Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet - Free Essay Example

Surgeon General C. Everett Koop has said that 70 percent of all Americans are dying from diseases that are directly tied to their eating habits. There used to be a time when red meat was a staple food in nearly every household because it was believed to be a key to having a healthy, strong body. During that time being a vegetarian or eating a diet consisting of mostly vegetables, fruits, or grains was uncommon. At that time not many people understood that becoming a full vegetarian or having a diet with more organic foods can increase longevity by lowering rates of diseases that are regularly seen today like cancer, common heart complications, parathyroid disorders. Studies have revealed that a regular consumption of fruits and vegetables provides significant protection against cancer at many sites. Over many years, people who change their diet to have a higher intake of fruits and vegetables than meat can lower their risk of cancer compared to the average person by one half. Many cancer preventive vitamins are in many fruits and plants that are included in a vegetarian diet like folic acid, carotenoids, and vitamin D or B-12. Putting all of these good vitamins in the body boosts the immune system and can make the immune system more effective in killing tumor cells. Women are usually more prone to breast cancer than men, but most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a diet of rich foods and are four times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. This goes to show that a sufficient amount of plants and vegetables are necessary for the body and we cannot neglect it. A balanced intake of fiber as well as Omega 3 fats along with a vegetarian diet will help with weight control and can reduce the risk of nearly every cancer but also chronic diseases like heart attacks and strokes. Vegetarians have lower cholesterol and blood pressures which reduce the chance of heart disease by 32 percent. A vegetarian diet usually has less cholesterol and saturated fats which can make our hearts pump blood slower. This is why nearly one in every three Americans has diabetes or high cholesterol. People who change to a vegetarian diet will lower their BMI and with less fat, in their bodies, there is better blood flow in the body because arteries are not clogged up with fat. By making the heart work less, there is more opportunity to live the life we want to live so our bodies can produce the right amount of everything we need to survive. Generally, doctors have noticed that there is a strong correlation between people who eat red meat and people who have kidney stones, gallstones, and other parathyroid disorders like osteoporosis. Meats like red meat have a lot of uric acids and a high build up of this and other factors usually create kidney stones or gallstones. Usually, people who have kidney stones or gallstones are suggested to eat a vegetarian diet. A lack of dairy can cause osteoporosis, which is from a deficiency in calcium. A vegetarian diet can change how a person lives since calcium is found in many leafy greens as well as dairy products. If taking care of the body is important to a person, they should want to have a diet that is balanced. A vegetarian diet can fill people with the vitamins and energy necessary to live a great life. With vitamins and nutrients like protein, zinc, iron, calcium, and vitamins D or B-12 we can lower risk of heart complications, parathyroid disorders, and almost every single cancer.