I went to see a nutritionist for the first time yesterday. My doctor advised me to see one because my last blood test said I had high levels of triglycerides & fats, which can be a side effect of one of the medications I take.

Anyway, so I have a whole new dietary plan to follow (or at least try out).

I'm supposed to eat basically no fats or sugars. I have to drink non fat milk and try low fat cheese (doesn't sound so appetizing, but whatever), and eat non fat yogurt with no sugar.

Everything I look at seems to have sugar or fat in it now that I think about it. I also have to eat a certain number of proteins, starches, vegetables, fruits. And I have to keep writing down everything I eat. I think I was eating way more than I needed to because I had no idea what a portion size was and I didn't want to be malnourished or anything. For example, 1 cup of rice is three servings of starches. One avocado is eight servings of fat.

I have to say that I'm not so convinced that meat proteins are more nutritious than beans or nuts, or that nut fat is bad for you in the same way as animal fats, but anyway.

The nutritionist said I should eat two servings of fish a week (which I think is about equivalent to a can of tuna, no mayo or no fat mayo) and eggs. I'm also supposed to drink diet sodas. She said that synthetic sugars have never been proven to cause health problems, while real sugars quite obviously do cause health problems. I still don't want to drink nutrasweet or diet sodas though. Perhaps water and occasionally non fat milk. I suppose non sweetened tea and coffee are ok. Hmm...

I'm a little skeptical about the animal protein thing - having been a vegan for four years and vegetarian for many more, but I figure I can always try it and then modify it if I decide to later.

It does look like I can still be mostly raw vegan (no cooked foods,  non-animal foods) - the main things I can eat as much as I want of are vegetables, and fruits I can eat in fairly large amounts.

I can also eat a bunch of small meals rather than just three big meals, which should help with the hypoglycemia (I get nauseous if I don't eat at certain times of day). The nutritionist said it may just be lack of protein at certain times.

 
First Post! 06/08/2007
 
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