Proper Nutritional Vegan Diet Recommendations

From my own experience, experimentations, and research

Image by Freepik

I became vegetarian with the exception of chicken and turkey at age 12. My heart had heard the cries of the cows, growing up in South Dakota. So, I knew something was not right. 

I was fortunate to have an aunt who was a vegetarian and volunteered to help save the turtles in California, Texas, and then Florida. I also was fortunate to have a brother-in-law whose wife was a vegan. 

However, my brother (father’s son)’s wife experienced a lot of malnutrition issues and eventually had to leave veganism. This made me question the nutritional needs of people in general.

At the age of 14 I became completely vegetarian, and was for many years into adulthood. Strictly. Even when I was in the Middle East, I ate hummus, fava beans, falafel. I was fine. Even when I was in Mali, West Africa in the Peace Corps, I was vegetarian. My mother would send me care packages of protein bars that were probably helpful (thank you ma’). However, the Malian diet also consisted of beans (haha, if you speak Bambara or Malinke, i be sho duna, haha). 

Then I moved to Morocco. I was around the age of 25. I had a friend visit and we went on a tour around the country. The main dishes were meat. There weren’t many options for me. I decided to try eating meat there. I also experimented with pescetarianism. 

After that experience, I went in between eating meat, or being pescetarian, or vegetarian, or being vegan. 

When I experienced my spiritual awakening, I obviously wanted to be vegan. 

So I experimented with being vegan. However, I didn’t like that I didn’t have enough variety of foods. I felt I was lacking. 

So I became vegetarian again. Sometimes pescatarian. Sometimes, on occasion, meat. 

Then, about a year ago I moved back to Peru, where I had lived a few years back to integrate my spiritual awakening with plant medicines, nature, and ancestral culture. 

The higher in frequency you become upon being spiritually awakened, the more sensitive you become. (I will define spiritual awakening as becoming more conscious of every moment and every word and every action, every decision, every energy you put out, everything you put into your body, everything you put into the earth…your karmic impact basically). So, I wanted to try veganism again. Meat, dairy, and fish did not feel good in my body. 

At the same time, I became sadly aware of the crisis of anemia in Peru. I could feel the energy of children and adults who were malnourished and it made my heart cry. If you don’t know, anemia is a sign of a lack of iron, B12, and B9 (folate). You can read more about it here.

I then found out about kaniwa, kiwicha, and quinoa. They are all local Peruvian grains. They contain iron and are complete proteins! Wow! A complete protein contains all 9 essential amino acids, if you didn’t know. 

Potatoes are complete proteins. However, rice and other grains are not. So you have to pair them with beans to ensure you get all 9 amino acids in your diet. Do a google research to know if you need to pair your grain with something else to get all your amino acids. 

However, what I realized in my own personal experimentation was that these iron-filled nutritional grains needed to be paired with vitamin C. 

While doing research, I learned that vitamin C helps absorb the iron. 

There are many people in America with anemia as well. They even eat meat. However, I believe they are not pairing it with vitamin C. Hamburgers include tomato sauce. That may be a suggestion that tomatoes would be beneficial. 

Additionally, most Americans drink wine or beer with meals, which can take away the nutritional benefits of the foods. Coffee definitely as well. 

I now drink real fruit juices with my meals, and I believe that is much healthier. 

You can also then experience the benefits of an electrolyte balance. Salt in your iron-filled meal with the combination of sugar in your vitamin C fruit juice will provide you with the proper electrolyte balance. 

I’m not sure if some people do not eat salt because they are drinking alcohol with their meals, and not real fruit juices. There’s so much controversy over salt in America. Could it just be that we need to drink real fruit juices with vitamin C and sugar with our iron-rich salty meals to stay healthy? 

In my own experimentation with my personal body, and how it feels, I recommend Complete Proteins for Iron and Amino Acids, mixed with Vitamin C fruit juices to get your nutritional and electrolyte needs met. 

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I also researched that vegans also may be lacking in Vitamin B12. You can get it in small amounts in foods, but, if you can in your local community, find nutritional yeast and that will solve that problem. It contains Vitamin B12 so then you don’t have to worry. I like sprinkling it on potatoes. Get creative and discover recipes that your body enjoys!

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To ensure you get your B9 in to not become anemic, here are the foods recommended by Google AI: 

Good sources of folate:

• Leafy green vegetables (e.g., spinach, kale)

• Broccoli, Brussels sprouts

• Peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils

-Google AI

Pretty easy, huh!

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I have also diversified my consumption of meals. I recommend completely being gluten-free (it makes you bloated, fat, I would limit your intake darlin’). 

You can still have spaghetti, it will just be made of rice or chickpeas or some other vegan ingredient, so no worries. 

