Trying

[Kath83]

Hello, I'm new. I've been eating mostly plant based for about a year. I lost 12 pounds which was nice. Recently I started being very strict and following the very low fat acne diet that the Nelson girls promote, hoping it would clear my skin. I'm four weeks into that and I'm just feeling discouraged. I don't think my skin is getting any better. I also just don't see any big improvements overall. I didn't have any known health problems to solve. I don't feel like I have any more energy and I'm not sleeping better either. I feel like eating mostly plants is probably a healthier way but it's just hard sometimes. I have to feed a family of 6 people so it can be a challenge to make sure there's enough food for everyone. Plus I do sometimes worry about my growing children. I want them to get the right nutrition of course and there's so much conflicting advice. My husband eats the meals I cook but often asks for just a little meat to go with it. I suppose I'm not trying to make a point. It can just be hard sometimes and I needed to let some emotions out.
Thanks for listening.

[Daydream]

Kath83, I really do understand what you are saying. I want you to know that I think it's wonderful what you are doing for yourself and your family. I am 67 and I wish with all my heart that I had known about the McDougall diet when I was first married so that we could have raised our kids with the McDougall diet. I didn't find out about Dr. McDougall until 10 years ago. Our 3 adult kids eat the standard American diet now and that saddens me because I know it isn't healthy. You might be preventing you and your husband from having cancer or a heart attack if you stay with the McDougall diet. My sister's husband dropped dead one night from a heart attack. They had no idea he had heart disease. When I was your age, I wish I had known about McDougall and I wish I had read The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. Read the first several chapters of Campbell's book and I think you might feel good about the changes you have made for you and your family. You can borrow that book free from the library.

Mary McDougall has a ton of delicious recipes on this website and there are millions of free plant exclusive recipes on the internet. Your children will get excellent nutrition from the McDougall diet.

If your acne doesn't clear up with diet alone, I think it might be helpful to see a board certified dermatologist. Often topical prescription medications will solve the matter.

[Kath83]

Thanks for your response. It's sometimes nice to just have someone to talk to.

As far as the acne issue, I was hoping diet would work because I've been putting chemicals on my face every day, twice a day, for the last 20 years and I'm tired of it. Plus something tells me that's not that great of an idea.