Veganism to help eating disorder?

I've suffered a spate of eating disorders for about five years now and I am currently trying to recover from anorexia (I've dropped two dress sizes and currently look quite skeletal and it's pretty grim).

I've been vegetarian for just over five years and was wondering if going vegan would maybe help me overcome the eating disorder? I had a friend (she passed away) who recovered that way and think it might be worth a try?

I think it would make me more aware and conscious of what I'm putting in my body and maybe help me with eating again. It may not be forever because I'm quite partial to chocolate chip cookies on a good day.

Advice?

Reply 1

Fenneko

What is your eating disorder exactly? I'm curious to know how veganism would help with it.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Original post by Joel 96

What is your eating disorder exactly? I'm curious to know how veganism would help with it.

Basically I struggle to actually eat because I'm so scared that anything I put in my body will make me fat. In that way - I haven't enjoyed pizza or bread or pasta in a long time and I think that switching to a plant based diet might help make me slightly more comfortable with putting stuff into my body due to the natural low carb and low calorie content of these foods.

I also imagine that thinking a bit more about my meals and planning what food I'm going to have will help me to distinguish between healthy eating and non-healthy eating. It's so easy to eat unhealthily being vegetarian that being vegan and thinking about whatever food I'm having will make me more aware of what it is to eat.

I haven't enjoyed food in such a long time so maybe experimenting with vegan foods will let me explore food a little more. After all, it was actually vegetarianism that helped me overcome bulimia, so why not try veganism for anorexia? (Even just temporarily, or not strictly).

Reply 3

Fenneko

Original post by Anonymous

In that case, it could help. A lot of vegan meals are non-fattening, yet contain the right nutrients, so you wouldn't be unhealthy. If you're cutting out dairy, or it's bothering you too much, then veganism would be ideal for you. The only problem is that you'll be having to check the labels of foods to see if they're vegan-friendly, but I'm sure that you probably do that all the time anyways, so it won't make much difference.

I say try it and see if your weight changes in the next few weeks. If you lose more weight instead of gaining it, then you may want to try weight gain milkshakes.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

Original post by Joel 96

Thanks for the advice! Yeah, I'm hoping not to lose any more weight since my BMI is far too low right now. I hope to maintain my current weight and then work on slowly building to a healthy weight again so I'll be sure the keep the shake idea in mind.

Reply 5

Fenneko

Original post by Anonymous

Yeah, I hope it pays off. Putting on weight can be a struggle, I know it all too well.
Yes, the weight gain shakes are pretty good. I remember putting on a few pounds when I was using them. You also need to make sure you exercise too, otherwise it will mostly turn into fat. I'm not sure if you've heard of Soylent too, but it's a new thing going around in the US. It's basically a drink with all the nutrients you need in a day. Vegan friendly too! I think the UK version is Joylent, but you may want to check me up on that.

Reply 6

username739587

Would not recommend. Vegan food is more restrictive and difficult to get the right balance of nutrients when compared to vegetarian food. Overall a vegan meal would be less calorific than a vegetarian meal.
I don't know your specifics, but I would worry that becoming vegan would be a way for you to convince yourself that you are eating X meals per day, whilst in reality you are getting fewer and fewer calories, and becoming more and more unwell, both physically and mentally.

People often have a misguided idea that veganism is somehow healthier than vegetarianism or even a totally non-restrictive diet including small amounts of meat, fish, dairy .etc.

You seem worried about gaining weight from vegetarian food, and think non-fattening food is the answer, but you also recognise that you want to slowly build to a healthy weight. The key to regaining some weight is a slight calorific excess (which will not make you fat), and this can be done whilst eating vegan or vegetarian food, however you need to eat a sufficient quantity of both. Vegetarian food containing fats and cheese (think feta cheese salad and halloumi) are more calorie dense, so you have to eat a smaller quantity of food to maintain the same weight.

I'm sorry you have to deal with this condition, and hope you get enough support on your way to recovery :smile:

Reply 7

idontknowmedoyou

From personal experience I can totally relate. I used to starve myself most days because I didn't want to eat unhealthy foods like what we were served at school and sometimes at home. I basically lived of very small portions of fruit, veg and pasta sometimes. I went vegan and honestly this has all changed I have never felt more physically awake, or happier with what I am consuming. Now I eat so many different dishes and I basically eat whenever I want but I don't gain weight because everything I eat is good for me and healthy. I would recommend you research veganism and learn about the foods you can eat (theres tons, people think its really restrictive but its really not), and the benefits for your body and the animals also. I have seen other stories from people saying veganism helped them with anorexia, and other eating disorders also. Also would not recommend making your portions small like someone said, just make the food good food :smile:

Reply 8

thefatone

Original post by Anonymous

You think it's gonna make you fat and you believe it but then you look at yourself and see you're slim. That one meal will certainly not make you humongous i guarantee it 100%

100 mcflurries will cure this

Reply 9

SophieSmall

No I don't think it will help.

