In the 6th century BC, religious people and philosophers in India, Greece, and southern Italy practiced Vegetarianism. In 1847, the first vegetarian society was established in England and spread throughout Europe. It was mainly practiced for economic, environmental, and ethical reasons. There are four main types of vegetarian diets. Lacto Vegetarianism is practiced in most parts of India. This diet includes all types of dairy products but exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs. The Lacto-ova vegetarian diet excludes meat, fish, and poultry, but allows for all dairy products including eggs; it is the vastly practiced diet in the western world. Ova vegetarianism is practiced mostly for ethical reasons; this diet allows for the consumption of eggs but excludes all dairy products. The Vegan diet excludes all animal products.
An appropriately planned vegetarian diet has many health benefits; plant based diets reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes, lower the risk for cancer, promotes weight loss, and lowers cholesterol. In 1980, the Adventist Health study clearly showed the correlation between a lower risk of diabetes with a vegetarian diet and increased risk (WHO, 2014) (Kate Marsh, 2011) (Jenkins DJ) (Svenson2, 2011) (Vidal, 2010)with a non-vegetarian diet. Vegetarianism helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels which drastically reduce the risk for atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke. In addition, some vegetarian diets that include soy proteins and nuts help reduce serum lipid levels, hence reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Even though, there has been a significant advance in medicine and cancer research, cancer remains the number one cause of death worldwide. According to (Jenkins DJ)the World Hea...
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Works Cited
WHO. (2014, feb 10). Media centre. Retrieved feb 11, 2014, from CANCER: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/
Vidal, J. (2010, july 17). 10 ways vegetarianism can help save the planet. Retrieved jan 10, 2014, from Life & style: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/jul/18/vegetarianism-save-planet-environment
Jenkins DJ, K. C. (n.d.). Type 2 diabetes and the vegetarian diet. Retrieved from pubmed.gov: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12936955
Kate Marsh, P. J.-m. (2011). Vegetarian Diets and Diabetes. Retrieved feb 10, 2014, from American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/739101_2
Svenson2, A. J. (2011, march 8). Reduced cancer risk in vegetarians: an analysis of recent reports. Retrieved jan 10, 2014, from pubmed.gov: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3048091/#b33-cmr-3-001
This article details the benefits of a primarily vegetarian diet in primary prevention of heart disease.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2012), the diabetes rate has more than tripled since 1980 from about 5.6 million people affected, to nearly 21 million people. And, of the 2.9 million Native Americans, approximately 16% have been afflicted with type-2 diabetes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). These rates were more than twice the rates for the white population and strongly correlated with income level. One factor that is believed to have contributed to the high rates of non-insulin-dependent diabetes is dietary changes from traditional foods to processed foods (Reinhard et al., 2012).
Hu, F. B., Manson, J. E., Stampfer, M. J., Colditz, G., Liu, S., Solomon, C. G., & Willett, W. C. (2001). Diet, lifestyle, and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. New England Journal of Medicine, 345(11), 790-797.
Segasothy, M. & Philips, P.A. (1999). Vegetarian diet: Panacea for Modern Lifestyle Diseases?, QJM: An International Journal of Medicine. Oxford JournalsVolume92, Issue9
"PCRM | The Cancer Project." PCRM | The Cancer Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
Unless the intention is to shorten one’s lifespan, the Western diet, respectively, has it all wrong. On any given day, Americans are found consuming excessive amounts of meat and dairy products. While that may not seem like such a crime—it’s treason to their bodies. What people fail to realize is that they are allowing unnecessary trans fats, numerous carcinogens, and harmful bacteria into their bloodstream. This can lead to countless complications later in life. Whereas, if people avoided meat and dairy for fruits and vegetables, the health benefits from this type of eating habit would be astonishing. Although vitamin B-12, found in many meat products, is essential to make blood for the nervous system, there can be supplements that vegans take to ensure they are getting what they need. Vegan lifestyle is proven to be healthier as opposed to a meat and dairy lifestyle, because vegans are less prone to diseases, have a leaner and more energetic body, and their lifestyle mitigates the ecological destruction of the planet.
Appropriately planned vegetarian diets can be essential to any one, in any stage of their life. Vegetarian diets are associated with lower risks of cancer, death from ischemic heart disease or any cardiovascular disease. Also lower body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, low blood pressure and lower rates of hypertension than those of which are non-vegetarians.
