Happy Monday 😀

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend! I’ve been receiving many e-mails from people concerned with vitamins so this Q & A post will mostly go over this topic.

If you have a question, article, product, book or so on that you are interested in asking me about please feel free to send me an e-mail at livinggirllivingfoods@gmail.com. I usually post things on my FaceBook Page that does not end up getting posted here, information over load.

❤

Q: How do you get protein? Iron? B-12? Are you deficient in anything? Being a vegetarian, vegan, and raw vegan can not be healthy. I had a friend who tried it once and they got so sick.

A:These are great questions that are frequently asked, almost anytime these “V” words are mentioned all of these questions follow after. I have a previous post with information on protein where I discuss “animal protein” which should technically be called “animal fat” verse plant based protein. I also have previously discussed Iron & B-12.

If you are concerned with your personal levels of vitamins and or minerals please ask you doctor about some options & ideas. It could be possible that you have enough and are over doing it by picking up supplements. For example, this can happen with B vitamins and may result in daily injections. Some people can not absorb iron properly in the first place and have to take supplements to balance this out.

I personally do not lack any vitamins and the last time I went to the doctor to have a check up just because he was confused on why I was even there.

I do not know your friend, what they ate, or any previous conditions they may have/had. It is possible that they did not know enough about produce and did not eat enough vegetables, fruits, herbs, seeds and nuts. What I mean by this is many people get lost in the “fast food” options, mock meats, raw vegan gourmet pizzas with as much fat as a drive-thru burger, may be they ate loads of wheat, went heavier on cheese, high sugar foods, too much nuts, lots of oils, salt heavy options, and processed foods. There are so many reasons!

What it comes down to it making a choice that you can stick with, love and feel good doing. Do your research, eat more plant based foods, prepare your food as clean as possibly, avoid packaged foods, and so on. Keeping a lifestyle focusing on vegetables, fruits and herbs, just a little bit of seeds and nuts is the way to go 😀

There is also a detox period with eating cleaner, so some of these characteristics of being sick actually are just like detox symptoms. Either way, do not be scared of the “V words.”

❤

Q: I am transitioning into eating differently and am struggling. My friends and family are not supportive, they tease and I end up caving in. How can I stick to my goals? Can you share some road blocks you were faced with?

A: Truly amazing question and topic! It is not easy to change our ways, or to get other people to understand lifestyle changes. If there are friends in your life who are preventing you from being happy, and they are not proud of you for having the will power, mind set to take control of your health & well being, then they probably shouldn’t be your friend. I personally had to cut a lot of people out, and even now I still get jokes from friends and family offering me foods that of course I wouldn’t eat.

I think sometimes people get scared that because you are going through all these changes that may be you will think less of them. Overall any negative actions related to you changing is from the ego/fear.

Sometimes it’s better to lie, as terrible as this sounds, and say that you and your nutritionist have made these lifestyle decisions. Or if you share a personal health story and how these changes you are making help. With some people it just won’t matter and that’s fine. Your body is your business, their body is their business.

By being you, eventually this odd transition period for everyone involved with not be that big of a deal. It may just shrink to being offered bacon or a burger once you go vegetarian or vegan. Or may be they will tease you about protein, iron, and B12 😉

Somethings that I have noticed that helped me with these temptations or road blocks in the beginning was setting a list of goals for the week. Recipes I wanted to try out, people who eat similar foods to hangout with, books ordered, have people over for a dinner party showing off how yummy your lifestyle is, workout routine, trips to farmers markets out of my town, documentaries…anything to feed my spirit and get my body to go along with it. I guess what I am saying is make it fun for yourself!

If I had a craving I would do some research on why I craved this. Usually cravings have other meanings, like craving nuts or other fats is just your body saying it needs more calories. Not that it needs a family sized bag of chips 😉

Something I struggled with was getting that warm feeling that I missed from cooked foods. But with knowledge I began learning about bitters, spices and herbs that would provide this sensation that I desperately craved during the harsh New England winters. Once I started exploring, I kept going and had went completely off any path I had imagined for myself. It starts getting addicting, understanding our needs, cravings, and feeling like we are making better choices. That momentum kept going once it gained a little speed and that’s all it takes.

❤ 

I hope this helps answer any questions people may have about vitamins and road blocks. Thank you all for your time and for stopping by my site. I have a giveaway and recipe review coming up this week so please keep your eyes open O_O hehe. Have an excellent week. Much love ❤ and raw power ;-)!

Jess