vegan diet Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Studying Finds: Most Plant-Based Restaurant Meals are Unhealthy

The AHA! Team — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:10:19 +0000

Priyanjana Pramanik, MSc. via News-Medical – Many “vegan” meals aren’t as healthy as you think—new research reveals that refined grains, fried foods, and saturated fats are widespread in plant-based restaurant dishes. Are your plant-based choices really good for you? A recent study In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers examined the menus of restaurants around the world to see whether plant-based offerings at both omnivore (OMNI) and vegan or vegetarian (VEG) eateries are ‘healthful’ in terms of avoiding saturated fats, refined grains, and deep-fried foods. They found that many restaurants (with OMNI establishments being more limited than VEG) did not offer patrons enough choices of plant-based main courses and that 14-27% of restaurants had no healthful plant-based offerings at all. The research team hopes that these findings, combined with the established links between poor diets, chronic illnesses, and increased mortality rates, will encourage restaurants to make nutrition details of their dishes more readily available. Background Only 2% of restaurants earned a perfect health score—meaning nearly all plant-based menus included at least one unhealthy component like refined grains, fried foods, or saturated fats. An increasing number of people in the U.S. and worldwide are choosing to increase their intake of plant-based foods, and projections suggest that the American vegan market will grow 12% annually until 2030. Dairy and meat alternatives are more accessible than ever, with more groceries and OMNI restaurants offering plant-based options; there are also more dedicated VEG eateries. Dairy and meat alternatives are more accessible than ever People who choose to limit or eliminate their intake of animal-based foods are often motivated by environmental causes, animal welfare, religious beliefs, or health concerns, though it appears that 63% of the increase in plant-based consumption is driven by OMNI consumers. An estimated less than 2% of a national survey’s respondents said that they had adopted an entirely vegan or vegetarian diet for their health. However, certain plant-based foods, including sweets, sweetened beverages, fried foods, and refined grains, can have negative health impacts, such as increasing the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, or hypertension. Researchers caution that some unhealthy plant-based foods may pose even greater health risks In fact, researchers caution that some unhealthy plant-based foods may pose even greater health risks than a standard American diet due to their high sodium content, refined grains, and excessive saturated fats. The Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommends reducing or avoiding these foods and animal-based products rich in saturated fat and cholesterol. Individuals looking to make healthier dietary decisions when eating out should be offered an adequate number of choices that are free of fried foods, saturated fats, and refined grains while also having access to nutritional information to help identify high-risk menu items. About the Study U.S. restaurants offered slightly more healthful options than international ones, but the difference was small, showing that unhealthy plant-based meals are a global issue. Over three years, the research team visited a convenience sample of 561 eateries offering vegan options in 196 cities across 37 countries and six continents. Most of these were located in the U.S. (373), followed by Australia and several European countries. The restaurants included in the study had Internet listings on commercially available proprietary resources and search engines. Their menus were also available online and explicitly listed their vegan offerings. Some, including American franchises with 20 or more locations, provided nutritional information about their dishes, following a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandate. Restaurants were classified as having a full menu if they offered at least 10 plant-based main courses. They were then scored based on the number of healthful dishes in this group, receiving one point per healthful entrée, up to a maximum of 10. Healthy dishes were those that did not contain deep-fried ingredients (such as battered or crispy items, which can be carcinogenic), saturated fats (including coconut milk, coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter), or refined grains (such as white rice, white flour, and refined pasta, which have a high glycemic index but little fiber). Findings The 561 restaurants included in the analysis consisted of 283 OMNI and 278 VEG eateries. Researchers noted that two restaurants mistakenly labeled dishes containing animal products as vegan; these were excluded. Refined grains were the biggest health concern, with 40% of OMNI and 38% of VEG meals containing ingredients like white rice, white flour buns, and refined pasta, which have been linked to increased mortality. American restaurants vs. Other countries On average, American restaurants offered 6.6 plant-based main courses while non-U.S.