Could you be protein deficient? Here are the hidden signs.
Every winter I find myself treating an inordinate number of patients for protein deficiency. Most of them are quite health-aware and have made conscious decisions as to what they include—and don’t include—in their diets. But somehow, despite their best intentions, they find themselves with this very significant deficiency.
Many of these patients are vegetarian. Others—perhaps the majority—have stopped eating red meat years ago but continue to eat chicken or fish once in a while. Though it is my personal belief that a vegetarian diet may be the healthiest, it seems there is something in the way we are doing it that leaves us vulnerable to protein deficiency and its consequences.
Article-At-A-Glance
- Why is protein deficiency so common?
- Telltale signs of protein deficiency
- Effective protein-building strategies
Watch the video below and/or read on:
Why is Protein Deficiency so Common?
Interestingly, many traditional Asian cultures seem to do well eating a vegetarian diet. So why can’t we eat that same way and thrive? No doubt our genetics have something to do with it. Books like The Blood Type Diet and other body typing systems, including Ayurveda, have contributed many insights into this question.
Something not often brought up, however, is that most traditional Asian cultures still have someone in the family who cooks full-time. On my journeys to India I’ve observed that the cooks start cooking breakfast before anyone else is awake. Right after breakfast they start preparing lunch. After lunch, they are off to the market to buy food, and then right back at it to prepare supper.
By contrast, many of us here are too busy to cook and eating out has become the standard fallback. We race from one activity to the next, eating just to “fill the tank” for the next activity. Dining and enjoying a relaxed, home-cooked meal is becoming less and less common. As for the family cook, many parents have silently been elected the family superhero: holding down a job, driving and picking up kids, coordinating all of their activities and, oh yes, cooking for the entire tribe. Needless to say, this doesn’t leave much time for balanced meal preparation.
In trying to whip up our meals in minutes, we may be sacrificing our nutritional health.
I often say that to be a good vegetarian you need to cook at least two hours a day. That’s not to propose a strict numbers rule, simply to emphasize that being a healthy vegetarian takes extra work. And when we consider our current lifestyles, it’s not surprising that many of us don’t have the time for cooking, and our health may suffer for it.
So, how can you tell if you are protein deficient? Here are the signs:
The following discusses signs of mild and/or chronic protein deficiencies. Find a list of severe and/or acute deficiency symptoms at the end of this article.
Chronic Protein Deficiency Sign #1: Constant Craving
Carbs, sweets, caffeine, chocolate, pop, candy, pastries, or chips; constant cravings for these non-nutritional foods point to unstable blood sugar. Not everyone with cravings is protein deficient (otherwise we would really be looking at a country-wide epidemic!), but protein deficiency and unstable blood sugar are intimately linked.
~Blood Sugar Stability/ Protein Deficiency Home Assessment~
This short assessment may help discover a blood sugar imbalance that a blood test might not pick up.
1. If you are a vegetarian or rarely eat meat and have a craving for carbs and just don’t feel satisfied until you are filled up on breads, pastas or sweets, you may have unstable blood sugar that may be due to a deficiency of protein.
2. If you are a vegetarian and have a secret stash of candy, jelly beans or dark chocolate, you may have unstable blood sugar that may be due to a deficiency of protein.
3. Try eating 3 meals a day without snacks. If you find you need to nibble or graze on anything other than water, you may have unstable blood sugar that may be due to a deficiency of protein.
4. A blood test is most conclusive and indicated for anyone concerned about their blood sugar.
Chronic Protein Deficiency Sign #2: Muscle and/or Joint Pain
About fifteen years ago I had a sudden attack of severe neck pain. I got a massage, saw a few chiropractors, and got Rolfed, but nothing seemed to touch this pain. I remember it was in the fall because I had the thought that I might be protein deficient!
According to Ayurveda, during fall and winter the body starts to store proteins and fats to insulate and rebuild the body during the cold winter months. The body stores much of its protein reserves in the synovial fluid around the joints, to be used to rebuild the muscles and joints after strenuous exercise. When one is protein deficient, this reserve is the first to go. As a result, the joints stiffen and the muscles tighten. This kind of pain does not typically respond to standard musculoskeletal care.
