Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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My mother has been struggling with some health problems recently. She's been feeling depressed, low-energy, and lacking what she describes as "life-force" (she's very into eastern medicine). She has also lost a lot of weight and probably a fair amount of muscle mass. (

She eats a pretty paleo diet (though she doesn't necessarily subscribe to the eating philosophy) by avoiding toxic vegetable oils, gluten, and sugar. The only soy she eats is fermented (miso, tempeh, tamari). HOWEVER, she does not eat ANY red meat. In fact, she hasn't eaten red meat since her teens. She only eats chicken and fish, and not in huge quantities.

Is it possible that avoiding red meat could be at the root of her health difficulties?

She says she doesn't think she could go back to eating red meat after abstaining for so long. She finds it very unappealing. However, if it was the cause of her low-energy and depression, she might be able to push through it.

flag	asked Aug 12 2011 at 19:51 Starfish 621●2●9

Maybe she's just not getting enough calories? When I undereat, I feel low-energy and depressed. Fatty red meat like ground beef is an excellent source of calories. – Phoenix Aug 12 2011 at 20:25

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I would recommend low-hanging fruit here. Shellfish, particularly oysters and scallops and mussels, share a lot of nutrients with red meat. – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Aug 12 2011 at 20:50

Beth-WeightMaven · Answer 1 · 2011-08-12 20:37:16Z UTC

Where is she getting her fat-soluble vitamins? Or minerals? I wouldn't be pushing steak on her as much as I'd be suggesting things like grass-fed liver (I get mine via US Wellness' braunschweiger) or grass-fed butter (I like Pure Indian Foods' ghee), bone broths, pastured egg yolks, etc.

Bread-Eating Beelzebub · Answer 2 · 2011-08-12 20:52:54Z UTC

If she really really doesn't want to eat red meat, I'd suggest trying out shellfish first. Particularly mussels, oysters, and scallops, which share many nutrients with red meat, and are particularly high in brain supporting nutrients. Also try the fermented cod liver/butter oil blend to boost fat soluble vitamins.

Stabby · Answer 3 · 2011-08-12 20:56:14Z UTC

Check and see if she is getting all essential nutrients, if she is eating too few carbohydrates for her metabolism, if she has sleep apnea, and as has been suggested, if she is eating too much. Some old ladies just don't understand that you have to eat if you want energy.

The fermented soy also sets off alarm bells. It has lots of goitrogens and will impair the functioning of the thyroid if not coupled with a high intake of iodine. So maybe try a significant source of iodine.

It could be too little red meat. Just judging by the subset of the population who swears that they don't feel as good without red meat I am guessing there is some sort of gene variant that makes people dependent upon exogenous sources of carnitine and carnitine precursors. Carnitine is by far the most abundant in red meat, as well as its precursors. Not so abundant in chicken or fish. Generally vegetarians or those eating low meat diets are deficient in carnitine (and thus swear that fat is the devil, because they are deficient in an important element of fatty acid metabolism).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21753065 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17658628

Could also be carnosine or a whole host of things that is more concentrated in the big and powerful muscles of ruminant animals. Supplements are good, but pastured beef is probably best.

Kelly · Answer 4 · 2011-08-12 21:36:13Z UTC

I can't eat any red meat due to allergies and I still have lots of energy. But that said, is she getting enough protein in general? I literally start to fade if I don't eat protein twice a day.

I have plenty of other protein sources, eggs, lamb, pork, chicken, fish.

I also can not take any kinds of vitamins, I get most of my nutrition from good foods. I also can not get organic fruits, veggies or proteins where i live, I just do the best with what I can and make sure they are as good as possible, cleaned etc.

I'd also recommend checking out her diet in general to see what she's missing. Is she getting enough fats? iron? enough carbs? Maybe time to get more specific with her to really hone into the issue.

Eric · Answer 5 · 2011-08-13 04:47:04Z UTC

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It may also be a lack of movement. I would suggest eggs and some wild or alaska salmon.

answered Aug 13 2011 at 4:47

Eric
22.5k●1●17●68

Is the consumption of red meat necessary for energy and health?

5 Answers