NEED SOME ANSWERS TO SOMETHING I READ IN OH MAGAZINE

For those of you who get the OH magazine I have a question and a concern about something I read. It's on page 40 and there is an article written by a Dr Miachel Bilof where he says that dairy should not be our main source of protein. I am happy to say that I am just over 6 years PO and been very successful. I haven't touched cakes, cookies, ice cream, chocolate (which was my main source of addiction), french fries, potatoes or basically anything that got me into trouble and led me to the path of WLS. I take all my daily required vitamins and drink all my daily required liquids and exercise.

I live on protein plus veggies.  I am a vegetarian (not vegan) and my main source of protein is non fat cheese, nuts (healthy ones) and fish. The dr writes we shouldn't eat too much cheese or nuts or even too much milk even if it's non fat. Even though I have been doing great over the last 6 years this is somewhat confusing to me and especially being a vegetarian, my choices are pretty limited. I do eat the same things every day and have my routine which I feel comfortable with.

I would appreciate any feedback on this please to let me know your thoughts.  I am not going to change what I eat but again, would love to hear what you have to say on this subject.

Thanks

I'm vegetarian, too.  My main sources of protein are Greek yogurt and beans.  I also eat veggie burgers (mostly soy protein), cheese, raw milk (full fat****asionally eggs, and some nuts.  I'm three years out and still at goal.

Why did the doctor say we shouldn't eat "too much" dairy and how much does he think is "too much?"

Thanks for your reply I appreciate it. I also eat veggies burgers on occasion, but am a creature of habit and stick to the same breakfasts, lunches and sometimes the same dinner every day although dinner can vary but definitely the same breakfasts/lunches (unless I go out for lunch) I don't like yogurt much which is why I drink fat free organic milk.  What exactly is raw milk? I also occassionally eat egg white omlettes.

So the dr said no more than 1 - 2 oz of nuts a week which is definitely not what I do, I put some in my salad every day, never peanuts though. He also mentioned that string cheese is a no-no but if we do have it, no more than once or twice a week and it should be fat free.

How long have you been a vegetarian for and do you eat fish?

I've been a vegetarian for about 25 years now and no, I don't eat fish.  I recently considered going vegan because I was concerned about how dairy cows are treated and how the chickens that lay eggs are treated, but ended up deciding to buy local milk from pastured cows and free range eggs (I get both from a local farm where I can actually see how the animals are treated, and they are treated well).

Raw milk is simply unpasteurized milk.  I've come to believe that unpasteurized milk is actually better for you than pasteurized milk, provided it comes from healthy cows kept in clean conditions (so the milk you normally get at a grocery store would not be good if not pasteurized, because many of those cows are ill and they are kept in filthy conditions).

Why is string cheese a no-no?  And I'm wondering if this doc is just one of those people that think a vegetarian diet cannot be healthy.

How long have you been a vegetarian?

The only thing I can think of is to why he said to limit dairy and nuts, is that they are notorious for stalling weight loss.  I remember that when I did Atkins years ago, Dr. Atkins said the same thing in his book.  I actually found it to be true back then.  Yet, now, with WLS, I consume a lot of dairy and have lost a lot of weight.  I had been wondering if the limit rule for dairy applied more to people with full sized stomachs.  They consume more volume.....and I'm not sure how else that relates.....it's been a puzzle to me.  I understand the nut thing though, at least for me because I have VSG and I absorb all those calories.  However, if you (RNY) and are more than a few years out, you would be  back to absorbing them too, right?

I could not give up my dairy.  I have a gluten and oat allergy.  I cannot eat wheat, rye, barley or oats.  Wheat is the worst one.  I have to carry 2 epi-pens just in case...

So, like you, I have diet restrictions and I compensate with dairy.  It makes up a large part of my diet.  I don't have any intention of giving dairy up

I sure would like to know why the doc said that.  He should have explained why.

totally agree with you that he should have explained why in more depth.  As I have been doing so great over the years with my food program, I'm not going to change it now.

Thanks for your reply

I cant give you the reason but I can tell you that when I was about 3 months out, I was at a terrible stall - my NUT told me to avoid all dairy and artificialy sweetners because both of these things can tend to slow down weight loss.  When I avoided both of these for 2 weeks, it really worked.

 If you are successful and healthy, I would not change my eating habits because of an article.  JMHO.