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What the Health?

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  • Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited August 2017

    and perhaps even weirder that the most extreme vegan diet, fruitarianism, is definitely paleo :smile:

    I don't know why that would be "even weirder." Of course vegan diets CAN also be paleo, although it would be hard to get what I'd consider adequate protein.

    Typical vegan and paleo diets aren't pretty much the same, however.

    I've also seen lots of paleo posters on MFP specifically who were anti fruit, as I mentioned. Less so off MFP, but there's definitely some overlap between paleo and low carb that results in that.
  • Posts: 5,727 Member
    nevadavis1 wrote: »

    Nope, it's my ethics. I choose what I can live with and what I can't. Others make their own choices. There are things I do that aren't ideal in an ideal world--drive a car for example. But I reached a point in my own life where I couldn't eat animals any longer and it was the right choice for me for so many reasons. I'm not superior to others (ok, I'm superior to serial killers and scammers... but whatever) but I am better than the person I used to be in many ways, not just how I treat animals. Making a choice to try to act on my ethics helped me in ways that aren't even connected to eating. Some people don't see animals as food--I don't, at least not any longer.

    Though I'm not a fan of What the Health honestly because you can be a healthy or unhealthy vegan and you can be a healthy or unhealthy non-vegan, in my personal opinion, mileage may vary.

    But yeah, it is my ethics. Just like some people boycott made in china products or buy a prius or won't take a job at a tobacco company or choose how they vote based on their ethics. We don't all have the same ethics but we all have them (or at least most of us).

    As I put it to Jane, another ethical vegan. It's not that I'm objecting to the idea, but specifically to the way that particular commenter framed her position, by directly conflating her veganism with her other ethical choices and experiences.
  • Posts: 30,886 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »

    Again you keep on missing my point. I am not saying the two diets promote eating the same stuff. Not at all. All I am saying is that both diets eliminate the protein source (meat on one side and legumes on the other), but they both realize that we need proteins so meat and legumes come into play.

    A ton of the trendy WFPB stuff (see, e.g., Freelee, but also various doctor gurus like McDougall, Greger (who was involved in the "documentary" this thread is about), etc.) are very down on protein. They would not acknowledge you need more protein than what you might get eating whatever non animal based foods you may eat (often lots of fruit which is low protein). It's sensible, responsible vegans like Jack Norris who promote eating adequate protein and legumes and so on (most vegans I personally know), but these are often ethical vegans who are concerned with a nutrient-rich diet and of course the ethical issues, but not avoiding processed foods or what not.
    Both promote eating crap load of fruit and veggies. Thats all.

    Again, some in both camps do, just like some who are neither paleo nor vegan do. People who are vegan mainly for the ethics may not, may not promote any kind of diet, and I've run into (largely online) a disappointing number of paleo types who also do not promote eating lots of fruit and veg, but merely cutting out the foods they cut out (and often eating lots of meat).

    Yes, I think the paleo diet properly done ought to involve a huge amount of vegetables and some fruit (amount based on preference). That doesn't seem to be the real distinguishing feature of the paleo diet.

    I think you and I agree largely on what a good diet involves and that both vegan and paleo diets can be good diets, and are just debating over whether the things that make something a good diet are distinguishing features of paleo and vegan diets? Maybe? Not sure.

    I'm not anti vegan or paleo, think both can be good diets (or bad diets, if done badly), and also think lots of diets that are neither vegan or paleo can be just as good (or just as bad, done badly).
  • Posts: 25,763 Member
    crazyravr wrote: »

    Again you keep on missing my point. I am not saying the two diets promote eating the same stuff. Not at all. All I am saying is that both diets eliminate the protein source (meat on one side and legumes on the other), but they both realize that we need proteins so meat and legumes come into play. Both promote eating crap load of fruit and veggies. Thats all.

    Vegans can, like non-vegans, choose to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. But it isn't required (unless you're just using "fruit and veggies" as a way to describe any plant at all. There are vegans who eat a lot of grains and fewer fruits and vegetables, for example.
  • Posts: 801 Member
    edited August 2017
    The film is excellent. It's backed by science from studies of Dr. Neal Barnard and the China study with Dr. T. Cambell. You will always have a debate of which is the right diet and there will always be something with a bias research study showing that a plant base lifestyle is wrong. Both of these doctors that I mentioned came from meat eating farming and was unbiased with their studies.

