It's About the Lethargy.
I'm almost positive this has been asked before....but what about the lethargy???
The hubby and I are new vegetarians. We still eat eggs ((occasionally!)) and yogurt, but that's it.
Problem is, we avoid processed foods as much as humanly possible. So no tofu, no soy milk, no TVP. It's just not our thing.
I've been trying to do more research into what's needed to have a fully rounded diet, but I continually come up with pages that repeatedly advise tofu and well...no real advice at all.
Our thoughts on the newfound lethargy are B-12, protein, iron...Haha, I suppose there are lots of things up in the air for us.
So.....If anyone has a good, *trusted* site on nutritional info for keeping up with optimal nutrition, that would be super appreciated. Or could point us in the general direction of particular foods. Life isn't fun when you're suddenly drained to the core and raiding the cabinet for every vitamin available. :-\
i'd recommend keeping tabs on your regular diet through a nutrition tracker thing. I used www.mypyramidtracker.gov . You can check out how much you're getting in the way of nutrients for just about everything (most minerals, all vitamins, macronutrients ). That should tell you if you're typically running low on certain nutrients. I use http://www.nutritiondata.com/tools/nutrient-search to find foods that are good sources of particular nutrients by selecting "higher in..." and the nutrient, as well as "lowest in..." cholesterol (the best way, i find, to keep things vegan-ish).
If it's protein or iron, I personally recommend lentils, since they're a pretty good source of both, and tasty/unprocessed. (I think black beans are pretty good too...)
Beans and pulses are good staples for protein. A couple of slices of wholegrain toast with baked beans is a good boost. For iron, dark leafy vegetables are your friends - spinach is an excellent example and I use it in salads all the time. For omegas and vitamins I eat nuts and seed mixes, again in salad or as a snack. Hope that helps :)
You eat yogurt but not tofu? Im kind of confused there as the processes seem pretty similar for well, processing. But to each their own.
If you are a new vegetarian then your body could be just simply adapting to the change. Be sure you are eating a well rounded diet with a lot of variety. Plenty of beans, nuts, leafy greens like kale and spinach, and a huge variety of fruits and veggies.
Keep a food log to track what you are eating. Just to make sure you are getting everything you need.
And finally: Exercise regularly. This helps so much I simply cant tell you strongly enough.
Thanks so much for the replies! I'm still getting the hang of the nutritional tracker, but I have faith!
We realized the dark green leafies and beans were really low in our diet. We're working on changing that!
((Oh....and about the Soy milk/tofu/ect. I do apologize....Thanks to ignorance I had been believing an article read years ago about all the dangers behind soy products, the endocrine system, ect....The article basically compared them to hot dogs. Ha! Was I wrong! Once I wiki'd yogurt, I looked up all the soy products and have myself a big smack on the forehead...I was totally off in my thinking! Now I'm totally psyched about grocery shopping and making lactose-free white russians...something I haven't been able to enjoy in years! :D And of course, I must quote the DH..."For the record, I told you so. You were just set in your thinking..." ::)))
ahhhh! Some people have a reaction to soy, others to dairy, others to peanuts... and so on and so forth.
My advice is to always keep researching, reading and learning more and more about your health, the latest studies and all of your options. Also, read the book The China Study, its an invaluable resource.
I got tons of energy when I went vegan...so, my guess is either you're not getting enough calories(think raw nuts and seeds), or maybe, like Cali said, you have a sensitivity to something? White flour makes me kinda meh, too bad I looooooooooove it. Good luck, and let us know.
If you are already taking vitamins (assumming sufficient iron & B12) I think the culprit is probably just calories and/or fat. Most vegan sources of protein are very low in fat. Try adding nuts (I think I saw someone else mention that) and avocados, and coconut milk.
I second the coconut milk, not for any nutritional reason, but for its pure deliciousness.
(also, if it turns out you do have a reaction to soy, you can use coconut milk as a sub for baking/rich foods. yeah, it might impart a slight coconut flavor, but it's deelishus)
Yes, like Cali said, read the China Study! If your diet includes a variety of whole foods, you shouldn't have to worry too much about nutrition. It sounds like you are on the right track since you mentioned you avoid processed foods.
You mentioned you don't get enough greens- I didn't either until I started making green smoothies! They are the ultimate awesome way to green up your diet. Try throwing a couple large handfuls of spinach, 2 cups of water, a banana and some frozen strawberries into a blender. It tastes so good it feels like you're "cheating"! You can be creative and change out the spinach with kale, chard, or any other green of your choice, or add whatever fruit you like. If you use fresh fruit just add ice to chill the mix. And avocado can be used in place of the banana for smoothness. You'll get all the benefits of greens without chewing for hours!
watch for vitamin d, iron and iodine deficiencies in your diet which could lead to possible lethargy, also b vitamins....they have a vegetarian (tiny!) b vitamin at health food stores that melts under your tongue...hope this helps!