-based ones offered 6.2, a statistically insignificant difference. However, American restaurants offered slightly more healthy dishes than those in other countries (3.4 compared to 2.9, though this was not statistically significant). Only 33 restaurants (28 OMNI and 5 VEG, or 10% and 2%, respectively) provided full nutrition facts online, including caloric, sodium, sugar, and saturated fat content. Only 33 restaurants provided full nutrition facts online OMNI restaurants had an average of 4.5 vegan main courses on their menus, compared to 8.4 for VEG restaurants. Approximately 59% of VEG eateries and only 16% of OMNI eateries had a full vegan menu. On average, the restaurants scored 3.2 out of 10, with VEG restaurants having significantly more healthy options (4.0/10) than OMNI restaurants (2.4/10). Only 2% of eateries included in the analysis received a score of 10, indicating that the main courses analyzed had no deep-fried ingredients, saturated fats, or refined grains. Conversely, 26% of OMNI and 14% of VEG restaurants received a score of 0. Score reductions happened most often due to the presence of refined grains (40% in OMNI and 38% in VEG cases). OMNI restaurants were more likely to be penalized for saturated fat content (12%), while VEG restaurants contained fried items more frequently (28%). Conclusions The researchers found that many options labeled as ‘vegan’ contain unhealthy ingredients, with dedicated VEG restaurants offering a greater proportion of healthy options than OMNI restaurants. However, refined grains, which are linked to increased mortality and chronic disease, were the most common reason for dishes being classified as unhealthy. Notably, U.S.-based restaurants were slightly more likely to offer healthy options. The study also highlights that nutritional transparency remains a challenge. Only a small fraction of restaurants provided detailed nutritional content, with disclosure being more common in OMNI restaurants—largely due to U.S. regulations requiring franchises with 20 or more locations to share this information. Restaurants respond to the preferences of their target consumers to be financially viable; often, the things that make food taste ‘good’ are what make it unhealthy. Additionally, several challenges keep individuals from forming healthy eating habits, including traditional and cultural norms, familiarity, aversion to change, affordability, accessibility, concerns about nutritional adequacy, emotional attachment, peer pressure, social norms, poor education, time constraints, and convenience. While the study provides valuable insights, it does have limitations. The sample was a convenience sample, primarily drawn from the U.S. and Westernized countries, meaning the findings may not be generalizable to all global regions. Additionally, assessments were based on online menu descriptions, which may not fully capture all nutritional details. Cardiovascular disease continues to be a leading driver of mortality in the U.S., and poor diet leads to other chronic diseases that increase healthcare costs and lives lost while reducing personal and economic productivity. Though this study’s findings are based on a convenience sample of restaurants and a select number of menu offerings, its results highlight clear policy implications. Restaurants should be encouraged to provide nutritional information More restaurants should be encouraged to provide nutritional information about the food they serve so that patrons can make informed decisions. Though eateries are businesses and not responsible for the health of their customers, they have the ability to reduce health risks by limiting the use of refined grains, excessive sodium, saturated fats, added sugar, and fried foods in their dishes. Given the well-established links between unhealthful diets, chronic disease, and mortality, the researchers suggest that regulatory bodies such as the FDA expand nutritional disclosure requirements beyond large franchises to include a broader range of restaurants. Journal reference: Healthful vs. Unhealthful Plant-Based Restaurant Meals. Williams, K.A., Horton, A.M., Baldridge, R.D., Ikram, M. Nutrients (2025). DOI: 10.3390/nu17050742, https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/5/742 To read the original article click here.