I went down the checklist:
Yes, I had been a vegetarian for many years.
Yes, I did have a sweet tooth and loved carbs.
Yes, I was becoming a snacker.
Yes, it was winter and my joints were stiff and unresponsive to standard care.
The day I realized I might be protein deficient, I had two large whey protein powder shakes and added significantly more protein to my diet. With no exaggeration, my pain was gone by the end of that day. It just left. No pills or herbs, just more protein!
Ayurvedic Meat Eaters
Ayurveda is a vegetarian system of medicine. In fact, cows are sacred and it is just not cool to eat them. But in the case of protein deficiency, Ayurvedic doctors will prescribe the medicinal eating of red meat. One of the prescriptions I learned to resolve a protein deficiency is this:
Eat 4 ounces of red meat at the midday meal, each day for two weeks.
As a medicine, not a way of life.
I have used this recipe numerous times for protein deficiencies with amazing results. That said, not all of the vegetarians I have treated were willing to do this, so below I have suggested alternative protein rebuilding strategies.
Why Red Meat?
- Red meat is the most acidic of all meats and of all protein sources in general. The more acidic a substance, the deeper it penetrates the tissues and the better it is stored.
- Alkaline foods are great cleansers. They flush the lymph and help the body detoxify. The more alkaline a food or diet, the more efficiently it will remove waste and toxins.
- On the other hand, the more acidic a food is, the less easy it will be to remove or detoxify. While we tend to associate the notion of “acidic foods” with toxic or comfort foods, many acidic foods are actually very healthy and essential.
- This is nature’s way of balancing: we help rebuild the body in the winter with naturally occurring acidic foods and cleanse the body in the spring and summer with naturally occurring alkaline foods.
Consider: If a squirrel ate only broccoli in the winter, the squirrel would freeze to death. Luckily, nature does not make broccoli available in the colder winter months. The harvest during a cold winter was traditionally loaded with meats, grains, and root veggies—all primarily acidic, rich in protein, and rebuilding. This principle of eating naturally with the seasons is the main focus of my book, The 3-Season Diet.
Options for Treating Protein Deficiency
1. Medicinal Red Meat. Even the Dalai Lama and many of the monks in Kashmir eat meat. If you are not totally offended by this option try the two week red meat blood plan to rebuild protein and stabilize blood sugar: Eat 4 ounces of red meat a day for 2 weeks, preferably at lunch.
I believe this medicinal program is best and most effective when implemented with great respect and gratitude for the animal that gave its life to help yours.
2. Vegetarian Alternatives. If eating meat is not an option for you, try the following:
Have 3 whey, pea, rice, or hemp protein powder shakes a day; one with each meal.
Eat off the winter grocery list (see the winter grocery list from The 3-Season Diet in the library at LifeSpa.com) and emphasize the vegetarian proteins and fats listed.
Eat more of the high protein foods listed below.
Protein Sources:
Non-Vegetarian
- Meat
- Poultry
- Fish
- Dairy
- Eggs
Vegetarian
- Seeds, sprouted
- Nuts
- Beans
- Lentils
- Whole grains (in order from highest to lowest protein content): Wheat, amaranth, oats, rye, triticale, teff, spelt, wild rice, barley, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, sorghum, corn, rice.
- Soy
- Peas
- Peanuts
- Spinach
- Potato
- Sweet potato
- Algae
- Seaweed
Note: This article focuses less on severe and/or acute protein deficiency, and more so on mild and/or chronic, sub-clinical deficiencies that may contribute to numerous other chronic health issues. Below is a list of symptoms related to severe protein deficiency.
Symptoms of Severe Protein Deficiency:
- Edema (swelling)
- Thinning brittle hair and/or hair loss
- Ridges in finger and toe nails
- Skin rashes; dry skin
- Weak and tired
- Muscle soreness and cramps
- Slow healing
- Skin ulcers
- Sleep issues
- Headache
- Nausea
- Fainting
- Depression/anxiety
If you have these symptoms and suspect you may not be getting adequate protein, please see your primary healthcare provider for a blind test and evaluation of your total serum protein.
