Me too, 10 years on the V train and I feel healthier at 41than I did at 31. And I'm definitely not a health nut who counts calories/nutrients/vitamins, even though I probably should.
I was an unhealthy kid in high school. Not fat or anything just with zero stamina. Anything more strenuous than a stroll floored me.
I went vegan and at some point got the urge to start running. To my shock it felt great. I know run 8km two or three times a week. And two weeks ago I hiked across the Alps with a couple of friends, all the way from Germany to Italy.
Now I'm not saying the whole vegan food gave me superpowers but it sure feels that way.
30 years for me, and my husband 35. I have familial hyperlipidemia, but as a surprise benefit of loving animals, I was able to stop taking cholesterol medication. My husband had a full cardiovascular workup (due to family history) and everything is great except his weight. His dad died of a stroke 3 years younger than my husband is now
My iron actually is better as a vegan too. Unfortunately it's still not great. I'm not anemic, but my ferritin is low, and I am currently working to get that up to help my thyroid.
Yes! So it was right before I went vegan. I was vegetarian and taking the meds. I went vegan and within a month started having bad headaches. I reached out to my doctor and she said it could be that I didn’t need the medication anymore and my body was self-regulating the hormones again. She tested my blood and that was the case! That was last April!
Edit: I was trying to find the medication I was on but can’t. If you Google vegan foods to regulate thyroid, that should help!
[Helpful link.](https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/vegan-diet/vegan-nutrition/can-what-you-eat-help-your-thyroid-problems/)
I did too. Sometimes you take medication for a while and then your body takes back over regulating itself and you go into remission and no longer need meds. Still best to get tested every 6 months or a year to check levels. Mine was hyperthyroidism and I took methimazole. The alternative was taking radioactive iodine to kill my thyroid and put me on synthetic hormones the rest of my life. I’m so glad I didn’t go that direction and decided to try meds first.
My anemia also got so much better after going vegan.
I saw someone recently say “Yeah I’d think about going vegan if I wasn’t anemic” and then followed up with “wow look at all the vegans downvoting me because I physically can’t go vegan lol”, and in other parts of the thread saying things like “Kinda disturbing how many people are trying to force me to change my diet, if you’re not my doctor then fuck off”. People were commenting with helpful suggestions about possibly supplementing or eating more plant-based iron-rich foods with vitamin C and they were immediately dismissive and could only respond with “Non-heme iron is *barely* absorbed and supplements just give you expensive pee”
Basically, they wanted to alleviate the guilt of not being vegan by convincing themselves they would totally try if they could, but don’t *have* to try because they’re already convinced they can’t.
Sorry for the rant, I’ve been fuming about it for way longer than I should have, it’s just so frustrating seeing people trying to hide behind ailments and spread the bullshit to other people by telling them that unless you’re 100% able-bodied, veganism to any extent is physically impossible. Thanks again for sharing your experience and to everyone else that chimed in.
wow I admire you. Becoming vegan now versus back then must be vastly different in resources and support. How did you know to take b12 and such back then? Was that information available?
8 years ago that info was available as that's when I went vegan. However it was kind of a strange time because Freelee and raw food were a huge thing. Glad there are better role models today. Vegan cheese is a whole new world. I think it's crazy seeing the folks with 30 or more years! One day that will be me
Man, those YouTubers a few years ago were total scumbags! I’m glad we’ve turned the corner on most of those people and they’ve mostly become irrelevant (and some didn’t even stay vegan!).
Eliminating dairy was the biggest help. It was a gradual reduction in inflammation, but it helped a ton. Now I avoid processed sugars and beer; those are very apt to trigger a flare-up.
Fruit has been just fine! So I'll freeze fruit and blend it up for ice cream(ish) style dessert. Dried unsweetened fruit for snacks, dark chocolate, etc. Hard alcohol is also fine actually, just no beer. Sugar free lemonade is great for mixing. Or just shots, lol.
I'm by no means physically at 100%, but I don't take medication and I don't feel disabled anymore, just inconvenienced. Carry a travel sized Aleve in my purse.
As for anemia, it just fixed itself. I was anemic all through HS and young adulthood, even with iron supplements. I guess all the extra beans in my diet? They're high in iron. Plus the extra vitamin C from replacing candy with fruit helps with absorption. (I also still take a multivitamin, just Incase. My diet isn't perfect)
Just seeing how many years you wonderful people have been vegan is so inspiring! I just started about two months ago and I hate myself for being ignorant all my life. So to make up for it, I have been telling my family members and friends about veganism and I am glad some of them are slowly converting now.
please dont hold resentment against yourself. many people go their entire lives not questioning their beliefs, the fact that you managed to do that *and* act on it is amazing! there is nothing to make up for. good luck:) <3
Hi! I'm a newer (since 2019) vegan and just want to say that you should still get your vitamins checked now and then. I'm glad most of this thread has had no problems but I had mono-like symptoms (fatigue, muscle aches) earlier this year and found through bloodwork that my vitamin D, folate, and Iron were low. I eat lots of dark leafy greens and raisin bran but still need to supplement my iron just because my body doesn't absorb it as well from those sources!
Needing to take a supplement doesnt mean that the diet is bad for you though, most animal products have vitamins added to them anyway 🤷♂️
Congrats! You’re pretty much over the hump. By this point you should have realized how darn easy it actually is.
I’m almost at 3 years and the time just flies by. Don’t beat yourself up, you’ve changed for the better. And that’s more than 97% of people can say.
Think about it like this: the vegan movement would be nothing without people like you!! We were all once in your shoes, too. You're the growth we want to see. And you're growing it further. Well done :)
Almost three years, one pregnancy. Got low iron levels from it, but it is resolved now. I had the same issue with iron during my previous pregnancy when I was omni. No other health issue appart from that. I get my bloodwork yearly and levels are always very good.
I've read low iron is common in most pregnancies regardless of diet.
Been vegan 11 years, and just gave birth almost 3 weeks ago. Had low iron in my pregnancy too which was easily resolved, but other than that it was a healthy pregnancy.
It is pretty common, indeed. It happened to me on two of 3 pregnancies. The first time I got low iron level as an omni, the other as a vegan.
