 Of Vegetarians, Vegans and Meat Eaters: Which is Best During a Cleanse?
Because meat products lack fiber and are often difficult to digest, they are eliminated
from almost all cleansing diets, replaced instead with high-fiber vegetables or
juice diets that include supplemental fiber. Yet, despite the fact that meatless
diets have been found to improve various disorders such as arthritis, kidney disease,
skin disorders and gout, they may not always be ideal in the long run. Indeed, studies
show that some vegetarians experienced a decline in health after a prolonged meatless
diet, which did not improve until they resumed eating meat.
Over time, some experts believe, some animal protein is necessary in order to reap
the benefits gained from a meatless cleanse. In their attempt to determine how long
we can thrive on a meatless diet before our health begins to decline, they discovered
that the amount of time differs from person to person and is based on a variety
of factors.
Blood Type
People with different blood types have different food tolerances. For example, those
with type A blood have inherently low levels of hydrochloric acid (HCl), a digestive
acid produced in the stomach, and therefore do well on a vegetarian diet. As such,
they are able to subsist more comfortably and for longer periods of time on a vegetarian
or vegan diet.
Country of Origin
Studies have shown that people who adhere to the diet of their ancestors tend to
maintain better overall health. For example, those whose ancestors lived in tropical
climates and consumed mainly fruits, light meats and vegetables grown above ground
should eat a similar diet, while those with roots in colder countries whose ancestors
thrived on heavier meats, stews and root vegetables would do well to follow suit.
Metabolic Rate
A key factor in determining the best diet for an individual is metabolic rate, or
the rate at which food is converted to energy. People who metabolize quickly do
well with foods that take longer to digest, while the opposite is true for those
who metabolize slowly. Regardless of individual biochemical differences, however, it is accurate to say
that most people benefit from including some animal protein in their diet periodically.
Author Sally Fallon outlines the reasons for this in her book, Nourishing Traditions.
The following points are taken directly from the book:
"It is well known that animal products are the only source of complete protein,
meaning that they contain all of the essential amino acids (those not made in the
body, which must be supplied through diet). All plant foods are low in three amino
acids: tryptophan, cystine and threonine. Legumes and whole grains are the richest
sources of non-animal protein and, when consumed together, provide a complete protein
profile (since legumes are high in lysine but low in methionine, and grains are
just the reverse: high in methionine and low in lysine)."
"Many vegetarians eat beans as a primary protein source. While beans are composed
of both proteins and carbohydrates, the determining factor as to which of these
macronutrients will predominate is the manner in which the beans are cooked. Most
cooking methods result in carbohydrate dominance. To obtain the full protein value
of beans, they must first be soaked and sprouted, then cooked slowly at less than
200 degrees. A slow cooker or crock pot works well for this purpose."
Fallon goes on to say that animal fats are an essential source of vitamins A, D,
B6 and B12. She explains that children especially require these fat-soluble vitamins
for growth and development, which could be adversely affected by a vegan or a vegetarian
diet. To clarify, a vegan diet is a totally vegetarian diet devoid of all animal
products, while a vegetarian diet may include eggs (ovo-vegetarian), milk (lacto-vegetarian)
or both (ovo/lacto-vegetarian).
While red meat is considered a "high-stress" protein -- one that takes
a lot of energy to digest and should therefore be eaten in moderation -- it is rich
in iron and zinc, both of which are necessary for the body to use essential fatty
acids (EFAs). It takes a strong, healthy digestive system, which many of us do not
have, to tolerate a high intake of red meat. Once digestive health is restored,
however, most people should tolerate it in moderation. Low-stress proteins, such
as poultry and fish, are ultimately the best choices.
According to Fallon, although animal products are essential for proper growth and
development and for healthy reproduction, studies have shown that small amounts
are generally sufficient to maintain reproductive health and adequate growth. This
information comes as good news to those whom animal products have little appeal.
Likewise, it seems to correspond to the rest of the animal kingdom. Gorillas, she
says, are considered vegetarians, yet they often consume insect eggs and larvae,
as both adhere to the leaves and fruits on which the animals typically dine. So
in reality, the gorillas are eating small amounts of animal protein daily.
Choose Organic
Regardless of which animal foods an individual prefers, organic meats and dairy
products are strongly recommended. According to renowned cancer specialist Virginia
Livingston-Wheeler, most chicken, and nearly half the beef, consumed in America
today is cancerous and pathogenic, and there is reason to believe that these cancers
are transmissible to man.
Organic meat and dairy products come from animals that have been raised without
the use of antibiotics or steroids. Even better are milk, cheese, butter and meat
products that come from grass-fed rather than grain-fed cows. Virtually all dairy
cattle live their entire lives in confinement rather than grazing in pastures, as
was once the standard. There is a vast difference in the health value of grass-fed
versus grain-fed beef, one major difference being the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids. In grain-fed beef, the ratio is quite high, often approaching
20 to 1. This far exceeds the 4 to 1 ratio in which health problems start to surface.
Grass-fed beef, in contrast, has about the same ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio as
fish: 3 to 1.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a naturally occurring fat that is found in abundance
in hoofed animals that eat green grass, but it is greatly diminished in grain-fed
animals. Grass-fed animals have three to four times more CLA than their grain-fed
counterparts. This is extremely significant, because studies in animals have shown
that CLA can help protect against cancer. Human studies have also shown that CLA
helps people to lose body fat while retaining muscle mass.
Unlike grain-fed animals, the grass grazers have an abundance of fat-soluble vitamins
(A and D) in their fat. According to Dr. Weston Price, butterfat from grass-fed
cows has a fat-soluble factor that he referred to as "activator X." He
found this as yet unidentified factor, which is absent in the fat of grain-fed cattle,
to be a "powerful catalyst to mineral absorption." The fat-soluble elements
prevalent in the butterfat of grass-fed ruminant animals also "support endocrine
function, allowing optimum physical development and lifelong good health."
Because grass-fed animals live longer, healthier lives than their grain-fed counterparts,
it stands to reason that humans eating products from these healthier animals can
also enjoy greater health.
Keep it Simple
Taking each factor into account, animal products should be the last foods to return
to the diet upon completion of a cleansing program. While meat products (especially
those from grass-fed animals) offer a variety of health benefits, it is wise to
offer our digestive system a reprieve during a cleanse. In so doing, we enable our
bodies to experience the remarkable power of cleansing & detoxification.
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