- Virpi Mikkonen, cookbook author and plant-based food blogger at Vanelja, recently announced her decision to eat meat and other animal products again.
- The Finnish entrepreneur said her decade of following a mostly vegan diet led to health concerns like a rash, period loss, and early menopause.
- After quitting veganism, she says, “I feel energetic, motivated. I’m sleeping better, the hot flushes, and aching in my body have stopped.”
Creating gorgeous and delicious healthy plant-based swaps for traditional comfort foods made Finnish blogger Virpi Mikkonen and her vegan food blog an overnight success. However, the vegan diet that launched her career also seemed to be making her sick.
At 37 years old, Virpi suffered from early menopause (FYI the average woman enters menopause around 51). “It was a huge thing to think, this is where my fertility stops,” she told The Daily Mail. She also said she felt burned-out, lost her period, and developed a rash on her face early last year.
Rightfully concerned, Virpi visited a Chinese medicine specialist who gave the proud plant-based advocate some shocking advice: to stop eating so much raw food and start eating animal products again.
Virpi didn’t hesitate. She added in eggs for breakfast, organic meatballs or chicken for lunch, and broth in her dinner. It worked. “It’s amazing,” Virpi told The Daily Mail. “I feel energetic, motivated. I’m sleeping better, the hot flushes, and aching in my body have stopped.” She also said her periods have returned.
Still, the formerly vegan blogger isn’t totally trashing a plant-based way of life. Virpi told The Daily Mail, “The problem was not being vegan, per se, it was the vegan diet and my stressful lifestyle.”
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Virpi is far from the only famous face to ditch a plant-based diet recently, though. In fact, Anne Hathaway opened up about her choice to incorporate fish in her formerly vegan diet. She said that while she was vegan, “I just didn’t feel good or healthy…not strong.”
Check out these celebs who still follow a vegan diet:
“Some people need animal products for them to be healthy,” Virpi told the Daily Mail. “No one diet is going to suit everyone.” Virpi is still waiting for the right moment to explain her diet swap on her platforms. “Vegans can be really judgmental,” she said.
Btw: There may be animal products on her plate morning, noon, and night, but you still won’t find any in Virpi’s recipes or on her Instagram feed. She’ll continue to focus on producing a rainbow of fan-favorite smoothies, creative salads, and drool-worthy vegan desserts for her fans.
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