Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Vegetarian

I. Introduction.

     "Choose what is the best. Your life will soon become more enjoyable and easier."

                     (Pythagoras, ancient philosopher and mathematician from VI B.C. century)

     An healthy lifestyle can make for your life more  than the advanced  medical equipment. Diseases causing the highest mortality (heart disease and cancer) are related to lifestyle habits, especially with diet.  The specialists estimates that  about 40% from current diseases are closely related to our food habits. After breathing, eating is the act which is most often  repeated in our life. 

        The current investigations reveal more advantages than disadvantages being vegetarian.

II. Advantages of being vegetarian.

• Firstly, results of different studies show that people who follow a vegetarian diet have lower risk of several diseases like cancer, obezity,  heart disease, blood pressure, diabetes and strokes. Different vegetarian foods like grains, fruit  and vegetables have help to maintain good health and lower the risk of these diseases. So, here are some of the benefits of long-term vegetarian diet:

- a lower level of saturated fat
- less cholesterol and animal protein
- a higher level of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals items.

Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits such as:

       Vegetarians have:
- a body mass index (BMI) less than nonvegetariens, leading to a closer to the ideal weight (with all the positive consequences of rigor)
- lower cholesterol
- lower blood pressure
- less inflamed blood
- a tendency to lower blood coagulation and thrombosis
- blood vessels cleaner and more flexible

       Vegetarians have a lower risk and therefore a lower incidence of these diseases:- colon and lung cancer
- cardiovascular deseases
- obezity
- hypertension
- type 2 diabetes
- osteoporosis
- gallstones
- constipation
- hemorrhoids
- infections and contagious infectious deseases
- prostate cancer
    
 In the period 1997-2002 ware performed some researches at The Romanian Lifestyle Center Herghelia  from Mures county to follow vegetarian diet on human health impact. The conclusion reached is that vegetarian diet is healthier than sausage. Vegetarians have a lower risk of developing diseases mentioned above.
     Professor Walter Willet showed that the rate of cancer in vegetarians was less than in meat eaters, and avoiding red meat lowered the risk of colon cancer.
     Dr Gary Fraser of the Loma Linda University showed that the frequent use of red meat increased the rate of bladder cancer.

• Secondly, meat is difficult for the body to digest and especially for those who don’t have an active lifestyle, as it stays in the stomach for longer. On the other hand, different vegetarian diets are easy to digest and they don’t make you feel lethargic after eating.
• Thirdly, producing vegetarian foods is a lot easier than looking after livestock, as it requires a higher percentage of land space and attention to give. On environmental resources, a vegetarian diet puts less stress.
• Then, doing to increase consumption of fruits and whole grains and reducing fat we respect one of the ten points that compose the European Code against Cancer
• The vegetarianism could reduce in the future the number of animals killed,  diseases caused of meat consumption, destruction of Amazonian forests , water and soil pollution.
• "Degree of strength of a nation essentially depends on the nature of its food" - seid Herbert Spencer, british philosopher (1820-1903).

III. Few examples.

       We find many examples, both in history and today, the primitive peoples, who followed a simple diet based on vegetables, enjoyed and enjoys a great vitality and longevity. "Residents of Okinawa, Sardinia, and Loma Linda, California, live longer, healthier lives than just about anyone else on Earth. What do they know that the rest of us don't? " (You can find more information on National Geographic)

