Bloody Steak

5/28/11

After years of vegetarianism, I have been eating meat for the last year or so. It has been a good experience particularly since I found out after having a blood test last week that my B-12 levels are superb as well as my iron. This was not always the case. About a year and a half ago I started feeling tired and depressed in the midst of winter and I couldn’t shake it. I went to the doctor and found out my B-12 and iron levels were very low. In addition, vitamin D levels were below any guidelines. The doctor prescribed B-12, iron and mega doses of vitamin D. After a few weeks, I started feeling better. I vowed to not get myself into that bottomless pit and carnival of despair, i.e. nutrient deficiency, again.

I started thinking that it didn’t seem right that eating a vegetarian diet of mostly organic foods would lead to deficiencies. My thinking and reading lead to a couple of books (“Good calories, Bad Calories,” and “The Perfect Health Diet”) and I realized I probably should be eating some meat as well as increasing my fatty fish intake. At the same time I switched out all light or non-fat dairy products for the real deal full fat versions. I also cut down on grains and sugar.

In addition to being able to maintain healthy levels of B-12 and iron without supplements, I have also experienced some other health benefits. My hands and feet used to be cold all the time. My body temperature seemed to be at the low end of the normal range at all times. I think the extra fat in the diet helped alleviate this problem. These days I rarely feel cold. One of the best parts of this diet is better sleep. For years I have suffered from insomnia. Anymore I sleep like a baby. It is incredible.

Adding fat to the diet has other benefits as well, gastronomical benefits. Everything tastes fantastic when cooked in butter and cream! I have always believed I didn’t care much for the taste of beef, but I have discovered that I really like steak, rare to medium cooked steak. It is strange after all these years to be yearning for steak. Bizarre really. I still can’t stand the thought of the horrendous conditions and procedures of big factory feedlot farming, so I buy all meat from organic grassfed sources, meat from happy cows I strongly believe. Part of last night’s BBQ dinner was an amazing piece of flank steak (also called London Broil for whatever reason) cooked on the grill for 6 minutes per side and sliced up against the grain. Yum.