I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous to write a post before. After two years of being a vegetarian (and loving it!) I recently introduced chicken and turkey back into my life. It was something I never thought I would do but something I feel absolutely certain I needed to do.
This is a chicken teriyaki bowl from Whole Foods. It’s delicious, but that’s not the point of this post.
The reason I’m sharing this with you guys is because I always want to be 100% honest on here. I want you to know whether I’m writing about my life or reviewing a product I am always going to be real with you guys. This blog is about my journey through life, so it only feels right I document a major roadblock along the way.
I went vegetarian the summer of 2011. I did it to try and make healthier, plant-based food choices that would be good for my body. I had a pretty smooth transition and loved my new-found vegetarianism. I loved that Josh and I ate the same way and that one day we’d have a cute little veggie raised family.
In the fall of 2011 I started to get anxious. Growing up I’ve always been a worrywart but this was different. It was like a switch flipped in my head. I remember the night I was brushing my teeth and I caught a glimpse of the mole I was born with on the side of my neck. Something about it looked so scary to me and I couldn’t shake the feeling something was very wrong. I started Googling pictures of moles and called Josh in the middle of the night crying, absolutely sure that I had skin cancer. For the first time in my life I experienced anxiety that rocked me to my core. Waiting the three months until my dermatologist appointment was not fun. The anxiety just grew and grew. Of course, everything turned out to be completely fine. My dermatologist explained that I’m a pale Irish girl and for me having lots of moles in all different colors, shapes and sizes is normal. As long as I get them routinely checked I’ll be fine.
I left with a huge sigh of relief that all the anxiety I had been building up inside of me would now disappear. I had felt like a prisoner to my anxious thoughts for three months and now I could finally be free. Except I wasn’t. Not long after that I started worrying about brain aneurysms. My mom died of a brain aneurysm and the more I researched it the more I became convinced that I must be a ticking time bomb. The anxiety only intensified.
The worrying about random health issues continued for nearly a year before I decided to seek professional help. I was living a normal life and completely functional in every way, but I felt like I was constantly fighting a battle inside my head. I started to see a therapist, Kim, who taught me meditation and self-talk techniques. She was so amazing, and helped me to realize a lot of things about myself, but the anxiety still didn’t go away.
Last winter I started to experience bad digestive issues. I went from never having a stomach ache and not knowing what it meant to be bloated to being in constant pain. I was a nervous wreck that something was seriously wrong. I spent Christmas running in and out of the bathroom wondering if I’d ever be able to eat normally again. After going to my general practitioner I was referred to a GI. From there I had every test under the sun done and they all came back normal. I even went to my OBGYN to make sure it wasn’t any female issues. My GI told me it has to be IBS and that stress is one of the worst things to affect it. I felt like I was stuck in a vicious cycle where I was worrying about my stomach which led my stomach to hurt which led me to worry about my stomach. When people told me to just stop worrying I wanted to scream. If I could have stopped worrying I would, but in my head all the worry was valid.
I started to question if something I was eating (or not eating) was causing my issues. It was then that I decided to introduce fish in my diet and started to wonder about the rest of my food choices.
By this point I had had enough. I was done fighting with myself. I was engaged to the most amazing guy, excelling at school, financially stable, and surrounded by loving family and friends. I was sick of not being able to enjoy all that for fear it would be taken away by some grave illness. I talked to my therapist about going to a psychiatrist to start considering the possibility of medication.
Going to my psychiatrist, Stephanie, was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I waited for so long because of all the stigmas surrounding medication for mental health issues. I wanted to be able to fix myself and at some point I just had to admit I couldn’t. Stephanie listened to everything I had to say and was so smart. I told her that a lot of my dad’s side of the family suffer from anxiety while a lot of people on my mom’s side of the family suffer from depression. She told me that anxiety and depression can be genetic and that with both sides of my family suffering it was definitely genetic for me. We talked about how my mom dying so unexpectedly at 25 in the middle of such a happy life gave me this irrational fear of the same thing happening to me. She diagnosed me with General Anxiety Disorder and said I was a pretty textbook case.
