Piper,
I am pancreas sufficient -- at least as far as I know. Funny, I did have my gall bladder out -- which did seem strange to me at the time, not being overweight, and eating a pretty low fat diet. But I can eat anything, put on weight easily (never where you want), and take OTC digestive enzymes because my doctor thinks everyone should take them for the immune system. But if I skip the enzymes for weeks at a time because I run out, I feel the same. So I think you would call that P.S.
I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years. Of course I couldn't say what effect it has had on my lungs -- I've been the sickest and the healthiest during this time. I do know that my doctor wanted me to supplement with fish oil which I was totally against for the longest time. But after my really sick period, I had fibromyalgia with bad pain in every joint after I started exercising. I tried flax seed oil instead, but when I still had pain switched to fish oil which I take now.
I do believe that when I first became vegetarian, I did not eat enough protein which I do now. And I take a B complex plus a good multi-vitamin. I never really talk about being a vegetarian here because I don't know if it is good for anyone else. But I do think for me it has worked well once I learned to eat right. I used to also have problems with being anemic, but that also is no longer a problem because I make sure I get iron through my multiple vitamin.
I guess if I were your friend, I would ask specifically why it would not be good for her to be a vegetarian. Is it because of anemia? Lack of B vitamins? Do they think she won't put on weight -- although there are plenty of overweight vegetarians. What meat do they want her to eat and what do red meat, chicken etc. have that you can't through vegetarian protein sources? I understand why fish is good for you, but I would like to hear their explanation. Again, I do not encourage anyone to be a vegetarian. It is a personal choice for me.
