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Valued Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

Thanks so much sidsmom, that's very helpful.

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Registered: ‎04-18-2013

Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

[ Edited ]

@magicmoodz wrote:

@QueenDanceALot

 

You give me a better understanding of IBS and how proper diet and exercise are not a cure-all. From outward appearances, we truly never know the struggles some people face because they "look" beautiful. In my mind you are the poster child for good health--eating a wfpb diet, working out, dancing and for emotional health the satisfaction of helping others as a personal trainer. 

 

And yet you have not escaped this somewhat debilitating condition. I wish you many, many more good days ahead than bad (and the coping skills to help you get through the bad). Going forward I will not be so narrow-minded as to think a person could control IBS through a proper diet and exercise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


@magicmoodz

 

Oh, I have WAY more good days than bad!  Before I changed my diet and was still eating a lot of animal foods, I had bouts of MONTHS of inability to absorb nutrients because the bathroom was the room I was in for, no exaggeration, hours every morning, before I could leave the house.  I went to a nutritionist finally, because it was just so bad, I was exhausted.  I ate literally 6 things for almost a year - chicken breast, spinach, carrots, strawberries, kiwi, and romaine lettuce (and romaine really wasn't on the approved list).  It was very hard, I remember crying on the phone to the nutritionist telling her I just couldn't do it and she talked me through.  This all happened after I had been on the many rounds of antibiotics which had decimated my gut microbiome.  I could not digest most proteins, animal or plant.  It was diagnosed as leaky gut which some will scoff at, but I know it to be true, as many professionals now know to be true as well.  After several months I did improve and was able to start adding back other foods without difficulties.

 

Any time since if I have had a course of antibiotics I have the issue again.  But it resolves quicker than it did back then.  And then there was the prednisone that doctors LOVE to give out now when you come in with a sinus infection.  But it is SO bad for your body.  So, there was that.  Fall season, cleaning up the yard, exposed to leaf molds, would just kill me and I would end up with a respiratory problem.  PREDNISONE!  Made me feel like a new person really, really fast! (I think I mentioned this already) but boy is it bad stuff.

 

Anyway, this is probably more than you wanted to read, hahahaha, but for the mostpart, things are good these days.  I have gone through a lot of personal and professional upheaval (which is where I was going with this) in the past few years and I know, from my past, WAY back in my past, that emotional upheaval and stress causes my gut to react in not good ways.  It's not only the food.  I don't believe the body is separate from the mind and the soul.  I guess I look at it all in a very holistic fashion. 

 

SO, I use the catch all name of "IBS", but really, it's probably not entirely accurate.

 

Funny, my family doctor when I was just a little tiny girl, before anyone knew about leaky gut or the microbiome, or anything about anything related to gut issues, called it "Nervous Stomach".

 

Haha, so that's what I call it!  But at least I feel like I have the knowledge and the tools now to deal with it and in the words of Barney Fife, "****** IT IN THE BUD!".

 

Cat LOL  

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Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

@QueenDanceALot

I know you’ve talked about IBS in your thread, but I had no idea

it was this debilitating for as long as it was.  Man, I bet you were

exhausted...mentally & physically.  I bet all the info coming out about

gut microbiome really was eye-opening. I’m glad you’ve found

the light at the end of the tunnel! 🌼💛

Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎04-18-2013

Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

[ Edited ]

@SandGirl wrote:

@QueenDanceALot  I would love to know what else I could sub this with.

I would like to be sure to get in a portion of protein, I normally do a BUNCH of steamed orgainic veggies with a protein source as my evening meal, super simple.

Beans and Lentils are NOT my friend, I tried for 6 weeks straight, my tummy just can't handle it. Would love to hear other suggestions so I can replace the Beyond Meat.


@SandGirl

 

Hi, SandGirl!  Sorry it took me this long to answer you.  I've been busy and kind of distracted with other this and thats and didn't want to give you a short answer that might sound sharp and curt and my answers sometimes sound (when I go back and read them!!  - can I blame that on being a New York native?  haha - O.K., no, I can't).

 

ANYWAY, I get your desire to get enough protein as a physically active person.  I KNOW there is much debate about protein needs in the plant based community, but, almost without fail, those who are involved in strength pusuits, DO stress the need to get enough protein and that you must get it from good plant sources, that you really can't get it easily unless you eat the legumes.  I totally understand the stomach distress that many people DO get from beans and other legumes.  I had a lot of it when I first started eating this way.  It took a few months for that to subside.  I almost gave up!  In retrospect, I should have started slower - I kind of went "all in" and ate a lot of them from the get-go.  Your body adjusts the digestive enzymes required to break down the foods you are eating.  Our bodies are adaptable that way.  But the transition is difficult.  I have a good friend who gave up, said the belly pain was just too much when she eats beans and grains.  She's back to salmon and salads and other non starchy veggies, except she does eat sweet potatoes.  She eats white potatoes, too.  She's happy, she feels good, she has no interest in going WFPB 80/10/10.  And who am I to tell her NO!  It's her journey, her body, her microbiome. (Can you tell I think it's pretty much ALL about your individual microbiome?  Yeah, I do).