As you can see, your protein levels can really make a difference in how you feel, especially throughout the winter. Whatever your diet of choice, I hope you continue to stay balanced and use these tips to help find what works for you. And remember, your feedback is always valued!
Incorrect source, offensive, or found a typo? Or do you want to write for Elephant?
Quinoa!
Kind of weird it was not mentioned at all….it is one of the highest packed grains!
Time to open your eyes friend and wake up, you are not only what you eat but also what you think… break free of the old paradigms mentally and you may surprise yourself to find that you no longer conform to their rules. I personally have NO problem (in fact the opposite) eating less protein and being vegan- and would recommend it to anyone who can see past the old belief systems.
I'm betting you're a Kapha, then.
Wow , what a bunch of bitter comments! Amazing how people get offended so easily.
Maybe everyone needs some extra protein. Is "grumpy" a symptom?
)
Sadly, some of the most narrow-minded, aggressive, dogmatic folk I've run across in the yoga community are vegan. I hasten to add I am NOT saying ALL vegans are so. In one yoga training, some vegans and vegetarians literally created a divisive atmosphere that I have never experienced in years of teaching at yoga trainings.
One wonders if perhaps they truly are not balanced in their food choices?
I think whenever ideology overrides the common sense Doulliard presents above, there's trouble!
thanks for the wonderful info. totally corroborates my experience.
Very interesting. Thank you. Helps me understand some things I have been noticing for myself–like an affinity for greens in the spring and summer and not so much in the fall and winter. when I find myself leaning toward root veggies and animal protein.
I am a fit, middle-aged woman. I recently had an inguinal hernia repair. I came across something in my research related to understanding my condition and possible treatment options that linked hernia and protein deficiency, so this issue is definitely something I want to pay attention to.
Thank you for the tips and insights.
Very similar symptoms to Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Intolerance as well. Thanks for the info. Always good to be aware of all possibilities for causes of symptoms. Namaste, Lisa
wow Protein deficiency wow:))) is there such an animal, and if there is what the doctors call it. as far as i know there is no medical term about protein deficiency. it is like oxygen deficiency
)))))))))))))))))))0
check 80-10-10 by Duglas Graham are you serious or you are just telling us a short anecdote about vegetarians:)).
I am curious about your list of grains and protein content. I have always understood that grains such as spelt and quinoa were HIGHER, not lower, in protein than modern wheat. Now I'm confused. Could you explain your research on that? Thank you!
The reason quinoa is so good for vegans is because it is a COMPLETE protein (has all 9 essential amino acids in appropriate proportions). It doesn't necessarily have MORE protein per unit of measure, it just doesn't need to be coupled with other complimentary protein sources with to be "complete".
the most successful vegetarians live in warmer climates where fruit, veggies, and grains can be available all year. but most civilizations and traditional cultures included some form of animal protein in their diets on a regular basis – meat, seafoods, milk, and in Africa, blood from their animals (the Masai). and I have also noticed that many vegans are very judgemental about others' diet and lifestyle choices – thing is, it would be impossible for us to continue to exist without exploiting other living things – no bees? no plants. no mammals? no fertilizer. Know yourself (not who you think you are or who you wish you were) and do what you can to practice ahimsa knowing that it's impossible to be perfect.
Ayurveda is not a vegetarian system. A cursory knowledge of Ayurveda and review of texts such as the Charaka samhita, Sushruta samhita and Ashtanga Hrdaya will dispel any such notion. In fact, one is hard pressed to find ANY condition described in Ayurveda in which meat in some way is not recommended. We have to be careful to separate out relatively recent cultural changes in India and Hinduism with Ayurveda. Meat is not forbidden to the Hindu, even the Manu Smriti states this as such. Eating meat is a reflection of genetics, geography and season. If you live in south India, it is easy to be a vegetarian. But even the Kashmiri brahmins eat meat in northern India, so clearly religion isn't the issue here.
How does one determine the sufficient number of grams of protein to consume every day for their individual needs?
This is a difficult question as it depends on the individual constitution, genetics and strength of digestion. The range for protein needs seems to range from from 10%-30% of the diet. I believe we have to be open to experimenting with our protein needs and adjust accordingly. The winter is from the Ayurvedic perspective is the time to increase protein and fat intake and then less is needed in the spring and summer.
damn, I was hoping for a more educated article. I went to Dr. John Douillard's website which has a disclaimer on it about how it's "just his opinion". elephant, do you need to publish every quack you can find?
