Start your life style with Veggie life style

In order to make the move towards a vegetarian/vegan diet, certain foods must be eliminated from the diet and other foods must be found to replace them. Luckily, this is easier than ever. Our Natural food stores have a huge array of meatless meats to replace hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish, and even steaks! Most restaurants now offer vegetarian selections, and even if they do not have a special section, chances are there are some vegetable-based entrees on their menu.

Eating vegetarian does not mean you have to sacrifice good taste or even learn all new recipes. Vegetarian ingredients can be substituted for meat in nearly all your favorite meat recipes. Here are some helpful tips on how to make the switch:

• Think of your favorite dishes and substitute the meat for vegetarian products.

Spaghetti and meatballs - Meatless meatballs can be made from tofu instead of ground beef Hamburger - Substitute the hamburger patty for a veggie burger Pizza - Use extra veggies and you won’t even miss the meat!

• Convenience foods are a great way to cut cooking time. Down to Earth stores stock a huge variety of instant soups and main-dish convenience items.
• Find vegetarian cookbooks at your local library or any of our natural living departments and experiment with new foods and recipes.
• Try our recipe and visit our recipe archive at http://vegylifestyle.blogspot.com/search/label/recipes for great time-tested vegetarian recipes.
• Textured vegetable protein (TVP) is fat-free, has a texture like ground beef, and is wonderful in tacos, chili, and sloppy joes. Look for it in our grocery and bulk department.
• Try imitation meat products. Down to Earth carries a wide variety of imitation meat products. (IE: veggie burgers, hot dogs, ham, bacon, etc.) Many taste surprisingly like the real thing!
• Read labels to make sure you are buying products that are healthy and humane. Crackers may contain lard, rice mixes may contain chicken fat, and other products include animal ingredients you will want to avoid, like gelatin (from animal skin, hooves, and bones). You will soon learn which brands are “safe,” and checking labels will become second nature.
• When dining at a restaurant with no vegetarian options, ask them if they can prepare a vegetarian entree. Most places will be happy to accommodate you.
• While attending a catered event, discreetly catch the server before your food has arrived and ask him or her to remove the meat from your plate and add an extra vegetable to it.
• When eating at a friend’s house, let them know in advance that you are vegetarian. Offer to bring a vegetarian dish.
• When traveling let the airline know ahead of time that you are vegetarian and they will supply you with a special meal.

There was no slaughter house in the Garden of Eden

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The main reason for becoming vegetarian is self preservation. The consumption of animal products causes the pH of the body to become acidic, leading to cellular degeneration and the onslaught of disease. This has been confirmed in hundreds of scientific studies. An acidic pH in the body is the primary precurser to all disease. When you choose a vegetarian lifestyle, you not only help yourself, but you help the planet as well.

"As we sow, so shall we reap." "Thou shalt not kill." "For every action there is a reaction." "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "Whatever we do to the creatures of the earth, we do to ourselves." In many ways and in many cultures, the same message has been delivered. We must gently live with others if we want gentle reactions. Inflicting pain and death brings the reaction of premature pain and death. Witness our healthcare system.

No Human is a Carnivore

If you've ever watched a carnivore eat. You know instantly that humans are not carnivores. Carnivores stalk their prey. They attack, usually biting through the neck and ripping the throat to shreds. After killing, they rip open the belly with their sharp teeth and devour the entrails. They lap up the blood. Finally, they chew the bones, crushing them in their powerful jaws. No human could eat like a carnivore eats, except perhaps, the totally insane. We are not carnivores.

The only way humans can eat animals is to disguise what they are really doing... get someone else to kill the animal, then drain and dispose of its blood, slice the muscles into pieces that are unrecognizable, grind the internal organs to make "sausages", cook it, smother it with sauces and seasonings... all in an effort to keep from experiencing the reality of what a carnivore does and is. We are not carnivores.

If you have ever had a pet, you know that animals have feelings, that they are intuitive, sensitive creatures. The production of animals for the consumption of their muscle and organ tissues is less than human. If we are going to create a Heaven on Earth, these atrocities must end.

Is it realy animals are smarter than human ?

The only species on the planet who actually go out of their way to feed their children crap. All other animals instinctly seek out the best nutrition they can find. Birds find grubs, worms and insects to feed their young, honeybees painstakingly collect pollen and create a nutrient-rich superfood that gives rise to a living queen bee, and even dogs, cats and cows try to find the most nutrient-rich foods to offer their offspring.

But humans? Most of them "reward" their children with junk food, sugary sodas, candy laced with petrochemical coloring additives and refined sugars that promote obesity and diabetes. Most parents don't even make any real effort to follow nutritional discipline at home -- they simply buy whatever their children saw advertised on television, caving in to the all-powerful "nag factor" that junk food companies fully exploit when marketing to children.

As a result, human children are the least healthy youngsters of any species on the planet. Baby dolphins are healthier than baby humans, for example, and they are born with healthier nervous systems, fewer toxins and a lot more common sense.

Speaking of common sense, nearly all mammals have the common sense to feed their children their own mother's milk. A kitten, for example, will drink cat's milk from its mother. A puppy will drink dog's milk from its mother. A baby horse will drink horse's milk from its mother. But humans? We're sorta stupid. We mostly drink cow's milk. (And the dairy industry insisted for decades it was better for infants than human milk!)

