Any ex-vegetarians/vegans here?

[PrairieBohemian]

Lately I am feeling like some old food issues are rising up in me---please bear with me as I ramble through my thoughts...

For the last 10 years I have been an on again-off again vegetarian. It initially started when I was treeplanting and would "cleanse" from meat during the summer. I would then break my cleanse with a big steak at the end of the treeplanting season. Then about 5 years ago I developed an eating disorder and simulataneously became 1200 cal/day vegan/no sugar/no refined carbs. My health plummeted and I lost my period for many months while still GAINING weight. I was so convinced I was purifying myself but really I was doing nothing but harm. At the time I was also training for a marathon. Once I became injured from compulsive excercise, I took a look at my diet and slowly reintroduced fish...then eggs...then meat...and finally milk. It took me about 3years to recover from veganism and get to a point where I no longer obsessed about food. Actually it was pregnancy with my first child that returned my thoughts about food to a normal level.

Last year I read about traditional foods and it ALL MADE SENSE! When I follow traditional principles of eating and food prep, I feel amazing! I still would like to cut all sugar and milk but am afraid that when I start to restrict myself, I set myself up for a potentially dangerous situation. However, when I DON'T restrict, I end up eating more junk than I would like and definatley more than I would like my toddler to eat!

Lately meat has started to repluse me again but I think I am just looking to food restrictions as a way to restore some stabilty during my adaptation to mothering 2 kids. I also am currently eating dangerously little for a tandem nursing mama due to a limited appetite. This worries me.

Are there any other ex-vegetarian/vegans that have found harmony and balance in tradtional foods? Were you also eating disordered as veggie/vegan? Do you ever feel any pressures of relapse?

Just looking for other folks to process some of this with...

[zoebird]

i have not had and do not have an eating disorder, so i can't speak to that.

but, i am a former vegan, while still a vegetarian. i was vegan for 5 years. i ate whole foods and only moderate soy followed by very, very limited soy (only tofu when out to eat). my issue was that i had low cholesterol. it runs in my family--my father is an omnivore with low cholesterol!

so, i had to bring cholesterol back into my diet. before NT, my husband was omnivorous and dairy free (because pasturized dairy was not so good for him), and we found NT about the same time as i was transitioning from vegan to vegetarian. While we already ate a lot of whole foods, NT introduced us to raw dairy and pasture-raised eggs (we were getting just organic) as well as fermented foods. so, that's how my diet went.

my body picked up quickly and i find myself very healthy. my husband was able to rid himself of psiriosis with a combination of butter and cod liver oil--something he struggled with for more than 6 years--in a matter of weeks (5 wks).

as i head toward my first pregnancy, i'm considering consuming cod liver oil in my diet--which is not vegetarian of course. but for me, it will likely be temporary--while i'm pregnant and lactating. it works for me anyway.

[PrairieBohemian]

Originally Posted by zoebird

my husband was able to rid himself of psiriosis with a combination of butter and cod liver oil--something he struggled with for more than 6 years--in a matter of weeks (5 wks).

My dh also has psoriasis! He has started eating a can of sockeye salmon everyday and it does seem to be improving. As a family we do eat whole foods--none of us can even tolerate or derive pleasure from processed foods. Its unfortunate that dh rarely eats any veggies (and I know I am currently not eating enough) as he does have other severe health issues as well.

Thanks for responding to my post!

[newcastlemama]

I was a low-cal/low-fat zero processed foods vegan myself before traditional foods. I have been on the verge of eating/excerise disorders a few times in my life. I could get really obsessive with restrictions like you described. I also have 2 close friends who struggled with bulimia in my late teens/early 20s. One had to get on antidepressants and the other stayed in an inpatient facility for months. They are both good eaters now, thank God.

I have had some health problems and I do believe they were at least partially related to the diets I used to follow. It's not worth it to me anymore. I will never diet again. I had PPD/PPD and a 13 week miscarriage and severe uterine hemmorage in the past 2 years. I see my body differently now also. Giving birth to a healthy baby showed me that my body is more than something pretty for men to look at. (Before I was married, I always felt like if I was a little thinner then boys/men would like me. I am so thankful that I have a dh that adores my body and encourages me to not starve!)

I am still not eating sugar/processed and grains in general because I feel bad when I do. But because I am eating good amounts of fat and protein I am feeling really satisfied. The funny thing is....I went to try on some of my "skinny" jeans today and they fit.....no suffering, no calorie counting. I eat eggs, whole raw milk, butter, coconut oil, meat, veggies, fruits, and nuts and enjoy every minute of it.

Keep posting and talking your way through these feelings...And plesase eat enough for you and your babies!!! It's okay to get rid of the junk, but eat as much whole foods as you need to. Don't feel ashamed. (I first felt ashamed of eating normal/larger amounts of food, meat and fats. No reason to though. I am healthier now!)

Jennifer s

[zoebird]

my husband eats a ton of veggies. but then, he eats about 3000 cals a day.

for both of us, the foundation of our diet is veggies--we're low grain and at this point low/no processed sugar. then we look to eggs, raw dairy, meat for him, and oils (coconut, CLO for him, flax/walnut and/or Udo's perfect blend, olive, and hemp--on rotations).

we're happy with it. what's amazing is how healthy we both are (everything off the charts in bloodwork) and how great we both 'look'--clear, rosy skin, shiny hair, bright eyes and strong teeth. basicly, fabulous.

and most people say that i don't have any body odor (i don't wear deoderant). that's probably due to good nturition and hydration.


he found that the combination for his psoriasis was high D and A consumption.

[PrairieBohemian]

Thanks for responding...I'm continuing this discussion on an eating disorder thread where I think it belongs. A little off topic for traditional foods...

[PrairieBohemian]

psoriasis and CLO/butter

Originally Posted by zoebird

my husband was able to rid himself of psiriosis with a combination of butter and cod liver oil--something he struggled with for more than 6 years--in a matter of weeks (5 wks).

zoebird, I am interested in this prescription for my dh (after some discussion). How does he injest this combination and in what quantities?

Thanks--I hope you see this post again!

[zoebird]

my husband takes 1 tbsp of CLO and 1 tbsp of raw butter every day. doesn't have to be together, but miss one and within 5-7 days, he'll develop a 'hot spot.' if he does this every day, no hot spots.

takes a few weeks to clear everything up. some may need to up doses of CLO to start with.

my husband hasn't had an outbreak in years.