VivaBiH

Pregnant vegans have greater awareness of nutrients

Project News

Another great panel is behind us!

“Is Veganism healthy during pregnancy?” was the name of our last night’s panel. Vildana Hrnjić, VivaBiH, was the panel’s moderator and she announced the panelists. It was our great pleasure to host Jovana Mašić, a medical doctor from Serbia, Tajna Klisura, our nutritionist, and a vegan mum, Sandra Bijelić, a Serbian psychologist.

Another vegan mum, Maida Terzić from Bosnia and Herzegovina, unfortunately was not able to join the panel live, so she sent us videos which we then shared with the audience.

During the panel, we discussed the important nutrients that everyone needs, especially pregnant persons. Jovana Mašić shared her professional knowledge on some important nutrients such as B12, as well as how, by thorough research, she came to realize the benefits of a vegan lifestyle for her health and became a vegan herself. 

Tajna Klisura also commented on important nutrients which everyone has to focus on during their pregnancy, and Sandra Bijelić primarily shared her experience on the supplements she used during her pregnancy.

We had the opportunity to hear a lot of interesting information on the nutrients in food and how important it is to combine food to get the best out of it. 

Sandra also emphasized the fact that vegan pregnancy is not something alien, and that vegans are more aware of all the nutrients and what it takes to lead a healthy life than non-vegan pregnant persons. Also, they commented how doctors still are not educated enough on the benefits of vegan lifestyle. Because of this, vegans have various experiences with their doctors when it comes to them supporting vegan pregnancy. 

Apart from this, friends and acquaintances are often prejudiced towards veganism in pregnancy. This was also pointed out by Lejla Bajramović, who sent us her statement on her experience during pregnancy, supporting our panel this way. Her six year old is vegan ever since she was born and in the period from her birth to now, the two of them have eliminated all the prejudice in their surroundings as her daughter was the healthiest among her peers. She did not have any viruses or the flu that other children often have problems with. 

Our audience showed great interest in this topic. Unfortunately, we have not managed to go through all the questions in the set time. Therefore, we will probably organize a second panel on pregnancy soon, as this is a wide and important topic, both for future vegan mums and veganism in general. 

Thanks to everyone who watched our panel for two hours and participated in the discussion, and special thanks to our panelists, of course, for their time. 

It is important to mention that, after the panel, we selected four persons to receive our special gifts for the upcoming holidays.

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As 2024 comes to a close, it's time to reflect on the achievements and make plans for the upcoming year. If you're thinking it's the right time to adopt healthier eating habits, we have great news for you! Our organization is organizing the VegOdluka challenge for the 5th time, a special program that will help you take your first step toward a healthier lifestyle. What is VegOdluka? VegOdluka is a unique program designed to support you in adopting a vegan diet throughout January. Since 2020, hundreds of people across Bosnia and Herzegovina have joined this challenge and discovered the beauty of nutrient-rich and delicious plant-based food. This year, the program is richer than ever, and participation is completely FREE!

The project "Biram zdravlje, biram veganstvo" (I Choose Health! I Choose Veganism!) started on World Health Day, April 7, 2024, and lasted for six months, concluding on October 7, 2024, with the goal of promoting veganism and its health benefits.

Preparations for the third VivaBiH Fest are in full swing and we are looking for energetic and enthusiastic part-time workers who will help us make this event unforgettable!