i can't do it anymore. eat meat that is?

Question

i've gone veg a few times and i always end up tired as hell and completely drained. i understand that i'm low in iron, so i take an iron tonic as well as a womans multivitamin. do i need more of something else. should i be drinking protein shakes? what do you do to stay healthy and meat free. i need all the help i can get. i just cannot put another animal into my body ever again.

Answer 1

I have serious iron issues as well, and you just need to learn which food (other than meat) are high in iron- and that when you eat them, you need to add more vitamin C to your diet as well, sbecause it helps you to absorb the iron.

Leafy greens (like spinach), whole grains, beans and dried fruits are all good veg sources of iron.

What you need to do is take your iron supplements (make sure you really are low in iron and it isn't something else- and get a prescription iron medication, since they are much higher than the OTC ones) AND eat properly to get your iron levels back up, and then once they are back to normal, you can just eat the high iron foods.

At this point I can tell when I get low because I will crave iron rich foods- so I just go from there.

Answer 2

You might want to see a Dr. to make sure you don't have some underlying health problem that has nothing to do with your diet. I'm exhausted most of the time, but I have CFS, Epstein-Barr & FMS. Going veg has given me a *slight* but noticable increase in energy.
When I took a course in vegetarian nutrition, we were advised to cook some of our food in a cast-iron skillet if we desired/needed more iron. Acidic foods, like anything with tomatos or tomato sauce, is especially good . Also, many beans & dark leafy greens have iron & when my own iron reserves were low my Dr. suggested raisins, which I found a bit surprising. My *favorite* vegetable, chocolate, even has some iron in it ;-)
Other dietary reasons for feeling drained are a need for B12 (you should supplement if you go vegan) or low blood sugar, which can be helped by eating small meals or snacks every couple of hours. I positively *swoon* if I've gone more than a couple hours w/o eating, and did this before going veg. It's highly unlikely that you need more protein but not impossible. You might keep track of what you eat for a couple of days til you have an idea of how you're doing nutritionally.
Protein shakes are fine if you like 'em. I have them ocasionally & make my own from tofu, frozen fruit, flaxseed & a bit of water if it's too thick. Flaxseed, btw, is an excellent source of omega-3 oils, so don't let anyone tell you that you need to eat fish (or any body else) to be healthy.

Answer 3

It sounds like you should be well covered in terms of iron, b/c of all the supplements you are taking.

It could be that you arent getting enough protein. Some people don't understand when they first go veg about where to get the protein that they used to get from meat. Snack on peanut butter, and be sure to have beans, hummus, eggs (unless ur vegan), etc. Use fake meats to help get more protein.

For most people, no supplement of protein/iron/ whatever is needed, except for your iron of course. Some people really love protein shakes, and some people are perfectly fine without them. Just try them and see.

Answer 4

Drink some OJ or tomato juice with your iron tablet. You'll absorb up to 6 times more iron with the vitamin C with it.
If you are tired though, it could be that you aren't getting enough carbs? Are you eating enough of the grains? Just a thought.
Other than that, the multi vitamin along with other forms of protein like beans and soy should be plenty to keep you energized.
Since diagnosed iron deficient, have you been back to your MD to see if the supplements are doing their job?

Answer 5

I would suggest eating stuff like fruit during the day to keep up energy levels.

then eating more in your main meals.

are you getting a good variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains?

a lot of people go onto a vegan/vegetarian diet not understanding how much meat slows down your system, we where meant to eat alot.

theres iron in many food sources too, once your levels are back up to normal levels you should be able to maintain them with food sources.

Answer 6

I'm sorry you've had that experience. A varied diet of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and grains provides all the nutrients that we need to be healthy. Here are some good protein and iron sources:

Protein:
Almonds, black beans, brown rice, cashews, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, peanut butter, pinto beans, seitan, soybeans, soymilk, sunflower seeds, textured vegetable protein (TVP), tofu, and mock meats like veggie burgers

Iron:
Black beans, bran flakes, cashews, Cream of Wheat, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), GrapeNuts, kidney beans, lentils, navy beans, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, raisins, soybeans, soymilk, spinach, sunflower seeds, tofu, tomato juice, and whole wheat bread.

Also see http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/ for more health-related info. Good luck!

Answer 7

pop one of these a day
http://www.vegansociety.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=239&osCsid=e42e4abc5fe8084775317b9995653b71
but i try not to rely on it... i only just went vegan 2 weeks ago and im still learning too... B12 seems to be the biggie, but there are other things you should get... im worrying about omega3+6... frequent some vegan sites, get some books, educate your self and check this lady out, she'll answer any of your questions no doubt

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cQvQqa-sUGo

Answer 8

try soy meet. your probably yired because you need protein.

Answer 9

honey the human body needs meat as well as veg and fruits so i advice you to find a balance for ur food habits ... sometimes other protein substitutes wont give you enough which ur body needs