Good Health for All Vegetarians

Vegetarians are less likely to form either kidney stones or gallstones. In addition, vegetarians may also be at lower risk for osteoporosis because they eat little or no animal protein. Vegetarians are often asked “How will you get enough protein?” For a variety of reasons this concern has been overemphasized. Most Americans eat more protein than they need.

Vegetarian diets are often lower in calories and fat than meat-diets, and rates of overweight and obesity among vegetarians are lower than among meat-eaters. However, vegetarian diets are no guarantee of a healthy weight. Evidence from a few large cohort studies suggests that vegetarians have lower overall mortality ratios than the general population, but this is not the case when vegetarians are compared with similar non-vegetarian groups who follow a health-conscious lifestyle. Vegetarianism has been associated with a reduction in several of the established risk factors for coronary heart disease, including more favourable blood lipid profile, lower body mass index and lower blood pressure.

Younger vegetarians are usually part of a family that eats vegetarian meals for health or other reasons. Older children may decide to become vegetarians because of concern for animals, the environment, or their own health. One post, entitled Vegetarians Are Healthier, Smarter, and Often Richer, looks at some of the statistics available about vegetarians (and other topics) with a critical eye. More specifically, Presh looks at assumptions about causation that are made whenever research shows that vegetarians are smarter or richer or thinner than the general population.

Response: vegetarians are not placing so-called vegetarian values above their principles. They are saying that basic beliefs that mandate we treat animals with compassion, guard our health, share with hungry people, protect the environment, conserve resources, and seek peace, point to vegetarianism as the ideal diet for mankind today, especially in view of the many problems related to modern methods of raising animals on factory farms.

Teenage vegetarians are often faced with pressures — pressures from parents concerned about their health, and pressures from within to continue on the path they have chosen. In general, I think vegetarians are a lot more conscious of the foods they eat. In order to stay healthy and get enough vitamins/minerals, vegetarians really have to eat well-balanced meals. Some vegetarians are remarkably ill-informed about food . They may believe that a vegetarian diet consists of eating vegetables, and eat little else.

There is also the prevailing belief that vegetarians are healthier than non-vegetarians. And teens may attempt to avoid some of the medical problems their parents are already experiencing. And, on the whole, vegetarians are less likely to be afflicted with the chronic diseases that are leading killers and cripplers in societies where meat is the centerpiece of the diet. This is not to say that a meatless diet is a cure for ailments from arthritis to depression to vaginal infections, as some proponents of vegetarianism have claimed. At least vegetarians are thinking about what they eat. So many of us just grab the easiest quickest food available.

Studies suggest that although anemia is a common problem in the United States, vegetarians are no more likely than meat-eaters to develop anemia. That's because iron is plentiful in several vegetable sources: dried fruits (such as dates, raisins and apricots), pumpkin and sunflower seeds, green vegetables, beans (such as black beans and kidney beans), and lentils are excellent sources of iron.

In fact, more than one-third of current semi-vegetarians are age 55 or older, reflecting dietary changes driven by health concerns associated with aging. They are more aware of issues such as animal welfare and the environment and are more likely to contribute time or money to specific causes. Vegans and vegetarians are the most likely to be deficient because the best sources of the vitamin are meat, particularly liver, milk and fish. Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause anaemia and inflammation of the nervous system.

You'll find Vegetarians are effervescent, stimulating, and creative people with a pleasant outlook on life. No doubt, you'll notice they are quite exuberant when you ask about their cuisine or their favorite foods.

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