Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    KalFour's Avatar
    KalFour Posts: 332, Reputation: 46
    Full Member
     
    #1

    Apr 18, 2008, 10:01 PM
    Safety of a vegan diet?
    I have a good friend who is a vegan. He takes vitimin and mineral supplements, but I still asssume that he has some deficiencies. He has bad breath and his skin is unhealthy looking. He also has a dry tongue and a constant cough.
    I don't know if these are caused by his diet, but I never noticed them before his eating habits changed.
    I'm wondering if it's possible to be completely healthy as a vegan. I'm a vegetarian, and get regular blood tests to make sure I'm keeping up with my dietary requirements, but he's much less cautious and his diet is much more limited.
    Can a full vegan get all his dietary requirements? If so, what can I do to help him get them?

    Thanks,
    Kal
    N0help4u's Avatar
    N0help4u Posts: 19,823, Reputation: 2035
    Uber Member
     
    #2

    Apr 19, 2008, 06:37 AM
    Yes if he is not getting enough protein by eating nuts and other protein or if he is not eating a good variety of nutrients from what he eats he can be an unhealthy vegetarian.
    Also not all supplement brands are good.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
    Expert
     
    #3

    Apr 19, 2008, 07:29 AM
    A veggy diet can be great and completely healthy, but as noted one has to get all of the items they need in their diet. And not though pills but by eating all the required things. There is no need for meat in our diets.
    *** not that I have the will power for it, but did for over three years.
    Fuchsia's Avatar
    Fuchsia Posts: 58, Reputation: 5
    Junior Member
     
    #4

    Apr 21, 2008, 02:43 PM
    I'm not a vegan or vegetarian but I know some people are allergic to dairy and they might not be able to eat it. I believe there are nutrients we need in both meat and vegetables. I do believe that there should be moderation in both. Not just eat meat all the time. I like to eat a couple of vegetarian meals throughout the week.

    You do have to listen to your body though. If your friend doesn't look good you may want to tell him your concern. You can't just stop eating certain things without replacing certain nutrients.
    firmbeliever's Avatar
    firmbeliever Posts: 2,919, Reputation: 463
    Ultra Member
     
    #5

    Apr 21, 2008, 03:12 PM
    All for vegans and everyone else too.
    Your friend might like to go through this list and check if he has all the needed nutritions covered.
    boredINmind's Avatar
    boredINmind Posts: 87, Reputation: 2
    Junior Member
     
    #6

    Apr 22, 2008, 03:45 AM
    You have to take good care of yourself when your diet is so limited by something like this. Previously said, you have to eat a wide variety of foods in order to get all the nutrients that you need.

    Nuts, fruits, veggies, Vitamins, and WATER! Another thing that most people don't think about is that the human/animal body need sunlight. If your friend isn't getting enough of this it can reek havoc on someone's health.

    If he is so dedicated in maintaining this diet, he also should be dedicated to maintaining his health, so talk to him and encourage him to get some help, either online or from a Dr.
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
    Ultra Member
     
    #7

    Apr 22, 2008, 03:56 AM
    The problem is that meats offer the eater a variety of complex proteins that you cannot get from single sources of veggies/nuts. You have to eat a greater variety of them to get the same benefits.
    boredINmind's Avatar
    boredINmind Posts: 87, Reputation: 2
    Junior Member
     
    #8

    Apr 28, 2008, 04:37 AM
    Comment on tomder55's post
    I agree, veggies/fruits are hard to eat and get the full specrum of nutrients. Multivitamins are a MUST!
    lovelesspa's Avatar
    lovelesspa Posts: 1,019, Reputation: 127
    Ultra Member
     
    #9

    May 10, 2008, 11:04 AM
    There are a lot of meat substitutes like beans, lentils, tofu that will give the protein we all need, bean burgers made from beans or mushrooms for instance might help round out his nutritional deficiencies. Vitamins and minerals alone won't give him all the things his body requires, these supplents work with what we eat, he's needs to take a closer look at how to complete the dairy requirements.

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Can Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi ruined your diet? [ 17 Answers ]

Hello, Iam Writing To You Because Iam One Of Those People That Have Been Trying To Lose Some Pounds.. I Have Been Cutting Off The Sweets, Fatting And Anything Else That Gains Weight.. I Also Have Been Doing Exercise.. my Only Question Is If Diet Coke Gains Weight Even Though If Its Diet?. My...

Safety for cribs [ 13 Answers ]

My husband's aunt is giving us a crib that she used for her daughter. The crib is 6 years old. One of my friends told me that I couldn't use this crib because they change safety regulations on all cribs every two years. I looked up some safety regulations online and plan on inspected this crib to...

Safety of my children [ 5 Answers ]

I have a situation, The biological father of my children hasn't had any contact with them in 5 years. Now he is taking me to court because he wants visitations. But he pays child support and has been paying for 4 years. What would be your opinion do I have a fighting chance at winning so he doesn't...


View more questions Search