The post Studying Finds: Most Plant-Based Restaurant Meals are Unhealthy appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Is All Vegan Food Healthy?

The AHA! Team — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 08:03:40 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – How do healthier plant-based diets compare to unhealthy plant foods and animal foods when it comes to diabetes risk? In my video on flexitarians, I discuss how the benefits of eating a plant-based diet are not all-or-nothing. “Simple advice to increase the consumption of plant-derived foods with compensatory [parallel] reductions in the consumption of foods from animal sources confers a survival advantage”— a live-longer advantage. The researchers call it a “pro-vegetarian” eating pattern, one that’s moving in the direction of vegetarianism, “a more gradual and gentle approach.” The benefits of eating a plant-based diet are not all-or-nothing. If you’re dealing with a serious disease, though, like diabetes, completely “avoiding some problem foods is easier than attempting to moderate their intake. Clinicians would never tell an alcoholic to try to simply cut down on alcohol. Avoiding alcohol entirely is more effective and, in fact, easier for a problem drinker… Paradoxically, asking patients to make a large change may be more effective than making a slow transition. Diet studies show that recommending more significant changes increases the chances that patients can accomplish [them]. It may help to replace the common advice, ‘all things in moderation’ with ‘big changes beget big results.’ Success breeds success. After a few days or weeks of major dietary changes, patients are likely to see improvements in weight and blood glucose [sugar] levels—improvements that reinforce the dietary changes that elicited them. Furthermore, they may enjoy other health benefits of a plant-based diet” that may give them further motivation. As you can see below and at 1:43 in my video Friday Favorites: Is Vegan Food Always Healthy?, those who choose to eat plant-based for their health say it’s mostly for “general wellness or general disease prevention” or to improve their energy levels or immune function, for example. They felt it gives them a sense of control over their health, helps them feel better emotionally, improves their overall health, makes them feel better, and more, as shown below and at 1:48. Most felt it was very important for maintaining their health and well-being. For the minority who used it for a specific health problem, mostly high cholesterol or weight loss, followed by high blood pressure and diabetes, most reported they felt it helped a great deal, as you can see below and at 2:14. Some choose plant-based diets for other reasons, such as animal welfare or global warming, and it looks like “ethical vegans” are more likely to eat sugary and fatty foods, like vegan donuts, compared to those eating plant-based because of religious or health concerns, as you can see below and at 2:26 in my video. The veganest vegan could make an egg- and dairy-free cake, covered with frosting, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate syrup, topped with Oreos, and served with a side of Doritos. Or, they may want fruit for dessert, but in the form of Pop-Tarts and Krispy Kreme pies. Vegan, yes. Healthy, no. “Plant-based diets have been recommended to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, not all plant foods are necessarily beneficial.” In the pro-vegetarian scoring system I mentioned above, you get points for eating potato chips and French fries because they are technically plant-based, as you can see below and at 3:07 in my video, but Harvard researchers wanted to examine the association of not only an overall plant-based diet, but healthy and unhealthy versions. So, they created the same kind of pro-vegetarian scoring system, but it was weighted towards any sort of plant-based foods and against animal foods; then, they created a healthful plant-based diet index, where at least some whole plant foods took precedence and Coca-Cola and other sweetened beverages were no longer considered plants. Lastly, they created an unhealthful plant-based diet index by assigning positive scores to processed plant-based junk and negative scores for healthier plant foods and animal foods. Their findings? As you can see below and at 3:51 in my video, a more plant-based diet, in general, was good for reducing diabetes risk, but eating especially healthy plant-based foods did better, nearly cutting risk in half, while those eating more unhealthy plant foods did worse, as shown in the graph below and at 4:03. Now, is that because they were also eating more animal foods? People often eat burgers with their fries, so the researchers separated the effects of healthy plant foods, less healthy plant foods, and animal foods on diabetes risk. And, they found that healthy plant foods were protectively associated, animal foods were detrimentally associated, and less healthy plant foods were more neutral when it came to diabetes risk. Below and at 4:32 in my video, you can see the graph that shows higher diabetes risk with more and more animal foods, no protection whatsoever with junky plant foods, and lower and lower diabetes risk associated with more and more healthy whole plant foods in the diet. So, they concluded that, yes, “plant-based diets…are associated with substantially lower risk of developing T2D.” However, it may not be enough to just lower the intake of animal foods; consumption of less healthy plant foods may need to decrease, too. As a physician, labels like vegetarian and vegan just tell me what you don’t eat, but there are a lot of unhealthy vegetarian fare like French fries, potato chips, and soda pop. That’s why I prefer the term whole food and plant-based nutrition. That tells me what you do eat—a diet centered around the healthiest foods out there. The video I mentioned is Do Flexitarians Live Longer?. You may also be interested in some of my past popular videos and blogs on plant-based diets. Check related posts below. Key Takeaways Adopting a “pro-vegetarian” eating pattern is associated with a survival advantage and may contribute to a longer, healthier life. That means gradually increasing the consumption of plant-derived foods while reducing animal-based foods. In cases of serious diseases like diabetes, completely avoiding problematic foods may be more effective than attempting moderation. Making significant dietary changes can lead to rapid improvements in weight, blood glucose levels, and overall health, and reinforce positive habits. Individuals choosing a plant-based diet for health reasons often do so for general wellness, disease prevention, improved energy levels, and immune function. The sense of control over health, emotional well-being, and overall health improvements are common motivations. People may choose plant-based diets for various reasons, including health concerns, animal welfare, or environmental reasons. A study suggests that “ethical vegans” might be more inclined to consume sugary and fatty foods compared to those motivated by religious or health concerns. While plant-based diets are recommended to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, not all plant foods offer the same benefits. A diet emphasizing healthy plant-based foods significantly reduces diabetes risk, while an intake of unhealthy plant-based foods may be associated with higher risk. Researchers suggest that reducing animal foods and choosing healthy plant-based options are crucial for diabetes prevention. To read the original article click here.

