22 reasons to be a veg head - great article

[Annie01]

I found an awesome article I wanted to share:

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0820/is_1999_April/ai_54232138/pg_1?tag=artBody;col1

 

My favorite part (and reason #1 on the list):

 

You'll live a lot longer. Vegetarians live about seven years longer, and vegans (who eat no animal products) about 15 years longer than meat eaters, according to a study from Loma Linda University. These findings are backed up by the China Health Project (the largest population study on diet and health to date), which found that Chinese people who eat the least amount of fat and animal products have the lowest risks of cancer, heart attack and other chronic degenerative diseases. And a British study that tracked 6,000 vegetarians and 5,000 meat eaters for 12 years found that vegetarians were 40 percent less likely to die from cancer during that time and 20 percent less likely to die from other diseases.

 

I'm bookmarking this one and referring it to anyone who tries to give me crap about my personal choices!!

[Zack]

and vegans (who eat no animal products) about 15 years longer than meat eaters

 

I think that's a garbage statement.

 

This is probably a comparison between vegans, who are at least semi-conscious of what they put in their body, and people who don't care at all. Compare a healthy omnivorous diet with a healthy vegan diet and I do not believe this would be true.

[Annie01]

Fair enough.

 

Hadn't thought about it that way, just thought it was an interesting article.

[Zack]

just thought it was an interesting article.

 

Indeed.

[Jessifly]

In a study of 20,000 British adults, researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council determined that people who exercise regularly, eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, drink moderately and quit smoking live 14 years longer than their less virtuous counterparts.

 

After adjusting for age and other covariates that may impact longevity, the researchers determined that smoking was associated with the greatest mortality risk reduction, with those who ditched the cigarettes logging an 80% overall improvement in health. Regular fruit and vegetable consumption, meanwhile, had the second largest effect on health, followed by moderate drinking and regular exercise, which procured similar benefits.

 

Commenting on the results, the researchers note that they “may provide further support for the idea that even small differences in lifestyle may make a big difference to health in the population and encourage behavior change.”

 

Doing all four? Then it’s probably about time you reserve the best rocker at the retirement home!

 

via ABC News

[Jessifly]

Compare a healthy omnivorous diet with a healthy vegan diet and I do not believe this would be true.

 

How does one decide what a "healthy" omnivorous diet is? With the facts on the health risks and toxins related to meat and dairy I can hardly see calling any omnivorous diet "healthy" for comparisons sake... only closer to vegan, and therefore there is no comparison due.

[Zack]

In a study of 20,000 British adults, researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Medical Research Council determined that people who exercise regularly, eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, drink moderately and quit smoking live 14 years longer than their less virtuous counterparts.

 

After adjusting for age and other covariates that may impact longevity, the researchers determined that smoking was associated with the greatest mortality risk reduction, with those who ditched the cigarettes logging an 80% overall improvement in health. Regular fruit and vegetable consumption, meanwhile, had the second largest effect on health, followed by moderate drinking and regular exercise, which procured similar benefits.

 

Commenting on the results, the researchers note that they “may provide further support for the idea that even small differences in lifestyle may make a big difference to health in the population and encourage behavior change.”

 

Doing all four? Then it’s probably about time you reserve the best rocker at the retirement home!

 

via ABC News

 

Correct me if i'm wrong, but it doesn't say anything about vegan/vegetarian in here?

[Jessifly]

no, it doesn't, that article wasn't posted in reply to your comment, only in related information to the above article

[Zack]

How does one decide what a "healthy" omnivorous diet is?

 

Good question.

 

There's toxins on plant foods too. Natural toxins, and also pollutants/pesticides..

 

Jack lalanne is not vegetarian, he is 93 and still works out 2 hours a day. He only eats egg whites and fish, along with a primarily plant-based diet. The longest lived groups of people are not vegan, but they surely eat primarily plant food.

 

I think the key to health is a plant-based diet for sure, but I don't believe that some animal food as a supplement to a plant-based diet will do that much harm.

 

Still there are all the other reasons that are more important for being a vegan/veg.

 

[Jessifly]

I think the key to health is a plant-based diet for sure, but I don't believe that some animal food as a supplement to a plant-based diet will do that much harm.

 

Still there are all the other reasons that are more important for being a vegan/veg.

 

I think animal food as a supplement to a vegan diet is not the same as having what someone would call a "healthy omnivorous diet" but I suppose literally it is. Although Jack Lalanne is definitely not the norm when it comes to "healthy omnivorous diets" so that is what I mean by you can hardly compare his diet as a vs vegan diet because it is healthy and very close to vegan.

 

There are many important reasons for being vegan/veg and every reason holds its own weight within the individual based on their life experiences and beliefs.

[GRardB]

I think the key to health is a plant-based diet for sure, but I don't believe that some animal food as a supplement to a plant-based diet will do that much harm.

 

I kinda sorta halfta disagree on this. It might not do much harm, but I do believe that 100% plants is the healthiest. Animal foods are bad for people. In my opinion, eating them "sometimes" means getting some negative effects.

 

I also think it's a little unfair to use the oldest people ever as examples. The oldest woman ever (from what I've read) smoked for most of her life (literally). I think that those people are blessed with amazing genetics that allow them to live that long.

 

"She reportedly attributed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance for her age to olive oil, which she said she poured on all her food and rubbed onto her skin, as well as a diet of port wine, and nearly 2 pounds of chocolate eaten every week. Jeanne Calment smoked until she was 117, and only quit when she could no longer see well enough to light the cigarettes."

 

Just my two cents.

[Im Your Man]

The oldest woman ever (from what I've read) smoked for most of her life (literally). I think that those people are blessed with amazing genetics that allow them to live that long.

 

"She reportedly attributed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance for her age to olive oil, which she said she poured on all her food and rubbed onto her skin, as well as a diet of port wine, and nearly 2 pounds of chocolate eaten every week. Jeanne Calment smoked until she was 117, and only quit when she could no longer see well enough to light the cigarettes."

 

Just my two cents.

lol, I love the fact that it talks about olive oil, chocolate and wine besides cigarettes. Those 3 "foods" are often said as superfoods for longevity and heart health while it's just fats and drugs. There's surely no good points especially the amounts she was taking,