She asked me when I went from being my baseline anxious to incredibly anxious. She also asked if I had gone through any significant changes at that time. When I mentioned offhandedly that it was around that time I had become a vegetarian her ears perked up and she started asking me more questions. She explained to me that she is a vegetarian and has been for 25 years. It’s a choice she extremely supports but she also knows its risks. She said people who are vegan and vegetarian are at much higher rates for anxiety and depression because of a lack of tryptophan in their diets. Tryptophan is found in its highest concentrations in animal products (specifically chicken and turkey), and it is the building block of serotonin. As everyone knows from Elle Woods, serotonin makes us happy. Stephanie explained that with my family history being what it is, I was already extremely vulnerable to an anxiety-causing chemical imbalance. When I took away one of my body’s most needed assets to keep my brain in balance, it was like flipping a switch in my body. She also explained that there are two major serotonin receptor sites in your body: in your brain and in your stomach.
I remember feeling like a puzzle had just all clicked in my mind. I went vegetarian to be healthier. It worked in one regard: my blood tests came back absolutely stellar, but at the same time it also gave me my only two serious health issues. I am not trying to say being a vegetarian is unhealthy. There are so many, many research studies supporting the health benefits of living a vegetarian life. Stephanie explained that most vegetarians and vegans never run into a problem like this and (like her) can live very healthy lives. In this case though, I was not most people and I had to make the decision to do what’s right for my body.
So I slowly started integrating steroid and hormone free chicken and turkey back into my life. And I started taking a very low-dose SSRI. I was so worried I wouldn’t feel like myself or that I would have horrible side effects. But the exact opposite has been true, I have never felt more like myself. The constant battle with myself in my head has stopped. I’ve stopped worrying that all the blessings in my life are going to be taken away from me by a major illness. I am now more grateful than ever for the life I have and the fact I can just enjoy it. I also haven’t had any IBS symptoms since.
The biggest blessing to me was getting my medication routine worked out before my wedding. I was so nervous during my engagement that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my big day because of all my worries. I’m so happy to say I spent that day laughing and smiling without a care in the world. I’m not sure if you could tell the differences in my tone of writing on my blog but these days I am just so overwhelmingly happy.
I am so thankful that throughout this entire situation I was surrounded by the love and support of Josh, my family, and my friends. They all wanted me to do what I needed to do to get back to feeling like my normal self and have supported my decisions 100%.
So what does this mean for Girl Gone Veggie? I debated if I should change my blog name. When I created it I wanted Girl Gone Veggie to represent a girl living a vegetarian lifestyle. In my mind it was a decision I had made for the rest of my life. But then I realized that even though I am now eating chicken and turkey, my meals are always focused on the fruits and veggies around them. I still have to find a good balance, but I’m aiming for animal protein two or three times a week. I really don’t need a lot to reap the health benefits they provide me. I still eat a mostly plant based diet. I still am Girl Gone Veggie. I went from a girl that grew up on fast food and fried food, that wouldn’t touch a fruit or vegetable with a ten foot pole, to a girl that loves fruits and veggies and craves them in my meals. My favorite food is brussels sprouts! If that isn’t a complete food 180 I don’t know what is. I want the world to love their fruits and veggies! As Micheal Pollan says, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” <— That’s my new motto.
That’s where I’m at in my journey. I’m loving life and enjoying every worry-free second. I hope I still have your support. And regardless, I hope you remember to always do what’s right for your body and that no two are the same.
Thanks for you honesty, Erin. I am so sorry that you have been struggling like this. And even though it means such a big change in your lifestyle, I’m happy that you have found a solution to your problem. I don’t know what I would do if I were faced with a similar health issue, but I do know we all have to do what is best for ourselves, our health, and our families. Good luck in your recover, I wish you the best.
I’m so glad you share about your story on here! You made a switch that was so clearly the right one for you for your body, soul and mind and I am glad that you’re seeing positive changes all around! Thanks for being honest about all you went through; it’s the weakness, the trials that connect us, and you being vulnerable will no doubt strike a chord with someone else’s story. And the blog name still totally fits! Keep doing what works best for your body; thanks again for sharing with us! 😀
This is very interesting. I have a background in counseling, but I had no idea that people on a vegan or vegetarian diet have a higher risk of anxiety and depression. Learn something new everyday!
Good luck with everything!
You both look fabulous and so happy.
It really enjoyed reading your post. You have such a natural flow to your writing and you seem so sincere.
I think it is good to experiment, but in the end, we all have to do whatever is best for our own bodies and our own lives, and I cannot imagine why anyone would criticize you for that.. or that you would even be concerned about it. I applaud your looking after yourself and your family for supporting you.
