Part 29: Going vegan: To veg or not to veg, that is the question
Anyone who has followed this column has probably read one or two of my rants on veganism. Most of these stem from my staunch resistance to being restricted from eating anything I choose. However, in light of some recent health issues and the heart gripping fact that I am not getting any younger, I've decided to approach investigating the vegan diet from the viewpoint of some of its potential benefits. There is obviously the fact that the vegan diet puts a much lighter footprint on the earth, that it definitely reduces your cholesterol intake (which for me is a huge thing) and that it often incorporates better food choices, like organic foods, into its repertoire. I'd been thinking about this for a bit, trying to adjust my thought process to one that would in some way welcome such a big change, and then, from an unexpected source, a book literally fell into my lap.
If your mother is anything like mine, there are moments when she is gripped with such fervor that its intensity can only be explained by it having been ignited by her drive to protect whom she loves. Once the spark is lit, she may as well be on a mission from god.
In my mom’s case, I’ve seen this phenomenon occur most frequently when there is a potential risk to someone she cares about. This includes the risks of poor health and its effect on the body. If something will make you healthier, than you just need to carve out the time and energy to do it. Rarely have I encountered anyone who takes her health more seriously than my mother. She wouldn’t agree with me on this; she would say that she tries but doesn't always succeed. However, she’s just being humble. It’s not like she is a marathon runner or into extreme sports, but she exercises the vigilance necessary to keep potential health risks at bay when she is aware of them. It has always been one of the things I admire most about her.
So, it turns out that Type 2 diabetes has started to rear its ugly head in our world and it is affecting people we love. You guessed it: that equals a very serious risk.
And now, a brief jump into the “way-back machine”:
In another life, I was a medical photographer. For six months in Chicago I photographed skin cancers, and then for a year after that in Detroit I was an ophthalmic photographer. I took photographs of people’s eyes. We had imaging equipment for all the parts of the eye, but the most common (and the most fascinating in my opinion) was the fundus photography.
Say it with me: “fundus.”
Webster’s on fundus:
“Main Entry: fun•dus
Pronunciation: \ˈfən-dəs\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural fun•di \-ˌdī, -ˌdē\
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, bottom
Date: 1764
: the bottom of or part opposite the aperture of the internal surface of a hollow organ: as a : the greater curvature of the stomach b : the lower back part of the bladder c : the large upper end of the uterus d : the part of the eye opposite the pupil”
In our case, it was definition d.
Fundus cameras are designed to photograph the retina. Standard fundus photos are taken in color, but if a patient has diabetes, frequently, the doctor will order flourescein angiography. This study produces a series of several photographs that are black and white, and I don’t want anyone to fall off their chair here, but it actually shows the blood flow into the back of the eye in real time. The flourescein dye is injected into the patient's arm, after having taken control shots, and then under certain filters in the camera, the photographer can actually image the dye in the blood as it flows into the eye and lights up all of the blood vessels.
In a healthy eye, these images will just look like crisp, high-contrast images of the retina, with the veins bright white against the dark grey backdrop of the densely pigmented retinal layer. In an unhealthy eye, specifically one that is afflicted with diabetes, depending on the extent of the deterioration of the blood vessels, will start to light up in the back of the eye. These bright spots are the places where ophthalmologists focus their laser treatments. The goal of these treatments as I understand it is to preserve the patient’s central vision for as long as possible by cauterizing the leaking vessels. In general, patients with diabetic retinopathy tend to exhibit blood vessel leakage first on the periphery, and then as the condition worsens, the leaking vessels get closer and closer to the avascular foveal zone, i.e., the sweet spot for your central vision. Eventually, this can lead to total blindness.
My reason for giving you this unexpected (and most likely uninvited) lecture on fundus photography and diabetic retinopathy is that I wanted to share my experience, limited though it is, of diabetes with you. Most of us know someone in our lives who is affected by diabetes. In an unexpected turn of the screw, my mom has known an increasing number of people in her life who have been diagnosed with the disease lately. And it’s because of diabetes she recently called me up and subsequently thrust a copy of a book about following a vegan diet into my hands.
Now, I don’t have diabetes. I’m not pre-diabetic either, but it appears that I do have a familial predisposition to develop diabetes judging by some recent diagnoses in my greater family. In addition to that, it seems like there are more and more convincing arguments out there for being vegan. Most of these stem from the health benefits that can occur from following such a diet. Particularly if your vegan diet includes organic foods, and you keep the super sugary things in check, you’re going to be in pretty good shape. Also, I think it’s safe to say that most people agree that a B12 supplement for those following a vegan diet is a must.
