How can i be healthier, but still be a vegetarian?

Question

I've been a vegetarian since i was 5 years old, and i'm 14 now so 9 years.

Lately though i've been worried i'm becoming unhealthy. Normally for dinner i have a stirfry with tofu, eggs, veggies and noodles, or pasta with a tomato sauce and veggie beef.

But latley i've had really really low ammounts of energy and it's hard to focus and i have a lot of trouble falling asleep at night.

I keep craving ice cubes, and apparently that can mean i'm iron defficiant. I have supplements and stuff (like Floravital, etc.) but i don't know if they're really helping. I definatley don't want to start eating meat, but how can i get more iron and be a healthier vegetarian? Thanks

Answer 1

Green leaf vegetable such as spinach and broccoli have lots of iron if that is your main concern.  However, my advice since you are a minor, is not to self diagnose and ask your parents about seeing a doc about your "condition". It may be nothing but it could also be a sign of something more serious. Giving anecdotal advice on nutrition directly to a minor , to me is irresponsible and not something I am too keen on doing.

There are also many other factors which can affect your level of energy such as increased activity, amount of rest/sleep you are getting, the amount of food you are actually eating  etc etc Also, as you get older, your body starts to require more of some nutrients and less of others. Perhaps your overall diet is not as balanced for your age and this is causing some problems. As I have said, a trip to the doc and or nutritionist usually helps solve this problem.

Your dilemma confirms the myth that some people have: being a vegetarian somehow means one is automatically healthy. Your body needs nutrients and as long as you give it what it needs, it should be fine. Constantly feeding it what it doesn't need and inadequately/excessively of what it requires and you will have problems,  vegetarian or otherwise.

Answer 2

okay, here is what you do.

Avoid empty foods that are high in fats and make you feel hungry so quickly. Instead cook with more grains and beans. - solid wholesome food. make your fav. foods that have grians.

1) this will fill you up

2) easy to take to work

3) lots of protein

4) easy to make

5) cheap

6) its super healthy

buy a cook book called veganomicon

Go here for free and easy recipes. - they have a vegan searches.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com

get started with beans - kidney, black, navy, -- chilie, black bean with nachos

Plus eat more vegetable and fresh fruits. Avoid sugary junk foods.

Your goal is to be a healthy vegetarian not a junkatarian!

Answer 3

First off, don't listen to j.enc.  They sound very ignorant and uminformed.  The "iron deficiency in vegetarians" rhetoric is one of the meat industries most succesful scare camaigns and is a load of bollocks.  Iron defiecieny occurs in meat eaters and vegetarians alike.  Mr or Ms Enc's post is very confusing and quite frankly insulting to real vegetarians and vegans.  I'm still not sure how you can be a vegetarian but still eat meat "now and then".  Before you self diagnose go to a doctor and get a blood test to check for things like iron and B12 levels.  If you do have an iron deficieny it may be diet related but the good news is there are some easy ways to fix it.  Green leafy vegetables are loaded with iron (especially  cabbage), and grains and bread are also a great source.  To get a better absorption of iron it is also recommended that you consume vitamin C at the same time as your vegies as this will increase absoprtion.  I always have a glass of OJ with my meals.  Another good trick is to cook in a cast iron pot.  As silly as this sounds, if you cook something slightly acidic (tomatoes etc) it will react with the iron in the pot and will increase your iron intake.

Some other reasons for your lack of energy may also be diet related.  To get sustained energy eat more whole foods, and try to eat raw food meals when possible.  Raw foods digest more slowly and release energy for longer than highly processed foods like rice etc.  Combined with low impact exercise you will find your energy levels will increase in no time.

Don't listen to the nay sayers who say you need protein and iron form red meat, as their only point of reference is the meat industry propaganda machine they have absorbed form tv.  There have been several champion athletes and sports people, like Carl Lewis, Edwin Moses and Martina Navratilova to name a few, who were vegans for their entire careers so a good vegan diet obviously has something going for it.

Answer 4

FOREWARNING: I WROTE A c**p LOAD.  SORRY!  Print my answer out and read it when you've got time to spare, I guess!  LOL :)

Just for the record, people who eat meat "every now and then" are not vegetarians.  

