I was a veggie for three years and made the switch two months ago.
Initially, I was just being impulsive at a Thai place. My stir-fried veggies couldn't hold a candle next to a glistening plate of sauteed beef.
But then, after a few days, I noticed that not only was my body not having that bad reaction you often hear about to suddenly having to digest meat enzymes, but rather, the opposite. My belly felt so much better. In fact, I now think that I'm allergic to many common vegetables, like cauliflower, and soy, as in tofu. Go figure.
Initially, I was just being impulsive at a Thai place. My stir-fried veggies couldn't hold a candle next to a glistening plate of sauteed beef.
But then, after a few days, I noticed that not only was my body not having that bad reaction you often hear about to suddenly having to digest meat enzymes, but rather, the opposite. My belly felt so much better. In fact, I now think that I'm allergic to many common vegetables, like cauliflower, and soy, as in tofu. Go figure.
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Why the switch?
Fri, March 11, 2005 - 11:51 AMYou know, Vegetarianism is much harder than just not eating meat. The body is set up to eat and digest meat and I suspect that all those people who talk about "getting sick after eating that first meat dish after years of avoiding it" is more of a psychological thing than an actual physical thing. I had a friend who ate something that he thought had chicken in it and "got sick" only to find out later it was some well prepared tofu and did not have any meat in it. -
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Re: Why the switch?
Fri, March 11, 2005 - 12:29 PMi just lost my entire post. the one time i don't copy the whole thing before i click submit, my time expires.
/rant
whether or not someone's experience stems from psychological factors is a difficult question. obviously in this case it was either food poisoning or his head. hrm.
the thing is, tho, who are we to ask someone, especially someone we don't know, if it's all in their head? that implies that their experience isn't based on hard facts, and that we might not be able to respect their opinion as much.
i'll be the first to agree that thoughts and feelings can affect the body more than we might expect, not to mention that everyone has a different body with a different metabolism...but that only makes things more complicated, not easier.
maybe i just like to make things complicated. :) -
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Re: Why the switch?
Fri, March 11, 2005 - 12:37 PM
I've experienced stomach pains, nausea, and "the trots" after eating animal products, both when I accidentally ate it when I was a strict vegan and when I began to consciously flirt with meat again.
Psychological or not, it was real, and really uncomfortable. It doesn't diminish the real-ness of the symptoms simply because it's a psycological reaction.
Honestly, I do think it was a little from column A and a little from column B. Yeah, my mind reeled at it, and my body wasn't used to it (especially milk products - ugh), I believe it was both psychological and a real physical reaction. -
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Re: Why the switch?
Fri, March 11, 2005 - 12:59 PMI hear you both. I just thought I would post my friend's experience. -
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Re: Why the switch?
Fri, March 11, 2005 - 1:12 PM"I hear you both. I just thought I would post my friend's experience."
and i'm glad you did!
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Re: Why the switch?
Fri, March 11, 2005 - 1:10 PM"Psychological or not, it was real, and really uncomfortable. It doesn't diminish the real-ness of the symptoms simply because it's a psycological reaction."
exactly the point that i was attempting to convey. i think it's a pitfall that people get into, thinking "oh, it's all in their head", meaning "it's not true". while i may agree that it could be psychological,
1. who am i to say such a thing, i'm not them
and
2. it shouldn't really matter anyway.
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Unsu...
Re: Why the switch?
Fri, March 11, 2005 - 12:00 PMI've read/heard quite a few testimonials like this. Used to go vegan for a few months at a time, and always felt so much happier and more grounded when I reintroduced small amounts of flesh into the diet. Trying to lean toward the paleodiet these days, but it's so hard to cut out beer...
Lot's o' good reading here: www.beyondveg.com
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Re: Why the switch?
Sat, March 12, 2005 - 8:21 AMmy switch actually came from my natropathic doctor's suggestions. she's into the blood-type diet and i'm an O. Also the recent availability of organic, local meat helped.
