Only you will know where your mind just jumped to, but I’m hoping it wasn’t the gutter!
Alrighty kids – it’s been eight days since my last post, and really that’s more like eleven because the last post was essentially no better than a “will return soon” sign, with no promise as to when. Truthfully though… I have written a post. Two of them actually – two versions of the same thing. Only they haven’t been published due to the fact that they’re about something I just don’t really want to talk about! You know the feeling you get when you’ve had too much candy? Like Starbursts or Swedish Fish or something. You have that sort of dull stomachache, and it’s almost like your mouth hurts? Yeah… that’s how writing those two drafts made me feel. Like I’m not only raining on everyone’s parade, but I whipped out my personal fireman-strength hose and turned that on full strength too. No me gusta… to say the least.
But then I realized that was only the angle on this story if I chose for it to be. Remember that whole attitude is a choice thing? And my favorite passage – “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) Mmm yep, still a true as ever. So here we go, jumping right into the meat of the post (couldn’t help it):
How I became a carnivore my health.
… Rabbit Food …
Nope… put your iCal away. You didn’t miss April 1st. If you’ve been hangin’ out at Dr. TriRunner for a while, you know that I am was a vegetarian. For eight years to be exact. I became a vegetarian at the age of 12 because something in my very-large-12-year-old brain clicked, and I suddenly couldn’t separate the thought of eating meat (chicken, pork chops, turkey lunch meat, etc.) from eating people meat. I mean, a rib is a rib, no matter how you look at it. I actually look back and think – huh, I was a pretty smart sixth grader! Makes me kind of proud…. 
Aah! I digress. So that was the initial reason I became a vegetarian. Over the years, I became more passionate about animal rights, the meat industry in the U.S. (actually did a big thesis project on that one…), and definitely did my research to make sure I was being a healthy and educated vegetarian. Anyone, but especially an endurance athlete, cannot sustain on lettuce alone.
Photos of good veggie food: throw-back posts from April 2008!!
… Endo …
Also at a young age, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. “Diagnose” is sort of a misuse of the word, because that can’t actually happen without a laparoscopy (which I haven’t had done), but all signs, symptoms, examinations, and ultrasounds would suggest so. Trust me… yo’ girl has had more than her fair share of “lady exams.”
What is endometriosis? Aside from something I’ve mentioned all of like twice, but never in detail… it’s essentially a condition where endometrial tissue (the tissue that lines the uterus) grows in other places too, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and pelvis. It acts as normal endometrial tissue, in that it builds up, thickens, and then tries to shed. Only there is nowhere for the blood to go because it’s not inside of your uterus. And basically, it hurts. A shitton. For more details on the disorder, the Mayo Clinic’s website (as with everything) does a good job breaking it down.
Long story short, in the past year, and more specifically the past four or five months, I feel that my symptoms have been getting markedly worse. The episodes of pain and cramping have become more frequent, and my period has gone NUTS. Most female distance runners fear losing their period, and I’m worried I’m going to lose all the blood in my body! (Haha – don’t you love my use of the color wheel here?) The last four months (and apparently five, starting Monday…) I have bled heavily for two weeks straight. Losing this much blood + endurance athletics = no good = potentially anemia. Once again… no me gusta.
Due to the non-existent awesome insurance that I am paying $300 a month for, anything beyond a flu shot and a sliver removal are considered “over and above” your necessary care. Endometriosis is considered “specialty” care, and specialty care is considered lots of $$$, and lots of $$$ is considered something I. Don’t. Have. So I do what I do best, and get my study on and try to figure out what is going on. No worries, I don’t count Wikipedia as a “source.” I am lucky enough to know several very knowledgeable (and qualified!) people to help me out here.
Flickr has many other photos for endometriosis, but I’m keepin it PG. They’re strictly medical though, so if you’re not squeemish then feel free to check them out.
… My findings …
(Although I tend to think I’m as smart as a rocket scientist, much of this is common sense.)
- B/C pills are the most commonly prescribed “treatment” for endometriosis. The pill I’m on is one that’s most likely doing jackshit for me. But hey, it is “covered” in that excellent insurance.
- SOY… is known to augment endometriosis. As a vegetarian for eight years, soy is obviously a large component of my diet for providing protein.
- SOY… is in freaking everything. Or at least it would seem to be in everything that I have come to know and love. Cereal? Really?
- If I cut out soy, that doesn’t leave me with many protein options. Especially when I factor in the amount of blood I’m losing, and needing to get EXTRA protein and iron to make sure I’m not headed towards anemia.
- Meat has protein. And iron. And helps prevent anemia. Amen.
I know… rocket science right? So, now that you have my whole endometriosis rundown (the part that I feel is like listening to nails on a chalkboard) that concludes the flashback, and we return to the title of the post…
Hello iron-deficiency anemia.
… BEEF …
As of Tuesday April 27th, I am no longer a vegetarian. And I figured if I’m going to eat meat with the purpose of getting this iron in me, I need to do it right. Beef. And not just any beef, but Chipotle’s Barbacoa shredded beef.
How was it? Crazy. Not crazy like bad, but crazy weird. Add this to the list of “findings” … meat takes a helluva lot longer to chew than non-animal foods. And I’m sure my stomach found those shredded cow muscles entering my digestive system and said, “What the ⠃ ⠥ ⠉ ⠅ are you putting in here??” (haha yessss!!) Eating meat just seams so raw and so primal to me… it’s not like it “tastes” bad. If it tasted bad, then companies wouldn’t make faux meat products like Light Life Buffalo Wings or Morningstar Farms “Ribs”.
Eating meat is definitely going to take some getting used to, and also a lot of learning! I had a 20-minute conversation with my new hommie in Trader Joe’s today about eating meat, endo, triathlons, and backpacking. ?? Yes. I’m not going down this road kicking and screaming, and I’m not being forced. This was no one’s decision but my own, and although I would like to still be a vegetarian, I do not think that for my health it is the right choice. I was talking to a friend today, and told her “As much as I’ve wanted to fight sometimes and say “I know my own body!” … it’s not always the case that a physical reality and a mental ideal match up.” And in this case, what I ideally would like and what physically is goin’ on ain’t tellin’ the same story. Capish?
I would also like to say that I would only buy local, organic, free-range, grass fed, smiling happy [dead] cows from California. But honestly? How many times have you heard me say budget is an issue? Muchas veces, my friends. Realistically I can’t afford such things. I will be eating animals (the word “meat” seams so misleading to me at this point…?) on a limited basis, so as best as I can, I will follow my conscious and at least try to support companies and sellers that follow more humane practices. All in all though, humans are still killing the animal for consumption. I might get some hateration for this, but it doesn’t really make a difference to me.
@ Chipotle… scared.
Examination of the cow now marinated and in my Burrito Bowl.
IRON.
… El Fin …
Time for me to end here amigos. I hope you will understand my decision, and if you don’t… well, your choice! I’m all for honesty as we all know, and this is what’s currently going on. I appreciate your honesty, whether it is in accordance to what I am thinking/feeling, or not. As always, any questions and comments are welcomed whether you leave them here in the comments section or send me an email.
Shoot. Now I gotta go change my “ABOUT Me” page. So much for finishing this VO2 report!
⠇⠕⠧⠑ ,
Erika (yes – that’s what the “E” stands for!) aka Dr.TriRunner
p.s. maybe I could win this $60 shopping spree and buy something from CNS’s kitchenware site… I could definitely use some help in the grilling department!
I know having huuuge size “small” race shirts is not only something I take issue with.