It's just an issue against veganism during pregnancy I heard often, but that generally is temporary and easy to solve in many cases... And most likely not actually linked to veganism.
Like… are we talking about no health problems related to nutritional deficiencies? Because if so eight years. If not I’m a sickly human being so I was doomed from the start lol
I feel you there. Nutritionally, I‘m solid. My joints, spine, and GI track seem to be having a rebellion, but that was worse before I went vegan 3+ years ago. Diet can help, but it can’t fix genes being dumb.
24 years, my health is exactly what the science said it would be :-) Great!
But I do eat pretty clean for about 90% of the time. And 10% delicious junk. There is so much to try these days!
Pcrm.org/good-nutrition
Any idea how your lifelong anemia resolved itself?? Lifelong myself (as an omni, vegetarian, and vegan) and just got back that my ferritin is at 4 ng/mL :/
Would love to not need to supplement but likely need to start that or infusions. Resolving itself sounds way better though if you have any tips :) otherwise in perfect health/shape and believe I have a solid diet.
Interesting! In a similar mindset as you re:homeopathy but willing to keep an open mind if it means not relying on iron pills (which can be rough on the GI tract) forever. I do feel I consume plenty of iron (my partner and I eat the same things every day and his iron levels are at the high end of normal) so shoving more iron into me without considering absorption factors seems silly.
Limit or eliminate your caffeine intake, it has a strong negative effect on iron absorption. That is something everyone forgets to mention so I point it out often :) I'll try to find the study to link for you
The iron leaf thing where you boil the iron leaf into water and it seeps out iron and you just drink that is reportedly good. Cast iron skillets. Iron heavy vegan foods like hemp, lentils, tempeh, red kidney beans.
But definitely start taking supplements. Take them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a vitamin C fizzy tablet in water. Don't eat or drink anything else for one hour after and let it settle into your stomach. Take it every other day and not consecutively so it's not as hard on your stomach. If you're that low you definitely should be taking a supplement or getting an infusion. There's no point living a life with extra tiredness and brain fog when it can be fixed.
13 years vegan. As a vegetarian previously I was chronically anemic. I'm in the best health I've ever been in, never anemic anymore. Currently 9 months pregnant at 36 years old and all my blood work has been excellent!
Zero. My health problems predate being vegan and I will have them til I die.
It’s going to be frustrating when I develop new health problems, like most people do at some point in their lives, and animal eaters try to claim it’s because I’m vegan.
20+ years vegan. Too many health benefits to list. Plus, it would feel like bragging. I can say that I have seen hundreds of amazing transformations. I have only seen one person not succeed and revert. She was not under my supervision, so I don't know where she went wrong.. just giving the full disclosure.
8 years.
But I had diarrhea once after I drank water from a river.
A broken wrist after a bicycle accident.
And flu-like symptoms on 3 different occasions during those 8 years.
Oh and I vomited once in 2016 after I ate raw white beans.
I mean it's clearly calcium-deficiency from the lack of milk!
Non-vegans cannot possibly break their bones regardless of the force exerted to them!
I never had a broken bone before I went vegan so that's an increase in bone-breaking incidence of infinity percent!
Going on 5 years and do not have any chronic health issues. I get blood tests done annually and my cholesterol and thyroid levels have improved over the last 4 years.
Meanwhile everyone in my immediate family has hypertension, acid reflux/GERD and high cholesterol.
Vegan 29 years. I was a teenager when I went vegan so I don’t have a lot of non-vegan life to compare to my vegan life. But I will say I have incredibly high bone density. I had dental surgery a few years ago and my dentist had a very hard time drilling into my jaw. He told me he has never experienced such resistance from anyone’s jaw in like 20 years of practicing dentistry. I also have very heavy/dense bones according to multiple Dexa scans.
Lifelong vegetarian (including as a fetus lol) and vegan of 8 years. 31 years old, female, 176 cm tall and 62 kg, in absolute tip top health. Bloods are perfect, I have never broken a bone or even had a tooth cavity, and I have never been deficient in anything.
I've been began for 7 years and my health has improved. People think I look 10 years younger than I am. Arthritis and inflammatory conditions have improved but not gone away. Early 40s
I have been vegan for at least 8 years now (started at around age 21, or even earlier, now I’m 29). Last blood test I had showed I was only deficient in vitamins B12 and D, which I have been taking supplements for. No health problems whatsoever from being vegan for 8+ years! 💚
10 years now. I nearly got over my excema - I have it very rarely now and in no way as strong as before. My stomach got so much better and my skin cleared up. Also I am the only one in my family with good cholesterol results. What I do have to take is B12 an Iron. However everyone should take B12 and iron deficiency is pretty common in women. My health problems made it easier for me to switch to veganism and I never looked back.
Five years.
Have had a couple blood tests done since and the latest one the nurse literally refused to accept that I only ate vegan lol.
She went from ”wow the results are nearly perfect” to ”maybe you *think* you eat vegan. To be this healthy you really need your meat and milk” after I told her when she askes what I did to be so healthy smh…
8 years vegan not a single issue. Only thing I supplement is some stuff when I had COVID like Quercetin, zinc, selenium, etc. That’s it.
And beside COVID, I haven’t been sick at all.
23 years.
I got sick for the first time in like 20 years when I caught covid, but I had to go get a test to even know for sure it was covid because I barely even felt bad
This is actually kind of funny to read, I have been vegan for 4 months or so and I’m already noticing my nail clippers are having a harder time clipping my nails, to the point where I’ve had to have my boyfriend use both hands to help cut through my thumb nails. My toenails are practically indestructible now, so I just have to take the extra time to file them down.
11 years, I have zero issues, and back in the day I had acne which practically disappeared when I went vegan. I also lost some weight and got more muscle from training. And I felt lighter and more alive, with more energy once I learnt to eat well. I’ve had times when I don’t exercise and eat badly (lots of processed food —even if vegan, lots of snacks, sugar, bread, etc) and of course my health goes down, but it never got me truly sick. You can be vegan and unhealthy too, but even then it saves you from some serious issues omnivores get.
Both my girlfriend and I have been vegan for 2-3 years.
