ok,
Ive read all the books and done all the research on vegetarian nutrition and have also heard that i done really need to worry about it but I think I might not get what I need off of what I get... Anyway, before a vegetarian, the only real meat that I got was something like a hamburger or something once a day... will someone please tell me exactly what that meat had in it that I might need to be aware of... like i dont eat much becasue of some medicines im on for high-blood pressure and stuff which knocks out my apitite so eating is always somewhat of a planned thing for me... I always make sure i get what I need... so can some one tell me what i need to make up for so I can be sure im getting it from something else...

Thank you,
paul

If you have a medical condition it would probably be best to talk to a doctor or nutritionist.

I'd say protein is probably the main thing.

thanks for your reply... Do you really think its necessary to see a doctor about that??? I mean, i haven't been in like forever and im onea those ppl who wants to keep it that...

Well, it's up to you. If you have medical problems it would probably be best. At the very least you should probably take a multi-vitamin. Hopefully some others here will have some more suggestions.

What you should do is post a list of what you typically eat each day, so we can look at it and see if there's anything missing from your diet, if there's something you should probably eat more of, and something you should probably eat less of.

well, meat typically has protien, fat (saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and sometimes essential fatty acids), vitamin b12, iron (heme), and a myriad of other vitamins and minerals.

but i don't think that your question is very clear. if you read enough about vegetarian nutrition, you should be able to have a perfectly healthy diet.

If you have high blood pressure you should be seeing your doc regularly anyway...

Anyone with a medical condition should check with their doctor before making any big change to their diet, in my opinion. But there's nothing in a veg*n diet that would be harmful to someone with high blood pressure, unless it were caused by some other known condition.

Yep, I think you should talk to a doc, and if you're on medications, I think you should definitely check with a doctor before taking supplements. They probably won't interfere with your medication, but you should check.

(My dad's on a lot of heart medication, and he's not 'allowed' any supplements without checking it out with a doctor).

I'd say read the American Dietetic Association's article on vegetarianism. You can find it here: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm

Vitamin B12 is the main thing to be aware of. Take a multi-vitamin or use fortified foods

(btw, B12 comes from bacteria. Before we washed our foods, we prolly could get enough by just eating some of the dirt that came along with plants, so veganism is still "natural" by that defintion. There are lots of reasons to not eat dirt, so a little inconvience over B12 shouldn't bother us much).

Would I be correct to believe that you're currently under a doctor's care for your high blood pressure and have probably talked to him/her about your dietary changes? If so, then good for you! If not, that is certainly something that needs bringing up at your next appointment.

Typically, meat has protein, [heme] iron, zinc, selenium, niacin, B12, B6 and a bunch of other things that I can't remember right now (and it changes depending on the type or cut meat used and how the meat is cooked so it's pretty hard to keep in all in mind anyway).

I would recommend you read www.veganhealth.org for dietary information. Also, check out www.nutritiondata.com and do a search for plant foods with good concentrations of iron, zinc, selinium, etc to help make up what removing the meat leaves out. Base your diet around things like fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts/seeds, beans/legumes and don't forget the deep green leafy veggies like kale and swiss chard to make sure you're getting what you need.

B12, however, is one nutrient that isn't available naturally (thanks, modern farming methods :brood: ) so it must be supplemented in some way. Some get it by eating foods fortified with B12 and some just take it either by itself or in a good multi.

Best of luck to you. :)

i agree with the above posters. you need to check with your doctor, especially if you have a medical problem. Just like we're advised to check with our doctors before changing our daily exercise regimens, we're also supposed to check with them before making any drastic dietary changes.

there isn't anything that you can get from meat that you cannot get from a healthy veg*an diet. You can get protein and fiber as well as tons of other nutrients and vitamins from beans, nuts, and legumes. Eat whole foods (whole fruits, vegetables, grains) as much as possible, rather than their processed (read: less nutritious) cousins. Eat a variety of foods every day. If you're concerned about protien, try quinoa, it's a yummy grain that's full of protein. Think like a squirrel or a bird: eat nuts, seeds, grains.. if you decide to go vegan, you'll need to invest in a vitamin B12 supplement. I use a liquid sublingual that i get from CVS for about $7 a bottle...

best wishes to you!

You are asking what is wrong with food you eat and you just said you are sick from it. High blood presure do not come from the air. There is so much chemicals in your body that it made you sick. Hamburher probably have too much salt. Salt make your blood presure high. Also what your doctor prescribe you is a killer. You are taking another chemical into your body. There is no such think as medication for samething. Drugs are to maintain desiese not to cure. Doctors are buchers and never want to talk about it. It is just a business. First of all you have to do body cleansing. start from some herbal remedied then go fo fasting 1,2 or 3 weeks and then tell your doctor he is a bucher. Why don't you go to some homeopath who specialize in a high blood preasure? Meat is another think...

Besides salt, I do not know a lot of food-related which have been known to lower your blood pressure. I think you should be seeing your doctor if you are having trouble regulating it.

As for vegetarian nutrition, it is no different than "meat-eater" nutrition - you need protein, fat, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids in your diet, etc. You need to get enough of all of them, and not too much of any of them, to maintain good health. If you do not feel that your eating habits are keeping you healthy, as a meat eater or a vegetarian, you need to see a nutritionist. Good luck to you.