Yes, if anybody is still on this thread, and you want to go vegan, or are currently practicing, please please please, read the relevant appropriate scientific literature and don't just rely on vegan promotional sites like veganhealth.org (which makes several of the dietary mistakes I noted earlier in the thread).
Don't rely on opinion, tips at Whole Foods, friends, the internet, vegan pamphlets, support groups or only promotional websites. For example, veganhealth.org (run by dietition Jack Norris) makes an good effort at being a good guide - Jack does a pretty good job of distilling lots of the hard stuff into digestible chunks (forgive the pun). But it's subject to the exact same pitfalls and hopeful thinking (a bit of ground flaxseed on toast will solve all your omega problems!) I've seen in dozens upon dozens of vegan promotional dietary guides.
Once you've decided to go vegan, you've made the jump to accepting that you will be eating an inadequate diet to start with. (Simple logic dictates that if you need supplements to fix gaps in your diet, it's inadequate in those areas). Maintaining proper nutrition and health is unbelievably complicated when you're starting at such a disadvantage.
See a doctor regularly and demand the appropriate blood tests that test for the specific dietary deficiencies that are normal on a vegan diet. Don't rely on a typical blood panel...which is designed for people on omnivorous diets -- diets for which almost all of the vegan dietary deficiencies simply don't occur. If you don't know what the tests are, it's time to start your research!
Don't rely on opinion, tips at Whole Foods, friends, the internet, vegan pamphlets, support groups or only promotional websites. For example, veganhealth.org (run by dietition Jack Norris) makes an good effort at being a good guide - Jack does a pretty good job of distilling lots of the hard stuff into digestible chunks (forgive the pun). But it's subject to the exact same pitfalls and hopeful thinking (a bit of ground flaxseed on toast will solve all your omega problems!) I've seen in dozens upon dozens of vegan promotional dietary guides.
Once you've decided to go vegan, you've made the jump to accepting that you will be eating an inadequate diet to start with. (Simple logic dictates that if you need supplements to fix gaps in your diet, it's inadequate in those areas). Maintaining proper nutrition and health is unbelievably complicated when you're starting at such a disadvantage.
See a doctor regularly and demand the appropriate blood tests that test for the specific dietary deficiencies that are normal on a vegan diet. Don't rely on a typical blood panel...which is designed for people on omnivorous diets -- diets for which almost all of the vegan dietary deficiencies simply don't occur. If you don't know what the tests are, it's time to start your research!