At any rate, the book my mom gave me is a pretty good read. For something I initially rolled my eyes at reading, Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes was a surprising page turner. It advocates a diet that has complex carbohydrates and whole grains, organic foods, minimal oil used in the preparation of food, a reduction in the naturally fatty foods like avocadoes and olives and sticking to foods low on the Glycemic index. Oh yeah, and of course, it completely tosses out meat, cheese and eggs.
It actually sounds pretty good.
There are plenty of naturally scrumptious foods, and many recipes can be adapted to a vegan version without a ton of extra work. It also apparently does what it alleges to do. It lowers people’s sugar profoundly in lots of cases. In addition to that, there have been other benefits cited by people who have used this diet, such as improved sleep and higher energy levels just to name a couple.
However, I don’t agree with everything in the book, as in, I’m still completely unconvinced as to the virtues of soy in general, and I’m not sure what is actually in fake meat alternatives, but I’m not really drawn to eat those things anyway. My thinking is: Why would I want fake meat? If I can’t have the real thing, what is the point or trying to choke down a substitute? It’s not my style.
Anyway, the best argument for any food in my book is that food is always at its best when it is allowed to shine for what it is. For me, that means largely organic foods that are full of flavor, recipes that use the natural complementary nature of different foods to bring out the best in each other and not flubbing it up with weirdness like meat-free “sausage crumbles” (my deepest apologies to the die-hard sausage crumblers in the audience).
Dr. Barnard offers soy and meat substitutes as potential tools you can use to help maintain a vegan diet. For me, a week of step-down with lots of peanut butter and jelly rice cakes turned out to be what was needed (though I am still struggling with deviations). I just couldn’t go cold turkey … or cold kelp loaf (yick).
So I had this book and my mom, who beat me to veganism (and is loving it by the way except for its distressing lack of cheese), was starting to convince me that maybe it was worth a real shot. Also, a little over a month ago, I was stricken by some (still) inexplicable severe chest pains and had to go to the ER. This on top of everything else really has given me pause. I’m not even 30 yet, and this year constitutes my having the most issues ever with my physical health. It’s not been fun. I’ve been really grumpy, seriously funky and profoundly tired. Trying the vegan thing has helped a bit. Also, in an unexpected benefit, cutting out the dairy particularly has had a startling effect on my chronic acid reflux. It’s almost gone when I follow the vegan diet. Even if I eat slightly more spicy foods, my body can all of a sudden handle it better. That being said, when I deviate, I know.
To add to the knowledge I had been amassing on the virtues of veganism, the other night, my boyfriend and I watched a documentary called The Beautiful Truth. It was about a few things: mercury poisoning, toxins in our food, but ultimately, it was about the Gerson Therapy.
The Gerson Therapy advocates a strict organic vegan diet as a part of their treatment for cancer. It involves some other things as well, the least appetizing of which is regular (no pun intended) organic coffee enemas, but diet is the main significant change. Also, they appear to have had astounding success rates in treating all kinds of cancers, as well as some other illnesses, with this therapy. From what I could tell, this therapy also does not involve a plethora of drugs that can potentially make you as sick as the original disease. As I watched this documentary unfold, all I could think was that I sincerely wished I had seen it before my uncle passed away last Thanksgiving from esophageal and liver cancer.
Now, before everyone writes in - I know that this is a controversial topic, and that the lines are drawn quite decisively on both sides. I find it a compelling possibility though, in a world ever more put upon by cancers of all kinds, that there is a treatment option that suggests, we - good god the gall - go back to eating unadulterated foods as the main crux of its argument. The more I learn about the mainstream food industry and about the abundance of toxic things we are exposed to every day, I’m finding myself more and more invested in making the healthy choices. So I am sort of giving it a real go, though I am loathe to admit it. (Once I put it out there, I’m sure to fail at it.)
However, I have to reserve the right to eat whatever the hell I want at any time. Will it help me lose weight? In theory, but maybe not. It's more of a health choice at this moment than anything else.
With that in mind, making healthier choices becomes almost effortless, because then I am not being restricted.
...At least that’s what I tell my brain.
Comments
ACLABT
Sat, Aug 28, 2010 : 11:44 p.m.
Suki - your dinner sounds interesting, but not appetizing. I'm glad you like it but it is not something I would eat. I will eat all of those foods raw, except the corn, but cooked together does not sound like anything I'd ever eat. I have yet to find a vegan meal I actually liked. I LOVE vegetables and eat a lot of them. I do not like meals made out of them all put together. Truthfully, I'd rather eat what I enjoy and die early than to eat what I find tasteless or unappealing and to live long. As for as the environment goes, what's the answer? Slaughter all the animals? Let's stop having kids while we're at it.
ACLABT
Sat, Aug 28, 2010 : 11:39 p.m.
You've convinced me. I now will only eat salad with no dressing. I do not like rice and do not drink alcohol. Cannot have soy. Think tofu tastes like glue, so it will be plain, uncooked veggies for me.
Christine
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 6:26 p.m.
