An honest look at plant-based nutrition…

If it’s done responsibly, a plant-based diet shouldn’t have any adverse effects on your health. In fact, it should be just the opposite.

Here are some things you may want to watch out for along the way:

If you’re diabetic you’ll want to keep a close eye on your blood sugar as you adjust your diet. Be sure to eat when you need to so your levels stay balanced. With that being said, the hope is that eating healthier foods will promote better blood sugar readings for you.

In decreasing the overall amount of food you’re eating, you will likely be decreasing the number of carbohydrates you are consuming. For some people, a drastic reduction in carbs can lead to lightheadedness. Be careful, and keep snacks on hand in case you experience this symptom when starting your plant-based diet.

*A lot of the B vitamins we get come from eating meat, so eating a plant-based diet can put you at risk of a B vitamin deficiency. I recommend buying a supplement to take so you can keep your body balanced.

While on the plant-based diet, you may choose to try new and different foods along the way. I highly recommend this!

Just pay careful attention as you add each new food, so you can respond quickly if you find one of these foods triggers an allergic reaction.

Although I’ve addressed it elsewhere, it’s worth repeating that eating a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you’ll experience a protein deficiency. However, you want to make sure you pay attention to your daily protein intake so you keep your body healthy and balanced. It’s unlikely you would ever overdo it on protein, so be sure to eat plenty of high protein foods. You can learn more here.

As you can see, balance is the key here. If any adverse effects arise, it’ll likely be because of a pre-existing health condition or because of a lack of balance in your diet.

Being mindful of your body’s needs will be of huge help here. And, of course, if you experience any odd symptoms, be sure to consult your physician and see what they recommend.

With that being said, I have personally only seen improvements in my own health following a plant-based diet. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of following a plant-based diet, you’ll find some incredible information in the Plant-Based Diet Success Book!

Still have more questions? Follow the links below to find answers to other common questions people have about following a plant-based diet.