I have started going vegan again... however I am getting tired and losing a bit of my sex drive...?

Question

I was a vegan for about a year... then I got iron deficiency anemia... so I stopped... but I hate meat... And milk is downright nasty... I basically hate eating flesh and veins and capillaries from dead animals... It's disgusting and I think plain wrong... I am taking an iron supplement pill... but I am noticing that I am losing energy and my sex drive is going down... Can you recommend any vitamins that might help me or any other advice (besides eating meat again!)?

Answer 1

First of all, you need to be taking a daily multivitamin. I would also take a vitamin C every day and a vitamin E every 2-3 days. You also need to find a way to supplement protein. Are you opposed to eating fish or eggs? If so, I would get some sort of protein bars and/or protein shakes.

You also need to add more fat to your diet (not saturated or trans fats). Avacado is a natural source of healthy fat. Nuts also contain healthy fat (just eat in moderation). I would also suggest eating a bit of dark chocolate daily as it contains antioxidants and can also be quite satisfying (especially when you diet mainly consists of fruits and vegetables).

You also want to be sure to drink plenty of water (atleast a liter per day... 2 liters if you sweat alot).

I also suggest drinking green tea and eating frequent small meals (ie. 5-6 small meals rather than 2-3 large meals). This will help boost metabolism which should give you more energy.

Answer 2

Like it or not, we are omnivores; when you deprive the body of the nutrients you would normally get from meat, your body will respond negatively. Since you have chosen not to eat meat, you MUST use supplemental vitamins and iron for the nutrients that you are missing. We evolved as a meat-eating species (there are some interesting theories out there as to meat being the reason we survived as a species when the other branches of humanity such as neanderthals died off), and our bodies EXPECT those nutrients to be available to it.

I'm not saying that you have to eat meat, but you do have to understand that this is how your body came to be as it is, and if you're going to stay away from meat, you must compensate or suffer the consequences. Do consider, however, that iron and B12 supplements almost always come from animals, so either way you are dealing with the results of animals being killed, if that is your concern.

Answer 3

being a vegetarian is difficult if you don't know what you're doing. Being a vegan without a solid dietary knowledge base is dangerous. Iron isn't the only thing you get from meat. And the reality is that most nutrients, like iron and protein, are easier to absorb from meat sources. I'd consult with a nutritionalist, or at the very least find a few books on veganism (I did just see a 'Complete Idiot's guide to being Vegan; in the bookstore the other day). You can't be a vegan without knowing how to eat properly. Just cutting out meat and diary isn't going to cut it.

Answer 4

You really picked a horrible diet plan. See unfortuantely for you. "Meat" has what the call a lot of "micro-nutrients" which are all lacking in an supplement you take. Sure you may try an supplement with all kinds of vitamins and minerals. But you will find your over all health slowly declining over the long run because of the basic composite nutrients that you are lacking from your choice in foods. Have you ever wondered why Vegan's have a look of sicklyness that you just can't explain? I mena vegatarians have it to a great degree be they can generally blend in if you're not looknig hard enough. Of course most vegatrains will deny up and down that no one can tell but WE CAN. So you're not fooling anyone. But Vegans on the other hand you can spot them a mile away. Its like someone crossing the street with a wooden peg leg and pretending not to notice. That's Vegans. Anyway. Maybe you can try fish or at the least chicken breast like organic stuff and least you won't feel to bad about that. Just cut it up into piece or something stick it in stuff so you don't see it. Either way you need to get that stuff in ya. don't lie to yourself and fall into that vegatarian category of "This diet is good for you." Its slow unhappy death my friend. Trust me your body with thank you in the end. literally.

Answer 5

Of course anemia is always a problem with a vegan diet.
You can take a multivitamin with b12 and iron. I think brewers yeast is also a good natural source of B vitamins and possibly iron.

Answer 6

See a naturapathic doctor who can advise you. Most of the suppliments over the counter are junk! Find a good licensed Nautrapath in your area that can set you up with quality vitamins. You might want to have your thyroid checked as well.
Go to www.naturopathic.org/ to find someone in your area.

Answer 7

Go visit a nutritionist, also you need to get intouch with some vegan web sites and such that will be able to give you information on what you need to be eating. Generally you can't go on a strict diet like that without fully understand what you are doing.

Answer 8

i love to meat, veins, flesh and just about everything off a dead animal and my sex drive is great. Pills are nasty dont eat that crap, who knows whats in them.

Answer 9

get seaweed, brown rice, green veggies, if you want iron eat more spinach but not tooo much...........maybe three times a week to prevent getting too much!!

You can also get boost of energy with herbs, try camu camu and if you can't find a good place to buy it e-mail me I will give you my source.

I am not vegan but eat very little meat through out the month.....I exercise a lot and look almost normal although I don't look skinny either...............I use something called Limu and camu camu also mix with grains and try to consume as much water as I can to clean up................

Answer 10

Brilliant