What should I do if I can't be vegetarian for health reasons?

[Guest guest]

Dear liberalgnostic,

 

If you can't be vegetarian, I suggest you try exclusively unprocessed,

vegan food for a month to see how you do. Eat only whole vegetables,

whole grains, and legumes. Drink only water. No oil, bread, sugar,

coffee, vegan milk, tofu, or commercial juices. (These are all

processed.)

 

Good luck.

 

Best, Michael

 

Michael R. Edelstein, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist

San Francisco

415-673-2848 (24 hours)

 

Author of THREE MINUTE THERAPY:

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(with David Ramsay Steele, Ph.D.)

FEATURES HELP FOR ANXIETY, DEPRESSION,

RELATIONSHIPS, PANIC ATTACKS AND ADDICTION

*A Quality Paperback Book Club/Book-of-the-Month Club Selection

 

TO ORDER: www.ThreeMinuteTherapy.com

Or toll free: 1-800-986-4135

Email: DrEdelstein

 

> --

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> > Tue, 27 May 2003 06:16:10 -0000

> " liberalgnostic " <liberalgnostic

> What should I do if I can't be vegetarian for health

reasons?

>

> I tried to be vegetarian for six months, however I got so horribly

> sick that I had to go back to meat. I have an illness that destroys

> skeletal muscle among other things, and I notice that diet affects

> it. I cannot eat more than twenty grams of carbohydrates or I start

> to flare. I also need at least 100 grams of quality protein. My diet

> includes beef everyday, 5 eggs in the morning, and chicken. I also

> eat some low-carbohydrate vegetables. I require medications that are

> produced from animals, and I could not live without them. Even more

> horrific, my blood tests require the use of animal tissue. I suppose

> it's a bit ironic that it is because of animal testing that

> scientists know so much about my condition. I feel horrible about

> the slaughter conditions and would like to know if there is any way

> to choose meat with the most humane facilities. Are there any brands

> anyone knows off-hand? Would it help to go to a health-food market

> like Whole Foods? How is it possible to simply live my life without

> contributing to animal cruelty?

>

[Guest guest]

I have some fabulous local sources for 100%

pasture/grass-fed/ethically/sustainably raised lamb and beef. I buy it for

making my dog, turtle & cat food. I buy direct from the ranchers

themselves. These are very small operations, where the humane handling and

health of their animals is paramount - very unique situations that are

extremely difficult to find. I have visited them and was extremely

impressed with their operations - they are truly the peaceful, bucolic,

humane ranches of times past. Email me off-list if you are interested in

getting their information.

 

Diestel Turkey and Petaluma Poultry's Rosie Brand are, sadly, about the best

you can find for poultry locally unless you find a small farm that can

supply you with pastured animals - so far I haven't found one. The animals

from these companies are range-free and organic or fed a natural diet, but

they are not pastured - and really, " range-free " is just a small step up

from being factory farmed - sustainable pasture-raised animals are generally

the best husbandry method you can find as far as health, humaneness and care

of the environment is concerned.

 

More about pastured practices here:

http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html

http://www.localharvest.org/pastured.jsp

 

I have been a strict, ethical vegan for over 20 years - eating 75% raw most

of this time, but became very ill a few years ago with a life-threatening

autoimmune dis-ease. I lived through an acute life-death situation and am

doing very well with the dis-ease because of my great diet and healthy,

clean living IMO. But I have noticed that I have a lot of difficulty eating

100% raw foods as much as I used to now that I have this dis-ease.

 

Our bodies are always in a state of change - so don't give up trying -

someday it might be the right time for your body to accept what your heart

and mind request of it. It might be you will need to go VERY slowly and

have the help of a few good practitioners who can help you make a gradual,

gentle switch. Perhaps a homeopath (contact the ICH - Institute of

Classical Homeopathy in SF for superior care) or a TCM LAc/ND might be one

of those - as your body's energy may need a bit of gentle adjustment. With

animals - especially cats - I have seen those who would absolutely refuse to

eat a healthy, species appropriate diet, change their tune literally

overnight with the right homeopathic remedy, and begin to completely clean

their plates of the healthy food the very next day.

 

The other might be a vegan-friendly NP, MD or nutritionist. I think there is

a vegi-vegan health center in SF - I have seen their ad posted in Rainbow

before. You may want to go and see if you can find it there.

 

Hope this helps.

 

In vibrant health,

 

Kasie