Try quinoa. Try vegan burgers. Try falafel. 

Get creative! Vegetables are very important. Just add some spices and salt and Love and there you go! 

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Another piece of information I would like to share is about soy. Some vegans just eat soy all the time, because maybe they don’t know about a variety of foods to eat. 

However, this may be dangerous to your body. Definitely only eat soy that is GMO-free (genetically modified organism). As GMOs were created by bizarre methods and may alter your DNA in ways that are harmful. 

Soy also may be harmful to you because of hormones (men especially pay attention). 

Here is what Google AI says about soy: 

Some reasons to avoid or limit soy consumption include potential digestive issues, concerns about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), possible thyroid issues, or potential negative effects on hormonal balance, especially in men, though scientific evidence is often contradictory and not fully conclusive.

Potential Reasons to Avoid Soy Consumption:

Digestive Issues:

• Phytic Acid: Soybeans contain phytic acid, which can hinder the absorption of certain nutrients like iron and zinc.

• Gas and Bloat: Some individuals experience digestive discomfort, gas, and bloating when consuming soy products.

GMO Concerns:

• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Many soy crops are genetically modified, which raises ethical and scientific concerns for some people.

Thyroid Concerns:

• Goitrogens: Soy contains compounds called goitrogens that can interfere with thyroid hormone production, potentially leading to hypothyroidism or goiter (thyroid enlargement).

Hormonal Effects:

• Phytoestrogens: Soy contains phytoestrogens, plant compounds that mimic estrogen, and there are concerns that they could disrupt hormonal balance, particularly in men, and potentially lead to breast enlargement, lower sperm count or decreased fertility in men.

Allergies:

• Soy Allergens: Soy is a common allergen, and individuals with soy allergies can experience allergic reactions, including hives, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms.

Potential Nutrient Deficiencies

• Soy Milk: Excessive consumption of regular soy milk could lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Other:

• Bladder Cancer: Some studies suggest that soy products might increase the chance of getting bladder cancer.

Sustainability concerns:

• Environment impact: Soy production requires a large amount of land and resources, and contributes to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Important Considerations:

• Moderation:
   Many sources recommend consuming soy in moderation or avoiding processed soy products and choosing non-GMO varieties if possible.

• Individual Tolerance:
   Some individuals may be more sensitive to soy than others, so it’s important to pay attention to how your body reacts to it.

• Scientific Evidence:
   Research on the effects of soy is ongoing and sometimes contradictory, so staying informed about the latest findings is crucial.

• Soy and Breast Cancer:
   Current evidence indicates it’s safe for women who have had breast cancer or who are at risk for breast cancer to eat soy foods.

-Google AI 

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As I mentioned, having a spiritual awakening typically leads one to consider the lives of animals and the health of the planet. 

Here is what Google AI says about the benefits of a vegan diet on carbon emissions: 

If the entire world transitioned to a vegan diet, there could be a significant positive impact on climate change, especially through the reduction of livestock farming’s greenhouse gas emissions and land usage.

Here’s a breakdown of potential effects:

Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

• Livestock farming is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide, and a global vegan shift could lead to significant reductions.

• Some studies suggest that phasing out animal agriculture within 15 years could have the same effect as a 68% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions through the year 2100.

• Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and a global switch to plant-based diets would cut emissions from food production by 28%.

Land Use Reduction:

• Livestock farming requires vast amounts of land, including for grazing and growing feed crops, while plant-based diets require less land per calorie.

• A shift to veganism could free up land currently used for livestock, potentially allowing for reforestation and other conservation efforts.

Water Usage Reduction:

• Livestock farming is also a major consumer of water, and a vegan world would likely see reduced water consumption.

• Water usage would decrease by 19% if everyone went vegan.

Food Production Changes:

• A shift to a plant-based diet could necessitate changes in food production systems, such as shifting towards more sustainable farming practices.

• This could include regenerative agriculture, which aims to improve soil health and carbon sequestration.

-Google AI 

So in summary: 

• Complete Proteins to get all 9 amino acids 

• Iron plus Vitamin C to absorb the iron

• Electrolyte balance of salt and sugar 

• B12 — Nutritional Yeast 

• B9 — kale, brussel sprouts, lentils, etc. 

• Diversity of foods for fun 

• Caution with soy 

• Feel good about your reduction of harm to animals and reduction of carbon emissions so we can breathe oxygen and survive as a species 

Written by
 Ashley Heacock, Shaman, Medicine Woman, Mentor, Guide 
 MIT Sloan School of Management, MBA
 Harvard Kennedy School of Government, MPA
 The George Washington University, BA Economics, BA International Affairs
 Contact for healing sessions: ashleyheacock@gmail.com
 Website: awakeningconsciousness.community