Of all the mammals on planet Earth, only humans are dumb enough to seek out the mammary gland juice of another species while shunning the breast milk of their own species. And did we choose the milk of a species SMARTER than us that might have more brain-boosting nutrients? Nope. We get our milk from a low-IQ species well suited to pulling a plow. Cow's milk ain't exactly brain nutrition, folks. Some people have a hard time understanding that because they've been drinking too much of the stuff and those mushy neurons crammed into their thick skulls are firing a bit on the slow side. (A lack of DHA does wonders for boosting stupidity scores).

this article was taken from www.newstarget.com

Grow It Cook it : "Grow a Kitchen Garden"

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By: Backyard Living

For those of us who love both cooking and gardening, a kitchen garden offers the best of both worlds.

You don't need an ambitious "north 40" garden--even a modest-sized plot can provide a bounty of produce.

Plan your kitchen garden around the kinds of food you enjoy most: lettuces for bountiful salads, herbs and tomatoes for Italian fare, cilantro and salsa ingredients for Mexican dishes.

Plant your garden near the house so you can run out and snip herbs or grab a few sun-warmed tomatoes and use them immediately when they're at their just-picked best. If possible, locate your garden within view of the kitchen or dining room so you don't overlook what's ready to be picked.

With homegrown produce, you'll never have to worry about unwanted chemicals or additives, and the taste will bowl you over.

Quick Tips

Start Small

If you're a first time gardener, make a modest plan and leave room for expansion once you gain more experience.

Keep it Sunny

Most vegetables need a full 6 hours of sunlight a day. Morning light is preferable, because it dries off the dew, reducing the risk of disease. It's also less stressful to the plants than blazing afternoon sun.

Make Your Beds

If your soil leaves much to be desired, try planting in raised beds. Contain the soil with untreated wood planks, stones or cement blocks. You can also simply mound the soil.
Contact your local garden center or horticulture extension office to find out what grows best in your own backyard

Artificial meat would be a preferable alternative to the cruelty and environmental impact of factory farms

Technology is rapidly emerging that will allow scientists to grow artificial meat for human consumption. Yes, this will be just like meat at a molecular level, except it won't come from an animal. It will come from a factory where it was grown cell by cell on a lattice structure using some advanced technology. This article is about the implications about such technology in terms of society, public health, ethical treatment of animals, and other such topics. But let me begin it by saying up front that I cautiously support the artificial growing of meat for a number of (possibly surprising) reasons that I will detail here.

First of all, let me state that my diet currently consists of very little meat. I don't believe in eating animals for their flesh. I don't believe in raising animals and slaughtering them just because their muscle tissue is something I want to consume casually at a Friday barbecue. I think it's highly unethical to treat animals as life-support systems for meat, which is really the way most people look at a cow -- it's just there to support the growth of the meat. There's no consideration whatsoever for the experience of the cow which is, of course, a living, breathing being with a consciousness. Cows have memory, emotions and even their own family members. I don't think it is appropriate in any advanced civilization to be raising and slaughtering animals to consume their meat. It's a rather barbaric practice.

That's one reason why I support the artificial meat idea, because if we can create meat and make it available to consumers without having to kill animals in the process, then we are in fact doing far less harm to the world. We're causing less suffering. We are not putting these animals through the experience of being enslaved in a system with the sole purpose of turning their body into a food source and, ultimately, a profit source. Let's face it -- that's what cattle ranching and pig farming and chicken farming is today. It's a system of exploiting the lives of these animals in order to make a profit. So if artificial meat can replace that, that's an important benefit. Let consumers eat meat without having to kill animals.

Health implications of artificial meatThe second reason I am strongly in support of artificial meat is because I believe that this artificial meat will actually be healthier for people than commercially grown and produced meat, because commercially produced meat comes from cows that are subjected to an assault of various chemicals. They are injected with antibiotics and hormones; they are fed grain that's been sprayed with pesticides and sometimes grown in soils laced with heavy metals. There are Polychlorinated Biphenyls, rocket fuel, and all kinds of other contaminants found in the fat cells of animals that have been raised for food.

So, if you take a cow, pig or chicken and you look at the way it's treated in a commercial ranching or farming environment, you'll find that it's a very unhealthy food source, because it has consumed and concentrated all of these toxic chemicals. When a human being consumes that meat, those toxic chemicals are ingested into that human's body, where they function as cancer-causing chemicals, liver-damaging or hormone-disrupting chemicals. By utilizing artificial meat you can consume meat that, even though it's synthetic and based on chemicals, at least won't have the concentration of heavy metals, pesticides, antibiotics and all these other terrible chemicals that cows are forced to consume.

Artificial meat could end up being healthier for people than real meat. Before you think I've gone crazy, let me explain a little further. No meat, in my opinion, is actually healthy if consumed in large quantities. There are a number of reasons for that, including the fact that meat has no fiber. It putrefies in the digestive tract and is strongly correlated with the onset of pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer and bladder cancer. We know meat isn't good for you in the quantities consumed by Americans today. I'm not saying that artificial meat will be good for you, either, but it won't be as bad for you as commercially raised meat.

The other point here is that there is such a thing as healthy, live meat from free-range animals. If you take an animal from a natural environment, fed raw plants, raw grasses, live foods, without it being subjected to antibiotics and hormones or inhumane methods of slaughter, that meat will be much healthier for you than traditionally raised beef. Still, there's no denying that this is a terrible experience for the animal. The animal is still being killed and eaten. This is not the kind of experience that any of us would wish to endure, and yet we require this of other animals so that we may feed ourselves in a mindless way the foods that we prefer to consume.
To summarize, the least healthy meat of all is commercially raised meat -- non-organic, non-free range, factory meat products. Healthier than that would be of course free-range meat, kosher-certified meat, and along the lines of similar health would be artificial meat. None of these meats, as I have stated, are in fact good for you if consumed in large quantities. I believe that meat is not necessary for the human diet, except perhaps in the case of pregnant women who need extra iron and protein. In that case, the meat serves as a very high density protein and iron source that cannot be replicated from the plant world (iron from plants is molecularly different than iron from meats). But with prenatal nutrition, it's doubly important to have organic, free-range meat that's not contaminated with pesticides and heavy metals.
Meat consumption harms the planetThere are tremendous implications resulting from the mass consumption of meat products by the American population, such as the fact that it takes 10 times as much land to create meat protein as it does similar quantities of protein from vegetables. We're also seeing the clear-cutting of rain forests, in the Amazon especially, in order to create grazing land for cattle.

