Study Finds Raw Food Vegans Healthier

One of the longstanding myths about a diet that avoids dairy foods is that it can lead to osteoperosis. A new study not only proves that this isn't true, it also reports that vegans, specifically those that follow a raw food diet, are overall healthier than the average American, have strong bones, lower BMI, lower markers for disease and have high levels of Vitamin D, which was surprising to researchers since dairy products are normally fortified with Vitamin D.

The interesting part about this study is the expectations the doctors had, particularly that they expected raw food vegans to have low levels of Vitamin D. This shows how flawed the dairy industry is in promoting "milk for strong bones".

Additionally, although the study clearly shows that following a raw, vegan lifestyle is much healthier in all aspects tested (weight, disease prevention, BMI - and by a good margin), the lead doctors don't advocate a vegan, raw food diet.

They do recommend eating more fruits and vegetables, which is a good start, but I think they are missing the point. Fruits and vegetables are only one part of a raw, vegan diet. Adding a variety of legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds is also essential to a well balanced diet. Additionally, if someone eats more fruits and vegetables (and no legumes, whole grains, nuts or seeds) but still eats red meat, a variety of dairy products and processed foods regularly, this will do little to improve their health. Apparently facts don't make enough difference to make a recommended lifestyle change! :)

Read more about the study at: Yahoo! News - Raw Food Vegans Thin But Healthy, Study Finds

To your best health!

Mark
vegandiet.blogspot.com

Milk; Does a Body No Good?

Being vegan, many people ask where I get my calcium if I don't eat dairy foods (among other nutrients).

For years, I've studied the available research on milk and other dairy products and have always believed that milk, especially in it's current form, is not an essential part of a healthy diet that I would recommend, and can actually be harmful to your health.

Case in point. Some years ago I was speaking with a mother that complained about how many reoccuring ear infections her daughter had and that she was constantly on antibiotics. She also suffered from colds and was sick more often than what she would consider normal. After asking some questions about the girls diet, I found that she drank milk more than several times a day, and consumed other dairy foods and foods containing dairy by-products. I recommended she cut out all dairy products and substitute unsweetened soy or rice milk, fresh vegetables and when she had a craving for something sweet, a non-dairy frozen dessert (made with soy or rice milk).

In less than a month, the mother reported that her daughter hadn't been sick at all during that time, and over the next two years, she had only been sick once or twice with a minor cough or cold. This was a major relief for the mother and a blessing for the girl since she not only felt better, but felt good not having to take medicine all the time.

Now comes evidence that the calcium benefit the dairy industry claims is vital to growing children... well, really isn't. In one of the most comprehensive review of over 27 studies looking into the benefits of calcium from milk sources found that only three out of the 27 studies found any benefit, and very little benefit at that. Read an article detailing the studies here.

Some of the existing research notes that fruit and vegetable sources of calcium are better absorped by our bodies, and that after milk is pasturized and fortified, the calcium is no longer in a form that is easy for us to assimilate and thus not much of a benefit. Studies note that getting out, staying active and exercising will do more for strong bones than drinking milk, a powerful statement that the dairy industry doesn't want you to hear.

Dairy products have been know to cause excess mucus, carry growth hormones (in almost all non-organic milk and dairy products) and cause allergic reactions to a large portion of humans that can't digest or are in some way allergic to dairy products (dairy allergies are one of the top allergies we may have - but most don't know it).

The way I look at it, why go through all the problems associated with dairy products when you can get plentiful calcium in other fruits and vegetables, bio-available vitamin supplements and get stronger bones by exercising and staying active?

Peace.

Mark
http://vegandiet.blogspot.com

Vegan Nutrition, Can You Get Everything Your Body Needs?

Where do you get your protein? Are you sure you're getting enough vitamins and other nutrients? These are questions I've been asked hundreds of times since becoming vegan, and the answers are quite simple. Yes! The vegan diet is not only nutritionally sound, but provides more health benefits that most other diets. Protein is plentiful and in almost every food we eat.

Here's a great introduction to vegan nutrition from the folks at Viva!. Read the entire article for all the details. Note, they are very passionate about the ethical treatment of animals and don't let that overshadow this important nutritional information. Enjoy!

