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Is fasting and vegetarian diet all good?

A tale from my own experience and experiment

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I’ve always believed, and been told, that a vegetarian diet is the best way to maintain good health. I never had a reason to doubt this since no one around me expressed a different opinion. However, as someone who’s been a non-vegetarian my whole life, I knew it wouldn’t be easy for me to stick to a vegetarian diet.

In late 2019, I decided to give it a try. It was purely an experiment to see how my body would respond. As expected, it was tough at first. But after a few weeks, I got used to it. I stuck to the vegetarian diet for two years and continued with my regular health check-ups. Here’s what I observed during this period:

  1. Stomach Issues Improved:
    I’ve had stomach issues and indigestion since my school days, often needing to take Omeprazole every few months. On a vegetarian diet, I rarely needed medication for these problems.

  2. Constipation Resolved:
    I also dealt with constipation but never looked into the specific causes. During this experiment, I found that certain foods, like milk and lentils, triggered my constipation and indigestion. Once I removed these foods, the problem disappeared.

  3. Weight Loss:
    Over two years, I lost about 35 pounds, even though I ate a similar quantity of food.

  4. Exercise Routine Unchanged:
    I continued to exercise regularly without any changes in my routine.

  5. Vitamin Deficiency:
    My blood work showed some vitamin deficiencies, likely because I didn’t diversify my vegetarian diet enough.

  6. No Change in LDL:
    I’ve always had high LDL cholesterol, and it stayed the same during the two years of being vegetarian. This surprised me, especially after seeing Netflix documentaries claiming that a vegetarian diet improves LDL levels.

In late 2021, I slowly started eating non-vegetarian food again, though I plan to avoid red meat for now. My goal is to create a balanced diet and get all the necessary nutrients naturally, without relying on supplements. As of now, I feel great.

Our bodies are incredibly complex, and each one works a little differently. What works for one person may not work for another. That’s why experimenting with food is so important. It allows us to discover what suits us best and helps fine-tune our eating habits. By removing foods that cause problems, we can reduce the need for medication and feel healthier.

I also believe fasting or intermittent fasting plays a big role in maintaining good health. I’ll share my thoughts on this in the next blog.