canonfilmer1
01-25-2001, 03:37 PM
Hi everyone. I see that alot of you are trying to get into good shape. Well, I eat a vegan diet for various reasons. Since I became vegan, I feel so much better physically and mentally. It is a wonderful feeling to know that you can live with about being dependent on an animal or one of its products. I know many of you may be sceptacle about protein substitutes and fat content, but believe me, you can get it. The good thing about the fat and protein in vegan foods is that the fat it contains is "healthy" fat.
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Angeline
01-25-2001, 05:00 PM
I've been trying to convince people on this board forever!! LOL...A vegan lifestyle is the ultimate way to go, you feel great, you do lose weight, your cholestoral levels plummet, you just feel absolutely WONDERFUL!! I don't have half as many stomach problems. (Everybody is lactose intolerant and we wonder why--it's b/c after you're 3 years old or so you aren't supposed to digest lactose at all! It's there in human breast milk for human babies, not to be harvested from a poor cow and ingested.)
Aside from all that, b/c i find that people aren't convinced with evidence like that anyway, is just that it really is healthier for you to follow a vegetarian diet. You'll feel better. You'll look better. You're skin will clear up b/c you stop eating saturated animal fats.
You'll get enough protein, trust me. It's been researched that americans get too much protein, and there is no evidence, NOT ANY, that vegetarians ever show a deficiency in protien, calcium, etc. It's documented that meateaters show extremely high levels of the same vitamins and minerals, and that's just as unhealthy as being supposedly deficient.
That's just my two cents. I've been vegan for a year and I love it. Of course, I'm not in it just for the health benefits, I do it b/c I'm truly against animal cruelty and factory farming. I could never take part in such an unfriendly way of life again. I don't want to ever change!!!
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Feel Free to Respond!
Aside from all that, b/c i find that people aren't convinced with evidence like that anyway, is just that it really is healthier for you to follow a vegetarian diet. You'll feel better. You'll look better. You're skin will clear up b/c you stop eating saturated animal fats.
You'll get enough protein, trust me. It's been researched that americans get too much protein, and there is no evidence, NOT ANY, that vegetarians ever show a deficiency in protien, calcium, etc. It's documented that meateaters show extremely high levels of the same vitamins and minerals, and that's just as unhealthy as being supposedly deficient.
That's just my two cents. I've been vegan for a year and I love it. Of course, I'm not in it just for the health benefits, I do it b/c I'm truly against animal cruelty and factory farming. I could never take part in such an unfriendly way of life again. I don't want to ever change!!!
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Feel Free to Respond!
sare
01-26-2001, 03:42 AM
you guys have convinced me! i'm a vegeterian and i want to go vegan...is there any advice you can give me, what everyday products from the supermarket can and can't you have...also what are your main meals everyday? i feel really confident about this...i'd appreciate your replies.
thank you :)
thank you :)
arkie6
01-26-2001, 12:26 PM
Well, I'm going to chime in here and add my 2 cents. I guess that you could call me the anti-vegetarian. Don't get me wrong, I like vegetables, but meat is the basis of my diet. I grew up on a small family farm and enjoy hunting and fishing, not just for sport, but I like meat. And it likes me based on my improvement in health since I started eating more of it and less processed foods.
I've been existing on a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate diet for about 3 years now and I feel better than I've ever felt. And I lost 40 lbs to boot and lowered my cholesterol and blood pressure at the same time. Go figure. Meat is my mainstay, along with eggs, cheese, and non-starchy vegetables. I absolutely avoid sugar and grain based products (wheat, corn, bread, pasta, rice, etc.) as these cause more problems for more people than any single food out there.
I don't believe that a purely vegan diet is healthy for anyone for very long. And in particular, it can be detrimental to pregnant women and developing children. The growing body needs protein and fat and humans evolved to get these nutrients from other animals, just like the coyote depends on the rabbit for his survival.
And an earlier comment about healthy fats coming from vegetables or something to that effect - I see nothing healthy in consuming oils extracted from seeds under extremely high pressures and temperatures with the aid of solvents or subjected to a hydrogen catalyst to stiffen them up. Natural saturated fats from animal sources have gotten a bum rap in my opinion. If you want to increase the free radicals in your body and increase your risk of cancer, then keep eating those highly polyunsaturated and partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils. For anyone interested in finding out more, just do an internet search for anything written by Dr. Mary Enig.
If you are vegan what do you do for Vitamin B12? The only reliable source is meat, unless you want to take the synthetic version, but that ain't very "natural" to me. And what do you do for protein? Let me guess, Soy products. Not for me. Those things aren't in the least bit healthy in my opinion. Alan S.
