From your own experience, do you agree with the premise that vegetarians are unhealthier than meat eaters?

Question

From my experience, I am the healthiest person in my family. Everyone in my family is sick with cancer, heart disease, and neurological problems. I attribute these problems to meat eating (fat, cholestrol, toxins). I have spent more than half my life vegetarian and I am very strong and not sick. If vegetarians lack protein, why am I so athletic and able to lift weights like I do? Sorry, but that argument doesn't fly. Just ask my bicep.

i would have to disagree with moderation. no one in my family is fat. but they do eat a lot of meat, like everyday. that is considered normal for them considering our heritage where that is the norm. thanks for your answer tho.

I have beautiful skin. People say I look younger than I am. I don't think I am superior. Why do you think that I said that? Very interesting that is what you think. Why would you think I feel I am superior, esp to my family who I love? I do think meat has toxins, like dioxin and mercury which are proven to ruin your skin. Take care.

Answer 1

Everyone in my family is sick with cancer, heart disease, and neurological problems. I attribute these problems to meat eating (fat, cholestrol, toxins).

Yeah,mine too.I have an aunt who got kidney stones at age 16!My great grandpa had diabetes,my grandpa has diabetes, and my dad has diabetes(my great grandpa had to get his legs amputated because of it :( ).Everyone in my family is overweight or obese,except my uncle(who eats tons of meat because he lifts weights) and my cousin,but he is still young so it won't catch up on him till he is older.

If vegetarians lack protein, why am I so athletic and able to lift weights like I do? Sorry, but that argument doesn't fly. Just ask my bicep.

I know exactly how you feel.I lift weights,my uncle siad I HAVE to eat at least chicken or fish to put on muscle.BULLSH!T(he is just trying to help me out though,he was raised eating meat and has never heard of any vegetarian bodybilders).

Answer 2

No way vegetarians are unhealthier unless they only eat junk food. Vegetarians are healthier, according to studies. So far, every nutritionist I have talked to (which is 2, so not like its' a huge number) says it's healthier and is actually vegetarian themself.
Protein can be found in fruits, nuts, veggies, and beans (including soy and soy products). Think about it: horses and elephants are huge and muscular and they don't eat people or other animals. So there has to be an adequate amount of protein in plants.

It is pretty much universally known that vegetarianism is the healthiest choice. Most of the research that says it isn't comes from the Weston A. Price Foundation, which also tells people to eat LOTS of red meat and butter (you should SEE their recommendations for pregnant woman) and that goes against every other scientific study out there--even those that have nothing to do with vegetarianism and aren't promoting meatless eating. (Mostly cholesterol and cancer related studies). Studies show vegetarians to be healthier, more intelligent, and more compassionate. I wish I had done this 10 years ago!

Answer 3

From my experience, vegetarians/vegans are usually healthier. I think this is simply because in N. America most people who are raised or become vegetarian/vegan are on a different path in life than most others. One thing often leads to another, and doing one healthy thing for yourself often leads to another, just as the opposite does. Discoveries tend to branch out into other areas. I think it’s inevitable for people of a certain mindset.

Just comparing my former (eat everything) self to my current self (eat as healthy as possible), my athletic stamina has increased, acne disappeared, have never been sick since (perhaps 3 bad colds in 17 years and that’s it), my thinking became unclouded (just reeling with so many thoughts at first I couldn’t sleep), injury recovery much faster, more energy in general, less sleep needed, my eye colour changed from dark brown to green, never depressed (used to be continual), … I just feel great in general compared to before. Of course, before, I had no idea that there was room for improvement, but once I saw some immediate differences, I was on my way to learn more.

Regarding the suggestion that eating meat makes people fat; actually it makes people thin. That’s how the Atkins diet works; if you eat lots of meat you will become thin. Why does this work? Because humans cannot extract enough nutrients from meat and the body starts to eat itself.

Everyone I know who has continued to eat the way I used to eat, are always sick. Sick enough that they are stuck at home in bed many times per year. When was the last time I was that sick? Hm, years and years ago but I was only sick for a day, not two weeks like them.

Answer 4

You must have a VERY sickly family. In my family I have three grandparents left, all over 80. My uncles and Aunts and cousins and parents and my sister are all healthy, and so am I for that matter, and we all eat meat. I regard my family as quite typical; everyone gets ill sometimes, but being ill for most people is an unnusual event, and even then a cold or upset stomach or infection is what you'd expect.