The post Is All Vegan Food Healthy? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

WARNING: GMO Ingredient in Impossible Burger linked to Weight Gain, Kidney Disease

AHA Publisher — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:01 +0000

Patrick Tims via NaturalHealth365 – There is a common misconception that all vegan and vegetarian food products are nutritious. Listen to the mainstream media, and you’ll hear about how vegan fare is a net positive for human health and the environment. For example, Impossible and Beyond faux burgers have become quite popular in recent years, especially among tweens, teens, and twenty-somethings concerned with health and ecological sustainability. Cut to the truth of the matter, and you will find Impossible faux burgers are anything but healthy. Read through the list of ingredients of Impossible veggie burgers and other processed vegan food products, and you’ll find they contain a plethora of chemicals, GMO ingredient, and unhealthy additives. A recent study revealed that Impossible Burger contains an ingredient likely to cause weight gain along with kidney disease and other health problems. Why You Should Think Twice Before Eating an Impossible Burger Impossible Burgers, Beyond Burgers, and other faux meat options are marketed as healthy alternatives to animal flesh that supposedly benefit the environment and the greater good. Though vegan alternatives certainly have their merits, there are also some important drawbacks. Impossible Foods recently conducted an analysis of rats after consuming Impossible faux burgers. The study results were fairly surprising, especially from the perspective of Impossible executives, who likely assumed their products would have minimal or no impact on rats. The Impossible Foods’ rat study reveals the main ingredient within the faux burgers, soy leghemoglobin, spurred the onset of inexplicable alterations within rat biology. Impossible Foods’ soy leghemoglobin is genetically engineeredrather than natural. It is possible the genetic alteration of the soy is the underlying cause of the changes in rats’ weight and even alterations to blood composition that cause kidney disease, inflammation, and possibly worse. The study even revealed that soy leghemoglobin has the potential to trigger anemia. Why Soy Leghemoglobin (SLH) Is Detrimental to Human Health The GMO ingredient, soy leghemoglobin, is created from yeast. However, the yeast used for soy leghemoglobin is also genetically modified. In summary, Impossible Foods’ faux burgers contain a genetically altered variation of soy stemming from yeast that food scientists within laboratories have also altered. The resulting “Frankenburger” appears to be anything but healthy. Though the weight and blood composition changes identified in rats after consuming the Impossible Burger are not guaranteed to occur in humans after consuming the same food products, the study results are concerning. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows Impossible to sell its chemical-laden and genetically modified products throughout the country. Impossible’s brass obtained governmental permission to market the faux hamburger in the United Kingdom and the European Union after requesting clearance in 2019. Should Impossible Burger Be Available to the Public? Let’s shift our attention to what matters most: human health and nutrition in the societal push toward veganism that becomes more transparent by the day. Health experts, nutritionists, and government officials far and wide are pushing a narrative that a society-wide transition to veganism or vegetarianism will save the planet, reduce medical bills and extend human longevity. However, the above study makes it clear that concerns about the GMO ingredient SLH and other chemicals added to faux meat products are valid. The lesson from the scientific community’s analysis of processed vegan and vegetarian food offerings is that they should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism. It is widely known that consuming toxic red meat has the potential to cause cardiovascular problems, yet it is also clear that Impossible’s fake burgers have the potential to lead to even worse outcomes, including potential inflammation, anemia, kidney disease, and dreaded weight gain. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org To read the original article click here.

The post WARNING: GMO Ingredient in Impossible Burger linked to Weight Gain, Kidney Disease appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Plant-Based Diet Rich in Soy Reduces Troubling Menopause Symptoms by 84%

AHA Publisher — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 07:00:49 +0000

