Vegetarianism has become popular relatively recently, but the idea itself is not new. Until the middle of the XNUMXth century, when the word “vegetarian” appeared, the diet consisting entirely of plant foods was known as the Pythagorean diet, which got its name from the writings of the Greek philosopher of the XNUMXth century BC. Today, people are much more aware of the benefits of avoiding meat, and the key reason for changing diets is to be healthy.
For example, President Bill Clinton was known for his bad eating habits. After undergoing major heart surgery in 2004 and vascular stenting in 2010, he changed his lifestyle. Today, 67-year-old Clinton is completely vegan, with the exception of occasional omelet and salmon.
Director James Cameron announced two years ago that he became a vegan, caring for the world around him. “You cannot do anything for the future world – the world after us, the world of our children – if you don’t switch to a plant-based diet,” the director notes. Last summer, he gave a powerful speech at the US National Geographic Society’s Explorer of the Year Awards: “By changing what we eat, you will change the entire relationship between the human species and nature,” Cameron said.
Sometimes, in order to fundamentally change the diet, a simple contact with the natural world is enough. Musician Paul McCartney decided to give up meat several decades ago, having once seen frolicking lambs on his farm. He now suggests that people eliminate meat from their diet at least once a week. In 2009 in the UK, he launched a Monday meat-free campaign. “I think Monday is a great day to skip meat, because many people tend to overeat on weekends,” explains the musician.
Of course, sticking to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle is not always easy. Actor Ben Stiller in 2012 in an interview called himself a pescatarian – a person who does not eat any animal food, except fish and seafood. Stiller shares his feelings: “Vegans don’t talk about it. It’s difficult. Because you crave animal food. Today I ate browncolle chips. I wanted pork ribs, but I ate browncolle chips. ” Ben Stiller’s wife, actress Christine Taylor, supports him and also follows a plant-based diet. “Our energy levels have changed significantly,” the actress told People magazine two years ago. “Sometimes you just don’t realize it until someone says: wow, you look dazzling!”
If you, too, decide to become a vegetarian, you will make yourself, or rather your body, a great gift.
“These diets help reduce the risks of obesity, type II diabetes, heart attacks and many other ailments,” says Marion Nestl, nutritionist and author of What to Eat: an Aisle-by-Aisle Guide to Savvy Food Choice and Good Eating). And if you’re worried that avoiding meat can lead to health problems, then don’t worry. “The key to a healthy diet is a varied and nutritious diet,” because “the nutrient composition of foods is different and they all complement each other.” Therefore, the first question regarding a vegetarian diet is what to exclude and to what extent. If your “vegetarian” diet includes some animal products – fish, eggs, dairy products, poultry, then there will be no problems with lack of nutrients.
A strict vegan diet can cause some health problems. The fact is that vegans who avoid all animal products may be deficient in vitamin B12, which is found almost exclusively in animal foods. Because so many foods are eliminated from the diet, vegans are at risk of other nutrient deficiencies, but careful diet planning can help reduce these risks. For a more varied diet, it is recommended that you consume as many of a variety of protein-containing cereals and legumes as possible, and find alternative sources of vitamin B12, such as special supplements or fortified foods.
You don’t have to completely eliminate meat from your diet to experience the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. The reputable American clinic Mayo Clinic suggests starting, following the guidance of Paul McCartney, that is, change your diet once or twice a week and, if possible, replace meat: for example, in a stew – cheese tofu, in burritos – fried beans, and stew in pots instead of meat beans.
Cooking author Mark Bittman has expanded on the notion of a semi-vegetarian, plant-based food somewhat in his VB6 and VB6 Cookbook. Bittman’s idea is not to eat animal products before dinner: the titles of the books stand for “being a vegetarian until 18.00:XNUMX pm”.
The Bittman diet is pretty simple. “I stuck with the VB6 method for seven years,” writes the author, “and it became a habit, a way of life. The reason for the introduction of such a diet was health problems. After nearly five decades of reckless eating, he developed symptoms of prediabetes and pre-infarction. “You probably need to go vegan,” the doctor said. At first, this thought scared Bittman, but his health condition presented him with a serious choice: in order to survive, he had to either constantly take medications or change his diet. He eliminated all animal products during the day (along with highly processed and other junk food), and the result was not long in coming. In a month, he lost 7 kg. After two months, cholesterol and blood sugar levels returned to normal, nocturnal respiratory arrests disappeared, and for the first time in 30 years, he began to sleep soundly all night — and stopped snoring.
This approach works well because it is not too strict. When you can eat whatever you want for dinner, you feel free. In this case, the rules should not be categorical. If you want to add milk to your coffee in the morning, why not. An unexpected discovery for him was the fact that the foods he eats during the day affect the way he eats in the evening. Now he rarely eats meat.
Returning to the example of famous vegetarians, according to the historian Sprintzen, “celebrities do not introduce any cultural trend, but rather reflect a significant cultural time shift, whereby vegetarianism, although not the prevailing trend, is widely seen as a path to a healthy lifestyle “.
The path, having chosen even partially, you can prolong your life.