Why Go Vegetarian?

cococat

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Why go veg? Chew on these reasons:


Found here: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/resources/why_go_veg/
For the record, I don't eat beef, pig, etc. but I eat fish, farm fresh eggs, and organic cheese. Sometimes organic milk. So I am not a vegetarian, but my diet is mostly plant based. I know some vegetarians just eat things like cheese pizzas and eat very unhealthy and just can't be bothered, but a true veg diet is well balanced and very healthy! Much healthier than the SAD (Standard American Diet)!
Interesting to note, the Japan people they were talking about in this article do eat small amounts of fish often.
 

weldrwomn

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I'm not knocking the whole vegetarian thing, but haven't a lot of salad foods been found to be the cause of food-related illnesses lately?

I tried being a vegetarian once and survived on peanuts and ramen noodles for the whole month
 
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cococat

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Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

I'm not knocking the whole vegetarian thing, but haven't a lot of salad foods been found to be the cause of food-related illnesses lately?
Don't know about the salads, I have at least one everyday and so does my family (and my reptiles) and we haven't gotten sick at all.
Originally Posted by WELDRWOMN

I tried being a vegetarian once and survived on peanuts and ramen noodles for the whole month
I wouldn't have even made it one day on just that. That is very unhealthy! No color at all! Probably no energy either.
 
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cococat

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Originally Posted by theimp98

without looking it up, i would say, no, most of those are wrong.
Oh ya would
 

oci-lot

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I have seriously been pondering the vegetarian life for like a month... I wanna try it... I'll start tomorrow morning.. I thought it was interesting where you put in the info about the weight loss.
 

strange_wings

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What exactly is the "standard" or "average" American diet? There are a lot of different ethnicities in North America and a lot of people eating different diets in general. To lump all these together and say a vegetarian diet is better would definitely show a large gap in logic and just make any information put forth seem like bias propaganda.
And read up on cholesterol, a simple number does not determine one's health. (drug company propaganda there)


I'll have you know that my diet is not high in fat. My average meal is less then 10grams of fat (usually closer to 3). And though I do eat meat - it's only lean meats and not every meal, no one can afford that anymore.
 

starryeyedtiger

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A vegetarian diet may be right for some people, but it's definitely not for everyone though.
I honestly think balanced diets with proper amounts of meats, fruits, veggies, and grains are healthier for most people. I have certain medical issues that would make it very unhealthy for me to go vegetarian, so that's not an option for me.

That being said though I have two very good friends that are both vegetarians. Both however have to supplement their diets because they do not get enough protine.(sp?) Everytime I come over I love to make them vegetarian dishes. I've wound up collecting tons of yummy vegetarian recipes since I've been friends with them
 

theimp98

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

I honestly think balanced diets with proper amounts of meats, fruits, veggies, and grains are healthie for most people though.
Yep,

its sad really man can not live on prime rib alone
 
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cococat

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

I'll have you know that my diet is not high in fat. My average meal is less then 10grams of fat (usually closer to 3). And though I do eat meat - it's only lean meats and not every meal, no one can afford that anymore.
Good for you!
I have dealt with cancer in a close relative and cow meat is not recommended for them, people can say what they want but this is coming from a doctor that sees only cancer patients for their whole career, more here http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/co...lon_Cancer.asp . Meat stopped being recommended for me as a child when I discovered what was planned for my pet cow. Pigs don't have sweat glands and bacon (according to a friend of mine, a heart doctor) is NOT a food, it is that unhealthy for arteries. Canadian bacon can be okay on that same note, if you are just looking at fat. But there are a lot of unnatural things put into meat, a lot of studies have been done by qualified individuals. I don't have a problem with free range organic meat in small amounts. Too much is unhealthy. I find it funny that people argue so much about food, it is has proven that diet is directly linked with certain types of preventable illnesses, like diabetes, heart disease, and so much more. Even a simple grapefruit contains enough compounds to mess with certain medications, fruits and vegetables are very powerful. Food can make a big difference in someone's life.