Every day across America millions of people wake up to start their morning. Throughout the day the vast majority of these people will consume meat, but 3% will replace the pig, cow, and chicken products for vegetable or fruit made meals (Harris). These vegetarians all have many different reasons to make this choice. This decision is a huge change in one’s life and is not without questions. Some people may wonder why would anyone abstain from the amazing food that contains meat. This essay will briefly explain the history of vegetarianism, the reasons for vegetarianism, and answer questions about vegetarianism. Vegetarian diets are all around better than diets containing meat because of three main reasons; the abuse of animals, the environmental damage, and the health benefits for humans.
Vegetarianism is becoming more widespread, particularly because of the belief people have that meat can potentially harm the body. The term ‘vegetarianism’ is used to describe people who avoid eating eat or seafood and possibly dairy foods or eggs. According to Nutrition Australia, the term is not well defined and it includes “people with a wide range of attitudes and eating behaviours with respect to foods of animal region” (para. 3). There are a broad range of vegetarians based on how much food is derived of plant origin, from animals and other sources. Thus, there are five types of vegetarians; Semi vegetarian diet excludes red meat and consumes poultry with/or fish, eggs and dairy food. Lacto vegetarian diet avoid meat, poultry, fish and consumes dairy foods. Lacto-ovo vegetarian diet excludes meat,
Society has recently become increasingly obsessed with health and nutrition, as more and more individuals realize that they can dramatically change their quality of life by adjusting their diet and lifestyle. One way that people have tried to pursue a healthier lifestyle, is by removing meat and other animal products from their diets, whether they become a strict vegetarian who eats no animal byproducts, or a lacto-ovo vegetarian who still eats eggs and dairy. As with any other lifestyle, research is always being done to see if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, and so far, the results of vegetarian diets have been encouraging. Vegetarian diets have proven to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and many other health problems. With a little planning and dedication, a vegetarian diet will be healthier and more beneficial than a traditional diet
Phillips, F. “Vegetarian Nutrition.” British Nutrition Foundation: Nutrition Bulletin 30.2 (2005): 132-167. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.
Health reasons alone are sufficient grounds for becoming a vegetarian. Research has shown that we do not require meat in our diets and that it is actually healthier to avoid meat. Meat is high in saturated fats which are known to cause clogged arteries Cultures that consume less meat than North America have much lower cholesterol and lower rates of heart disease. For example, Japan used to have a lower incidence of heart disease, as well as cancer, before meat consumption increased. There is also reason to believe that humans have naturally evolved to be herbivores, rather than carnivores. Human teeth resemble the teeth of other herbivores, and human intestinal tracts are long, unlike the short intestines found in carnivores. What is natural is usually healthier, and people who become vegetarians frequently report a feeling of increased energy and well being.
Cardiovascular health, including heart disease, is one such aspect positively affected by vegetarian diets. Heart disease is a widespread problem, so extensive that it is the number one cause of death in America. A major cause of heart disease is hardening of the arteries, also called atherosclerosis. This occurs when plaque from high fat or high cholesterol diets builds up on the inside of arteries causing increased strain on the heart, and blood clots if the plaque breaks from the artery wall. Atherosclerosis is also the most common cause of heart attacks. Vegetarian diets have shown to be effective at preventing heart problems, because they tend to be lower in fat and cholesterol, leading to less buildup on the artery walls. “Cardiovascular risk (CVR) is significantly decreased among vegetarians because of a diet high in ...
Albert Einstein once said, "Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." As people move into a more health conscious society, vegetarianism is becoming a popular choice. While some people cannot imagine a day without meat, others are convinced that a vegetarian lifestyle is the better option. There are numerous benefits of being a vegetarian. Some of the reasons are as follows: vegetarianism has multiple health paybacks, is far better for the environment, and is morally sound. Most people believe that vegetarianism is unhealthy, goes against our natural diet, and unnecessary, however, a vegetarian diet offers many health benefits and is more ethical than an omnivorous existence.
Having a healthy dietary method can reduce the chances of receiving many health diseases. These health diseases include obesity, heart disease, and cancer. By consuming certain foods and nutrients in one’s diet the risk factors for these health diseases can be reduced. A healthy dietary method that is beneficial to reducing and/or improving these health diseases is the vegetarian diet. The vegetarian diet follows a dietary pattern that is characterized by the consumption of plant-like foods and the avoidance of flesh foods (meat, poultry, and fish). The foods in this diet provide the body with many essential nutrients. This is why many health benefits have been associated with the vegetarian diet. This dietary method has been linked to reducing the causes of obesity, heart disease, and cancer.