I never thought I’d say this but – thank god, it’s Monday and I can finally add meat to my diet! I’m having fish carpaccio for lunch. Hooray!

Last week was tough. I was grumpy (although that could have also been PMS), prone to anxiety attacks, I was no longer sleeping well, and I’d get dizzy just getting out of bed.

And, for the first time in the 13 years I’ve been coming to Siargao, where humidity is horrifically high, I had to use face cream. My skin was drying out!

I’m not convinced that this raw vegan lifestyle or even a regular vegetarian diet is the healthiest…

For instance, at my current weight, which is 118.8 lbs. (54 kilos, according to the scale here), if I’m supposed to consume .36 grams of protein per pound that I weigh, then my recommended daily allowance of protein is 42.77 grams. That is, if I get my protein from meat. If I am only getting my protein from fruits and vegetables, then that number changes to 53.46 grams (at .45 grams per pound that I weigh). That’s a lot of fruits and vegetables.

And if you subscribe to the Paleo belief that grains, legumes and beans are gut irritants, then that automatically eliminates most vegetarian protein sources. Check out the list on Table 2 of the Vegetarian Resource Group’s website. Out of the 33 things listed, only seven are acceptable (almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, almond butter, spinach, broccoli, and potatoes).

Then there’s my added dilemma of being on a remote island where supply is limited. On this Top 8 List of vegetarian protein sources, while only beans and sweetcorn are non-Paleo compliant, only cauliflower and broccoli are available at the market. On this Top 5 List, only artichokes make the cut and they only come in jars or cans in the Philippines and certainly won’t be found on any store shelf in Siargao.

Out of what’s readily available here, according to Livestrong.com, a banana has 2.5 grams of protein, a cup of avocado, which just went out of season, has 4.5 grams, and a coconut has 2 grams. Those are nickel and dimes. I’d have to be hyper-aware of the protein content of my meals to meet the recommended daily allowance.

And protein deficiency is no laughing matter. Here’s an interesting post from a vegetarian athlete, and a more comprehensive list of symptoms.

As I write this, I’m fighting the urge to crawl back to bed and sleep. I think I’ll have that fish carpaccio now.

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