How health is a vegan diet

Is a vegan diet healthy?

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/frequently_asked_questions_about_veganism.htm

As with any diet, a vegan diet requires planning. However, when properly planned, a vegan diet can be considerably healthier than a traditional American diet. In its 1996 position paper on vegetarian diets, the American Dietetic Association…

How healthy is a vegan diet?

http://www.becomenatural.com/blog/2007/07/faq-about-veganism/

A well balanced whole food vegan diet is up there with the healthiest of diets. It can improve your quality of life and decrease your chances of succumbing to many significant diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some can…

Can a vegan diet be healthy without eating nuts?

http://askville.amazon.com/vegan-diet-healthy-eating-nuts/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=8742860

“You just need to get the essential amino acids and proper nutrients” One of the dangers of a vegan or a vegetarian diet is that it is more difficult for a person to get all the essential amino acids without eating animal products…

Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

I’m trying to lose weight the health way, vegan diet?

Q: I’ve been a vegan for almost 2 years now but I haven’t exactly been healthy (I’ve been a compulsive over-eater since I was 5 years old) and i finally got it under control and went from 260 pounds to a lowest weight of 166, then i gained like 30 back during a school year because of the stress of all-AP classes.anyways, i want to be a healthier person. I have this book called Becoming Vegan that has a detailed account of the nutrients that people need and how to fulfill those needs with healthy vegan foods (instead of french fries and soy mac ‘n cheese). This is the plan:1,600 calories a day or less50 grams of fat or less (i’ll be aiming for less, like 50 will be the absolute maximum)88 g. of protein (calculated based on my weight)5-6 small meals a dayhigh-fiber foodsdrinking at least 64 oz. of water a daygetting at least 6-9 hours of sleep a night (i did that over the summer and i felt so much more energized!)here’s the types of foods i’d be eating:Grains: (6-11 servings)whole wheat bread, bagels, muffins, cereals (kashi rocks)brown rice (mmm)grits (the type you just add water to and microwave instead of like a bunch of butter and grease, eww)whole-wheat pastaVegetables: (3+ servings)salad, corn, potatoes, etc.Fruit: (2+ servings)bananas, oranges, apples, watermelons, grapes, strawberries, etc.Beans and Bean Alternatives: (2-3 servings)beans, tofu, rice cakes, nuts (what are some good kinds that aren’t too fatty?)Fortified Soymilk and Alternatives: (6-8 servings)fortified Silk, broccoli, almondsOther essentials (Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, Vitamin D): (1-2 servings)flax oil, olive oil, enriched soy/rice dreamdoes this sound good? i’m trying to lose about 88 more pounds in a year or under in a healthy way. i exercise about 2 hours every day (working a different body part on different days. a good bulk of that time is cardiovascular exercise by the way) so is 1,600 calories enough or too much?thanks :)Nemo, there’s not NEARLY enough protein in that diet plan.

A: I BELIEVED THAT NO TWO PEOPLE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTHWERE ALIKE; NO TWO PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME FINGERPRINTS, LIP PRINTS, OR VOICE PRINTS. NO TWO BLADES OF GRASS OR SNOWFLAKES ARE ALIKE. BECAUSE I FELT THAT ALL PEOPLE WERE DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER, I DID NOT THINK IT WAS LOGICAL THAT THEY SHOULD EAT THE SAME FOODS. IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT SINCE EACH PERSON WAS HOUSED IN A SPECIAL BODY WITH DIFFERENT STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES AND NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, THE ONLY WAY TO MAINTAIN HEALTH OR CURE ILLNESS WAS TO ACCOMMODATE TO THAT PARTICULAR PATIENT’S SPECIFIC NEEDS.James D’AdamoThe dynamics of weight loss are related to the changes your body makes when you follow your genetically tailored diet. There are two factors. 1) First, as your body makes the dramatic shift of eliminating foods that are poorly digested or toxic, the first thing it does is try flush out the toxins that are already there.Those toxins are mainly deposited in the fat tissue, so the process of eliminating toxins also means eliminating fat.2) The second factor is the effects that specific foods have on the bodily systems that control weight. Depending on your blood type, the lectin activity of certain foods may do the following:__ Interfere with the digestive process.__ Slow down the rate of food metabolism, so you don’t efficiently burn caloriesfor energy.__ Compromise the production of insulin.__ Upset the hormonal balance, causing water retention (oedema), thyroiddisorders and other problems.Our blood contains aeons of genetic memory–bits and pieces of specific programming, passed on from our ancestors in codes we are still attempting to comprehend. One such code rests within our blood type. Perhaps it is the most important code we can decipher in our attempt to unravel the mysteries of blood and its vital role inour existence.__ When you use the individualized characteristics of your blood type as a guide for eating and living you will be healthier, you will easily reach your ideal weight and you will slow the process of ageing.__ Your blood type is a more reliable measure of your identity than race, culture or geography. It is a genetic blueprint for who you are, a guide to how you can live most fully.Type O.The oldest and most basic blood type, the survivor at the top of the food chain, with a strong and ornery immune system willing to and capable of destroying anyone, friend or foe.__ Type A.The first immigrants, forced by the necessity of migration to adapt to a more agrarian diet and lifestyle–and a more cooperative personality to get along in crowded communities.__ Type B.The assimilator, adapting to new climates and the mingling of populations; representing nature’s quest for a more balanced force between the tensions of the mind and the demands of the immune system.__ Type AB.The delicate offspring of a rare merger between the tolerant Type A and the formerly barbaric but more balanced Type B.-O is for Old.-The appearance of our Cro-Magnon ancestors around 40,000 BC propelled the human species to the top of the food chain, making them the most dangerous predators on earth. They began to hunt in organized packs; in a short time, they were able to make weapons and use tools. These major advances gave them strength and superiority beyond their natural physical abilities-A is for Agrarian.-Type A blood initially appeared somewhere in Asia or the Middle East between 25,000 and 15,000 BC in response to new environmental conditions. It emerged at the peak of the Neolithic Period, or New Stone Age, which followed the Old Stone Age, or Paleolithic period, of the Cro-Magnon hunters. Agriculture and animal domesticationwere the hallmarks of its culture.Blood Type A had mutated from Type O in response to the myriad infections provoked by an increased populace and major dietary changes.-B is for Balance.-Blood Type B developed sometime between 10,000 and 15,000 BC, in the area of the Himalayan highlands–now part of Pakistan and India.Pushed from the hot, lush savannahs of eastern Africa to the cold, unyielding highlands of the Himalayas, Blood Type B may have initially mutated in response to climactic changes. It first appeared in India or the Ural region of Asia among a mix of Caucasian and Mongolian tribes. This new blood type was soon characteristic of the great tribes of steppe dwellers, who by this time dominated the Eurasian plains.-AB is for Modern.-Type AB blood is rare. Emerging from the intermingling of Type A Caucasians with Type B Mongolians, it is found in less than 5 per cent of the population, and it is the newest of the blood types.Find out how you can loose weight and stay healthy by following blood group Diet .http://www.diskovery.co.in/how_to_loose_weight__how_to_gain_weight

