Struggle with Paleo or Vegetarian vs "Normal" Diet

It is possible to buy meat, egg and milk products from humane, organic ranches and farms. I would look into that, I know Whole Foods carries these products. It's more expensive but if you are only having it a few times a week then it wouldn't be so bad.
However, being a vegetarian/vegan CAN be very healthy. I have a cousin who was raised as a strict vegetarian with very little dairy/eggs. She is 32 and is one of the healthiest people I know!

There are definitely ways around eating meat. I bet there are a ton of good sites out there that can help you. I don't want to scare you here but a vit D deficiencey is NOT good. Do you know that many breast cancer patients are found to be low in D at their diagnosis-me included. You need to take it seriously. I suggest supplementation and sunshine. And find a doctor who will work with you on this....many mainstream doctors poopoo vitamin deficiencies even though tons of research refutes it. I suggest finding an integrative specialist to sort you out.

First - I completely admire your decision and applaud you for making this big life style choice based on convictions.

My only suggestion would be - can you pursue dairy and meat options that are not from the food industry? For example, wild game? My dad was a hunter and we had venison all winter. Or look into small, local farmers? I'm sure there are farmers not too far away from you that have more humane practices. It would definitely be more expensive and harder to come by, but it would meet the requirement of not supporting the major food industry and you would be supporting small farmers.

Good luck, mama!

If your primary concern is the treatment of animals and quality of meat at large meat industry distributers, consider adding just 1 or 2 portions of organic, locally grown meat (poultry, red, or fish) into your diet each week. After all, few civilizations before ours in recent history have eaten so much meat.

No advice here sorry, but we try only buy organic (meat,milk, eggs, veggies and fruits at well ) I too have watched way too many documentaries , and they just make me more depressed .(a friend wanted me to watch one last week where they teach you how to do coffee enema to get rid of toxins in your liver), so I am done with those. What about water ??? (Our bodies are 80% water afterall) City water full of chemicals (do you know they reuse water from the toilets?) and bottle water is full of chemicals from plastics (even the organic ones).We even have Amish friends who live upstate NY in the middle of nowhere and even their well water is contaminated. AHHHHH you just can't win . We just do what we can and pray for the best:)

I'm not sure exactly what your question is, but will give you my 'take' on it as a 12+ year pescatarian.

Some of it's been made easy for me, as I developed lactose intolerance in my early twenties. Cow milk is not an option.

My seafood sources are all wild-caught, otherwise it's plants. My personal spiritual practice doesn't have to do with 'not eating meat' necessarily, it is really about not eating a creature that was forced to have a terrible life. I haven't developed the 'stomach' to eat humanely-raised animal meat, and by this, I mean the enzymes in my stomach. Had those options been more available when I first started out, I might have splurged financially (because humanely-raised food is more expensive) and kept them in the game. I don't know.

For me, I'm very aware that without all the great veggie options, I would likely not be able to support this diet long term. I do have to take supplements, too. We do eat lots of organic, happy hen eggs as a protein, as well as goat's cheeses. My son and husband are never restricted from eating meat, either. This is my choice, not theirs.

If you are trying to feel okay about some choices, consider finding a humane dairy in your area which sells fresh milk products. They do still exist. Look for free-range farmers-- ask around. It may be that you find a great farmer who treats their animals well, is humane at butchering time, and cares about creating a relationship between their customers and their product. You might need to do quite a bit of research, but they are out there.

No one can tell you what should feel right for you. I will likely stay with this diet for the rest of my life, because that's what feels good in my soul. You are very aware of your options and all the considerations one needs to make when feeding a family of growing children. Good luck!

I don't think humans are designed to eat CAFO meat to the degree that we are . . . but we are omnivores when it comes right down to it.

I would meet with a "holistic" minded nutritionist to figure out how to get the most out of the calories that you feed your children and yourself. I would also look at supplementation.

Good luck.

You're right that conventionally raised meat and dairy have problems. But you can eat meat and drink milk that are of the quality we've eaten for centuries, not as we've eaten the last few decades. I personally follow a traditional foods diet:
http://www.westonaprice.org

If you are a vegetarian by heart, then I recommend meeting with a dietitian to learn more about the nutrients and combining foods to ensure your family is healthy with the foods that you choose to eat.

I believe B12 is the hardest to hit and I make sure my son has a multi-vitamin each day that includes a healthy dose of B12.

I do believe we should not worship the sun and we do use sunscreen responsibly...BUT, personally in my family, we all allow ourselves an hour of early morning direct sunlight without sunscreen. I protect us, my son has never even hinted at a burn, but I believe the sun is needed for healthy Vit D levels.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I have a friend who's been a vegan for almost 20 years. She's perfectly healthy. You'll have to research vegan alternatives to various nutrients you are deficient in due to your meat and dairy restriction. Alternatively, you can go organic. Remember, even fruits and vegetables can be unhealthy choices depending on their farming methods. Google 'the dirty dozen' of fruits and vegetables. If you eat seafood, stay away from farmed ones. The nice thing about living in Los Angeles is there is a plethora of health food stores. Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts, Henry's, Wild Oats, to name a few of the popular ones.