You'll just be turning one obsession into another masking the real problems and still having an unhealthy relationship with food.

You need professional help.

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Original post by SophieSmall

No I don't think it will help.

You'll just be turning one obsession into another masking the real problems and still having an unhealthy relationship with food.

You need professional help.

I went to the gp who said they couldn't help me because there were people with more pressing issues and despite losing 13kg in three months, I was still of a healthy weight for my height and age.
I then went to the student services at the university and the counsellor spent the hour telling me "just to eat more" or "try having some sweet food" and asking me if I had tried snacking. She told me there was nothing they could do for me.
Professional help, it seems, isn't an option.

Reply 11

Kindred

Original post by Anonymous

Hey
I would try going to a doctor again and maybe asking for a referal to a psychiatrist or something. Sounds like you had a bad doctor. Counsellors may not be helpful since they may not understand eating disorders and if you wanted professional help a threapist would be better.

As far as veganism goes it could help but a vegan diet is very difficult to keep balanced so since you already have some issues concerning eating you may find it is too difficult to keep it balanced. To be honest though you are already eating poorly so veganism probably can't do much harm if it gets you eating and you can always change it afte a while.
I might suggest a non-strict vegan diet where you try to eat things that you are comfortable with and not concerned about but don't stop yourself from eating non-vegan foods if you want to. So you can still eat the odd chocolate chip cookie if you want to but hopefully you will feel better with regular meals.
Do you find that it's the natural aspect of veganism that makes you more comfortable with the idea? If so have you considered organic food as well?

This will probably fall under the "just eat more" catagory of advice, but try to remember that you need some fat. Maybe if you look into balanced diets you can get yourself used to the idea of a basic ammoun of callories/ nutrients to make sure you aren't too skinny and focus on sticking to that rather than just not eating.
Try to find a couple of foods you are comfortable with that are substantial and fall back on them if need be.
Beans on toast or pasta and beans is actually a relatively good basic meal (and is vegan I think). Avaccado is full of healthier fats and fresh meat or fish (sorry I know you're vegetarian) won't contain any fillers or bulking agents so you know exactly what it is you're eating.
Have you looked into things like Quorn or other vegatarian meat altrenatives? They're designed to substitute meat in nutrition but are meant to be healthier. There are also vegan things that are simmilar (frys family do soy based "meat").

I hope you manage to get on top of it. At the end of the day anything that gets you eating more is better than nothing even if it isnt perfect.

Reply 12

Anonymous #2

I suffered with anorexia for 10 years - recovered for the most part with the help of therapy but I'm currently a little bit in limbo and I never managed to stop purging. I had no luck with GPs, CAHMS mental health services and adult services, so I understand your struggle to find a source of professional help that is actually helpful, in the end I found a local therapist online who had expertise in the area of eating disorders and I think in the end my decision to do that saved my life. But obviously not everyone has that option.

In terms of veganism I can understand where you are coming from, I have been thinking the same might help me for quite a while now really and the reason for that is because it somehow feels like it'd be 'safe'. Like others have suggested maybe do a little bit more research on veganism and what sort of vegan meals you might be happier eating? I know from certain perspectives a lot of people think it's just another extreme diet or obsession but I think in a lot of cases it's just looking for a way of living that feels like a more sustainable recovery.

Reply 13

eve_4342

Original post by Anonymous

Recovered/ing from ana myself, veganism saved my life. Look up high carb low fat diets to start with and EDUCATE YOURSELF. Eat wholemeal carbs like pasta, brown rice, tons of veg and fruit, eat natural fats like avo and nut butter and protein from beans, lentils and soy milk/ yogurt etc.

It is amazing, you feel amazing and you don't cheese and milk full of pus, antibotics and growth hormones!

If you eat enough, you will gain weigh VERY slowly, it is gradual. Obviously it hard to deal with at first (the weight gain part) but look at strong and fit pictures of people; it will inspire you to put on a little weight to become strong so you can go to the gym etc.

Overall - GO VEGAN BUT EAT A TON AS IT IS HARD TO GAIN WEIGHT ON A HEALTHY VEGAN LIFESTYLE.

ps - there are many vegan cookies!