Health Issues Arthritis on Long Time Vegan Lifestyle

I can't remember what Dr. Gregar said but I'm pretty sure Dr. Fuhrman recommends about half our diets to be raw. Hence the Big Salad.

That being said there are so many good cooked foods. going raw just seems to be too restrictive. But I'm pretty sure done correctly and carefully its safe.

I did some research on Raw diets many moons ago. and I was suitably impressed with Kristina. However, I think the only way you can get adequate protein on a raw diet is with very high calorie counts. Ok with athletes. I think Kristina and Freebie were fitness instructors and their "what I eat in a day" videos were like 3000+ calories.
Well I posted a link to what Dr Greger says, so there's that .....
Neither David nor I suggested a raw diet can't be healthy, only that posting misinformation about diets is prohibitive
I don't feel a properly guided raw diet, nor omnivore diet, is unhealthy

The links posted and quotes like
"Truly, cooked food
is addictive and takes our energy away. My experience taught me that. Beans and grains are acidic in pH, but many can handle them"
are misleading and false.
 
and you are free to eat what you want, but you've been posting misinformation on a site that is responsible for many that are new to plant based eating. My concern in particular is referencing comments from trusted sources that are completely misconstrued, and can easily sway new members into false beliefs.
Too many people start eating vegan and fail because of so many mixed messages on nutrition.
Your websites are not scientifically based research.

Thank you for your reply. Many posts on this site are opinions. I have been vegan for over twenty years and have my experiences and opinions, that does not require others to agree with what I say or act accordingly, any more than another vegans recommending impossible burgers or a myriad of fake meats, etcetera, should be listened to. Discernment is the key to change and life. Some things work for some humans but not for everyone. Soem humans can handle soy, some choose not to consume it. This is only one site for information, there are hundreds of other videos. sites, "experts", groups, and opinions., so newbies can find plenty of all kinds' of information all over the internet. There are many forms of veganism, including a small percentage of mostly raw-food eaters. There are well-known raw-foodists including Kristina as well as Dr. Gabriel Cousens, who is a medical doctor. Many humans have regained their health from chronic and life threatening illnesses via raw plant foods, the Gerson and Halleluliah diet, and the Hippocrates institute have been helping humans heal for over thirty years.
Any vegan 'diet" can be healthful or not depending on the food choices made. A raw diet can easily be inadequate if one does not get enough
calories, protein, iron, and take some supplements for B12 and maybe zinc.
I personally find many vegans eat less than healthfully, even though they have a right to their food choices and their food choices are vegan. I actually started out this way and consumed a lot of soy hot dogs, etcetera instead of whole foods. I have heard Dr. Greger and others say similar statements. Recommending 50% raw foods in anyone's diet is my belief system, as I understand it provides more enzymes, minerals, vitamins, energy and fiber. Most humans do not consume the recommended 5 fruit and 4 vegetable servings daily. My guess is that many vegans also do not meet this recommended amount, which would mean they are consuming other, surely processed, foods, etcetera, instead. While we want to encourage new vegans, we also make a huge mistake if NOT encouraging 'healthy" dietary choices, and emphasizing on whole plant foods are over processed foods. Anyone relying on a processed food diet, whether vegan, omnivore, or keto, will be eating less than adequate nutrition.
From my research on 'failed vegans", there are multiple causes according to studies. About 84% of vegans fail, and not because one vegan recommends less processed foods and 50% raw. I do not believe vegans fail because of mixed messages on nutrition. However a main theme I find with many vegans is that fake meats are chosen part of being vegan, which can be interpreted as misinformation as well. The main one is humans well-intentioned but who do not do their homework and educate themselves, who jump into this not knowing how to eat vegan properly, not eating enough calories, not getting enough protein, and those with a disordered diet mentality. Others include the fact that meat is socially acceptable and is a huge addiction and habit for most humans in multiple ways. They are used to the overstimulating effect of hormones, iron overload, carnitine, and tons of B12 from eating animals. Another is social isolation and not having any connection or interaction with other vegans, feeling different from previous friends, family, co-workers because of their new "veganism", and having a challenge when they are teased, laughed at, or ridiculed.
I do not believe vegans fail because of "mixed messages" on nutrition, except that according to studies, vegans are typically low or deficient in
D3, Zinc, iodine, iron and B12 (if they do not supplement). "New" vegans need to understand these truths, and may feel they are missing information that other vegans should tell them. I have also heard that many ex-vegans were unaware of the high amounts of phytic acid, lectins, and other mineral
robbers in plant foods. However a theme I find with many vegans is that processed foods and fake meats are a chosen part of being vegan, which can be interpreted as "misinformation" and false beliefs in my opinion.
My posts were not intended to harm anyone or provide misinformation of any kind. However, it is essential that new vegans understand the benefits of whole raw plant foods and that processed foods may not provide the adequate nutrition that will keep them going long-term and they may end up "failing" directly because of that choice. I am willing to exit this forum if you feel it is in the best interest of the newbies. namaste', rachel goodkind
 
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I can't remember what Dr. Gregar said but I'm pretty sure Dr. Fuhrman recommends about half our diets to be raw. Hence the Big Salad.

That being said there are so many good cooked foods. going raw just seems to be too restrictive. But I'm pretty sure done correctly and carefully its safe.

