Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I'm really struggling tonight-so be gentle.

I have wanted to be a vegitarian my entire life. I have always had a hard time mind over mattering where meat comes from, and it's taken a long bit of mental gymnastics to even eat it.

I went vegitarian on 6/14

In the last 6 weeks I have had crazy things go wrong-chronic headaches, uti's severe deep breast tissue and nipple paid while nursing, burning after sex, acne, and basically every hormonal sounding symptom under the son.

I have an IUD and probably 12 - preg tests. I am drinking crazy amounts of water, am taking cal/mag and zinc supplements, and am obsessively planning meals high in fats and proteins.

I don't know what on earth is wrong, and I'm feeling really discouraged.

And on top of that I keep getting every single person telling me that they know so and so who went vegitarian and then *died* <insert dramatic Croods voice there>

Soo-I'm really looking for advice/encouragement. :(

Anyone?

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

What does your intuition tell you about this?

It sounds to me that your body is in detox shock....that's especially going to be true if you weren't eating particularly "clean" meat. Did you also go off of dairy and eggs? You might benefit from dandelion tea/tincture/caps to nourish your liver.

Did you add many new foods when you gave up meat? If so, listing those might help you see if there are any highly allergenic or commonly reactive foods that you might cut back on, or eliminate for a while and add back more gradually.

Are you using any kind of supplementary shake or supplement that could be causing the issues and be entirely unrelated to the vegetarianism?

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I'm still doing dairy and eggs. Eggs are local and fresh-dairy is still store bought and processed. I wasn't eating clean meat before. :no

I haven't really eaten anything on a regular basis that I hadn't eaten before-though avacados, and nuts especially I have increased a lot because it's the easiest fat/protein food I can grab in a pinch.

I'm not doing shakes. I used to do cal/mag on a regular basis, but not since being pp with Justice (3). I have never taken zinc before, but I started after all this went haywire, some suggested it might help with the insane nursing pain. I'm honestly only nursing the baby twice a day because the pain with nursing lasts for an hour or so after she is done and I just can't handle more. :-/

I don't know what my gut says. I'm not even sure that this is something I'm thinking rationally about. I believe so strongly in the ethics of vegitarianism, that even though it's been a short time, the thought of eating animals again makes me feel ill. :(

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

Hugs! I know people who went back to meat for health reasons. I can't be the judge whether this was necessary or not. But they are close friends with similar convictions as I.

I agree about the detoxing. And if you're nursing there's extra demands on your body which is not used to a plant based. Did you make the switch over night or progressively?

If it was over night I'd hypothesize that your body needs time to make the switch and perhaps the only way you will know is to go back to your previous diet and slowly make the transition. Alternatively there's a chance this is unrelated and just coincided your life changes (which are exciting btw). And you could wait it out....see a natural dr. Get some answers.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

It was overnight. So maybe your right.

I'm planning on seeing a naturopathic dr-I have put it off because I don't want them to tell me I have to eat meat. :bag

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

IMO six weeks is too long for detox symptoms. I wouldn't let that ride (btdt with a major diet overhaul, it wasn't detox). You said you haven't added anything new? Soy messes me up hormonally and I feel much better totally eliminating it.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

Do you have a registered dietician you can go to who is supportive of a vegetarian diet? We found one that our insurance completely covers. She's really great. She suggested probiotics and vegetarian dha for my daughter. I wonder if those might be helpful to you? :think

Have you tried keeping a food / symptom journal?

I don't think you have to add meat back into your diet to feel better. :hug2

What is in meat that you would be missing? :think You are still eating eggs and dairy, so getting non-plant based foods that way. :think Are you eating more of those things or about the same?

I was wondering, too, if you eat soy. What types of fats are you eating? Do you eat mostly a whole foods diet? :think

I became vegan when my 3rd child was 6 months old, . . . so it'll be 13 years in about 3 months. Don't give up hope! I think you can find the solution to this to help you feel better without needing to add animal flesh back into your diet. :hug2

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

i was wondering about soy too. do you use a lot of "replacemet" soy products "chiken" tenders made from soy, or soy sour cream etc. that could be a factor.

:pray4 for you to figure it out and feel better :hug

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I had a thought in the grocery store and thought I'd add, as much as I hate too, that while my cycles are normal with dairy I get hormonal cystic acne pretty bad while consuming even organic, fermented dairy. As soon as I cut them out my skin clears up (although I can do grass fed ghee with no problem). If you've increased your dairy, that's something to consider.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I was wondering this too. :yes Soy messes me UP. Almost as much as gluten. :-/

Also what have you changed? Were you eating a lot of meat? If you've started leaning heavier on certain grains and proteins (soy and dairy) it could be as simple as a bad balance for your body-especially if you have any gut IBS issues in the past (ie a gut that needs to be handled with care). Replacing meats with grains and not getting enough good fats could very well lead to feeling pretty awful..


