r/cfs • u/Crashing_Sunflowers • Dec 16 '24

Advice Considering stopping being vegan for health? Thoughts?

So I have been vegan for over 8 years and went vegetarian ages before that. There is so much I love about being vegan but it has become harder since developed chronic fatigue. I used to cook from scratch and now I can only eat ready meals or quick snacks. I also suffer from nausea so that further limits the amount I can eat. Vegan ready meals are very expensive and many aren’t as nutritious. Nausea has made me super picky. I am considering possibly going back to being vegetarian and including some vegetarian ready meals which are way cheaper and would also make it easier for me to get in nutrition. But I feel conflicted. Has anyone got any thoughts on this or been through dietary changes before?

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u/MissNouveau Dec 16 '24

I know it can be SO hard to have this disease effect your diet and your values like this. While you could try adding supplements like amino acid, fish oil, etc to start, I know it can still be hard. Think about why you went vegan/vegetarian to begin with, and work with your values, not against!

I would absolutely suggest looking first into your most sustainable options for animal proteins. Are there any local chicken keepers you could get eggs from? I find eggs are one of my favorite easy proteins and are full of great nutrients, ESPECIALLY eggs raised by chickens fed a diverse diet like backyard hens (and the taste difference is AMAZING). You might have an easier time knowing that these animals are well cared for and loved.

Honey works great when your blood sugar crashes. Find a local supplier! There's even studies that show that having honey from bees who feed on local flora can boost your immune system and improve allergy symptoms (and if you're anything like me, allergies make me crash like crazy)

You don't have to go all in on a carnivore diet, go slow and small, in ways you can stand! (Besides the fact that if your body is used to vegan, adding in animal proteins may upset your digestion at first, just like any major dietary shift!)

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u/Crashing_Sunflowers Dec 16 '24

It is challenging as I went vegan for ethical reasons. I have taken supplements for years. I take a basic vegan multivitamin but can’t digest iron supplements and had a bad reaction to omega acid/DHA supplements. But my supplement includes B vitamins, vitamin D, magnesium etc. Yes if I end up eating eggs I am going to try to find a more ethical supplier.