feeling sick?

Question

a friend of mine has been vegetarian for about nine months, but he wasn't taking care to make sure he was getting the proper nutrients. now, he's been feeling sick for a while and is thining about going back to meat. does anyone have any recomendations as to supplements i can refer to him? b12 and vitamin c are all i can seem to think of right now...

(disclaimer: he's not going to eat meat, so if you're going to be a jerk and recomend he eat a cow, you can save it.)

Answer 1

Find a good whole food supplement for him. Make sure he starts eating veggies, fruits, and plenty of beans. Try to get him to avoid dairy for a while.

Answer 2

Supplements can only do so much. He needs to figure out how to eat a balanced vegetarian diet. Meat eaters can have the same problem if their diet isn't balanced... but boy to people get fired up when it happens to us veggies.

Remind him that he can still eat most of the same things he's always eaten... and provided he was eating a balanced diet before, that should be feasible by making minor changes. If he's used to meat-based meals as part of a balanced diet, encourage him to try the meat substitutes. There are some really great ones by Morningstar Farms and also by Quorn. Also, experiment with tofu. Use baked tofu as opposed to silken tofu. The texture is way better and it's much more versatile. I love it it fried in cornstarch, then added to a stir-fry, or just barbecued with a marinade & veggies.

Once he's used to eating a balanced vegetarian diet, he can start cutting out the "fake meat" and use cheaper/healthier vegetarian options like tofu, eggplant, etc. but the meat subs are a GREAT way to start.

Answer 3

Try adding iron

when getting vitamins, it's important to know the source
some use animal products to get the vitamin from.
There are vegetarian vitamins.

Odwalla make some great shakes that have a ton of vitamins in them, but they're expensive.

There are also tons of great veggie foods that will help.
Quorn and Morningstar make some amazing products.

Add salad to your diet, I know it's funny to say that but many vegetarians do not eat salad.

Whatever he does, don't let him eat red meat, it will make him sicker. If he must eat some meat, seafood is way better for you and there are some great sites to find better ways to get seafood.

Also eggs and lots of soy are good for you.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Eat properly. Get a few books on veggie nutrition. Or hit some websites like vegsource.

Stay away from prepackaged veggie meat stuffs. Use whole foods. Whole grain pasta. Whole grain bread. Lightly steamed veggies. Nuts and legumes. Nutritional Yeast for the B12. Although for the most part it can take 10 or 15 years for a B12 shortage...

Answer 5

I would say, especially because he is not a vegan (he still eats dairy and eggs) that this isn't caused by his diet. As long as he is not being a "couch potato/junk food" vegetarian, he can get all the necessary nutrients from plant-based foods.

I have been a vegan for years and haven't taken one supplement of any kind. I would suggest for him to possibly see a doctor (homeopathic docs are really the best, but whatever suits him) and check for another cause for his illness.

Answer 6

Get him a good multi vitamin and clean the junk food out of his diet. He needs brown rice and dark leafy greens. Man cannot live on baked potatoes alone! (Well, maybe if they aren't microwaved...) Have him eat half a brick of tofu, too. You can get run down if you live on simple carbs. Think if he is getting most of his calories from alcohol, soda or juices, that's not food. Whole grains. Fake meats. Vitamin tabs to get him back in working order.

Answer 7

Does he eat eggs and dairy? If so..B12 is not the problem. Vitamin C is in many fruits and veggies. He should have some bloodwork done because it may not be related to diet at all. Since I don't know what his diet consists of, it's hard to say what he is lacking.

Answer 8

I would recommend going to a health store and looking for a vegetarian supplement. they can be pretty pricey, though. I paid $23 for a bottle, but they really do work.

Answer 9

start with multivitiam one each day
soy milk 2 cups a day
eat tofu with rice
eat more real food, food with more calories
no lettus or cucumber or cabbage, no blank foods

maybe make fruit and vegg juice like v8 for everyday
that should build him back up

Answer 10

Hope he has not done himself irreparable harm. He could be suffering from malnutrition. I would urge him to go see a doctor right away.