its right that you come to the veggie and vegan section to ask about helping someone who is weak or pale, as V&V diets are probably the healthiest and the surest way to get her well again.

Tell her to eat a good balance of fruit, vegetables and nuts. No need to include any meat, fish or poulty in any diet so she'll be just fine if she has a balanced diet.

Answer 4

I had that problem when I first became a vegetarian..
before she was vegetarian did she eat a lot of meat?
If she did she could be eating less food,as she has cut out meat from her diet.
You should get her some mock-meat,I love the stuff!!
And it will probably get her eating better too.. :]
It contains NO meat but tastes just like the real thing..
My favourite are the Quorn Chicken Style Nuggets.. (notice the 'style' part)
Maybe get her to eat vegetables or a salad as a side dish for the mock meat.
Actimel everyday helped me too..
I really do hope I've helped!!
And I wish your friend all the best!!
Good Luck!!
xxx

Answer 5

There is such a thing as balanced veggie diet. If she's fainting though she may have some underlying problems which may or may not be related to what she's eating and should probably get checked out by a doctor.

Answer 6

A vegetarian diet can and should be well balanced. It needs to include much more than just the salad vegetables....... beans, peas, lentils, rice, whole grains, oils, nuts, fruits, etc. If the roomie is trying to live on iceberg letuce, she's definitely going to become run down. You could try cooking some vegetarian recipes and sharing them with her. Hopefully she would include cheese in her diet, because it's great protein and the cow does not have to die to share some of it's milk. Try making her some veggie lasagne, some nachos with cheese & beans & salsa, some hearty healthy dishes. There's some great websites with the vegetarian food pyramid and great recipes & tips to be healthy.

Answer 7

I think that you are a wind up merchant, given that all you do on Yahoo! Answers is ask daft questions about veggie diets.

I don't believe that you really have this ill veggie room-mate (after all, I think that it is unlikely that a veggie would want a bygot like you as a room mate!).

C'mon, you are obviously the same idiot that used the fox hunter guy ID. Get a life!

Answer 8

If she's not eating iron rich foods to supplement her vegetarian diet then the chances are that she is anaemic and the severity which you describe is extremely alarming. Surely she must realise that she is endangering her health?

You need to encourage her to visit her doctor or a nutritionist but if she is really digging her heels in then I would suggest researching vegetarian recipes on the internet and cook her meals that are rich in iron (make sure she has a glass of pure orange juice with her meals as this aids iron absorbtion)

Have a look at the following link and maybe print her out a copy.

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T043100.asp

Answer 9

She should probaly have a check up with a Dr. could be something else causing the fainting spells, better to be safe than sorry...as for the vegan diet I'd advise her to get better educated at what she can consume...she may not be balancing her meals just right...

Answer 10

Tell her that you admire her willpower and that she is sticking by her principles but that you are concerned for her health (flattery works wonders!). In order to help her stick by her principles and keep up the new vegetarian lifestyle whilst staying healthy she should go and see the doctor to check that there is no underlying condition causing this and to reccommend a dietician/nutritionist to help her maintain a healthy vegetarian lifestyle!

Flattery and/or bribery generally work wonders I find and if it helps her to be healthy it won't harm! Don't try to force her to eat meat as that could only make matters worse for your friendship.