Friend very sick, advice needed urgently?!
Friend very sick, advice needed urgently?
I have a friend who went on a vegan diet and is having fainting spells. She is ghostly pale and I told her she needed iron in her diet. She has refused to go to the doctor and I am really concerned about her. What advice can you give me?
Additional Details4 months ago
Thanks Tracey, that was what I was thinking. This vegan diet has caused her to become anemic.
4 months ago
I got her to eat a little meat and drink some dairy milk and she said she feels better. It appears it was the vegan diet that made her sick and weak.
Answers:
4 months ago
Thanks Tracey, that was what I was thinking. This vegan diet has caused her to become anemic.
4 months ago
I got her to eat a little meat and drink some dairy milk and she said she feels better. It appears it was the vegan diet that made her sick and weak.
Foxie, you're back!!! We've missed the daily Veganville Enquirer since you've been away in the anti-vegetarian witness protection program. Wife and kiddies doing well, I hope?
Wow, another friend on a vegan diet! How many does that make this year alone. . .23 or 24? I lost track somewhere around the 6th of January or so.
Tell your vegan friend that she didn't have to give up her principles or her diet. Here's an exerpt from an article on natural sources of iron:
"Diets consisting of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts provide adequate iron.35-40 Consuming foods rich in vitamin C, such as orange juice, with iron-rich foods enhances the absorption of iron. Some foods are naturally rich in both iron and vitamin C, such as broccoli, Swiss chard, and other dark green leafy vegetables. Other good iron sources include iron-fortified cereals, enriched bread, pasta, rice, soybeans, chickpeas, and blackstrap molasses. "
I *do* have to question how good of a friend you really are, if you didn't bother to investigate vegan-friendly sources of iron. I mean, you're always regaling us with these vegetarian and vegan horror stories that you've found online. . .surely you could've taken a few minutes and located this information for her. That way, she could have had her vegan principles and the iron she needed.
Bad Foxie, no pork chop!
Source(s):
http://www.soystache.com/iron.htm...
yep shes aneimic (spelling sorry) try iron tablets but doc would be best option
Have her take some vitamin supplements that are heavy in iron. She should be okay after a few days of taking them, but she should keep taking them regularly.
She knows she's sick, but I'm afraid that there isn't much you can do,
If she's a vegan, she knows she needs suppliments.
She's probably worried that she will get a lecture from the Doctor.
The best support you can give is 'tough love'
Tell her that you won't be picking her off the floor next time she passes out.
You have to be cruel to be kind sometimes
She's obviously not eating properly - do her a big greasy cooked breakfast!
The problem is that you assume that the fainting and the diet are connected and this may not be the case. Explain the problem to her family and then speak with her GP and ask for advice.
she has to have alot of calories and protien as well as vitamins in her foods, and iron. so basically. to eat alot. because she's taking a drastic change in diet suddenly the body can't manage that fast, will take time. drink plenty of water.
Get her to the Doctors as she could be anaemic Iron tablets are the best bet for this but it would be better if she was to have a blood test as I was pale all the time and I needed B12 injections every 3 months.
Call NHS Direct on 0845 4647! They'll give professional advice.
buy her some big macs and get herb to eat lots of meat.
She needs to take iron tablets and probably needs more calories in her diet.
most likely she is deficient on iron, vitamn B12 and other nutrients that only animal source could provide. she may end up anemic and malnourished. if she really refuses to eat meat, at least try to have milk, eggs or fish or iron supplement. try your best to convince her to consult a doctor because her case may be worse than what she can imagine!
Why, if she's having fainting spells, would she refuse to see a doctor? That's sheer idiocy. Never mind her diet, she could have low blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, dehydration, Parkinsons or be at risk from a stroke.
When you faint it is because there is not enough oxygen getting to the brain. It is a serious ailment and she needs to stop being such a ninny and get to the doctors. Pronto.
It's not only the iron deficiency she needs to be aware of but also calcium; women are more prone to brittle bone etc and deficiencies really don't help. Tell her straight that she is doing a great job of being the archetypal pasty faced vegan..You should be looking great on a vegan diet and taking even more of a responsibility about your own health; if you are putting animal welfare ahead of your own then it's slightly missing the point..
why did she go on vegan diet to start with?was she having fainting spells before if not tell her to go see some sort of heath person doesn't have to be a doctor, another vegan type person the one who put her on to this diet, this isn't the spure of the moment type thing you have to think long and hard about this type of change 'I don't really think it suits women who still have periods we still need iron if she won't listen to reason what more can you do/?
Iron tablets can certainly help and if she is happy to eat fish (if she abandons her vegan ways) then apparently cockles have the highest level of iron in any foodstuffs...even more than liver and spinach!!
You need to break in gently with a vegan diet, as it takes time for the body to adust. Anyone who goes in full throttle will make themselves ill. She does need to see a doctor before she collaspes and is carted off to hospital. All you can do is voice your concern, but it is difficult when someone is stubborn, and I'm afraid she will find out the hard way.