 

Anyway, regarding the processed vegan meat substitutes.  I think everyone agrees, at least those who read the science, that processed vegetable oils produce inflammation in the body.  The offender as I understand it, is the high concentration of Omega 6 coupled with the lack of fiber.  Now, eating a meat substitute like Beyond Meat or any of the others comibng out, isn't a problem, I don't think, if it's not something you do on a daily basis.  But, if it is your main source of protein, I think it could be a problem over the long term..

 

Now, Beyond Meat uses pea protein isolate as it's protein (in part).  What about eating fresh (or good frozen organic ones) instead?  I often eat a very simple dinner of rice and peas.  Maybe some hot sauce on it.  Or, if the peas are really fresh and sweet, to my taste they need nothing at all.

 

Further, if the "whole pea" gives you gut distress, you might have to consider that the issue is with your gut, and not the food.  That once you heal your gut that you will be able to eat higher fiber foods, like legumes, without issue.

 

OR, maybe you want to explore a higher fat WFPB diet. There are some people I follow on You Tube who do this and are much happier eating that way than eating the high carb/low fat way.  I know you will meet a lot of resistance from some who insist that high carb/low fat is the ONLY way to go, but I am not so sure that's true.  I think that is highly dependent on your particular state of health.

 

Just my thoughts.  I am not a WFPB nutritionist, I am not a doctor.  I am a student and a seeker of truth and good health.

 

I hope this helps a little.  And I am happy to clarify anything I've said or to discuss any of it.

 

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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

@QueenDanceALot

You are so inspiring and so nice of you to go into detail to really help out.

 

Okay, so I know I need to build up the enzyme to break down the lentils and beans, I eat pretty basic only because I hate to cook and had to get my body used to broccoli too, I eat it every day, a very large portion with no issues what so ever (wasn't the case when I first started eating it) it helps block bad estorgens and so far it has worked wonders for me.

 

So, this morning I am soaking beans and soaking lentils!!!!!  I am going to give this a whirl, I will start out with less than a third cup a day for a few weeks and work my way up, i will begin to weed out the Beyond Meat and switch my protein source over to plant based whole food.  THANKS TO YOU!!


You should have your own blog  Smiley Happy   I plan to keep following thse plant based forum threads, I'm so sick of hearing KETO all over FB I can just puke.  

 

3 years ago is when it all started, the craze that is.... and now you can buy all sorts of Keto "products" / supplements, see how fast the money hungry industries jumped on that wagon?  EYE OPENING

Valued Contributor
Posts: 939
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

[ Edited ]

Been doing the plant based way of eating for about a week now and just don't feel good. Hubby is feeling great though. Is this unusual? I really want to continue with this and wondered if this is a normal thing to happen? Also have brain fog, had to correct this comment two times

Respected Contributor
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Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

@Nadine  a week is not nearly enough time to give your body time to adjust.

It would help if you listed what a typical day for you looks like and list what you are REALLY eating.... even if that is vegan animal cookies LOL

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Valued Contributor
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Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

Yesterday morning, a huge bowl of steel cut oatmeal with bananas, blueberries, blackberries,walnuts. Later two pieces of toasted Ezekial bread with natural peanut butter. and a couple small pieces of watermelon I had cut up.Dinner was spegetti with marina and a salad.. Snack at night dried apple chips and some gluten free crackers. Oh and a half of a Lara bar.

Valued Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

also wondered about the oil free thing. Sweet potato etc. I'm used to adding salt and butter so how do you eat them without butter?

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Re: 🍏Plant Based Success Stories🎉

[ Edited ]

@Nadine

to much grain on a clean vegan diet can cause a host of probelms and spike blood sugars in some. You had grains for each meal, Oats, Ezekial bread and then pasta for dinner, dried fruit chips wreck havoc on my gut, then you had crakers.  I think you may want to try to stick more to whole foods rather than all the processed, the only thing unprocessed you ate is the banana, blueberrys and watermellow which are great don't get me wrong but again if your system isn't used to that much fruit it can surely make you feel bad.

 

Do you mind sharing how you feel, you just said you haven't felt good since going on it. Are you bloated? Tired? Tummy hurt? How active are you? You may need to add in some protein source like beans and lentils but of course start those slowly if you are not used to eating them.

 

I find that keeping things simple work best for me and my digestion, you may be adding to much variety and processed foods starting out on this way of eating which can quickly set you up for failure and wanting to quit eating this way.

 

Please share how exactly you are feeling and I'm hoping others will chime in and we can give you some good examples of meals so that you can make this a success, we ALL started somewhere and have been in your exact shoes so don't give up, you just need some guidance to get you on YOUR right path  Smiley Happy

 

@QueenDanceALot  Can you help, pretty please?!  Smiley Happy