Why—you know any? Have them email quack@elephantjournal.com, we're waiting by the phones. ~ Waylon
Dear Dr Douillard, I would have appreciated you stating from the beginning of your article that it was written for a vegetarian audience (you draw your conclusions from your past experience and the vast majority of your patients who are vegetarians). There are many others unstated (or very poorly documented) assumptions in your article.
First, the vast majority of Americans( and Westerners) who crave sugar (and/or suffer from diabetes) are read meat eaters. Second, the main reason why in India cooking is a full time job for one (or more) person(s) in the family, is not because of their vegetarian diet! In my country (Rwanda and Congo were I grew up) cooking does take even more time in rural areas and it is not a vegetarian culture. Their is a cultural context that you are completely missing there (cooking for a huge family which includes extended family and daily visitors, the kitchen "equipment", etc.. and last but not least the importance given to food beyond nutrients)
Third, addressing a vegetarian audience (well this is not openly stated in your article) in a alarming tone and offering, as the first solution, eating read meat does not show consideration for their choice.
Fourth, except edema and fainting, a person eating a highly proteinic diet (based on flesh) would show all your listed symptoms of Severe Protein Deficiency (plus not so nice body odor and breath…to stay on the physical level)
Last but not least, the most acidic invisible food we (whatever our diets) absorb is stress.
Living (even eating an ethical vegetarian diet) always involves some suffering, but as yogis (or aspiring yogis) the idea is to minimize, minimize this suffering…
I cannot be grateful that somebody is killed to feed me and pay for that "service". It cannot serve my life to participate to killing friendly people. It cannot. That's why eating a vegan diet is easy. I am happy that in the USA, there are more and more people "leaning into veganism" (as would say K.Freston), spiritual masters and MD's who have accumulated science and experience in that field (ie Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine). It goes against many cultures to eat a vegetarian/vegan diet, and thanks God, Mother Nature can still offer us everything we need in the vegetal world…. maybe that will not last, but for sure, eating meat will only contribute to deplete her (and thus us).
Jeanine
PS: I have the utmost respect for His Holiness, and when I listen to him, he goes far in taking the responsibility of what is going on in Tibet…
Jeanine
Wonderful article. So thorough. Thank you!
PROPER SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT
Keep this in mind when observing the material being published by this blog author purported as “Dr. John Douillard, DC”.
Protein deficiency disease is called “Kwashiorkor” an african derived word. It is mainly seen in 3rd world countries such as South Africa, HIV AIDS patients, or patients that have had “stomach stapling” baryatric surgery that has artificially made their stomach the size of a walnut. It is so rare in the United States that it affects only 0.0000000026 of the population or barely 1 case in over 38 million 500,000 people. So IF you see any individual going around claiming huge numbers of people with signs of “Protein Deficiency” in the US and blaming it on some type of diet, be suspect that the individual is either possibly not a certified M.D., or that person if claiming they are fully knowledgeable on the subject, is intentionally posting falsified information.
PULLED FROM THIS BLOGGER’S ARTICLE: “Every winter I find myself treating an inordinate number of patients for protein deficiency.”-”Dr. John Douillard, DC”. This is very dubious and especially peculair. Especially considering that a “DC” or chiropractor is not supposed to be ‘treating’ anyone for the same things as an “MD” and this same individual “”Dr. John Douillard, DC” has disclaimers all over this article and apparently his web site stating that he does not engage in the treatement or cure of any disease, yet has just made the statement that he is engaging in exactly that act. In addition, it is quite peculiar that actual true cases of protein deficiency are So Rare in the U.S. as to not have one case of protein deficiency mortality seen in as much as 38 MILLION people, yet apparently all of a sudden there is an “amazing” cluster of cases that happen to be ‘popping up’ around his spa nee ‘clinic’, apparently self-diagnosed by him.
