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Vegetarianism
A careful look at the issue
It is not only very difficult but also nearly impossible for a majority of individuals to realize optimal health and peak performance under modern stress conditions if they choose a vegetarian or "vegan" lifestyle.
Now that statement is not meant to offend or discourage or dissuade someone who is determined, for whatever reasons, to conscientiously adhere to a non-flesh and/or no animal source diet.
The key is to be diligent and consistent in the application of the principles of good nutrition. Almost everyone recognizes that nutrition is one of the vital factors for establishing and maintaining health, and they understand ignoring it can be perilous. Additionally, most people prefer a variety of foods rather than restricting their choices too severely.
The single most important principle of good nutrition is ingesting (and digesting) the proper quantity and best quality of protein every day, and distributing the intake in fairly even amounts several times throughout the day.
The protein foods that furnish the kind of protein that is digestible and efficient for regenerating human tissue are eggs, milk, yogurt, natural cheese, cottage cheese, fish, poultry and meat. These foods have the nine (ten for children) essential amino acids in the correct ratios to rate them a high percentage of biological value for human health.
Other foods (unrefined grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, etc.) contain amino acids, but in the scientific literature they are referred to as semi-essential and non-essential. They score quite low in efficiency and biological value.
The four categories of vegetarianism are: 1. lacto vegetarian; 2. ova vegetarian; 3. lacto/ova vegetarian; and 4. "vegan" vegetarian. How strictly an individual adheres to any program depends on their level of conviction about its advantages to their health.
All types of vegetarians will ordinarily eat vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Soybeans and soy products are probably the most touted protein "replacement". Careful assessment demonstrates, however, that many people have allergies to them. They are also amino acid deficient and contain several undesirable substances.
It may be possible to combine a variety of non-animal foods to achieve a better essential amino acid balance. But that usually results in such a large intake of carbohydrates that it can adversely affect blood sugar levels and contribute to obesity and overweight.
A lacto vegetarian will consume dairy foods - the products from the mammary glands of lactating animals (mostly cows and sometimes goats). The foods are usually in the form of milk, yogurt, cheese, and curd (cottage cheese).
An ova vegetarian will consume eggs - the ovum (ordinarily from chickens).
A lacto/ova vegetarian combines the first two. Sometimes they may also be moderate "meatarians" and occasionally eat poultry or fish and rarely red meat.
A stringent "vegan" vegetarian avoids all flesh foods and products from animals, which excludes dairy and eggs. A guideline that has appeared in some of their writings mandates they do not eat anything that "has eyes and can reproduce".
There are radicals or extremists in both camps - meat eaters and vegetarians - who become activists. They feel obliged to impose their personal beliefs and philosophy upon everyone with whom they come in contact. On occasion they'll even "pick a fight" to prove their point rather than be respectful and tolerant of other views.
The purpose of this article is to provide information and advocate good nutrition for health and well being. The "life sciences" - the study of the created natural universe - never dogmatically commands any particular lifestyle. It's a matter of discovering and reporting the facts and leaving the choices to each individual.
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