If your family's that sick to say you're the healthiest isn't saying much.

Now, really in my experience I've met relatively few proper vegetarians, but statistics say they're healthier. However this can be more attributed to other factors.

Vegetarians are much less likely to smoke, binge drink, eat junk food and are generally much more health conscious that the average meat eater, meat eating being the group that contains almost all the unhealthiest of society: the poor, the uneducated and the smokers who frankly aren't likely to give two figs about veganism. Vegetarianism is often done by people for health reasons, rightly or wrongly, and people who are worried about their health usually end up healthier as they take better care of themselves. Obviously this affects the results and, whether or not vegetarianism is good for health, they'll always be on average healthier.

Also they're usually young, and their average age is well above the average of the rest of the population, and young people are almost invariably healthier than older people.

etc

Yes, these things can be controlled for, but they often aren't, particularly if you're looking at Peta endorsed studies, and we all know they're propagandists who'll say anything to make people go veggie. When these sort of things are taken into account there is actually very little difference.

So yes, do you generally lead a healthier life than your family? Do they smoke, drink or eat fast food more than you and do you take care of yourself more? Are you younger than most of them? These things are much more likely to be the reason than vegetarianism.

Answer 5

I eat candy, almost no vegetables and mostly chicken, some red meat. I have not been sick in 15 years I am healty and am stronger than the average person. I have not worked out in about 2 years, I don't gain weight easily. I don't know if it has anything to do with my eating habits, but it is something to consider, maybe its all depends on the person. That doens't mean I don't think a healty diet isn't good, I alway thought man if I am doing this good on junk, imagine what I could do If I could fight the urge to eat at Burger King everyday, and yes I have eaten there amost every day since I moved to California, sometimes more than one meal of the day. (Tender Chrisp Chicken - plain Large Fries large coke it cost 7.57 in SF)

Answer 6

A vegetarian lifestyle can be enormously healthy!!! You are absolutely right and there is a lot of research to support your theory.
Do you eat dairy? fish?
Many people define 'vegetarian' differently.
Dairy and fish both provide full sources of protien, but even if you don't partake in either of these, you can "create" full proteins by combining the right foods at the same meal. Examples are Rice and beans -or- corn (such as tortillas) and beans. Plus, you can eat nuts and whole grains.
CAUTION: Make sure you take some Vitamin B-12 supplements, as that particular vitamin will not be in your vegetarian diet!!!
Also, look into your Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acid ratios and make sure you're getting enough of the omega-3s. (Walnuts and flaxseed are excellent sources)
Stay strong & healthy!!! : )

Answer 7

II don't think that vegetarians are less healthy than those that eat meat.

My roommate is vegan and actually has been less ill (esp. lately) than I have been. But then in the past, he was on the list for open heart surgery/heart replacement. So being a vegan alone isn't a guarantee that one is going to be in perfect health.

Genetics also has something to do with the health of a person.

Answer 8

i don't believe that either is automatically healthier. it just seems that people who care enough to be vegetarian are the people that will take care of their bodies and watch what they eat. that isn't always true but i think that's why most vegetarians are in good shape. and i do agree that meat can be unhealthy but eaten in moderation (i.e. a meat side-dish at one or maybe two meals) meat wont have a negative effect on your body. almost all americans that eat meat seem to eat it as a main dish at usually 2 meals which is way too much.

Answer 9

Meat eater yet am veggie now and back && i'd flow veggie coz u can shed weight and that i do no longer in trouble-free terms like the actuality of killing animals a hundred% amazing yet mom && dad will take mick and say i'm being perplexing |:

Answer 10

Hi, don't pay attention to those people who attack you because they think you feel superior, or that your skin is sallow, or that you are undernourished. They don't know any better. Trust in yourself, because you know first-hand what is good for you!

I am the only vegetarian in my family, too, and am the healthiest. I rarely ever get sick, and just minor colds when I get allergies and couldn't attend to them sooner. If I do get some infections, I get better much quicker from it that everyone else.

Becoming vegetarian is the healthiest choice I ever made in my entire life.

Stick with it and let everyone else learn from your example rather than from what you say!