I'm all for anyone being able to consume the diet they want to. If your vegan good on you, if your paleo congratulations. If you visit weightwatchers, rather you than me but its your choice. Sure if you seek my advice then I'll give it you (after I've tested you and collected as much data as possible). However, I hate it when someone pushes their beliefs upon me. If someone knocks at my door and tries to convert me to anything I'm usually not too happy about it.
Unsolicited advice isn't always bad, but in general knock on my door and start talking to me about swapping my gas supplier, becoming religious, or swapping my diet and I'll consider it rude. Equally if you message me with no previous contact telling me the error of my ways I'll find it pretty offensive.
And so, once again Gazza the vegan is back telling me the error of my ways. [Check out all the old posts about his twitter campaign] As mentioned before he frequently posts odd statements (often they make little sense) that he later either back tracks from or argues and argues but keeps avoiding the main question I pose. What is that question?
"Gary, where is the statistically significant data that backs up your statements?"
It never appears because it does not exist.
During these twitter debates he interchanges between referring to meat eaters and the SAD (standard american diet), meaning he thinks that someone who eats pasture raised meats is the same as someone munching crisps, pork pies and takeaways, washed down with soft drinks and the odd cigarette. Their is a major difference between someone who follows paleo (remember I'm also not a fan of paleo) and your average American or Brit that sits chowing down on takeaways regularly.
It must be pointed out that whilst those following a less processed vegan diet will no doubt have less incidences of poor health than someone eating cake and crisps it does little to prove the dangers of meat. It just leaves the finger pointing straight at processed foods. Someone eating naturally raised meats who avoids the very same processed foods will also have less risk of disease.
Assuming that all meat eaters suffer poor health because they eat the Standard American Diet is no different to me assuming that all vegans live on bread, cake, soy and diet coke...obviously they don't (no doubt some do). However it is possible to live a vegan diet that is highly processed, so going vegan does not equal health as Mr Mabs claims.
Generally it is accepted that avoiding highly processed foods that often contain GMO-derived foods, hydrogenated vegetable oil, aspartame, ascorbic acid, citric acid, natural and artificial flavorings, high fructose corn syrup, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, xanthan gum, monosodium glutamate, sucrose, and yeast products is a good way to improve your chances of maintaining your health.
The following study shows that British vegetarians do have low mortality compared with the general population (but remember that the general population eats highly processed foods). Their death rates are similar to those of COMPARABLE non-vegetarians, suggesting that much of this benefit may be attributed to non-dietary lifestyle factors such as a low prevalence of smoking and a generally high socio-economic status, or to aspects of the diet other than the avoidance of meat and fish.
Mortality in British Vegetarians [Public Health Nutr. 2002] PubMed - NCBI
Unsolicited advice isn't always bad, but in general knock on my door and start talking to me about swapping my gas supplier, becoming religious, or swapping my diet and I'll consider it rude. Equally if you message me with no previous contact telling me the error of my ways I'll find it pretty offensive.
And so, once again Gazza the vegan is back telling me the error of my ways. [Check out all the old posts about his twitter campaign] As mentioned before he frequently posts odd statements (often they make little sense) that he later either back tracks from or argues and argues but keeps avoiding the main question I pose. What is that question?
"Gary, where is the statistically significant data that backs up your statements?"
It never appears because it does not exist.
During these twitter debates he interchanges between referring to meat eaters and the SAD (standard american diet), meaning he thinks that someone who eats pasture raised meats is the same as someone munching crisps, pork pies and takeaways, washed down with soft drinks and the odd cigarette. Their is a major difference between someone who follows paleo (remember I'm also not a fan of paleo) and your average American or Brit that sits chowing down on takeaways regularly.
It must be pointed out that whilst those following a less processed vegan diet will no doubt have less incidences of poor health than someone eating cake and crisps it does little to prove the dangers of meat. It just leaves the finger pointing straight at processed foods. Someone eating naturally raised meats who avoids the very same processed foods will also have less risk of disease.
Assuming that all meat eaters suffer poor health because they eat the Standard American Diet is no different to me assuming that all vegans live on bread, cake, soy and diet coke...obviously they don't (no doubt some do). However it is possible to live a vegan diet that is highly processed, so going vegan does not equal health as Mr Mabs claims.
Generally it is accepted that avoiding highly processed foods that often contain GMO-derived foods, hydrogenated vegetable oil, aspartame, ascorbic acid, citric acid, natural and artificial flavorings, high fructose corn syrup, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, xanthan gum, monosodium glutamate, sucrose, and yeast products is a good way to improve your chances of maintaining your health.
The following study shows that British vegetarians do have low mortality compared with the general population (but remember that the general population eats highly processed foods). Their death rates are similar to those of COMPARABLE non-vegetarians, suggesting that much of this benefit may be attributed to non-dietary lifestyle factors such as a low prevalence of smoking and a generally high socio-economic status, or to aspects of the diet other than the avoidance of meat and fish.
Mortality in British Vegetarians [Public Health Nutr. 2002] PubMed - NCBI
So why the perpetual state of indignation and anger? (remember not I'm not suggesting all vegans and vegetarians are this way, I know many that aren't. Its just that I keep getting tweeted by one or two that are).
