Encouragement needed

77pipi

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  1. Vegan
Hi guys! I am new to this forum and so glad I found itšŸ˜Š I just recently changed my diet to plant based (4 months ago). Number one reason was because I wanted to live healthier after reading so much about the negative impact of meat and animal products on the body. I enjoy being vegan and it seemed a good choice but now I am questioning if this was a good choice. I am healthy and 38 years old. About two weeks ago I woke up with a lump on my thyroid. All my blood tests came back normal. The next step is a ultrasound which I will do July 3rd. I am a little concern that my vegan diet caused this. I read about iodine deficiency and that this can cause goiter. It did say that vegan and vegetarian are high risk to develop iodine deficiency. Anyway, not sure what caused it. But I need encouragement!!! Anyone experienced similar issues when they started their plant based diet? Any evidence based research that vegan is the best way to go? Thanks so much for your feedback and encouragement.
 
If you had gotten the lump while you were still eating animals, would you have blamed your animal-based diet? The reality is that four months is not enough time to develop iodine deficiency issues, or anything, really. If you have a lump right now, it's more likely to have been caused by your previous, animal-based diet, than by your switch to veganism.

There is plenty of scientific evidence to show that we didn't evolve to eat animals and that eating animals causes all kinds of havoc in our bodies. By avoiding animal products, you are greatly reducing your risk of getting heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and many cancers. Check out Caldwell Esselstyn's book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease". (If you go to YouTube and do a search for Esselstyn, you will find some amazing videos showing how Dr. Esselstyn has been able to not just prevent but reverse heart disease in many patients.) I would also suggest that you listen to the Exam Room podcast produced by the Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine. They interview doctors and ask common health questions. I have learned a lot from it.

You can get all the iodine you need from a combination of iodized table salt and a bit of seaweed. Some seaweeds have too much iodine, so be careful. Generally, wakame and nori have low-enough levels to be eaten liberally. Alternatively, you could lightly -- and I mean lightly -- sprinkle some of your food with kelp flakes every day. (By the way, animals don't make their own iodine. Most animal eaters get iodine from dairy because the factory farm industry uses iodine to disinfect the teats of dairy cows, who are treated in truly barbaric ways.)

Good luck with the ultrasound. Regardless of the outcome, I am certain that the wonderful change you have made towards a kinder way of life will help, not hurt, with your prognosis.
 
Thank you so much for your feedback and resources.
I wouldnā€™t necessary say I am blaming it on my vegan diet...itā€™s more questioning as this lump developed suddenly and being a meat eater for almost 38 years, the body needs to adjust to such drastic changes. But I am also not saying that the cause is my plant based diet. I know that a plant based diet can complement all the Vitaminen and nutrition that the the body needs. My inspiration to become vegan was Dr. Neal Barnard. I do know the benefits of a vegan diet as heart disease and Alzheimerā€™s runs in my family. But I also know that eating healthy requires carefully making choices and ensuring that you consume all the vitamins and nutrition that the body needs as in a plant based diet or meat diet : )
Again thank you for your post, I really appreciate it.
 
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Many whole food plant based doctors recommend getting sea vegetable sources of iodine. Iodine is found in the sea, whether directly from the plants or the fish that eat them. Most people get enough from iodine fortified salt, which most wfpb diets avoid

Iodine is not naturally found in milk, but largely from the cleaning agents :yuck:

Again though, 4 months isn't enough to cause problems. If it's from caused from diet it would be what you've eaten for years
 
Thank you. I always thought milk was the healthiest product you could give your children but after reading so much about it, I was actually harming myself with milk....crazy! Yes, cows consume iodine and thatā€™s how most people get their iodine.
 
Its not going to show up in the nutritional info but if you eat vegetable that grow near the coast, they have iodine they absorb from the soil. but I make sure with a multi.
 
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I worry that many whole food plant based doctors might have an anti-supplement bias and I worry that this probably isn't a healthy attitude.