Now, as for your situation...  Are you eating enriched pasta or are you eating something like whole wheat or sprouted pasta?  Consider taking a multi-vitamin (a vegan/vegetarian one, both for the obvious reason and because it'll be better formulated for you).  

Consider trying new things.  Here's a list of foods you may not have tried before.  It's fun to try new stuff!  (I will let you Google them to find out what they are, but I'll give some suggestions on how to prepare some of them...  I'm somewhat of a picky vegan, but I like all these):

Quinoa [with a little olive oil, minced garlic, and salt. Veggie broth is good with this.  Quinoa is delicious in a hearty vegetable soup, too, along with wild rice]

Seitan [an easy, homemade treat.  Works well as a meat substitute also]

Whole wheat couscous [A staple of the Middle East.  Very good in soups, too]

Falafel and hummus [I'm sure this one you've probably heard of it...  If not... well, if I had one last meal to eat before I died, it'd be falafel with a lemon tahini sauce served in a freshly baked pita pocket with a side of hummus!]

Sprouted bread [Try the Ezekiel brand sliced bread...  You have to keep it in the fridge because it has no preservatives, and it's a little different than regular sliced bread.  I wasn't sure about it at first, but now I prefer it over regular sandwich bread.  I love to make a peanut butter, jelly, and ricemellow sandwich on it!]

Cashew/almond/sun butters [Like peanut butter, but made from different nuts/seeds]

Tempeh [My dog loves it uncooked, but it's sort of bland.  The nutty flavor really comes out when it's cooked.  Try breading it with some oat or spelt flour and baking it, then make your own buffalo sauce or BBQ sauce]

You want to make sure you eat a variety of foods.  Not necessarily in the same meal (you don't have to do the stereotypical combinination of proteins at a meal), but you don't want to eat the same thing every day.  Not only does it get old, but you might not be getting nutrients you could be getting from other foods.  I'm no dietician, but try this:

1) Take a multi-vitamin daily.  You can try also taking an echinacea/goldenseal supplement if you can procure a vegan one.

2) Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Obviously organic or locally grown is better, but that's beside the point here.  Try making a smoothie with orange juice (fresh is better, but oranges are expensive and don't make much juice), mixed berries, a banana, a little oatmeal (1/4 cup or so for each serving you make), and a couple spinach leaves.  Trust me, you can't see or taste the spinach leaves once you blend it all together.  

Try making a salad of romaine and spinach and others (like arugula or raddichio if you like them... I don't) with any vegetables you like and make an interesting dressing.  You can even toss on some almonds or walnuts.  My girlfriend likes to make a carrot ginger dressing and a Thai peanut dressing, and I like to make an oriental/Asian vinaigrette.  It makes a salad a bit more interesting.  

3) Make sure you're getting plenty of exercise and fresh air.  

4) Iron is found soybeans (and things which contain soybeans, like tofu and tempeh), molasses, lentils, beans, potato (if you don't eat the skin then don't eat a potato!!), leafy greens, and several other fruits, vegetables, and nuts to a certain extent.

5) If none of this seems to help, try a cleansing/detox diet.  There's plenty of links on Google.  Sometimes I like to eat nothing but fresh, raw fruit and veggies (and juice) for 2 days, fast for 1 day, then fruit and veggies for 2 more days.  I take a detoxifying herbal supplement blend during all 5 days.  Something like Colon Cleanse.  You'll feel much better afterwards.

