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Vegan Blood Test Tips – Blood Tests Every Vegan Should Get In 2022

blood test vegan

First of all, I would like to begin this article by stating that B12 aside, if you eat a 100% whole food balanced plant-based diet, you are more than likely getting far more micronutrients (vitamins & minerals) than you were on your previous animal-based diet. And on top of that, a whole food plant-based diet offers you a clean source of amino acids, carbohydrates, and fats, compared with animal and processed foods. Despite the apparent advantages of adopting a plant-based diet, I still think getting a baseline blood test before you transition is beneficial for a few reasons:

  1. It allows you to see if you have any areas of deficiency that you need to focus on and build your plant-based diet and possibly supplementation around (i.e., if you are low in Iodine then working to include more sea vegetables in your diet or iodized salt, will be important)
  2. It allows you to see your current blood lipid profile (cholesterol and triglycerides), which will significantly improve for most people who move to a low-fat whole foods plant-based diet. Getting your lipid profile right is crucial to prevent your chance of having a cardiovascular event (heart attack or stroke).
  3. It allows you to see your progress when you perform a retest at 6/12 months, giving you confidence that your decision to eliminate animal products has been a good one, not only for the planet and the animals but also for your health. I find this makes people less likely to go back to eating animal products.

WHAT TO TEST FOR? (IT’S ADVISABLE TO PRINT THIS OUT AND DISCUSS WITH YOUR DOCTOR)

Please note your Doctor may also recommend you test for other specific health markers like testosterone, T3/T4 hormones, albumin/globulin, or others if you have a certain illness or have symptoms that warrant such tests. What I have listed are just the high-level health markers for an otherwise healthy person to check when transitioning to a plant-based diet.

WHAT ABOUT IODINE?

If you do not have Iodised salt, dulse, wakame, nori, kelp (or another iodine-rich sea vegetable), or an Iodine supplement, etc., then I would recommend performing a Urinary Iodine test.

WHAT TO DO IF MY RESULTS SHOW A DEFICIENCY OR EXCESS OF SOMETHING?

When you get your blood test results, each specific test will come with a healthy range/population norm to which your result is compared. This tells you if your results are considered ‘normal’ or not. If you find something abnormal with your test results, usually it is easily corrected by looking at the foods you are consuming or adding a supplement to your daily/weekly regime, which is something you should work through under the guidance of your Doctor, Nutritionist, or Dietician. Of course, I have many blogs on this website that go through various nutrients and where to best find them in your diet, such as ironB12, and Omega 3’s.

It’s very important to note that typically when transitioning to a 100% plant-based whole food diet, your Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”), and triglycerides will drop considerably. Globally it’s recommended total cholesterol is below 220mg/DL to avoid cardiovascular events; however, in reality, the science shows that cholesterol sub 150mg/DL is actually preferable to avoid cardiovascular events.

SOME FINAL POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING ACCURATE BLOG TEST RESULTS

HOW OFTEN DO WE NEED A BLOOD TEST?

This really depends on your own personal circumstance. If you are otherwise healthy and not undergoing any form of treatment for a specific illness, then I usually recommend a blood test before you transition to a plant-based diet if possible (to see your baseline) and then one at six months, 12 months, and then yearly thereafter. After a couple of years with no abnormal results, you may then move to a 24 months test. I certainly recommend ongoing tests, but as you are growing more and more confident with your transition and seeing great results, you can, of course, space these tests out.

THIS SEEMS A BIT TOO HARD AND IS QUITE COMPLICATED?

Ask yourself how much time you’ve dedicated to setting up a piece of IKEA furniture, lifting weights, watching the Kardashians, adding some new mechanical piece or function to your car, etc. Your greatest asset is your health, and in my view, too many of us float through life with very little regard for the precious vessel that allows everything we experience in our physical life to be possible. Without your health, chances are you cannot experience everything you love to do on a daily basis. I hope that puts things in perspective – I know it does for me.

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