Questions about going vegetarian'ish

Hey all, hubby and I have been reading about people who are going vegetarian and gluten free and they are feeling better, loosing weight and decreasing the inflammation in their bodies, so we're going to try it (we both have inflammation issues).

Anybody out there vegetarian???  How do you keep your protein levels up?  Is there anything that I need to be aware of?  I imagine I'll really need to be more diligent with my vitamins (especially iron for me). 

I'd love to hear any suggestions and recipes.

Thanks,

Edie

Well, it's definitely possible to be vegetarian and still get your protein needs. But you'll have to work harder at it. You'll need to learn about food combining so you can ensure you're getting complete protein sources with each meal. For instance, beans are not a complete protein and doesn't contain all 9 essential amino acids... so you'll need to figure out which ones beans are missing and find another food with the missing AA and eat that food at the same meal.  Here's a website that gives an overview of how it's done.

The problem with protein food combining is that most of what you'll be eating is carb-based. So you'll need to be careful with how many carbs you're taking in so it doesn't promote weight gain. If you've already got underlying PCOS, metobolic syndrom or insulin resistance issues, a higher-carb diet could make matters difficult with weight maintenance.

However, we know that an organic based, whole foods type diet can be successful. If you're not familar with Tara, check her out. She's not vegetarian. But all her meat sources are locally farmed and raised in an organic, non-hormone type of environment. She's eliminated all artifical stuff and gone completely natural. Here's her website: http://tntkell.typepad.com/keepitreal/

Personally I like steak too much to go veg-head. But I could see me doing what Tara's done and gone with real-food instead.

Let us know what you decide...

Pam

Thanks Pam, I am worried about the whole too many carb thing because being your twin, of course I have PCOS and all the wonderful attributes that come with it.  So I'm looking into going gluten free or vegetarian, I have to find which way will be easier for me to follow and still enjoy living :)!  I've just been reading recently that people who have gone gluten free or vegetarian have less inflammation in their bodies and because hubby's back has inflammatory issues and I have that whole pseudo tumor thing going on (every time they bx one of those masses in my lungs or sinuses it comes back as inflammation) and can't find a doctor who know what to do with pseudo tumor, I'm trying to lower the inflammation in my body naturally.

Thanks for the links, I can't wait till I have time to research them.

Edie

Yep, I've considered the gluten-free thing. But I think I might be too lazy for that. There's gluten in everything!

I've noticed lately that my allergy issues have been returning lately and I've wondering if it's related to carb intake -- or gluten. I seem to notice that sneezy days come after bad-carb days - not not every bad-carb day equals a sneezy day. Been trying to figure out if there's a trigger. But it's gotten me thinking about gluten because I've heard the same thing from people who have gone off gluten and how much better they feel.

I want to know why it isn't 'when I've had a huge salad, vege day', you have the sneezy days :), damn our bodies liking the healthy stuff! I guess I'm thinking vegetarian more because it will be easier than going gluten free, I'm so addicted to the white crack! But something has to change, I have way to much inflammation in my body.

I can't imagine you being too lazy for anything, Pam!  :>)

why are you doing both gluten and vegan.
fist the protein that causes inflammation is (RED MEAT) so why not just avoid red meat. and if that don't help then avoid the gluten.  then if than don't get any results. try the vegan thing.

How will you know which on was the culprit if you illuminate that all at the same time.

kind of like reversal of the feed the baby game

fist you try some  carrots.
then the pea.
then the eggs

but you don't give the baby peas carrots and eggs together.
because you wouldn't know which one make the baby get the hives.

same thing when elimination of food for health issues.

Good luck And by the way Thanks for  doing what you do with Sue. Edie (you have helped immensely)

Oh, I didn't mean to say and I meant to say or, I don't know which I'm going to do yet, I do know if I go gluten free I can manage the protein intake, but not totally sure I could with the vegetarian, so I'm asking and researching right now.  I've heard people having allot of success with both while trying to lower their inflammation.

As far as meat causing inflammation there are allot of foods that can cause inflammation and in my body it's the white stuff more than anything.  I have actually switched to allot of foods that are recommended for reducing inflammation, cold water fish, pumpkin seeds, turmeric, juniper berries.....  In fact when my inflammatory issues started over 3.5 years ago, I rarely ate meat, when I decided to have wls I was hoping by changing my diet so drastically it would show me if I had in fact developed an allergy but nope, nothing obvious popped up.  I've since had allergy testing and again, nothing, so now I'm going to try another avenue, but since I have to be careful about protein intake since RNY I thought I'd ask if other vegetarians have issues with any of their labs, protein intake....., so far I've heard allot of positive remarks, I just don't know if I can hack either change, but I'll give it a try.  I've done allot of other drastic things for my health over the years, I can do this too!

As far as Sue, I'm glad I could get her surrounded with some good doc's, that's why support groups are so helpful, you learn who's good and who's not, I don't like the fact that I had to go through all of that, but over the years I've met allot of great helpful women.  I hope this new problem is just a hiccup and she'll be done with it in a few treatments. 

Edie 

Hey Edie . . finally catching up on my OH reading.  I have been flour free since June 22nd, I can't believe how much better I feel  . . I usually can tell by my knees when the weather is changing. Now nothing . . don't even on the damp days.
I never knew I could feel this good.
I am not eating any gluten free products. . . I may work myself up to gluten free but I wanted to give my body sometime to adjust to being totally flour free . . I really didn't think I could do it .I was afraid if I got the gluten free crackers I would go right back to all flour produts.  I was a carbs aholic but not and it feels great to be rid of it and my scale is moving not fast about 1 lb  week but it is moving.

Let us know what you decide to do!

Kristy

Kristy,

I remember reading over the past few months that you were going  'white' free and I have been inspired by you.  Plus a couple people at work have gone gluten free because of stomach issues and they feel great, and I read on my Yahoo group that one of the girls sisters went gluten free and went off all her GERD med's and lost 40lbs to boot!  Plus I've read about the whole white 'inflammation' issue, so it has had me thinking.

How do you think you'll do with the holidays coming up?  What have your replaced things like bread, golean crunch (for my yogurt), crackers.... with?  Do you consider yourself more High protein /Low carb'ish?  Do you eat fruit still? Milk?  What's a day like for you?

Thanks,

Edie