The decision to eat meat is not a solely personal decision. It doesn't just affect you. It actually affects the planet. The more meat you consume, the more land is used for meat raising and harvesting. In the case of the Amazon rainforest, it means there's less land available to support natural rain forest habitat, which is, of course, important for the oxygen production of the entire planet. So, in a very understandable way, the mass consumption of red meat around this planet actually affects the climate of the planet. Global climate change is one side effects of massive meat consumption.

If we were to switch over to a system of generating artificial meat, then the climate effect of this meat production would be drastically reduced. There still may be some industrial runoff or some kind of post-production chemicals that need to be dealt with after creating artificial meat, but undoubtedly these would be far less harmful to the planet than the clear-cutting of rain forest, injecting cows with hormones and antibiotics and raising crops with pesticides so that cows can be fed in a very inefficient food production system.

So artificial meat, even though it may sound strange, could actually be better for the planet if people continue to consume meat. Now what would be best for the planet -- and actually best for the health of individuals, families and entire nations -- would be of course to move away from a meat-centered diet. If we could get people to eat half the meat they currently consume, we would see far lower rates of heart disease, all varieties of cancers, and less obesity as well. Even though the long-term solution is to move to a plant-based diet, as a civilization, a short-term solution could include artificial meat.

Many benefits from a plant-based dietI have probably eaten more than my share of meat for my entire life already. When I was growing up, my grandfather was a cattle rancher, so we got all the free meat we ever wanted and I ate meat constantly. I have now mostly given up meat (and red meat entirely), but I don't believe in aggressively pushing vegetarianism onto others. I simply have arrived at the obvious conclusion that there's nothing better for the human body, mind and spirit than food based on plants.

If you eat nothing but a plant-based diet, you will be far healthier than if you were to introduce any amount of meat into your diet. All the information out there about people having nutritional deficiencies on a vegetarian diet is misguided and flat-out wrong. Unless, of course, for people are living on what I call a "junk food vegetarian diet," which is soda, chips and vegetarian processed food. Of course that diet causes nutritional deficiencies. But not a health-minded vegetarian diet. Even vitamin B12 is simple to get in sufficient quantities if you put your mind to it.

As a society, we can exist quite comfortably on a plant-based diet. We can get everything we need in terms of nutrition -- including essential oils, vitamins, minerals and the like -- on a plant-based diet. We do not need meat to survive as a civilization. In fact, I believe that the mass consumption of meat devolves our society, because it makes us more angry and aggressive. It makes us less humane and is an uncivilized way to use the resources of the planet to support the human population, whereas consuming and surviving on plants is an evolved and intelligent way to feed the planet. If you consume mostly raw foods, then you also get outstanding nutrition. Cooking food destroys much of its nutritional content -- not only the proteins, but also the vitamins and the phytonutrients that make plants such a potent nutrition source in the first place.

If you can avoid cooking some of these foods, and subsist at least partially on a live foods diet -- as I have been doing now for some time -- you find that you need a lot less food, get much better nutrition, and don't really need any meat. That includes even very active lifestyles like my own, which involve strength training, Pilates, lots of running, martial arts and cycling.
The bottom line is that I am a cautious supporter of this idea of artificial meat production because of the practicalities involved. People will continue to consume meat on the planet for the time being. If that is the case, then I believe that we are much better off having people consume artificial meat than tearing the flesh from living, breathing beings and calling that dinner. Artificial meat has my vote even though, personally, I would never touch it with a fork. I support it only because it is a practical alternative to meat taken from live animals.

Vegetarian Eating

The health benefits associated with vegetarianism go beyond simply having better eating habits. People who have been following a traditional vegetarian diet for many years may be healthier because they also tend to avoid or use less alcohol, caffeine and refined foods. They also tend to have other positive lifestyle habits including being more physically active, having less stressful lifestyles and being non-smokers.

Vegetarianism has been part of the lifestyle of many religious and cultural groups for centuries. But vegetarianism is a more recent phenomena in North America.Despite the interest in vegetarianism, only about 4 percent of Canadians define themselves as vegetarians. But the desire to adopt a more vegetarian eating pattern is truly here. Thirty percent of Canadian grocery shoppers now serve meatless meals on a regular basis.

The term "vegetarian" is used quite broadly to describe individuals ranging from true or pure vegetarians, to lacto-ovo vegetarians and semi-vegetarians. True vegetarians or vegans avoid all foods of animal origin, including eggs, dairy foods, gelatin and honey. Lacto-ovo vegetarians avoid all animal products except eggs (ovo) and milk products (lacto). Most vegetarians fall into this category. People who are moving towards a vegetarian food-style are called semi-vegetarians. These individuals are eating less animal foods but are not ready to give them up for good. Eggs, milk products and limited amounts of fish, chicken and sometimes meat are still eaten. A vegetarian diet, based primarily on plant foods, is higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat than meals containing animal foods. When this diet includes plenty of whole grains, fruit and vegetables it also provides fibre, antioxidant nutrients and plant phytochemicals which play a role in chronic disease prevention.