Since kwashiorkor is so rare, and apparently such a volume of cases of it are strangely appearing oddly right in his vicinity, the CDC and FEDERAL AUTHORITIES would be very interested to investigate this ‘doctors’ records on it, and wish to review his clinic’s documentation on these claimed cases. Apparently if true, it would be quite an odd ‘outbreak’ which could be of serious concern…or, it could be a fake claim by this individual in order to promote an agenda. In which case the investigation would uncover that too.
In the meantime, now that we know that apparently ‘vegetarians’ AND OTHERS having any incidence of kwashiorkor protein deficiency is 0.0000000026 of the population or barely 1 case in over 38 million 500,000 people, let us now check the number of cases of human death linked to meat:
NEWS: “MEAT EATING LINKED TO UP TO 45,000 DEATHS EACH YEAR”
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-famil...
(That’s just in the UK. And that’s not including all related diseases such as 12,470 + more deaths from H1N1 which is a zoonotic virus which is livestock animal derived, ecoli which comes from animals, AIDS traced to pursuit of meat, etc.)
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NEWS: “MEAT linked to Higher Risk of KIDNEY CANCER” – JOURNAL OF NEPHROLOGY
“Researchers found that people who frequently ate red meat were more likely to be diagnosed with Kidney Cancer”-study appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
NEWS: “Vegetarian Diet found Good for Kidneys” – MEDICALNEWSTODAY
“A grain-based vegetarian diet helps chronic kidney disease patients avoid accumulating toxic levels of phosphorous in their bodies, according to new research from the US. Dr Sharon Moe, of the Indiana University School of Medicine and Roudebush Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center in Indianapolis, and colleagues, write about their findings in a study due to be published this week in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.”- DOI:10.2215/CJN.05040610
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REPORT: “MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS LINKED TO MEAT, PORK FAT”
Nanji AA, Narod S. – Med H. 1986 Jul;20(3):279-82.
Results: “The relationship between prevalence rates of multiple sclerosis (MS) in several countries and the corresponding per capita consumption of fat, beef and pork was investigated. A significant correlation was obtained between prevalence of multiple sclerosis and fat intake (r = 0.63, p less than 0.01), total meat intake (r = 0.61, p less than 0.01) and pork consumption (r = 0.87, p less than 0.001)..The mechanism by which pork intake may increase the risk of developing MS is unknown and deserves further study.
-NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH
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NEWS: Meat Consumption found linked to Esophagus and STOMACH CANCER – NATURE
“Unprocessed Red meat intake was positively associated with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma” “heme iron intake (the type of iron found only in meat, and found in plain red meat, including hormone free grass-fed meat) had a suggestive increased risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma” “Individuals in the highest intake quintile of 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline DiMeIQx, (a compound formed in ALL meat, including non-processed, grassfed beef and organic meat as well) had an increased risk for gastric cardia cancer”
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NEWS: WHOLE GRAINS NOT LINKED TO CANCER IN WOMEN. GRAINS REDUCED THE RISK OF STOMACH CANCER IN MEN. MEAT FOUND LINKED TO CANCER. – NAT’L INST OF HEALTH NIH
Study: “Consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains has been associated with a REDUCED risk of stomach cancer in the majority of case-control studies” “A high overall plant food intake (a sum of vegetables, citrus fruit, and whole grains) was associated with reduced risk in men.” “Of individual foods examined, Liver [meat] consumption greater than twice/week was associated with an increased risk of fatal stomach cancer” Men vs Women: The study affirmed that whole grains do Not increase risk of stomach cancer in women, but also could not be depended upon by a meat eater to reduce it.
“This study supports the role of plant foods in reducing the risk of fatal stomach cancer in men.” Some vegetables increased risk, but probably by displacing the consumption of whole grain which was found to benefit. Summary: Whole grains did Not cause cancer. In women grains had No effect, but liver, a paleo diet meat, did increase the risk of fatal stomach cancer in women. The results showed that Whole grains even modestly reduced the risk of human stomach cancer in men.
-NIH
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NEWS: “Eating GRAINS can lower the chance of Colon Cancer by 1/5th” – TELEGRAPH UK
Report: “The researchers, from Imperial College London and the Danish Cancer Society, concluded that “a high intake of dietary fibre, particularly from cereal and whole grains, is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer”. “For every 10 gram increase in total dietary fibre, the risk of bowel cancer dropped by another 10 per cent.”
