All you Need to Know about going Vegan

Meet Ashlen Blom. He works at Wellness Warehouse in the Gardens Shopping Centre. He knows everything about being vegan and what you need to ensure you stay healthy during your transition. I asked him a few questions about going vegan and what supplements you need to ensure you stay healthy.

Image taken by Natasha Clavaux

Q1: What’s the best way to start out as a vegan?

Well firstly, if you’re going vegan you first need to do a detox cleanse. You can do a normal detox cleanse or a heavy metal cleanse. This assists with getting all the parasites out of your gut. You can use an activated charcoal powder which is very cost effective.

Q2: Would you recommend going vegan overnight?

I wouldn’t recommend going vegan overnight because you can actually give your body a shock. If you’re use to eating a certain way and cut out foods you eat everyday like meat and dairy, your body will start craving those foods after a few days. You need to make sure you have an alternative that can substitute your meat.

Q3: What supplements would you recommend when someone is going vegan?

The most important is a B12 supplement as you get most of it from meat. A lot of people don’t get enough vitamin B, especially vegans because you actually get your vitamin B’s from your meats. When your becoming vegan you can start to feel tired in the beginning and that’s actually what drains you. So, you need to make sure you take it every day.

You also need to take omega-3 tablets. It helps with optimal blood circulation which is good for your heart and also helps with improving your skin.

You also need a very good multivitamin but one that hasn’t gone through the machinery with added preservatives. You have to look out for plant-based multivitamins. A lot of the multivitamins for vegans is quite expensive but only because the capsules are not made out of bobine, which comes from animals.

Look out for vegan or plant-based omega 3 tablets and multivitamins. A lot of the capsules are made from animals and animal fats. You have to be very careful and first ask for assistance or check the ingredients before buying any products.

One last thing you’ll need is a probiotic which helps with the gut. A lot vegans are more prone to getting sick because they not getting a lot form their diets so they need a probiotic to ensure they don’t pick up anything such as stomach bugs.

Q4: What can you substitute as meat?

There is a selection of meat substitutes such as burger patties, sausages or even chicken schnitzels, which are all made out of beans, lentils, vegetables and even rice. You can also use mushrooms as a substitute. For example, you can braai mushrooms and use that as your burger patty. It honestly tastes like meat and it’s not expensive at all.

Q5: What should vegans be eating every day?

You have to eat your greens every day. It’s very important because it is filled with vitamins and minerals your body needs. So, have a green smoothie every morning or have dark greens with your dinner. Spinach and broccoli are easy to make and high in vitamins.

If you have any questions about going vegan, Ashlen is your guy! Wellness Warehouse also has a variety of supplements to keep you going on your vegan journey. I’ll leave the link to their website below.

https://www.wellnesswarehouse.com/stores/gardens/

Let me know what your favorite meat alternatives are in the comments below. Would love to hear from you. XX