Your friend is very aneamic from the sounds of it as her diet does not have any iron it it.
She needs to go to a health food shop and find out what type of food that she can eat with her vegan diet contain all the nutrients she needs to be healthy. You can be vegan and eat healthy but not sure what type of pulses ect there are. They will also tell her what type of vitamins she needs to put back what is obviously missing.
Pop in for her and see if they have any good leaflets she can read as it sounds to me as if she has not looked into the vegan diet properly my friend is vegan and eats lots of healthy food and looks well but she researched it first. Go to library or book store and get her a good book on it she should not be fainting if she is doing it properly.
If she still faints there could be an underline medical reason and doctor trip will have to be made but get her to look at vegan eating properly first to see where she is going wrong.
Foxie go away!! I'm glad they deleted you but now the beast of Ballykissangel is back to ask his silly, pointless questions!!! I have been a vegan for 6 weeks and I'm as fit as a fiddle. I have also lost weight effortlessly and my skin looks even better than it did when I was a vegetarian !! How come you know so many vegans in your little town in Eire? You'd be hard pushed to find many vegetarians there let alone vegans ( don't start son , my Dad is Irish and I'm proud of my heritage!!!)
Again with the stories. A bite of meat and milk would have NO impact on a person fainting because he/she is anemic. The human body does not work that way.
Yes, iron too but even perhaps protein.Also Vit and minerals. I think you did well.
You should give her FRESH Orange juice. Or make her eat oranges. Helps build iron in body.
I found these---
Link with eating disorders:
The American Dietetic Association found that vegetarian diets may be more common among adolescents with eating disorders than in the general adolescent population, and that professionals should be aware of adolescents who limit the food choices and exhibit symptoms of eating disorders. The ADA indicates that the evidence suggests that the adoption of a vegetarian diet does not lead to eating disorders, but "vegetarian diets may be selected to camouflage an existing eating disorder."[22] Other studies and statements by counselors and dietitians support this conclusion.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Severe and permanent neurological damage to infants can be caused when mothers do not obtain adequate vitamin B12 in their diet while breastfeeding.[46] However, vitamin B12 is a common ingredient in prenatal vitamins, even vegetarian ones.
One study noted the importance of early recognition of significant maternal vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy and lactation in vegetarians is emphasized so that appropriate supplementation can be given and irreversible neurologic damage in the infant prevented
Mineral deficiencies
The US Food and Drug Administration in its report states that vegetarian women of childbearing age have an increased chance of menstrual irregularities, and that vegetarians run the risk of not consuming enough micronutrients like copper, iron and zinc in their diet.[48] Vegetarians and vegans can compensate for this by cooking with copper and iron cookware.
Specific vitamins
Vegans should be particularly concerned with adequate intake of vitamins like Vitamin D and Vitamin B12. However, adequate amounts of vitamin D may be obtained by spending 15 to 30 minutes every few days in the sunlight, which may be difficult or impossible for vegans in areas with low levels of sunlight during winter.[32] Vegans are at a higher risk of vitamin A deficiency because in its true form (also called retinol) it is found only in animal foods such as fish oils and liver. This form is readily absorbed by the body. Plants do not contain vitamin A, but rather provitamin A and despite consumption of such provitamin A rich foods there might be vitamin deficiencies because of the consumption of insufficient amount of fat together with carotene-rich vegetables, and dietary deficiencies in iron and zinc
there is more. So do read link.
Encourage her to drink a glass of orange juice (or juice rich in vitamin c) with food - that helps to bind any iron from food into the blood. Avoid drinking milk/caffeinated drinks with food as this has the opposite affect
get her on iron tablets straight away if she insists on the diet she should research into it better she cant just cut out iron or any other major vits and minerals thats just stupid she needs to replace them with some other source like broccoli cabbage spinach etc she could have done awful damage to herself silly girl well done you on being a good friend and nipping this in the bud before it was too late
She's malnourished, probably anaemic.
What a friend - not! She is on a vegan diet and you get her to eat meat? Iron tablets - if indeed she really is anaemic - are much better and quicker. It is a myth that vegan diet is unhealthy if it is properly balanced. If it is not - like any diet - it will harm. Would anyone want to live on burgers?
foxhunter guy. i'm sure that you have asked a this question a few months ago,but in a similar tone.is that not against the rules.to answer your question if your friend thinks it is her diet. she should see a gp and a ddietican, and they could advice her.
Go see a doctor, she may need a blood transfusion
go to a health food store and explain about them being a vegan and see what things that they should be having in their diet they are missing out on something and if she they dont this could kill them
At least vegans aren't so lame that they star their own question! The mad cow disease is really rotting your brain out a lot more since the last time you came here asking stoopid question isn't it!
Yawn yawn. Again with the same old questions.
By the way I starred you accidentally. I wanted to see who'd given you a star - can't believe you did it yourself!