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine via News-Medical – A new study, published by the North American Menopause Society in the journal Menopause, found a plant-based diet rich in soy reduces moderate-to-severe hot flashes by 84%, from nearly five per day to fewer than one per day. During the 12-week study, nearly 60% of women became totally free of moderate-to-severe hot flashes. Overall hot flashes (including mild ones) decreased by 79%. The study, called the WAVS trial–the Women’s Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor Symptoms-shows that diet changes can be much more powerful for treating hot flashes than scientists had thought. Vasomotor symptoms refer to night sweats, hot flashes, and flushes. The study used no hormone medications or extracts. Instead, the research team tested a combination of a low-fat plant-based diet plus 1/2 cup of ordinary soybeans added to a salad or soup each day. “This is a game changer for women aged 45 and over, most of whom we now know can get prompt relief from the most severe and troubling menopause symptoms without drugs,” says lead researcher Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee and adjunct professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine. As many as 80% of postmenopausal women suffer from hot flashes. Heat wells up from the chest, causing flushing, sweating, and chills. At night, hot flashes interfere with sleep. Estrogen-based medications were once routinely used to treat hot flashes but have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer and other serious problems. Isoflavoneextracts from soybeans work only modestly, leaving women and their doctors with few effective options. Study Details Postmenopausal women reporting two or more hot flashes per day were randomly assigned to either an intervention group–consisting of a low-fat, vegan diet, including half a cup of cooked soybeans daily–or to a control group that made no diet changes for 12 weeks. Frequency and severity of hot flashes were recorded using a mobile application, and vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual symptoms were assessed using the Menopause Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL). Each participant was given a digital self-calibrating scale to track body weight day by day, a mobile app to track hot flashes in real time, and an Instant Pot to prepare soybeans at home. Each week, the group got together with the research team via Zoom. “Previous studies have shown that soy could be beneficial, so we decided to put a diet change to the test. We believe that the combination is what is important. By the end of the study, the majority of women on a plant-based diet rich in soy reported that they no longer experienced moderate-to-extreme hot flashes at all and that they experienced significant improvements in their quality of life.” Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, study author, director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee Key Findings Total hot flashes decreased by 79% and moderate-to-severe hot flashes decreased by 84% in the intervention group. At the study’s conclusion, 59% of intervention-group participants reported becoming free of moderate and severe hot flashes. There was no change in this variable in the control group. In previous randomized trials, soy products have been shown to modestly reduce the frequency of hot flashes. The researchers theorize that the effect may be a result of soy products containing isoflavones, which can be metabolized by gut bacteria into equol–a nonsteroidal compound that has been shown in some studies to reduce the incidence and severity of hot flashes. Previous studies have also shown that those following vegetarian or vegan diets produce higher levels of equol. The new study showed a more robust response, using the combination of a plant-based diet plus soy. Many study participants also reported improvements in sexual symptoms, mood, and overall energy. “This was basically a lifesaver for me,” said one study participant. “I’ve got my quality of life back.” Another said, “I am sleeping better, and my hot flashes diminished tremendously.” Several participants also noticed significant weight loss and better digestion. “Before you jump to any kind of medication, I would try this route, because it’s easy,” a study participant said. “Anybody can do it.” The study was based on the new approach to menopausal symptoms described by Dr. Barnard in his book Your Body in Balance. After the book was released in 2020, a reader contacted Dr. Barnard to let him know that his method eliminated her hot flashes within five days. Rather than using isoflavone extracts or soy foods such as soy milk or tofu, she used whole soybeans. To read the original article click here.

The post Plant-Based Diet Rich in Soy Reduces Troubling Menopause Symptoms by 84% appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Raw Milk: Is It a Health Food or Health Disaster?

