Someone asked me to post something on vegetarianism and IC and why I do not treat
vegetarians.
I once was and have a deep respect for those who are vegetarian conceptually. I am a hug
animal lover and myself have several animals.
After being a vegetarian for years and having been ill myself and having come through all
of my illness and bringing my body into a healthy balance coupled with the years of
experience I have had with IC, I have learned that, at least with my approach to IC,
vegetarianism does not typically combine well with IC. I also have surmised that in many cases it has been a contributing factor to the IC.
The reasons for this have to do in my opinion, with the lack of animal protein consumption
contributing to the depletion of tissue integrity. We need protein to rebuild our tissues in health
and even more so with disease. The protein from vegetarian source is simply not enough in my opinion.
To complicate things further, the sources of higher protein in a vegetarian diet will actually cause pain and symptoms when a person is is the throes of IC. For example, beans and soy are big pain contributors and are withheld for long periods during treatment. Actually, soy is something I recommend staying away from almost completely forever short of a once or twice a month visit to your local Chinese restaurant or sushi bar.
Please do not take this as any kind of criticism of vegetarians. As I said, conceptually, I respect them and wish that my journey in life had brought me to the conclusion that it is healthier, but that is not the case. My experience with IC especially and its related conditions has brought me to the conclusion that vegetarianism can be one major cause of IC and can inhibit a person from
achieving a healthy balance.
Reasons for this again are protein depletion not adequately being able to help restore tissue integrity, soy consumption leading to thyroid depletion (see previous studies posted on previous blogs on this site), and over-alkalinity created by a vegetarian diet (just as an over acid environment is not healthy, neither is one that is over-alkaline--pH is meant to be in the middle).
It is to my dismay that I have come to belief that one must be carniverous to be healthy, but, I do believe it is true. That said, everything in moderation, I also believe in lots of healthy vegetable. A little bit of everything brings good balance!
Comments
Thanks, Matia
This is great because I've felt (ever since being in treatment with you the first time) that carnivorous was the way to go for me, but I've always had some feelings that if only I was a vegetarian, somehow I'd be a better person for it. But this just helps validate the gut feeling I've had that meat is what feels right for my body.I'm so enjoying the diet right now. I have moments where I crave other stuff, of course. And today I was so sad not to be having a latte, until I spoke with a friend who reminded me how poisonous it is for me. But I'm especially enjoying the vegetables I'm steaming, roasting, sauteing and piling high on my plate. And, I can't believe it, but everyday I'm feeling more grateful that I was brought back to this a second time because now I really get that this has to be my way of life going forward if I'm really going to take care of my body. I don't know if I would have ever come back to this healthier lifestyle if I wasn't motivated in such a way.Thanks, Matia.
former vegetarian
I was a vegetarian for 15 years before I started treatment with you. It can be hard to eat healthy in our modern day processed food world. And I know that I was caught up in the "as long as it's vegetarian, it must be healthy" thought process. I didn't really know a lot about eating well and would eat a lot of pasta and white rice in order to feel full and I didn't eat nearly enough fresh fruits and vegetables. I have noticed that once I started eating meat, i felt satisfied a lot sooner and since I am eating so much healthier I don't have the sugar crashes that can come from over processed foods. I have learned a lot about eating healthy and also helping my family to eat more healthy.I recently read something which I thought I would share which is that not only are you what you eat, you are also what what you eat eats too. A lot of the meat that is sold today is raised with cheap cost being the goal and is fed a diet of grains and soy which is not natural to the animals. This in turn causes health issues in the animals and changes the nutritional quality of the meat and the dairy too. I think it might also lead to increased inflammation in our bodies because it is higher in Omega 6 and lower in Omega 3 than that which comes from animals that eat their natural diet. It is definitely more expensive, so I eat smaller portions of higher quality meat. Carol
Speaking to what Carol just said
about considering what the food you eat eats, I recommend an excellent book by Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, which a review rightly calls "a journey up and down the food chain." The depth of research is astounding and the information he uncovers is fascinating (caveat: it is long and sometimes verbose, so skim accordingly, but don't let that deter you). We should really all know this information. While I'm at it, I also recommend Pollan's other book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.
great books
I agree, I also highly recommend reading both of these books. In Defense of Food in particular really helped to solidify the importance of the diet changes I have made being on Matia's program and helped me to further understand why so many people are having serious health issues. The idea that "you are what what you eat eats too" is just one of the many helpful guidelines from that book.Carol