On any diet or lifestyle, you can run into small or big challenges—and in each case, it’s important to try and isolate the cause(s).
If you’ve been following a plant-based/vegan program and feel like you need help with health issues, it’s important you seek help to pinpoint where you may be going wrong.
Remember, being plant-based is about what you’re not eating, not what you are eating.
Since there are many variables at play with respect to your diet, lifestyle and environment, working with a holistic health consultant—or a physician who supports a plant-based diet—can be extremely helpful.
If you feel as though it’s necessary, get proper medical diagnostics done to help determine the source of your issues.
At a minimum, we suggest:
- you remove potentially offending foods (e.g. overly processed foods, alcohol, soy, corn, “gluten grains,” nuts and seeds, peanuts) for some time
- removing refined sugar, flour and table salt
- removing processed sweeteners like agave nectar and maple syrup
- removing hydrogenated oil products
In essence, tidy up your diet as best as you can and focus on fresh, whole foods.
You may also look at:
- increasing your intake of fats (with avocado, coconut meat and quality oils*)
- adding sources of minerals to your diet
*Quality oils in this context meaning organic and cold pressed. Avocado, coconut, hemp seed, macadamia nut, and pumpkin seed oil, are great choices. With the exception of coconut oil, make sure to buy oils contained in dark glass bottles.