AHA Publisher — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:00:49 +0000

Richard Sacks via NaturalHealth365 – The topic of raw milk, and whether it is “good or bad” for us as a food, has been a controversial one for a long time. Many highly respected health teachers like Dr. John McDougall have pointed to studies and their own long experience, showing health problems and dangers associated with consuming dairy products at all. On the other side of the issue, those connected to the Weston A. Price Foundation and people like Mark McAfee, founder of Organic Pastures raw milk dairy have explained their own evidence and experience, showing great health benefits from drinking raw milk, along with following the rest of their dietary recommendations. A major problem with government-sponsored ‘health’ reports As an independent health scientist since 1965, I have learned not to just assume government agencies or scientific journal articles are telling the truth, since I have found many cases over the years where they are not. My motive has been a desire to decode what should have been our “owner’s manual” of how to keep these beautiful physical bodies fully functioning at their highest potential. So, the question remains: Is raw milk a super food or toxic for human consumption? My own experience is that for many people, it can be a super food in its own right, but it has to be fresh, raw, organic, and produced from cows (or goats) that are not abused for any reason. Some people have found that milk causes congestion or is hard to digest, but I have seen these things go away as the body gets clean and better nourished, and the enzymes are abundantly present for better digestion. To get the most out of any food, you have to detoxify your own system, and then improve your nutritional program, as well as taking advantage of other free natural therapies like grounding, sunlight and watching your everyday mental and emotional patterns. In this way, you can get a completely different reaction to any healthful food, and your body’s tolerance (and desire) for junk food will also gradually disappear. One of the most interesting things I discovered about raw milk is its potential use by people who currently consider themselves raw vegans (of which I myself was one). Seems like a contradiction in terms, right? Why are vegans avoiding raw milk? I have looked at all of the claims by vegans (both raw and cooked food vegans) that any animal-derived food is basically unfit for human consumption. The studies I have seen on the unhealthful qualities of milk have been done on commercially produced pasteurized milk, so it is basically cooked and polluted with chemicals from multiple sources, and the animals suffer great abuse. I agree that this food is not fit for humans, or even for animals. But raw milk produced from cows or goats treated with respect instead of abuse, great environmental conditions, fresh organic feed and clean water is an entirely different situation. I have not seen any study showing credible evidence that such milk is unhealthful in any way. From the data I have seen, raw milk has a much better safety track record than pasteurized, factory produced “milk.” Most interesting to me is that fresh raw milk has been recommended by one of the greatest Essene teachers – thousands of years ago in a book, The Essene Gospel Of Peace – that some of the most well known raw vegan teachers promote. A raw vegan dilemma emerges So, here’s my observation of why this is relevant to vegans, specifically to raw vegans. It has been known to the greatest health teachers for millennia that raw food contains the best nutrition for people, just as it does for animals and other life forms. But, when humans live on just raw vegan food, while it is fantastic for cleansing and detoxification and providing a wide variety of nutrients in living form, especially when combined with proper use of fasting and colon hydrotherapy, most 100% raw vegans that I have known eventually after a certain number of years, run into problems, and for most of them supplements do not solve the problems long term. Usually if they are committed vegans, they eventually start cooking some of their food, even if they know it destroys or diminishes many important nutrients. If they don’t, they can become emaciated, low in muscle mass, unable to produce sufficient body heat, and/or psychologically unstable. In my opinion, as 100% raw vegans, they run short of certain fats and perhaps certain amino acids and various subtle nutrients (most nutrients, in my opinion, have not even been identified yet by science). Adding some cooked whole organic foods adds sources of carbohydrates that the body uses as fuel, and often more sources of essential fats, so even if the cooked foods are lower in certain nutrient values, they can lead to healthy weight gain and a feeling of stability for many people. Is there another option to remain 100% “RAW?” It is easier, in my opinion, to maintain health on a 100% organic whole foods diet that includes some cooked foods than to do it with a 100% raw food diet in today’s environment. But, I found another way, for those that want to stay 100% raw, but keep their energy, muscle mass, body heat and psychological stability. I personally experienced every one of the above problems on an organic, fresh 100% raw vegan diet. They all went away almost immediately when I added organic fresh raw milk, from cows treated as they should be treated, that is, essentially as pets, and respected creatures sharing this planet with us. I also found excellent results from fresh organic raw butter, cream and cheese (not the cheeses aged over 60 days – there is a reason those are considered OK by FDA – I found only the ones made fresh and recently to be free of negative effects). Now, I have all the benefits claimed by the raw vegans (no problems with congestion from the milk after the first two or three weeks of adaptation), but I am again strong and stable. Lack of energy and aging issues go away My energy stays high just about all the time and I never get sick unless I push extreme stress or lack of sleep past my body’s limits, and I’ve learned not to do that. I don’t experience “normal aging” anymore. Raw milk is only one of the many tools and understandings required, and it may not be right for you, you just have to listen to your own body to know. Each of us has to find what works best for us individually. To be clear, I myself would not include any dairy at all, or any cooked foods, on a detox program such as in dealing with any serious health condition. But for maintenance, I have found that either some cooked whole foods or raw organic dairy as I have described can be valuable, and for myself I have chosen the latter, so I can stay 100% raw. It is the only way I have found to stay in great condition and natural high energy all the time. Just as a side note: some vegans say that cow manure contaminates the environment. But, in fact, it is a great soil conditioner/fertilizer. Nature used it to great advantage when the wild bison roamed the plains of America, and the environment did not suffer. Why are raw milk dairies under violent attack? It is certainly not because of any danger to us. So many government programs are in full swing to destroy any chance we may have of maintaining our health. Just think how counterproductive and irritating it would be from government’s point of view if we had easy access to all the tools we need to be healthy and not need the current “healthcare” (actually a sick care) system” except maybe for accidents. Properly produced raw milk looks like one of those tools to me. Believe in yourself and take back your life. I encourage you to do your own exploring and studying, because each person’s body has its own unique requirements. Sure, read the scientific studies. But don’t stop there! Read other people’s experiences, watch their videos and compare to your own experience. Take a fresh look at your comfortable habits to see if they are really good for you. Learn how to listen to and communicate with your own body and always keep learning more. If you learn to listen and understand its messages, your own body will tell you what is right for you and what is not. Make your life an adventure again, and be true to yourself. The discoveries are waiting for you. About the author: Richard Sacks has been an independent health scientist for over 50 years, and a consultant for the last 30. Sources for this article include: Westonaprice.org To read the original article click here. For more articles from NaturalHealth365 click here.