Getting enough protein is not a problem for most vegetarians. Protein needs can be satisfied by

including legumes, nuts and seeds, and a variety of whole grains on a daily basis. Combining different plant foods also helps ensure protein needs get met. For example, eating grains with legumes (for example, rice and beans or pita bread with hummus) or grains with nuts (for example, rice with cashew-vegetable stir-fry). Milk products and eggs also provide protein, if they are eaten.

Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem among vegetarians due to inadequate intakes of absorbable iron.

Female teens 14-18 years of age need 15 mg of iron per day compared to male teens who need 11 mg of iron per day. Women 19-50 need 18 mg of iron per day while men and post-menopause women only require 8 mg per day. Cooked beans and lentils, split peas, and tofu all provide iron. Other sources are iron-fortified breakfast cereals, bread, oat and wheat bran, nuts and seeds, and dried fruit. Iron absorption can be increased by having foods that contain vitamin C (fruit and vegetables) with foods that contain iron. For example, having orange juice when you eat iron-fortified cereals or bread, or adding oranges or tomatoes to spinach salad increases iron absorption. Cooking with cast iron cookware also increases iron intakes


An inadequate intake of calcium is a concern for vegans who omit milk products. Teens 14-18 years of

age need. 1300 mg per day, men and women 19-50 years old need 1000 mg per day and those over 50 need 1200 mg of calcium per day. Some plant-based foods like tofu, are made with calcium, but it is important to read labels to see how much it contains. Many soy beverages now contain calcium equivalent to cow's milk but you must check the label to see if it is fortified with calcium. Some plant-based foods that provide calcium include broccoli, kale, bok choy, okra, dry hijiki seaweed, and almond butter. You'll need to include at least 4-6 servings of calcium containing plant foods and beverages in your daily diet if you don't consume any milk products.


Other nutrients of concern to vegetarians include zinc and vitamin B 12. Zinc is especially important to help infants and children grow.

Foods that provide zinc, include whole grains, wheat germ, tofu, tempeh, miso, legumes, nuts and seeds, eggs and dairy products. Vitamin B 12 is found only in animal products. To prevent a deficiency, vegetarians must consume vitamin B 12 fortified foods or a B 12 supplement.

Careful planning of vegetarian meals is important to prevent nutrient deficiencies in children, adults and pregnant or breast-feeding women.

this article taken from http://www.eatwrite.com/vegetarian.htm

Zinc in a Vegetarian

Zinc is an essential element in any healthy vegetarian diet plan. Zinc is important for skin and a healthy immune system, as well as resistance to infection. Studies show that vegetarian diets often contain less zinc than meat-diets, so vegetarians need to eat plenty of foods that are rich in zinc.

Sources of Zinc in a Vegetarian

Good sources of zinc for vegetarians include: dairy products, eggs, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds (esp. pumpkin seeds!!), brewer's yeast, green vegetables, wheatgerm and whole grain cereals.
Note: Only about 20 percent of dietary zinc is actually absorbed by the body.

Zinc Uptake in a Vegetarian

MINUS. Dietary fiber and phytic acid, found in bran, pulses and nuts, inhibit zinc absorption.

Vitamin B12 in a Vegetarian Diet

Vitamin B12 is essential for cell division, blood formation, maintenance of the nervous system and many other things. It is a vital element in any healthy vegetarian eating plan. Of all the B vitamins, B12 is the only one not found in plant foods. So for some vegetarians, B12 supplements or recourse to B12-fortified foods will be necessary. Fortunately, vegetarians (like meat-eaters) require only tiny amounts of the vitamin.

Sources of Vitamin B12 in a Vegetarian Diet

Ovo-lacto vegetarians obtain vitamin B12 from eggs, cheese and milk.
Stricter vegetarians must choose from vitamin B12 fortified cereal (eg. Nutri-Grain cereal; 1 cup provides your daily requirement), fortified soy milk, fortified meat analogues (vegetarian food products made from [eg.] soybeans to resemble meat or chicken), fortified nutritional yeast products (not baker's or brewer's yeast) and vitamin B12 supplements.

B12 Supplements for Ovo-lacto Vegetarians

For the lacto-ovo-vegetarian the present recommended dietary allowance is two micrograms per day for adults and teenagers, about 2.5 micrograms of pregnant and breast feeding women and one microgram or less for children.

Vitamin B12 in a Vegetarian - Bottom Line

Ovo-lacto vegetarians get vitamin B12 from eggs and dairy foods. Strict vegetarians need to eat vitamin B12 fortified foods or supplements.

Protein in a Vegetarian Diet

Protein is essential for growth and repair. Proteins play a vital role in nearly all biological processes in the body. Thus adequate protein-intake is vital for any healthy vegetarian diet.

Although a healthy vegetarian diet usually meets or exceeds protein requirements, typically it is lower in total intake of protein than meat-diets. Experts believe that this lower protein intake may well be beneficial as some studies show that high protein intake is associated with osteoporosis and poor kidney function.

Sources of Protein in a Vegetarian Diet

Ovo-lacto vegetarians obtain protein from: nuts (eg. almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazel nuts, peanuts, pine kernels), seeds (eg. flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds), legumes/pulses (eg. peas, beans, lentils), grains/cereals (eg. wheat, pasta, barley, rye, oats, millet, maize, sweetcorn, rice), soy products (eg. tofu, tempeh, tvp, soya milks), dairy foods (eg. milk, cheese, yoghurt), and free range eggs.

Protein Uptake in Vegetarian Diet
Protein that contains all 8 essential amino acids is called "complete" protein. Protein that lacks one or more essential amino acids is called "incomplete" protein. Most plant foods contain "incomplete" protein, so vegetarians need to eat a variety of "incomplete" protein foods to reach the total of 8.

