Vegan Diet

According to Donald D. Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic on Healthy Weight, “Eating well – choosing a plant-based diet, which emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains – also will reduce your risks of some of our nation’s biggest killers and related conditions. Many cancers, heart disease and high blood pressure, among other conditions, are linked to diet, most notably to diets high in fat and saturated fat. Even without weight loss, adopting a healthier eating style can be beneficial. (Hensrud 49)”

Vegetarianism has existed for many centuries, but perhaps the most well known vegetarian was Pythagoras. Pythagoras was a philosopher whom educated much of the world on his ideas in life, one at the time being the abstinence of meat. Pythagoras, along with many of his followers, believed that the consumption of meat could affect the longevity of one’s life. Though not everyone believed in Pythagoras’ opinions, he still had a loyal group of followers. Pythagoras was so widely associated with a meat free diet that the terms vegetarian was not even in use until 1847, when the term “pythagorean” was changed to “vegetarian” (Avey). Today, there are 16 million people in America who follow a vegetarian-based or vegan diet (Watters). There is a common misconception that the choice to become a vegetarian is based only on a person’s love for animals, but there are many other benefits to being a vegetarian. Pythagoras and his followers gave many of the same arguments that people who abstain from meat today support; for example, Pythagoras had the belief that there was a majority of added health benefits from a meatless diet (Avey). Vegetarianism can decrease the risk of cancer along with other health concerns, can solve problems the world presently faces,—such as world hunger and animal cruelty— and can have positive effects on the environment—such as pollution reduction and overgrazing reduction. People need to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle because it will improve public

When I was growing up I was taught how to hunt, fish and trap animals for food as well as being fed an omnivorous diet, but today I have found that I no longer need animals in my diet. The Vegetarian Times recently found that out of the 311 million people in the US, 7.3 million eat a vegetarian based diet and 22.8 million eat a vegetarian inclined diet. Over the past century people have begun looking into the health implications of plant based diets as a way of improving their health and increase their longevity. This research paper is intended

The reduction of the amount of saturated fats from one’s diet improves health greatly for cardiovascular health. According to nursingdegree.com, ”Eating nuts and whole grains, while eliminating dairy products and meat, will improve… cardiovascular health.” When eliminating food that comes from animals doing so eliminates all dietary cholesterol from one’s diet. Vegan diets go to extreme lengths to prevent heart attack and stroke. Plant-based foods are high in fiber and according to nursingdegree.net, “A diet high in fiber…leads to healthier bowel movements.” While obtaining nutrition from vegan diets also prevent disease at the same time. For example, it is stated in nursingdegree.com,” Eating a diet consisting of whole grains, along with fresh fruits and vegetables, can greatly reduce…chances of colon cancer.”

Research shows that in countries where people eat a pound or more of fruit and vegetables a day , the rate of cancer is half what it is in the United States. Pollan argues that vegetarians are less susceptible to most of the western diseases, and as a consequence live longer than the rest of us(164). Apparently, we can’t live without plants, but we don’t need to eat meat in order to obtain the nutrients we need for growth because they can be found elsewhere (Pollan 165). Since plants are less energy dense than other foods, by eating a plant-based diet one will likely consume fewer calories which is itself protective against many chronic disease (Pollan 165).I agree with Pollan that a plant-based diet can help reduce the risk of obesity, Diabetes, and Heart Disease.

These components all work together to cause major issues like obesity, heart disease, and cancer leading to billions of dollars being put to the treatment of millions of patients each year. Researchers like John McDougall, John Robbins, and David Robinson Simon have put in years and years of research and experimentation to prove to society and the Western culture that we are not fueling our bodies appropriately and in fact, we are causing serious damage that may or may not be reversible. With simple dietary changes, the three big killers-cancer, heart disease, and obesity-can all be eradicated. As proven by hundreds of years of healthy, disease free cultures, we can thrive on a plant-based, starch heavy diet without added animal products high in acid, fat, and cholesterol. The meat and dairy industries survive by telling society that we must consume excessive amounts of protein and calcium to stay healthy when Asian and ancient societies have proven this to be false. Maybe it is time for us to stop treating health problems, most likely caused by poor and harmful diets, with a plant-based diet. These simple and easy changes could be the difference in not only quality of life, but the extension of it. Maybe Albert Einstein was right, “Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chance for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian

