244 Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
more protein." The menus in this book offer sufficient protein — and
protein deficiency docs not cause fatigue. Even my vegan menus
supply about 50 grams of protein per 1,000 calories, a whopping
amount. Stopping dangerous but stimulating foods causes temporary
fatigue.Increased gas and loose stools are also occasionally observed
when switching to a diet containing so much fiber and different
fibers that the digestive tract has never encountered before. Over many
years, the body has adjusted its secretions and peristaltic waves
(digestive-related bowel contractions) to a low-fiber diet. These
symptoms also improve with time. Chewing extra well, sometimes
even blending salads, helps in this period of transition. Some people
must avoid beans initially, and then use them only in small amounts,
adding more to the diet gradually over a period of weeks to train the
digestive tract to handle and digest these new fibers.Certain people have increased fat requirements, and the type of
vegetarian diet they may have been on in the past was not rich
enough in certain essential fats for them. This can occur in those eat-
ing a plant-based diet that includes lots of low-fat wheat and grain
products. Frequently, adding ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil to the
diet to supply additional omega-3 fats is helpful. Some, especially
thin individuals, require more calories and more fat to sustain their
weight. This is usually "fixed" by including raw nuts, raw nut but-
ters, avocados, and other healthy foods that are nutrient-rich and
also high in fat and calories. Even these naturally thin individuals
will significantly improve their health and lower their risk of degen-
erative diseases if they reduce their dependency on animal foods and
consume more plant-derived fats, such as nuts, instead.There is also the rare individual who needs more concentrated
sources of protein and fat in his diet because of digestive impairment,
Crohn's disease, short gut syndromes, or other uncommon medical
conditions. I have also encountered patients on rare occasions who
become too thin and malnourished on what I would consider an
ideal, nutrient-dense diet. On such occasions, more animal products
have been needed to reduce the fiber content, slow transit time in
the gut, and aid absorption and concentration of amino acids at each
meal. This problem usually is the result of some digestive impair-
ment or difficulty with absorption. I have only seen a handful of
such cases in the past ten years of practice. In other words, not even
one in 100, in my estimation, requires animal products regularly in