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Post by bee on Mar 27, 2019 21:41:53 GMT
How many of you have been able to get off your meds and are healthier?
I am on no meds, it is just a question I had after watching a documentary this afternoon.
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Post by cathygeha on Mar 29, 2019 7:44:41 GMT
I am mostly vegetarian and often vegan but am still on meds. I think that has more to do with my weight being high and my age and heredity though. I am interested in the answer anyone else might have to offer too, bee,
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Post by bee on Mar 29, 2019 13:53:26 GMT
Thank you, Cathy!
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Post by surfgirl on Mar 29, 2019 18:22:07 GMT
bee , I think it would be difficult to gauge whether or not people came off their meds because of a vegetarian diet or not simply because we're not doctors and there are so many varying factors. I know people who are their ideal weight and very fit and yet they're on meds because of genetic issues like BP or thyroid issues, etc. I have eaten a vegetarian/lacto-veg diet for going on 24 years now and I am still on BP and thyroid meds, so that diet hasn't helped me get off them, it's genetic for me and runs in my family and they all pay no attention to what they eat but we're all in the same boat! What is able to reduce the need for some meds is losing weight, my doctor said even losing 10% of your body weight could contribute to lowering BP and in turn possibly reducing meds needed. But that's about losing weight overall, not what you eat to lose that weight. In terms of vegetarian/vegan diet and what it does that's good for our bodies, I view that more as I try to eat organic as much as I can so I reduce my exposure to pesticides and other things that might contribute to illness & issues down the road. And I have tried to reduce, to the extent it is possible, prepared & frozen foods so that I can control things like sodium, additives, preservatives, etc. But I don't do any of that in the hopes that it will reduce my need for the meds I'm on. I do it solely to fuel my body with nourishment from foods and beverages that are as close to their original form as possible so I get the most out of the nutrients they provide. That probably doesn't answer your question at all, but I think it would be really hard to tell if a vegetarian diet helped one get off their basic meds because there are so many other variables like weight loss/gain, what type of foods you eat, etc. Look at it this way, if you ate mostly prepared and/or fast vegetarian food and you had high BP, I don't think it would help you reduce your BP meds because of all the sodium you would be consuming.
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Post by bee on Mar 29, 2019 20:43:39 GMT
Surfgirl, I understand what you are saying about BP and weight. I ate my way out of a BP med back in 2007, never to need it again.
I tend to be a tad different from you, and I eat like I eat to keep from being on a med. And I am not a vegetarian; although I do not eat a lot of meat. Just never cared for it. I also don't do a lot of dairy --- just the mini BabyBels.
I am 78 years old, and my only health problem, outside of being handicapped from a car wreck 33 years ago, is cancer under my right eyelid.
Thanks for answering me. You voiced it all very well.
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Post by dinkous on Mar 30, 2019 11:51:35 GMT
Hello, I am new here. I am inching toward a plant based diet. I have eliminated dairy because I am actually allergic to the proteins in cows milk, but that’s another story.
I evidently have some food sensitivities because of eczema and other problems. I like Michael Pollan’s quote “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”
I loved your posts on favorite recipes and will use many of those. Thanks.
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Post by surfgirl on Mar 30, 2019 23:06:31 GMT
Surfgirl, I understand what you are saying about BP and weight. I ate my way out of a BP med back in 2007, never to need it again. I tend to be a tad different from you, and I eat like I eat to keep from being on a med. And I am not a vegetarian; although I do not eat a lot of meat. Just never cared for it. I also don't do a lot of dairy --- just the mini BabyBels. I am 78 years old, and my only health problem, outside of being handicapped from a car wreck 33 years ago, is cancer under my right eyelid. Thanks for answering me. You voiced it all very well. I am thrilled to hear that you ate your way out of taking BP meds and I can only hope I am as successful as you are on that front, good for you!
