Let me preface this post by saying we got past this….. the fatigue, that is. Don’t let the title scare you away from veganism if you are thinking of taking the ‘plunge’! But since this blog is intended to be an account of our journey, I figured I should mention this very obvious hurdle we were faced with. Hopefully, by reading this post, you’ll be able to avoid the same if you begin a life of veganism.
It hit me (and how!)…. at right about the 6-7 week mark. I thought it was just me. I thought it was a sudden decline in motivation – maybe even (though I truly hated the thought) a form of depression. Suddenly, it seemed, I was always tired. Physically tired AND mentally too. Not only was I exhausted all the time, my memory seemed nonexistent and I couldn’t think clearly to save my life! Day after day, I attempted to rally – to pull myself out of this figurative gutter that I felt stuck in. Day after day, I failed to. I began to lose hope that I would come out of it – that I would be able to find my way out of this mental haze I was in. Things were beginning to look quite bleak and I am really not exaggerating.
Then, one day my oldest daughter mentioned to me that she was “SOOOOO tired!” She went on to say that she had been feeling exhausted lately – like she couldn’t get enough sleep. We commiserated a little, but I didn’t make the connection. I chalked it up to me going through some sort of ‘depression’ and her going through a very tough year of high school with tons going on. It wasn’t until she’d been visibly tired for a few days and she also mentioned the ‘mental haze’ thing and then my youngest daughter chimed in with how tired she’d also been (unsolicited!) that I made the connection. “Duh, Kathryn!…. This probably has something to do with our diet!”
That evening, I jumped online and queried, “Newly vegan and exhausted”. Tons of results popped up and just about ALL of them had “B12” in the preview. I began to read up on vitamin B12, what it does for us, why it’s so essential and how to spot a deficiency. The symptoms of deficiency read:
- strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet (in my case….Check! As an aside, this can indicate an advanced stage of B12 deficiency. Yikes!)
- difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
- anemia (very possibly for all of us)
- a swollen, inflamed tongue
- yellowed skin (jaundice)
- difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), or memory loss (Check!!!)
- paranoia or hallucinations (possibly with me)
- weakness (Check)
- fatigue (Check!!!)
OK…. I had it pegged…now, what to DO about it?? How do we get enough of it to turn things around? Well, B12 is veritably nonexistent in plant foods…certainly not enough to satisfy daily requirements – even including B12-fortified foods. It is made by bacteria that commonly live (among other places) in the gut of many animals. So, if you don’t EAT animals, you really need to find a suitable, quality B12 supplement. Turns out this wasn’t as easy as you’d think! I read and read and read about B12, what kinds are available (a whole other discussion) and how a body absorbs it. A very small percentage of the B12 people consume is absorbed by the body when taken orally (whether eaten or taken as an oral supplement). Ok…. so how ELSE are we gonna get it??? Well, many doctors (and even some pharmacies) will provide B12 shots one a regular basis for those who have deficiencies or cannot absorb it normally, but who wants to go in for a weekly shot?? Not us, though that happens to be the best form of absorption. Failing that, it appeared the next best option is to take the B12 in the form of a nasal spray so it can be absorbed via the mucus membranes in the nasal passage. I found a quality one….online. My problem was that we needed a solution FAST and that ruled out anything I had to order. I needed to find one that I could get my hands on the next day and get INTO my children and myself! I searched and searched….no nasal sprays around! OK,…on to the next best option. After much more reading, I settled on an ORAL SPRAY and found a high quality one (Garden of Life mykind Organics Vegan Methylcobalamin [the ‘good’ kind of B12]) at a specialty vitamin store ~7 miles away – perfect! I raced over the next day and bought 2 bottles!
We’re still testing this one out, but it appears to be working. While I can’t tell how much of it we’re absorbing, after the first day, there was a noticeable shift in our energy and mental awareness. That was a good thing because my oldest daughter was scheduled to take the SAT test the day after we got it (#nickoftime)! Since then, our energy has climbed back to a normal range and we’re back mentally as well (no more hopelessness – no more total and complete exhaustion!). Perhaps the tingling sensation in my feet and hands (if it has to do in part with my B12 deficiency), will also benefit. All in all though, things have been looking up since the addition of this supplement. If the spray does this well, the shot must be INCREDIBLE!
One more vegan challenge overcome! We are coming up on 3 months of strict veganism now and I have been very ‘self-aware’ throughout this process, keeping tabs on how I feel on a daily basis and how my children are feeling and appearing. While our bodies are surely going through a ‘toxin purge’ and have yet to level off,…. I have to say I am feeling healthier than I have felt in a very, VERY long time and my kids are feeling great as well. With every day, I am more and more convinced this life choice was a good one.
Be healthy, happy and kind (oh, and be sure to get your B12!) – Kathryn