    The Documentary "what the health" is shedding light on the issue but I would encourage to do further reading with The china study and with Dr. Neal barnard studies.

    Personally, I've done most of the popular diets, from high protein low carb, all fruit, High protein MEAT, etc... and the only one that worked for me is High carb low fat plant/vegan diet.

    I don't count calories like I used to, and I have more energy than ever as well as losing body fat...

    There comes a time where you got to set aside all the blogs, reviews, etc.. and just try for yourself.

    I did give it a go and besides having my cholesterol numbers worsen, I also began having unpleasant digestive issues, started feeling lethargic and 'off', had horrible bloating etc. As soon as I reintroduced dairy and a few ounces of meat every day, things cleared right up.

    Glad you found something that clicked for you, but it's definitely not a way of eating that's for everyone.
  • Posts: 801 Member

    Um okay... I've read plenty of books before this film came out that scientifically support this claims.
    .
    I always present a challenge to my meat eating friends. Let's take a blood test and compare results. Then we can go from there. Nevertheless, I remember the days when I used to bash on vegans. In fact, I thought it was a satanic cult when I first heard about it. :)

    My blood work panel actually got worse while I was doing my low fat/higher carb plant based experiment. I went in expecting to see improvements on my already good numbers and instead saw my numbers go in a negative direction-the first time this has happened in 5 years, (and I get blood work panels done twice a year). Going LFHC plant based did nothing beneficial for my health and instead I had some pretty crappy side affects from it. Ended up ditching it and reintroduced dairy and meat and I feel a lot better now. I go in for my next blood work in October and it will be interesting to see how that panel compares to the one I had while I was doing my plant based experiment, from earlier this year....
  • Posts: 30,886 Member

    Um okay... I've read plenty of books before this film came out that scientifically support this claims.

    What specific claims?
  • Posts: 5,727 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »

    I eat meat...all of my blood work is in the optimal range.

    I'm not bashing vegans...it's a fine way to eat...but to suggest that people who eat meat can't be healthy is ridiculous. Some of the healthiest populations in the world eat meat. I also eat a ton of veg...for whatever reason it seems vegans and vegetarians think that because you eat meat automatically means you don't eat veg...I eat more veg than my wife's vegan girlfriend who is obese af...

    And give me a break...sauteing cigarettes and saying that is the same as eating meat is over the top absurd and makes you and anyone who thinks this crockumentary is factual a fool...

    wouldn't cigarettes technically qualify as vegan?
  • Posts: 367 Member


    [/quote]

    Not sure what you think that would prove? It sounds like you think a meat-eating friend with your stats would automatically have a less healthy blood panel.

    eta: Have you ever actually done this?[/quote]

    Only to myself, the before and after. I have presented a comparison with a couple of friends of mine but none have taken their blood test.

  • Posts: 367 Member

    wouldn't cigarettes technically qualify as vegan?

    Just because it's vegan, doesn't mean it's healthy. I can load up on vegan junk food all day and saturated oils, but doesn't mean it's a wise choice.
  • Posts: 367 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »

    Pretty much anyone who moves away from the SAD is going to experience improved health and improved health markers...I eat a balanced diet consisting mostly of whole foods...lots of veg and fruit, some whole grains, legumes, lentils, etc....i also eat quite a bit of fish and other lean sourced protein and beef about once per week...all of my health markers went from my doctor telling me I'd probably be sick if not dead by 60 if I didn't get it together to being optimal...and I eat meat.

    Nobody is saying a plant based/vegan diet isn't healthy...it's just that there are many ways of eating healthy and the preachy thing gets a bit old and crockumentaries like this are big time on fear mongering propaganda to further an agenda.

    One of my wife's very good friends is a vegan...she is obese...she has about zero fitness. Both my wife and I are carnivores that eat an overall healthy and balanced diet consisting of mostly whole foods...we are both lean and fit and have optimal health markers...

    I know plenty of vegans that are unhealthy. The ones I came across just eats a bunch of Oreo cookies and low activity.
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