Here are a few links relating to the topics discussed:
http://www.beyondveg.com/
http://www.panix.com/~paleodiet/
http://mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm
http://www.eporkchop.com/blubber/
http://www.atkinsmag.com/subpages/articlestemp.asp?deptID=1&tempID=1&articleID=100083
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Alan
"I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian."
"Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else."
I've been existing on a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate diet for about 3 years now and I feel better than I've ever felt. And I lost 40 lbs to boot and lowered my cholesterol and blood pressure at the same time. Go figure. Meat is my mainstay, along with eggs, cheese, and non-starchy vegetables. I absolutely avoid sugar and grain based products (wheat, corn, bread, pasta, rice, etc.) as these cause more problems for more people than any single food out there.
I don't believe that a purely vegan diet is healthy for anyone for very long. And in particular, it can be detrimental to pregnant women and developing children. The growing body needs protein and fat and humans evolved to get these nutrients from other animals, just like the coyote depends on the rabbit for his survival.
And an earlier comment about healthy fats coming from vegetables or something to that effect - I see nothing healthy in consuming oils extracted from seeds under extremely high pressures and temperatures with the aid of solvents or subjected to a hydrogen catalyst to stiffen them up. Natural saturated fats from animal sources have gotten a bum rap in my opinion. If you want to increase the free radicals in your body and increase your risk of cancer, then keep eating those highly polyunsaturated and partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils. For anyone interested in finding out more, just do an internet search for anything written by Dr. Mary Enig.
If you are vegan what do you do for Vitamin B12? The only reliable source is meat, unless you want to take the synthetic version, but that ain't very "natural" to me. And what do you do for protein? Let me guess, Soy products. Not for me. Those things aren't in the least bit healthy in my opinion. Alan S.
Here are a few links relating to the topics discussed:
http://www.beyondveg.com/
http://www.panix.com/~paleodiet/
http://mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm
http://www.eporkchop.com/blubber/
http://www.atkinsmag.com/subpages/articlestemp.asp?deptID=1&tempID=1&articleID=100083
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Alan
"I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian."
"Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else."
Angeline
01-29-2001, 03:46 PM
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, Alan, and I'm grateful that you took a very scientific way to explaining yours. I do feel however that there are a few things that you said that I disagree with.
I just don't agree that eating animals is morally right. That's not scientific, that's emotional, and that's how I choose to live. I can't tell you what is or isn't morally right, and I'm thankful that you tried to back up your reasoning for eating meat and animal based products with science rather than saying it's "human nature" or something like that.
On a health based level, though, I just don't see how you can honestly say that eating saturated fats is better for the heart and arteries than say, olive oil, or vegetable oil. I just don't believe that's true. Another thing is that as for protien and B12, I get protein from soy, that's true. But mostly I get it from eating beans and other legumes. Do you know how much protien is in a peanut?? LOL. B12 is hard to come by, but it can be easily compensated with a supplement. I personally don't take a supplement for B12, I just take a daily multivitamin with iron, and a calcium supplement. I'd rather take these pills everyday than eating an animal or giving into the industry that tortures animals for dairy products and eggs. It's a sacrifice, but I don't think at all that my life is in danger because I choose to stay away from eating animals and "their products". I personally feel that this is the best way of living for me, for health reasons and for moral considerations.
Just as a side note, I used to be a really big meateater, and I also looked down on vegetarians. But I just want to say that since I've become vegan, I've felt so much better (health wise) that I can't even describe it. I feel energetic, alive, and much happier. I personally don't think that veganism is for everyone--especially if you can't see it from a moral standpoint, b/c that's where the argument comes from. As long as we can respect each other's beliefs and morals, and don't try to downplay each other and try to be right, then I think we'll be okay in the long run. Respect is the key, and I'm glad we've got it going here.
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Feel Free to Respond!
I just don't agree that eating animals is morally right. That's not scientific, that's emotional, and that's how I choose to live. I can't tell you what is or isn't morally right, and I'm thankful that you tried to back up your reasoning for eating meat and animal based products with science rather than saying it's "human nature" or something like that.
