time to go vegan? (was Re: the road to longevity)

August 16, 2005

--- In , " Rodney " <perspect1111@y...>

wrote:

> Hi folks:

>

> Having read the article posted by JW, " A Forkhead in the Road to

> Longevity ............ " - at least up to the point where a heavy

> fog of biochemistry started to shroud (for me at least) the content -

> I found quite a few either very interesting or very surprising

> assertions. I will list a few of them below and ask whether everyone

> here agrees with them. Are they accurate?

<...snip...>

> 4. " The principal dietary atherogen is milk protein beta-casein

> A1. Its effect is three times stronge than smoking " (I FELL OFF MY

> CHAIR READING THIS).

<...snip...>

Is it time to go vegan? This is something I am constantly

considering. I currently consume yogurt, kefir (and their

cheeses) and egg whites. I enjoy them all, and giving them

up would be difficult. But, then you read about animal

proteins, even those in milk, being so dangerous...

On the other hand, there was the study recently posted

here that proposed lactobacilli make for improved nutrient

absorption in vegetarians.

<sigh>

-

August 16, 2005

A question that has puzzled me for many years.

First, I don't think my body likes vegan. When I first started eating more veggies, I found it's not that easy. Some guts perhaps take some adaptation. Maybe gut flora has something to do with it.

I divided the science of nutrition into 4 quadrants:

omnivore growing body positive

omnivore growing body negative

vegan growing body positive

vegan growing body negative

It seemed logical at the time, but I had noticed there was a lot less info for bodies growing downward, or bodies grown on only vegetarian foods.

Most treatises were based on eating meats, and concluding that "you could substitute beans" for a vegan diet. A gross over-simplification, IMO.

So you read all the vegetarian articles in Medline and conclude vegetarians thrive better, then what?

How to do it?

Does it apply to someone who has lived to 40yo on animal products?

One by one, I attacked the vegan's premises, only to find that most based their opinions on the animal right's, even to the use of leather, honey, and not considering the nutrition issues.

When I looked at nutrition issues, I found most were based on a nutrient that was determined as a result of a health problem.

So we're left with a large base of info we have to assume is true, and that doesn't get me to 100 yo. These are much larger issues that which type or protein to eat. I'm actually concerned about leaving out any food completely - there may be some micro requirement for some chemical in veggies, or amino acid in meat.

Then there's the differences in people, maybe by genes or caused by aging. People don't digest the same at 65yo as they did at 20yo, eg.

Do the Yak herders eat a meat only diet because they adapted or because they are the ones that survived in that area?

At this point, I am enough vegetarian that I find it difficult in restaurants to get enough veggies, at the same time more than enough animal products from anchovies to walleye. But I still can't eat much cabbage.

I can't get enough energy intake, or protein intake without dairy and grains, limiting fats.

So I think it's more to what the person CAN eat rather than a specific req't.

CRONies have varied diets, but all utilizing lowered calorie intake.

Regards.

[ ] time to go vegan? (was Re: the road to longevity)

Is it time to go vegan? This is something I am constantlyconsidering. I currently consume yogurt, kefir (and theircheeses) and egg whites. I enjoy them all, and giving themup would be difficult. But, then you read about animalproteins, even those in milk, being so dangerous...On the other hand, there was the study recently postedhere that proposed lactobacilli make for improved nutrientabsorption in vegetarians.<sigh>-

August 16, 2005