Fibre is only in non-animal products (fibre is vegetarian). Steak contains no fiber and a diet of meat, even grassfed beef, is deficient and can lead to cancer deaths. Lowcarb, Atkins, and Paleolithic diets are also deficient in grains and thus are missing this protection.
-IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF LONDON
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NEWS: “Red Meat found linked to Colon Cancer” – OXFORD JOURNAL
“In summary, our results suggest that high dietary heme-iron intake [the oxidative type of iron found in beef] may increase the risk of proximal Colon Cancer”.
“After adjusting for each micronutrient, the relative risks for proximal colon cancer increased more than two-fold from heme iron.” “Heme iron, a pro-oxidant, is thought to be carcinogenic.”
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SCIENCE DAILY: “Charred MEAT May Increase Risk Of Pancreatic Cancer”
ScienceDaily (Apr. 22, 2009) — Meat cooked at high temperatures to the point of burning and charring may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009.
-AACR
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NEWS: “Meat consumption during adolescence among premenopausal women and risk of Breast Cancer.”
“Red meat consumption during early adult life has been associated with breast cancer..A significant linear association was observed with every additional 100g of red meat consumed”
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NEWS: “Vegetarians have lower risk of Cancer of the Pancreas” – NUTRITION M.D.
“The risk for pancreatic cancer also appears to be lower in persons who eat more fiber [grains], fruits, and vegetables, and in persons following vegetarian diets.”
“Studies of dietary patterns in relation to the risk for pancreatic cancer indicated that beans, lentils, [legumes], vegetarian protein sources, peas, and dried fruits significantly reduced risk for pancreatic cancer.”
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SCIENCE: Red meat again linked to cancer risk: Study – NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
Results: “The study adds to an ever increasing list of bad news for red and processed meat, following a previous study from the NCI that reported high intakes of red and processed meats may raise the risk of lung and colorectal cancer by up to 20 per cent. “Red and processed meat may be positively associated with prostate cancer via mechanisms involving heme iron, nitrite/nitrate, grilling/barbecuing, and benzo[a]pyrene,” concluded the National Cancer Institute scientists.
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If you observe ANY blog writer, making widespread claims about “protein deficiency” especially in first world countries such as the U.S. inspect the article writer’s other material for links to what’s been identified as an extremist front-group called the “WAPF”, also known as the Weston A. Price “foundation”. This is a fringe group that is paid by the meat and farm industry to promote meat sales, false medical claims, anti-vegetarianism, etc. You may also find such bloggers publishing other false WAPF information such as unscientific information about supposed Dangers of Soy (found to be a hoax), and articles trying to subtly get vegetarians or vegans to ingest pieces red meat or ‘convert’, and articles enticing people to ingest ‘RAW MILK’ (unpasteurized, so it contains bacteria) which has killed several children and sickened multiple Americans. The group for some reason often enlists chiropractors as well as ‘holistic dentists’. If you observe this ‘doctor’ having posted any of these other items, beware that the above article author may be intentionally publishing false medical information which could be potentially dangerous to your health or to that of your child.
Please be aware of it.
[A report has been filed for investigation within the next several months into whether this blogger has actually been diagnosing claimed volumes of individuals with said incidence of kwashiorkor.]
Thanks for posting this. Kwashiorkor is not just a protein defiency but a lack or calories that leads to low protein levels, up your calories and eat lots of greens then there is no possibility for a defiency
We are Humans. We are HUNTERS and GATHERERS. Meat and Veggies are what we are made of. BALANCE!
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People, RELAX. No need to freak out here- There has to be a middle ground and there has to be acceptance.
I used to be a fanatical vegan, PETA protester (for 12 years)- I once ordered over 1,000 Meat Your Meat pamphlets and spent my day walking around mall parking lots sticking them on people’s windshields.
I used to say, “I would rather die than eat an animal” as well as preach the China Study and all the other research that claims eating meat essentially kills you (You can find research to support just about any opinion/idea you find yourself clinging to)
However, when I put my emotions aside I was able to really come to a more balanced place. I kept reading, kept learning, kept educating myself. I was wondering why, when I was doing everything so ‘perfect’ (sprouted nuts, seeds, grains, raw smoothies, raw protein powder, b12 supplements, all organic, nutritional yeast) with my diet, I was so completely sick (all the symptoms of protein deficiency).
