Chewing!

[knightofalbion]

Ethical slaughtering? That would be a first I think.

[Belle]

I do my best knightofalbion. But I don't want to make myself ill - and at the moment I am.

[knightofalbion]

It was an observation, not a condemnation, dear Belle.

May I ask in what respect you are ill?

Vegetarians of course still eat dairy and free range eggs, which have a higher complete protein than meat, and all the vitamins and minerals, so there shouldn't be an issue with anything. Except perhaps with iodine, but that is in kelp/edible seaweeds.

[mogenblue]

When I made the switch to a full vegetarian diet I had to go through mourning. I really didn't feel so happy at all about it.

I think the reason for that was that it wasn't just a biological switch. It was also an emotional and mental transition that I had to go through.
All my life I ate meat, my father was a butcher and a good man, so what could possibly be wrong about meat.
All those prejudices, belly feelings, etcetera that I had needed to go away. But they don't go away by themselves. It meant that I had to reconsider my convictions and emotions and change my attitude. That took me quite a while. Talking to myself, re-evaluate my feelings and opinions.

So I can understand if someone feels ill when switching to a vegetarian diet. First of all, your body needs to get used to a new diet. And when you grow older your body is more used to a certain pattern so it may not adjust so easily as the mind would want. Every person is different. But also for a succesful change it is not enough to only change the food, you also need to adjust your attitude towards meat.

My benefits were so obvious that I wanted to persist in a vegetarian diet in spite of the mourning that I went through. I changed in my late 40's and by then I began to have serious problems with heartburn after dinner or when I was in bed. Right after dinner, just 5 minutes later I was already craving again for food in a way as if I hadn't eaten at all (spikes in the bloodsugar level). And furthermore I walked around all day with a constant hunger feeling.
I really felt very unhappy because of those things. And when I changed to vegetarian food those issues disappeared. So those benefits were so significant to me that in spite of the mourning I persisted in going on.

Maybe Belle is not ready yet for a full vegetarian diet. If you look a the healthy eating pyramid from Harvard I think she is already doing pretty good.
I think Belle needs more time for a full conversion, if at all she would want to do that. You have to respect people's lifestyle. I want my lifestyle to be respected too.
I heard about vegetarian and vegan diets in my early 30's but as I said it took me until I was 49 before I was ready to make the switch.

[Belle]

I'm afraid I did take it as a condemnation koa.

I do believe in humane slaughtering. It can be done without fear and stress and anxiety treating the animal with respect and gratitude and dignity. But, that is an individual point of view.

So physically, I'm weak, my body is changing like nobody's business - in a female sort of hormonal way. I'm frequently anaemic, and greens don't do it for me. I eat a lot of eggs but I still feel the need for additional protein - my body went crazy when I ate some organic chicken soup - I just felt alive and I really hadn't expected that. I eat a lot of quorn and pulses - again it isn't doing it for me. I'm left feeling "I need something to nourish me".

Maybe my body is too conditioned for meat, the cold turkey approach might not be right. I'm def cutting down, I'm sourcing my meat more carefully but I want to be whole and healthy!

[knightofalbion]

Have you ever tried something like Complan?

[mogenblue]

I didn't go cold turkey. When I got interested in a vegetarian diet I first started to use meat alternatives like soy burgers and soy minced meat. That was to get used to the taste of it and to see if my body would stay all right.

All in all it took me at least half a year or maybe even more before I was ready to make final switch.

I guess it's better for you to gradually cut down on meat, start using more poultry and maybe fish too. Fish is very healthy too. That way you gradually move away from red meat and your body has more time to get used to the different kinds of nutritions.

You have to listen to your body. If it needs to be nourished don't just ignore it. Won't work. Doesn't make you happy.

If you cut down on red meat your body will get used to more easily digestible food. Poultry and fish are easy digestible too. So your body will benefit from that. And it may get stronger in time.

That's what I would advice you.

Dang- I had an entire reply typed up but then the site dumped it. First off there are a ton of different types of veggie diets, lacto-ovo vegetarians will eat dairy and eggs, flexatarians will make exceptions for meat on occasion but generally with healthier portions of fresh rather than canned veggies. Pescatarians won't eat land animals or fowl but will eat fish and seafood...it can be as complicated or as simple as one chooses.
There are a ton of ways to find "good for chewing" vegetarian foods, you just have to know where to look. It's good no matter what your diet is to read labels, avoid GMO's and try and get as much organic as you can....this reply is much shorter than my other, still a little rambly though. I have a head full of information about alternative dietary choices and healthy eating...LoL. I won't go on and on though.