Vegetarian and Vegan Diets
    WHAT IS A VEGAN?
    A vegan is someone who chooses to avoid animal
    products in his or her life. Vegans basically choose not
    to eat anything that had the ability at one time to avoid
    their fork. A vegan does not eat meat, dairy, eggs, or
    honey. Vegans also avoid using leather, silk, wool,
    animal by-products, etc.


    SO VEGANS ONLY EAT SALAD?
    Actually, the vegan diet is one of the most varied and
    creative diets out there. Most “ethnic” foods have many
    vegan choices, and many vegans find a wealth of
    different food choices by exploring the cuisines from
    India, China, Africa, Thailand, and Indonesia to name a
    few. Vegans also get very creative in the kitchen in order
    to find the taste and textures that we’ve all grown
    accustomed to while growing up. Nuts, beans, fruits,
    veggies, and grains are used to make everything from
    creamy sauces to veggie burgers.


    ARE VEGANS ALL PALE, THIN AND SICKLY WITH THEIR HAIR FALLING OUT FROM LACK OF PROTEIN?
    No. Vegans are a pretty healthy group – mostly because they choose to be. Going vegan is a pretty big decision for an
    individual to make, and I can’t think of anyone who would make the choice without giving some thought to how to stay healthy on
    their new diet. The items that all vegans should pay particular attention to are: protein, vitamins B12 and D, essential fats,
    calcium, and iodine. All of these can be found in a plant-based diet – with the exception of B-12.

    AHA – IF YOU CAN’T GET B-12 FROM PLANTS, THEN THAT PROVES THAT THE VEGAN DIET IS INADEQUATE!
    No, all it proves is that this country needs to clean up and go organic! Let me explain: B-12 comes from bacteria that are found
    in two places – the soil, and the intestines of animals. Many years ago, we were able to get all the B-12 we needed from the
    soil and water (and this is still true in many “under-developed” countries) But now, because our soil and water is so polluted by
    pesticides (and many, many other things) we need to clean our veggies thoroughly, and we purify our water, removing many
    harmful bacteria – as well as all the B-12. And so every vegan should take some form of B-12 supplement whether in a pill or in
    enriched foods like Nutritional yeast. CYANOCOBALAMIN is an animal-derived form of B12, so vegans supplement with
    METHYLCOBALAMIN, a type of B12 derived naturally.

    BUT CAN A VEGAN REALLY GET ENOUGH PROTEIN?
    Protein needs vary greatly from individual to individual, but everyone can find what he or she needs with a vegan diet. There is
    a large variety of plant-protein sources such as legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.

    WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL FATS?
    They are the polyunsaturated fats known as: Omega-6 and Omega-3. Vegans tend to get plenty Omega-6 as it is readily
    available from corn sunflower, soy, and safflower oils. Omega-3 is a little more elusive. Vegans can find it in Flax oil, hemp oil,
    or can get DHA (the nutrient that Omeg-3 is converted to in the body) from supplements. DHA is important because it is the
    major component of the retina of the eye, the gray matter of the brain, and cell membranes – so, yeah, it’s kinda useful.


    Nothing tastes as good as a vegan diet feels.



    “If beef is your idea of 'real food for real people,' you’d better live real close to a real good hospital.”  - Neal Barnard,
    MD


    In China a recent shift to meat-heavy diets has been linked to increases in obesity, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and
    colorectal cancer. U.S. and World Health Organization researchers have announced similar findings for other parts of the world.
    And then there are the growing concerns about what happens to people who eat the flesh of animals that have been pumped
    full of genetically modified organisms, hormones and antibiotics.
    To find out more, look up "The China Study."


    National Cancer Institute researchers studied 500,000 people and found those who reported eating the highest amounts of red
    meat (about a steak a day) had a 30 percent greater risk of dying compared to those who ate the lowest amounts of red meat
    (which was on average about a kid’s hamburger a day).


