When you stop to think about the dire health conditions in the United States and other parts of the world due to our diet choices, you realize the damage we have done to ourselves. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Avoidable heart attacks are the cause of most of these deaths. 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese. 1/3 of all American children are overweight or obese, and obesity is increasingly being diagnosed at a very young age.
We eat like there’s no tomorrow, and then we pay the price, and not just individually but as a society when healthcare costs run into the billions due to preventable conditions.
The vegetable alternative
Approximately 16 million Americans are currently on a vegetarian diet, and many of them are vegan, which means that they do not consume animal products or by-products (milk, honey, eggs) at all.
Celebrities, world leaders, nutritionists, doctors, and children live healthy and energetic lives as a result of a plant-based diet. They enjoy heart health, lower body weight, and lower insulin resistance.
Unbeknownst to many, Bill Clinton, a former Democratic president of the United States, had been suffering from heart disease. He announced in 2011 that he had miraculously reversed his heart disease, and he had done so on a strict meat-free diet. Recent research has been shown to support Clinton’s claim.
The University of Oxford conducted a large study and the results of the study revealed that following a strict vegetarian diet effectively reduces the risk of hospitalization due to complications from heart disease and the risk of death from heart disease, both by almost 1/3.
The results of the study
45,000 participants took part in the study conducted by health and diet experts from the University of Oxford. About 34% of the study participants followed strict vegetarian diets. (In this particular study, a vegetarian was defined as a person who abstained from consuming both meat and fish.)
Those who participated in the study were tracked for more than 10 years, as the researchers collected information on their dietary choices, exercise habits, alcohol consumption, and other variables that could have an impact on heart disease risk.
The researchers who conducted the study found that even after controlling for the other factors, study participants who followed strict vegetarian diets were significantly less likely to develop or succumb to heart disease.
Francesca Crowe, PhD, of the University of Oxford was the lead author of the study. In a statement, he said, “Most of the difference in risk is likely due to effects on both cholesterol and blood pressure.” In his statement, he added: “This shows the important role of diet in preventing heart disease.”
Research by experts at the University of Oxford also revealed that study participants who followed a strict vegetarian diet tended to have a lower body mass index than non-vegetarians, and were also less likely to develop diabetes.
More benefits of following a vegetarian diet
This most recent study was one of the largest studies ever conducted to examine the cardiovascular benefits of following a vegetarian diet; however, it is not exactly recent news that a meatless diet is associated with a multitude of health benefits.
For example, another study that was conducted recently tracked about 37,000 adults and found that by consuming at least one vegetarian meal each day, you can reduce your risk of dying from cancer by about 20%.
Other research has shown that, compared to meat eaters, individuals who follow a vegetarian diet:
• Have a reduced risk of foodborne illness
• You experience less severe symptoms of menopause.
• They have a longer shelf life
• They have better insulin resistance
• Less weight and you are less likely to be obese.
Even if you’re not ready to give up your favorite burger yet, you can still receive health benefits if you incorporate a little more meatless and heart-healthy meals into your overall diet. Choose plant foods more often. Fill your plate with healthy vegetables and whole grains. Eat whole foods raw.
Some examples of some delicious foods to consider are:
• Avocado
• Berries
• Walnuts
• Seeds
• Lentils
• Green leafy vegetables
• Red, yellow, purple and green vegetables
• Quinoa
• Sweet potatoes
• Steel cut oats
• Soy milk and soybeans
• Much more
Consider eating one or two meatless meals a week and remove meat from your plate whenever you can.
Substitute that meat with black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and other beans that are virtually fat-free. Choose fruits for dessert instead of baked goods and raw vegetables for snacks.
Choose a fresh fruit and protein powder shake for three lunches a week instead of a hamburger or chicken lunch.
Small changes can go a long way, and maybe at some point you will cut out the meat altogether.