Vegan Forum

Hello all. This is my second day of not eating any animal products what so ever. It is early days but it is final. I am not doing this because of health reasons or anything but because I have come to the deep seated conviction that eating animals is wrong, especially the way it is done in the modern world. I come from a society that prides itself in eating lots of meat and I am from a meat farming background, both grandparents, but I am done with my part in a system that abuses animals.
I am going to need some help with vegan cooking as I train every day of my life and worry about getting enough protein. Thanks for the oppertunity to register.

Good luck! And do not worry of protein as western people are eating too much. Excessive protein ages the cells quickly including the face skin. As being vegan (healthy not junk food one) more than a decade, I look at least ten years younger than women in my age and with fit, young body so I have tested this protein scientist theory myself.

The NY Times reports:

researchers note that fruits and vegetables are predominantly metabolized to alkaline bicarbonate, whereas proteins and cereal grains are metabolized to acids. The more protein people consume beyond the body’s true needs, the more acidic their blood can become and the more alkaline compounds are needed to neutralize the acid.

In one study by Dr. Dawson-Hughes and colleagues, published in January in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 171 healthy men and women age 50 and older were treated with either bicarbonate or no bicarbonate. Those receiving bicarbonate, in an amount equivalent to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily, experienced much lower levels of calcium loss in the urine, as well as a loss of N-telopeptide, the biochemical marker of bone resorption. [...]

The Dawson-Hughes team concluded that increasing the alkaline content of the diet by eating more fruits and vegetables should be studied as a safe and low-cost approach to preventing osteoporosis and improving bone health in older Americans.

The finding is consistent with current recommendations from several federal health agencies to consume nine servings daily of fruits and vegetables. That amount has been shown to lower blood pressure and has been linked to a reduced risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. Now prevention of osteoporosis might be added to the list.

Thanks for the reply, that is really helpfull, however I run a lot and I do weight training, especially for the weight training I will have to maximise protein. I am not a body builder but I need to stay in shape. I will find the right balance and I have decided to supplement protein with Whey protein shakes. I should be okay.

Whey is animal derived, you might want to try alternatives like soy, hemp, pea and rice protein powders.
I'll private message you a good thread I found about soy protein supplements, because I'm not allowed to link it here yet.