Comments | veganpeople: blood work & farmers markets

missmuffcake in veganpeople

blood work & farmers markets

Jul 21, 2006 16:07

My gyno recommended me getting blood work done last week due to being dizzy lately. I think she thinks I don't eat right (I am thin and vegan which many people put together as an eating disorder). My iron comes back as very healthy and my protein was very healthy as well. I think that the negative stereotypes vegans encounter as being sickly ( Read more... )

body-bloodwork, groceries-farmers markets, doctors

Comments 12

anagramatica July 21 2006, 00:36:44 UTC

That is a really good point.

Similarly, it can take about eight years of farming without the chemicals to even be eligible for the Organic certification, and a lot of the vendors at the farmer's markets may be "in process" of getting certification but not yet able to use the label, even though the produce is in effect organically grown.

serenitygold July 21 2006, 19:42:41 UTC

Speaking as a former employee of an organic certifier. It's only 3 years that the ground must lie fallow without chemicals. http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NationalList/ListHome.html (However it can be treated with chemicals from the USDA's approved list of chemicals) Also, if the local farmers are selling less than $5,000 worth of produce they can label it as Organic without having to get certified. The full USDA guidelines are found here: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/standards/FullText.pdf
The USDA also does not require soil testing to prove that the ground is untreated. All the farmer has to do is sign a letter stating that they have not treated the ground with any non approved substance for 3 years. (FYI there are some dirty people out there looking to cash in on selling higher priced organic produce)

anagramatica July 22 2006, 01:16:37 UTC

I stand corrected. Three years.
However, my main point was that one can get essentially organic foods at the farmer's market which may be in transition and not labeled organic.

bentandroid July 21 2006, 02:11:47 UTC

I get really dizzy all the time and all of my levels are damn near perfect, but doctors INSIST that I must not be eating right as a vegan. So frustrating! (ps. I think it's plain old low blood pressure, hows yours?)

missmuffcake July 21 2006, 19:43:04 UTC

Normal!

kindbydesign July 21 2006, 14:09:22 UTC

I have low blood pressure, so sometimes, especially when I'm really stressed, I feel dizzy. It happened before I was vegan too, but of course, now when I feel even the slightest bit sick everyone wants to blame it on being vegan. Don't even get me started about how everyone thinks I'm too skinny.

I eat a LOT, just not a lot of junk. Thin and vegan definitely doesn't equal eating disorder. I'd be ready to pass out in 107 degree weather, too! I'll stop babbling now, I just wanted to say that I empathize.

missmuffcake July 21 2006, 19:45:38 UTC

I am 5'10" and 123. One doc said I was really skinny and the other said I was thin but not sickly. I have all the normal body fuctions and everything is normal. I just hate when people think I starve myself because I am vegan and don't stuff myself...Ohh and I love doing yoga and jogging!

cannibalcountry July 21 2006, 22:18:01 UTC

Yeah I think my underweightness is due to the fact that I exercise all the time - not that I am vegan...

cannibalcountry July 21 2006, 22:19:14 UTC

Isn't it annoying? To have people constantly wishing you'd have a poor body image of yourself... I think I look fine - yet everyone's gotta be eeew gross... Really I think people want to say that because they are extremely jealous.

wonderfluff July 21 2006, 17:13:53 UTC

I've read recently that whole grains can help. i.e. eating at least 50% of your diet of brown rice, buckwheat, millet, etc. no white rice, white pastas, etc. not very nutritional. Also, it's good to have variety of veggies and not just one type of veggie. I hope you feel better and drink lots of water to keep yourself from being dehydrated.

cannibalcountry July 21 2006, 22:14:15 UTC

I totally hear you about the "sickly thing" - I get that all the time. Did you just read my second to latest entry? hehe, I know you didn't but I just wrote something about this...
When I first went vegan - my doctor swore up and down that I am anorexic - which is completely offensive - especially when you aren't!!! She insisted I get blood tests done - wasn't she shocked when they all came back perfect!
Also - everywhere I go people have to point out how thin I am - it's like "eeew, you are so gross." or from my mom (who I work with) "I hope the costomer didn't notice how skinny your legs are"
It's pretty fucked up that people gotta do that... I could walk around pointing out everyone else's imperfection - but I suppose I'm above that... It's like taboo to give people shit for being over-weight but people feel like they can say as much mean shit about my thinness as they want... The sacrifices we make !

missmuffcake July 22 2006, 18:33:55 UTC

Ya, I don't know how people can come up and comment on my body like 'you are so skinny'...I don't know if they are trying to be rude or nice. Why can't they leave me alone?