Well here's a great article about vegan aggression and some other articles about some pretty evil vegans. Should make me glad that Gary hasn't quite got that angry yet in his quest to convert the world to his faith.
My main area of interest in diets is starvation (Mr Mabs seems to assume I'm a paleo fan for some reason) and I have an avid hatred of diets in general. Low calorie (of which veganism is for most people) leads to many many issue which are discussed here
What symptoms can we expect?
Physical changes.
• Decreased heart volume
• Slowed pulse rate (and almost certainly low body temperature and raised cortisol)
• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) reduced by 40%. Just what you need if your concerned about weight!!
• Voluntary movements became slower. Your thyroid is regulating (slowing) your energy expenditure.
• Subjects felt and acted older
Personality Changes
• Increase in apathy and depression.
• Sensitivity to noise. The body is overloaded and doesn't have enough energy to cope.
• General feeling of ineffectiveness.
• Loss of ambition and narrowing of interests. We no doubt conserve ourselves for important actions.
• Increased neuroticism and hysteria.
• Almost 20% of the subjects suffered severe “character neuroses” and 2 bordered on both violent and hysteria psychoses.
Food obsession/disorders
• Increased interest and preoccupation with food (talking, preparing, making meals last longer using a variety of methods such as sucking food).
• Heightened craving for food. Is it any wonder when we starve ourselves.
• Became possessive about food.
• Increased gum chewing, smoking, drinking of coffee and tea, and nail biting which also links in well with increased cortisol secretion.
• Purchased useless items and/or hoarded money. Clothes, foods, shoes, handbags, I see it all.
• Some escaped and binged with feelings of guilt (some followed by vomiting)
Social Activities
• Responsiveness, tolerance, happiness, and good humor gradually disappeared, very irritable and with only sarcastic humor remaining.
• Reluctance to participate in group activities. Not wanting to go to work etc and when they do resorting to the above.
• Self-centered and egocentric
• Food central topic of conversation, such as the need to cut back, avoid fats, craving cake or chocolate and discussing it with ones friends.
• Not able to control emotions, tears, tantrums, anger are all hard to control.
So, all in all the obsessive, self centered and bigoted "my diet is better than your diet, even though I don't know about your diet", is very interesting to me (I class it as a symptom of starvation). So for those of you wondering why I don't just ignore him, well its all forming into a fascinating potential research project.
Anyhow whatever your diet, feel free to eat what you like and don't pressure others into joining you unless they express an interest. Do not be a dietary bigot, others beliefs are just as valid to them as yours are to you.
Well here's a great article about vegan aggression and some other articles about some pretty evil vegans. Should make me glad that Gary hasn't quite got that angry yet in his quest to convert the world to his faith.
My main area of interest in diets is starvation (Mr Mabs seems to assume I'm a paleo fan for some reason) and I have an avid hatred of diets in general. Low calorie (of which veganism is for most people) leads to many many issue which are discussed here
What symptoms can we expect?
Physical changes.
• Decreased heart volume
• Slowed pulse rate (and almost certainly low body temperature and raised cortisol)
• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) reduced by 40%. Just what you need if your concerned about weight!!
• Voluntary movements became slower. Your thyroid is regulating (slowing) your energy expenditure.
• Subjects felt and acted older
Personality Changes
• Increase in apathy and depression.
• Sensitivity to noise. The body is overloaded and doesn't have enough energy to cope.
• General feeling of ineffectiveness.
• Loss of ambition and narrowing of interests. We no doubt conserve ourselves for important actions.
• Increased neuroticism and hysteria.
• Almost 20% of the subjects suffered severe “character neuroses” and 2 bordered on both violent and hysteria psychoses.
Food obsession/disorders
• Increased interest and preoccupation with food (talking, preparing, making meals last longer using a variety of methods such as sucking food).
• Heightened craving for food. Is it any wonder when we starve ourselves.
• Became possessive about food.
• Increased gum chewing, smoking, drinking of coffee and tea, and nail biting which also links in well with increased cortisol secretion.
• Purchased useless items and/or hoarded money. Clothes, foods, shoes, handbags, I see it all.
• Some escaped and binged with feelings of guilt (some followed by vomiting)
Social Activities
• Responsiveness, tolerance, happiness, and good humor gradually disappeared, very irritable and with only sarcastic humor remaining.
• Reluctance to participate in group activities. Not wanting to go to work etc and when they do resorting to the above.
• Self-centered and egocentric
• Food central topic of conversation, such as the need to cut back, avoid fats, craving cake or chocolate and discussing it with ones friends.
• Not able to control emotions, tears, tantrums, anger are all hard to control.
So, all in all the obsessive, self centered and bigoted "my diet is better than your diet, even though I don't know about your diet", is very interesting to me (I class it as a symptom of starvation). So for those of you wondering why I don't just ignore him, well its all forming into a fascinating potential research project.
Anyhow whatever your diet, feel free to eat what you like and don't pressure others into joining you unless they express an interest. Do not be a dietary bigot, others beliefs are just as valid to them as yours are to you.
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