Vegetarian and anaemic - eating meat?

[Cantdoright1]

I've been vegetarian for 33 years. Initially because of animal welfare but don't like taste of meat either. I have Crohn's and have issues with anaemia. Last year my anaemia got bad so I ate meat for about 3 months. Only ham that didn't have the preservatives on as im more at risk of stomach cancers due to Crohn's. As soon as my blood test was nearly norm I gave up the meat. Now I find myself in the same situation with bad anaemia again. I have 2 young kids and im struggling with energy. So I've found meat that's preservative free and is free range birth to death so as ethical as can be. I've tried some of the pork sausages tonight and they actually taste nice. But I can't get past feeling it's murder and seeing a pig in my head. I just don't want to eat meat. Has anyone been a long term vegetarian and moved over to eating meat and if so have you any helpful advice you can give me. Im on iron supplements and eat lentils etc.

How about shellfish - is that anymore palatable to you than meat?
DD eats a plant based diet and can be prone to anemia, there is lots she can eat to boost it, green leafy veg (spinach smoothies!) fortified bread and cereals and dark chocolate!

What did your GP or consultant suggest for the anaemia?

I'm surprised that iron supplements don't sort you out but a little heme iron does. How much iron are you taking every day?

Another one who'd prefer to be veggie or vegan but can't be long term for health reasons. Would recommend

-understanding that you are after all a member of an apex predator species
-a sense of ruthlessness in favour of your own survival and ability to be more functional, and if applicable, better able to look after others
-disregard meat that has bones and skin attached or generally seems like meat. Cook with mince rather than diced meat or whole chickens. It's also relatively cheap compared with other cuts even if you are buying organic. The texture will be more similar to veggie mince and you can make stuff like bolognese, chilli, cottage pie and so on.
-not wanting people to make a fuss that you aren't looking after yourself, and therefore getting on with it

• not something you can necessarily control yourself, but being friends with vegetarians or vegans who are clear that it's okay for you not to be, even if you and they still think a lot more people could be veggie than are.

I guess that you are already eating parma ham, as that doesn't have nitrites in it? The stringy bits might be offputting sometimes, but as something that doesn't need other preparation, it is convenient.

Thanks everyone.

I take 2 spatone a day as I cant tolerate iron pills. Im allergic to some fish so I stay away from all fish.

I find myself being secretive when eating meat. I don't even want my husband to see it or know. I won't tell anyone else im eating meat as I'll always go for the vegetarian option when in company as I will only eat meat from the farm I found.
I know I need to put my kids and myself first. We all need me to be functioning well and eating meat will most likely do that.

My GP told me that's it's common for vegetarians to get to a certain age and need to eat meat as they just can't absorb the iron from non meat sources. I'll have a colonoscopy again this year to see if I have any damage from my flares but I've been clear of flares for a good while and the anaemia has got worse over the last year or so. My consultant doesn't think it's due to internal bleeding.
Thanks penny and others.
I told a friend last year I had eaten meat and she made a big song and dance about me not being vegetarian anymore. It's such a part of my identity I was really upset. Even if I eat meat it's not because I want to.

I dunno Spatone. This suggests 2 sachets/day is 68% of estimated iron needs. But if you are baseline anemic, or have certain med conditions, or heavy periods, or you consume things that screw up iron absorption (like tannins in tea drink), then you will need still more iron.

Since eating meat upsets you that much I'd probably try 4 spatone/day, maybe that will work without meat.

Is your husband vegetarian too? Does he know about the medical advice and the extent to which you've been struggling with this? Is he good friends with any meat-eaters?

Sorry to hear your friend was like that. It's obviously a big change after 33 years, but the reason should have led to a more helpful reaction. "Permission" from a couple of vegan friends in particular (vegan since way before the recent trend) helped. Whereas a few years ago, one person, who wasn't even an actual vegetarian himself (one of those people who puts vegetarian on profiles but actually eats fish and chicken) managed to put me off eating meat again for a couple of years. If it's something you're predisposed to feel yourself it can be quite easy to be swayed.

These days, I have a stronger sense of self / self esteem and feel more hardened about it, and wouldn't be affected the same way. As far as I'm concerned it's in the same category as my thinking a lot fewer people should have cars, but I don't mean the people who'd still need them for disability reasons regardless of how much public transport was available.

When I was anaemic I was unable to absorb iron from supplements but was encouraged to try liver and onions or liver and bacon. I found chicken liver perfect. Tender, not too strongly flavoured and just one was a whole meal with vegetables. It is important to read up about food combinations as e.g. spinach needs to be eaten with vit.C rich fruit or juice or the iron is not released.

You make your own choices about what works for you, sometimes compromise is the only way. I have had to take medication in gelatine capsules, I would rather not, but it's a health thing.
Assuming you have tried to get iron from vegetarian sources, then non vegetarian sources are the only way to go.
Have you tried the iron fish that goes in the cooking water? Could that help a bit?

I have got my haemoglobin levels up effectively with spa tone before now, and know others who swear by it too, but if it isnt working for you, I think it would be a good idea to seek advice from a nutritionist. Good luck.

Can you have an iron transfusion? I too am veggie and couldn’t in any way eat meat again. I was lucky tablets did the job for me but for you might be worth asking GP. They are BIG in Australia but not sure about UK

Hi OP

Pork (ham) seems like an odd choice of meat for a vegetarian trying to increase iron levels.

