Our resident physician will gladly answer any questions you may have about the vegan diet, but please keep in mind the following disclaimer:

None of the recommendations offered or information provided on this page and throughout VeganFutureNow.com in any way constitutes a diagnosis or medical consultation. Nor are any such recommendations or information intended as a substitute for proper medical treatment and attention by qualified medical professionals. The recommendations offered and information provided on this page and throughout VeganFutureNow.com do not constitute diagnoses of or treatments for any ailment, disease, condition, or bodily complaint. 

Now that we're clear on that, please feel free to ask a question and our vegan doctor will reply promptly.

Vegan Malaria Pills?

Q: Hello. I've been vegan for almost two years. I'm planning a trip to India (Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur and Agra, which are zones with lower risk of malaria) but as a precaution, I would like to take malaria pills. The most common brands seem to be non-vegan and I'm skeptical of using nothing more than neem leaves, which appear to be an alternative approach for some people, but I'd prefer something more reliable. Can you recommend something?

A: In some circumstances, neem leaves can be a suitable substitute for malaria tablets. This said, they are not so readily available. You would need to have access to a fresh source throughout the trip and do what the locals do, which is to chew them in the morning. I have never tried them, but apparently, they taste quite bitter. Local people in India have been using them for centuries for malaria prevention, which may be a testament their effectiveness. You should ask your doctor to prescribe Malarone tablets, which are vegan. They have to be tablets and not pills though, because the pills contain gelatine. Safe travels and enjoy your trip! 

Making The Transition From Vegetarian to Vegan

Q: I've been a vegetarian for almost two years, and I just decided to go vegan all the way. However, I'm concerned about not getting enough protein. I'm a woman and in pretty good health, but I could stand to lose some weight. What's your advice for me?

A: How wonderful that you've decided to go vegan! We applaud your compassionate choice and are thrilled to be able to support you in it.

"Where do you get your protein?" is possibly the most frequently asked question for all vegans. With the widespread and baseless misconception that one can get protein only from animal by-products, it's no wonder that people should be curious about the answer to this question. The question is so common, in fact, that we have addressed it on the "Answering The Objections to Veganism" page of our site. The brief article will give you great insight to how protein deficiency really isn't "a thing" for vegans. Here's the link.

Once you've read that, perhaps you could consider these figures:

As a woman you'll need somewhere between 44 and 48 grams of protein a day which are very easily found in beans, dark leafy greens, chickpeas (hmmm, hummus!!!), tempeh (much higher concentration than tofu), nuts, seeds, and grains. If you're working out a lot and feel you needa protein supplement, there are many excellent vegan protein powders on the market that you can add to smoothies, or any of the various nut milks that are available.

With such a stellar variety of excellent, cruelty-free protein sources, the only risk you're running is that you might get too much protein, in which case, you'll have a lot of explaining to do to your omnivore friends!