Veggie and Vegan Warning

Linguo · 31-08-2009 10:53am #1

Hey All,

Just got diagnosed with pretty severe B12 defiency (is 150 and should be 500-thousands) so am feeling twitchy, unbalanced, panicky and vision feels off. Have to get injections now for the next month or so now which isn't fun, just wanted to warn all you guys to watch out for this as I stupidly never considered whether I was getting enough of this vitamin. It can be very serious so watch out and eat loads of milk, eggs, cheese and vitamins if you can!

littlecbear · 31-08-2009 11:47am

If you are vegan you can get b12 from eating live sprouts like mung beans aduki etc etc. Very easy to do and does not require time.

QUOTE:
Traditionally, B-12 Vitamin was believed to be absent in vegetarians meals. Critics overlooked the fact that B-12 is heat sensitive and over 80% of its effectiveness is destroyed under normal cooking conditions. No one eats raw meat and the claim made that animal protein being the main source of B-12 has no leg to stand on. Studies show that B-12 is also supplied by the intestinal tract bacteria. Therefore, keeping the intestinal tract free of mucus, overheating, bad mixture of foods, and excess of sugar among other factors can all contribute to the mall absorption of vitamins. The ‘sprout-a-holic’ are guarantied an adequate supply of B-12 by having daily 2 to 3 cups of Mung Bean and Chick Pea sprouts which have being proved as rich in Vitamin B-12.

SOURCE: http://easygreen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=215

31-08-2009 11:48am

It is weird a few of my friends have had problems with this. Only one was the veggie.
The others were fussy meat eaters.

I have mine checked fairly recently since my veggie friend had a problem, It affected her potassium levels and she black out a few times. Which scared the bejaysus out of her.

I hope the injections bring you back to yourself quickly Linguo.

I had the doc do a check on my Zinc recently.
I was convinced that I must be deficient because I definitely don't eat enough. Apparently it is somehow fine.

Linguo · 31-08-2009 12:21pm

Just wanted to let people know cause it's one I never thought about before!! Looking forward to my first injection today, left work cause the artifical lights were very disorientating!

31-08-2009 12:45pm

Linguo wrote: »

Just wanted to let people know cause it's one I never thought about before!! Looking forward to my first injection today, left work cause the artifical lights were very disorientating!

It sometime I never gave a seconds thought to until my friends took ill either!

Your much better off at home, fainting at work is no fun.
Good luck with the injection!

Censorsh!t · 31-08-2009 12:58pm

Isn't cereal high enough in B12? At least porridge anyway...I think.

And if you eat dairy, I'm pretty sure that it's a good source of B12 too.

I've also heard a fair bit of people needing to get injections for it, even though not all of them are necessarily veg*n. I think I was tested for it about last year, and as far as I know, my levels werent very low or anything. Still, my mom insists on me taking B complex tablets...they make my wee very yellow though:( haha:p

Linguo · 31-08-2009 1:50pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

It sometime I never gave a seconds thought to until my friends took ill either!

Your much better off at home, fainting at work is no fun.
Good luck with the injection!

Did your friend stop fainting once they started getting the injections? Feel more dizzy but worried now about fainting!

Linguo · 31-08-2009 1:51pm

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Isn't cereal high enough in B12? At least porridge anyway...I think.

If so defo gonna have some cereal with milk for a double whammy

31-08-2009 2:01pm

Linguo wrote: »

Did your friend stop fainting once they started getting the injections? Feel more dizzy but worried now about fainting!

Oops sorry.
I think the injections act quickly.
People ask for them, for energy boosts.

Censorsh!t wrote: »

Isn't cereal high enough in B12? At least porridge anyway...I think.

Fortified cereal like rice crispies.
But not porridge, the only time I have ever had low Iron, was after a winter of porridge breakfast.
Crappy but fortified cereals are my main source for it.

sweet-rasmus · 31-08-2009 2:12pm

i suppose i had better get back to breakfast cereals for breakfast and not my current toast trend. thanks for reminding us all to keep an eye out for this

Linguo · 31-08-2009 4:02pm

Just also to help everyone out, was in Boots at the weekend and for the first time saw Vegetarian Omega 3, maybe everyone else knows about this but I didn't think it existed and it was one think I worried about for me and my BF!

