We are only meant to eat fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, grains, and everything plant-based to live a long and vibrant life. Meat is rotten for our cardiovascular system and metabolic rate, except there is now research to suggest that the animal-based or carnivore diet is best for our long-term health due to the number of toxins in our plants. So, what do we believe, and how do we know which diet is best for our long-term health? Well, today, I will debunk this for you and give you the insight you need to decide which approach you could use to extend your health span. In this article, I will break down the hidden connection between plant & animal based diets.
What Is The Plant-Based Diet?
A plant-based diet consists of minimally processed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs, and spices and excludes all animal products, including red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
Plants can boost your immune health with their diverse nutrient composition. They contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols, and much more, which contribute to your microbiome's immunological response. Improving this response protects us from harmful illnesses and diseases. Eating a wide range of plants can be a great way to improve this response in the body.
Plants decrease inflammation in the body. The antioxidants and polyphenols in fruits and vegetables provide your cells with the energy they need to function and rejuvenate themselves. The nutrients in these plants also help to get rid of free radicals in the blood, lowering the possibility of future oxidative stress.
Plants can help boost your metabolism. Fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods are low in caloric density and more filling, making them great for keeping you in a caloric deficit. This can improve weight management and weight loss. Eating a diet rich in these plants can increase your likelihood of losing weight and maintaining it. With that comes the prevention of diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.
Plant-based foods contain a lot of fiber. When we have plenty of fiber in our diet, this helps with our digestibility and absorption of nutrients from the foods we eat. Eating a wide range of plants can increase the prebiotic fiber found in your microbiome, helping with a more diverse gut bacteria makeup. This improves detoxification, digestion, mood, energy, and much more.
There are numerous benefits to the plant-based approach. Now, what are the risks of a prolonged plant-based diet?
What are the Risks of the Plant-Based Diet?
Along with the benefits of any dietary change, strict diets have some consequences. Although the plant-based diet contains high amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and an abundance of nutrient-dense foods, it still lacks some crucial nutrients our bodies need to thrive and function. What should you be cautious about when switching to this particular dietary approach?
Vitamin B12 deficiency: Vitamin B12 is found mainly in red meat, eggs, fish, and milk, and all of these are prohibited in a plant-based (vegan) diet. Vitamin b12 is crucial for brain function, red blood cell production, enzyme formation, and cellular growth.
Anemia: This comes from not only the b12 deficiency but also an iron deficiency, both of which are crucial for producing red blood cells. Without b12, iron, and folate, you cannot produce enough red blood cells; this can bring upon symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, lethargy, trouble breathing, and irregular heartbeats.
Leaky Gut Syndrome: The lack of protein in a vegan or plant-based diet and the abundance of antinutrients and fiber in beans, legumes, soybeans, and nuts can all be linked to gut hyperpermeability. This can disrupt the gut microflora and increase an inflammatory response.
Depression: With the drastic change made going into a plant-based diet comes the shortage of chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These shortages can bring an imbalance in our mood and energy, and this can cause symptoms of depression, loneliness, and sadness.
Hormonal Imbalance: A diet rich in protein found in soy products like soymilk, soybeans, tofu, tempeh, and soy nuts contains phytoestrogens. A common side effect of these phytochemicals is a disruption in hormone levels, which can disrupt reproductive health and other hormone functions.
With restriction comes risk. Creating a healthy approach to your plant-based diet is crucial for preventing some of these potential health risks.
What is the Animal Based Diet?
The animal-based diet, better known as the carnivore diet, consists of only meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and organs. It is considered to be a restrictive diet with less of an allowance on what you can and cannot have. This diet requires you to avoid plant foods, such as vegetables, beans, legumes, fruits, nuts, and grains.
Following an animal-based diet has positive benefits in detoxification and rejuvenation of the human body. A study was conducted at Harvard University in 2020. This study surveyed over 2000 carnivore dieters. Most participants decided to use this diet because it could help them lose weight and improve their health. Most participants felt it could increase their energy and improve digestion, athletic performance, mental health, and immune system. 85% of the participants consumed red meat., 44% consumed eggs and dairy, 43% consumed organ meats, and 52% consumed bone broth. The quality of the meat came from predominantly grass-fed and grain-fed animals.
All participants were on this diet for six-plus months, and the results they found from this study were astounding. Of 2029 participants, 100% came off of diabetes injectable medications, 92% went off insulin ultimately, and 84% came off of diabetes oral medications. Participants saw an average weight loss of 20 pounds, and 90% saw improvement in all diseases. (Study)
It is astonishing for these people to see this type of improvement within six months. It shows how the carnivore diet can improve our overall health and well-being. A high protein/fat diet can achieve better metabolic functionality. What are the long-term effects of the carnivore diet?