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Post by mackenzie on Jul 19, 2019 14:27:02 GMT
bee , I think it would be difficult to gauge whether or not people came off their meds because of a vegetarian diet or not simply because we're not doctors and there are so many varying factors. I know people who are their ideal weight and very fit and yet they're on meds because of genetic issues like BP or thyroid issues, etc. I have eaten a vegetarian/lacto-veg diet for going on 24 years now and I am still on BP and thyroid meds, so that diet hasn't helped me get off them, it's genetic for me and runs in my family and they all pay no attention to what they eat but we're all in the same boat! What is able to reduce the need for some meds is losing weight, my doctor said even losing 10% of your body weight could contribute to lowering BP and in turn possibly reducing meds needed. But that's about losing weight overall, not what you eat phenq to lose weight. In terms of vegetarian/vegan diet and what it does that's good for our bodies, I view that more as I try to eat organic as much as I can so I reduce my exposure to pesticides and other things that might contribute to illness & issues down the road. And I have tried to reduce, to the extent it is possible, prepared & frozen foods so that I can control things like sodium, additives, preservatives, etc. But I don't do any of that in the hopes that it will reduce my need for the meds I'm on. I do it solely to fuel my body with nourishment from foods and beverages that are as close to their original form as possible so I get the most out of the nutrients they provide. That probably doesn't answer your question at all, but I think it would be really hard to tell if a vegetarian diet helped one get off their basic meds because there are so many other variables like weight loss/gain, what type of foods you eat, etc. Look at it this way, if you ate mostly prepared and/or fast vegetarian food and you had high BP, I don't think it would help you reduce your BP meds because of all the sodium you would be consuming. I don't understand why all doctors say that "even losing 10% of your body weight could contribute to lowering BP"? I changed my diet several years ago, from being a non-vegetarian, I became a vegetarian. Followed the doctors advice but still my BP did not lower. Now, it has been almost 5 years since I became a vegetarian. 5 years ago my weight was not what it is right now. Now I have gained 30 lbs so in fact staying vegetarian (I don't have a problem with that at all, it is my lifestyle now) have made me gain a lot of weight. I don't think I can get off my meds any time soon. Another issue that I am facing now is that no matter how much I diet or try to exercise, I am not even able to lose 1 lb. I am having a plateau now. So, I guess, you are absolutely right genetic's is the main culprit behind all this.
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Post by Holly Gail on Jul 19, 2019 23:27:00 GMT
Are you eating a lot of pasta made from enriched flour? breads made from enriched flour? Either/both may be at least one cause of weight gain...
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Post by mackenzie on Jul 20, 2019 9:16:04 GMT
Are you eating a lot of pasta made from enriched flour? breads made from enriched flour? Either/both may be at least one cause of weight gain... I don't eat pasta but I eat bread because without it I feel like I don't have any energy. I even tried giving it up for 2 weeks but those 2 weeks were so difficult for me. I used to feel sleepy all the time. I don't know how I can stop eating it and still feel energetic? Any advice would be helpful!
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Post by Holly Gail on Jul 20, 2019 13:06:12 GMT
I didn't ask whether you eat bread. I asked whether the bread you eat is made from enriched flour. If so, try switching to a whole grain bread, preferably 100% whole grain (example: 100% whole wheat bread). It's so much more filling than "white bread" can ever be. Do you know the difference between "enriched" and "whole grain"? The whole wheat berry has something like 22 nutrients. When they "enrich" the wheat, they remove all 22 nutrients and add 4 back in. If you lost your wallet with $22 inside and later it was found with $4 inside, would you feel "enriched"? Same thing with wheat. Just because the packaging says something about "wheat" doesn't mean it's WHOLE wheat. MAJOR difference. Eating 100% whole wheat not only gives you all 22 nutrients, but it keeps you full longer.
What about protein? If you eat animal protein, do you eat lean proteins? The body requires protein to thrive. Typically, carbohydrates give quick energy while protein gives slower, longer-lasting energy.
Fats: eating zero fat is not a good idea, but eating just any kind of fat isn't good either. Healthy fats, like what's in real avocados and/or raw (or dry-roasted) nuts (without going overboard; maybe an ounce rather than a whole bag) will provide the body with "good" fats and keep the body going longer than almost anything else.