I did some research on Raw diets many moons ago. and I was suitably impressed with Kristina. However, I think the only way you can get adequate protein on a raw diet is with very high calorie counts. Ok with athletes. I think Kristina and Freebie were fitness instructors and their "what I eat in a day" videos were like 3000+ calories.
I am in no way suggesting to most humans that they go all RAW. For most humans simply becoming vegan is a challenge.
I am simply stating what I have done and saying that 50% of foods eaten in their raw state is a prudent and nutritious
addition to everyone's diet (whether they eat animals or not). One of many benefits of raw unprocessed foods is that they
contain enzymes and also improve our gut health (which is helpful for absorbing B12). It should be worrisome to vegans
that most humans do not consume the suggested amount of 4 or 5 fruit servings, and, 4-5 vegetables everyday, and I believe
most vegans are also lacking eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables as well.
There are long-term vegans who go back to being omnivores, I have met several humans who did this. A vegan group I
belong to had a leader who was vegan for 6 or more years who went back to omnivorism, and after 6 years you would believe
she would know how to eat healthfully and take B12 adequately. There are reasons for these slides and understanding their
causes is important for all of us in the future. I believe the key is educating new vegans from the very beginning so they are
more prepared for what they can encounter and create. Simply "giving up" meat, dairy, eggs and fish does not prepare one to be
a healthful or even committed vegan.
I wish someone had told me so many things when I started, including insisting on taking B12, getting enough iron, D3,
Zinc...How my B12 levels can be low if I do not get enough Iron, or because i may not absorb the B12 or take enough.
About taking creatine if our B12 level is low to mitigate high homocysteine levels...about eating enough veggies and
fruits, proteins, enzymes, and so on. But I made a commitment, and year by year I learned and adapted and ate better than when
I began. I was my own lab rat or test dummy.
I assure you I was all raw for several years and did not consume 3000 calories in order to to get enough protein, however I
did consume nuts, seeds, sprouts, and a lot of vegetables and fruits. I also understand that some humans require more protein,
some requires less. The recommended amounts for adult females are about 40-50 grams a day, and for males about 55-60 grams
a day. One great way to add calories is with green protein smoothies, and there are healthy choices of organic vegan protein powder
such as those from SunWarrior and Vivo, or, we can use 3-4 T. of flax powder in a smoothie and get more Omega 3 fats this way.
Thank you again for caring and for your comments, namaste', rachel
 
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I take V D3, I bought a botle of algal oil and it tastes so terrible that it ruins everything I put it in.
Hello, I am wondering where you bought your algae oil. I have tried three companies for algae oil. One I found at a local health food store. It had sunflower oil and fruit flavors added. I also tried three flavors from a company called source- omega. The unflavored had a mild fish taste. From my scanty online research I have gathered that part of what is so difficult about algae oil production is that it goes rancid very quickly and very easily, and my assumption is that this is the reason for the fishy flavor and odor. The source- omega company also has flavored bottled oils, which i believe they flavor with essential oils. I can't taste any fishy hint in the two flavors I tried, the rosemary and the lemon. If you wanted to imitate this effect, perhaps you could find some edible essential oil somewhere and add it to your algae oil. You would need to ask the supplier and/or do your own research to find out how much you could safely add to the oil you already have.
The last company I have sampled is Jedward's which is based in Maryland I believe and they sell a lot of different oils from different suppliers, such as cumin oil, avacado oil, and yes even fish oil; also olive oil, and supplies for making soap- both common and exotic stuff. They told me on the phone that it is not company policy to reveal the companies they source from, but that the company that supplied their algae oil is in Germany. Anyway they count the best by date for their algae oil as three years after datie of manufacture, whereas source- omega says that they count best by dates as two years after date of manufacture. Jedward's algal oil is also not refined, so it has a bright orange color. Their current batch which they sent me a free sample of on request was produced in March of 2020, so by what the other company says their standards are, it is already past due. It has a much stronger fish- like taste than the unflavoored from source- omega. To be honest I am wondering if there is any way to tell if they just sent me a sample of salmon oil. I will be curious to see if they get more later in 2023 if a newer batch is different. I may check their website again ater March 2023 to see if they are offering it.
 
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I was just re-reading this thread where there was disagreement about how to guide new vegans to good choices and success. At the time this conversation took place, I was uncomfortable about the discord but didn't know how to say so. (For some reason, even though I will argue at the drop of a hat, I'm usually uncomfortable witnessing anyone else arguing.)

One of the things Rachel wrote was,

"I personally find many vegans eat less than healthfully. I actually started out this way and consumed a lot of soy hot dogs, etcetera instead of whole foods."

I thought this provided some much-needed context in the conversation.

So I just wanted to say that I understand that everyone's intention was and is to help people make healthy choices,
stick with their moral convictions,
and avoid mistakes many of us have made before we learned better, often the hard way. Goodness knows I have made plenty of my own mistakes, and the open discussion on this forum where we can trust each other not to criticize only on the basis of veganism is comforting and immeasurably helpful to me.
 
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oh, in the post it says 65
Doh! :rofl:It does. In their avator it had age 113

Gotta say I've been on a junk food bender--sugars, oils....and not even taking tumeric. My right hand swelled, and very stiff and painful, esp on wakening. I'm now getting back on track and already my hands feel better
 
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