Is vegetarianism the link to a healthy living?
Sacred Heart student explores benefits and burdens of a vegetarian diet
Juliana Brittis
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Features
Living in our beauty obsessed society can be overwhelming.
From diet pills to "quick fix" diet plans, getting fat is stressed to be one of our biggest concerns.
We are consumed by the thought of what we consume.
As a college student, food has become a central part of my life. I meet up with friends for lunch and dinner, cook dinner with my boyfriend and snack during late night study sessions.
The lesson we learn from this college eating routine comes in the form of the "freshmen fifteen" and unwanted weight gain through our college years.
The best way to deal with the constant bombardment of food and snacks, is to find your own personal way of eating healthy.
Mine is vegetarianism.
Since junior year of high school, I have opted out of eating most meats. Unlike vegans, who do not eat anything that has eyes, I still eat fish, dairy, and egg products.
I've always felt that being a vegetarian has made me a healthier person.
I don't go to McDonalds for a big mac or grab a slice of pepperoni pizza.
But am I right?
Is being a veg all that it's cracked up to be?
Is it the healthiest choice?
I decided to do some research to see if, in fact, my way is the best way.
I started my search through WebMD, the Web site that allows me to search by body part, any ailment that I think I may have.
I'm shocked to discover that I fit under a certain eating type-a lacto-ovo vegetarian.
These "types" of vegetarianism and veganism continue and cover a spectrum of different eating styles.
According to WebMD, "There are also pescatarians, vegetarians who eat fish and seafood, and lacto-vegetarians, who eat dairy products but not eggs. Fruitarians follow a diet that includes fruits, nuts, seeds, and other plant food."
With the many types of "tarians" in front of me, I still wondered if these lifestyles were healthy.
Could eating a diet of just plant food really give you all the nutrition your body needs?
From diet pills to "quick fix" diet plans, getting fat is stressed to be one of our biggest concerns.
We are consumed by the thought of what we consume.
As a college student, food has become a central part of my life. I meet up with friends for lunch and dinner, cook dinner with my boyfriend and snack during late night study sessions.
The lesson we learn from this college eating routine comes in the form of the "freshmen fifteen" and unwanted weight gain through our college years.
The best way to deal with the constant bombardment of food and snacks, is to find your own personal way of eating healthy.
Mine is vegetarianism.
Since junior year of high school, I have opted out of eating most meats. Unlike vegans, who do not eat anything that has eyes, I still eat fish, dairy, and egg products.
I've always felt that being a vegetarian has made me a healthier person.
I don't go to McDonalds for a big mac or grab a slice of pepperoni pizza.
But am I right?
Is being a veg all that it's cracked up to be?
Is it the healthiest choice?
I decided to do some research to see if, in fact, my way is the best way.
I started my search through WebMD, the Web site that allows me to search by body part, any ailment that I think I may have.
I'm shocked to discover that I fit under a certain eating type-a lacto-ovo vegetarian.
These "types" of vegetarianism and veganism continue and cover a spectrum of different eating styles.
According to WebMD, "There are also pescatarians, vegetarians who eat fish and seafood, and lacto-vegetarians, who eat dairy products but not eggs. Fruitarians follow a diet that includes fruits, nuts, seeds, and other plant food."
With the many types of "tarians" in front of me, I still wondered if these lifestyles were healthy.
Could eating a diet of just plant food really give you all the nutrition your body needs?
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Sacred heart diet
posted 5/08/09 @ 2:12 PM EST
Some health associations were attributed to this diet - they supposedly gave it to overweight patients to help them lose a few pounds quickly before a heart surgery. (Continued…)
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