Just a few thoughts on the vegan topic...as a former vegetarian with vegans in the family and a cancer survivor, I've had to really examine diet and what it does for the body over time. It became clear I needed to change my diet after learning some things the hard way...the inconvenient truth, as it were...
Most of the resources you've mentioned are aimed at the general population eating a non-organic, factory farmed, processed diet.
It is very clear that for 99% of us, eating a lot of vegetables, i.e., a plant based diet, offers the opportunity for nutrient density. Terry Wahls' incredible story, "Minding Your Mitochondria" is pretty convincing, and the idea of eating 3 cups a day each of leafy green things, colorful things, and sulfur containing things is a good one.
That said, we cannot get all the nutrients we need from plants. I wish it were so, but learned the hard way, we just can't. And, with the recent research on CFS suggesting we need more amino acids and lipids, it becomes critical that we get enough protein and healthy fats. Applying a dogmatic "heart healthy" diet to a CFS patient might be counterproductive.
Why?
- gut dysbiosis is noted in CFS. Could be due to food allergies, overabundance of carbohydrates causing candida, imbalanced microbiome, etc. Pre and probiotics, a low sugar diet, and digestive enzymes can help the body assimilate all the nutrients from food.
- amino acids are needed in increased amounts. Rather than .8g/kg, many of us need 1.2-1.6g/kg of protein daily, which is difficult to get from vegan sources (exactly how many beans can you eat??)
- fats are essential for hormone production, cell membrane health, neuro cognitive function and detoxification.
- certain nutrients, particularly vitamins B12 and D, some minerals and aminos, and essential fats are more readily available from animal, rather than plant based sources.
- grains can be very problematic. Many are hard to digest, laden with the carcinogenic mitochondrial toxin, RoundUp, and are relatively nutrient poor. Many of us are gluten sensitive, if not full blown celiac, and gluten can cause inflammation and gut dysbiosis.
- sugar, in any form, and including carbohydrates, is not healthy. It promotes brain dysfunction, cancer, obesity, and diabetes. Yes, the brain likes glucose, but fat and protein can convert to make thecglucise the body needs. Limiting fruits to low sugar, nutrient dense varieties, avoiding sugar and all processed carbs, and limiting or avoiding grains bring us down to a lower carbohydrate intake that avoids the consequences of too much sugar.
All this leads to a Paleo to ketogenic diet. The research is supporting higher fat, moderate protein, lower carb macronutrients consumption. And, at least anecdotally, CFS patients need as many macronutrients as they can get, with many of us supplementing additionally.
My doctor, who generally likes vegan diets, has specifically prescribed a ketogenic diet for me, with lots of non starchy vegetables and as much protein as I can eat and still be in ketosis. My labs support this, too. It's helped my brain and energy, and pretty easy to stick with. And I weigh 30lbs. less than 7 years ago, when I was on that "healthy" vegetarian diet that led to my cancer (I kicked the cancer eating more organic red meat than I'd eaten in years, along with a lot of veggies...)
The right amounts of nutrients will vary for each of us, and it behooves us each to do a little experimenting to see what's right for each of us.
But the research on CFS patients seems to suggest a grain based vegan diet might be counterproductive to getting well. Humanely raised, unprocessed organic or wild animal proteins and fats are a natural part of the human diet and provide essential nutrients for wellness. And lots of organic vegetables.