Curvy Girl, In your series of articles, this seems like one more attempt to position yourself for success. Recently, I began eating vegan style. I didn't find it difficult; rather, I enjoy the fresh food. Identifying with the four food groups cited in Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes, the plate just needs protein, grains, fruits and vegetables, with a supplement of B12. It has been about 8 weeks and I have shed a few pounds and am feeling very well. At my next doctor's appointment, the numbers will tell how effective it is for sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the experience. Hopefully, you will, too.
Suki
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 2:38 p.m.
Wow, ACLABT, could you be any more judgmental? I've been a vegetarian (for ethical reasons) for 16 years and I don't "look sickly" nor do I need supplements. At my last physical my doctor said I was in perfect health. So no, meat is certainly not necessary to a well-rounded, nutritious diet. And I'm not sure what you mean by that "nasty" vegan stuff. Our dinner last night was a casserole that included fresh Michigan corn, tomatoes and zucchini, along with onions, fresh oregano and basil from our herb garden, brown rice, white wine and a few other ingredients. It was delicious. Having said that, I will say that my husband tried going vegan (after reading the China Study) but found it very difficult and did not stick with it. But it did lead to better eating habits. Curvy Girl -- I wish you all the best with your endeavors. What has worked best for me is keeping the bad (saturated) fat in check -- I try to stay under the 20 gram per day limit that is advised. When I adopted that approach to eating I gradually lost weight (20 pounds over about 6 months) -- that was over 3 years ago and it has stayed off. Plus I feel much better when I don't overdo the bad fat. Good luck!
Rork Kuick
Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 8:07 a.m.
"I don't think that traditional western medicine has the absolute solution to all health issues" Right now, there is medicine based on science, and it's not particularly "western", and it's relatively new so I'm not sure it's even "traditional", and then there's about 50 other things that tend to not care much about evidence. Where a procedure has good evidence, it is adopted by "medicine". There's no tradition or western about it.
macd
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 11:51 p.m.
In response to this: "Isn't it fun that people in developed countries who have all the food and variety of foods that they could wish to eat spend their time discussing what they should NOT EAT. I'm so sick of locavores, vegans,farmers' markets, vegetarians, macrobiotics, etc. Half of the world has not enough to eat and would be glad to ingest animal protein or anything that could give them enough nourishment. We don't need religious dietary rules any more; we impose enough "you're naughty 'cause you eat that!" on ourselves." One reason why many people begin considering what they eat is for the exact reason that you mention; many people in the world don't have enough to eat. By reconsidering what we eat as individuals, we actually have the opportunity to improve the lives of people we will probably never meet. It is a byproduct of globalization. It's no secret that intensive animal production is bad for the environment and our health, but don't take my word for it. Consider the following: http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/aug97/livestock.hrs.html Yes, the study is 13 years old. But, unfortunately, the numbers aren't getting any better: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html Or, how about this: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-08/humanity-needs-start-farming-bugs-food-says-united-nations-policy-paper How about that first sentence, huh? "The raising of livestock consumes two-thirds of the planet's farmland, and is a major source of greenhouse gases." Your point that those who are starving would be grateful for ANY food is undeniable. Likewise, I agree that our merely feeling guilty isn't putting any food on their table. However, being educated, educating others and making different choices WILL have an impact. People should be careful with statements like, "All vegans look unhealthy." Many vegans are unhealthy. This is for a variety of reasons, but consider the fact that many people become vegans because of existing health issues. Also consider how many unhealthy people there are in general. I am a vegan and know unhealthy vegans and unhealthy non-vegans. You get out of the diet what you put in. If you are lazy and don't plan your meals, you will be unhealthy. This is no different than anybody on any other diet. There are two types of people; healthy and unhealthy. Being vegan doesn't immediately thrust someone into one group or the other. Consider the following from the Mayo clinic: "Indeed, a well-planned vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of all ages, including children, teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. The key is to be aware of your nutritional needs so that you plan a diet that meets them." http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596 That is pretty much end of story, folks. All this bickering back on forth is merely indulging a very dark, unhealthy part of all people... the NEED to be right and feel secure in ones own ethical and moral choices. I suggest accepting that there are people with opposing viewpoints, appreciating those viewpoints and with an open mind learning what you can about those opposing viewpoints. I wasn't born a vegan... I suggest the following books: "The Thrive Diet" for those interested in sport nutrition or how (in my opinion) to be healthiest being a vegan. "The Ethics of What We Eat" for those more compelled by philosophical argument. And "The Life You Can Save" for those who wan't to know more about how their food choices can impact those around the world.
