Hi Reader,

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A lot of times when a person transitions to veganism they will experience some physical changes along the way. It’s to be expected.

You may not necessarily experience everything someone else does, but more often than not you may notice a few things along the way.

So today, let’s get into some of the more common and noticeable changes you might be experiencing or are already experiencing because of this new lifestyle change you’re on.

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Some Interesting Effects:

• Why am I so gassy? 💨
• Will this headache go away? 🤕
• Increased Energy 💪
• Better Sleep 🛌 💤
• Better Bowel Movements 💩

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Why am I so gassy? 💨 Well, once you make changes towards a more plant based diet, you’ll be consuming a higher amount of fiber than before…which is great for your overall health…but all that fiber can lead to more gas being produced.

Over time your body will adjust to the higher fiber intake, but what can you do right now to help this (stinky) situation?
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• Drink more water- water helps fiber bind and keeps things flowing in the right direction so…bottoms up!
• Rinse your canned beans really well-that “bean water” contains oligosaccharides (a type of carbohydrate) that our digestive system can’t break down. The oligosaccharides pass to the large intestine where bacteria in our gut ferments them and the byproduct is gas. Rinsing off your canned beans removes excess oligosaccharides and sodium so try that.
• Introduce more high fiber foods slowly- your body may just need some time to get used to higher fiber foods so by adding in more of these foods gradually should give your digestive system time to adjust.
• Have some ginger or peppermint after your meal- peppermint and ginger help reduce nausea, bloating and gas because of the relaxing properties they have on the gut…plus it tastes good, so have a cup of ginger or peppermint tea after a meal to aid in your digestion.

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Will this headache ever go away? 🤕 Now while some people may think their headache is from a nutritional deficiency (like a dip in B-12 or Iron) because they are no longer consuming animal products, that’s not actually true in most cases. What you may actually be experiencing is dehydration.
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• More Water Please- Do you find yourself consuming a lot of highly processed, sodium rich meat alternatives? Did you give up all your coffee and soda at once? Did you add in a bunch of new foods? Try increasing your water intake over the next few hours and see how that works.
• Don’t Stress Me- Also, stress can be a factor. I mean, you're taking on a whole new lifestyle and now you may be worried about what to eat, how to cook, planning meals, etc and it can be stressful to you.
• Step by Step- Remember to take things one day at a time and slowly. Pay attention to what may be causing these triggers and make sure you are eating enough to keep you full and satisfied throughout the day.

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Increased Energy- 💪 Why do you suddenly feel more energetic? I mean, that’s a good thing, but why is that?
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• Animal Protein- Have you ever noticed that after you’ve eaten something heavy like a steak it sits in the bottom of your stomach like a brick? There’s a reason for that.

Animal protein takes a longer time to digest because the digestive enzymes in the body have to break down the carbohydrates and fats. It takes more energy from your body to break it down.

It can sometimes leave you feeling sluggish, but that depends on how fast your body can break it down. If you’ve ever felt this way it’s a sign that the meat is stuck in your bowels (that’s lovely) and is draining energy from your body to digest it.
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• Plant Protein- Plant based diets give the body vitamins and minerals in heavily concentrated amounts and what you don’t get are the additives and fillers from processed foods, so your body gets a boost of energy. It’s easier to digest so your body feels the benefit.

A lot of people who turn to a plant-based diet notice these changes within a couple of weeks.

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Better Sleep- 🛌 💤 Plant based foods stimulate the release of serotonin, tryptophan, and melatonin which are essential elements of sleep and can be found in many vegan foods.

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The Big 3-

• Melatonin is produced naturally by your body, it doesn’t make you sleep. Melatonin is a hormone that the body releases in response to changes in light so it helps to promote sleep.
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• Tryptophan is an amino acid found in foods that contain protein and it promotes sleep. It can be converted into several molecules including melatonin and serotonin.
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• Serotonin is complex, while it aids in promoting sleep it can actually also keep you awake. How serotonin affects sleep depends on the part of the brain it comes from, the type of serotonin receptor it binds to, and several other factors. Your body needs serotonin from your pineal gland to produce melatonin.

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Better Bowel Movements- 💩 Do vegans poop more and why? I’ll tell you why and in one word- FIBER!

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The benefits of Fiber- When you have a plant based diet, your fiber intake is a lot higher. All that increased fiber can do several things:

• You may poop more
• Your stool will probably be softer
• You could get constipated

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Fiber isn’t generally absorbed by your body but tends to pass through the digestive system and out of your body.
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The two types of Fiber- Soluble and Insoluble.
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• Soluble fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help soften stools, help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels.
• Insoluble fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can help with constipation or irregular stools.

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Because of the higher fiber intake you want to make sure you are drinking enough water so that you don’t get constipated.
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So, we’ve gone through some of the physical changes most people experience and learned why it happens to us along with a few tips to help us adapt.
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Hopefully you’ve found the info valuable and can use it to better equip yourself as you navigate these changes.

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Question: Is there any particular area that you’ve struggled with or experienced that you would like more information about? Please let me know.

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Until next time,

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Thanks again,

Hugs and chocolate kisses! Kadae

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