Previously, it was thought that vegetarians had to consume ALL 8 amino acids at the same meal - from a mixture of foods that together contained all 8 amino acids - in order to consume the necessary "complete" protein. We now know that as long as all 8 essential amino acids are in the diet, it does not matter if the proteins are eaten at the same time.

Protein in a Vegetarian Diet - Bottom Line

A well-balanced vegetarian diet will supply all the protein and essential amino acids needed by the body.

Iron In Vegetarian

Iron is vital in any healthy vegetarian diet. Iron is a trace element needed by the body for blood-formation. It is an essential component of haemoglobin, transporting oxygen in the blood throughout the body. It also contributes to many metabolic reactions. Iron deficiency is the most common mineral nutritional deficiency in the USA and in Britain, although vegetarians are no more likely to be iron-deficient than meat-eaters.

Sources of Iron in a Vegetarian

Dietary iron comes in 2 different forms - heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron exists only in animal tissues, whilst plant foods contain only non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is less easily absorbed by the body than heme iron. The amount of iron absorbed ranges from about 1-10 percent from plant foods and 10-20 percent from animal food.

Good sources of iron for vegetarians include wholegrain cereals/flours, leafy green vegetables (eg. collards, kale, broccoli and other dark greens), eggs, blackstrap molasses, legumes (eg. lentils, red beans), apricots and figs.

Iron Uptake in a Vegetarian

PLUS. Iron absorption (esp. of non-heme iron) is increased when a source of vitamin C such as orange juice, cauliflower, dark leafy vegetables, tomatoes or citrus fruit is consumed with the iron-rich food.
MINUS. Phytates and oxalates in certain plant foods (eg. spinach, rhubarb, chard, and beet greens) may inhibit iron absorption, as does tannin (in tea). Too much wheat bran may also inhibit iron absorption.

http://www.vegetarian-diet.info/iron-vegetarian-diet.htm

Calcium in vegetarian Diet

Calcium in a Vegetarian Diet

Adequate calcium-intake is important for bones and many other chemical processes in our body. It is essential for a healthy vegetarian diet. Ovo-lacto vegetarians have several food sources of calcium to choose from.

Sources of Calcium in Vegetarian Diet

Calcium is present in a wide range of vegetarian foods. These include:
Dairy products, leafy green vegetables (eg. kale), nuts and seeds (eg. almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios, sesame, sunflower, flax seeds), tofu, and dried fruit.

Calcium Uptake in Vegetarian Diet

PLUS. Vitamin D boosts absorption of calcium during digestion.
MINUS. High protein levels may increase our need for calcium. Also, phytic acid, (eg. from bran), and oxalic acid (from spinach, rhubarb, chard, and beet greens) may slightly inhibit our intake of calcium. Saturated fat can also lessen calcium absorption.

This article take from http://www.vegetarian-diet.info/vegan-diet-nutrition.htm

10 Ways to lower your Cholesterol

If you've been diagnosed with a high cholesterol, you must follow this step to prevent high cholesterol. High cholesterol can give you a hearth attack, stroke and etc.

Below the 10 ways to lower your cholesterol :

1. Know where you stand

You've heard the old saying about no news being good news? Well, it doesn't apply to cholesterol. Getting it checked on a regular basis is essential to your long-term good health. After all, high cholesterol has been linked to cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death in the United States. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, people who have a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) are twice as likely to experience a heart attack as people who have a cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL. Knowing your level, and tracking it as you begin treatment, just makes sense.

In a nutshell, all adults age 20 and over should have their cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years as recommended by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. You may require more frequent screening if you have certain risk factors for heart disease or if your test results are cause for concern.

Generally, doctors like to see total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL, with LDL (bad cholesterol) below 130--the high end of the "near-optimal" range--and HDL (good cholesterol) above 40. If your test results aren't consistent with these levels, your doctor may recommend a retest. If they're still not where they should be, your doctor may want to discuss treatment options.

The truly good news is that in many cases, cholesterol is easily managed, even without medication. But you need to know your starting point, and you need to monitor your progress toward healthy levels. Even for those whose cholesterol is within the range considered normal, knocking a few points off their readings can slow fatty buildup in the arteries and possibly reduce any buildup that's already there. The bottom line: In the pursuit of cholesterol control, knowing your numbers is an absolute necessity.

2. Learn All You Can

Once you've been diagnosed with high cholesterol, your instinct may be to jump right into whatever treatment plan your doctor recommends. Unless your cholesterol has gone through the roof, which may require immediate intervention, you're better off taking time to think through your situation and your treatment options. By exercising some control up front, you're more likely to develop a cholesterol management plan you can truly live with.

Perhaps a good place to begin is with an assessment of your personal risk factors for heart disease beyond high cholesterol. Which ones are within your control? For example, you may not be able to change your age, gender, or family history. But you can improve your eating habits, get more exercise, and quit smoking. These are the sorts of lifestyle changes that should become part of your cholesterol management plan, no matter what other treatments you may choose.

Likewise, you'll want to learn as much as you can about cholesterol itself. Your body needs cholesterol to perform certain vital functions. In fact, lowering one type of cholesterol, HDL, can be bad for your heart. What's more, while many foods contain dietary cholesterol, most of the blame for elevated cholesterol levels rests squarely on the shoulders of saturated fat.

Of course, you'll also want to educate yourself about the available treatment options. Conventional medicine has much to offer to people with high cholesterol--but so do alternative therapies. Indeed, the choices can seem overwhelming. Before you settle on a specific treatment or combination of treatments (in consultation with your doctor), you should know whether it's effective and safe and how soon you can expect to see results.

3. Get Rid of Those Extra Pounds

If you weigh more than you should, slimming down may produce a significant drop in your cholesterol level. Research suggests that being overweight disrupts the normal metabolism of dietary fat. So even though you may be eating less fat, you may not see a difference in your cholesterol profile until you unload the excess pounds.

