I’ve always thought that following a vegan diet meant being deprived of important nutrients. But, that’s not necessarily the case at all.
I’ve always been a very picky eater. I rarely ate veggies and was usually the last one at the dinner table growing up.
As I got older, my relationship with food grew complicated. It seemed like I had a bad reaction to everything I ate, and later learned that I have irritable bowel syndrome.
I don’t want to gross you out with all the details, but having IBS is brutal. Just imagine having a bad reaction to almost everything you eat. It got to a point where I eliminated almost everything I consumed. I had to do something, so I got advice from a family medicine doctor.
My gastroenterologist recommended the FODMAP diet to alleviate my issues. FODMAPs are a collection of short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols found in foods naturally or as food additives.
He gave me a list of foods that are safe for me to eat, and I kept a food journal to keep track of my daily intake. But, I soon realized that I was skipping an important step of putting an end to my digestive problems.
I didn’t know much about the nutritional value in a lot of the foods I ate. Moreover, I wasn’t sure if my family and I were getting the right amounts of nutrients.
So, we began researching how different types of foods affect our bodies. Documentaries like “What the Health,” “Vegucated,” and “Forks Over Knives” explain the impact that food has on our bodies, the environment, and our wallets.
How We Started Our Vegan Diet
My healthy food mission actually began long before my decision to follow a vegan diet. I eliminated beef when I was about 13-years-old after a trip to Roy Rogers. The burger that I ordered was raw on the inside, which turned me from beef completely.
I stopped buying deli meats after learning that the nitrates found in them could cause inflammation and disease.
I thought chicken would be difficult. But the preparation involved was often so labor intensive, just the thought of having to spend an hour to prepare poultry turned me off. Plus, my husband no longer craved chicken, so eliminating it from our diet wasn’t hard at all.
Fish, on the other hand, was quite a challenge. I LOVE seafood, especially shellfish. To make matters worse, we were headed to Massachusetts. It’s known as one of the major seafood destinations in the United States. I probably ate enough lobster and shrimp to feed an army while on vacation before going cold turkey. We also quit dairy products during that time and we’ve never looked back.
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Plant Based Lifestyle Safe for Kids?
When I told the children’s pediatrician about their vegan diet, she was concerned.
“What are you doing about protein?” she asked.
“What about calcium?” she asked.
I explained to her that they eat tofu (in moderation), beans, broccoli, squash, cauliflower and other foods in place of meat, poultry and fish. They also take vitamins and drink nutritious smoothies.
It wasn’t that difficult at all for them to make the switch. Aside from the occasion baked fried fish, our son didn’t eat chicken or beef. Our daughter enjoyed chicken and fish, but didn’t mind swapping them out for her favorite veggies. Learn more about vegan-friendly options by checking out The Vegan Travel Guide.
Kids can be picky eaters, but the trick is to gradually introduce them to different types of fruits and veggies. They’re not going to like everything. But if you focus on the healthy things they enjoy, they’ll be fine. Drinking your greens through greens powder is also a delicious and convenient way to nourish your body with essential nutrients. One way to drink nutrients from plants is through Shot of Joy.
I understand that some people may not understand our food choices, but that’s okay. As they say, different strokes for different folks.
Our goal is to lead a healthy lifestyle and teach our children the same. Whatever route they choose regarding their diet when they become adult is completely up to them. Either way, they’ll be armed with enough knowledge to make a decision. For now, our vegan based diet is working out just fine and I no longer supper from painful IBS.