• Hunza tribe in Nepal. Hunza Valley is located in northern Pakistan near the Chinese border and is surrounded by mountains that are among the highest in the world: the Hindukush and Karakorum. The Hunza valley can be reached by walking along a long and steep road that goes from the Pakistani city of Islamabad. This valley is cut by rivers which form part of the Indus River affluents. These rivers are formed very deep valleys. The ribs by mountain  were built  by the people in the terraces for the cultivation of cereals and fruit trees, including especially the apricot threes. This remotes region is characterized by enigmatic and legendary longevity by its residents . Its geographic isolation has allowed maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, possibly even a few thousand years ago. Doctors Toomey and White, distinguished cardiologists in North America, visited this region in 1964 and have compiled various studies have been published in the American Heart Journal says that people who live in the Hunza region have a sober diet based on fresh and dried fruits, nuts different vegetables and grains (barley, wheat, millet). They consume less  goat milk  and lamb meat, eating only once or twice a year at holidays.
• Sherpas of Nepal. Sherpas, the Himalayan mountain steep heights residents are known for their extraordinary endurance. All the expeditions on Everest and other mountains in the region have taken into account to have a group of porters and sherpas. Tenzing Norgay, the sherpar which accompany the Australian mountaineer Edmund Hillary,  in the first ascent of Everest history, says in his book of autobiographical Snows Tigers "Potatoes are our main food crop of the sherpas, as is rice for Hindus and Chinese. Varieties Potatoes  grown in the Himalayas are grown in high altitude (4500m) and they have to ensure supply of food in remote places. Other foods in our diet are barley (grows to a height of 4000m) and wheat (up to heights of 3000m). From sheep and goats and herds of yaci, Sherpas get milk and cheese that complement their diet based on potatoes and cereals".
• Otomini Indians living on the plateau of central Mexico and they have cereal-bases feed: corn cakes, beans and various vegetables. Studies maked in the middle of these indigenous people  show they  enjoy a rare health. Cases of obesity, hypertension and cancer are very rare or even nonexistent.
• Longevity in Seventh-day Adventists (National Geographic, November 2005). According to recent research, that was done by National Geographic, Seventh-day Adventists outlive their American counterparts by up to 10 years
  
  By far the most surprising fact is that Seventh-day Adventists are the only culture that are not losing their longevity. It appears that their positive healthy behavior is playing a major part. Seventh-day Adventists re-enforce positive thinking by following a vegetarian lifestyle. They do not have habits of smoking or drinking, and exercise is an important part of their lifestyle. As a people they have one day of rest each week in which they totally unplug and that is called the Sabbath. These factors seem to play a significant role in their longevity.
  
  If you want to see your grandchildren grow up, it will depend on what choices you make. Genetics only accounts for 30% for how long you live...how long you live is up to your lifestyle.
  
  For more information, see the video presentation at:                                                                 http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0511/sights_n_sounds/index.html

IV. Disadvantages being vegetarian.

Nevertheless there are some disadvantages.

• Firstly, vegetarian foods can't provide vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is found only in animal foods: meat - especially in the liver, milk, dairy products, fish, eggs and seafood: crab, oysters, clams. However it is avaible in injectable solution. A normal dose at 2-3 years is enough.
• Secondly, Omega 3 intake is also low in exclusively vegetarian diet, he is finding especially in fish. Neither vitamin D is found in abundance in the plant kingdom, as well as iron, it is found in some plants (even spinach), but in small quantities and in more difficult shape than absorbable iron that is found especially in meat ( chicken beef or fish, avoid the pig).
• Thirdly, you deprive yourself of tasty foods, as they say a meal without meat is like feeding on grass and who wants to feed on grass.
• Then, apparently you don’t have enough choices when dining out. However there is now a lot of many restaurants and shops where we can find delicious vegetarian food, more vegetables and fruits, especially in Western countries where vegetarian food is viewed with great interest. In civilized countries the vegetarian food is varied and well cooked.
• Then, you often have to face a lot of questions. Sometimes is very difficult to change people's mentality.
• You may have to experience protein deficiency as meat is a nice source of protein. Switching to a vegetarian diet must be done with wisdom, education, prudence and gradually.
• You may not enjoy food in different ceremonies, as meat is a must part of most of ceremonial foods. But in these circumstances we can understand that we must eat to live, not live to eat!

V. Conclusions

          These are some well-known advantages and disadvantages of vegetarian foods, but before making any decision regarding your eating habits you must keep one thing in mind that excess of anything is bad and a moderate way is the best way.

Please don't forget a wise advice:

    "Your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food"

                                                       (Hipocrate, greek doctor, 5-th century B.C.)

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Bibliography.

Jorse D. Pamplona-Roger - "Poftă bună - Un nou stil de viață", Casa de Editură Viață și Sănătate, București, 1998
Hans Deihl și Alenn Ludington - "Tablete de stil de viață", Lifestyle Medicine Institute, loma Linda, California, 2005, Editura Viață și Sănătate, București, pentru ediția în limba română.
Valentina Dan, Dr. Nicolae Dan - "Cartea de bucate a Centrului LifeStyle Herghelia: nutriție pentru oameni sănătoși și bolnavi", Casa de Editura Viata si Sanatate, Buuresti, 2009