Vegetarian diet has much more benefits to one’s health
My goal in this research paper is to accumulate substantial information on vegetarian’s diet and whether is healthy and beneficial for us as human. I will also analysis and examine other diets people have in comparison. Another important thing is to understand if becoming vegetarian will really benefit individuals and the way they live or not. Recently, I have been in a close relationship with vegetarians and more people becoming vegetarian’s day after another. For the past few years I have had a really bad diet which made me unhealthy and unproductive. Due to my lack of knowledge to the importance of eating healthy I decided to examine and analysis the best food diet most people agree on which is becoming a vegetarian. The lack of understanding of the vegetarian diets makes many people to experience poor health.
While researching for a good topic and a topic which can have a positive impact on me and how I should live my life I came across an interesting study discussing “The Meat and Vegetarianism Beliefs Among Swazis.” The article examines two different diet system one about eating meats and other type of food and the other is vegetarian type of diet. The most important thing I found in the article is that inappropriate diet is a main cause of ill-health and morbidity (Hena and Mavuso 2009). People consume a lot of animal products, carbohydrates, and fresh fruit and vegetables with it leads people to the reasons for the different dietary practices. As I recall when I was young me and my family used to consume a lot of animal products which made me think that it can cause ill-health and morbidity. The author argues that in Swaziland people are becoming vegetarians for two main reasons. The first is a religious belief and the other one is believing that a vegetarian diet is healthier (Hena and Mavuso 2009).
The other article discusses how vegetarianism is experiencing an increase in popularity. The article “Vegetarian Diets: Health Benefits and Associated Risks.” The authors mentioned the reasons for adopting a vegetarian diet. Surprisingly, both articles are mentioning that becoming vegetarian is understanding to avoid certain illness due to bad diets. The authors argue that the term vegetarian is not clearly defined and most people are not aware of the positive impact it can lead to someone’s health and wellbeing. To note that the source of the article was from professionals in the medicine filed so the authors are arguing the good effects a vegetarian diet can do to individuals.
The author of this article provides a good understanding of the meaning of vegetarian diet. One of the reasons that many people fail to engage in such type of a diet is because their do not understand what to include in their meals and what to leave out. A vegan diet is based on foodstuff such as cereals, oilseeds, legumes, nuts, vegetable and mushrooms. There are many vegetarian diets that have been devised but more importantly they all have the same commonality of avoiding meat fish and poultry consumption (Kaushik, Navneet Kumar, et al). From the analysis of the article one thing that clearly emerges is that the diet is full of carbohydrates fatty acids, folic acids, vitamin C and E among other nutrients. The benefit of such type of diet goes beyond the good health of an individual. Data from other field show that individuals that take a vegetarian diet have a better chance of good health outcomes. However, there are still other non-dietary factors that would together contribute to the good health outcomes. However, the focus of this article is much more on the vegetarian diet and the outcomes on health.
In the discussion the author clearly points that the vegetarian diets has an important effect on the cardiovascular system. The diet is composed majorly of the fruits and vegetables that have a beneficial effect to the cardiovascular system. Most plant based foodstuffs provide the body with antioxidants. Vegetables are said to have a higher value of oxidants as compared to the individuals that eat a mixed diet. Both the two articles point to the fact that that most of the Americans suffer from lifestyle diseases. They include obesity, and heart problems. The health conditions are common to individual that consume a diet that is heavy on cholesterol foods. However there are different types of cholesterol the LDL cholesterol and the HDL cholesterol. The LDL cholesterol is more responsible for much of the problem of the cardiovascular system (Kaushik, Navneet Kumar, et al). However individuals that take a vegetarian diet would have a lower concertation of cholesterol in their circulation and thus would be at a lower risk of development of arteriosclerosis.
In a further study the author point that a vegetarian diets would significantly reduce the chance of one getting diabetic. A diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in fats would increase the cellular insulin responsivity and thus helping the body increase the sensitivity to diabetes. Tonstad et al. also supported this hypothesis by showing that individuals that took a diet that had more of meat had the highest chances of getting diabetes as compared to individuals that were on a vegetarian diet. A further study by Ismail-beigi also confirms that there is a co-relationship between the increases cellular sensitivity and the consumption of whole grains. There is more data that shows that individuals on vegetarian diet had a lower risk to metabolic syndromes. In a holistic view, a vegetarian died provides and individual a better chance of fighting diabetes which has become a common disease among the Americans.
When I turned to the third article I realized that all these articles point to the fact that health outcomes of the citizens in the country depends on the food that they eat. The study seeks to review the evidence that exist between plant based dietary pattern on the obesity and weight loss (Turner-McGrievy et al). The author of this article seem to support the idea that a vegetarian diet would be based on legumes grains, fruits and at times it might include dairy products and eggs. The author makes the conclusion that individuals that are on a vegetarian diet have lower BMI than those consuming a non-vegetarian diet. In addition, individual that seek to lose weight would find this diet more beneficial. Individual that are seeking to lose weight might find this diet more beneficial than any other dietary options. The author points that weight loss is associated with lower morbidity and higher mortality in older adults. Most of the approaches that are recommended for individuals that are seeking to lose weight would focus on a reduction in the consumption of food that would increase the level of calories in the body. Most of the foods that are not vegetarian would often lead to an increase in the fat level in the body. Therefore, a vegetarian diet remains the best option for a patient that is seeking to lose weight. However, the author is keen to mention that there is little research that is focused on this area and there is need for a focused look on this issue.
The author also points that a vegetarian diet can provide nutrition to individuals at all the states of the lifecycle in including the older people (Kaushik et al. 207). It is evident that for older adults the nutrient content they get from the vegetarian diet is sufficient for their optimum health. However, the diet might not provide some nutrients due to the fact that it offers a lower value of calories. Senior adults have a higher demand for nutrients such as calcium, zinc, and iron. From this view then there arises the question of whether an individual that at the older age should on focus on taking a vegetarian diet or they can supplement with other diets as well. The author argues that an older adult that is on a vegetarian diet would often need to supplement with other diets. However, the individual might still look for these supplements in food that are still plant based. One can get zinc from plant sources such as whole grains legumes and nuts. Besides one can get iron from beans. Low oxalis and plant milks might be great sources of calcium. Clearly, there is enough that one can get from the plant based food. One might still remain on a vegetarian diet and stay healthy.
However, important issues that arise in the use of vegetarian diets are the acceptance by the people. In this case the concern is on the older people. Most of the people have a hard time accepting the use of the vegetarian diet and this has proven to be the biggest problem. The development of approaches that can help people realize the benefit of the diet could be essential in taking this diet and important part of the elderly treatment. The author tries to access the acceptability and find that there is a very low level of acceptability in the use of the diet.
Despite the view that the vegetarian diet has beneficial effect on the health of individuals, there is still a concern on the negative effect that it might. Both the two articles point that there are some negative effects of this diet. The second article points to the aspect of a poor vegetarian diet that might lead to lowered levels of vitamin B12. With a lower level of this vitamin the body is often at a risk of increase in the level of blood of the homocysteine that makes on susceptible to cardiovascular morbidity (Kaushik et al. 207). The condition leads to the reduction of the blood level of the sex hormones and thus disrupting the menstrual circle (Herrman et al). There is a further concern on the effectiveness of this diet for athletes. The area of concern is whether the diet can be sufficient to provide the protein, creatine that can sustain an athlete considering the occurrence of the irregular menstrual circle. However, there are other scholars that argues that the diet can still provide enough proteins if it includes dairy products and eggs. In addition, one can supplement their diet by taking proteins that can be found in the legumes, whole grains, and nuts. In addition, an athlete on such a diet can boost their level of iron by taking food that is high in Vitamin C, malic acid and citric acid. The general view is that as much as there is a lot of concern of the diet for individuals that are in sports, it is still evident that they can still remain on this diet while just supplementing with a few other options. Ideally, the vegetarian diet is effective for an athlete.
Conclusion
Despite the several concerns about the diet there is a cleat indication that it has a higher chance to improving one health in addition to other benefits. One of the benefits is that it can improve mood. Arachidonic acid is a substance that would usually be found in a diet that comes from animal source and fortunately vegetarian diet would have a very low concertation of this acid. There is a relationship between the arachidonic acid and mood disturbances. Therefore, an individual that is on this diet would have a low risk of mood disturbances. In addition to the mood balance, the diet might be helpful in helping to reduce skill irritation and reddening. Individuals that are used to taking animals products are said to at a higher risk of skin irritation.