    "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or
    vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain
    diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy,
    lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes."
    http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2009_ADA_position_paper.pdf



    YOUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF YOUR FAMILY: At least 2 million people were poisoned last year by salmonella
    bacteria and up to 2,000 died, scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimate. And at least twice as many people
    were poisoned by little-known bacteria called campylobacter, they believe. In both groups, up to half got sick eating chicken,
    they say. See Factsheet at all-creatures.org


    THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, ON THE CONSUMPTION OF DAIRY PRODUCTS (2005): “The
    recommendation to drink three glasses of low-fat milk or eat three servings of other dairy products per day to prevent
    osteoporosis is another step in the wrong direction… Three glasses of low-fat milk add more than 300 calories a day. This is a
    real issue for the millions of Americans who are trying to control their weight. What's more, millions of Americans are lactose
    intolerant, and even small amounts of milk or dairy products give them stomachaches, gas, or other problems. This
    recommendation ignores the lack of evidence for a link between consumption of dairy products and prevention of
    osteoporosis. It also ignores the possible increases in risk of ovarian cancer and prostate cancer associated with dairy
    products.”



    GROSS: "Dairy products are a health hazard. They contain no fiber or complex carbohydrates and are laden with saturated fat
    and cholesterol. They are contaminated with cow's blood and pus and are frequently contaminated with pesticides, hormones,
    and antibiotics."  (Milk Sucks.com)



    "Feeding plants to animals then eating the animals is like filtering water through a sewer then drinking it."   Bruce Friedrich



    THE REASON SO MANY OF OUR ANTIBIOTICS DONT WORK: "The short answer is overuse of antibiotics...It is livestock
    producers, however, who use the vast majority of antibiotics produced in the United States. An estimated 70 percent of
    antibiotics and related drugs produced in this country are used for nontherapeutic purposes such as accelerating animal
    growth and compensating for overcrowded and unsanitary conditions on large-scale confinement facilities known as "factory
    farms." (Union of Concerned Scientists)



    LIVE HEALTHY AND SAVE THE PLANET, TOO! The American Dietetic Association states that vegetarians have “lower rates
    of death from ischemic heart disease; … lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension,
    type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer” and that vegetarians are less likely than meat-eaters to be obese.


    VeganHealth.org - an amazing resource of info for following a healthy & beneficial diet


    "Leading health experts agree that going vegetarian is the single-best thing we can do for ourselves and our families. Healthy
    vegetarian diets support a lifetime of good health and provide protection against numerous diseases, including our country’s
    three biggest killers: heart disease, cancer, and strokes." Healthy diet information from GoVeg.com


    Vegan Diets FAQs - Are Vegan Diets Healthy?
    "As with any diet, a vegan diet requires planning. However, when properly planned, a vegan diet can be considerably healthier
    than the traditional American diet."


    Decades of experience, culminating in more than a million vegans today, have shown that appropriate vegan diets support
    good health at all stages of life and reduce the risk of heart disease.


    FAST FACT:
    Vegetarians and vegans live, on average, six to 10 years longer than meat-eaters. (Robbins, p. 14.)


    “The iron in plants is called nonheme iron. Its absorption depends on how much is in the body already. That is, if you are low in
    iron, your body absorbs more of it from the foods you eat. If you already have plenty of iron in your body, nonheme iron is less
    absorbable. That’s good. It means you’ll get the iron you need without overdoing it.

    The iron in meat is called heme iron. Its absorption does not change. You may have plenty of iron stored in your body already,
    but like an uninvited guest at a party, heme iron barges in whether you need it or not. As a result, many meat eaters end up with
    too much iron, which is dangerous because iron sparks the production of free radicals- molecules that can damage your body
    tissues…In the process iron releases free radicals that are linked to aging, cancer, and heart disease.” Vegetarian Times
    February 2009.




    Scary Story - CLICK HERE
    "...tracing the story of her burger, through interviews and government and corporate records obtained by The New York Times,
    shows why eating ground beef is still a gamble. Neither the system meant to make the meat safe, nor the meat itself, is what
    consumers have been led to believe."


