Uncovering the Truth About Vegetarianism: Is It Healthy?
Vegetarianism is more popular and trendy in our modern world, but many people don’t realize that the vegetarian diet isn’t actually the best for health. It is important for a person to understand the nutritional requirements that the body needs, before they make a decision about cutting meat… especially if they are pregnant. Don’t be mislead, a healthy pregnancy diet may be possible while following a vegetarian menu, but if you want the very best pregnancy diet then it should include at least eggs and dairy, and preferably animal meat. This article is going to break down the truth about vegetarianism, so that you will see why a healthy diet including meat is actually better for you..
The Missing Nutrients in a Vegetarian Diet
Vegetarianism should only be a short-term approach, if it is used at all. Once you understand the truth behind a real healthy diet, you will see that it might be possible to follow a vegetarian diet in a somewhat healthy way… but, is it not a long-term solution. According to the book Healing Our Children, a vegetarian diet may be a good way to cleanse the body if it is used for a short period of time. When a limited diet like this is used, it may cleanse toxins, medications, and disease that are present within the body, and deliver the correct nutrients to help with the cleansing process. But, the nutritional requirements of the human body are not met when a vegetarian diet is followed for a long period of time.
If you are looking for the healthiest diet, if you are pregnant and would like to learn more about a good pregnancy diet, you will see that animal products should be included on a daily basis. Certain vitamins are often missing in vegetarian diets, and these vitamins can be gained by eating animal foods. Some of those important nutrients that are found in animals include: Vitamins A & D, as well as other fat-soluble minerals and vitamins. Vegetarians often get these nutrients in supplement form, but using supplements is not nearly as effective as getting the nutrition from a real food source.
Why Vegetarianism Is Chosen By Some People
The most common reason for a person to become vegetarian is because they don’t agree with the inhumane treatment of animals in our modern world, so they choose not to eat meat in order to avoid contributing to a business system that raises and kills animals in terrible ways. These cruel practices are and understandable reason to avoid meat, but it is possible to overcome this problem so that you can improve your health without supporting the companies that are so terrible to the animals. Most major cultures throughout the world respect nature and they still eat meat… they understand that it is part of the circle of life and there are often specific rituals and practices that are used to be sure the animals are being respected.
Now, it can be more difficult to get animal products that were produced humanely, but it can still be done. For instance, your local Weston A. Price Foundation chapter may be able to give you resources for contacting local farms, where you can enjoy dairy, meats, and eggs from animals that have been given healthy, happy lives and that have been killed humanely.
Where to Find High Quality Animal Products
If you want the best nutrition without supporting animal cruelty, then look for local farms that practice specific guidelines when raising their animals. These farmers don’t use antibiotics or hormones on their animals, they allow the cattle to graze in a pasture instead of being cramped in a small living space, and the animals are killed humanely. Buying these types of products will give you the peace of mind that you are making a good choice with your spending, and it will allow you to follow a healthy diet during pregnancy and throughout the rest of your life. Consider the fact that grass-fed cattle are eating in the way that nature intended them to eat, resulting in a much healthier animal because of it. Additionally, there is less risk of disease because their immune systems are strong from the good feed and environment, and they are not in as much risk of contamination from other animals… when animals spend their lives confined in small pens, it is more likely that diseases will be passed along from one animal to the next.
It is claimed that vegetarianism is a healthier diet, and I would agree with that to a point… because of the poor quality of commercially processed meats, it is probably best to avoid meat rather than consume the products that come from the inhumane treatment of these animals. That being said, it is better to include animal products in your diet, and you can access organic, natural, healthy animal products if you know where to look. Humans were meant to be omnivorous – to consume both meat and plants – so a well-rounded diet should include meat in order to avoid nutritional deficiencies. If nutritional deficiencies are present, they can be very harmful for your pregnancy and the growth of your baby.
If you would like more information about why high quality meats are so healthy, and how they can benefit a pregnancy diet, read Healing Our Children. In it, you will find detailed information about the exact types of foods that should be consumed to support your body, as well as the growing baby inside of you.
The Bottom Line: Include Meat in Your Diet
You can see that it is not possible to have the best pregnancy diet while avoiding all animal products. Certain animal products should be consumed to support your health, and you can learn more about this well-rounded diet by reading where the author advocates an omnivorous diet. Meat can be eaten responsibly, just be sure you are checking the sources of the meat. Your body needs organic, healthy fish and meat for your pregnancy diet, and your baby needs them too!
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