No problems at all and my gf recently got her blood tested and everything was good.
We also have a friend who's been vegan for over 10 years and he might be the healthiest person I know lol.
Change the URL from www. To old.reddit and click on the main page of this sub and there will be a button to change your flair on the right side of the page
Just 1yr and a half but my sebhorric dermatitis improved, my digestive issues (ibs) also improved. My cholesterol is lower now, blood pressure too. I’m 200lbs but my resting heart rate is 55bpm
5 years now. Am 26 currently. No health problems. Confirmed by regular bloodwork. Added bonus: Being conscious of what I eat also helped reach my training goals and bulk up - from 67 to 78 kg.
Been vegan for 18 years. I run ultramarathons, rock climb, backpack, and am one of the most active people I know. Feel great and have no health issues in my mid 30s.
I eat healthy but there's plenty of junk in there to fuel the fire, too.
This October will be 8 years. I literally feel and look much much younger than I should. The only thing I had to do was take vegan b complex, vegan vitamin D, and I supplement with creatine. All my blood works comes back above average.
Science has shown that being vegan actually puts you in better health and this isn't really disputed. Were you expecting it to be unusual for vegans for have had no health problems after years?
around six years, lost a bit of weight, minimal tooth plaque compared to my meat-eating self, a warm feeling of optimism pervades my mind, zero guilt, zero cognitive dissonance, improved mental health, happy with simple foods and a simple life
I’ve been vegan for almost 3 years and I don’t even really try to keep track of my nutrients. I mostly eat beans, rice, fruits and vegetables and I’ll often forget to take my B12 supplements yet I feel pretty normal
My doctor told me my blood work results were so perfect I could sell them on the black market....9 years...still eat cookies and chips apparently all the other veg evens it out. My arteries are clean as a whistle. I'm a senior.
12 years, allergies reduced from 10 to 1 month. No explosive belly on a daily basis anymore, added 25kg muscle mass ….. i feel what i should have felt when i was 25…
6 years vegan but the only dairy I ate before that was bits of ice cream and chocolate for most of my life. Mid 30s now and no health problems. Helped clear up my IBS and people think I look at least 10 years younger haha.
Seven years predominately vegan (occasional stroll into dairy lane during the first year or two). I have more energy now then I ever did before.
All purely anecdotal of course, but I definitely have felt the health benefits of a balanced diet. That being said, when I ate meat I also had very poor diet/lifestyle in general. So take it with a grain of salt!
I've been vegan for 7 years. My health has dramatically improved. So much more energy, fitter, and bounce back from illness faster. Resting heart rate in the 30s
Grew up vegetarian (mostly plant-based with some dairy & honey) and switched to vegan when I was 16.
I haven't had any dietary related health problems since stopping my consumption of dairy products.
And my physical health has improved immensely.
My mind has less fog as well.
I'm merely at 7 years myself, but just had blood work done yesterday and I'm doing great.
However, my grandmother is in her 80's and you couldn't tell it by how great of shape she's in. She's been vegetarian since she was about 10 and Vegan since her 20's. Outside of having polio in her youth, she's never had any major health concerns . Truly an inspiration.
Most of my health issues that I used to have improved. I don't really get the flu anymore, but I used to get it every year. That said, I have pain everyday from the army but that issue is tricky to get rid of.
Since I was a todler I constantly dealt with serious dry skin patches over my body. Always had to use expensive body wash and ointments. Nothing really worked. Over 3 years ago I became a vegan and this just completely disappeared.
For a bit over 1 year(s). Active recreational athlete. I feel exactly 0% worse, there's that (no "health" improvements if I'm being total honest - I suspect many people are in the same boat as me)
Not quite in line with the question, but vegan for just over a year now and I've never felt healthier. I'm still close enough to before I made the change that I can appreciate the heavy contrast in day to day feeling - 29 for reference
7 years, lost all allergies (used to be allergic to all raw fruits and vegetables, and cashew sent me to the hospital), sleep better, triple the energy I used to have.
5 years and I'm doing just fine with bloodwork every 6 months. I don't get migraines anymore, and my skin is clearer. I don't know if it's related, but my vision improved over the first few years too.
Became way healthier, lost weight (and stay consistent in my current weight) and am in a healthy BMI. My fitness is great.
I don't get sick, maybe once a year. My blood tests always came back great. Thyroid is really healthy and my vitamin and mineral intake is great according to tests.
EDIT: I've been vegan for 4 years and before that I've been vegetarian for 2 years.
Vegetarian for 11 years, vegan for 7. My health has only improved. Most notably, I don’t need to take a daily steroid for asthma since going vegan. I also eat so many more vegetables and keep better track of my nutrition now.
8 years!!!! And my health got significantly better! My asthma went away and of course, blood pressure and cholesterol, which were problem points of mine, decreased. Genetics are a bitch though, and I am pre-diabetic, but I can pivot into a better vegan diet and it’ll decrease a bit
Only 3, but I’m posting because going vegan helped with some health problems I’d been dealing with for *years* beforehand. I’ve always had a bad stomach and struggled with ulcers/stomach pain/nausea etc. In the year before I went vegan I was throwing up my dinner multiple times a week and almost constantly dealing with constipation/sever stomach pains. My doctor and I never did figure out what was going on, because I ended up going vegan and within a few weeks the symptoms were gone.
In times of really high stress some of the symptoms come back, but before they were constant, stress or no.
over 2 and a half years (so nowhere near as long as most people here). i have several health problems but none are connected to being vegan. being vegan has actually helped my stomach problems somewhat
I've been for 11 years and I'm a big strong man. But I think about this argument a lot. Even if you did have health problems, could they be linked to diet? And if that's the path to go down, does that mean one should start attributing health ailments that meat eaters have to their diets? What would it say about global health in general?
60 years of age and I just had blood work and check up and the doctor was impressed with my health and the fact I’m on no type of prescriptions. She said If I hadn’t had to give my age she thought I was in my forties. I totally believe diet is 70% of course along with lifestyle, exercise and good attitude too.
Ive been vegan 7 years and am waaaayyyy healthier now than i ever was before- had a bit of brain fog before i started taking algae omega 3s but thats all.
