Hey what’s up, Miri here. In this post and post series, I’m opening up about the health issues I’ve fought over the past years and how I’ve recovered and managed to still be vegan – and not only that but thrive as a vegan. While fixing my gut, immune & hormone health. I’ll share the reasons for my health struggles with you so you can too – if you want. So if you (or a friend) are struggling on a plantbased diet, this post is for you (or your friend). I wouldn’t be angry about sharing it. 🙂 After 5 ½ years, I’m thriving. After all. Finally. I can’t believe it took me that long thrive on a plantbased diet… and if I can help one person to get thriving sooner, this post series fulfilled its purpose.
I think the reason why ex-vegan videos on YouTube are so viral, popular and in great demand these days must be that many vegans are desperate right now, struggling with health issues and being sicker than before (like I was) instead vice versa what they expected. That’s why I feel called to share my story in the hope that I can contribute further possible causes for vegan health crises for those who suffer and are close to seeing themselves forced to stop eating plantbased. Can we please stop the debate about plant based and vegan? We know the difference. Between health and ethics. Veganism is not a way of eating. Never was, never will be. But when it comes to surviving or not surviving – I think we should all be on the same page and that whole differentiation is not right. Everyone that doesn’t eat animal products, is contributing a huge part to saving animals and the planet. Can I say that it doesn’t matter for which reason they choose to eat this way please. In the end.
So vegans health often deteriorate after 2 years. When their energy drops, they choose to ignore it, when their hair falls out, they choose to ignore it. They ignored it when they fasted for 3 months and re-introduced food. They realize what they have been missing is the magic chicken egg. Being vegan is about taking the time and work to understand what your body needs. Antibiotics, contraceptives, other medications, stress, pesticides, low stomach acid, pancreatic enzyme deficiencies, they all add up. And when your digestion starts to suffer, the compounds and fiber found in plants create issues. But how did we get here? Where did it start? I personally found the answer to my personal cascade of health problems. I’ve been there. I’ve done that. Thinking that I had to stop being vegan to save myself first from dying away before I save others. And yes I really was an ethical vegan.
I titled this a response post because it increases the chance that it might be seen and be of help to people who suffer. By no means whatsoever do I say or think that any of my “causes and cures” are the “causes and cures” for others who suffer. And in no way am I trying to tell or convince anybody what to do. If anything my whole experience extremely humbled me towards the needs of others. I just wanted to put it out there and to them in case it might be of huge help to the ones that have struggled or are struggling a ton. Since I’ve applied what I’ve learned about the human body and metabolism, my health did a 180 degree and I went from physical crisis into symptom and ailment free health. Literally within a week
If you struggle with your physical and mental health despite “doing everything perfectly” – this is for you. So stick around, also for my future videos, because I have plenty of further information and experiences on calorie deficit and food fears and how they affect gut health, disease, immune system and eating disorders beyond what you usually hear and read. It might change your world. It did change my entire view around food, health and exercise and how easy it is to become anorexic, even without knowing or noticing. I thought it’s best to show you a personal health struggle timeline so you know what I’m talking about, what I’ve been through and then we’re going straight into it
All my symptoms either showed up on a blood test or saliva test with clear markers. Nothing self diagnosed. The problem with self-diagnosed is that it’s self diagnosis. There’s no proof that you had what you think you had. Naturopaths are no replacement for medical tests. I’m vegan for 6 years in May. As you can tell it’s been a rough road. Because I made a whole lot of mistakes. Without knowing. And despite aiming to do everything right. Or maybe rather because of that… I believe that me being so open and vulnerable about this will help other vegans who struggle with their health to not only get their health under control but finally thrive.
As you can see, the main health categories I struggled with were adrenal fatigue, hypothalamic hypothyroidism, hypothalamic amenorrhea, leaky gut, digestion & immune issues and anorexia symptoms – the symptoms of these issues are all very similar and often cause each other and go hand in hand with each other. All of them were due to a combo of
- Chronic Energy Deficit (often present in vegans unnoticed even though unwanted!)
- Whole Food & Macro Obsession and
- Glyphosate – the most common toxic pesticide sprayed on the majority of non-organic food.
All three might be thrown around a lot but hear me out, they’re mind-blowing. You certainly want to stick around all the way through. The third one will blow your mind, it isn’t brought up very much and needs much more media presence than it does now! If anything in my timeline that applies to you and you can relate and you struggle with this – this series might save your life. Not exaggerating. I’ve recovered within a week, being vegan, from all symptoms and am symptom-free for 6 months now, all by eliminating the 3 causes. I’m doing a whole video on each one of them. I might do a video on Bonny’s and Tim’s symptoms as I had most of them as well. I know how it is to be desperately desperate. I tried everything. All remedies in the alternative medicine world. Wanting the vegan diet to work but being the only one having health issue after health issue in my own surrounding, despite being on „the perfect diet“… I’ve learned tons. I now understand my body and why all these diseases had to happen. My body was always doing the right thing. The body always does the right thing to keep you alive. If anything goes “wrong” in your body – it is for a reason. No exceptions.
