Why I Don't Participate in Meat Free May
As most of you know, I am a HUGE animal lover! My two dogs, Dusty and Sienna, are my life

Anyone that knows me knows that everything I do revolves around them...and I wouldn't have it any other way!

What is interesting is that so many people I come across assume that I am vegan or vegetarian because I love animals so much...

But that couldn't be further from the truth!

I am a massive advocate of consuming animal protein - and here's why.

It is the best way to support mental health from a diet perspective - and you know this is a topic near and dear to my heart because of my dad's mental health issues, addiction and subsequent suicide.

There are four main mood neurotransmitters:  serotonin, the catecholamines, GABA and the endorphins.

In order to make each of these, and keep our levels of each there they should be, there are specific amino acids required for each neurotransmitter.

Guess what animal protein is made up of? Amino acids!

It is not to say that vegetarian sources of protein, like legumes, don't have some amino acids - they do. However, they are not complete proteins.

What this means is that vegetarian proteins have some amino acids, but not all of the amino acids, like animal protein does. 

When it comes to mental health, this is a big deal as you need to ensure you are consuming the correct amino acids to build all four of the mood neurotransmitters.

Serotonin, the catecholamines and GABA are fairly easy to make as they generally only require one amino acid. 

The endorphins are tricky because they require 14-19 amino acids to make....and you will be hard pressed to find any vegetarian source of protein that has all the required amino acids. 

This is why I prefer to eat animal protein. I know I am getting every single amino acid that I need to support my mental health

I pair my meat with a ton of vegetables so that I get the necessary vitamins and minerals, like B6 and zinc, to allow the amino acids to do their thing.

The other benefit of animal protein is that it has higher levels of each amino acid, which means you have to consume less than a vegetarian protein to get the same effect. 

I never want to go down the path my dad did...and I have spent over two decades doing everything I can to be as happy and healthy as I possibly can be. 

Which means that I will never be vegan or vegetarian.

Of course, the option is yours

If you want to stay plant based, then you need to look at your protein sources and combine the necessary foods - in the right amounts - to ensure you consume all of the amino acids every single day.

I know that this is something that I wouldn't have the discipline to do.

The other thing, for me, is that I need to eat a low-carb diet for my hormone health. I wouldn't be able to stay in the necessary parameters if I were to eat only vegetarian sources of protein as they are 2/3 carbohydrates and 1/3 protein.

One last thing to leave you with. 

Do you remember Steve Irwin? You know, the crocodile hunter? 

In an interview with The Scientific America he said "Let's say this represents one cow, which will keep me in food for, let's say, a month. Now that cow needs this much land and food. Well, you can imagine, that cow needs x by x amount of land, and you can grow trees in it. Around that cow, you can have goannas, kangaroos, wallabies. You can have every other single Australian animal in and around that cow," Steve told The Scientific American. "If I was a vegetarian, to feed me for that month, I need this much land, and nothing else can grow there. Herein lies our problem. If we level that much land to grow rice and whatever, then no other animal could live there except for some insect pest species. Which is very unfortunate."

Read More: https://www.thelist.com/369971/this-steve-irwin-comment-explains-why-his-family-is-not-vegetarian/?utm_campaign=clip

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MEET JEN

 
Hello! Thank you popping by! I’m Jen. I'm a wife, a furmama to two gorgeous dogs, a Naturopath, Nutritionist, and an advocate for natural ways to support physical and emotional wellbeing. Oh, and I’m a CEO! 

My journey originally started in Psychology. You see, when I was 16 my father took his own life after suffering years of a debilitating gambling addiction. I did a Bachelor’s in Psych as I wanted to understand why he made the choices that he did. I also wanted to ensure that I never went down that path and also help those suffering as he did. I loved it so much I went on to do a Masters.

It was during that time I got sick. I’m talking woke up one morning and couldn’t get out of bed, sick. For many years I felt helpless and frustrated!

Let me back up for a second. Prior to this life consisted of pain and fatigue. I had digestive issues and IBS from childhood. Through my teens and early 20's I was getting 2-3 migraines a month around my cycle and headaches more than half the month. My periods we very painful – I had to miss work or school the first 1-2 days. I would literally lie on the floor or the bed curled in the foetal position and cry from the pain. I could easily talk a full packet of Ibuprofen and still not get much relief.

Then, at 26, my period stopped altogether and things went downhill fast! For the first time in my life I was feeling apathetic and overwhelmed. Over the course of the next two years I was diagnosed with a host of conditions – are you ready for the laundry list? The first diagnosis was PCOS. I was told that I was infertile, that I would never have children, and that IVF wasn’t an option for me. I was also told that I was pre-diabetic, that my liver was worse than an alcoholic’s (and I don’t drink), that I had migraine disorder, vertigo, and adrenal fatigue. The cherry on the cake was a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s at 28.

I was in complete and utter shock. I couldn’t fathom that a 28-year-old Personal Trainer, who looked fit and healthy on the outside, could be in such disarray on the inside.  

Over the two years I saw five doctors and a Naturopath and nothing improved.

And then one day a friend and I got in touch. She told me to change my diet and take specific supplements. I figured I had nothing to lose, and so I did! I went onto a low-carb diet and was taking upward of 30-40 pills a day…and guess what?! Three months later my period started!! How incredible is that?!

Over the next two years all of my health ailments rectified! Well, all except my Hashi’s – more on that in a minute. My cycles became clockwork, they were manageable, the migraines and vertigo disappeared and my liver and blood sugar levels returned to the normal range! How exciting is that?! The best part, I can now have children should I choose! Having that option is incredible!

Of course I was so excited and inspired that I had to go to school and study Nutritional Medicine and Naturopathy.

Now, let’s talk about my Hashi’s. That only went into remission when my toxic load was decreased. That was a lightbulb moment for me and the moment I got fired up to share with others the importance of leading a low-tox life. I love educating people where toxins are found, what impact they have on physical and emotional wellbeing, and what products to replace them with to support your wellbeing. 

I sincerely believe that many of my health issues would not have presented if I were living a low-tox life. My Hashi’s has been in remission since I was 31 and I am so proud to say that! Praise God!

Life is so different to what it was 10 years ago. I have the energy and the mental capacity to engage in life! I am present and am thriving. Oh, and I laugh! I actually laugh out loud, something that eluded me for many years.

I am happy and healthy and it is my mission to help YOU be the happy, healthy person you are meant to be!
I would love for you to join our exclusive community and learn how you too can find freedom from physical and emotional barriers. I look forward to seeing you there!
 

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