Why Go Vegetarian?

Studies

At 1:15 in the following video, Deborah Kotz from US News and World Report says that the Adventist church has one of the healthiest diets, and therefore one of the longest life expectencies. "It's pretty accepted now in the medical community - with all of the scientific research that's been looking at Adventists - that they live longer than their peers." On their website, the Adventist church recommends "A generous use of whole grains, vegetables and fruits; and a moderate use of low fat dairy products (or nutritional equivalent alternatives), legumes, and nuts; a very limited use of foods high in saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt; abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages."

- "An interesting new study did look at this issue and found that avoiding meat, fish and poultry leads to more frequent reports of positive mood. The researchers, from Benedictine University in Illinois and Arizona State University, noted that in general, vegetarians report better mood than omnivores (those whose diets include meat, fish and poultry)" (Link).

- In the 1990’s the Vegetarian Times published the results of a study that researched longevity and diet. Meat eaters, lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegan women were all included in the study. Within this specific study, it turned out that the lacto-ovo vegetarians lived the longest, the meat eaters lived the next longest, and vegans lived the least long (Link).

Note: A vegan diet that is supplemented with vitamin B12, vitamin D (if consistent sunlight is not available), Omega 3 and possibly protein can also be very healthy. Some examples of long-term, very healthy vegans include Karen Calabrese, Jay Kordich, Lou Corona, Markus Rothkranz, George Malkmus and Gabriel Cousens (link).

- In one study from 1999 Meta-Analysis concluded that "Lacto-ovo vegetarians (23,265 people) had a 38% reduced rate of dying from lung cancer, a 34% reduced rate of dying from heart disease, and a 15% reduced rate of mortality (Link).

Today's world is quite unique in the sense that most of us will never have to kill an animal for food. We can purchase our meat "pre-butchered" and prepackaged from a supermarket. Personally I did kill a chicken once for food as well as a rabbit with a BB gun when I was a kid. In both instances I felt quite horrible. It's funny because I never felt bad when somebody else killed the animal for me. I think that most of us would have a hard time killing an animal for food, especially if that animal were a pet of some sort. I definitely don't judge people who choose to eat meat. Yet at the same time, I feel healthier when I eat a plant based diet. Ideally I think a vegan diet is the most humane diet. Yet a vegan diet may also be lacking in B12 because the greens that we eat are not usually from wild sources, but rather from pesticide sprayed sources (cows get their B12 from the dirt found on grass and grass roots). For this reason, it may be best to include B12 supplementation in your diet. Another option is to include grass fed dairy and/or free range eggs in your diet.

I really relate with this following video:

B12 for Vegans - Sublingual, Patch, Spray or injections?

In his groundbreaking book called "the China Study," Dr. T. Colin Campbell says, "If you do not eat any animal products for three years or more, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consider taking a small B12 supplement on occasion, or going to the doctor annually to check your blood levels of B vitamins" (p. 232 the China Study).

Vitamin B12 plays a pivotal role in a person's nervous system and energy level. "B12 protects the nervous system. Without it, permanent damage can result (e.g., blindness, deafness, dementia). Fatigue, and tingling in the hands or feet, can be early signs of deficiency" (Link).

Cyanocobalamin vs. Methylcobalamin?

B12 supplements are available in either cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin form. Methylcobalamin is proven to be more natural and better absorbed by the body (Link). "In Japan and Great Britain, cyanocobalamin has been removed from the market while methylcobalamin is available" (Link).

"The B12 Patch" 

The B12 patch is effective because it completely bypasses the digestion tract and adds B12 directly into a person's bloodstream. I've noticed a significant increase in energy when using a B-12 patch, and I think the patch is the most reliable method of taking B-12. There are many different brands available on Amazon, and the average patch is applied once or twice a week (Link). David Rainoshek of "Juice Feasting" has talked about how the B12 Patch has proven effective for increasing B12 levels (Link). Kevin Gianni from Renegade Health also promotes this patch:

Sublingual Tablets

Sublingual tablets dissolve under the tongue, which can increase absorption. "When a chemical comes in contact with the mucous membrane beneath the tongue, it diffuses through it. Because the connective tissue beneath the epithelium contains a profusion of capillaries, the substance then diffuses into them and enters the venous circulation" (Link).

"A study published in the Feb. 21, 2005 BioMed Central Family Practice, concluded that sublingual B12 was as effective as B12 injections and was more convenient to administer" (Link). Popular raw vegan author Paul Nison promotes the sublingual form of B12 (Link). Another author noted many health issues "which resolved immediately or shortly after taking B-12 shots or sublingual tablets" (Link). Many different brands are available on Amazon or even at your local health food store (Link).

Sublingual Spray

"Dr. Mercola's B12 Energy Booster" is a spray that uses "nano droplets", which are absorbed under the tongue. Dr. Mercola sells this product on his website (Link).

On her website, popular raw food author and speaker "Shazzie" says, "I think I've finally got on top of the panic attacks I used to have. That was probably due to being vegan long-term, a B12 deficiency, cured with sublingual spray. I'd always taken B12 but not sublingually, as I didn't realise the importance. I know better now" (Link).

Nutritional Yeast

"Juice Daddy" Jay Kordich has promoted Nutritional Yeast as a way to get vitamin B12. Nutritional Yeast is fortified with vitamin B12, yet it is also naturally rich in other B vitamins.

"Injections"

For those who have extreme deficiencies, monthly or weekly B12 injections may be needed. Injections are affordable and can be approved by a physician.

Traditional Pills

Most multivitamins include B-12. This is sufficient for many vegans. However, some people find that traditional pills are not absorbed as well when compared to sublingual B12 or B12 patches. (Link)

"Diet"

Many vegans say that a vegan diet naturally contains all essential vitamins, including B12, and therefore supplementation is not essential on a vegan diet. This is partially true, simply because B12 is usually added to popular vegan foods such as soy milk and cereal. Therefore, vegans who do not take supplements can still attain enough B12 from these enriched foods.

Other vegans choose to switch to a vegetarian diet (or a raw vegetarian diet), adding organic free range eggs and/or organic dairy into their diet (including raw eggs, raw milk and raw milk cheese).

For most adults, the recommended daily intake of Vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms per day (Link). For vitamin B12 rich foods, check out my other post Here!

In the below video, Natasha St. Michael details how a vegan diet left her B12 deficient. She said she was not properly absorbing B12 from the traditional supplement she was taking. So she is now eating animal products such as fish and eggs on a daily basis.

People who have trouble absorbing B12 from a typical pill might want to consider a sublingual pill or a B12 patch.