Washington (GGM) Analysis | June 1, 2021 by Sarah J. Kings

Whether you have been vegan for a long time or are new to the scene, you probably saw that Miley Cyrus made headlines last September after her interview with Joe Rogan on September 3rd. Cyrus shocked listeners and fans when she revealed that she is no longer vegan. Miley ditched meat in 2013, and since has been a major advocate for animal rights and veganism.  She has been actively involved in PETA campaigns and has spoken publicly about animal abuse on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She even has the “Vegan Society Approved” symbol tattooed on her arm. So how could the woman that PETA declared to “Mrs. Vegan,” just leave the team? 

Instagram – @mileycyrus

In the interview with Joe Rogan, Miley said, “I’ve had to introduce fish and omegas into my life because my brain wasn’t functioning properly.” When a star that has inspired you during your vegan journey says something like this, it can get confusing. So, what should you do if you are feeling like Miley?

Eat a Variety of Whole Foods

What Miley is describing is called brain fog.  It is not associated with veganism— rather, it is a symptom of a variety of common ailments including anxiety, allergies, dehydration, and overall poor nutrition. Whether you are vegan or not, if you aren’t eating nutritious whole foods, you may suffer from brain fog. A ‘whole food’ is a single-ingredient unprocessed food–  like kale, broccoli, beets, or mushrooms–  and eating a wide variety of these plant-based babies will boost your brainpower and overall health. 

B12 & B6

According to study results published by Empower Your Health Magazine, taking B vitamins reduces “the rate of developing brain atrophy, which has been connected to dementia and aging-related cognitive changes.” While many people say that B12 is only found naturally in meat, that’s not entirely true. B12 is produced naturally in bacteria, and most ‘livestock’ animals are given B12 supplements prior to slaughter, and many others are exposed to–  or even fed–  manure, which contributes to their ultimately adding B12 to the meat eater’s diet. In general, people have a hard time absorbing B12, and B12 deficiency is common among some people, even those who consume large quantities of meat. Vegans can easily get B12 from nutritional yeast, fortified cereals, supplements, and shots.

Omega 3

Many people turn to Omegas when they are looking to improve their brain function. According to Healthline, Omega 3’s help with anxiety, promote eye health, reduce cardiovascular issues, and improve overall brain health. Miley said that she had to start eating fish to ‘introduce omegas’ into her life, but nobody has to do that. The fact is that walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, avocados, and many other whole foods provide more than enough Omega 3 to meet the 250 mg. daily minimum.

Twitter- @conciouslyveg

Iron

The daily iron requirement for men is about 18 mg per day, and for women, it is 19 mg per day. No matter if one claims to be a meat-eater, vegan, keto, or anything else, what you eat matters. A diet of Marshmallow Fluff sandwiches, french fries, and soda–  for example–  is going to eventually lead to Iron deficiency, which can lead to ‘brain fog.’ Many iron-rich vegan foods, including tofu, cashews, kale, lentils, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds, can help you in your search for optimal health.

So, if you are ‘feeling like Miley’ or you’re worried about getting enough nutrients in your vegan diet, don’t fret. Veganism is completely healthy, and eating a balanced diet of plant-based whole foods with plenty of B vitamins, Omega 3s, and iron will surely keep any ‘brain fog’ away!

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