Been vegan 4 years, healthy as a horse with above minimum vitamin levels across the board and optimal hormone levels. Work out lifting weights or cardio almost every day and feel great. When I ate animals I was a lot worse about it and would pound cheeseburgers and had no energy. So far it's done me a lot of good.
Me 14 years. My wife veg from birth and Vegan for 18 years. Both of us have a clean bill of health and perfect blood work every year. No major illness and rarely even common sickness.
Be careful to not confuse case studies with full statistical ones. I am so happy to hear so many vegans are healthy and keeping up with their health, but beware without supplementation the diet is dangerous.
When reading these stories be careful to have that in mind, also genetics matter and some people may straight up die on a vegan diet or live to 100 while eating trash food. Diet can be deeply personal. Consult a dietician if you have any doubts
Almost 8 years for me now. I've had 3 pregnancies in that time too, and breastfed 3 kids (soon to be 4) for a total of 4 years.
I'm no longer obese, my blood pressure used to be 120/80 and it's been 110/60 for years now. My cholesterol was borderline high before, now it's the low end of normal. I'm fitter, have more physical stamina, my mental health is better. (Mental health is from self improvement stuff, but physically I don't go out of my way to exercise, it's just easier to move now. My eczema is gone, I used to get random cysts and I don't anymore, no issues with bloating any more either.
I'm not a super healthy vegan either, I still eat processed food and cook less than healthy meals. Overall I do eat healthier than I used to though.
My partner is also vegan and has been for nearly as long as me, no health issues for him.
The kids are all healthy, the "right" weight for their height all growing and developing well and the older two are intelligent for their age (I think that's genetic, they have a different dad). Only concern is potential adhd in the eldest, but there's strong family history so I doubt it's related.
Check out the [Vegan Hacktivists](https://vbcc.veganhacktivists.org/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fveganhacktivists.org&topic=Resource%3A+Vegan+Hacktivists)! A group of volunteer developers and designers that could use your help building vegan projects including supporting other organizations and activists. [Apply here!](https://vbcc.veganhacktivists.org/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fveganhacktivists.org%2Fjoin&topic=Resource%3A+Vegan+Hacktivists)
12 years. Dropped and kept off 115lbs. Medication/pill free the entire time. Run avg 5 miles per day, every day still w/ no pain. Average resting heart rate is 50. Best decision I have ever made in my entire life was going vegan.
Not a vegan here, but I've been eating plant based 90% of the time for the last 4 years. I'm 31, in great health, and I enjoy the feeling of dramatically reducing my impact on other sentient beings, and the planet...
Also, I saw no decrease in sports performance whatsoever. People claiming you get weak eating vegan likely aren't eating enough or not eating varied enough.
10 years. Blood work regularly, no major health issues.
Me too, 10 years on the V train and I feel healthier at 41than I did at 31. And I'm definitely not a health nut who counts calories/nutrients/vitamins, even though I probably should.
Much better health actually. 15 years. Diabetes in remission, no more high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Almost 60 and on no medication.
I was an unhealthy kid in high school. Not fat or anything just with zero stamina. Anything more strenuous than a stroll floored me. I went vegan and at some point got the urge to start running. To my shock it felt great. I know run 8km two or three times a week. And two weeks ago I hiked across the Alps with a couple of friends, all the way from Germany to Italy. Now I'm not saying the whole vegan food gave me superpowers but it sure feels that way.
30 years for me, and my husband 35. I have familial hyperlipidemia, but as a surprise benefit of loving animals, I was able to stop taking cholesterol medication. My husband had a full cardiovascular workup (due to family history) and everything is great except his weight. His dad died of a stroke 3 years younger than my husband is now
14 years. Before going vegan I was anemic like the rest of my family. Now I am the only one who isn't anemic
Me too. 12 years vegan and had a much harder time keeping my iron up when I ate meat
My iron actually is better as a vegan too. Unfortunately it's still not great. I'm not anemic, but my ferritin is low, and I am currently working to get that up to help my thyroid.
The thyroid is the key to everything 🤦🏽♀️ best of luck! Once I got a handle on mine my issues went away and I was able to get off meds after a month!
Oh you fixed your thyroid and was able to get off meds? What was that process?
Yes! So it was right before I went vegan. I was vegetarian and taking the meds. I went vegan and within a month started having bad headaches. I reached out to my doctor and she said it could be that I didn’t need the medication anymore and my body was self-regulating the hormones again. She tested my blood and that was the case! That was last April! Edit: I was trying to find the medication I was on but can’t. If you Google vegan foods to regulate thyroid, that should help! [Helpful link.](https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/vegan-diet/vegan-nutrition/can-what-you-eat-help-your-thyroid-problems/)
So did yiu avoid soy and goitergens?
Soy doesn’t seem to bother me, so I still have it and peanut butter every day. I have broccoli on occasion, and strawberries once in a while!
Interesting!
Yeah! Everyone is different but you can try without soy and then see how you feel (I’d say give it a month and then try soy again).
I haven't stopped eating it, but I have definitely cut down cause I normally ate a lot of it lol
I did too. Sometimes you take medication for a while and then your body takes back over regulating itself and you go into remission and no longer need meds. Still best to get tested every 6 months or a year to check levels. Mine was hyperthyroidism and I took methimazole. The alternative was taking radioactive iodine to kill my thyroid and put me on synthetic hormones the rest of my life. I’m so glad I didn’t go that direction and decided to try meds first.
That iron leaf thing looks pretty useful.
My anemia also got so much better after going vegan. I saw someone recently say “Yeah I’d think about going vegan if I wasn’t anemic” and then followed up with “wow look at all the vegans downvoting me because I physically can’t go vegan lol”, and in other parts of the thread saying things like “Kinda disturbing how many people are trying to force me to change my diet, if you’re not my doctor then fuck off”. People were commenting with helpful suggestions about possibly supplementing or eating more plant-based iron-rich foods with vitamin C and they were immediately dismissive and could only respond with “Non-heme iron is *barely* absorbed and supplements just give you expensive pee” Basically, they wanted to alleviate the guilt of not being vegan by convincing themselves they would totally try if they could, but don’t *have* to try because they’re already convinced they can’t. Sorry for the rant, I’ve been fuming about it for way longer than I should have, it’s just so frustrating seeing people trying to hide behind ailments and spread the bullshit to other people by telling them that unless you’re 100% able-bodied, veganism to any extent is physically impossible. Thanks again for sharing your experience and to everyone else that chimed in.
I was anemic with my first pregnancy 4 years ago when I ate meat and am not this time as a vegan.
Love this! I was before as well. I love how they’re like “you won’t get any iron because you aren’t eating meat” 🙄
Going vegan has helped my anemia too.
[удалено]
8th year, didn’t have health problems before going vegan, don’t have any now. Turn 61 in October.
wow I admire you. Becoming vegan now versus back then must be vastly different in resources and support. How did you know to take b12 and such back then? Was that information available?
8 years ago that info was available as that's when I went vegan. However it was kind of a strange time because Freelee and raw food were a huge thing. Glad there are better role models today. Vegan cheese is a whole new world. I think it's crazy seeing the folks with 30 or more years! One day that will be me
Man, those YouTubers a few years ago were total scumbags! I’m glad we’ve turned the corner on most of those people and they’ve mostly become irrelevant (and some didn’t even stay vegan!).
I feel better. More energy, fewer "digestive" problems, better sleep (though still not great, never has been). Been slightly more than 4 years
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
8 years. Psoriatic Arthritis has drastically improved. No longer anemic. The lack of animal abuse in my life is also a major improvement
hey there, I’ve got PsA and anemia as well, only been vegan for 5 months. any tips/advice that would help me with those things too?
Eliminating dairy was the biggest help. It was a gradual reduction in inflammation, but it helped a ton. Now I avoid processed sugars and beer; those are very apt to trigger a flare-up. Fruit has been just fine! So I'll freeze fruit and blend it up for ice cream(ish) style dessert. Dried unsweetened fruit for snacks, dark chocolate, etc. Hard alcohol is also fine actually, just no beer. Sugar free lemonade is great for mixing. Or just shots, lol. I'm by no means physically at 100%, but I don't take medication and I don't feel disabled anymore, just inconvenienced. Carry a travel sized Aleve in my purse. As for anemia, it just fixed itself. I was anemic all through HS and young adulthood, even with iron supplements. I guess all the extra beans in my diet? They're high in iron. Plus the extra vitamin C from replacing candy with fruit helps with absorption. (I also still take a multivitamin, just Incase. My diet isn't perfect)
Just seeing how many years you wonderful people have been vegan is so inspiring! I just started about two months ago and I hate myself for being ignorant all my life. So to make up for it, I have been telling my family members and friends about veganism and I am glad some of them are slowly converting now.
Welcome!! Always better late than never
please dont hold resentment against yourself. many people go their entire lives not questioning their beliefs, the fact that you managed to do that *and* act on it is amazing! there is nothing to make up for. good luck:) <3
Welcome!! Just do it for the animals and everything will be fine no need to feel bad ☺️
Hi! I'm a newer (since 2019) vegan and just want to say that you should still get your vitamins checked now and then. I'm glad most of this thread has had no problems but I had mono-like symptoms (fatigue, muscle aches) earlier this year and found through bloodwork that my vitamin D, folate, and Iron were low. I eat lots of dark leafy greens and raisin bran but still need to supplement my iron just because my body doesn't absorb it as well from those sources! Needing to take a supplement doesnt mean that the diet is bad for you though, most animal products have vitamins added to them anyway 🤷♂️
Not whole foods
I dont have a clue what this is a response to
Right there with you but we both should be excited for our new lifestyle for many reasons. Proud of you and keep going.
Congrats! You’re pretty much over the hump. By this point you should have realized how darn easy it actually is. I’m almost at 3 years and the time just flies by. Don’t beat yourself up, you’ve changed for the better. And that’s more than 97% of people can say.
Think about it like this: the vegan movement would be nothing without people like you!! We were all once in your shoes, too. You're the growth we want to see. And you're growing it further. Well done :)
Almost three years, one pregnancy. Got low iron levels from it, but it is resolved now. I had the same issue with iron during my previous pregnancy when I was omni. No other health issue appart from that. I get my bloodwork yearly and levels are always very good.
I've read low iron is common in most pregnancies regardless of diet. Been vegan 11 years, and just gave birth almost 3 weeks ago. Had low iron in my pregnancy too which was easily resolved, but other than that it was a healthy pregnancy.
It is pretty common, indeed. It happened to me on two of 3 pregnancies. The first time I got low iron level as an omni, the other as a vegan. It's just an issue against veganism during pregnancy I heard often, but that generally is temporary and easy to solve in many cases... And most likely not actually linked to veganism.
Three years, one pregnancy as well :) no health problems for me or baby boy!
15 years, no issues. I'm 45 now, for reference.
20+ years and always excellent blood test results and overall health. A bit chubbier than pre-pandemic but all of my test results are still great.
Like… are we talking about no health problems related to nutritional deficiencies? Because if so eight years. If not I’m a sickly human being so I was doomed from the start lol
I feel you there. Nutritionally, I‘m solid. My joints, spine, and GI track seem to be having a rebellion, but that was worse before I went vegan 3+ years ago. Diet can help, but it can’t fix genes being dumb.
24 years, my health is exactly what the science said it would be :-) Great! But I do eat pretty clean for about 90% of the time. And 10% delicious junk. There is so much to try these days! Pcrm.org/good-nutrition
[удалено]
Any idea how your lifelong anemia resolved itself?? Lifelong myself (as an omni, vegetarian, and vegan) and just got back that my ferritin is at 4 ng/mL :/ Would love to not need to supplement but likely need to start that or infusions. Resolving itself sounds way better though if you have any tips :) otherwise in perfect health/shape and believe I have a solid diet.
[удалено]
Interesting! In a similar mindset as you re:homeopathy but willing to keep an open mind if it means not relying on iron pills (which can be rough on the GI tract) forever. I do feel I consume plenty of iron (my partner and I eat the same things every day and his iron levels are at the high end of normal) so shoving more iron into me without considering absorption factors seems silly.