In fact, shedding just 5 to 10 pounds may be enough to improve your cholesterol level. Just don't go the crash-dieting route. A slow but steady loss of 1/2 to 1 pound a week is healthiest and easiest to maintain. Since 1 pound equals 3,500 calories, you could meet the pound-per-week rate by eating 500 fewer calories per day, burning 500 more calories per day through exercise, or--the best option--a combination of the two.

Findings from the landmark Framingham Heart Study confirm that such modest weight loss is worth the effort, for reasons beyond cholesterol control. According to the study, taking off--and keeping off--just 1 to 2 pounds a year may reduce your risk of high blood pressure by 25 percent and your risk of diabetes by 35 percent.

Incidentally, many of the lifestyle strategies that help rein in unruly cholesterol can also take off unwanted pounds, and vice versa. If you're significantly overweight, be sure to consult your doctor before embarking on any weight loss program.

4. Lace Up Your Walking Shoes

Whether your goal is to lower your cholesterol, shed some extra pounds, or both, regular exercise can help you get there. We're not talking about high-intensity workouts, either, though boosting your intensity can elevate HDL cholesterol. Walking and other, more moderate physical activities are good for your heart, too.

In fact, one study suggests that walks of any duration may help reduce heart disease risk. For the study, British researchers recruited 56 sedentary people between ages 40 and 66, then divided them into three groups. One group took a long, 20- to 40-minute walk each day; another group walked for 10 to 15 minutes twice a day; and the third group took 5- to 10-minute walks three times a day.

Over the 18 weeks of the study, the once-a-day walkers saw their LDL cholesterol drop by 8.3 percent; the twice-a-day walkers by 5.8 percent. The researchers concluded that walks of any length can be beneficial, as long as they're done at a moderate intensity--that is, a brisk pace at which you can still carry on a conversation.

We mention walking because it's the most convenient form of physical activity. But really, any form of aerobic exercise--running, bicycling, swimming, whatever gets your heart pumping--can help lower heart disease risk. Whichever activity (or activities) you choose, just make sure you're doing it for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.

If you've been relatively inactive, check with your doctor before launching any exercise regimen. Your doctor may be able to help you choose an activity that suits your current fitness level.

5. Become Acquainted with the Good Fats

When you were diagnosed with high cholesterol, your doctor likely advised you to reduce your fat intake. In general, cutting your dietary fat will lower cholesterol. But as with any rule, this one has exceptions. Evidence suggests that eating more of some fats and less of others is better than simply cutting way back on all fats.

Peanut butter, avocados, olive and canola oils, and most nuts are mostly monounsaturated fat. Research has shown that monounsaturated fat can help lower LDL and triglycerides (another type of blood fat) while raising HDL. It's a much healthier choice than saturated fat, found primarily in animal products--meats, butter, full-fat milk and cheese. Saturated fat can elevate your cholesterol level more than anything else you might eat.

6. Discover Fiber's Cholesterol-Cutting Capacity

It's no secret that vegetarians have lower cholesterol levels and lower heart disease rates than meat eaters. That's in part because vegetarians consume so much fiber, which is found exclusively in plant foods--fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

Fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. The soluble kind appears to pack the greatest cholesterol-lowering punch. Research has shown that consuming about 15 g of soluble fiber a day can lower LDL cholesterol by 5 to 10 percent. It works by binding with cholesterol-containing bile acids in the intestines and escorting them out of the body.

A specific kind of soluble fiber, pectin, not only lowers cholesterol but also helps curb overeating by slowing the digestive process. Munch on apples and other pectin-rich fruits, and you're likely to eat less, lose weight, and rein in your cholesterol.

Coincidentally, foods high in fiber tend to be low in saturated fat and cholesterol, as well as calories. Just make sure you don't top your fiber-rich whole grain toast with a huge dollop of butter.

7. Take a Good Multivitamin

Even if you're getting more good fats, avoiding bad fats, and filling up on fiber, your diet may have some nutritional gaps. A multivitamin/mineral supplement can help cover your nutritional bases and possibly lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Look for a multi that delivers 400 micrograms of folic acid, 2 mg of vitamin B6, and 6 micrograms of vitamin B12, advises Robert Rosenson, MD, director of the preventive cardiology center at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. In studies, all three of these B vitamins have played important roles in protecting heart health.

In a Harvard study involving 80,000 nurses, for example, those with the highest intakes of folic acid were 31 percent less likely to develop heart disease. Folic acid works by decreasing blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that's an emerging risk factor for heart disease and stroke. While many foods contain folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid), including orange juice, kidney beans, broccoli, and spinach, you'll be certain that you're getting the recommended amount by taking a multivitamin.

The same study found that the women who consumed the most vitamin B6 reduced their risk of heart disease by one-third. Like folic acid, B6 helps to hold down levels of homocysteine.

In older people, effectively controlling levels of homocysteine may depend on adequate stores of vitamin B12. After age 50, the human body sometimes absorbs less B12 from food. According to Johns Hopkins researchers, older people who took a multivitamin containing B12 had lower levels of homocysteine.

When you're shopping for a multivitamin, steer clear of those that contain iron. According to Rosenson, men and postmenopausal women don't need extra iron. Iron stores have been linked with a higher rate of heart attacks and strokes.

8. Explore Your Treatment Options

When you were diagnosed with high cholesterol, you and your doctor probably discussed an appropriate course of treatment. It's important that you continue to work with your doctor and inform him of any therapies that you decide to try on your own.