Erin you ARE Girl Gone Veggie and I really like reading your posts and your opinions.
Kudos to you. And may you live a long healthy and happy life with your Josh.
Amazing. I can’t imagine how much of struggle this journey has been for you but I am thankful and impressed at your courage to do what you need too and share so openly. You are Girl Gone Veggie for sure and deciding on a diet that meets your body’s needs is smart.
Sorry to hear about your struggles! I too have IBS so I totally understand. I’ve been going through a really stressful time lately and can’t eat many foods without upsetting my belly. My husband has an IBD (Ulcerative Colitis) so we both live a pretty dull eating existence. People are quick to judge you when you don’t seem to eat a lot of fresh fruit and veggies (esp. in the fitness industry & blogging world), but for some of us, those “healthy” foods make us ill.
I’m glad to hear you’ve found help and are feeling better!
P.S. Girl Gone Veggie has never screamed “vegetarian” to me, it sounded like someone who was concentrating on eating a more veggie filled diet and I believe you can do that while still eating animal products – I agree there is no need to change your name!
And if you ever need to talk IBS – you know where to find me! 🙂 xoxo
Whoa. I don’t know if the same thing was happening to me, but when I went veg (and then vegan), I had terrible anziety and even started losing some hair. I did make the connection with the hair, but now that you menoiutn it my anxiety went away when I started eating fish and meat. Thank you so much for sharing your story!!
I’m glad you found such great doctors to help you find the answer! It has taken me a few years to figure out that my problem was gluten. And a few other things I am finding along the way and it’s amazing the difference you feel once you eliminate or add things into your diet!
I am glad you have found a way to balance yourself. More and more I find that extremes in any direction can be less than optimal. I think a “meat on the side” approach is great.
First, I don’t know you personally but I am so proud of you for seeking therapy. I’m sorry you had to go through so much but at least now you know what you can do to keep yourself feeling like you. Keep up the healthy eating habits(I love brussel sprouts too) and I hope you and Josh have a long and happy worry-free life together!
So glad you’ve been able to find your happy spot. I don’t think you need to be concerned about writing this blog post at all! I found it incredibly honest and I respect you so much for taking care of your body! That’s what healthy living is all about 🙂
Wow, I would have never thought of a connection between anxiety and vegetarianism! This is why there are people smarter than me that do that for their job I guess. I know it’s a hard change to share that you’re changing your diet, from personal experience, and I’m proud of you for just keeping it real. I had a similar thought about my blog name, but like you I think it’s still about a plant focus, regardless. 🙂
Happiness and healthyness (is that a word) are two extremely important things and I’m glad that your goal is to have both. Keep doing your thing and you’ll be alright. Very open share and can be very helpful for those that might be experiencing the same things. Great job.
This is such an open and wonderful post, thank you for sharing. Health always comes first, and giving your body what it needs is something to be proud of. I love the Michael Pollan motto, and your decision to keep the blog name. 🙂
Feeling your best and what makes you healthy and happy is the best way to live. Congrats to you for being honest and doing what’s right for you!
Awesome post girl! So glad that you’ve found a “good place!”
that’s really interesting that you found a correlation between depression/anxiety and being a vegetarian! glad you are doing what YOU need to do to be healthy! thanks for sharing girl!
wow. such a raw powerful post and IM SO GLAD you figured out what was happening and were willing to share.
xo
What is important is that you figured out how to make yourself healthy! Life is all about changes and being able to accept them. If you are feeling better, then you know your choices are the right ones!
I’m so happy that you’ve found a new balance. I’m always amazed at the power of food and it’s direct correlation to your health. I’m most interested in food and it’s relation to how well I sleep and my stress levels right now. Glad you’re happy!!!
I’m happy you took the right steps to find out what was wrong. You can definitely keep the blog name! (:
Aw, dear Erin. There was no need to feel nervous about this post. It is so well written and honest that everybody better love you, or I’ll take them out for you. 😉 I’m glad that you’re on the right track to making yourself feel the best you can. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
I’m so happy that you were able to share this with us. I can’t imagine how nervous you were to post this. Just remember – we all need to do what is best for US, not others. This is your journey and you are owning it! 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Erin! Very brave of you.