I don't believe that eggs are bad either or bad sources for cholesterol, depending on the source of course
There is a lot more to cholesterol that just eggs or some meat. Just like there is so much more to eating than just fat. The TYPE of fat is what is important, and also the amounts. I have never had any issues with blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and any of those things, and I don't want to start. I am not looking to start an argument, only looking to share my thoughts.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

What exactly is the "standard" or "average" American diet? .
The SAD is a typical Standard American Diet. Yes, there is one. I have taken nutrition in college, in my textbooks and journals and articles you will find the SAD mentioned.
 
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cococat

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

A vegetarian diet may be right for some people, but it's definitely not for everyone though.
I am not one myself either. I
fish and eat eggs and milk products and sometimes turkey at Thanksgiving when it has been smoked. But I think that adding more fruits and veggies couldn't hurt most!
I love studying nutrition, there is still so much to learn and the information out there is endless on the benefits of many fruits, vegs, nuts, seeds, and grains. Also fish. I think fish is also another power food.
 
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cococat

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Originally Posted by theimp98

its sad really man can not live on prime rib alone
Yes, you are going to need some beer with that huh?
 

strange_wings

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But, who was used for statistics for that diet? What about the various ethnic populations, as I mentioned? There's actually very few foods that could even be considered American... they're all brought over from other countries!


And I agree about bacon - it's gross. There's isn't any cancer in my family, aside from one family member who had lung cancer (I don't smoke, hence that's not an issue).
Depending on your age, don't say "never" if you're still in your 20s or early 30s you could still see any of those as a possibility. What you eat is not the whole story - genetics determine a lot more. You could catch a virus and end up with heart, kidney, or nervous system damage (for example), so again what you eat isn't everything.

Do note - I'm not arguing so much as debating. There's to many "what if's" to sell anything as a cure all.
 

mews2much

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I do not eat meat often and drink Soy and Rice Milk.
I do eat cheese and Yogurt though and have salad alot and beans.
There are ways not to eat alot of meat and eat healthier.
I ahve a few friends that are vegietarian.
One died from colon cancer in 2007.
She use to tell me what good places that were vegietarian to eat at.
I do not eat eggs either.
 
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cococat

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

But, who was used for statistics for that diet? What about the various ethnic populations, as I mentioned? There's actually very few foods that could even be considered American... they're all brought over from other countries!


And I agree about bacon - it's gross. There's isn't any cancer in my family, aside from one family member who had lung cancer (I don't smoke, hence that's not an issue).
Depending on your age, don't say "never" if you're still in your 20s or early 30s you could still see any of those as a possibility. What you eat is not the whole story - genetics determine a lot more. You could catch a virus and end up with heart, kidney, or nervous system damage (for example), so again what you eat isn't everything.

Do note - I'm not arguing so much as debating. There's to many "what if's" to sell anything as a cure all.
I do like a good debate!
I am not in total agreement with everything in that article. I just liked it. I am not saying a cure all, but I do believe diet is powerful, as much as I am saying more as in, something you can control to better your life as a whole.
Does that make sense?
It has been proven by many studies that diet can and do directly impact your life. Certain foods can make a difference and do impact your chances for catching diseases by helping protect and build the immune system and for getting things such as heart attacks, diabetes, and all of that. I know some people on certain meds can't eat grapefruits, that little fruit can really mess with medication, and that fact really got my attention. I though that is just a small example of how powerful compounds in fruits and vegs can be!

There are several factors: It is never just one thing. Those are:
genetics (can't control)
diet (can control)
exercise (can control) and
stress (can control most of the time for me! A work in progress..lol).
There are more IMO, but those are the main big 4.
I will not just say oh, well, my "dad" (aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, etc.) had "diabetes" (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a heart attack, Parkinson's, etc.) so who cares what I eat, genetics control everything. They don't. They are one part of the equation. I am saying this from a Native American background after a lot of research into diets and the benefits of them and following my own family members through many generations. I say my race since diabetes plays in big time into some of us (genetics). I know that many of our foods came from other places, most all of them, but nowadays many of our foods come from labs or big factories that pump all sorts of crap into them!
 

strange_wings

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Well, of course one should eat reasonably. No one can ever disagree with that.