On a health based level, though, I just don't see how you can honestly say that eating saturated fats is better for the heart and arteries than say, olive oil, or vegetable oil. I just don't believe that's true. Another thing is that as for protien and B12, I get protein from soy, that's true. But mostly I get it from eating beans and other legumes. Do you know how much protien is in a peanut?? LOL. B12 is hard to come by, but it can be easily compensated with a supplement. I personally don't take a supplement for B12, I just take a daily multivitamin with iron, and a calcium supplement. I'd rather take these pills everyday than eating an animal or giving into the industry that tortures animals for dairy products and eggs. It's a sacrifice, but I don't think at all that my life is in danger because I choose to stay away from eating animals and "their products". I personally feel that this is the best way of living for me, for health reasons and for moral considerations.
Just as a side note, I used to be a really big meateater, and I also looked down on vegetarians. But I just want to say that since I've become vegan, I've felt so much better (health wise) that I can't even describe it. I feel energetic, alive, and much happier. I personally don't think that veganism is for everyone--especially if you can't see it from a moral standpoint, b/c that's where the argument comes from. As long as we can respect each other's beliefs and morals, and don't try to downplay each other and try to be right, then I think we'll be okay in the long run. Respect is the key, and I'm glad we've got it going here.
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Feel Free to Respond!
starquest11
01-29-2001, 07:03 PM
I was a partial vegan for years, and it wasa living total hell.
Putting meat back in my diet is the #1 best thing I've ever done for myself, hands down.
gratefully, Type O
Putting meat back in my diet is the #1 best thing I've ever done for myself, hands down.
gratefully, Type O
arkie6
01-29-2001, 07:41 PM
Angeline, If you feel that going vegan is right for you, then by all means go for it. I was primarily posting the other side so that people reading these boards would be aware that there are drawbacks to it and that if they are considering doing it, then they have the information available to weigh the consequences.
Regarding the ideology of vegan vs. consuming meat, I ain't going to address that, because that is an arguement that neither of us can win. I'm just discussing the scientific issues. The moral issues are something that you will have to deal with yourself. I'm happy with my decision to eat meat, in fact, I'm a member of the River Valley Chapter of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) - just kidding, don't get all bent out of shape :-)
Regarding saturated fat vs. un-saturated fat, I'm sticking to my guns on my previous statements that natural animal fats (mostly saturated) and monounsaturated fats like that in olive oil and most true nuts (not peanuts) are far more healthy than polyunsaturated fats like those in corn oil, soybean oil, and most other oils extracted from vegetable sources. Many studies are now starting to bear this out. The reason for this is the unstable nature of polyunsaturates (that's why they have to add Vitamin E to them to keep them from spoiling) that results in the formation of lipid peroxides and free radicals. And when the fat content of arterial plaque is examined, what is the primary content? Polyunsaturated fat!
Regarding protein in beans and peanuts, etc. No one vegetable source contains all of the necessary amino acids (protein) that your body needs. Granted, you can mix and match the right combination of vegetable sources to get all of the necessary amino acids, but you have to know what you are doing, and it ain't always easy or convenient.
Take care and good luck,
Alan S.
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Alan
"I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian."
"Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else."
Regarding the ideology of vegan vs. consuming meat, I ain't going to address that, because that is an arguement that neither of us can win. I'm just discussing the scientific issues. The moral issues are something that you will have to deal with yourself. I'm happy with my decision to eat meat, in fact, I'm a member of the River Valley Chapter of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) - just kidding, don't get all bent out of shape :-)
Regarding saturated fat vs. un-saturated fat, I'm sticking to my guns on my previous statements that natural animal fats (mostly saturated) and monounsaturated fats like that in olive oil and most true nuts (not peanuts) are far more healthy than polyunsaturated fats like those in corn oil, soybean oil, and most other oils extracted from vegetable sources. Many studies are now starting to bear this out. The reason for this is the unstable nature of polyunsaturates (that's why they have to add Vitamin E to them to keep them from spoiling) that results in the formation of lipid peroxides and free radicals. And when the fat content of arterial plaque is examined, what is the primary content? Polyunsaturated fat!
Regarding protein in beans and peanuts, etc. No one vegetable source contains all of the necessary amino acids (protein) that your body needs. Granted, you can mix and match the right combination of vegetable sources to get all of the necessary amino acids, but you have to know what you are doing, and it ain't always easy or convenient.
Take care and good luck,
Alan S.
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Alan
"I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian."
"Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else."
Angeline
02-02-2001, 02:38 PM
What's a partial vegan? Wouldn't that just be a vegetarian? Don't get caught up in labels, that's not what it's about.
auntjudyg
02-02-2001, 03:57 PM
It's not a one-size-fits-all world. It is great to hear about everybody's different experience and decide whether it is right for us. But I think the Right 4 Your Type book comes closest to hitting the nail on the head. We are all different . . . thank goodness.