Confused about health of a vegan diet ?

Q: I am a wife and mother of an 18 month old son. The past year, I have seriously dedicated myself to my health and the health of my family. I have lost all of the baby weight, plus some (close to 80 pounds total). I have always wanted to become strict vegan but my husband will not stop eating meat. So, I cook it with meals but I myself avoid it as much as possible. Lately, as I am doing more and more research on the treatment of animals, I am SERIOUSLY interested in making a huge change in the way I cook for my family. I would love to buy only soy based meat flavored products, soy milk, and other soy products. I believe I could make them work with my husband and my toddler. But now I am reading up on soy and it has been linked to fertility issues, early puberty and even cancer! How do I make a change to vegan for my PICKY husband, my PICKY toddler, and myself if I cannot use soy? I am so confused on how to go in this situation. PLEASE HELP!

A: First of all, I want to thank you for posting a serious, thoughtful and deep question on here. I wish there were more questions like this on YA.Secondly, I commend you for wanting to make the switch- I can hear it in your tone that you are serious and ready.Let me tell you a bit about me – I am a vegetarian of 16 years who turned vegan this past spring. Most of those 16 years were spent relying very heavily on soy products- mock meats and veggie burgers, soy hot dogs etc. Like you, I did the research and not only that, I met lots of people who have actually experienced health problems as a result of too much soy. So, in turn, I cut most of it out of my diet. That doesn’t mean I don’t eat any soy at all (probably average once a week) but for the the most part it is not an essential component of my diet.That being said, it is not difficult at ALL to be a vegetarian/vegan who doesn’t use soy products. Think about what the earth has to offer- so many amazing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans and oils- these are what you should use to make up your diet. Stay away from the processed, boxed foods as much as you can and stick to the basics like:Vegetables (too many to list)Fruits (same as above)Grains: Quinoa and Amaranth(both complete proteins), wild and brown rice, KamutNuts: Almonds, walnuts etc.Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, coconut oilSeedsLegumes: lentils are amazing!The list goes on and on.I’ll be honest- it will be a challenge to make your meat-eating husband a vegan. It may not even be possible unless HE is willing, ready and interested. But you can do it for yourself and your toddler. I recommend you google vegan forums and ask some questions there. There are wonderful people out there with a lot of answers and resources.Please feel free to email me with questions.Good luck. I think this is great…

How do I maintain a vegan diet when I have those carnivorous urges?

Q: I’ve began a vegan diet for health reasons, and though I have found my health is improving considerably, I’m constantly thinking about bacon cheeseburgers (my favorite food)!For those of you who have maintained a vegan diet (75+% of your food/calories came from veggies, fruit, and legumes) for more than a year, what advice can you give to the newly vegan eaters for getting through the beginning stages where your mind is succumbing to your urges? Did you eat more of a certain type of food? Or did you read something that inspired you? What resource did you use to motivate yourself to stay away from meat and animal products?Pretty please, don’t give me advice on adding seasoning or vegetable oil to my dishes. My problem is not with the food. It’s more so my lack of self-control – how embarrassing! 😉

A: The best vegan “burger” I’ve ever had was from a company called Sunshine. Sunshine Burgers come in four flavors – Original, South West, Barbeque and Garden Herb. They are organic and made from whole ingredients. Sunshine Burgers can be a little hard to find, but they are available at Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats and many locally-owned health or natural food stores.Top that with a homemade cheese sauce – 1 1/2 cups of plain soy milk 1 cup of water 1/3 cup of tamari or soy sauce 1 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon vegesal or in lack of fancy product, just use salt 1/4 of a block of firm (not silken) tofu 1 cup of canola or vegetable oilBlend all ingredients in a blender. Heat in small saucepan. or another recipe found on http://vegweb.comI usually eat brown rice with kidney beans or lentils to feel “full and satisfied”. I love the taste and it is a healthy meal. Good Luck!