The United States has an unprecedented record in trying to outrank all others. However, one thing they do not outrank others in is heart disease; though it is the country’s leading cause of death. In 2014, there were approximately 614,348 deaths alone from heart disease (CDC). With heart disease there is also high blood pressure; subsequently, high blood pressure is one of the top contributors of heart diseases. In a recent study, the Japanese reviewed this in over 258 cases and came to the conclusion that a plant-based diet is associated with lower blood pressure (Vegetarian Times 26). All of the vegetables, fruits, and whole grains attribute to the lower blood pressure, as well as to lower accounts of heart disease. Also, since Americans eat surpluses of meat, huge amounts of cholesterol and TMAO come with it. The average American consumes two to three times over the recommended amount of protein

For 96 consecutive years, heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States.1 The term “heart disease” encompasses multiple cardiac ailments including irregular rhythms, valve failures, coronary artery disease, and other issues.2 Coronary artery disease is the most common manifestation of heart disease and may be the most susceptible to improvement by non-medical intervention. Even though it is a complex issue involving multiple facets of genetics, physical activity, and other lifestyle choices, some of these risk factors may be altered or otherwise controlled in order to reduce mortality rates.3 This review will evaluate the possibility of reducing cardiovascular disease mortality rates through vegan

Diets are the first thing that come to mind when a person is experiencing an issue with oneself, but it appears we can never stick to it. Diets are usually classified as "starving oneself" by people who feel that diets should be very little food and no meat. However, there are many types of diets, and they all contain a different strategy. Diets are not all just salads, pills, and surgery. There are many ways a person could lose weight naturally rather than losing it for the moment.

Do you believe that things can have shades? Or are you part of that group of people that believe that things are black or white? For me life in general have shades, we cannot be extremist and this concept is more appropriate when it comes to health. Vegan is an extreme decision and we know there are a lot of reasons why people decide to take this life style. I personally respect all of them but in this opportunity I want to speak for those that believe that veganism is being healthy. Nutrition is balance we cannot be so radical in terms of health.

Many people think that becoming vegan is a really difficult and complicated thing because they would have to change their whole diet. But there is so many vegan substitutions and vegan food isn’t gross at all. A good amount of people always ask me, “why are you vegan”. Well the answer is quite simple, I became vegan for the animals , environment and my health.

The quote “A man can live and be healthy without killing animals for food; therefore, if he eats meat, he participates in taking animal life merely for the sake of his appetite. And to act so is immoral” from Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy, encompasses what vegetarianism is about. Veganism and vegetarianism is generally associated with leafy green salads but there is a long list of health benefits attached to that way of eating and a reduction in livestock farming benefits our environment. Diving into the benefits of becoming a vegetarian or vegan, there has been extensive research done on how a teak in diet can reduce risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Plant-based dieting is a lifestyle that is beneficial for health, moral and environmental reasons.

A Plant-Based Diet as a Prescriptive Measure: Should Health Care Providers Recommend A Vegan Diet to High-Risk Patients For the Prevention or Treatment of Non-Communicable or Chronic Diseases?

Have you ever stopped to think about what’s in the meat you’re eating or the chemicals that are in any animal by product you are using? Most college students don’t, but the ones that do usually end up switching to, the sometimes controversial, vegan diet. If students were made to be vegan for a month it would expose them to alternative ways of living and educate them about the harm these animal products do to our bodies and our planet. Exploring veganism will open your eyes to the cruel world behind mass produced animal products and how we as a society are the perpetrators behind it.

Vegetarian diets have also been linked to reducing heart disease. Heart disease is another common chronic disease. A contributing factor that can lead to a person having heart disease is hypertension (also referred to as high blood pressure). Factors that lead to hypertension include having high levels of fats and cholesterol in one’s diet. Vegetarian diets have low intakes of total fat, saturated fatty acids, and cholesterol. Since the vegetarian diet is lower in cholesterol and fats the chances for hypertension is decreased. Hypertension is just one cause that can lead to heart disease; the main cause of heart disease is due to having high levels of cholesterol. High cholesterol is an indicator that a person is consuming a high amount of animal products that contain cholesterol and saturated fat. Vegetarians consume lower levels of cholesterol in their diet. The vegetarian diet contains high amounts of soy, nuts, oats, and vegetables, all of which have been found to reduce cholesterol. Another reason why the vegetarian diet reduces heart disease lies in the fact that it contains high levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants include essential nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotenes which all help to minimize the damage that could occur in cells. These antioxidants are found in foods such as fruits