Have you tried all the iron-rich vegetarian foods alongside your Spatone, always ensuring you eat the iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods or drinks and avoiding dairy and caffeine alongside the iron? If not, I would personally try this long before resorting back to meat, especially after 33 years.

Egg yolks
Green leafy vegs
Dried raisins, apricots and prunes
Beans, pulses and lentils
Fortified cereals and breads
Red peppers and chillis
Cashew nuts
Tofu
Pumpkin seeds
Dark cohoclate
Molasses
Potato skins
Peas
Oats
Quinoa...

If you already eat a decent diet, I would suggest that it's the Chron's causing the low iron. Doesn't Chron's cause problems with absorbing nutrients?

a friend of mine was in a similar situation. She researched the most ethical supplier of meat she could find locally and then has a specific amount a week, she regards it as a medicine. If she's away from home or eating out she won't eat meat as she doesn't know its provenance.

It's not ideal but it has worked, she is no longer anaemic.

I'd up the Spatone and increase vitamin C and B12.
Then consciously increase naturally iron rich foods.

Thanks rivertam. I think that's where I am now.
I will look at increasing the spatone too. I do each alot of iron rich vegetarian food but apparently there are 2 types of iron and the meat one is easier to absorb. Maybe it's the Crohn's. I have a plan from a nutritionist that has me eating meat 3 times a week and she thinks that will be enough. And it will be ethical meat I've got at home.

I have to admit I did cry last night that I'd eaten a pig. I won't eat beef as a friend's mum died from CJD. I could never eat lamb. I don't like the taste of chicken and it's low in iron anyway. I suppose I could look at sick maybe. I just wish I wasn't so sensitive to it. I'd love to be able to not care and eat it happily.

I meant duck not sick!

I'd do what blackink suggests, and if you follow what rivertam suggests, make sure you avoid dairy and tea and eat it with orange juice or vit c, and possibly a bit rare.

Wild Venison?

non-meat sources of ion are indeed more difficult to digest, you need to have something high in vitamin C at the same time to aid digestion but, as you say, with the Crohn's it might simply be that you're never going to be able to extract enough iron from non-meat sources.

I can imagine how hard and horrible this must be for you.

The crohns could be it too, deffo increase the Spatone.

Ironically weetabix has lots of iron but no idea how having it with milk affects absorption.

iron transfusions are hospital only in uk due to the (relatively high) risk of severe side effects.

they are only considered in extreme cases. and, frankly, if a dietary change can solve the issue, that should be tried first.

try thinking of meat at medicine.

I’m sorry you are struggling Cantdo.

Have you tried talking with a nutritionist? GPS are often still unfortunately somewhat biased in these situations so speaking with a nutritionist may benefit you more.

Also your GP is talking nonsense, there is absolutely no medical or scientific evidence to support his statement about people getting to a certain age and not being able to absorb iron from vegetables.
That’s just complete rubbish.

It is true that the human body is less efficient at absorbing nonheme iron, so you need to consume more, but since most people get the majority of their iron from nonheme sources it’s really a non issue.
You can you can hugely enhance iron absorption from spinach and other nonherme sources by eating vitamin-C rich food with it.

Assuming you haven't been vegetarian your whole life and you are several years older than 33, the chances of having been exposed to BSE between 1980-1986 are far far higher than that of it happening now when there is extensive testing and tiny numbers of cases.

And from a logical point of view, if you are consuming dairy products you are already eating products of cattle farming. TBH knowing a vegan who went straight from omni to vegan because lacto-vegetarianism doesn't make a lot of sense ethically (although it is much easier practically) has always helped a lot.

What about venison? It's expensive but if you are not on a very tight budget and are only eating meat a few times a week it will matter less. And as with beef, the meat from one big animal is making more meals than one small duck.

This says that Crohn's often causes all types of anemia.

IV Transfusions in worst cases.

Sounds like better management of the Crohn's might allow you to drop the meat.

I've been vegetarian since I was 11 and am now 44. When I first became vegetarian there was no Quorn etc so I probably didn't get much iron then. But I was young and coped with it. I have a much better diet now but am much more tired. My Crohn's is under control and I have been unmedicated for 8 months. I've had Crohn's 7 years and I believe stress bought it on. It could be impacting my iron absorption but I think mainly its age. Everything else seems to be packing up like hearing and eye sight 🤔. 😀.

Thanks everyone for being so supportive and giving me great ideas. I thought I'd get told to grow a pair and get on with it. I ordered some meat from an ethical farm yesterday and I feel they are going out to a field now to drag in a pig and kill it. I feel awful. But I've done all I can to make sure the pig had a good life and death. I'll get used to it in time and I'll see it as medicine so won't eat any meat other than the ethical stuff eaten at home. And I won't tell anyone except my husband.

For reference I drink almond milk with cereal so that should help iron and I take a few supplement too. And I have loads of but c. My kids and husband all eat meat. I get free range from the supermarket but will move them over to meat from the ethical farm if we can afford it.

Thanks again everyone. It's nice to know in not the only one in this position. X

I just found this which might be helpful:

https://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/ironfooddfactsheet.pdf

Also there was some new research on how best to take iron supplements last year; I'll try to find it.