There's two reason I eat low fat and sometimes even no fat - 1) I wasn't raised eating a lot, fatty foods for the most part taste bad. I have a weakness for sweets, but in moderation, and mostly that's hard candies.
2) Gallstones for 8+ years. You learn to really watch what you eat. Ironically veggies could really set it off due to fiber content. I love raw celery.
I doubt I'll be "cured" of this now it's out, if anything I'll probably be stuck with questran for the rest of my life - but hey, it lower cholesterol.


It's the little things like butter and oils that can get you. People think a teaspoon isn't much... 4 or 5 times a day. Other is portions.

Stress varies. Everything is stress to your body. For me, simply standing up is stress.
So are any sort of "fun" events people consider stress free. Before anyone uses the stress argument - determine what exactly stress is, your body has to constantly heal itself even from good things.
 
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cococat

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Stress varies. Everything is stress to your body. For me, simply standing up is stress.
So are any sort of "fun" events people consider stress free. Before anyone uses the stress argument - determine what exactly stress is, your body has to constantly heal itself even from good things.
Yes, I think so too. Stress is a part of life. And some things that stress me wouldn't stress others and vise versa. There was on quiz I took in college that said had you tally up your total of life stressors, good and bad, and said in "x" amounts of years for your total points you would have a major illness. Has anyone else taken this quiz? I couldn't find it on the net. I don't believe that quiz, but I did find it very interesting.

There is also body stress, for instance, going to the doctor and taking a stress test. I know some people with high anxiety suffer stress related illnesses.

But I am more talking about my reactions to stress. Stress is a part of every day life, it is how I handle it that can make a difference. When you are stressed, your body does certain things, for instance, your heart rate goes up. Also inside our brains certain hormones flood. Same with happiness, when we are happy, our body and mind responds. Constant stress isn't good on a body. It leads to burn out and also other problems.
Stress can impact mental and spiritual health as well as physical. Some people deal with stress by eating bad and other unhealthy ways like excessive drug use. Some people deal with stress in good ways, like mediation or light jogging.
Originally Posted by strange_wings

It's the little things like butter and oils that can get you. People think a teaspoon isn't much... 4 or 5 times a day. Other is portions.
I agree many people don't know what real portions are anymore. But really I can't blame them. They are hard to find!

I don't know about gallstones. Are they painful like kidney stones?
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by cococat

I don't know about gallstones. Are they painful like kidney stones?
I wouldn't know, I've never had kidney stones. But gallstones can cause bad GI pain, pain that I've always described as someone taking a dull rusty serrated knife and digging around my abdomen with it - but that was just the worst of the pain.
Usually it was just acid reflux.
If one's unlucky a stone passes out into a duct, gets stuck, then gets infected. That's what causes the worst of the pain. Most people can be full of stones for years and never know until one gets stuck. Others have no stones but their gallbladders get full of sludge or just stop working for no particular reason.


Oh, and I've heard of people that are vegetarian diets having gallbladder problems, too. It seems that its something that some of us are just prone to getting.
 

laureen227

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i have multiple food intolerances. some to proteins [chicken, fish], some to veg [broccoli, bell pepper], some fruits [pineapple], some nuts [almonds, pine nuts] - just to name a few. i'm not planning on eliminating anything from my diet that i can tolerate!
 

lore

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I suppose it depends on what KIND of vegetarian you are... I know a vegetarian & she has got to weigh close to 300lbs... carbohydrate, noodle, cheese, vegetarian... not the best of diets I'm sure...

everything in moderation, whatever floats your boat, go for it


I myself LOVE soy products, garden burgers, boca burgers, the 'fake bacon' in a BLT I call it 'fakin bacon' its in a green box, dunno the brand... I drink soy milk, all that... AM I a vegetarian... heck no... If my husband and I go out to a fancy dinner I'll order myself up a nice 6oz Sirloin cooked up Medium Rare with a Baked Potato and Broccoli


At home tho, its mostly sautee'd veggies in olive oil, or sauteed garbanzo beans, YUM! & Tomatos... I'm hooked on the veggies too...

& ya... when there was that Tomato scare... I love my tomato's... I never got sick from that, & I buy lots of bags of baby spinich for me, my family and my bearded dragon... none of us are ill
 
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