From my personal experience (and I can only speak for myself obviously), it’s not the vegan diet that doesn’t work. It’s calorie restriction that doesn’t work. Its anorexia that doesn’t work. Its orthorexic approaches to a vegan diet (fear of gluten, oil, salt, fats, „anti-nutrients“, etc.) that don’t work! It’s not so much about „carbing up“, it’s about “calorieing” up in general. We fail to do this – automatically – when we tap into health issues and especially digestive issues because of our pain when eating. It happened to me big time. I didn’t mean to, I just wanted to heal and not be in pain. When you’re desperate, you begin to do crazy stuff, woo woo stuff, detox stuff, develop food fears, mental issues, orthorexia, undereating big time. Which results in a chronic energy deficit
The vegan diet is not what’s unbalanced. Calorie restriction, anorexic and orthorexic approaches to the vegan diet are what’s unbalanced. It’s also not only about eating more fats fats fats. Like some time ago, people were popping up announcing they had incorporated more fats and feel so much better and I think fats are so (!) important, I too am eating loads of fat now – but there’s more to the story. I think it’s most of all about getting enough calories, not necessarily overemphasizing carbohydrates. I myself eat a ton of carbohydrates, 60-70% maybe. But getting enough calories in general is much more important to a strong running immune system and digestive system and all systems really in your body, so invaders, pathogens and maintenance and anti-inflammatory works can be done continuously
And then glyphosate. Such a huge cause of gut & immune issues as it acts as an antibiotic.
A calorie and nutrient dense vegan diet without glyphosate = no reason for issues to arise in the first place. No extremism. No fasting. No juice diets, no 100% raw (no trying even), no mono meals, no 80-10-10. Just a nice variety and balance of whole foods and fun foods. I’m going into these in my coming videos
My goal is not to convince anyone of anything but to just share insights that I had that enabled me to reverse vegan health struggles – for those who are struggling as well and are utterly confused and questioning everything. I’ve been there. I’m not saying I have all the answers – but I might have valuable experiences that someone connect some dots. That it’s maybe not the vegan diet in their case and not impossible to get healthy again as a vegan, staying vegan. I’m just here to provide some missing puzzle pieces for those finding themselves in my health crisis timeline. Definitely take a close look at it if you’re struggling.
As I’ve reversed my health crisis while being vegan, my own experiences make me assume that it’s not the vegan diet itself, in my case, that caused me the problems but rather a wrong way of going about the vegan diet, and that is insufficient calorie intake, food fears / orthorexic approach and glyphosate – all unknowingly and unintended. You live you learn.
My health crisis has been so similar to so many ex-vegans’ stories in the last years and I was forced to question a plantbased diet at times, but I managed to fully recover from all my symptoms and diseases on a vegan diet. I gave myself a last serious attempt and chance (after many before) putting what I’ve learned to the test because it blew my mind so much sense it made to me. It would be irresponsible for me to not offer my own insights that I gained due to my crisis and share it publicly, so everyone can make their own opinions about it.
I was able to get to the very root cause of all of my problems. I’ve been symptom-free for 6 months now. I had severe symptoms on all levels and systems of my body for 3 years before that. It’s a night to day death to life transformation and I can’t believe I’m living life to the fullest now, disease-free after 3 years of desperation and deteriorating health and eager struggle to be healthy by living and eating perfectly. Literally the more I strived for health, the sicker I got… not knowing that with all my well-meant but obsessive & harmful efforts, what my systems were missing was so (!) much more energy than I ever thought, so much less whole food obsession…
It’s always important to ask yourself and find out why you have the gut issues, intolerances, allergies and reactions in the first place. It always comes down to a weak immune system or weak digestion process. Both of those are traceable to chronic energy deficiency (equals nutrient deficiency automatically) and/or toxic damage by glyphosate. For example I was diagnosed with several intolerances: soy. But I knew that I was not gonna avoid those. I knew that to reverse my problems was that I eat calories. And I put it to the test. And I reversed everything. I’m symptom-free for a half year now – and wouldn’t it be great if you could say the same in a half year…?
Now I’d be interested to hear what you personally are struggling with and what your thoughts and questions are. Leave a comment below and I’ll see you next video. I’m trying to upload once a week. I’ll see you soon!