I am truly concerned about my eating habits, and I would like to become a vegan (or maybe vegetarian....not sure yet), however I am not sure what the concerns are.
I have heard that it makes you have more energy, and of course it's healthier for you. About the protein thing...I have heard that you need a lot of meat and that Americans eat too much meat. Which is it?
One last question: If I were to become vegan, do I have to cook with the really expensive ingredients in the organic section? Money is kind of tight, so I'd prefer to stick to the less expensive items.
Anonymous2012-11-16T20:02:34Z
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Many vegans and vegetarians make the mistake eating mostly sugar and grain foods, and that is why they become unhealthy, and oftentimes overweight/obese.
Many also cook with refined oils/spreads in the place of butter, which is one of the worst things that you can consume (butter and lard is actually healthier). When selecting cooking oils, always opt for raw/cold-pressed virgin oils like coconut or olive (I mix the two quite frequently, and both are nothing but healthy).
Focus on consuming a lot of different vegetables (both raw and lightly cooked types), fruits (lower-sugar ones where possible), unrefined nuts/seeds of many types (no refined oils added), and legumes of many types. When you do consume limited "grains" in your diet, opt for things like quinoa (which is actually really a seed), plain oatmeal (spruce it up yourself with healthy additions), brown rice, etc. - while avoiding foods made from wheat/rye/barley ingredients & GMO corn.
Also, always opt for natural, whole fresh foods over processed/prepackaged foods, though frozen veggies are also healthy (just less tasty, and watch the sodium content in them). Avoid ALL foods with added refined oils in them, regardless of the type (read ingredient labels!).
If you are regularly consuming a good mix of nuts, seeds, and legumes daily then you should be getting enough protein (nuts/seeds + legumes = complete protein profile). Plus a little protein is found in many veggies and such also, as an added bonus.
Veganism is true. The claims about it are not exxagerated as people may think. There's lots of proof supporting veganism. Especially the Hygienic way. As for doctors supporting meat and milk that's normal. Doctors want your money. If America woild find out the truth about this stuff, the meat and dairy industries would lose profits, so tjese big companies MAKE SURE tjere are scientific "studies" to support eating meat and milk. Let me ask you a question. Perhaps you've heard it before, but are you a cow to drink that type of milk? How about most people losing the enzyme lactase to digest milk. Doesn't tjat prove naturally that we're not milk drinkers? Do you know that meat and milk and eggs are very acidic? What that means is your body pulls calcium from your bones to regulate you're blood's PH. If there was no meat and milk, you'd never have heard of Osteoporosis. I suggest the book Fit For Life II by Harey and Marelyn Diamond. There are some parts in the book I skipped because i am a christian. As for vegans having diseases too, it depends on way too many other factors. Health is a lifestyle and simply switching to a vegan diet only helps to an extent. You still have to exercise, eat regularly at well spaced meals, abstain from alcohol and wine, stay away from druggs, overeating, overtraining, undue stress, ect... The day you'll realise what really hapens in farms is the day you'll stop eating meat. I suggest also you take a look at the Hygiene System developed by TC Fry. It's got very interesting information.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has a Vegetarian Starter Kit which should answer any nutrition questions- http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/
Organic produce and dried beans and peas are always cheaper than meat and dairy products.
vegan means you don't support any animal exploitation at all, which means you don't wear any animal products, you don't use things that have been tested on animals (unless you really have to like medicine) so you use cruelty-free products that neither have been tested on them and don't contain any of their products. Strict vegetarian is a vegan diet.
Americans eat too much meat. Hence the USA is the world leader for the most chronic disease (actually, pretty much everything you can think of - even parasites now! That's right, the US has overtaken third world and developing countries). Low protein diets solve a lot of health issues.
Organic is better, but for me it's a luxury.
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/uprooting-the-leading-causes-of-death/ Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNCGkprGW_o Food That Kills http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6U00LMmC4 The Best Speech You Will Ever Hear - Gary Yourofsky http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ3hS9jpmm0 The Starch Solution and Salt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH-hs2v-UjI Are Humans Designed/Evolved to Eat Meat? http://www.preventcancer.com/press/editorials/march24_97.htm Prevent Cancer Coalition http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/why-we-should-not-eat-meat/the-evidence-is-mounting.html Why Not Eat Meat? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp9MwjW5QX0 Dairy: Essential Nutrition or Health Saboteur?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYlTElxeD5Q Maximum Nutrition - Transitioning Towards a Plant Based Diet