Just Eating Meat Can be Detrimental on Our Health (Long Term)
What are the long-term effects of following this dietary approach? With the consideration of how much people with diabetes and obesity saw a benefit from following this diet, there are concerns about following this diet long term. Some of the main ones are that cardiovascular disease becomes a huge concern due to the lack of fiber and antioxidants not found in the diet.
There are concerns about gut microbiome disruption, nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalance in women, and much more. Studies have concluded that this is a great measure of temporary results that could get your health back on track.
Why Eating Just Plant or Animal-Based Diets Don't Work (Long Term)
Restrictive diets work for a short period because they are drastic changes from what you did before. The body responds in shock and detoxes itself, whether you are following a plant-based or animal-based diet. I am here to tell you that neither is sustainable. Looking at the research, following any restrictive diet for too long creates a sense of disparity in the brain and body because it feels it is missing something.
Plants and Animals are supposed to work in harmony. They both contain nutrients that our body needs to function, from the amino acids, minerals, and vitamins that meat contains to the fiber, antioxidants, and prebiotic fiber plants contain. These nutrients work in harmony. The difference between these is the quality in which we consume them; when we eat just everyday fruits and vegetables, it's not different than consuming meat that was fed vegetarian feed and injected with antibiotics and steroids.
According to science, this isn't to say that you don't need to follow one of these diets if you are going through some metabolic dysfunction for a short time. If you have diabetes and need to lose weight, the carnivore diet can be great for you. Or you have a gut microbiome issue with digesting meat and dairy and must switch to a plant-based diet for a while. Again, this is to treat the root of the problem, and then we return to finding a balance between the two. This brings harmony within the body, mind, and spirit.
Creating a Sustainable Approach to the Foods We Eat
Now we have broken down both approaches and what they entail, let's look at the different ways you can incorporate the various aspects into your diet and make it sustainable.
Diversity is critical: When we look at eating a diverse and inclusive diet, we look at how we can incorporate plants and animals. Create a diagram to follow, such as 50% of your plate is protein, 30% is vegetables, and 20% is fiber or fats. Switch it up according to your daily energy output. By creating this diversity, you are setting your metabolic rate up for success. It gets out of control when we don't listen to the body. By having diverse plants and animal foods in your diet, you are giving your body the nutrient diversity it needs.
Eat according to the season: Each season, a different list of foods grows. A great way of knowing what's in season is by looking it up on your state's almanac or going and visiting your local farmers market to see what's in season there. BY eating according to the season, you provide diversity and nutrient density. You are also following the body's natural nutritional needs. Ask yourself what foods you usually crave in each season of the year. Create a list and compare it to what's in season. Following this approach can be a great way to keep your diet interesting and help with your long-term health.
Get your labs done: Along with getting your quarterly or yearly blood panel done, include a microbiome test, food sensitivity test, and hormone panel to see where you are at throughout the year. This is a great way to know what you need to change in your diet, whether it's the amount of food you are taking in or what types of food you consume. It's also always great to know where you are throughout the year with your preventive health.
Make protein the number 1 nutrient: According to research, the more muscle we have, the less likely we are to die from a metabolic disease. They have found that we can prevent most long-term issues when we exercise regularly and eat a protein-centric diet. Not all protein is equal; the best protein sources come from animals because they contain the most amino acids in the smallest amount consumed, compared to the number of plants you have to eat, which is equal to the amount meat can give you. Depending on your age and optimal body weight, the protein we can consume daily is between 0.65 and 1g per pound. This is according to our optimal body weight, so if you are 300 pounds overweight, don't try to consume 1g per pound. See someone who can give you the optimal amount of protein for optimal results.
Quality Matters: Where we get our food matters significantly because food is not grown or raised the same way anymore. Using herbicides and pesticides to preserve the life of our produce and feeding our animals grass and plants sprayed with these harsh chemicals makes these foods inflammatory for our bodies. Shopping as organically as possible and looking for pasture-raised meats are the best places to start when looking for the best food possible. Even investing in a meat subscription company like Wild Pastures, Butcher Box, or white oak pastures can be a great way to get good meat at a reasonable cost. Farmers markets, local health foods stores, and ops in your local area are great places to get organic produce and plants. Focusing on quality is critical when creating sustainability with your diet.
Take Away
Overall, this is about creating a sustainable approach to eating. Creating peace between plants and animals and focusing on the foods that provide the most nutrient diversity is the most optimal approach when it comes to long-term health. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.
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