    Neal Barnard, M.D., author of Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for reversing diabetes, answers
    questions about nutrition and health:

    Q: Do athletes need to eat meat?
    A: Absolutely not. Some of nature's strongest "athletes" - stallions, bulls, gorillas, and elephants -are vegans.
    Whether you're an on-field pro or a weekend athlete, going vegan will give your health and energy a boost.
    Studies show that vegetarians and vegans are less likely to be overweight than meat-eaters and also less prone to developing
    heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses that can leave you on the sidelines. That's not surprising: Plant foods are not only
    free of animal fat and cholesterol but also naturally rich in antioxidants, which can inhibit heart disease, as well as cancer-
    fighting vitamins, phytochemicals, and fiber. The protein and other nutrients that athletes need can be found in whole grains,
    vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, and soy foods - without the artery-clogging fat and cholesterol found in animal products.
    Carl Lewis, named "Olympian of the Century" by Sports Illustrated magazine, says that his best year of track competition came
    when he switched to a vegan diet. After Atlanta Hawks guard Salim Stoudamire went vegan in 2007, he told reporters, "I lost 3
    pounds, and I'm in better condition. My endurance has gone up, and I haven't gotten tired at all during the whole season."

    Six-time Ironman Triathlon winner Dave Scott and four-time Mr. Universe Bill Pearl have also excelled on a meat-free diet, and
    Kansas City Chiefs tight-end Tony Gonzalez has touted vegetarianism since he read Dr. T. Colin Campbell's book The China
    Study. When Gonzalez added high-protein plant foods to his diet, he discovered that he had more energy on the field - he even
    had a record-breaking season in 2007. Vegan runner Scott Jurek has won the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run seven
    years in a row, setting a course record. Champion triathlete Brandon Brazier found that a vegan diet reduced his recovery time,
    giving him a competitive edge.

    Vegans and vegetarians should take a multivitamin or B-12 supplement, and if you're looking for extra protein, you'll find it in
    lentils, beans, chickpeas, quinoa, faux meats, and nuts. For more tips, visit PCRM.org and the "Optimal Vegan Nutrition"
    section of GoVeg.com.


    Q: I read in Dr. Caldwell Esseistyn's book. Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, that fish is bad for your health. Can I get a
    second opinion?
    A: Fish is not a health food by any stretch of the imagination. According to a study published in The New England Journal of
    Medicine, people who followed a diet emphasizing poultry and fish, called the National Cholesterol Education Program Step II
    Diet, found that their cholesterol levels changed very little.

    Fish's selling point is omega-3 fatty acids. But the fact is, fish fat is a mixture of fats. Anywhere from 15% to 30% of the fat in
    fish is plain old saturated ("bad") fat. That's somewhat lower than in beef and chicken but far higher than in healthful vegetarian
    foods. And fish fat is every bit as fattening as lard or chicken fat. People adding salmon to their diets in hopes of some vague
    benefit often find it hard to manage their weight, because of the load of fat they are eating. Fish flesh contains plenty of
    cholesterol too. Ounce for ounce, shrimp and other mobile shellfish have nearly twice the cholesterol of beef.

    Fish often carry contaminants from polluted waterways. About 40% of fish samples have so much bacterial contamination that
    they have already begun to spoil before they are sold. Fish are also often contaminated with PCBs, which have been linked to
    cancer and birth defects. Consumer Reports found PCBs in 43% of salmon, 50% of whitefish, and 25% of swordfish. The US
    Food and Drug Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency warned pregnant women, women who may
    become pregnant, breastfeeding women, and children to limit their consumption of fatty fish because it contains mercury, which
    can also contribute to birth defects, kidney damage, impaired mental development, and even cancer.

    So where will we get our omegas-3s? Vegetables, fruits, and beans don't contain much fat, but what fat they do have is
    relatively high in omega-3. A person aiming for a higher omega-3 intake, for whatever reason, will find it in ground flaxseeds,
    flaxseed oil, walnuts, soy products, and vegetarian omega-3 supplements, such as Sea Vegg.
    If you really want to work on beating heart disease, forget the fish and try a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole
    grains, and beans and low in fats of any kind.

    Published in PETA's ANIMAL TIMES Magazine






    Were Humans Meant to Eat Meat?
    Cardiologist William C. Roberts hails from the famed cattle state of Texas, but he says this without hesitation: Humans aren't
    physiologically designed to eat meat. "I think the evidence is pretty clear. If you look at various characteristics of carnivores
    versus herbivores, it doesn't take a genius to see where humans line up."
    CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE