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| http://www.mercola.com/2000/apr/2/vegetarian_myths.htm
This article was published in 98 i believe but raises issues of great concern to me. I would very much appreciate it if people would ease my unrest by assessing the validity of the article especially does it still hold today and answer questions such as...
do vegetarians really live longer?
Are we deficient in vitamin A, B12, and omega 3 fatty acids
Are monocultivated grains really that harmful? (more harmful than the destruction of the environment by the meat industry?)
Is vegetarianism an unhealthy lifestyle as Dr. Byrnes suggests?
the more specific issues you address and the more specific your responses the better. I really really appreciate the input.  |
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| do vegetarians really live longer?
this is really hard to say. the research on the matter is diverse and often highly debateable. there is evidence that those who are vegetarian/vegan for life (since birth or early childhood) have less incidence of heart disease and heart-related problems. but, there is also evidence that those elders (over 80) who have lower cholesterol levels (from low fat or vegetarian diets) have higher morbidity (death) rates than those who have higher cholesterol levels.
for me, it doesn't matter whether vegetarians live longer or not in deciding whether or not to become a vegetarian.
Are we deficient in vitamin A, B12, and omega 3 fatty acids?
Vitamin A can be an issue for individuals who are strict vegetarian (vegan) or do not consume a lot of eggs/dairy AND have trouble converting beta carotene into vitamin A. It is a very small population, overall, but northern europeans (scandenavians, and related--remember they colonized most of the UK, Ireland, northern europe, and parts of northern russia and near-by) are most likely to have problems with this conversion. They also tend to be people who are least likely to have lactose intolerance (even of pasturized milk), as milk is a traditional resource for nutrition for this population.
Vitamin B12 can be an issue for anyone on any diet. the main reason for b12 deficiency is problems with absorption. assuming that absorption is not an issue, most vegetarians get enough cobalamin from eggs and dairy. vegans and strict vegetarians have to supplement their diet with B12 in the form of cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin. both of these require greater amounts in order to absorb enough to be useful. a sublingual tablet--daily--usually does an efficient job. If there is an issue with absorption, then taking injections of the vitamin is appropriate.
The issue of omega 3 fatty acids is rather complex. much of the modern diet--vegetarian or otherwise--is heavy on the omega 6 fatty acids. An imbalance between 3 and 6 can cause a number of health problems. it is recommended that everyone balances out their 3/6 ratio by doing a therapuetic dose of omega 3 for three months, with appropriate dietary changes to maintain the appropriate ratio, and then switch to a supplemental oil that is balanced in 3 and 6. for vegetarians, good sources of these nutrients are flax seeds and flax seed oil. it is high in omega three and good for the therapeutic dose for balancing. Then, move to Udo's Perfect Blend for maintenance. For more information about this, check out the book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill by Udo Erasmus, PhD.
Are monocultivated grains really that harmful? (more harmful than the destruction of the environment by the meat industry?)
honestly, i don't know much about this topic or the argument. There are ways of farming meat that are less harmful--environmnetally--than the current industry standards. Organic and biodynamic farming come to mind. But, that also comes to mind when thinking about grain and vegetable crops too.
Is vegetarianism an unhealthy lifestyle as Dr. Byrnes suggests?
vegetarianism can be an unhealthy lifestyle. it isn't necessarily. a well planned, well balanced vegetarian diet can be very healthy for a number of people. honestly, i didn't read the article.
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| Spiritually and politically, there are many good arguments for vegetarianism.
However, nutritionally speaking, there are numerous reasons why it doesn't make sense. If you want to learn about the harmful effects of grains and dairy on your health, read The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain or read a bunch of articles from this site www.paleodiet.com. You can also read Enter the Zone by Dr. Barry Sears which doesn't advocate vegetarianism/carnivorism but discusses the problems of hyperinsulemia and the numerous heath problems associated with eating too many carbohydrates (which plagues vegetarians). Additionally you should google Intermittent Fasting and CRAN, these calorie restricted diets have had tremendous results in improving health and longevity.
Subscribe to the Performance Menu journal. It always has great articles on nutrition. www.performancemenu.com
Do what works for you. If your diet doesn't work, change it. If it works, keep doing it.
Edited by YogaGuy 2006-04-18 6:21 PM
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| National Geographic had an article in Oct 2005 on longevity. The three groups of people that live the longest are: Okinawans, Sardinians, and 7th Day Adventists in Loma Linda, CA. Diet is important but so is being apart of a community (hence, the 7th Day Adventists)
Interesting article, not sure if this is helping you on your vegetarian quest.
Best of luck |
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| What do they eat Fifi? |
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| Hi GJ,
I didn't mention what they eat b/c I don't remember completely. Probably meat is a minimum as is refined junk.
It was a really interesting article b/c apparently diet was just part of the puzzle. Lifestyle and happiness are a big component.
The author of the article started with the Okinawans and mentioned a very elderly lady who just got a new boyfriend. Needless to say, she was very happy.
Can you link us to the article? |
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| I would like to state it this way, at least as food for thought. You can take it as you like:
- There is no doubt that all the body parts are made ONLY from the food intaken from outside. This can be called as Diet, though air and water are generally not included in this definition. Thus, one can easily understand that Diet is an essential thing to maintain the body.
- Now, comes the mental part. One really maintains the body in order to do something. It can be whatever and can even include eating as one act. I mean eating also requies body and therefore one needs to eat to be able to eat later using the body parts. But, as a conclusion, one has a mental wish which needs to be satisfied using body which needs maintenance, and that is done using the diet or food.
- Next, the nature of the mental wish or mental condition or quality of thoughts shall show what kind of acts a person is going to do. This also includes what kind of diet one shall accept to be intaken.
- A human being naturally feels like eating only vegetarian diet in the nature, and never wishes to eat raw non vegetarian diet (except I heard some examples of raw crab or fish eating. Which I feel are exceptions). To go beyond this and eat meat in a cooked form naturally reflects the mental status of a person performing this act.
- There is no question that humans have been able to live quite healthy for long and in large numbers purely on vegetarian diet. Whether one eats veg or nonveg, at one time body comes to an end.
- Now, coming to spirituality. Spirituality is defined in various circles differently. But, I shall take a libery to define it in Yogic Terms due to my background and my platform to post it in this Yoga Bulletin Board. Spirituality means that all beings have the same spirit. And, that is unchangeable. Therefore, one does not and can not eat any spirits. The only thing one can eat is body, not even mind. And, when such an eating creates mental suffering for another being, when done intentionally such as in case of humans, as agains unintentionally as in case of real carnivores such as lions, it creates corresponding Karma (which is called sins in certain circles).
All kinds of karma good or sinful, create a layer which obstructs Spiritual Realization. Thus, non vegetarian eating, except when it was done in an unavoidable circumstances, even if it is done for the maintenance of body, shall be an antispiritual act.
- Lastly, in general, meat eating by humans is NOT healthy for Body, Mind, and Spirit, as it is already proven by communities all over the world for a sufficiently long time.
Peace |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 475
 
Location: canada | kulkarnn - 2006-04-18 10:27 PM
Spirituality means that all beings have the same spirit. And, that is unchangeable.
i still disagree. anything anyone eats was at some point a living being. it has lifespan, requires external nutrients for growth, has chemical/biological processes taking place inside of it, etc.. i think every living entity has some spiritual pressence.
anyway, having said that i find myself moving towards veg. i eat 80% veg these days and it seems to be agreeing with my body now, unlike before..and my wallet incidentally..  |
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| Dear fletcher: I can not understand what is the thing you disagree. You highlighted the statement (one line) related to Spirituality. That statement is the very basis of Yoga Science. It can not be refuted. It is called brahma satyam jaganmithya. aadau atma tatpram sarvam khalvidam brama. That means all excpet spirit (an English term loosely used by many and myself) is the only permanent thing, all other things come and go. During Yoga practice, one first realizes that oneself is actually, spirit, and then one later realizes that the same spirits pervades all the universe.
I have no problems with all food being living. Actually, according above logic everything is living only. There is nothing NOT living. |
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| thanks for your input guys (I am a vegetarian for moral reasons and will still be even if vegetarianism is actually unhealthier)...I am just somewhat interested in the health aspect. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 475
Location: canada | kulkarnn - 2006-04-19 8:22 AM
Dear fletcher: I can not understand what is the thing you disagree. You highlighted the statement (one line) related to Spirituality. That statement is the very basis of Yoga Science. It can not be refuted. It is called brahma satyam jaganmithya. aadau atma tatpram sarvam khalvidam brama. That means all excpet spirit (an English term loosely used by many and myself) is the only permanent thing, all other things come and go. During Yoga practice, one first realizes that oneself is actually, spirit, and then one later realizes that the same spirits pervades all the universe.
I have no problems with all food being living. Actually, according above logic everything is living only. There is nothing NOT living.
sorry neel, nevermind. |
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| I ,personally agree with a vege. diet, but I don't think evryone is able to function on it. Doug Swenson has been a vegetarian for something like thirty years, and a vegan at that. He has no problems with energy. Doug Swenson taught David Swenson yoga when they were teenagers.
Don't forget Paul Bragg, who died at 99 body surfing. How much longer would he have lasted if he quit body surfing? He did eat meat once a week though.Or at least wasn't against havin meat once a week.
But, on the devils advocate side, Gopi Krishna swears that meat saved his life when he almost died from Kundalini awakening.He was a vege. during his experience, until he had dreams about eating meat. He tried it and it seemed to balance out his body chemistry, cooling him down. It seems like it would do the opposite, but...not according to him. |
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| I didn't read the article, but might after I reply to your question. The reason is this: no article, or opinion, is relevant to my reasons for being vegan ever since 1984. I have never slipped off the wagon or had a second's worth of doubt over the decision. Why? Because I don't like any other kind of food, and I feel better than I did before I became a vegan.
I never take vitamins, don't pay attention to doctors, ignore nutritional therapists, food-grouping theories, etc. I eat only what I want, every day since I became vegan. I don't see why a person who is not vegetarian/vegan can go through an entire life without ever giving serious thought to his/her diet, would insist that vegetarians/vegans need to take "special care". It's like every time I get a cold or a headache and a non-vege friend is there to witness it, they occasionally wonder if diet is related. As if non-vege's don't get headaches or colds! It's ridiculous the amount of scrutiny the world's most popular diet gets in countries where it isn't as common.
My wife's illustrious grandfather once had a famous Chinese monk visit him in his NYC apartment. This monk performed a 2-thumbed handstand right there in his living room, at age 88! Two years later, he died. My grandfather said of his death, "See, if he hadn't been vegetarian, how much longer a man like that could have lived!"
So, I don't trust articles, people, or anything other than my own inclinations on this subject. I am a very productive, healthy, active guy (see my website at http://www.paqart.com/Yoga/fulPigeon.html for some of my yoga pix) AND I've noticed only good effects from being vegan, regardless of all opinions to the contrary. I'll also note that my daughter has been vegan since she was weaned and is a tall, healthy kid for her age. She's active, and not a bad basketball player. |
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| Wow, Apaq, I am impressed with your yoga photos! You are an amazing yogi. Not only am I light-heartedly envious of your yoga practice, I am also envious (in a light and happy way) of your vegan lifestyle. I am bummed out and, yes, a little resentful that veganism did not work out for me 10 - 15 years ago. The 3 years when I was (mostly) vegan my period stopped. It resumed once I began to add animal product to my diet. Sometimes I wonder with the Bird Virus and Mad Cow disease if the Maker isn't trying to tell us something about eating animals.
I am inspired by your email, maybe not so much to be vegetarian, but just in general.
Thanks for sharing ~ fifi |
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Vegetarian myths??