The fact is, both conventional and alternative medicine have a range of cholesterol-combating strategies available. Which ones you choose depends on your current cholesterol profile, your general health, your lifestyle, even your perspective on treatment. Some people feel perfectly comfortable taking cholesterol-lowering medication, while others do all they can to avoid it.

For people who have advanced heart disease or who've already had a heart attack, conventional therapies such as drugs and surgery are vital, at least at the start of treatment. Later, you and your doctor can discuss lifestyle strategies and alternative therapies that may support your recovery and possibly stop the disease from progressing.

For those with mild to moderately elevated cholesterol, lifestyle strategies and alternative therapies may make drugs and surgery unnecessary, Rosenson says. These days, many physicians urge patients in the mild-to-moderate category to try controlling their cholesterol through dietary changes and increased physical activity. If those measures alone aren't enough, or if a patient already has coronary heart disease or is at high risk for it, physicians reach for the prescription pad.

Together, you and your doctor can come up with a treatment plan that matches your needs and lifestyle--and that delivers the results you want.

9. Find Ways to Short-Circuit Stress

To win the cholesterol war, managing stress is as essential as eating healthfully and exercising regularly. When you're tense and anxious, you're more likely to neglect the actions that help lower cholesterol in the first place. After spending 12 hours at the office working frantically to meet a deadline, do you really want to devote another hour to preparing a nutritious meal or walking on a treadmill? Probably not.

What's more, stress and its companion emotions--tension, anxiety, anger, depression--trigger the release of chemicals that constrict arteries, reduce bloodflow to the heart, raise blood pressure, and elevate your heart rate. These changes, in combination with uncontrolled cholesterol, can put you on course for a heart attack.

To block your body's stress response, simply removing yourself from the stressful situation can help. Go for a short walk, practice deep breathing, perform a few simple stretches, meditate--whatever enables you to relax and regroup. You'll feel better, you'll think more clearly, and you'll spare your heart from harm.

No matter how busy you are, set aside a few minutes every day to reflect on yourself and your life. Are you satisfied with the direction you're taking? Are your needs being met? By tuning out the world and turning inward, you remind yourself of what matters most, and you rise above the stressful distractions that undermine your health in so many ways.

While staying in touch with yourself can help you set priorities and adjust your life's course, don't sacrifice family and social relationships. They give your life balance and enable you to cope with stressful situations. Of course, maintaining ties to family and community takes some effort, especially in an era when technology drives our interactions. But it's worth doing, since research has shown that people with fewer social connections are more prone to illness and more likely to die young. On the bright side, the more social connections you have, the better your chances of living longer--free of heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses.

10. Make a Commitment

Several men and women manage to take charge of their cholesterol and achieve their ideal numbers. Many of these people had experienced some life-changing event that forced them to commit themselves to a healthier, cholesterol-lowering lifestyle.

To win the cholesterol war, you must make that same commitment--resolving to take care of yourself, to make necessary changes, to live healthfully every day. Your family and your friends can support you, but ultimately, you're the one making the decisions that will have an impact on your health, for better or worse.

this article taken from www.prevention.com

Why Most of Famous People doing a vegetarian ?

Why have so many of today's famous faces taken the vegetarian plunge? Many, such as Russell Simmons and Pamela Anderson, don't want to support the cruelty implicit in producing meat, dairy products, and eggs. According to Russell, "Cruelty is cruelty, whether it’s cruelty to children, to the elderly, to dogs and cats, or to chickens." Pam agrees: "Chickens, pigs, and other animals … are interesting individuals with personalities and intelligence. … What people need to understand is that if they're eating animals, they are promoting cruelty to animals." Let's face it: There's nothing glamorous about chewing on the corpse of a tortured animal.

Alicia Silverstone notes how much better vegetarian diets are for your health: "Since I've gone vegetarian, my body has never felt better and my taste buds have been opened up to a whole new world. It's one of the most rewarding choices I've ever made and I invite you to join me in living a healthy, cruelty-free lifestyle." Indeed, studies show that a vegetarian diet promotes a healthy heart—and that helps stars maintain a youthful vigor and boundless stamina while on stage, in the studio, and on the field. GoVeg.com

Sir Paul McCartney : "If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty." GoVeg.com


Alec Baldwin: "Every time we sit down to eat, we make a choice. Please choose vegetarianism. Do it for … animals. Do it for the environment, and do it for your health." GoVeg.com


Brandy: "I am a vegan now, and it was a conscious decision. I studied a lot about African culture and health and the best way to take care of the body. … I really wanted to be healthy. I found out a lot about the body and what [drugs] they put in meat. My taste buds started changing, and I didn't crave [meat and dairy products] anymore." GoVeg.com

Toby McGuire: "It was a lot easier for me to lose the weight rather than putting it back on when I had to start shooting Spider-Man 2 because I'm a vegetarian, and it feels uncomfortable if you feel you're eating too much." GoVeg.com

Famous People who doing a Vegetarian

A Famous People who doing a vegetarian. They change their lifestyle for save the world. below is the list their name :

ACTOR LIST

Alec Baldwin
Andy Kaufman
Brandon Brooks
Casey Affleck
Corey Feldman
Danny De Vito
David Carradine
David Duchovny
Dustin Hoffman
Ed Begley Jr
Eddie Furlong
Eric Stoltz
Gary Anthony Williams
Gavin MacLeod
Jarrett Lennon
Jerry Seinfeld
Joaquin Phoenix
Joe Regalbuto
John Astin
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Josh Hartnett
Jude Law
Keenan Ivory Wayens
Kirk Cameron
Larry Hagman
Leonard Nimoy
Michael J. Fox
Mike Farrell
Milo Ventimiglia
Milton Berle
Nigel Hawthorne
Orlando Bloom
Peter Sellers
Richard Joseph Lafond Jr.
Richard Gere
Rider Strong
River Phoenix
Shaun Cassidy
Ted Danson
Terrance Stamp
Tobey Maguire
Tom Lenk
Will Estes
Woody Harrelson
Dennis Weaver
Rick Springfield