Conclusion: You don't have to watch your diet too carefully as long as you are eating a variety of foods.  Sometimes it's easier to eat the same thing over and over, but I think mentally it makes a person feel better to try new things.  I've gone through something similar to what you've described and shortly after I started trying new things.  Some of my favorite foods now are things I'd never even heard of 2 or 3 years ago.  One final suggestion.  If you are picky (sort of like me) and/or sort of lazy (also like me... I'm guilty!), then try this:

Make a soup.  It's really easy and delicious.  Put about 5 or 6 cups of water on the stovetop.  Turn it on medium high to bring it to a boil.  While it's getting to boiling, add 2-3 cloves minced garlic, and then add Spanish paprika, black pepper, and salt.  Then a heaping dash of Italian seasoning.  Next, a little bit of Tony Chachere's.  Yeah, the stuff in a green can, lol.  Then a little can of tomato paste and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Now add some chopped onion, carrots, celery, cubed potatoes (leave the skin, remember), wild rice (needs to be pre-cooked), quinoa (needs to be pre-cooked), a can of corn, a can of black/pinto/kidney beans (whichever you like), and then add about 1/2 cup of WW couscous (uncooked, it cooks fast, so add it near the end).  

Now taste it.  Generally when I get to this point, it tastes like sh*t.  So add a little more Tony's, some salt, and adjust other seasonings to your liking.  Of course, you can add more or less or something different.  This is just an idea.  It makes a hearty soup that tastes good and has just about everything in it you need.  I make variations of something like this all the time.  The only fat (to speak of) comes from the olive oil, which is mostly good fats, and is high in vitamin E.  The beans provide iron and fiber, corn has a good amount of minerals, carrots have vitamin A and C,  quinoa is exceptionally high in fiber, iron, and protein.  100 grams of quinoa has nearly 60% of your RDI of iron.  Wild rice  provides more fiber and protein with a little iron, the couscous has some iron with plenty of protein and fiber, and finally, potatoes have an array of nutrients and a good chunk of vitamin C.  You'll be extremely full if you eat a significant amount of this soup because of all the protein.  Avoid eating a lot of protein-rich food the rest of the day if you eat one meal that has an exceptionally high amount.  You want to eat around 40-50 grams per day, depending on your personal situation.  Too much protein is bad for the health.

OK, sorry I wrote a novel, but the point is to make sure you are getting a variety of foods (Don't eat the same thing every day, and pay attention to the colors of your foods).  Eat fresh when possible.  Raw foods are good, too, (obviously not eggs, etc..).  Eat less packaged/processed foods, and when you do eat them, make sure they are decent for you!  That's about it.  It's mostly common sense.  Just experiment and you'll find that healthy, wholesome stuff can taste good.  Now, that's not to say you can't have what you like sometimes!  I ate a big ol' hunk of vegan dark chocolate cake with chocolate mocha icing earlier ;)

Good luck.  Hope your eyeballs didn't fall out reading all that I wrote.

Answer 5

As for iron, eat lots of brocolli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, swiss chard, raisins....I'm sure your lack of energy isnt due to your diet, since youve been doing this for 9 years. Your body is doing some pretty wacky things at 14. Some good energy-boosting foods= bananas, lentils, oatmeal, and almonds. Try getting more sleep (I know a lot of 14 year olds stay up late, I have two 14 year old sisters...). You may want to take a ginseng and B12 suppliments also.

Answer 6

Low energy could also be due to low levels of protein and/or vitamin B-12. I'm pasting links to articles on easy ways to add these to your diet:

http://www.ehow.com/how_2298983_add-prot...

http://www.ehow.com/how_2298990_add-vita...

Hope these help!

Answer 7

I think you should talk to your doctor.  Having low amounts of energy, low focus, insomnia, and cravings could be a sign of a deficiency in your diet, but not necessarily.  There are a lot of other conditions that could cause that.  If you're taking nutritional suppliments, I think that pretty much rules out a nutrient deficiency.  (Besides, many vegetarians don't even take supplements and don't lack nutrients, nor get tired or weak.)  I don't think a deficiency is your problem.  (Even if it is, you should talk to your doctor to find the best way to fix it.)  It's probably something else that your doctor could identify.

Answer 8

1) See a dietitian. 2) Depending on your reasons for being vegetarian consider eating meat occasionally. I have many friends who are vegetarian but will have meat every now and then. Sometimes deficiencies which can be difficult to solve (although, more often than not, possible if you're responsible in consulting with a professional) using vegetables, can be solved easily with a serving of meat.

I don't really enjoy fish but when I do crave it I buy and cook some because I feel it's my body telling me something.