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donsabi

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Hi Everyone,

About five years ago a friend who was a vegan urged me to go vegan. I tried for about two weeks but my knowledge of vegan meals was very limited and eating salad and more salad got old very fast. Slowly I returned to my old diet. Since then I listened to those pushing butter, eggs, grass fed beef, etc., and I thought I had even improved on my diet by going organic as much as possible. Recently I questioned why if these foods are so good for us I have a foggy head, headaches, bloating, fatigue, and more negative symptoms.
Last summer I started listening to health videos on youtube and started getting the good UVB and improving my Vit D levels. It wasn't long before I was feeling better. I continued to watch more of these videos and came across the vegetarian/vegan videos. Remembering my vegan friend and his remarkable recovery from a heart attack after going vegan I tried once more. On one of video the author suggested not eating any meat at supper for before bedtime. I tried this and was amazed at how well I slept just as was predicted. I tried a few vegetarian meals and was surprised to see that I felt alert and energized after eating. However, when I ate a meat meal afterwards I was fatigued, bloated, and did not sleep too good. Now I am convinced that a vegetarian lifestyle is the way to go. Once I feel comfortable with being a vegetarian I hope to move forward to veganism.
One problem I have now is that I have Vagal Atrial Fibrillation and I cannot eat certain foods like those high in tyramine and high histamine foods, (fermented). I also tried oatmeal this past week and found it gave me a a headache and upset stomach. I hope to learn more variations of vegetarian meals especially breakfast among other things.
 
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Reactions: Brian W and Emma JC
Welcome to the forum from BC, Canada.

That really sucks with the A-Fib problem. I hope you find a way to maintain your health with some plant foods that you enjoy and tolerate. I wouldn't like being limited myself.

I'm not an expert in this lifestyle or qualified to give advice, but perhaps consulting a plant-based (vegan) doctor in your area for advice.

I am comparing apples to oranges here, but I've experienced kidney stones twice so far in my life. I can assure you, I do NOT want them again, ever! My urologist advised me not to eat foods high in oxalates, if I didn't want stones again. I'm pleased to tell you that since going vegan I eat all those foods now. I do not believe I will see kidney stones again.

I think the high animal protein rich diet I was on is what caused them. It makes sense when you think about it. High uric acid in your blood robs your bones of calcium, which in turn binds with the oxalates into kidney stones. If I reduce the acidity in my blood, there will be no stones or bone degeneration.

I think many doctors are misinformed about plant-based diets. From what I've read and heard on documentaries, most doctors know very little about nutrition. Having said that, with something as serious as A-Fib, I would not recommend trying a similar course of action as I did. I would definitely want to get the advice of a plant-based doctor at the very least before tempting fate, as I did. I don't know how hard it is to find them where you live. They do have an international online database.
 
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Thanks for the post.

I have vagal afib that few doctors recognize. I can trigger my afib with some foods and even stopped some afib episodes with ACV. I have had trouble digesting fat and many fats trigger my afit. I am hoping that going to a vegan diet will reduce my fat intake and in turn reduce my afib incidents.
 
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I think your belief that Bone calcium binds with Oxcalates and causes the kidney stones is false.
Oxcalates require calcium to help rid the body of the oxcalate. The calcium binds with the oxcalate in the gut and will allow it to be pooped out.
High oxcalates and no calcium equates to stone formation.
From someone who is long time vegan and whose wife (also vegan) is being prepped for surgury to remove a 12mm stone blocking the urinary tract from her only kidney.