How Eating Meat again is Changing My Health.
Hi, My name is Jessica and I’m a recovering Vegetarian! All jokes and dramatizations aside, I mean that. Eight years ago, the thought that my food used to walk, led me to cut out meat. It was a journey in itself trying to figure out what the bulk of my new diet would consist of. I went through all the stages, the vegetarian snacks as dinner, the just vegetables, even the fake nuggets. I struggled through until hitting wall after wall, forced me to introduce a new food. Tofu, Quinoa, Lentils, I still didn’t feel like I was getting a full grasp on a balanced vegetarian diet, but I was committed.
I thought I was doing myself a favor, and throwing one to the birds. Along with being freaked out about my food’s past, my stomach seemed to hurt and bloat every time I ate meat. Why wouldn’t you cut it out, right? But I didn’t do any research, I didn’t stop once to consider a different cause for my stomach discomfort or the potential downfalls of eliminating animal proteins. I pulled a Nike and “Just did it”
Fast forward from then to about 2 months ago, I’m sitting with my MS diagnosis of 2 1/2 years, a new brain and spinal lesion and the lowest energy I’ve ever had. At this point, I didn’t care how drastic the change had to be, I just knew it needed to come! I started the research I had previously missed. I found stories like mine!
I found people who had been vegan or vegetarian for 8-10 years saying it ruined them, that their gut was in total destruction. It felt good to not be alone, it felt awful to seem responsible for deciding the downfall of my health. Being upset with myself lasted for a minute but I knew that if I could hurt it, I could also help it.
Chick-fil-a grilled nuggets was my gateway back into the meat eating world, but don’t worry, I make much better decisions than that now. Turkey bacon at breakfast, Chicken on salad and maybe I’ll even work myself back up to an actual burger. I feel less stomach discomfort on a regular basis and am starting to see a strength that I haven’t had in a long time. I’m not ready to say that cutting out meat caused my MS, but I definitely wouldn’t do it again.
I believe one of the calls on my life is to be an advocate for healing, in multiple aspects, but we’ll camp out on health for now. I wouldn’t tell anyone else this is the right lifestyle for them, I know there are vegans who have cracked to code of getting enough nutrients and aren’t suffering in their own bodies, that’s great! I will say, there is a reason why the statement consult your doctor exist, an informed decision is the best decision. If I can help prevent anyone from landing where I did then I’m happy to take one for the team and learn that lesson the hard way!
Making Honey With Thyme 