Anyway we should all be taking it as well and boots have a 3 for 2 on vitamins so everyone should stock up, especially as winter is coming!:D

sweet-rasmus · 31-08-2009 4:06pm

yeah, the vertese oils? yup, it's quite the secret! glad you know now

rhapsody! · 31-08-2009 4:26pm

I take these, they're one a day. You can get them in Holland & Barrett

31-08-2009 4:35pm

Linguo wrote: »

Just also to help everyone out, was in Boots at the weekend and for the first time saw Vegetarian Omega 3, maybe everyone else knows about this but I didn't think it existed and it was one think I worried about for me and my BF!

Anyway we should all be taking it as well and boots have a 3 for 2 on vitamins so everyone should stock up, especially as winter is coming!:D

I take linwoods milled flaxseed mix.

http://www.linwoods.co.uk/en/super_food.php?cat=3

It is also a source of B12.

sweet-rasmus · 31-08-2009 4:36pm

oh, haven't seen them before

i'll keep an eye out for them. i try to take the vegan society supplement every now and then. must see how they compare...

Linguo · 31-08-2009 6:30pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

I take linwoods milled flaxseed mix.

http://www.linwoods.co.uk/en/super_food.php?cat=3

It is also a source of B12.

My Omega 3 comes from Flaxseed oil from the same plant so maybe you're killing two birds with one stone here!:D

Got my first injection about an hour ago, im having two more this week, two next week and monthly afterwards so hopefully will see an improvement quickly!

Tar.Aldarion · 31-08-2009 7:00pm

I suggest getting your blood tested every now and again to see what you need, it's quite cool to see when everything is perfect.

raah! · 31-08-2009 10:13pm

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I suggest getting your blood tested every now and again to see what you need, it's quite cool to see when everything is perfect.

Stop bragging Tar :P

But yes, thanks for the reminder op, I was very worried about my B12 intake when I started out vegetarianing. I'm going blind now, and I don't know what to attribute that to, not B12, but I'll write it all down here anyway.

entropi · 01-09-2009 12:36am

Aye thanks OP for the reminder, i'll have to pop into the IBTB clinic off O'Connell St and organise a blood screening for myself:) Once that is done then at least i'll see if i'm deficient in anything.

Thoushaltnot · 01-09-2009 12:43am

Eh?

I thought they just checked initially for iron levels and even then, that was *after* you filled in the forms and were fit to donate. After that they just checked for any nasties that you may not have been aware about.

So, they do a full screen in there?

01-09-2009 11:34am

Thoushaltnot wrote: »

Eh?

I thought they just checked initially for iron levels and even then, that was *after* you filled in the forms and were fit to donate. After that they just checked for any nasties that you may not have been aware about.

So, they do a full screen in there?

The last time I went to give blood they wouldn't accept me.
Because I had been deficient in Iron before, and their testing method might not be good enough to pick up another deficiency.
So I had to checked out with the doctor for them to accept me again.

Aoifums · 01-09-2009 11:47pm

sweet-rasmus wrote: »

oh, haven't seen them before i'll keep an eye out for them. i try to take the vegan society supplement every now and then. must see how they compare...

I take these ones as well. They're the only supplements I don't mind taking. I can't swallow big pills and I won't take one if it doesn't taste nice.

Linguo · 02-09-2009 2:27pm

Yeah only bad thing about the Omega 3 ones is that they're big horse tablets!

Had another injection today and getting another one tomorrow so feel a teeny bit better!

Mentalmiss · 08-09-2009 11:41am

Flaxseeds is the best source of omega 3 (I also use hemp and chia seeds) but they need to be crushed before use. Some here said that they were buying milled seeds. All seeds begin to go rancid as soon as they are crushed so I would not buy milled or if I did I would at least place the bag in the freezer as soon as I opened it and use from there.
I have a small coffee grinder and I buy seeds cheap in any health food store (or Dunne's carry the Lifeforce organic range). I put 3 dessertspoons in the grinder and crush in seconds. I have a fresh milled, non rancid source of omega 3 instantly and cheaply.

"Mahatma Gandhi once observed: Wherever flaxseed becomes a regular food item among the people, there will be better health."

On the subject of the B12. It is the only vitamin that I take. You can but vegan ones in any health food store. The ones that you put under your tongue are the best. Your body absorbs them fastest. It is better to be safe than sorry and popping a pill is the safest way out (and that is coming from a confirmed non pill popping person).

sordino · 08-09-2009 6:55pm

Marmite is a simple way to get B12. Unless you hate the taste.

Best Omega supplement is Udo's Oil. Great in salad dressings.

Veggie and Vegan Warning

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