I like the dietician idea a lot. :yes



Also, and if your belly isn't what's ailing you :doh but a good digestive enzyme with your larger meals, could be what your body needs to breakdown what you're eating. Full veggie based meals are great, but they can also be hard to digest -especially if your body isn't used to it. adding in a digestive enzyme can make all the difference.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

Ooh I like the comment about the dairy. If you are increasing it it could wreak havoc on your system in many ways. ....and yes watch those hidden soy products.

There's so much to consider! A dietician would be a great resource.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

No soy. :shiver

I'm eating more eggs than I did, but less dairy overall. I have been mostly subbing with raw or cooked veggies, and nuts. Also been learning to eat dry beans which is new.

I had never tried couscous before, but don't eat it regularly, same with quinoa.

Going back to read more.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

hmmm, maybe try a good multivit for awhile and see if that helps? i would go with a prenatal since you are nursing

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I had seriously limited meat since I got pregnant with Jubilee.

Today I have eaten-
Eggs with spinach for breakfast
Spaghetti made with gobs of fresh produce (chives, celery, garlic, carrots, onions, blended tomatoes, green peppers, zucchini, squash, and spinach) for lunch

Dinner is soup in veggie broth, with lentils, chick peas, spinach and zucchini (which are in the garden right now) beans, peas and rice with bread and broccoli with hummus.

Dairy is milk with meals or like Parmesan cheese on spaghetti- sour cream on potatoes etc.

Tomorrow we are having oatmeal with dried cranberries, almonds and pecans for breakfast- sandwiches with peanut butter, sprouts an carrots for lunch, and something else that hasn't been determined yet for dinner.

I cook with coconut oil in place of butter like 90% of the time now.

I'll look around for dietitians.

I don't know if I'll find much-I'm in ND, and we don't have much support for even natural/clean living, much less vegan/vegitarian.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

Ooooh dry beans. :think ilve never heard of eating them dry? As in dehydrated? beans can be extreeeemely hard on the gut, I can't imagine them dry. :shiver The only kind I can manage well are beans soaked for at least 48 hours before being cooked.
:think could you sprout them (I know quite a bit of work)? That makes them a lot more wholesome and digestible.

I don't know if this site is vegetarian :blush I saw mention of dairy but no meat related stuff. I don't know what the rules are in sharing with respects to that, but explains some things about beans that might be helpful. http://www.nourishingdays.com/2011/0...-on-the-belly/

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I had never heard that before. I'll look into that. :yes

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

From a quick look at the symptoms you mentioned it is possible that you are reactin to not getting enough iron & b12 into your system now that you are a vegetarian.

Low B 12 can mimic a load of hormonal symptoms and mild anemia can be a cause for headaches. I'd share some links but it's so frustrating to do on a phone.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

When did you start feeling so poorly? :think Did very much time go by before you started getting those symptoms? Have you looked at other possible causes for why might be feeling the way you do, besides eating vegetarian?

Eggs and dairy have vitamin b12 in them, and you haven't been vegetarian for that long (your body stores it up for along time), so unless you have a problem absorbing b12 or have a lack of b12 for some other reason, I think that eating vegetarian shouldn't be the cause of that, if you do find that you have a deficiency.

If you take a multi-vitamin, though, like someone mentioned, that should cover it. And if you take a pre-natal vitamin, that should have iron in it, iirc.

We take vitamin b12 in little lozenges, and I cook with nutritional yeast a lot, and it's a good source of vitamin b12. A lot of foods are fortified with b12 as well.

I've sprouted beans before! I've sprouted lentils and chickpeas. It's a great way to eat them raw, and it's a living food. So good for you! :tu

---------- Post added at 06:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:06 PM ----------

I have a page on facebook about being vegan: https://www.facebook.com/JustAnotherVeganFamily I think somewhere on there I mentioned sprouting chickpeas. :think

eta: Here it is: https://www.facebook.com/JustAnother...type=3&theater

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I started noticing things about a week or 10 days after going vegitarian.

I keep thinking its yeast, but nothing I have done for yeast seems to be helping.

Its possible it has something to do with the IUD--But I have had it in for 8 months, and have not had any affects at all up until now.

My pastors wife did the breastfeeding lactation consultant class. I am not sure which one, but it was a week long and intensive, and based on my nursing issues her best bet is infection of some type, which is consistent with the UTI's and could explain other stuff.

They recommended 4-6 weeks of abx though, and I am really hesitant to do that.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I think it is a coincedence. People love to blame stuff on vegetarianism. None of those people know anyone who died from this Ailment :p. You may be eating more of something you are not used to. You might want to try regular enzymes for a while.

My guess is calories. You probably need more calories.

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

:hug I don't have anything to suggest, but if you need encouragement, I've been a vegetarian for 35 years & I'm not dead yet. :giggle

I hope you feel better soon. :heart

Re: Could going vegitarian make me sick?
 

I second soaking and sprouting beans first. It is a pain, in the beginning (you can't just plan a bean meal, open a can, and eat), but I soak, sprout, and then freeze the beans so all I have to do is take them from the freezer and cook them when needed.