I live in the NY metro area and within about a 3-4 hour drive there are organic beef farmers from whom I could buy beef in large quantities. They use old fashioned methods and treat their cattle well. I have to assume you can find something within a few hours of LA and do the same. It would require the investment of a freezer - and a drive in the country every so often to go pickup your meat... But you will have nutrition problems if you are going to be a vegan. I have an acquaintance who has her masters in nutrition, worked for a large hospital designing patient diets - she was a vegan for many years. She knew how to combine her amino acids, etc to get the needed balance. But she was still always deficient. Before she got pregnant her doctor-husband told her she better start having animal protein becuase he wanted healthy babies. Now she has some meat, chicken or fish a few times a week. Her kids are teens - they all eat meat. she's much healthier and has opted to buy her animal protien at stores that only buy from farms that are kind to their animals. Beware it's generally very expensive.

use a local butcher shop.....it's soooo much fresher & better tasting!

Cost-wise, we find we are saving $$ by buying in bulk + are avoiding the additives. Be sure to check out the butcher shop's supplier. In our case, small town...local livestock....clearly-posted signage in the shop puts my mind at ease.

I would add a little fish to your diet amoung the supplements. Salmon and tuna are wonderful!

yes b12 can be a deficiency with vegetarians. vitamin D and iron are common deficiencies with any american. I am all for a plant based diet, but I don't do it strictly. I have dozens and dozens of completely vegetarian friends who have never and will never touch meat. Vitamin deficiencies are not a rampant issue. But if you are feeling like you are lacking nutritionally, then just add a little meat, once a week or so.

Add some fish or grass fed and humanely raised beef to your diet. You can do a herd-share or buy a cow of your own through a local farmer and you can speak to them ahead about their process of raising and slaughtering. There are also other methods to get more nutrition from what you eat. I think soaking your rice and beans for a period of time is one method. Look at a book called "Nourishing Traditions." There is also a book available (and I'm sorry I can't remember the name of it) that details how to get more needed nutrients from a vegetarian diet. The book is referenced in Dr Junger's "Clean" book. I understand your struggle with trusting the food industry! Unfortunately many of the problems are not just with the animals either. Watch Food Matters and you'll be off veggies and tofu too! :) So many chemicals! We raise a few chickens for eggs and meat and grow our own garden. The chickens are easy to maintain and well cared for! Eggs are a great source of B vitamins and iron. If you can raise chickens you can find a small, local farmer who does. Drink almond milk and get lots of sun for your vitamin D. We also buy a grass fed cow each year. We know the farmer personally and it is cheaper than the grocery store.

Im not sure how that's possible, I'm a vegetarian and I know quite a few vegetarians. We are all miles healthier than our meat eating counterparts.

Perhaps you dived into the diet eating too much mock meat, or merely eliminating meat and only eating more of your typical sides. Part of going vegetarian is an opportunity to look at the world with a new fascination with the bounty of fresh food ideas it provides. The more colorful your food the better off you will be.

However, with the farming the way it is today it is always advisable , no matter how good you eat, to take a multivitamin.

I'm a meat eater, though I keep it to a minimum. I'm not trying to convince you to be a vegetarian. But if you feel strongly about it, I would 1st try to correct the deficiencies by making necessary adjustments, rather than abandoning the whole idea.

I'm sure you've done a lot of research on vegetarian diets. Some of the absorbtion has to do with what combinations you eat the food in. Some things are fat solluable, so they have to be eaten with fats, such as avocado or olive oil. Some things are only absorbed if eaten with a protien. You'll be able to find all that online. You can increase the amount of tofu and legumes you eat. Drink almond and soy milk fortified with extra d and c. ALso, nutritional yeast flakes can be shaken on all your savory foods to boost the nutrition.

Hi J M! I am a former vegetarian/vegan and my parents were vegan for about 10 years.
I ate probably better than any vegetarian and my parents made the most amazing vegan food imaginable. They researched their diet and by all rights, their diet lacked nothing, and they didn't eat ANY processed food, but after time, their bodies began to suffer from their lifestyle.

It is absolutely possible to suffer poor health effects from a vegetarian/ vegan diet. My parents aged rapidly and suffered severe dental decay due to their lifestyle. The very diet that helped them in the beginning was killing them, literally.
They added organic eggs, fish and cheese back into their diets and my mother soon added organic, locally raised beef and chicken into her diet. Their health improved dramatically, as did my dad's mood (he had been so, so, so crabby!). My mom and dad have started looking younger again too! :)

Some people can live their entire lives without meat or animal by-products. The fact is that each body is different and you need to listen to your body.

The conventional meat and dairy industry is horrifying, to be sure, but there are ways to bypass them completely! We buy from small local farms that are dedicated to quality and take care to make sure their animals are in the best environment possible. It doesn't need to cost huge amounts of money, either! We spend less on our grocery bill than our friends who buy conventional, so it's possible to live healthy without spending your life savings! :)

Definitely get some nutritional counseling to help you provide what your children NEED.
Have you tried serving fish?

I substitute my meat for fish products. I do have a Very low Iron. I dont however cut the meat out of my children's diet, but its not like they eat it. My daugther who's turning 3 doesnt eat any meat if given to her, she prefers her veggies n fruits. My 2yr old eats anything lol! But isnt a big fan of meat either. So if I could them a meal with meat I get Ground Turkey or any Turkey products healthy choice.

I can't help you a whole lot because I like meat and don't particularly like veggies, so the vegetarian diet could never be for me!
I follow a great website called hip 2 save dot com and it is actually a coupon/money saving blog. She has recently gone on the paleo diet and frequently posts lots of recipes/stories about the switch. She does incorporate some dairy and meat into her eating. It might be worth looking at to get some ideas on new recipes.