Which Diet Will You Choose?

I don't think our society has ever been more driven toward becoming health conscious than it is now. I work in a library, so I often see new books on one diet or another pop up. I have to admit it. They are fun to read. But, fun or not, the books and diets don't always mesh with one another. In fact, some are quite diametrically opposed to the others and the reader then becomes confused - very confused.

For the last several years I have followed a vegetarian diet on top of the gluten-free one I had adopted prior to that. Once I noticed I was having some problems digesting milk proteins, I began to phase that out as well, leaving my diet very close to a vegan one. 

I liked the diet. I felt good with it. 

I hate to eat meat. I have never liked meat and have always had to psyche myself up before having it. Milk stuff did bad things to me. And I love veggies and fruits.

So, in essence, what I was having was a whole foods plant based diet, but I didn't know that was the term to use. I was Okay with that, but my family was not. And herein lies the problem.

Buying vegan foods (and gluten-free because I have to live that way) is expensive, that is if one has to buy meat and all of the junk that goes with an omnivore lifestyle. 

I had trouble buying everything on our budget, so I found that my diet was limited - and I maybe wasn't getting all of the nutrients that I should have been getting, and would have if I'd had more variety.

So a couple of years ago I read Grain Brain and Wheat Belly. Both of those books denounce grains and encourage people to eat an omnivore diet. I forced myself to let go of grains and focus on healthy fats (and, in my opinion, not so healthy fats with cheese and meats). 

I got sick. Something happened in my stomach or small intestines in the middle of the night and I felt like I was having an intense gall bladder attack - only I don't have a gall bladder, having had that taken out close to 20 years ago.

After a few months passed, I was in the hospital having tests done. The residual effects of that five hour stomach episode were extreme dizziness and nausea. Needless to say, the Upper GI showed a lot of acid/bile damage and GERD, but the hope is that it will heal. The medication I am taking makes me a bit nervous about my future health. Yes.....I am a firm believer in taking medicines only when completely necessary. I don't even take acetaminophen for headaches, opting to tough it out or take a nap instead.

Well, that was a year ago and I am still on the medication and still healing. But I'm getting better and still hope to get off the troublesome medicine soon.

Last month, I read The Whole30. It sounded good to me. You see, I want off of the medicines really, really badly and realy, really soon. I was grasping at straws. I tried the Whole30 diet. You're supposed to go on the diet for 30 days and then follow a Paleo diet after that - which, when you look closely, is just another form of the Atkin's diet, just a little more fruit friendly.

So, I gagged on eggs and forced myself to take in meat. With the program, you can't have any carbs other than some fruit. You eliminate dairy. You basically just eat meat, eggs, vegetables, and fruits. But the focus is heavily upon meat, meat, meat. You center your food around the meat. Always the meat.

And I caved in after six days. I couldn't handle it. I chucked it. I already knew that dairy and gluten were bad for my particular body. I was now dreading eating because I hate eggs and meat and especially love legumes (legumes are disallowed for the first 30 days and then limited). 

And I was feeling worse than ever. I know; the diet is meant to be done over 30 days and sometimes you feel worse before you feel better. At least that is what the book says. I just couldn't get that far.

So I am now back on my vegetarian, low-fat diet. I eat lots of legumes and I remain 101 pounds. I allow a little soy, which is not exactly the evil food it has been made out to be. I keep it limited - I refuse to eat processed foods with processed soy unless it is kept a secret from me. 

The bottom line is that you should eat what is best for you. Personally, I believe that dairy proteins are dangerous and meats, if eaten, should be grass-fed or free-range and only in limited amounts. I don't think fat, in excess, is ever good for anyone. 

Talk to a nutritionist, your doctor, and/or pray about it. Your gut feeling is usually right.