This is my first time reading but it was a good read and I can relate. I also have anxiety and am a (former) vegetarian. I’m not even sure what to call myself now, because I eat seafood occasionally, but still mostly eat a vegetarian diet. It’s sad when we fight what our bodies want sometimes because we feel like we need to fit that mold. Like, did my first bite of shrimp make me no longer a vegetarian? Does going a week without meat make me a vegetarian? It’s like a food identity crisis that just isn’t worth it, and like you, I just try to follow that motto to eat, not a lot, and mostly plants. If I want seafood, or even meat, I don’t want to deny myself.
So glad you got help and have found what kind of diet and lifestyle are right for YOU. That’s what matters after all, you have to look out for number 1 :).
I think “Girl Gone Veggie” is still a perfect name for your blog as it still represents your life style!
Glad you are finding what makes you happy and feel good!
hugs!
~M
I love this post because of its honesty and because it’s SO important that each of us makes decisions that’s right for ourselves, not for others (for eating, fitness, parenting, working, shopping…you name it!).
Lives and blogs and everything in between are meant to be elastic, so good for you for recognizing that you needed to rethink the way you were living and changing.
Best of luck!
I am so glad you made the change. You have to do what is healthy for you! We are all so different and this is exactly what you need. Awesome. I am happy to hear you’re feeling better and able to enjoy life. Awesome!
way to listen to your body!! it can be hard to talk about diet, so thank you for sharing your story!
wishing you all the best!
Thank you so much for sharing your story! It sounds like it was the best decision for you. I have been suffering from IBS for a few years, and the doctor told me the most interesting thing. He said that as your body changes, so do your dietary needs and you need to adjust accordingly. What bothered you a year ago, won’t in 5 years and so on. I thought it was an interesting perspective because I never thought about it that way, but it totally makes sense!
So glad you were open about this! Not in regards to the vegetarian thing but the anxiety thing, I went through hat last year. Thought I had IBS, etc. couldn’t eat, cramps, constipation then diarrhea, went to regular dr then GI, then OBGYN then cardiologist b/c I was having heart palpitations too. Had tons of tests done, etc. turns out to be anxiety and stress, and haven’t had any issues since I got it worked out! SUCH a huge relief. I seriously thought I was dying for awhile from some weird illness!
Really fascinating! I’m so glad you kept at it and found the right solution for your body. Whatever it takes and whatever you need is definitely the right path. Here’s to a healthy, happy future!
Bravo on a wonderful post! I hope your openness leads to helping others that may have been experiencing the same thing (and from the comments above, that is evident). I can definitely extract things I feel or have experienced in what you shared; your post may be my cue to do something about it.
Thank you for your honesty and for sharing. So happy you have found what works for you. I am also a HUGE Michael pollen fan. HUGS!
Thank you for sharing and your honesty. I lost a friend to suicide because she didn’t seek help for her depression, and later talking with her mom learned it ran in her family. I think that mental health awareness is so important and one of the hardest thing for people is to overcome the stigmas of seeking help and possible medication. Anxiety and depression are very real and very treatable conditions, and it takes a strong person to share their story. If someone reads your story and knows they are not alone, hopefully they will seek help.
LOVE. I had no idea about the connection between a vegetarian diet and anxiety and depression – love learning new things. Glad everything has worked out for you. At the end of the day, your health (physical and mental) is the most important and I’m glad you’ve found that.
Great post and motto!
Thank you so much for writing this post, Erin. I, too, struggle with anxiety, and have thought about writing a post about it. Reading your post has given me the motivation to do so. Thank you for sharing your journey! I’m so glad to read that you are happy 🙂
I am SO PROUD of you! First, I’m so glad you were open to change and willing to do what it takes to get back to your normal self. Second, thank you for sharing! This will help remove the stigma against mental disease, which is so important.
You’re fantastic!!
What a great post Erin! Thank you for your honesty 🙂 It’s amazing how the foods we eat play such an important role in our health … food truly is an incredible medicine! Figuring our YOUR needs is exactly what healthy living is about … not a “label”. Congrats girl and hope you continue to feel good.
I grew up with autoimmune issues and went vegan for over 2 years in hopes I would be healthier and feel better. Instead, in that time experienced a lot of health problems (including the emergence of Celiac disease, endometriosis, and depression). *Not saying veganism caused these illnesses, but I feel like veganism exasperated it.* At that point, I started reading a lot about non-vegan nutrition (more specifically ancestral diets and genetics) and it just made a lot of sense to me. I decided to try it out.
