Should i start eating meat again?

Question

i am a vegetarian and i have been for about a year now but recently i have not been feeling right and i feel weak i eat healthy foods and fake meat but it does not help i do miss meat and i went veg. because i am against animal cruelty but i do not feel good at first i felt better but now i don't should i start eating meat again to make my self healthy or at least feeling better again?

Answer 1

Yes, unless you can figure out a way to make your vegetarian diet work better for you.

Answer 2

Eating meat will only make you sicker. Meat in any way is not healthy. Analyze your diet.  

Answer 3

you could try eating meat once in awhile. you dont have to abandon your vegetarian meals though, but try adding a piece of grilled chicken or lean turkey. you dont have to eat it everyday if you dont want, but on occasion may help you feel better.

Answer 4

If you are already eating healthy foods and consuming the nutrients you need, eating meat isn't going to change anything. Try getting some more exercise.

Answer 5

I know a vegetarian and she eats tofu but meat is a very good sense of protein and it would more than likely help your problem. I'm just like you. I LOVE animals and i hate eating them. It makes me feel horrible. But it keeps me healthy. It will also keep you healthy as well.

Answer 6

talk to a nutritionist you could be missing something from you diet or you may need to take vitamins

Answer 7

Eat whatever you want. You don't need our approval. Although, it might not be the lack of meat that is making you feel like c**p.

Answer 8

It sounds like you are missing nutrients despite your healthy diet. You can obtain all the nutrients you need from vegetarian foods. Getting help from a nutritionist may be a good idea. There could be a lot of reasons for you feeling tired and weak. You may be low in:

-Protein: you get this from nuts, seeds, legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans), soy foods (tofu, tempeh), wholegrains and meat analogs.

-Carbohydrates: if you are consuming too many simple sugars (things like sweets) and not enough fibre, fat and protein then your blood sugar levels will be erratic which will leave you feeling tired.

-Iron: can be hard to obtain from a vegetarian diet but entirely possible. Foods rich in iron include nuts, seeds, soy, leafy greens, meat analogs, quinoa and blackstrap molasses. A teaspoon of blackstrap molasses in a strong cup of nettle tea twice a day is blood building and will boost your iron intake. I suggest you go to your GP and get your iron levels tested. You can take a supplement but it is not recommended without a bloodtest as too much iron is toxic.

-B12: vegans are at risk of B12 deficiency. Do you drink B12 fortified soy? You can get a bloodtest for this too. I wouldn't expect an adult to end up with a marked deficiency within one year of being vegetarian but if you are still growing then it is a strong possibility.

-Vitamin C: a lack of Vit C can leave you prone to infection which will leave you run down. Make sure you are eating plenty of FRESH fruit and veg such as strawberries, oranges, mandarines etc.

-B vitamins: are needed for the production of energy and the function of your immune system among other things. A vitamin B supplement would be a good idea.

-Zinc: lots of people are low on zinc. You need zinc for your immune system, the production of digestive secretions, healing and it plays a nuber of roles in energy levels. Vegetarian sources of zinc include nuts, seeds, legumes and wholegrains. You can get a zinc tally test from the healthfood store. Just follow the instructions.

-Magnesium: found in wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetables. It plays a role in energy production and immunity. If you are low on magnesium you may have twitchy and crampy muscles, problems sleeping and be feeling irritable or stressed.

-Essential Fatty Acids: Omega 3 is really important for the health of your nervous system. A deficiency can really effect your overall wellbeing. I have experienced this myself. Walnuts and flaxseed oil are good food sources or you could try a supplement. I have used this one and it was excellent: http://www.water4.net/

-Iodine: iodine deficiency is becoming more common. You may have an underlying thyroid condition. Hypothyroidism can leave you feeling weak and fatigued. Eating soy foods, particularly when there is already an iodine deficiency, can exacerbate an underlying thyroid condition. I suggest you see you GP about this and have a bloodtest to check thyroid function.

You may also have a problem that is not exclusively diet related such as an infection like glandular fever. Again, see your GP. They can do some tests to find out what is wrong.

I strongly suggest you see a qualified nutritionist or naturopath, regardless of whether you choose to remain vegetarian or not. If finances are an issue there are supervised student clinics around. Remember you can get everything you need from a veg*an diet but you might need a little guidance. Make sure you are not only eating fake meats but also less processed sources of protein such as nuts, seeds, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, aduki beans and wholegrains (quinoa is particularly good as a "building" food. Oats are also great). Don't give up on being vegetarian, just get some help and find out what is wrong.  

Answer 9

I'd try a b12 supplement first.

I actually felt more energetic as a vegetarian.

Answer 10

It's possible to be deficient in certain vitamins, minerals needed for good health when restricting your diet so much.  If you really want to remain vegetarian I would suggest you see your doctor & have some routine blood tests.  It would pinpoint what you are or are not deficient in & in some cases you may be able to supplement with a pill (as in iron pills or vitamins).  Best of luck

Answer 11

There's nothing in meat that you can't get elsewhere. A veg*n diet can be extremely healthy provided you iron out any kinks as you find them. I've had one or two problems in the past, which is expected when you completely change your diet (whichever way), so I hope you'll find the solution soon.

Doing a little research would be a good idea, I think.

Here's something to start you off from the Vegan Society's website:

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Vegan Sources of Iron

Good plant sources of iron include dried fruits, whole grains (including wholemeal bread), nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds and pulses. Other foods rich in iron but which are usually eaten in smaller amounts include soya flour, parsley, watercress, black molasses and edible seaweeds. The use of ironware when cooking foods also contributes to dietary intake.

Examples of amounts of foods providing 2mg iron:

Type of foodQuantity (g)

Pistachios14

Cashews (roasted)32

Whole lentils 57

Chick peas (boiled) 95

Wholemeal bread 74

Sesame seeds or tahini19

Black molasses22

Apricots (dried)59

Spinach (boiled)125

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Vegan Sources of Protein

The foods which commonly supply the most protein in a vegan diet are pulses (peas, beans, lentils, soya products), grains (wheat, oats, rice, barley, buckwheat, millet, pasta, bread), nuts (brazils, hazels, almonds, cashews) and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame).

Examples of amounts of foods providing 10g of protein:

Type of foodQuantity (g)

Soya flour24

Peanuts39

Pumpkin seeds41

Almonds47

Brazil Nuts50

Sunflower seeds51

Sesame seeds55

Hazel Nuts71

Wholemeal bread95

Whole lentils dried & boiled114

Chickpeas dried & boiled119

Kidney beans dried & boiled119

Wholemeal spaghetti boiled213

Brown rice boiled385

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It might be B12 as well. Although your body stores enough of this for a couple or three decades, a lack in B12 intake can initially make you feel a bit woozy and lacking in energy. I'd suggest some B12 fortified products such as yeast extract or cereals etc.

I'd say, just try eating a good variety of the foods above and do some more research and see if you feel better.

Who knows, it might be psychologically rooted from everyone holding such silly prejudices about vegetarianism! :D

Good luck sorting out your health. Hope this helps,

Tim.

Answer 12

No.

Maybe you might be lacking protein or iron, which can be replaced fairly easy. Tofu, cheese, nuts, Dark veggies, are all ways to get protein or iron in your diet.

Answer 13

Meat doesn't make people healthy.  A balanced diet does.  You probably only think you are eating healthy but you really aren't.  Google the vegetarian food pyramid.