Do you know about sparkpeople.com? myfitnesspal.com? skinnyms.com? The first two have tons of articles about how to eat in a healthy fashion; the third has mostly recipes (healthy ones) but also a lot of articles about how to eat in a healthy fashion. Take a look if you haven't. You can subscribe to their emails if you want them delivered to you instead of having to go to their websites.
Are these okay for a start?
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Post by surfgirl on Jul 20, 2019 20:40:48 GMT
I don't understand why all doctors say that "even losing 10% of your body weight could contribute to lowering BP"? I changed my diet several years ago, from being a non-vegetarian, I became a vegetarian. Followed the doctors advice but still my BP did not lower. That's because a significant number of people experience that, but not everyone does.
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Post by mackenzie on Jul 24, 2019 14:33:44 GMT
I didn't ask whether you eat bread. I asked whether the bread you eat is made from enriched flour. If so, try switching to a whole grain bread, preferably 100% whole grain (example: 100% whole wheat bread). It's so much more filling than "white bread" can ever be. Do you know the difference between "enriched" and "whole grain"? The whole wheat berry has something like 22 nutrients. When they "enrich" the wheat, they remove all 22 nutrients and add 4 back in. If you lost your wallet with $22 inside and later it was found with $4 inside, would you feel "enriched"? Same thing with wheat. Just because the packaging says something about "wheat" doesn't mean it's WHOLE wheat. MAJOR difference. Eating 100% whole wheat not only gives you all 22 nutrients, but it keeps you full longer.
What about protein? If you eat animal protein, do you eat lean proteins? The body requires protein to thrive. Typically, carbohydrates give quick energy while protein gives slower, longer-lasting energy.
Fats: eating zero fat is not a good idea, but eating just any kind of fat isn't good either. Healthy fats, like what's in real avocados and/or raw (or dry-roasted) nuts (without going overboard; maybe an ounce rather than a whole bag) will provide the body with "good" fats and keep the body going longer than almost anything else.
Do you know about sparkpeople.com? myfitnesspal.com? skinnyms.com? The first two have tons of articles about how to eat in a healthy fashion; the third has mostly recipes (healthy ones) but also a lot of articles about how to eat in a healthy fashion. Take a look if you haven't. You can subscribe to their emails if you want them delivered to you instead of having to go to their websites.
Are these okay for a start?
Bread - Yes, I eat whole wheat bread and in fact I stopped eating white bread almost 14 years ago. Protein - As, I have turned vegetarian. I no longer eat animal protein (excluding dairy). To be very honest, my protein consumption is far lower than my carb consumption. As, you suggested that protein gives slow and sustained energy. I think, this is the issue with me so, I will surely try to reduce my carb consumption and increase protein consumption. Fats - I eat nuts and yes, I do consume a lot of cashews somewhere between 20 to 30 a day. I guess I am going over-board with it too. Websites - I have only known about myfitnesspal website, I will check out the other websites too. Thank you so much for all your advice. P.S - Being a vegetarian makes it difficult to choose the best protein sources.
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Post by Holly Gail on Jul 25, 2019 13:55:11 GMT
Being a vegetarian makes it difficult to choose the best protein sources Is this true? If you consume dairy, what about eggs? cheese? (yes, reduced fat or fat-free cheeses are both on the market) soy products? (a lot of my friends eat tofu and tempeh) When WW was Weight Watchers, there were brochures for vegetarians; you can ask at your meeting (workshop) if any are still available. It's not impossible to find good protein sources; beans (currently zero points!) come to mind. There are terrific recipes for black bean burgers; Cathy ( cathygeha , ) is a great source for some! As a matter of fact, she follows a mostly vegetarian diet and dabbles in vegan choices as well; perhaps she'll chime in with additional options for you!
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Post by cathygeha on Jul 26, 2019 4:57:14 GMT
mackenzie , Being vegetarian it is not difficult to meet 100% of your body's nutritional needs since animal products of eggs, milk and cheese are still okay to eat.
Being vegan can be trickier as no animal products are eaten. Here are a couple of websites with information:
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