ACLABT
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 10:43 p.m.
fjord If I shouldn't listen to doctors or nutritionists, who should I listen to... you? Vegan promotional books, videos and articles? Every vegan or vegetarian I've met looks sickly and has to take supplements. That is because they are lacking what is found from meat. It's a proven fact that protein is a necessary part of our diet, as well as omega 3, iron, B12, etc. From what I can see here, none of you are type 2 diabetics so you are only going on your own limited research and what you've read. The ADA, Joslyn Diabetic Center and many, many other diabetic clinics and nutritionists will say the same thing... balanced diet. protein needed. limit carbs, especially simple carbs. Eat smaller amounts more often. Control weight. I would also have to completely re-learn how to cook, where to shop and would have to avoid all soy products because I cannot have soy or beans. So where would I get my protein? That specialized food is also expensive. On a side note - I could never be a vegan because the stuff tastes nasty.
Lovaduck
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 4:04 p.m.
Isn't it fun that people in developed countries who have all the food and variety of foods that they could wish to eat spend their time discussing what they should NOT EAT. I'm so sick of locavores, vegans,farmers' markets, vegetarians, macrobiotics, etc. Half of the world has not enough to eat and would be glad to ingest animal protein or anything that could give them enough nourishment. We don't need religious dietary rules any more; we impose enough "you're naughty 'cause you eat that!" on ourselves.
Rork Kuick
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 2:55 p.m.
The woo is strong around here. I must resist it. What have you been reading? 1) The Gerson Therapy is quackery. Shame on you for mentioning it without criticizing. If you need some review of how bad that is check out Science-based Medicine and search it for articles mentioning Gerson. You forgot to mention the injection of liver extracts. They write books and make movies cause they want your money. 2) In comments "have a fraction of the nutrition they did 50 years ago", needs references if I'm expected to take it seriously, but I suppose "a fraction" is so vague it might contain some truth. Compared to 50 years ago I can get allot more vegetables more of the year though, and I think that might compensate. "You need to supplement your diet with nutritional supplements." My doc isn't telling me that, is yours? Are they a real doctor - the kind that prescribes based on evidence? (I'll grant one or two extra vitamins for young women to prevent neural-tube defects in children.) 3) "GMO crops hasn't done much to help the nutritive value of our food". Not only failure to point to any evidence there, I can't yet think of a reason for why it might possibly be true, and certainly no reason was even hinted at. On a positive note: You can just eat less meat (for example). That will still be good for the environment, and help reduce certain diseases. Those benefits are graduated - it doesn't have to be a strict commandment. You are not a failure if you eat a piece of flesh or cheese once or twice a week - to the contrary, you're doing way better than most people.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 2:46 p.m.
You could be mildly lactose intolerant. My understanding of type-2 diabetes, which runs in my family as well so I have to pay attention, is that getting your BMI below 28 is by far the biggest factor. So I watch my weight. Contrary to the myths, a vegetarian or vegan diet does not help control weight, though the process of paying strict attention to your diet helps considerably. To help with acid reflux, smaller, more frequent meals are advised, as well as trying to avoid any large intake of food close to bedtime and high-fat foods in general. Reflux could definitely be the cause of mysterious and serious pain. However, if maintaining health requires the watching of a documentary about coffee enemas, just not sure... having to watch the documentary is a quality of life issue.
WLD1
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 12:41 p.m.
There is nothing organic anymore, if your neighbors spray pet and kid killer (pesticide) on there grass it is going to get into the ground and spread. Good example is Gelman Sciences Contamination. The problem with going vegan is that people do not realize that fruits and vegetables we buy these days have a fraction of the nutrition they did 50 years ago. Because mass production has depleted the soil of nutrients. Most females that I know that have gone vegan have had miscarriages, because it is hard to get enough folic acid-B12, going vegan. You need to supplement your diet with nutritional supplements.
ACLABT
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 11:36 a.m.
The information is this book you mentioned contradicts much of what I have learned from doctors and nutritionists. They recommend an increase in protein while limiting simple carbs and eating a balanced diet of complex carbs. Most protein is found in meat, although there are other sources of protein as well. Fish is an important source of protein and omega 3. Being a type 2 diabetic (and not over weight), I am against a vegan diet because it does not offer or promote sensible and BALANCED eating, which is needed for diabetics and healthy eating overall.
daved
Tue, Aug 24, 2010 : 10:19 a.m.
I enjoyed your article! I would like to suggest also another book that correlates the connection between dairy & disease, "The China Study," examines the relationship between the consumption of animal products and illnesses such as cancers of the breast, prostate, and large bowel, diabetes, coronary heart disease, obesity, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, degenerative brain disease, and macular degeneration. "The China Study," referred to in the title is the China Project, a "survey of death rates for twelve different kinds of cancer for more than 2,400 counties and 880 million (96%) of their citizens" combined to study the relationship between various mortality rates and several dietary, lifestyle, and environmental characteristics in 65 mostly rural counties in China conducted jointly by Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine over the course of twenty years.