What the Health: Is the Vegan Diet Right for You?

Vegan Diet

This is my perspective on the film “What the Health”. For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, watch it and let me know what it makes you think.

Documentary Point: Chicken is not healthier than beef; it has almost the same amount of cholesterol as beef. Chicken contains 85 mg of cholesterol, while beef contains 89 mg.

Debunker Criticism: Dietary cholesterol is NOT associated with Coronary Artery Disease

Conclusion:

I described studies that supported the debunker on this one when I discussed eggs (2). Dietary cholesterol does not severely impact coronary artery disease.

But is chicken actually healthier than beef?

Well, one study showed that poultry meats have a favourable overall nutritional profile. The study suggests that chicken may even be beneficial for pregnant women, the elderly, and children. It goes on to say that eating chicken helps maintain body weight and has a positive effect on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer… then I read the conflicts of interest section… It was funded by Unaitalia, a company that specialises in the promotion of Italian food chains, such as meat and eggs. Is that too conflicting? Maybe? Ugh, I don’t know, what do you think? A study on 500,000 men and women showed that red and processed meat was associated with the risk of cancer of multiple organs, including the colon, liver, pancreas, and others.

But what about chicken?

One study showed that while red meat is associated with an increased risk, chicken and fish do not increase the risk of rectal cancer. Another study indicated that chicken doesn’t increase the risk of prostate cancer.

7 – Documentary point: humans need cow milk as much as we need milk from a giraffe. Debunker criticism: NONE

Conclusion

Okay, so the debunker didn’t say anything about this either, but I figured it’s as good a place as any to discuss milk. There are so many milk commercials and ads. Milk gives you calcium and potassium and vitamins blah blah blah. Sure, they’re all true. Milk is supposed to nourish… just babies? I used to think milk was vital to a person’s diet because of all these nutrients, so I decided to look into it.

It turns out that there is no definitive answer to this question. It is not detrimental for some things, and it’s detrimental for others. One study found that dairy products, particularly low-fat options, do not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, the study found that consuming up to three servings of dairy products per day appears to be safe and may provide a favourable benefit for bone health. Then, another study went on to say that a higher consumption of dairy products was associated with higher levels of hip fractures.

Additionally, Finland and Sweden, which are among the highest consumers of dairy, also have high rates of osteoporosis. One study explains that areas where vitamin D is low but calcium intake is high also have a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Many doctors today are sending patients home with vitamin D supplements. A study conducted on Polish women concluded that bone health depends on many things, including calcium intake, vitamin D, age, and menstruation in women. They went on to say that dairy product consumption early in childhood may lower the risk of osteoporosis in adult women.

Another study, conducted recently this year, found that low calcium intake and low vitamin D both contributed to low bone density and osteoporosis in menopausal women in Korea.  Overall, there is conflicting evidence that milk should be avoided. Based on all this information, it is difficult to decide whether milk is good or harmful. As a doctor, I think vitamin D, calcium, and all other minerals and vitamins are important for health. I cannot determine whether we should obtain these nutrients from milk.

A Doctor’s Perspective: Milk in Moderation

My take on all this is that anything in excess is detrimental, as always. Yes, you can obtain vitamin D and calcium from other sources, so milk is not needed. Yes, what the documentary said about us only needing milk early in life is also true. However, there are many items that we possess, utilise, and consume that are not essential at this stage. Do I think people should stop drinking milk? NO. Do I think people have to drink 1-2 glasses of milk a day to stay “bone healthy”? NO. If you crave it, drink it. Drink it if you enjoy it. Don’t drink too much. Like everything else! Moderation, guys! That’s my take.

A VEGAN DIET AND DISEASE

Osteoarthritis

In the research I have conducted, I have found that a purely plant-based diet alleviates pain associated with osteoporosis. Only 2 weeks of veganism significantly improved self-reported functionality.

Migraines

Another study tried to look at migraines and vegan diets. Patients reported experiencing less intense migraines after a mere 2-week vegan diet. They also had lower LDL (bad cholesterol), lower weight, and higher HDL.

Fibromyalgia

Debilitating disease! A study looked into its effects on multiple areas of this disease, including sleep patterns, fatigue, insomnia, pain, and tender points. They found significant improvements in all areas but mostly concluded that a vegan diet has beneficial effects on fibromyalgia symptoms, at least “in the short run.”.

Diabetes Health

A study compared the recommended basic diabetic diet with a vegan diet and found that, although both diets helped lower weight and plasma lipid levels, the vegan diet was more effective. The vegan diet was found to improve blood sugar levels and plasma lipids more effectively than the recommended diabetic diet. Another study found that a vegan diet can improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy (nerve pain) and improve diabetic nephropathy (kidney problems).

Mood and Anxiety

A study looked into how a vegan diet might affect mood. The researchers conducted this study due to conflicting results regarding whether a vegetarian diet increases the risk of mental disorders and mood disorders, while other studies suggested it might be protective. Subsequently, they tried to do the same with vegans. They found that a vegan diet did not worsen mood but that it actually improved it. The subject needs more studies.

WHY IS THE ‘WHAT THE HEALTH’ DOCUMENTARY IMPORTANT?

Based on my research, avoiding eggs and dairy products in addition to following a meatless diet may provide a mild additional benefit, and vegan diets appear to offer more protection against obesity, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular mortality compared to lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets. In general, the protective effects of vegetarian diets are stronger in men than in women. ” Now that you have all this info, what should you make of it? Does this mean I am saying you MUST become vegan as soon as I get the chance? Does this mean that I am a vegan? NO.

We all know that diets high in fruits and veggies are extremely beneficial to our health.

ChatGPT said:

Vegan Diets and Chronic Diseases

Another study explained that adopting a vegan diet might be most beneficial to those with chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Certain other chronic diseases may have additional dietary restrictions, like kidney disease or thyroid disease.

Oftentimes your doctor begins to take away certain medications you are taking because your diet has changed and your disease has been either partially controlled or even completely managed by food alone, especially diabetes and high blood pressure. If you are someone who is struggling with a disease and feels as though the medications you are taking are not working or are burdensome, maybe you should give a vegan diet a trial run of 2–4 weeks and see how your body reacts!

Take omega-3s and B12, as they are not in many common vegan foods. Many athletes report feeling stronger and better, with less pain and better recovery. What’s next for vegan athletes? I am providing you with information so that you can make your own choice.

Always, always, always! Consult with your doctor! They refer you to a nutritionist who can set you up with a meal plan so that you are getting adequate nutrition and the energy you need to feel great! Every person is different and has different needs! Healthcareshould be tailored specifically to you!

What I think about a vegan diet:

After watching the ‘What the Health’ documentary, I myself have decided… not to become vegan… but to give it a trial run. I often deal with lower back pain and neck pain after an injury a few years back. I don’t take medications, but sometimes the pain is debilitating and maddening. So, I will do my research, speak to the right people, and find the right meal plan and exercise routine! And start my 2-week trial as a vegan. I will post my experiences here as the days go by. These will be absolutely not fact-based but experience-based.

I believe in individual medicine; we are not all the same, and we won’t all react the same. For those of you who decide to try going vegan and see how your body responds, please send me your experiences, the issues you encountered, how you felt, and who you spoke to! Let’s keep each other informed so we can all benefit!