A vegetarian diet would also have a lower risk of diabetes. As it emerged in a previous discussion there are a number of issues that lead to the occurrence of diabetes. One of the issues is the sensitivity to insulin. Individuals that are on a vegetarian diets have a higher sensitivity and thus at a lower risk to diabetes. In addition, the diet supplies the body with a lower level of elements that might result to diabetes. Apart from reducing the risk of one being dietetics it can also be used to manage the condition. Diabetes has been associated mostly with the older generation although recent studies have shown that even young people are at higher risk too. Another condition that is associated with the older age is the development of cataract.
The benefits of a vegetarian diet are associated with the prevention of cancer. There is a consensus that individuals that are in vegan diet are less likely to get cancer than individual that are on a diet that includes meat. The vegan diet reduces the risk of cancer more in women than in women. However, in general the diet has an effect of reducing the likelihood of cancer in both genders. One of the cancers that are reduced with a vegan diet is the gastrointestinal cancer. The higher instance of fiber and phytochemical and lower intakes of saturated fats and cholesterol are some of the reason that increases the protection against the type of cancer. Therefore, individuals that need are at a higher risk of cancer should focus on taking a vegan diet.
There are so many health benefits of a vegan diet. From the reduction of the chances of one getting cancer to the improved body immunity, the diet is suitable for any individual. Despite the several concerns on the effectiveness of the diet one thing that seems important is to know how to supplement it with other foods. However it emerges that many individual do not have a good understanding of what constitutes a vegan diet and the reason many would not accept to use. The there is need for on to understand that there are different types of vegan diets and one should only take a choice that is suitable for their dietary needs. Above all the diet is aide for elderly people since it offer much more benefits than any other diet.
Yasmin, Hena, and Andile Mavuso. “A Study on the Meat and Vegetarianism Beliefs Among Swazis.” Nurture 3.1 (2009): 45.
The study seeks to study the major cause morbidity and ill-health. A dietary option seems to be one of the reasons that lead to poor health among the Swazis. The paper seeks to focus on the beliefs that the Swazi have on meat and the reasons for their dietary options. Several concerns have been raised on the consumption of animal products. Much of the concerns have been to rally people to take less of these animal products and focus on a diet that is rich in fiber and carbohydrates.
Kaushik, Navneet Kumar, et al. “Vegetarian Diets: Health Benefits and Associated Risks.” (2015).
The article takes a look at a vegetarian diet and the benefits that is offers to one’s health. Over the years the diet has been getting much more popularity as an ideal diet for economical, ecological and even religious considerations. Those that take the diet for health reasons have pointed to issues such as the loss of weight, talking obesity, reducing the risk of certain diseases and general body fitness. However, there is a caution for people that might end up applying the diet poorly. One might not get some important nutrients in the body a situation that might lead to several other complications in the body. However, the article extensively looks at the application of a vegan diet the benefits and the demerits. There are also suggestion on the best approaches that individual should take when opting for a vegan diet.
Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle, Trisha Mandes, and Anthony Crimarco. “A plant-based diet for overweight and obesity prevention and treatment.” Journal of geriatric cardiology: JGC14.5 (2017): 369.
The aim of the study it review the effect of a plant based diet on aspect of health such as obesity, weight loss and some intervention trials. There is clear evidence that a PBD has much more advantage to the health of an individual than any other type of diet. However the author points to some challenge in the adoption of the diet and the most profound being on the adoption and adherence to the diet. The author pits to the fact that PBDs may offer higher dietary levels dietary quality than other therapeutic dietary options.
Works cited
Kaushik, Navneet Kumar, et al. “Vegetarian Diets: Health Benefits and Associated Risks.” (2015).
Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle, Trisha Mandes, and Anthony Crimarco. “A plant-based diet for overweight and obesity prevention and treatment.” Journal of geriatric cardiology: JGC14.5 (2017): 369.
Yasmin, Hena, and Andile Mavuso. “A Study on the Meat and Vegetarianism Beliefs Among Swazis.” Nurture 3.1 (2009): 45.
