We hear all the time about vegans or vegetarians going back to eating animal products. Whilst
it’s sad, there are some good reasons why this happens, many of which can be prevented. Let’s
look at some of the key reasons why this happens and how we can combat them.
Nutritional reasons
Unfortunately, a lot of people are getting their health advice from influencers these days,
rather than health professionals- it often seems as though the amount of followers somebody
has is deemed more qualifying than study. This means that many of the dietary patterns
people are first coming across when learning about plant-based diets are extreme, restrictive
and oftentimes downright silly.
Even when somebody’s not just binging on one food to make up their diet, what I often see in
clinical practice is that people are frequently missing out on key food groups. A whole food
plant-based diet as seen in the clinical trials that demonstrate health benefits is one that
includes legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and often ones greatly
reducing or excluding cooking oils, sugar or salt. Whilst, I choose to implement the last three
steps myself, unless you’re looking for a health transformation or are prioritising long-term
chronic disease prevention, you don’t need to be religious about being SOS (salt, oil, sugar)-free
to maintain a diet that will avoid deficiencies.
Another common thing I see is that people could be eating all the right foods but in minute
quantities. If you’re feeling hungry or fatigued, check in with a plant-based health professional
to ensure you’re eating adequate quantities of these foods. On a similar thread, it is not
uncommon to see people not meeting the caloric needs required to support their lifestyle.
When we switch from animal foods to plant-based foods we need to remember that these
foods are typically much lower in calories in comparison to the room they take up on our
plates. We often need to eat a lot more volume of food than we are used to. If you’re
struggling to get enough calories, foods like whole grains, starchy vegetables and legumes are
ones to prioritise.
It is less common these days, but I still people who are following plant-based diets and not
supplementing with B12- the long-term effects of this if not caught in time are very serious.
Please supplement unless advised otherwise by your healthcare professional.
Who’s to blame for getting this wrong? None of us! The vast majority of us were not raised
vegetarian or vegan, and we certainly didn’t get taught this stuff growing up. If we got any
nutritional advice it was probably that we needed meat for protein and dairy for calcium- at least I know that’s the extent of the education I got!
Fortunately, there is a lot of great information out there when you look for credible sources, as
well as great plant-based health professionals eager to help.
Lifestyle reasons
Sometimes we get so caught up in “diet wars” that we forget that there are other serious pillars
to health aside from nutrition.
Getting enough sleep and movement, not smoking or taking toxic substances, cultivating
healthy, supporting relationships, and engaging in stress-reduction activities are all extremely
key factors to health. I know from past experience, as a vegan health professional with an
extremely balanced diet, and a regular meditation practice, that no amount of dark green leafy vegetables has been able to undo the effects of being in unhealthy social environments. Which brings me onto my next point..
Social reasons
Plant-based diets can be extremely triggering to people in our lives. Not everybody is going to
support your choice to make this transition and potentially some of the most important people
in your life may be vehemently against it. There is the potential that what can be such a
positive action for your health, the animals and the environment can leave you feeling
incredibly alone. I love Clare Mann’s book Vystopia that looks in depth at how to survive as a
vegan in a non-vegan world, and why it can be psychologically challenging to carry the burden
of knowledge.
What I would really recommend is looking for community; join vegan meet-ups if they exist in
your area, or even look to cultivate an online community if this isn’t possible. There are so
many people in the same position who would love to meet you, and other people who would
just love to support you. Whilst joining the vegan community may offer a smaller pool, it is
growing, and you may well find the depth of friendship you find is unlike anything you’ve found
before- that is something I certainly experienced. Bonding over a shared sense of compassion
is an incredible way to bond.
Other health reasons
Following on- have you heard of the nocebo effect? It’s essentially the opposite of the placebo
effect- where our health worsens because we expect it to. In a nutritional climate where the
loudest voices these days tell us we need animal protein or even more concerning that the
healthiest diet consists of nothing but animal products and that fibre is bad for us (EEK!) it can
be so easy to question ourselves. If you’re surrounded by these voices but yet a vegan diet
makes sense to you for the animals and the planet, then I really suggest that you look into the
work of vegan healthcare professionals who present the overwhelming evidence for a plant-
based diet and address much of the misinformation put out there by others. Even if you don’t
answer back out loud to what you’re hearing, it at least means you can argue against it in your
own head, which will go a great way to reducing the nocebo effect. As a current minority, it can
be hard to have the courage to believe in something that your family, friends and maybe even
your own doctor is warning you against- again, this is where seeking a plant-based health professional makes the most sense, as they’ll understand the intricacies in a way other people
won’t.
Lastly, I do see certain people who are suffering from underlying digestive disorders or other
health issues that make the healthy fibre and sugars in plant foods more difficult to tolerate.
Working with an experienced health professional to resolve these underlying issues is again the
way forward. Often when these same people reintroduce animal foods they
sometimes feel better- not because they were deficient in animal protein, but because they
aren’t being triggered by the fibres or sugars in plant foods, and they conclude that it was an animal food deficiency, rather than a fibre/fruit sugar intolerance. It’s always best to fix the underlying problem
so that you can comfortably eat and enjoy the most evidence-based diet for long-term health and chronic disease risk reduction: a fibre-rich, whole food plant-based diet.
Author’s bio
Camilla Brinkworth is a plant-based naturopath, medical herbalist and nutritionist. After being
diagnosed in her 20s with hereditary arthritis andcexperiencing debilitating pain, she
transitioned to a wholefood, plant-based diet and transformed her health and wellbeing.
Camilla is the co-founder of Phytolove, a distribution company committed to bringing
innovative plant-based products and nutraceuticals to the Australian and New Zealand markets
including Ahiflower omega supplements.
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