RE: Becoming a new vegetarian Michelle

[Guest guest]

If you have PCOS you need to find an endocrinologist that deals with this

illness. You will also need a gynecologist. Research them and find one

that understands your condition. Interview the staff as well. If the staff

irritates you then you do not need to subject yourself to dealing with them

each time you go in. I found that a doctor may be a wonderful doctor but a

bad staff will bring him down. Find a doctor who understands your diet and

is proactive with diets. Many of them will refer you to a dietician or

nutritionist. Be very careful in finding one of these. You regular doctor

is full of bull if he tells your weight has nothing to do with your PCOS.

What do you think caused the extra weight to begin with. Think of PCOS as

an allergy to certain foods. In my case I am allergic to dairy, meats, and

junk food. LOLL. If anyone asks or pressures me " Oh just a taste I tell

them I can't I am allergic. I want to enjoy your company not spend the next

hour in the restroom. They will back off. I did have a piece of my

daughters birthday cake last night. A very small one. It was wonderful and

I really enjoyed. I did enjoy getting sick an hour later. I would be happy

to talk to you off post about this if you like. I am sure the other members

here do not want to hear about all of our aches and pains all the time.

Maybe I can start a vegetarian support group for women with PCOS.

 

 

 

Kirsten

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mwhitney [mwhitney2000]

Tuesday, January 18, 2005 1:39 AM

 

RE: Becoming a new vegetarian

 

 

 

Hello,

I always read the posts but usually never respond. I feel

as if I know all of you though, especially Pat. :-) I had

to respond to this post.

I have had PCOS since I was around 15. I've gotten a lot

of support and great dieting information from

http://www.soulcysters.com. I too have difficulty losing

weight. Currently, I'm 5'3 and 227. It's almost

impossible to find a doctor who has a clue about this

disease. For example, my doctor doesn't believe that

having PCOS makes losing weight difficult.

Many PCOS sufferers seem to think that low carbing and

lots of exercise is the way to go. I agree as well. I've

lost 55 pounds cutting carbs, and as usual am still

dieting. I've been on a diet since I was 12, falling off,

crawling back on. :-( I've been a veggie since I was in

High School, way back when being a veggie wasn't cool, so I

guess that would be almost 20 years.

I've never found a diet that has worked perfectly for a

vegetarian with PCOS. I stay away from everything white as

a rule of thumb. No bread, flour, potatoes (white) or

sugar. I only use Splenda and healthy oils, spray

margarine. This works very well for me. It's just hard

for me to stay eating this way while the remainder of my

family is enjoying all of the wonderful things that I truly

crave, like Hot fudge sundaes, pizza, christmas cookies,

etc.

I am an ovo- lacto vegan. I will eat cheese, eggs and milk

to a degree. These supply protein and calcium for my diet

and it's my way of adding a little joy to my life. I do

like cheese. However, all foods even cereal, and fruit

provide some protein. The truth is, even adults who eat no

animal products can easily get plenty of protein, as long

as they consume sufficient calories and a variety of plant

foods -- grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts

or nut butters throughout the day.

Dr, Weil has a great article that I think may answer your

question. http://www.drweil.com/u/QA/QA142995.

I hope that my sharing of what I try to eat will help you

in becoming a supportful pioneer. Having PCOS makes it

really hard, and we have to work much harder than most

others, but, it can be done. We can lose weight. I'm

looking forward to weighing my " get real " weight of 160,

instead of my original 120 goal. I hope to get much closer

to it this year.

 

I wish you the best.

Michele

 

--- Carousel Cheesecakes <cc1 wrote:

 

>

> I suffer from a condition known as PCOS Poly Cystic Ovary

> Disease. Doctors

> do not know what causes it and only diagnose it from

> symptoms. I suffered

> from this since I was a teen. It causes first of all

> cystic ovaries. These

> are very painful. For years doctors told me that since

> there are no nerves

> inside your body then these can't be causing pain. So I

> learned to ignore

> the sudden stabbing pains in my sides that mimic

> appendicitis. Secondly the

> illness brings on diabetes at a n earlier age in those

> prone to the disease.

> Most women with also suffer from infertility. I have

> been blessed with two

> of my own children. In fact the treatments I used to

> have my children are

> now being tried on other women and I know of two

> successful pregnancies that

> have occurred using the same methods. The average woman

> with PCOS develops

> diabetes in their mid 30's. With the illness attacking

> the pancreas 95% of

> it's sufferers are overweight many obese. In my support

> group I am the

> thinnest at 236 pounds. Loosing weight is virtually

> impossible. I hope to

> become a pioneer in weight loss and inspire my fellow

> sufferers to take a

> stronger stance against this illness. This illness also

> attacks the heart.

> With the added burden of obesity and naturally high

> triglycerides which is

> also a symptom the side effects become even more

> pronounced. My sister

> suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis in it's most aggressive

> form. I asked her

> if she had to chose illnesses which one would it be.

> Hers or mine. She

> chose the crippling Arthritis.

>

>

>

> What I am eating right now is mostly fruits and veggies.

> I am not eating

> enough protein and I know it. I cannot seem to tolerate

> any soy products

> very well and my doctor and nutritionist tell me soy

> products wreck havoc

> with my already wild hormones. I have been eating some

> grains but very

> little. I have trouble with too many nuts. If someone

> could give me an

> idea of what is required for protein intake I would be

> grateful. My

> nutritionist told me 60 grams. I am not even getting

> half of that right now

> according to my figures by reading labels. I have been

> totally meat free

> for 2 weeks. Is whey an animal product? I was

> considering adding whey

> protein to help to increase my intake of protein.

>

>

>

> I want to thank all of you for your support. You have

> been very helpful.

>

>

>

> Kirsten

>

>

>

>

> Kathleen Pelley [kmpelley]

> Monday, January 17, 2005 2:57 PM

>

> Becoming a new vegetarian

>

>

>

> Kirsten,

>

> What am you doing wrong?

>

> Becoming a vegetarian is a major project. I have been a

> vegetarian for over

> 25 years. Those first few years were a lot of work. I

> had to do the

> following:

>

> I had to learn to cook again

> Deal with the folks who felt threatened by my change

> in lifestyle--25

> years later there are still some who still threatened.

> I became a vegetarian over a 2 year period of

> time--first I quit eat

> eating beef, then quit pork and lamb, then quit poultry,

> and finally quit

> eating seafood.

> Within about two years, I was unable to tolerate

> drinking coffee and

> alcohol

> My basic foods became and are legumes and grains with

> lots of vegetables.

> Later, I became interested in food politics and began

> focusing on more

> organic foods.

>

> From your letter, I am not at all sure what you are

> eating. I do not eat a

> lot of soy products, but usually, unless people are soy

> intolerent, they can

> be eaten in moderation.

>

> Kathleen

>

> Eureka CA

>

>

>

> I have elliminated all animal products from my diet and

> have also

> elliminated all refinded sugars and flours from my diet

> as well. I

> am very tired. I am taking a vitiamin B-12 supplement

> under

> different advice i have gotten here and from my doctor.

> Is there

> something I am doing wrong? I am limiting grains.

> Although today I

> did have some oatmeal and chinese noodles. I am advised

> against

> tofu because of a health condition in which tofu and

> other soy

> products can affect my body and the drugs I must take.

> Is this

> normal for a new vegetarian?

>

> Kirsten

>

>

>

>