Susan Carmack wrote:
>I hypothesize that the meat supply is affecting some of us with
>gluten/corn/soy (whatever the cows are fed) sensitivities. I have not
>experienced chest pain (I got those with aspartame), but I am extremely
>itchy and this itch previously went away on a gluten free, vegetarian diet.
>The itch has returned with a vengeance on the paleodiet.
>I try to eat grassfed beef and wild meat when I can, but this is expensive
>so I eat regular butcher meat.

I'm virtually certain that I'm allergic to beef.  When I first switched from
a vegetarian to a meat-rich diet, beef seemed like a wonder-food; eating it
made me feel absolutely wonderful and full of energy.  Unfortunately, within
a few months of heavy beef consumption, I noticed that beef seemed to be
making me drowsier.  I've also learned to associate brain fog, itchiness,
and increased hunger (all common allergy symptoms for me) with beef
consumption.  Lately, I've mostly avoided it, and have noticed an
improvement.  Last Sunday, however, I had dinner at my parents' house, where
I ate some (non-organic) beef.  I was itchier the next day, and, curiously,
a tiny patch on one of my gums was inflamed; it turned out that a piece of
meat was lodged betwen my teeth at that precise spot.

Currently, New Zealand (grassfed) lamb is my primary source of meat
(fortunately, I can get it for a cheap price).  I pray that I don't develop
an allergy to *that*, or I'll be really screwed.  Despite all the evidence
to the contrary, I'd like to believe that I'm allergic to something other
than the beef itself.  I usually eat beef that is organic, but not grassfed.
The last time I ate a lot of pemmican, my skin became very sensitive, and I
felt awful; however, I've always been forced to use non-organic meat for
that recipe, so the test was imperfect.  I'd like to know whether your
problems with beef faded whenever you switched to a grassfed source.

I didn't like the strong taste of grassfed lamb initially, but I've since
grown to like it.  Now, it's the pallid Canadian lamb that I can't stand.
So, I understand your preference for meat from grassfed or wild animals.

End of rambling.

Cheers,
-- Aaron Wieland