I now focus on higher fat and protein in my diet and feel so. much. better. I went from being nauseous after ever meal, ridiculous mood swings, and ER-worthy periods, to a much more stable body and mind. It isn’t a silver bullet but man, I haven’t felt this good in ages. It was a tough decision to completely switch my eating habits, but there came a point where I had to be honest with myself and change… and I’m so happy I did :). Thanks for your honesty, I think their are many others who’ve been through similar things :).
Fellow SPA here – saw this posted ok the FB group. What a great and personal post – you are so brave for sharing this. Kudos to you for recognizing what your body needs and listening to that! Congratulations on the big decision!
How perfect that you found a specialist who had a holistic approach and could be so helpful! I was a vegetarian off and on for ten years, and finally realized I felt best with some animal protein in my diet – even small amounts of red meat. Like you said, it’s about focusing on plants for health… a little meat here and there isn’t going to hurt you, and in many cases, it’s helpful!
Loved reading your post! I made a commitment to stay away form McDolands for six months, it is not easy but I am committed.
I think you’ve made the best decision for you, your body and your lifestyle. And yes, that Michael Pollan quote makes the tie to your blog name still make PERFECT sense. Now, stop worrying and enjoy! (said with all the love in the world as I too suffer with anxiety issues)
This is SO interesting! I’m a veggie, too, and have been having way more anxiety than I ever did growing up. I’ve been veggie for 7 years, and not sure if the two correlate. But I am going to be much more aware of this now – thanks for sharing and being honest!
So well written, Erin!! 🙂
Oh my gosh. I’ve never met you (this is the first post of yours I’ve even read) and I’m *really* not a hugger, but if I could hug you right now, I would! Thank you thank you thank you for posting this.
I also have recently become “slightly less vegetarian”, and I also have struggled with an anxiety disorder and resisted medication for years due to the stigma I thought surrounded mental health care. While I recently “came out” as an anxious person, I’ve still been hiding my new meat-eating ways. Now that just feels ridiculous. If the girl who’s whole blog is ABOUT being vegetarian can admit to occasional meat-eating, what in the world am I hiding for??
Thank you for being an inspiration, and for reminding me that we must always fight the stigma, no matter what it regards. (And also thanks for the info about tryptophan and anxiety. I’d never heard that before!)
Big hug from your newest fan!
I can vouch that hormone levels being off slightly are NO JOKE. Wow – so glad you found a Dr. who completely understood where you were coming from, but also had the knowledge to understand where the anxiety might be stemming from!
A true testament to ‘let food by thy medicine’.
Doing what is best for YOU is always the most important thing 🙂
Wow I had never heard of this! So glad I read this, kts always nice to be informed. And good for you for sharing this…I’m so happy you found what works for you and that youre happy again. You deserve it 🙂
Kudos to you for being in tune with your body and acknowledging that something wasn’t right. I’ve never heard of this so thanks for the education too. We all are truly an experiment of one!
A fantastic post, and very inspirational to many. Thank you!
Thanks for your honesty.As a vegan, I worry about the same things in terms of coming open with nutritional habits. I am not perfect, I eat fish from time to time and listen to my body. I don’t talk about it often because of fear of backlash… “you’re not vegan enough, good enough, etc” I love your honesty and wish you the best of luck!
I’m glad you’ve found what works for you, and I’m glad you tried to get help through so many avenues. When one door closes, one opens, right? Great post and very well written!
Proud of you for sharing your story and for listening to your body!
I really appreciate your honesty with this post- I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to write. I’m truly happy to hear that with this decision you are feeling better.
Thank you for brining this to the attention of your readers- like you said, there are so many health benefits of being a vegetarian that the negative effects are almost always overlooked. For instance, I stopped being a vegetarian because of the harmful effects on my hair and skin. Each person is affected differently and awareness is key.
Great Post! As someone who was vegetarian for over 5 years and was forced to eat meat while adopting our baby girl in China (well not physically forced but I lost 20 lbs and was dealing with severe stress) going back to meat was a great decision for me.
Now I eat a clean, paleo diet and it really helps my moods and overall feeling of well being too.