ACTRESS LIST

Alexandra Paul
Alicia Silverstone
Alison Lohman
Ally Sheedy
Alyssa Milano
Amber Benson
Angela Bassett
Anna Paquin
Anne Hathaway
Bridgette Bardott
Bryce Dallas Howard
Candace Bergan
Charlotte Ross
Christina Applegate
Christine Elise
Cicely Tyson
Cloris Leachman
Daniele Gaither
Daphne Zuniga
Daryl Hannah
Doris Day
Elizabeth Burkley
Emily Deschanel
Hayley Mills
Jean Kasem
Jean Marsh
Jennie Garth
Joanna Lumley
Johanna McCloy
Julie Christie
Kathy Najimy
Kelly Collins II
Kim Alexis
Kim Basinger
Kristen Bell
Kristinia Wagner
Leslie Bach
Linda Blair
Lindsay Wagner
Lisa Edelstein
Liv Tyler
Lori Petty
Lucy Briers
Margi Clarke
Mariel Hemmingway
Marina Sirtis
Mary Tyler Moore
Melanie Lynskey
Meridith Baxtor
Monica Potter
Nastassja Kinski
Natalie Portman
Pamela Anderson Lee
Persia White
Phylicia Rashad
Rachael Leigh Cook
Rachel Miner
Radha Mitchell
Rosanna Arquette
Rue McClanahan
Sabrina LeBeauf
Sabrina Lloyd
Sam Phillips
Sara Gilbert
Semantha Eggar
Shannon Elizabeth
Sheryl Lee
Shiri Appleby
Spice Williams
Stephanie Powers
Susan St. James
Tea Leoni
Thora Birch
Tippi Hedren
Tracey Pollen
Traci Bingham
Vanessa Williams
Virginia Madsen

FOUNDER LIST

Steve Jobs (Apple Computer)

What is Vegetarian ?

DEFINITION OF VEGETARIAN

A vegetarian is someone living on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with or without the use of dairy products and eggs (preferably free-range).

A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products such as gelatine or animal fats.

TYPES OF VEGETARIAN

1. Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian
Eats both dairy products and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian diet.

2. Lacto Vegetarian
Eats dairy products but not eggs. Vegan Does not eat dairy products, eggs, or any other animal product.

3. Fruitarian
A type of vegan diet where very few processed or cooked foods are eaten. Consists mainly of raw fruit, grains and nuts. Fruitarians believe only plant foods that can be harvested without killing the plant should be eaten.

4. Macrobiotic
A diet followed for spiritual and philosophical reasons. Aims to maintain a balance between foods seen as ying (positive) or yang (negative). The diet progresses through ten levels, becoming increasingly restrictive. Not all levels are vegetarian, though each level gradually eliminates animal products. The highest levels eliminate fruit and vegetables, eventually reaching the level of a brown rice diet.

Other terms can be used in describing various vegetarian diets, though their exact meaning can differ. The term strict vegetarian may refer to a vegan diet, though in other cases it may simply mean a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. The terms common or broad vegetarian may be used to refer to lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Demi-vegetarian is a term sometimes used to describe persons who eat no or little meat but may eat fish. Persons consuming fish but no meat are sometimes called pescetarians.

Stumbling Blocks

Many foods contain ingredients derived from the slaughter of animals. Gelatine is made from animal ligaments, tendons, bones etc. which have been boiled in water. It is often found in confectionery, ice cream, and other dairy products. Animal fats refer to carcass fats and may be present in a wide range of foods, including biscuits, cakes, and margarines. Suet and lard are types of animal fats. Certain food additives (E numbers) may be derived from animal sources.
Cheese is generally made with rennet extracted from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves. Vegetarian cheese is made with rennet from a microbial source.

The Vegetarian Society has a separate Information Sheet, Stumbling Blocks, listing ingredients which may be unsuitable for vegetarians.

Many vegetarians that eat eggs will eat only free-range eggs. This is due to moral objections to the battery farming of hens. The Vegetarian Society only endorses products containing eggs if the eggs are certified as free-range.

Vegetarian Foods

A well balanced vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients your body needs and there is much scientific evidence to indicate vegetarians may be healthier than meat-eaters.
A vegetarian diet is healthy because it is typically low in saturated and total fat, high in dietary fibre and complex carbohydrate, and high in protective minerals and vitamins present in fresh fruit and vegetables.

Vegetarian food groups are:

Cereals/grains - wheat (bread & pasta), oats, maize, barley, rye, rice, etc. Potatoes are a useful cereal alternative.
Pulses - kidney beans, baked beans, chick peas, lentils, etc.
Nuts & Seeds - almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
Fruit & vegetables.
Dairy products or Soya products - tofu, tempeh, soya protein etc.
Vegetable oils and fats - margarine or butter.

Reasons for Becoming Vegetarian

Most people become vegetarian because they believe it is wrong to slaughter animals for food and because they are opposed to the cruelty and suffering inflicted upon the billions of animals reared for food. See the Information Sheets on Farm Animals for further details.
The effect of meat production on the environment, such as the destruction of vast areas of rainforest for cattle ranching, is another reason commonly cited for becoming vegetarian. Others may become vegetarian because of the links between meat production and poverty and famine in developing countries.

The health advantages of a vegetarian diet are another commonly cited reason to become vegetarian, particularly among adults. A dislike of the taste of meat and religious reasons may also be a factor.