vegan

Has anyone successfully maintained their post-op diet while being vegan?  I use to be vegan when I was in high school and college but have slipped away from it.  I know I could be vegetarian and still keep up the diet as being vegetarian is not all that difficult but vegan...I have doubts.

Any input would be awesome!

I do a primarily vegetarian diet (fish occasionally).  You're right, it's not difficult.  I think vegan would be doable.  Soy based protein powders are available,soy milk & cheese,  tofu, textured veggie protein.  You could meet your protein requirements. 

I think it's completely doable.  Vegetarian would be easiest, but vegan is completely within reach as far ot as you are.

I'm not vegan but have cut back on my dairy and eggs recently.  I don't eat meat at all, haven't for over 25 years.  I am currently only eating free range eggs from a local farm, so if I don't have time to drive to the farm for them, I don't eat them.  I am going to start getting raw milk from a local farm next week (yeah!) but have only been using soy milk for a while now.  I have cut back to very little cheese but still eat yogurt from the store.  I plan to make my own yogurt with raw milk as soon as I start getting the  milk, though.

I seriously considered going all vegan but felt it would be too difficult for me, though I'm sure some people can do it.  For instance, the D3 supplements I use are not vegan.  And I cannot buy D3 in the dose I really need that is vegan - apparently it does not exist.  I would have to buy D2, that is not absorbed very well, and figure out how much I'd have to take (much, much more than D3) to maintain my vitamin D level, if that was even possible to do on D2 instead of D3.  I finally decided that, for my health, I can't do it.

But I feel OK with eggs and milk from a local farm where I know the animals are treated well.  Where I can see the animals and even pick up  my own eggs out of the nests!

Can I ask why you feel vegan is necessary?  I'm not trying to argue the point with you.  Just curious.  I put a lot of thought into my decision and I'm wondering if I came to the right conclusion for me.  Would you feel OK with free range eggs and raw milk from a local farm?

Hey Kelly,

We do all organic, free range, grass fed, all that jazz at the moment.  I am still looking for a local farm for beef and chicken.  Our eggs are from a lady that I work with.  If the animal conditions were right, I could easily do vegetarian.  I think I could talk my family into it as well.  Like you, I have been *mostly* vegetarian most of my life.  I've been vegan at different points as well but it is difficult.  You have to watch for sugar in things because of the whole bone ash issue with processing (for white sugar.)  Anyhoo...I won't get on my soap box but I've just been reading too much lately I suppose.

I think, with the supplement issue and even the protein shakes (I can't do soy...MAJOR stomach issues there) I would have a hard time.  I'd have to eat my weight in tofu and beans!

We need to share some recipes.  I have some good vegan ones!

And I don't like tofu that much.  I'd be eating a cup of beans for three meals a day with soy milk and nuts for snacks.  I could do it.  I just don't wanna.

Have you checked out this website for local beef and chicken?  www.eatwild.com/  That's how I found my eggs.  It took a while longer to find raw milk, though.

I LOVE knowing where the food comes from.  Seeing happy, healthy chickens and then going home and cooking eggs fresh from those chickens is just cool.  And I can't wait to start getting my raw milk.  I'm so excited about it.

I'd love to share recipes.  Do you like chili?  I have a couple great chili recipes.  And a ton of bean recipes.

Yeah...Tofu is not a favorite of mine either.  If its mixed in things I can deal, but it has to be in moderation because of the stomach issues.  I even have to watch edamame (sp). 

I am the same with knowing about the food.  We watched Food, Inc. a couple a few years ago (at the theatre) and it totally changed the way we eat!  And my husband is a total meat and potatos man...but even he had to admit there were issues with the food industry. 

I will defintely check out the website and start emailing me those recipes girlie!  I'm going to go find one that I have that I haven't made in a while.  Totally yum!!  I'll email it to you!

Hey, I cannot PM you, it says your profile is private.

I added you as a friend.  That should work.