posted
I've been reading so much on the best diets to try --- what to eat, what not to eat, and here is my question. We have cut out all dairy and meat products. In fact, all animal products altogether (along with sugars and simple carbs). But in some other articles is suggests cutting out soy as well. We were using soy as our protein and meat substitute. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best protein to eat for a lyme diet? Do you think that ocean caught fish is still too risky? Right now we're focusing on beans, nuts and the protein in some whole grain breads. But I've also read something about whole grains not being the best either, so...
Posts: 24 | From Studio City, Ca. | Registered: May 2007
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posted
You should not be eting that much soy. soy was used for thousands of years in asia, but as a CONDIMENT.
Soy has a huge amount of plant estrogens in it, which acts in the body much like regular estrogen.
if you eat soy as your main source of protein, you might as well be taking 10 birth control pills a day. it will mess with your homrones and especially your thyroid.
it is OK in moderation, especially post-menopausal women, but not as a staple.
if you are going vegan, it will be difficult to get enough protein. you should at least eat eggs, fish, dairy.
disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
quote:Originally posted by roro: Soy has a huge amount of plant estrogens in it, which acts in the body much like regular estrogen.
if you eat soy as your main source of protein, you might as well be taking 10 birth control pills a day. it will mess with your homrones and especially your thyroid.
if you are going vegan, it will be difficult to get enough protein. you should at least eat eggs, fish, dairy.
I eat soy. I'm vegan. I track my cycles and they aren't messed up as they would be if I took "10 birth control pills a day". I'm having regular cycles.
My LLMD knows I'm vegan and doesn't think there's anything wrong with it. His assistant doesn't think anything is wrong with it either.
Also, the endocrinologist that I go to for my hypothyroidism didn't believe that soy was a problem.
I believe I have hypothyroidism due to lyme, as many, many people here have thyroid issues (and most people believe the lyme is to blame).
I also have no trouble getting enough protein.
You don't have to eat soy to get all the protein you need. You can eat beans, garbanzo beans, peas, lentils (which I LOVE), etc. Those have lots of protein. Just do a search for foods containing protein.
If you're going to become vegan or eat mostly vegan you should definitely take a multivitamin though, so you can get B-12, which is a very important vitamin and without it you could have serious health issues.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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heiwalove
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6467
posted
if you went vegan for your lyme, i would reconsider. i, too, would stay away from eating too much soy. some meat (organic and free-range, preferrably) is necessary for many people who are ill, myself included. i was a vegetarian for eight years for ethical reasons but i just couldn't sustain the diet, especially when i got sick. some dairy, too (particularly yogurt/kefir), is good, unless you're allergic; same goes for eggs. you're going to have a near-impossible time getting all the nutrients you need (especially b12!) on a vegetarian diet.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- TuTu - GREAT link. and I never thought about pets and gluten. -------------
The thoughts on grains or not are varied. This is just my take.
Some say no grains as they are carb, but they supply good energy and B-vitamins and are great for glucose stabilization. That's my opinion. I have tired time and again to drop the grains, only to drop to the floor. Others seem to manage without them.
Some say that grains (or any carb) can feed the lyme. But we would die without carbs and therefore, cannot totally starve out lyme. Still, we don't need to be throwing a party in our bloodstream.
If you do eat grains, I've read it best only with other food, not alone. This is also to avoid glucose ups and downs.
Being gluten-free seems to tremendously help lyme and many conditions with pain and brain-fog. Gluten is in wheat, rye, barley and spelt. Some Mexican restaurants add it to the Spanish Rice and gluten may be added to other foods, too.
Some find spelt works okay for them. It's a more ancient grain, so not as processed and very nutritious -but it does have gluten.
Some stear clear of oats and corn, but that may be individual. Corn, I think, may be a huge problem for many people.
If not truly celiac, you may be able to enjoy the Ezekial bread products from sprouted grains. Check the ingredients, though. I think their muffins are out for me for some reason, but can't remember why. Their tortillas are wonderful and can freeze, too.
Again, thoughts vary on if sprouted grains are gluten-free or not.
White rice is clearly out.
You might try steel cut oats, millet, buckwheat (really a legume), wild rice (really a grass) . . . & Quinoa has a wonderful amino acid content ("keen-wa" - use a very fine strainer to rinse prior to cooking or it will taste bitter).
- less of the more starchy brown rices. there are many kinds of rice, too - red, etc. There is a wonderful "forbidden Chinese rice" that is very black. Yummm. I feel great when I eat that, but it's hard to find.
organic is best, if you can.
as for seasoning, you can add anything - Breakfast or a dessert: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg . . . add stevia or unsweetened rice/almond/soy milk.
you can add frozen berries or frozen peas (or other fresh berries or veggies) (note: emphasis on berries for fruit as they are low sugar and high anti-oxidant.)
other meals: thyme is my favorite or herbs de Provence . . . experiment with all the cooking herbs, onions and garlic. - coconut oil or olive oil or even add a little almond butter.
Grains should be more like a small side-dish, though and not the only or largest part of a meal.
You can freeze some of these in small portions to take with you. they may not be great eating cold in traffic, etc., but it's fuel. If you can reheat, still yumm.
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