VEGAN NUTRITION: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Many people are concerned that giving up dairy products and eggs will make it much more difficult for them to obtain all the nutrients they need. The good everything the body requires can be found in a vegan diet - from Vitamin A to Zinc, from iron to Vitamin B12. The American Dietetic Association recently reviewed the available literature on vegetarianism and veganism and concluded that a vegan diet is both nutritionally-adequate and can even provide health benefits.

The basic human nutritional requirements are protein, carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals. A vegan diet will provide them all.

Continue reading the article at Viva!

Compelling Reasons To Avoid Meat

The reasons for avoiding meat in your diet are quite straightforward... most have to do with better health, easy weight maintenance, lower occurance of disease, better nutrition, more energy and feeling better. Some of the lesser know reasons are even more surprising... and interesting, especially the amount of resources necessary to feed and care for animals. More reasons to consider a vegan diet.

Source: Urban75 and Viva

• Antioxidants protect against more than 60 diseases. Found mostly in fruit and vegetables. They destroy 'free radicals'.
• A vegetarian diet can reduce cholesterol levels. (Cholesterol is linked to heart disease – fruit and vegetables contain none.) BMA
  
• Vegetarians and vegans have higher intakes of folic acid than omnivores. BMA
• A vegetarian diet meets all the nutritional needs of infants and adolescents. ADA/BMA
• Vegetarians are no more likely to suffer anaemia than meat eaters. ADA/BMA
• On irrigated land, 1lb of vegetables uses 25 gallons. 1lb of beef uses 5,214 gallons. University of California
• More than 90 per cent of all agricultural land in Britain is used to feed animals
• If Britain went vegetarian, less than half the farm land would be needed – vegan, less than a quarter! Reading University
• Vegetarians often live longer and suffer less from several chronic diseases. ADA
• Vegetarians have a much lower incidence of caesarean section. PCRM
• Vegetarians are less likely to suffer strokes caused by coronary artery disease. BMA
• Vegetarian diets have been successful in arresting and reversing severe coronary artery disease. ADA
• Vegetarians have lower rates of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, large bowel disorders, cancers and gallstones. BMA
• Vegetarian diets offer disease protection because of lower saturated fat, cholesterol and animal protein and higher folates, antioxidant vitamins and plant nutrients. ADA
• 95 per cent of all food poisoning comes from meat and animal products.
  
• Cancer rates among vegetarians are 25-50 per cent less than non-vegetarians. PCRM
• Vegetarians have half to three-quarters the risk of dying of heart disease compared to non-vegetarians. PCRM
• Nearly all 650 million UK chickens are fed antibiotics daily. 72 million die from disease.
• The world's 17 major fisheries are on the point of environmental collapse because of over-fishing.
• It takes about 10kg of good quality plant protein – such as wheat and soya – to produce 1kg of meat protein.
• 35 per cent of the world’s people can be fed on a meat-based diet. A plant diet could feed everyone – then plus some. Sir Crispin Tickell

The medical sources quoted are from some of the most prestigious in the world: BMA (British Medical Association); ADA (American Dietetic Association); WHO (World Health Organisation); PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine).

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables, Lose Weight

Probably a no-brainer, but further evidence that eating more fruits and vegetables reduce your chances of gaining weight and obesity. I've never seen a study that contradicts this, and also have never seen a study that proves eating more meat, dairy or fish and less vegetables reduces your chances of gaining weight.

To enhance your experience and get more benefits from your fruits and vegetables, look for organic as much as possible and eat as much of it raw and fresh, or at the most, lightly steamed. Once a vegetable is warmed over 120 degrees it starts losing enzymes, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. The longer you cook, the more the loss. Enzymes are essential for proper digestion and you want the nutrients as well. So eating overcooked, soggy vegetables do very little good for you, nutritionally speaking. Best choice is raw, second best is very lightly steamed (just a minute or two). Good eating!

National Library of Medicine: "Changes in intake of fruits and vegetables in relation to risk of obesity and weight gain among middle-aged women."

"RESULTS: During the 12-y follow-up, participants tended to gain weight with aging, but those with the largest increase in fruit and vegetable intake had a 24% of lower risk of becoming obese... For major weight gain (> or =25 kg), women with the largest increase in intake of fruits and vegetables had a 28% lower risk compared to those in the other extreme group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that increasing intake of fruits and vegetables may reduce long-term risk of obesity and weight gain among middle-aged women."