Story highlights It's common to abstain from meat or dairy and still live an unhealthy lifestyle

Each meal should have an array of fresh colors, one expert says

(CNN) A variety of inspirations may spark a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle change, the most common being animal welfare, environmental welfare and personal health. But even if health isn't the reason, it's important to maintain good health within any diet. Why not enjoy the benefits of being a vegetarian, even if you're doing it for the cows and the trees?

But simply being a vegetarian or vegan doesn't guarantee these results, because it's possible to abstain from meat or dairy and still live an unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, it can be quite common.

I was one of those unhealthy vegetarians who eliminated meat but replaced vegetables with all varieties of potatoes: French fries, chips, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes. My fruits were "fruit snacks." My meat became chemically processed veggie meat.

Within a year, I began to struggle with severe anemia, ADHD and fatigue. I would break my vegetarianism and eat a chicken breast, a burger or salmon to feel better. Meat would solve the problem, but it also made me bloated and constipated and gave me headaches.

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