I came to realize (thank-god) that I was extremely deficient in many vital nutrients and protein. I started adding grass-fed dairy, pasture eggs and organic whey, and felt slightly better- but not until making the heart-wrenching decision to eat meat again did I start to regain my health.
Everyone is different- mentally, physically, there are so many factors. Some can thrive on a balanced vegetarian diet, others cannot. And, while I would love to believe, as one commentor said, that with our thoughts we can rise above any dietary need, that is simply not 100% true. You cannot alter what your body needs. This is exemplified by purists who have attempted to live off the air. It just doesn’t work no matter what level of enlightenment you are at. We have physical bodies, with physical needs. We need to respect this.
The focus should be on doing what we need to stay healthy and listening to our bodies. It should also be on choosing to nourish ourselves with food that is sustainably sourced, raised, etc. and animal products that are produced responsibly and as humanely as possible- a good source for finding food that fits this ticket in your area: http://www.eatwild.com/
Did you think about increasing your calories? Did you try to combine your foods better? In my opinion eating meat is the easy option and the easiest isn't the best. Why is it then that in the US people with the longest life expectancy are vegetarians and vegans? Such a shame that you took the easy route after being such a "fanatical" vegan
I think it is important to remind people that red meat is only as healthy as the cow it came from. Really do your research to make sure that the cow wasn't fed sub-par byproducts, GMO corn, antibiotics and raised in filthy, overcrowded conditions. We are what we eat, and so are animals. You can't expect to be healthy by eating meat from unhealthy sources, and it is difficult to find quality meat unless you know the farmer or raise it yourself.
Extremely interesting blog post thanks for writing it I have added your blog to my bookmarks and will check back.
Suppose all the protein in the world doesn't solve your "protein deficiency".
Having been treated for hereditary high blood cholesterol for over 15 years with statin drugs, my "protein deficiency" increased my cravings for carbohydrates big-time. My waistline girth increased.
Not too long later I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Had I remained obese (despite being underinsured), it would have been diagnosed well over year sooner … because American doctors fear the fat person's comorbidities the most.
And I know this from my blogsite where I blog about nutrition.
Unstable blood sugar could be a symptom of something lifelong, and not a cause of diabetes or a marker of "protein deficiency" … such as former obesity, and rampant major weight cycling – which I had done …
I'm really shocked that protein defiency is still being labeled as an illness. There is no techinal name for protein defiency therefore it doesn't really exist. Every food contains protein, in the winter wouldn't it be more correct to say we crave more calorie dense foods therefore carbs. However what is connected to animal protein is cancer, strokes, impotency, fatigue etc etc etc. How can you say that red meat is medicinal when you are putting death into your body and putting something toxic which means that it is not meant to be eaten. Have you read the China Study or at least watched Forks over Knives?
I just started using the shake. i been feeling full so i am sure i will loose some weight. i have been exercising every day aswell…
Thank you for your comments. My point is that there are many folks who just not thriving on a vegetarian diet. Perhaps they switched too fast but this is just an opportunity for them to self evaluate and be sure are not missing protein.
I wrote this article only because I see it so frequently and it is good for all of us to be sure if they are not feeling well to rule out protein deficiency
One the deficiency is ruled out or resolved then perhaps they will resume their vegetarian diet and thrive in the way you are
Thx for listening
John
Yes I couldn't agree more
And many folks have a balanced diet and get into trouble
The red meat is only an 2 week option used to rebuild protein reserves
Once deficiencies are ruled out then a balanced diet as you suggest is all that is needed
Thx for your response
John
What's EP?
Good on ya Lyn
Amen! Thanks for the respectful comment. We looove constructive debate—we all can learn from one another. I'm vegetarian (easy for me), and have seen studies that show that most Americans get way tooo much protein. ~ Waylon
Thanks for the respectful criticism. I'd love to hear a respectful, informed response on this—I'm veggie myself and have seen studies showing USers get way too much protein, overall. ~ Waylon