Vegetarians make a number of valid points about the negative aspects of eating meat. It's true, unfortunately, that animals are treated inhumanely and that the use of hormones and antibiotics to raise them is widespread. Yet I find that eating some animal protein each week is the easiest way to keep your body in balance. See the recommendations below about the best kinds of animal protein to eat.
 |
| Anti Yeast Diet |
Vegetarianism is a personal choice that only you can make. If you decide to become a vegetarian, or already are one, educate yourself. Most of my vegetarian clients are unhealthy because they're not compensating for the nutrients they are lacking by avoiding meat - such as certain amino acids and B vitamins. Also, I find that their diets often contain excessive amounts of refined carbohydrates and sugar, which deplete vitamins and minerals and feed candida.
Animal Protein
During the digestive process, animal protein breaks down into amino acids, which your body needs for regenerating and repairing cells, tissues, and organs. Eating animal protein fewer than three times a week will create deficiencies in your body. Eating lean animal protein, such as chicken, turkey, and fish, is better than eating red meat. Eggs are also a good source of protein.
If you eat meat, make sure it is from free-range, grass-fed, antibiotic-free, and hormone-free animals as much as possible. Free-range animals are given more room to roam freely as opposed to being confined in small pens.
Red meat contains high concentrations of saturated fat and can increase inflammation in your body, so it's best to avoid it. Some body types, however, do well on small amounts of red meat, so if you do eat it, choose meat from grass-fed animals like buffalo or lamb and eat it only once a week. Listen to your body to feel if you're craving meat. When preparing red meat, cook it rare to medium-rare, as this leaves some active enzymes in the meat, which help you to digest it. The key is to make sure you are digesting the meat well. If you are not, use a protein digestive enzyme that contains HC1 and pepsin.
Avoid canned tuna and shellfish because of their high mercury levels. While all fish contain heavy metals, I feel that the benefits of fish as a good source of omega-3 fatty acids outweigh the negatives. Fish such as Pacific wild-caught salmon, tilapia, cod, and most other whitefish are acceptable when eaten in moderate quantities. Swordfish, mackerel, shark, and tilefish are highly contaminated with mercury and should be avoided.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that have not been bleached or stripped of their fiber. They include amaranth, barley, brown and wild rice, buckwheat, corn, kamut, millet, quinoa, oats, rye, spelt, teff, triticale, and whole wheat. Grains contain important B vitamins, which keep your nervous system in balance. They also have fiber to help you eliminate daily and keep your colon lining healthy. The grains I recommend least are corn and wheat because of people's high sensitivity and allergic reactions to them.
Good Fats
As I discussed earlier, there are major differences between good and bad fats. Your body needs good fats such as the omega-3s, omega-6s, and omega-9s because it uses them to coat every cell membrane, and the integrity of the membranes ensures the proper nutrition of your cells. Your body does not manufacture the omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) on its own and only manufactures a limited amount of omega-9s, so you must include them in your daily diet. Good fats help to regulate hormones, blood pressure, heart rate, and nerve transmission as well as reduce inflammation and pain.
Foods high in omega-3 essential fatty acids include deep-sea fish, dark leafy greens, coconut, flax, fish oil, hemp seed oil, krill oil, olive oil, raw nuts and seeds, and avocados. Unsalted organic butter contains small amounts of omega-3s as well as vitamin A and D. Even if you consume these foods, you still need to take an omega-3 supplement because you won't obtain enough through your diet. Omega-6 essential fatty acids are found in eggs, grass-fed meat, raw nuts and seeds, and safflower, sunflower, and hemp oils. The best source of omega-9 fatty acids is olive oil, but they can also be found in almonds, avocados, and sesame off.
Saturated fats from foods such as eggs, coconut meat and oil, butter, ghee (clarified butter), raw goat cheese, and grass-fed meat are beneficial in small quantities. These foods contain important vitamins and minerals, but you should eat them in moderation because large quantities can make the body acidic. Don't be fooled by the claims made about all the low-fat foods on the market and think they are good for you - they contain high concentrations of chemicals and refined sugars, which are unhealthy for your body. To find out more, you can check out Anti Yeast Diet.