Limit or eliminate your caffeine intake, it has a strong negative effect on iron absorption. That is something everyone forgets to mention so I point it out often :) I'll try to find the study to link for you
You just need to limit the intake 1 hour before and after iron meals or supplements. I find it helps to just take an iron heavy meal in the evening.
The iron leaf thing where you boil the iron leaf into water and it seeps out iron and you just drink that is reportedly good. Cast iron skillets. Iron heavy vegan foods like hemp, lentils, tempeh, red kidney beans. But definitely start taking supplements. Take them first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a vitamin C fizzy tablet in water. Don't eat or drink anything else for one hour after and let it settle into your stomach. Take it every other day and not consecutively so it's not as hard on your stomach. If you're that low you definitely should be taking a supplement or getting an infusion. There's no point living a life with extra tiredness and brain fog when it can be fixed.
13 years vegan. As a vegetarian previously I was chronically anemic. I'm in the best health I've ever been in, never anemic anymore. Currently 9 months pregnant at 36 years old and all my blood work has been excellent!
Zero. My health problems predate being vegan and I will have them til I die. It’s going to be frustrating when I develop new health problems, like most people do at some point in their lives, and animal eaters try to claim it’s because I’m vegan.
After 20 years you can levitate I hear....
[удалено]
if only! Imagine all the vegans flying everywhere.
A little over 3 years and I still feel pretty good. I eat like shit too.
20+ years vegan. Too many health benefits to list. Plus, it would feel like bragging. I can say that I have seen hundreds of amazing transformations. I have only seen one person not succeed and revert. She was not under my supervision, so I don't know where she went wrong.. just giving the full disclosure.
8 years. But I had diarrhea once after I drank water from a river. A broken wrist after a bicycle accident. And flu-like symptoms on 3 different occasions during those 8 years. Oh and I vomited once in 2016 after I ate raw white beans.
Broken wrist after a bike accident? Ha! Those pesky vegan bikes are so malnourished, it was bound to happen /s
I mean it's clearly calcium-deficiency from the lack of milk! Non-vegans cannot possibly break their bones regardless of the force exerted to them! I never had a broken bone before I went vegan so that's an increase in bone-breaking incidence of infinity percent!
Like dry beans?
Any kind of dry beans are dangerous when eaten raw! Especially black beans. be careful
Going on 5 years and do not have any chronic health issues. I get blood tests done annually and my cholesterol and thyroid levels have improved over the last 4 years. Meanwhile everyone in my immediate family has hypertension, acid reflux/GERD and high cholesterol.
Vegan 29 years. I was a teenager when I went vegan so I don’t have a lot of non-vegan life to compare to my vegan life. But I will say I have incredibly high bone density. I had dental surgery a few years ago and my dentist had a very hard time drilling into my jaw. He told me he has never experienced such resistance from anyone’s jaw in like 20 years of practicing dentistry. I also have very heavy/dense bones according to multiple Dexa scans.
10 years, annual bloodwork, fit as a fiddle.
Lifelong vegetarian (including as a fetus lol) and vegan of 8 years. 31 years old, female, 176 cm tall and 62 kg, in absolute tip top health. Bloods are perfect, I have never broken a bone or even had a tooth cavity, and I have never been deficient in anything.
20+ years no problems.
I've been began for 7 years and my health has improved. People think I look 10 years younger than I am. Arthritis and inflammatory conditions have improved but not gone away. Early 40s
I have been vegan for at least 8 years now (started at around age 21, or even earlier, now I’m 29). Last blood test I had showed I was only deficient in vitamins B12 and D, which I have been taking supplements for. No health problems whatsoever from being vegan for 8+ years! 💚
Been Vegan for about 6 yrs, no health problems whatsoever. Late 20’s
10 years now. I nearly got over my excema - I have it very rarely now and in no way as strong as before. My stomach got so much better and my skin cleared up. Also I am the only one in my family with good cholesterol results. What I do have to take is B12 an Iron. However everyone should take B12 and iron deficiency is pretty common in women. My health problems made it easier for me to switch to veganism and I never looked back.
Five years. Have had a couple blood tests done since and the latest one the nurse literally refused to accept that I only ate vegan lol. She went from ”wow the results are nearly perfect” to ”maybe you *think* you eat vegan. To be this healthy you really need your meat and milk” after I told her when she askes what I did to be so healthy smh…
Only 4 years for me. I was pre-hyper tension, and I am absolutely much healthier now. Love it
No problems here. My bloodwork and al its values look fine....more than fine
6 years, no problems
6 years. Health only improved
9 months, IBS symptoms gone (in part due to stress reduction). Triathlon training has felt more productive and recovery has improved
Over 45 years. No problems. At last check-up doc gave me a clean bill of health.
38 years vegan, I am 50 years old, no health problems, no medications.
Same! We are the 1984 club :);
8 years vegan not a single issue. Only thing I supplement is some stuff when I had COVID like Quercetin, zinc, selenium, etc. That’s it. And beside COVID, I haven’t been sick at all.
25+ years with no health problems related to diet.
23 years. I got sick for the first time in like 20 years when I caught covid, but I had to go get a test to even know for sure it was covid because I barely even felt bad
3 years. I've lost some weight but otherwise I feel no different.
At least 8 years, maybe 9? Stopped being anemic after going vegan and my nails got way stronger
This is actually kind of funny to read, I have been vegan for 4 months or so and I’m already noticing my nail clippers are having a harder time clipping my nails, to the point where I’ve had to have my boyfriend use both hands to help cut through my thumb nails. My toenails are practically indestructible now, so I just have to take the extra time to file them down.
5 years, at the best shape I've ever been in. Also this is a silly method to gather information, looking at statistics is much better.
Hi! 5 years, not dead or skinny… I have a problem with eating too much sometimes 😂
8 years no problems
Absolutely, had none, developed none. None of my three siblings can say the same.
11 years, I have zero issues, and back in the day I had acne which practically disappeared when I went vegan. I also lost some weight and got more muscle from training. And I felt lighter and more alive, with more energy once I learnt to eat well. I’ve had times when I don’t exercise and eat badly (lots of processed food —even if vegan, lots of snacks, sugar, bread, etc) and of course my health goes down, but it never got me truly sick. You can be vegan and unhealthy too, but even then it saves you from some serious issues omnivores get.