This is really interesting Erin, thank you for sharing! It is a brave and courageous thing you did – not just to share with us, but to seek help for what was ailing you. You and I have a lot in common; anxiety, depression, IBS… I am constantly worrying that something sudden and terrible is going to happen to me (also a result of a similar tragedy in my life). I have not yet gone back to the counseling I know I need, but I’m working on it. It is very interesting that adding back nutrients in your diet helped your anxiety. Though I don’t exclude too many things from my diet, it does make me wonder if there are other things my body isn’t getting that is causing me to be more anxious than I should be. Good food for thought and to explore.
Congrats on helping yourself to a better and healthier life. Its not easy, but sure is worth it 🙂
I appreciate your honesty and think you are doing what is right for you. Thank you for being so open about your struggles.
As a former vegetarian (for 7 years) who started eating meat again after my first son was born, I can only say well done for doing what was right for you. We’re often so concerned about what others might think, we don’t do what’s best for us. For me, I started craving meat and realized that my body was telling me something. I had a newborn and did what I felt was best for both of us. What’s funny now (11 years later) is that I eat a much healthier diet than when I was a vegetarian!
Thank you so much for sharing with all of us. I imagine this must be so difficult, especially because of the title of your blog and how important being a vegetarian has been over the last couple of years.
Since I know you from other online areas prior to your blog (what up, SG!), I can see this change in you looking back more than some of your other readers.
I had no idea what what you eat was that deeply tied into your emotions, but it makes a lot of sense.
I’m also proud that you took the steps to talk to someone and get on medication. I made the change a while back as well, and couldn’t be happier with that decision. I’ve had certain things in life fall into place with my anxiety levels down. Sure, I am still a worrier, but it’s a different kind of feeling, like you said.
xoxo Jackie (aka jackmise)
I commend you on being honest and recognizing that girl gone veggie is still the same blog it always was. Ultimately you need to do what’s right for you and your body and i feel like that’s what you created this for. Your path is your own. I’ve seen so much of you through this blog and i’m so happy that you shared it with me. Your food is so yummy and your ideas are great. I love hearing about your adventures! I think Girl gone veggie is one of your biggest ones. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
I too, struggle with anxiety. I know what it’s like to not enjoy things that you feel like you should be enjoying because it’s getting in the way. You made an informed decision to make yourself feel well. That’s nothing to be ashamed about.
I love this post. Thanks so much for being honest with us, it would have been really easy not to be.Don’t fret, you’re awesome. <3
BRING ON THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY! lol! I am actually quite happy you brought them back in your life. I am not sure how you lived without them 😉
Great post! I was diagnosed ibs a few years ago after a few stressful events and it’s really badly flared up again, and of course I’ve been stressed. I’ve considered the mental health route too because I have that health anxiety. Thanks for the encouragement!
Thanks for your honest post! I’ve actually got a similar post cooking in my drafts, because I, too, was a vegetarian for two years before realizing that it wasn’t working for me, and have since–over the past year–re-integerated high-quality meats back in and am feeling much better. I’m so glad you’re finding your path to feeling healthy again, too.
Thank you very much for sharing your story! It’s amazing what effects foods can have on your body, and I appreciate your honesty. I think you should keep the name Girl Gone Veggie; you are still focused on eating a healthy diet, and that’s what matters.
I’m so glad you shared this and that you are working out what works best for you! Food is so personal and it can be difficult to figure out which pieces are right for you. I too suffer from major anxiety issues and I struggled with the choice to medicate or tough it out. Once I found the right combination for me, I discovered a much happier, healthier wife, mother and self. I’m glad you have too!!!
REALLY proud of you for being so real and opening up about your anxiety. whether or not going vegetarian actually was a part of your increasing anxiety, it sounds like it’s gotten better since you started getting more tryptophan in your diet so that’s really all that matters! truly. we need more people talking about mental health in this country and i’m glad you are opening up!
Thanks so much for sharing this. I was a vegetarian then vegan for a long time beginning in high school. Then I started craving meat and I couldn’t figure out why but I decided to listen to my body and made the switch back to eating chicken (I eat it all now). I realized that it was probably better to eat real meat than to try and replace it with the fake, overly processed stuff. It was a struggle for sure, especially since it was something I had long identified with, but I know I made the best decision and I’m so happy that you have found your own balance!
