How To Become A Vegetarian – Ayurveda Tips For Easy Transition

Becoming a vegetarian is primarily, a matter of choice. Vegetarian diet has many health benefits. Vegetarianism helps in lifestyle diseases like diabetes, high BP, obesity etc. 

Should not be a forceful exercise – Do not think of becoming  vegetarian, just because of the advice. You need to be really motivated to turn into vegetarianism.
Apart from total vegetarianism, there are few other types of vegetarianism.

Steps

Chose your level of vegetarian transition – The extent to which you decide to adopt vegetarianism. You may choose –

  • Total vegetarianism – complete avoidance of all sorts of non veg sources.
  • Abstaining from a few non veg food that are high on cholesterol.
  • Limiting non veg diet to only to fish, milk, egg etc.
  • Defining your limit and level of commitment is essential for the success of the whole process of becoming a vegetarian.

Mental readiness is as important as physical preparedness. It is more a game of mental control than anything else.

Main organs involved – Stomach, liver, intestines and the brain.  These organs need to reset themselves to the new diet style.

Pace of Transition

Ayurveda recommends that any change in diet (or lifestyle) should be gradual. Once a particular set of diet becomes congenial (Satmya), it takes time for the body to re adjust to a new regime. Transition can be designed by – Reducing the days of non veg diet gradually, from one week to the next. Leaving out particular types of non veg food one after the other.

Food that you should take more after becoming a vegetarian  –
The food should be ideally rich in protein, Vitamin B 12. Because, non veg food are rich in these two diet components. Hence turning into vegetarianism may make the body slightly deprived of protein.

So include more of  Paneerbuffalo milk / cow milk, dal, grams, nut, tofy, lentils, bean, legumes, yogurt and cheese.

Fruit juices, fruit salads, turmeric, raisins, pomegranates, curry leaves helps to strengthen the stomach and eases adjustment to the new diet regime.

What should you avoid? 

At least for the initial six months of the transition, avoid fasting, skipping meals, avoid excess of spicy food, which may cause increase in hunger, thereby straining the stomach.

Avoid oily foods – If you are taking too much of oily food, it may beat the purpose of becoming a vegetarian.

Beneficial activities  

Yoga, Pranayama or any other form of physical activities would fortify the health benefits of vegetarian diet.

Related article – Is Ayurveda totally vegetarian? 

Do Vegetarians have lower testosterone?

Is testosterone levels lower in vegetarians? 
Dr JV Hebbar
Some people believe that vegetarians, owing to their lower protein intake, suffer from lower testosterone levels. But it is a myth. Till today, there is no clinical evidence to demonstrate that vegetarians have lower testosterone than the non vegetarians. (1)
There is a study which related vegetarians with very low fat diet can suffer with depleted testosterone levels (2)
But there is no rule that vegetarians should be taking low amounts of fats. 

In fact, Acharya Sushruta declares that the meals should be 
Snigdha – having good amounts of oils and fats 
Ushna – prepared fresh and served hot 
Dravottara – food should not be very dry. It should be moist (with soup, rasam, etc.) 

So, as long as a vegetarian is including good amounts of oil, ghee and proteins – beans, peas, lentils etc., one need not worry about decrease in testosterone levels. Apart from this, below are some natural ways to boost testosterone levels 
1. Oil massage with sweating treatment (sauna etc), at least once a month 
2. 40 minutes of daily exercise / Yoga 
3. Deep, calm sleep 
4. Living stress free, organizing your work and lifestyle efficiently 
5. Vitamin D, Sun exposure 
6. Herbs such as Ashwagandha, Shilajit and Kapikacchu. 

Why vegans lose weight?

Sweet, cold, cooling foods like fruits and vegetables increase Kapha. Increased Kapha leads to increased bodyweight. Would you please explain the decrease in Kapha seen in raw vegans who eat only raw fruits and vegetables? They often report decrease in weight, increase in energy levels, and overall improved health. 
Dr JV Hebbar: 
There are two types of foods. 
1. Heavy foods, with Guru quality. Have such foods continuously and you may start becoming heavy. 
2. Light foods, with Laghu quality. Have such foods continuously and your body becomes lighter. 
Most of the non vegetarian foods are heavy for digestion. If a person was accustomed to non veg and suddenly turns vegan, then he is stopping all the Guru – heavy foods. Compared to the non vegetarian diet, raw fruits and vegetables are lighter. 
Though sweet fruits and vegetables are heavy, they are not heavier than non-veg foods. 
Read: Health Benefits Of Vegetarian Diet – Ayurvedic Opinion
So, a vegan person who has turned from very-heavy foods to just heavy-foods -> Kapha decreased -> weight is lost. 
Vegan foods are more Satvik in nature -> Satva guna is increased Tama guna (darkness and is related with Kapha Dosha) decreased -> Hence overall improvement in energy levels and health. 
When a person turns vegan -> he would consciously try to eat healthy and eat less -> weight reduces. 

4 comments on “How To Become A Vegetarian – Ayurveda Tips For Easy Transition

  • r.natesan

    17/11/2011 - 3:48 pm

    thank you!!

    Reply to comment
  • vin

    17/11/2011 - 6:30 pm

    vegan implies avoiding milk products also.
    actually i myself am part vegan as in i don’t take milk/paneer, but i consume a few grams ghee and quarter tumbler buttermilk everyday.

    Reply to comment
  • Theo

    30/06/2016 - 5:40 pm

    “If you are taking too much of oily food, it may beat the purpose of becoming vegetarian.”
    Could you please elaborate on why that is so?

    Reply to comment
    • Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)

      01/07/2016 - 4:39 pm

      I made this statement relating to – going veg, to reduce weight. If someone with obesity goes totally vegetarian to lose weight, but if he indulges in excess of oily food (fried foods), then the purpose of going veg to lose weight stands beaten. Because, he will still put on weight due to his wrong eating habit. Hope I am clear.

      Reply to comment

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