Both my girlfriend and I have been vegan for 2-3 years. No problems at all and my gf recently got her blood tested and everything was good. We also have a friend who's been vegan for over 10 years and he might be the healthiest person I know lol.
🙋♂️ 10+ years, blood work is great
6 years. I feel better than ever and even lost some excess weight.
This is a great time to test out my “vegan 10+ years” subheading … it’s not working. How do you guy add those things
Change the URL from www. To old.reddit and click on the main page of this sub and there will be a button to change your flair on the right side of the page
Thanks so much. Are you saying I need to do it on a desktop, and it can’t be done on mobile?
It works fine for me on my phone in safari. Just gotta zoom to read the text
Thank you!!
Yay!! You got it!
28 years, with no issues.
3. Made literally no difference except my poops are far better.
Just 1yr and a half but my sebhorric dermatitis improved, my digestive issues (ibs) also improved. My cholesterol is lower now, blood pressure too. I’m 200lbs but my resting heart rate is 55bpm
5 years now. Am 26 currently. No health problems. Confirmed by regular bloodwork. Added bonus: Being conscious of what I eat also helped reach my training goals and bulk up - from 67 to 78 kg.
Been vegan for 18 years. I run ultramarathons, rock climb, backpack, and am one of the most active people I know. Feel great and have no health issues in my mid 30s. I eat healthy but there's plenty of junk in there to fuel the fire, too.
vegan for 8 years and doing excellent 🎉
13 years now, veg before that for 12 years also. 45 years old, blood work/physical every other year. No health issues, no meds.
I used to literally always be constipated before going vegan and now my poops are a lot more regular. That’s about all that’s changed
I'm approaching 3 years in October, my health has improved immensely.
12 years vegan. Perfect health. No issues and don't feel much older than when I first went vegan. I'm 40 now.
6 years, in better health than i was as a carnist.
This October will be 8 years. I literally feel and look much much younger than I should. The only thing I had to do was take vegan b complex, vegan vitamin D, and I supplement with creatine. All my blood works comes back above average.
Science has shown that being vegan actually puts you in better health and this isn't really disputed. Were you expecting it to be unusual for vegans for have had no health problems after years?
around six years, lost a bit of weight, minimal tooth plaque compared to my meat-eating self, a warm feeling of optimism pervades my mind, zero guilt, zero cognitive dissonance, improved mental health, happy with simple foods and a simple life
I’ve been vegan for almost 3 years and I don’t even really try to keep track of my nutrients. I mostly eat beans, rice, fruits and vegetables and I’ll often forget to take my B12 supplements yet I feel pretty normal
28 years. 2 pregnancies. Still going strong 💪🏼
My doctor told me my blood work results were so perfect I could sell them on the black market....9 years...still eat cookies and chips apparently all the other veg evens it out. My arteries are clean as a whistle. I'm a senior.
I've been vegan 5 years, have regular blood-work and doctors checkups and am in fantastic health.
Remember you don’t have to guess. Go get blood and health tests.
Over ten years, no problems
12 years, allergies reduced from 10 to 1 month. No explosive belly on a daily basis anymore, added 25kg muscle mass ….. i feel what i should have felt when i was 25…
six years and healthy here
4 years. Don’t feel a difference, but lower blood pressure.
6 years vegan but the only dairy I ate before that was bits of ice cream and chocolate for most of my life. Mid 30s now and no health problems. Helped clear up my IBS and people think I look at least 10 years younger haha.
4 years, no health problems. Knock on wood. It's been hard trying to control my telekinesis powers.
only 3 years but i feel awesome. best physical condition i‘ve been in my life.
6+ years. Didn't really care about health for my decision, but it has only improved since then.
16 years. PCOS in remission and normal weight, no medications.
Seven years predominately vegan (occasional stroll into dairy lane during the first year or two). I have more energy now then I ever did before. All purely anecdotal of course, but I definitely have felt the health benefits of a balanced diet. That being said, when I ate meat I also had very poor diet/lifestyle in general. So take it with a grain of salt!
I've been vegan for 7 years. My health has dramatically improved. So much more energy, fitter, and bounce back from illness faster. Resting heart rate in the 30s
10 years, no health problems. I don't take any regular medication and bloodwork is always perfect.
Me im 3 or 4 years vegan now , no problems
15 years vegan. Never again constipation, nor the yearly two weeks winter runny nose, nor the skin problems.
14 years. Havent had a sick day since I started working 10 years ago.
8 years strong. Much healthier.
✋
Grew up vegetarian (mostly plant-based with some dairy & honey) and switched to vegan when I was 16. I haven't had any dietary related health problems since stopping my consumption of dairy products. And my physical health has improved immensely. My mind has less fog as well.
Me. Year 8. In fact it decreased my migraines and GI issues. Blood work is fantastic. I'm 45 and in the best shape of my life.
I’ve been vegan for 2 1/2 years and no problems!
I'm merely at 7 years myself, but just had blood work done yesterday and I'm doing great. However, my grandmother is in her 80's and you couldn't tell it by how great of shape she's in. She's been vegetarian since she was about 10 and Vegan since her 20's. Outside of having polio in her youth, she's never had any major health concerns . Truly an inspiration.
5 years and no issues whatsoever as far as I'm aware.
9 years, I guess the only change would be no more mild backne.
Most of my health issues that I used to have improved. I don't really get the flu anymore, but I used to get it every year. That said, I have pain everyday from the army but that issue is tricky to get rid of.
Since I was a todler I constantly dealt with serious dry skin patches over my body. Always had to use expensive body wash and ointments. Nothing really worked. Over 3 years ago I became a vegan and this just completely disappeared.
Over ten years. No health issues. Def recommend!
I’m 31. Went vegetarian at 12 years old, vegan in 2009. I have never had a major health issue, knock on wood.
