Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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I was vegan for two years and in that short period of time my health diminished substantially. At first i felt great. I lost weight. i had more energy (probably because i was burning stored fat haha) but this soon passed and i started feeling weak and developed some hypoglycemic issues. i started feeeling extremely fatigued all the time and im positive i was deficient in almost everything haha. so i did a ton of research and stumbled upon the "paleo" diet. and it just sounded right. it made sense to me. so i cut out all grains and beans and started eating fish and then later on added poultry to my diet and then eventually added red meats back in. and now i feel much better. hypoglycemia issues are completely gone! i can go 5, 6, 7 even 8 hours without eating anything and not feel like im going to pass out. i have more energy, im much much stronger, and my body just feels balanced again. sooo i guess my question is: how many of you have tried a vegan diet and how long did it work for you before you asked yourself "is this really the diet for optimum health?"
It's great to hear from other former vegans who's health has been transformed from going paleo, or at least from adding animal products back into their diets. Like this dude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSfAO7XBnZY

edited Feb 25 2011 at 23:05

Elizabeth
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asked Feb 25 2011 at 18:48

Seth
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Helen · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-25 20:02:04Z UTC

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I was vegan for about two years and it nearly destroyed my health. I am all but certain that the soy I was using for protein nearly killed my thyroid gland. I went vegan because of mis-information about what constituted a healthy diet...just plain lies about what constitutes a healthy diet, actually. For me, far from being a diet for optimum health, veganism is a sure-fire diet for ill-health and death.

answered Feb 25 2011 at 20:02

Helen
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I completely agree. i went vegan for the same reasons and it pretty much destroyed me. i was searching for the "perfect diet" and i guess i was pretty gullible to fall for it. i lost a lot of weight... i am pretty small to begin with. 5'6 and always been around 135-140lbs and when i went vegan i dropped to 125. i lost a lot of muscle and just looked like hell. i wouldnt recommend the vegan diet to anyone except as a cleanse... go raw vegan for a week or so... or better yet, just do a juice fast 1 day every other week. makes you appreciate food so much more! haha. – Seth Feb 25 2011 at 23:17

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I wouldn't even do vegan as a cleanse after my experience with it. I do a casual form of IF and call it good enough as a cleanse. – Helen Feb 25 2011 at 23:40

Travis Culp · Answer 2 · 2011-02-25 19:46:30Z UTC

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I was vegan for about 8 years and developed reactive hypoglycemia as well. It's a pretty good way to waste away and degrade your health.

My mind was blown the first time I went even 5 hours between meals. I couldn't fathom how it was possible.

answered Feb 25 2011 at 19:46

Travis Culp♦
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yeah! i used to be afriad to go anywhere without some nuts or protein bar of some sort just incase my blood sugar would drop. – Seth Feb 25 2011 at 19:56

i just saw that you're from Portland. i just moved back to pennsylvania from Portland about a month ago. i miss the pine trees and super fresh air!!! – Seth Feb 25 2011 at 19:58

Portland's great, especially for sourcing high quality food. Our weather isn't ideal for chickens eating bugs, but I can still get orange-yolked pastured eggs this time of year and New Seasons is great for grass-fed lamb etc. – Travis Culp♦ Feb 25 2011 at 21:08

yeah, i shopped at new seasons quite often. price's are pretty steep compared to the local organic store here in Pa, but it's an awesome store nonetheless. they have great produce and meat departments. – Seth Feb 25 2011 at 23:08

haig · Answer 3 · 2011-02-25 19:56:00Z UTC

Though I'm mostly carnivorous Monday through Friday, I'm paleo vegan on the weekends (I follow an 'anabolic diet' style protocol and also like protein cycling). The vegan way of eating is not that bad for limited periods of time, it only gets stupid when you dogmatically make it a lifestyle choice.

Annie · Answer 4 · 2011-02-25 20:00:06Z UTC

I was a vegitarian for about 15 years and a vegan for two years. I experienced the same thing you did, with extreme hypoglycemia, and I found myself unable to lose any weight no matter how much I starved myself or how hard I exercised. I even joined Facebook's "Fat Vegans" group. Not obese mind you, but about 15 pounds that I could not get rid of. My husband, who is very fit, and was already doing Crossfit for a few years, also developed hypoglycemia/pre-diabetes. Enter my brother, who started Paleo, and went from outstanding physical fitness, to down right RIPPED. He and his wife looked so great, my husband and I just had to try it. I am happy to report success!

Veganism as a cleanse or lifestyle?

4 Answers