I have anxiety, particularly about my health, just like you described! It’s frustrating, and I’m so glad you’ve found a solution. While I’ve never been vegetarian, I’ve noticed a correlation between my diet and my moods. I feel best when I eat warm, cooked foods, including some meat. I loosely follow the recommendations for Vata/Pittas doshas in an Ayurvedic diet and that seems to help the anxiety and depression. Thanks for posting and for helping to decrease the stigma related to mental illness.
Love the honesty…you have to do what’s right for you and your body and if full on vegg wasn’t working then you did the right thing by reintroducing some meats back into your diet. As you know I’m a new reader and enjoying your posts…thanks for sharing!
so sorry to hear about your struggles but so glad that you have gotten back to a good balance and things are smoothing out. It takes a lot of strength to admit and share these things outside of your self. Amazing that when you think you are doing something great for yourself that it can have such an adverse effect. I wish you the best moving forward 🙂
Thanks so much Jodi! I really appreciate it!
This is very interesting and had me hooked for the whole thing!! Glad you found what works for you but I was wondering, did they mention anything about supplementing it? Because I remember even when I did eat meat, I took a tryptophan supplement to help with sleep (and could it be an option for a plant-based eater?!). The body does some pretty crazy things and I think your experience and writing about it was a very admirable thing :).
Thanks so much girly! She mentioned supplementing if I wouldn’t consider adding meat back into my diet, but I decided to just go ahead and do that. Because it worked so well (along with my medication) so quickly we never had to discuss other options.
as a vegetarian myself i find this an absolutely wonderful post. i still eat fish and eggs because i find it works best for my body (cue the pescatarian label here). i appreciate your honesty and bravery in this post! it’s all about finding things that suit your body and help it perform at it’s best 🙂
Thanks so much Holly. 🙂
I just came across your blog via a stitchfix search and I felt compelled to read this post as an active vegetarian. I am by no means a missionary vegetarian, but I am surprised that you decided to go back. I haven’t eaten meat for 4 years and I can’t imagine eating meat ever again, as long as I live, no matter what the consequence. For instance, I have lost many relationships because of how much my passive activism bothers people.
Its all about why you choose to decide to forgo meat in the first place. It sounds like you did it for health, so it makes sense that you would change sides for your health. I actually don’t think being vegetarian automatically makes someone healthier. I think what makes people healthier is thinking before they eat, and that is something vegetarians are forced to do.
But it sounds like you make the right choice for you, and It would be dumb for someone to not support that.
I’m am sitting here in the middle of thee night..everyone asleep..worried that my life is slipping out o my hands and there is nothing left for me to do. I am falling apart and between fighting to want to be better and getting worse and worse all while losing sight of concentration.. I have stumbled across articles like this one.. Finally giving me possible hope and the cause I’ve been longing for. I became vegetarian a little over five months ago., since then I have become more anxious and I do not feel like myself. I too have always been a worrywart.. But this time it does feel different. Becoming vegetarian is the most passionate and “right” I have ever felt about any decision in my life.. And the thought of putting any type of animal flesh in my mouth sickens me.. But I just don’t know what to do anymore.. 🙁
And I’ve been losing hair!
Wow! Thanks for sharing your story! I have been eating plant based for about a year and lately have not been feeling myself. I have been getting anxiety attacks and I feel so out of control among other issues. Never would have thought it was my diet. This inspired me to slowly introduce some meat back in to my diet and see if I feel any changes.
Thank you so much for sharing. I have been vegetarian for 9 months and have been slowly feeling like i was losing my mind. I am 29 years old and pretty healthy. Since quitting eating meat, i have had this sense of feeling like i am dying. I am freaking out of stupid things on my body that are harmless, but am also googling thinking i am gonna die. Stomach problems the past few months. My anxiety has been so bad to where i am taking medication and ive never done that. I started thinking it was from not eating meat. Started googling and found your blog. Thank you so much. I now i am not crazy and will go back to my normal diet. I am confident my anxiety and feeling of doom will dissipate. Thanks again
but in the end, we all have to do whatever is best for our own bodies and our own lives, and I cannot imagine why anyone would criticize you for that.. or that you would even be concerned about it. I applaud your looking after yourself and your family for supporting you.
Thank you for posting this! I too went vegetarian for about 4 months and my anxiety got steadily worse, to the point where it was affecting my life, like you worrying so much about health issues. I clicked when I realised the issues had only been happening since eating no meat. Started eating chicken again and within days I was back to normal, like a switch flicked.