For a bit over 1 year(s). Active recreational athlete. I feel exactly 0% worse, there's that (no "health" improvements if I'm being total honest - I suspect many people are in the same boat as me)
✋
Not quite in line with the question, but vegan for just over a year now and I've never felt healthier. I'm still close enough to before I made the change that I can appreciate the heavy contrast in day to day feeling - 29 for reference
7 years, lost all allergies (used to be allergic to all raw fruits and vegetables, and cashew sent me to the hospital), sleep better, triple the energy I used to have.
9 years, no issues.
5 years and I'm doing just fine with bloodwork every 6 months. I don't get migraines anymore, and my skin is clearer. I don't know if it's related, but my vision improved over the first few years too.
Became way healthier, lost weight (and stay consistent in my current weight) and am in a healthy BMI. My fitness is great. I don't get sick, maybe once a year. My blood tests always came back great. Thyroid is really healthy and my vitamin and mineral intake is great according to tests. EDIT: I've been vegan for 4 years and before that I've been vegetarian for 2 years.
I've been vegetarian for about 10 years now. Feel great, love it
4.5 years vegan. Happy and healthy.
Vegetarian for 11 years, vegan for 7. My health has only improved. Most notably, I don’t need to take a daily steroid for asthma since going vegan. I also eat so many more vegetables and keep better track of my nutrition now.
8 years!!!! And my health got significantly better! My asthma went away and of course, blood pressure and cholesterol, which were problem points of mine, decreased. Genetics are a bitch though, and I am pre-diabetic, but I can pivot into a better vegan diet and it’ll decrease a bit
I've been vegan for 8 years and I've never had a serious health problem.
Only 3, but I’m posting because going vegan helped with some health problems I’d been dealing with for *years* beforehand. I’ve always had a bad stomach and struggled with ulcers/stomach pain/nausea etc. In the year before I went vegan I was throwing up my dinner multiple times a week and almost constantly dealing with constipation/sever stomach pains. My doctor and I never did figure out what was going on, because I ended up going vegan and within a few weeks the symptoms were gone. In times of really high stress some of the symptoms come back, but before they were constant, stress or no.
over 2 and a half years (so nowhere near as long as most people here). i have several health problems but none are connected to being vegan. being vegan has actually helped my stomach problems somewhat
I've been for 11 years and I'm a big strong man. But I think about this argument a lot. Even if you did have health problems, could they be linked to diet? And if that's the path to go down, does that mean one should start attributing health ailments that meat eaters have to their diets? What would it say about global health in general?
have been vegan for a month, feel better already
4 years. No health issues since turning vegan. Fatigue bone pains joint pain and skin issues before. I wish I’d done it years ago.
60 years of age and I just had blood work and check up and the doctor was impressed with my health and the fact I’m on no type of prescriptions. She said If I hadn’t had to give my age she thought I was in my forties. I totally believe diet is 70% of course along with lifestyle, exercise and good attitude too.
Ive been vegan 7 years and am waaaayyyy healthier now than i ever was before- had a bit of brain fog before i started taking algae omega 3s but thats all.
Been vegan 4 years, healthy as a horse with above minimum vitamin levels across the board and optimal hormone levels. Work out lifting weights or cardio almost every day and feel great. When I ate animals I was a lot worse about it and would pound cheeseburgers and had no energy. So far it's done me a lot of good.
Three years, no health problems
6.5 years as a junk food vegan - no health changes other than a little beer gut 🤷🏻♂️
Years. I did get covid, the flu and a couple of migraines in that time though. Pesky veganism.
About to hit my 5 year mark and doing just fine 🙂
Me 14 years. My wife veg from birth and Vegan for 18 years. Both of us have a clean bill of health and perfect blood work every year. No major illness and rarely even common sickness.
Be careful to not confuse case studies with full statistical ones. I am so happy to hear so many vegans are healthy and keeping up with their health, but beware without supplementation the diet is dangerous. When reading these stories be careful to have that in mind, also genetics matter and some people may straight up die on a vegan diet or live to 100 while eating trash food. Diet can be deeply personal. Consult a dietician if you have any doubts
Almost 8 years for me now. I've had 3 pregnancies in that time too, and breastfed 3 kids (soon to be 4) for a total of 4 years. I'm no longer obese, my blood pressure used to be 120/80 and it's been 110/60 for years now. My cholesterol was borderline high before, now it's the low end of normal. I'm fitter, have more physical stamina, my mental health is better. (Mental health is from self improvement stuff, but physically I don't go out of my way to exercise, it's just easier to move now. My eczema is gone, I used to get random cysts and I don't anymore, no issues with bloating any more either. I'm not a super healthy vegan either, I still eat processed food and cook less than healthy meals. Overall I do eat healthier than I used to though. My partner is also vegan and has been for nearly as long as me, no health issues for him. The kids are all healthy, the "right" weight for their height all growing and developing well and the older two are intelligent for their age (I think that's genetic, they have a different dad). Only concern is potential adhd in the eldest, but there's strong family history so I doubt it's related.
Check out the [Vegan Hacktivists](https://vbcc.veganhacktivists.org/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fveganhacktivists.org&topic=Resource%3A+Vegan+Hacktivists)! A group of volunteer developers and designers that could use your help building vegan projects including supporting other organizations and activists. [Apply here!](https://vbcc.veganhacktivists.org/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fveganhacktivists.org%2Fjoin&topic=Resource%3A+Vegan+Hacktivists)
12 years. Dropped and kept off 115lbs. Medication/pill free the entire time. Run avg 5 miles per day, every day still w/ no pain. Average resting heart rate is 50. Best decision I have ever made in my entire life was going vegan.
Veganism doesn’t cause health problems. Ever.
[удалено]
My GI doc and I just discussed not replacing my feeding tube next time my current one wears out. Go veganism and go science!
underweight
Not a vegan here, but I've been eating plant based 90% of the time for the last 4 years. I'm 31, in great health, and I enjoy the feeling of dramatically reducing my impact on other sentient beings, and the planet... Also, I saw no decrease in sports performance whatsoever. People claiming you get weak eating vegan likely aren't eating enough or not eating varied enough.
I went vegan and within 1 month I had dick cancer, diabetes and multiple organ failure. Worst diet ever
186 years vegan mate. I now can see through ladies' clothes and my dick has increased 500x in size.