The post Raw Milk: Is It a Health Food or Health Disaster? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

What are the Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet?

AHA Publisher — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 08:00:43 +0000

Sara Ryding, B.Sc. via News-Medical Net – While there are a variety of reasons for adopting a vegan diet, health reasons are attracting a lot of scientific focus. Vegans tend to be thinner, have lower cholesterol, and have lower blood pressure, and there is some evidence there are additional health benefits that can lead to longer life expectancy. Metabolism Benefits Vegans benefit from increased consumption of vegetables but can miss out on essential nutrients due to the avoidance of meat and dairy. Vegan diets are usually high in fiber, magnesium, folic acid, phytochemicals, and vitamins C and E. On the other hand, they tend to be lower in calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, zinc, and vitamins B-12 and D. Studies in the short and moderate-term have found that vegan diets can improve energy metabolism in healthy, obese, and type 2 diabetic individuals. Some believe this is due to favorable changes in the gut microbiome that are brought about due to the vegan diet, but there is currently not enough research to verify this. There is also some evidence that vegans consume more protective nutrients and phytochemicals. Cardiovascular Benefits Diets that are high in fruits and vegetables, nuts, vegetable oils, and whole grain are often associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease development. These types of diets traditionally include Mediterranean and Asian diets, but recently the vegan diet has been postulated to have similar effects. The lower risk of cardiovascular disease can be achieved by a vegetarian diet, where dairy is included. This seems to be primarily due to the increased intake of fruits and vegetables, which contain valuable nutrients, including fiber and antioxidant vitamins, and have been independently associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. While vegan diets are often seen as having lower fat content and vegans are usually thinner, the actual benefits of fat intake associated with veganism on cardiovascular diseases are disputed. In general, vegetable oils are seen as more beneficial than animal fat due to their content of monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and α-linolenic acid. Effects on Cancer Prevalence A lot of evidence indicates that vegans and vegetarians have a lower risk of various cancers, both due directly to nutrient intake and due to secondary effects. For example, obesity is a significant factor in cancer risk, and due to the lower BMI of vegans, they also enjoy lower cancer risk. Fruits and vegetables have been described as lowering the risk of lung, mouth, esophagus, and stomach cancers, and they tend to be consumed at higher quantities in vegans. Phytochemicals, which are abundant in vegetables and occur at a higher volume in vegan diets, have antioxidant qualities and disrupt cells to stop the progression of cancer. While vegan diets include nutrients known to lower the risk of cancer, there can also be adverse effects of vegan diets on cancer risks. For example, low vitamin D is associated with increased cancer risk and is also generally low in vegan diets. This may explain why there are not more pronounced differences in the development of cancer between vegans and non-vegans. Vegans may have increased risks due to deficiencies but decreased risks due to increased antioxidant consumption or lower body weight. Cognitive Benefits One of the lesser-studied areas in how vegan diets can affect an individual is neurobiology and cognitive function. Studies that have focused on this have found mild or moderate improvements when patients afflicted with migraine, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis consumed a vegan diet. These studies are confounded by not accounting for the gluten content of the plant-based diet and by small sample sizes. Studies looking at specific nutrients show some signs that vegan diets can be beneficial for cognition and mental health. Intake of phytochemicals, which appears to be higher in vegans, is associated with beneficial effects on mental health. In contrast, lower intake of vitamin B-12, which is common in vegans, is associated with detrimental effects on the neurologic system and cognitive health, such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

The post What are the Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet? appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.