Where are these WFPB doctors who are against iodized salt and vitamin supplementation? I have read and heard Drs. Barnard and McDougall explain over and over again that iodized salt should be used and that every vegan should take a vitamin B12 supplement. Dr. Greger also has a list of the supplements vegans should consider taking. They only caution against taking one-a-day type of supplements that contain many vitamins and minerals, which can give you too much iron.
 
Could you forward Dr. Greger list of supplements?
Thank you

The actual 'supplements' are b12, D and algae DHA/EPA. Iodine can be had from sea veggies or a supplement.

Dr Greger actually advocate NO added salt, and feels all sodium should be had from foods. He allows miso as a green light food though,saying the soy counteracts the bad from the added salt-

You can download the daily dozen app on google or apple for free
 
I worry that many whole food plant based doctors might have an anti-supplement bias and I worry that this probably isn't a healthy attitude.
I'd distrust any that didn't include B12!
I think so much is dependant on how far you take wfpb eating!
Dr Greger is pretty clear you can get all but B12, with D and Dha/epa subject to the individual. People don't all convert dha/epa is not converted from omegas ratios that well, esp as you age, or if no sea based food is eaten. D the same, also dependant on location.
Other than those, you can really get the balance out of whack when you start adding supplements. Esp B's

All I know from my own foray into keeping the DD clean is I felt pretty amazing. why I didn't stick to it is my own issues.
 
Where are these WFPB doctors who are against iodized salt and vitamin supplementation? I have read and heard Drs. Barnard and McDougall explain over and over again that iodized salt should be used and that every vegan should take a vitamin B12 supplement. Dr. Greger also has a list of the supplements vegans should consider taking. They only caution against taking one-a-day type of supplements that contain many vitamins and minerals, which can give you too much iron.

also Dr Greger is doing a miniseries on iodine right now on youtube...

this is the first of 'I am not sure how many'



Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
 
Hi guys! I am new to this forum and so glad I found itšŸ˜Š I just recently changed my diet to plant based (4 months ago). Number one reason was because I wanted to live healthier after reading so much about the negative impact of meat and animal products on the body. I enjoy being vegan and it seemed a good choice but now I am questioning if this was a good choice. I am healthy and 38 years old. About two weeks ago I woke up with a lump on my thyroid. All my blood tests came back normal. The next step is a ultrasound which I will do July 3rd. I am a little concern that my vegan diet caused this. I read about iodine deficiency and that this can cause goiter. It did say that vegan and vegetarian are high risk to develop iodine deficiency. Anyway, not sure what caused it. But I need encouragement!!! Anyone experienced similar issues when they started their plant based diet? Any evidence based research that vegan is the best way to go? Thanks so much for your feedback and encouragement.
Hi, there are people here who have great replies before me, but I just want to say you can also be deficient in your brain, heart or get a serious disease when you eat meat. Joke on the side, (most of it is true) no diet is the best diet, but from a moral point of view, I assume you wouldn't hurt, kill that animal so why eat?

Your health is important and so are animals' lives. Have this in your mind and you will do great! :)
 
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Where are these WFPB doctors who are against iodized salt and vitamin supplementation? I have read and heard Drs. Barnard and McDougall explain over and over again that iodized salt should be used and that every vegan should take a vitamin B12 supplement. Dr. Greger also has a list of the supplements vegans should consider taking. They only caution against taking one-a-day type of supplements that contain many vitamins and minerals, which can give you too much iron.
OK, you have named three but there are many wholefood purists in the world and I bet some of them are doctors.
 
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Dr Greger came out with the second part of his Iodine video series today and he summed it up by listing 6 great sources of iodine, all sea vegetables, and warned about kelp itself as it is very very high in iodine, too high.

I personally use wakame and buy it in bulk, I put it in my morning oatmeal and my honey puts it in his soups.


Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
 
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OK, you have named three but there are many wholefood purists in the world and I bet some of them are doctors.
Fair enough. I suppose there is a lot of junk out there. I only pay attention to the ones with medical degrees who speak at vegan conferences and on major vegan podcasts, and they tend to be quite consistent among themselves in what they recommend.