Personal health issues and being a vegetarian...

[fawnmarie]

Okay - here's a dilema new to this mix.

I am not a vegetarian. I cannot be a vegetarian. I have a medical condition that exacerbates to the point of disability if I neglect to eat meat. And that's being lacto-ovo.

For spiritual reasons (Buddhist) I became a LO vegetarian for 6 weeks. Within 4-5 weeks I was weak, exhausted and wracked with pain, sometimes unable to move. I added one or two small servings of meat (red) back into my diet and was better within a few days.

I can barely stand to eat it, but I do. It's disgusting, but I manage.

Fawn

[guineagurl]

Have you tried vitimin pills? . They might just give you the boost you need.
Or high in iron foods ?

[Susan9608]

Fawnmarie - what exactly is this medical condition you suffer from?

[fawnmarie]

Originally Posted by Susan9608

Fawnmarie - what exactly is this medical condition you suffer from?

Fibromyalgia

Many doctors recommend that those with FMS refrain from eating starches and sugars, and it has been known to help. It doesn't always preclude one from being a vegetarian, but in my case it did. But after a few weeks of abstaining, my pain levels and cognitive disabilities escalated to the point where I was unable to work.

I didn't immediately blame the change in diet, but since I am in the habit of monitoring such changes, I added a small amount of meat to my diet and felt better within a few days. I was eating eggs and dairy and nuts, so it wasn't a protein issue.

Maybe I'll try again when I feel better, the condition tends to run in cycles of bad times & good times.

I do know that some concerns for vegetarians are iron, but B12 deficiency is more common and probably more common.

Fawn

[Susan9608]

So ... what exactly is it in the meat that helps you feel better, if it's not the protein? Basically, meat is protein and fat ... what makes the protein in meat so much different than the protein in vegetables or soy?

Most medical research demonstrates exactly the opposite effect of what you described ... that a vegetarian diet is *beneficial* in chronic pain disorders. How interesting that it seems to make your problem worse.

[2boar1sow]

Fawnmarie, everyone needs different amounts of different nutrients. The human body is complex and has ongoing chemical reactions in it. It might be that you need certain compounds in meat that are rarely found in other parts of nature. It is very possible that your body does not produce one of these chemical as well as other people do. I have no idea what you already know and don't know about your condition, except what you already listed : ), but I know an nutritionist who might be able to help you learn about the biochemistry of your body and possibly help you become vegetarian. If you're interested in talking to him, he lives in Michigan and I could give you his phone number. : ) No pressure. Just giving you the option.

[fawnmarie]

Susan,

My guess is that the higher level of carbohydrates caused an increased insulin response, resulting in a lowering of growth hormone and an unhealthy HGH to cortisol ratio. This causes catabolism. People with FMS often have lower HGH levels. You can do a lower carbohydrate diet vegetarian, but it can be rather expensive.

Fawn

[tardigrade]

I was just posting this on another thread... I was vegan for ten years. My blood cholesterol went from too high to low and kept getting lower. After the birth and nursing of my son, it went much too low and I have had to stop being vegan. Has anyone else heard of this? Thanks.

[tardigrade]

I am pretty sure a vegan diet is fairly low carb if you don't overdo grains or eat processed food. I spend a lot less on groceries than my husband...