oh hey!

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unko
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:33 pm
Diet: Vegan

oh hey!

Post by unko »

Hello everyone,

I have been an atheist for about 8 years and vegan for 3. I have read some of the past conversations on here but just getting around to making an account myself. My health has changed, which has made me question things. I wanted to speak with other vegans and see what they thought.

looking forward to hearing from others.

-Unko :lol:
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DarlBundren
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Posts: 355
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:59 pm
Diet: Vegetarian
Location: Southern Europe

Re: oh hey!

Post by DarlBundren »

Unko wrote:Hello everyone
Hello Unko,

Welcome to the forum. What made you decide to go vegan? Do you think your health has improved since you changed diet? Are there any topics you are particularly interested in?
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brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10273
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: oh hey!

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Hi Unko, welcome to the forum.

Are you having problems? Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions or want advice.
unko
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:33 pm
Diet: Vegan

Re: oh hey!

Post by unko »

DarlBundren wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 5:39 pm
Unko wrote:Hello everyone
Hello Unko,

Welcome to the forum. What made you decide to go vegan? Do you think your health has improved since you changed diet? Are there any topics you are particularly interested in?
Long story short, I fell into my vegan journey for health reasons. Has my health improved because I becoming vegan, its hard to say. I transitioned into a vegan diet over a 3 month period and at the same time started going to the gym. I would say my health improved but was that because of the diet switch or the gym, I'm not sure. I have a few questions for everyone but should I open a new topic for them?

-Unko :lol:
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DarlBundren
Senior Member
Posts: 355
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:59 pm
Diet: Vegetarian
Location: Southern Europe

Re: oh hey!

Post by DarlBundren »

Unko wrote:I have a few questions for everyone but should I open a new topic for them?
Yes, if they have nothing to do with your story I'd advise you to start a new thread.
unko
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:33 pm
Diet: Vegan

Re: oh hey!

Post by unko »

I wrote out my thoughts and since it has turned into some kind of self-justification rant I will post it here.

The main pillar holding my vegan ideology is that you can live a healthful life as a vegan. If humans can’t be healthy on a vegan diet then I think its morally justified to eat animals. Would anyone disagree to this?

If you do not disagree, then would someone who has honestly tried to eat plant based but continually failed because of health issues be morally justified to eat animal products?

I have been vegan for 3 years and I love it. I love that I’m able to cause less suffering in the world, that my diet puts less pressure on the planet, and the community feel when I meet other vegans, but I feel as though my health isn’t as it should be.

I have been having a problem with how my cuts heal. If I get a small mark on my body the cut will heal but leave a red mark almost like a scar. I have taken b12, iron, and zinc supplements and still the problem proceeds. I talked with my doctor and she said that when people get older there body heals differently… im 26, really? A dude I know smashed his head off a sink and when the marks healed, there was no trace. I don't like to think this but more recently I feel as if I’m forgetting things more often and at times will have blurred vision at the gym. I have an appointment with a new doctor and hopefully he will give me a more detailed blood test. All of this could be from a lack of a balanced vegan diet or maybe it would of happened with my old diet.

I don't want to go back to eating animal products because I don't think its morally justified to eat animal products when we can obtain everything we need from plants, but if I cant fix this problem as a vegan then I feel I would have to go back to eating some animal products. I don't want to be a martyr.

I’m not looking for a medical advice, just venting and curious if there is anyone else on here that can relate and maybe share his or her story.

Hopefully this is somewhat comprehensible.

-Unko :lol:
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brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10273
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: oh hey!

Post by brimstoneSalad »

unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm The main pillar holding my vegan ideology is that you can live a healthful life as a vegan.
A healthful life. Which doesn't mean the shiniest hair possible, or the most gains at the gym possible. It means biometrics of good health and longevity, which there's already plenty of evidence for -- this is the consensus.
unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm If humans can’t be healthy on a vegan diet then I think its morally justified to eat animals. Would anyone disagree to this?
It's not morally justified to go all out and just eat whatever you want. It's justified to eat the minimum of the least sentient being to fill your needs.
Many people, for example, choose to eat some oysters because they believe they have some problems as vegans. That's fine either way, since oysters probably aren't sentient, but there's not any evidence of the health claims I've seen against veganism.
unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm If you do not disagree, then would someone who has honestly tried to eat plant based but continually failed because of health issues be morally justified to eat animal products?
No. See above.
Only the minimum possible, and only after seeking expert advice and receiving an objective diagnosis not attributable to psychological effects (e.g. hypochondria).

unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm I have been vegan for 3 years and I love it. I love that I’m able to cause less suffering in the world, that my diet puts less pressure on the planet, and the community feel when I meet other vegans, but I feel as though my health isn’t as it should be.
I think you're just second guessing yourself. Psychology has enormous power to make you perceive things differently.
unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm I have been having a problem with how my cuts heal. If I get a small mark on my body the cut will heal but leave a red mark almost like a scar. I have taken b12, iron, and zinc supplements and still the problem proceeds. I talked with my doctor and she said that when people get older there body heals differently… im 26, really?
Your doctor is right.
There's also a huge genetic component to wound healing. Your scar tissue is just forming more readily now. If even that; you could be misremembering. If you compare old scars to new, the old will have lightened considerably by the time you make the comparison.
Wash cuts, use a bandage and a little petroleum jelly.
unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm A dude I know smashed his head off a sink and when the marks healed, there was no trace. I don't like to think this but more recently I feel as if I’m forgetting things more often and at times will have blurred vision at the gym.
You're getting older. But I think you're working yourself up. You're at the age where things start going down hill naturally. It sucks.
If you want to know, then do a double blind experiment. Make some pills with oyster in them, and some without, etc. otherwise it could just be placebo.
unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm I have an appointment with a new doctor and hopefully he will give me a more detailed blood test. All of this could be from a lack of a balanced vegan diet or maybe it would of happened with my old diet.
Can you explain your diet in more detail?
If it's low fat or doesn't contain adequate omega 3, that could be one problem.
unko
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:33 pm
Diet: Vegan

Re: oh hey!

Post by unko »

unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm I have been having a problem with how my cuts heal. If I get a small mark on my body the cut will heal but leave a red mark almost like a scar. I have taken b12, iron, and zinc supplements and still the problem proceeds. I talked with my doctor and she said that when people get older there body heals differently… im 26, really?
Your doctor is right.
There's also a huge genetic component to wound healing. Your scar tissue is just forming more readily now. If even that; you could be misremembering. If you compare old scars to new, the old will have lightened considerably by the time you make the comparison.
Wash cuts, use a bandage and a little petroleum jelly.
unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm A dude I know smashed his head off a sink and when the marks healed, there was no trace. I don't like to think this but more recently I feel as if I’m forgetting things more often and at times will have blurred vision at the gym.
You're getting older. But I think you're working yourself up. You're at the age where things start going down hill naturally. It sucks.
If you want to know, then do a double blind experiment. Make some pills with oyster in them, and some without, etc. otherwise it could just be placebo.
unko wrote: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:52 pm I have an appointment with a new doctor and hopefully he will give me a more detailed blood test. All of this could be from a lack of a balanced vegan diet or maybe it would of happened with my old diet.
I had an appointment with my new Doctor he said they are hyper pigmentation marks from my body trying to heal quickly. Guess i will have to except the consensus. Good to know its not diet related, but also sucks i cant do anything to fix it. :(
Also got a blood test done. I get the results later this week but since the healing problem is just a part of getting old then i dont think the test will show anything. Thanks for dealing with my quarter life crisis :lol:

-Unko :lol:
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brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10273
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: oh hey!

Post by brimstoneSalad »

It's tempting to see everything as something we can fix; thus the profusion of diet cancer cures.
Some things just suck.

Please feel free to let us know about your blood test. If there's anything you need help on we can try to recommend something.
unko
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:33 pm
Diet: Vegan

Re: oh hey!

Post by unko »

Please feel free to let us know about your blood test. If there's anything you need help on we can try to recommend something.
Everything was fine with my blood work. Only thing is my b12 was actually a little high haha. I have a nutrition shake I take that has 2000% of most B vitamins, wont be having that everyday then.

Thanks for the concern.

-unko :lol:
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