AIBU to quit vegetarianism after 10 months?

[Crystal15]

Please don't flame me if you're a veggie! But I'm seriously considering this now. My health is in a bad way, I have low iron and low b12 despite supplements.

My doctor didn't push me into anything but my health made me realise we as humans can't survive in optimal health without animal products. I mean there is no decent substitute for omega 3 at all from fish. Our bodies without certain nutrients will fail us won't they?!

Although I now see this there is still a block in my mind, sadness for the animals suffering I guess. If I could afford organic free range meat I would feel at ease but that's not an option on my income hmm.

So, should I eat meat? Would you? I'm aware this is my decision but it's driving me insane trying to decide by myself.

[Oliversmumsarmy]

I went vegetarian 31 years ago and I have never had an iron supplement or vitamin b12 supplement in my life. DD and ds have never eaten meat and are both 5ft 10"+. According to a friends husband we should be dead or very very ill.

I think you are over thinking things. I eat beans, Quorn and soya, dc eat eggs (from friends chickens) and cheese and lots of fruit veg and yoghurts. They also eat chocolate and chips and cola.
It seems to work for us. However I have known a few vegetarians who like you got wrapped up in vitamin content and ended up giving up.

You have to do what feels right for you.

[refractalicious]

I would go back to eating meat until after your pregnancy. After that though why not consider fish plus organic meat occasionally as a way round the farming problem?

[clairesmooncat]

I'm a veggie and I won't flame you for eating meat if thats what you need to do but like a previous poster said perhaps consider using only humane sources of meat and eat it once a week rather than daily, Better for you that way too.

I would also like to point out that a balanced vegetarian diet shouldn't leave you deficient. It is also possible that you have an issue with absorbing nutrients from your food and if this is the case it won't change if you eat meat now.

I see you use B12 flakes in your food this us unlikely to make any real difference, you need a sublingial high strength form Image result for best form of b12 Methylcobalamin is good and you also need to take it with a good quality B vitamin complex and also iron tablets.

Also things like drinking wine, tea or milk can have an effect on absorbing nutrients from your food as well as the health of your gut microflora so a good pro/prebiotic supplement and perhaps adding something like Kefir to your diet would help. Loads of B12 in that!

[Famalam13]

You absolutely can get enough iron from a veggie diet. My mw was stunned by my iron levels, higher than the average meat eaters.

I agree that your GP should be looking for underlying reasons regarding your deficiencies.

Omega wise try algae oil, it's where fish originally get their omega from :)

[Lifegavemelemons]

Eat what you like!

I was strictly veggie for 25yrs, never took a supplement - had three trouble free pregnancies. The DC were all brought up veggie then allowed to choose when primary age. They all ate meat for a while, now as adults I have two vegans and a veggie while I am the one who will eat meat if it's put in front of me. Very rare though - I had a fish stew at a friend's house last month but am pretty sure the last meat / chicken I had was last Christmas.

Given how many healthy vegans and vegetarians there are in the world I would suggest this might not be a problem with vegetarianism as such, I.e. You might need to continue to be watchful even when you start eating meat again. Good luck in finding a diet that works for you.

[MarklahMarklah]

I add nutritional yeast to one meal per day (it's all the B vitamins) and I "top up" with a sachet of SpaTone if I'm feeling tired.
I understood that the Omega 3/Omega 6/Omega 9 that is available in fish is actually derived from the algae that the fish eat. I have, in the past, taken an omega supplement.

I've been veggie for many years and although I have had times when my iron was low, I haven't been anaemic.
I hated iron tablets - they're too strong for my stomach. Post-delivery I had a massive argument with a ward sister about this as she though I was refusing to take medication. Having just had an EMCS there was no way I could run to the toilet every 15 minutes, and I told her so, loudly. Eventually she got the message and I was prescribed liquid iron which is easier to digest.

[Middleoftheroad]

I have been a veggie for 28 yrs since I was 15 and am rarely ill and in good health so I disagree about your point that humans cannot sustain a meat free diet to be healthy.

However I would never flame anyone for their choice - and it is a choice. I find it is the meat eaters who usually demand to know why I am a veggie. Yawn. Each to their own.

[Famalam13]

Also people think they need a lot more protein than they do. I think the second episode of the latest series of 'Eat Well For Less' covered it.

However what you eat is entirely your choice, do what you want and ignore everyone else :)

[iggi999]

yabvu for reasoning that because something doesn't work for you it means it is unhealthy for everyone - "we as humans can't survive in optimal health without animal products". That aside you should eat what you want. Who is telling you not to?

[Middleoftheroad]

Sorry I see you are pregnant.

When I was pregnant with twins I was given iron tablets but they made me constipated. I gave up on them and had 2 healthy boys at 39.5 weeks (i swear they woulda stayed in longer if not for the CS!)

[expatinscotland]

I'd try eating fish/going pescaterian first.

[Idefix]

As others have said iron deficiency and b12 happen to meat eaters too. So adding meat/fish may not have the desired effect.
Can really recommend iron rich water as a non sick/black poo inducing method to increase iron. I don't know if it can be taken in pregnancy though.
Omega 3 (ala) can be found in foods like flaxseeds/oil.

I am not a vegetarian but limit my intake to certain types of red meat and only eat it a couple of times a month. Is this maybe an option for you?