Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular in today’s environmentally friendly world. Every once in a while, someone will try going vegetarian for a time to see how it feels. In many cases, they find that it suits their body and philosophy just right. That’s how a lot of vegans start out, but it’s not where the story ends. Being vegan is more of a lifestyle choice than it is a dietary shift, though most people don’t see it as such. There are a lot of misconceptions that surround veganism and its aspects, and it’s time to debunk them.

It’s just about cutting out the meat

It’s true that vegans will avoid meat, but this is an aspect of the lifestyle people put too much emphasis on. It’s not just about getting rid of meat and dairy products from one’s diet, it’s an entire philosophy that affects everyday activities, including food consumption. When you go vegan, you’re tacking on all of these responsibilities at once.

Everything from the clothes we wear to the food we eat can come from unethical sources. If a living animal is harmed to create these things, it doesn’t seem morally right to use or benefit from them. While you may not be holding the knife or the shears, by buying these things, you’re allowing the propagation of cruel methods.

The avoidance of exploitation of animals is what veganism is all about, and this is something that can affect just about everything in your day-to-day life. Eating plant-based food is just a small part of it.

Veganism is unhealthy

People often parrot the idea that veganism is an inherently unhealthy way to live. This is attributed to the fact that certain foods contain some pretty essential elements that our bodies need to function properly. It’s not quite as simple as most people make it out to be.

While meat, dairy, and fish are rich in nutrients that help our bodies grow and develop, they aren’t absolutely essential. More importantly, these nutrients aren’t exclusively found within animal and fish products. There’s certainly a risk in getting a nutritional deficiency or two, but this risk is severely mitigated when you compensate with the right supplements and foodstuffs.

Contrary to popular belief, vegans don’t just eat vegetables alone. The vegan diet can be pretty complex and often contain special fruits, nuts, grains, and many more. Vegan food can also replace most of the common foodstuffs people eat every day. There’s even vegan cheese available, which isn’t made from typical dairy products. There’s a lot more variety than you might expect of vegan food, which is precisely why so many individuals are turning to this philosophy of their own accord.

Vegans are pushy and annoying

It’s not exactly fair to throw veganism under the bus this way. While there might be a vocal minority of vegans that push their lifestyle onto others or try to guilt-trip them into changing, this is definitely the exception, rather than the rule. You have to consider that this kind of behavior is common in all lifestyles that differ somewhat from the norm. The good nature of veganism just provides a platform for those that might abuse it to try to influence other people. The vast majority of vegans are simply trying to live their life according to their principles, without trying to change or “convert” others. While encouragement is always there, it’s hardly ever aggressively shoved in peoples’ faces.

Vegan diets leave you weak

It’s no secret that people don’t exactly have the best view of veganism and those who adhere to it. In many cases, the root cause of this is the view that a vegan diet doesn’t supply your body with enough nutrients to keep it healthy and strong. There’s a pervasive view of vegans as being frail and relatively weak, even though this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The most oft-mentioned essential nutrient that should be lacking is none other than the common protein. A lack of animal products seems like it would decrease your protein intake, but that shouldn’t be the case with a healthy vegan diet. There’s no shortage of protein-rich vegetables and legumes that would satisfy the average vegan’s daily protein needs. Let’s not forget about grains and nuts, which also pack quite the punch with proteins.

Even if you don’t enjoy these options, there are tons of ways to supplement protein intake, whether you’re a vegan or not. Finding an organic protein powder that suits your diet isn’t such a difficult task anymore. Vegans can enjoy having more than enough protein to go around. This can help with diets that need to be adapted to increased physical training and exercise. It would be hard to differentiate between a bodybuilder that’s sticking to a regular diet versus one that is on a vegan diet. The results remain the same.

It’s not affordable

When you get everything else out of the way, money starts being an issue. Veganism is often thought of as a “rich man’s” lifestyle. If you’re able to avoid all the essential meats and dairy products, you must be able to afford some pretty interesting foods to compensate. The truth is far from it, as vegan diets aren’t particularly expensive or difficult to maintain. What you see at restaurants doesn’t reflect the real price of vegan food. You can make just about any vegan meal on a budget, as long as you are adept enough at cooking. A few spices here and there make a real difference, but the core foodstuffs remain cheap.

Conclusion

There are lots of harmful and untrue stereotypes that surround the vegan lifestyle. Debunking them isn’t a matter of making veganism more popular or widespread, it’s just about telling the truth. If someone wants to try out a vegan lifestyle, these stereotypes will only hold them back. It’s important that there are no lies or misconceptions that influence their decision.

You have decided that you want to conceive and intend to plan your actions accordingly. Getting pregnant involves mental, emotional, and physical preparation to ensure the health and safety of the baby. And this pregnancy involves your partner too, as both of you have to be well and ready.

The physical aspect of preparing yourself for conception is a challenge within a challenge. Depending on your current condition, you may have to adapt or modify your behavior to make room for healthy choices.

So what do you expect when you want to expect?

Consult Your Doctor before and during Pregnancy

baby

Mayo Clinic recommends women, along with their partners, trying to conceive to go on a preconception appointment that covers a tall order of critical issues relating to fertility and more:

• Birth control
• Vaccines, especially if you are up-to-date
• Medications or supplements
• Chronic conditions
• Health history (yours and your family’s)
• Age
• Previous pregnancies
• Weight ideal for conception
• Lifestyle

This visit to the doctor sets you up for realistic and deliberate planning for your pregnancy. As you conceive successfully, you have to undergo ultrasound scans to monitor the growth of your baby. The ultrasound transducer typically glides over the abdomen to perform the scan. You can look into what ultrasound transducers that hospitals and clinics use here.

Go Easy on Coffee

A study reveals that there’s little association between coffee intake and fertility or achieving pregnancy. However, the study finds that consuming 300 milligrams of caffeine every day during early pregnancy is tied to a greater risk of spontaneous abortion (SAB). To be on the safe side, limit your coffee intake to less than 200 milligrams a day or a 12-ounce cup, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

What about herbal tea?

It may be generally safe for you to drink tea products while waiting to conceive. Still, consult with your medical practitioner regarding the consumption of such products and their effect on your fertility, if any.

A study notes that consuming more than four cups of green tea a day leads to low serum folate levels during the early stage of pregnancy. Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects such as neural tube defects (NTD), and tea consumption may increase such risk.

Eat Healthy and Right

You may have to lose or gain weight to get pregnant. What’s important is to achieve this ideal weight prior to pregnancy.

Thus, eat a balanced meal by doing these:

• Cut back on junk food, empty calories, and high-sugar foods.
• Include fruits, vegetables, and grains in your meal plan.
• Take vitamins and mineral supplements, including folic acid.

Ask your doctor about specific restrictions or inclusions to your diet.

Move Around

Exercise plays a role in improving fertility and helps you manage or control your weight for pregnancy. According to the Fertility Society of Australia (FSA), obese women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) but exercise regularly can increase their frequency of ovulation. That then leads to regular menstrual cycles and higher chances of conceiving.

Per FSA, do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity that includes brisk walking and dancing every day.

Can you travel during the preconception stage?

Traveling itself can influence the levels of melatonin and cortisol. That, in turn, affects your monthly cycle. The fluctuations in the levels of those hormones can disrupt the window of fertility. You may have to scale back on traveling that can unduly stress you and mess up with your cycle. Instead, bank on sleep and rest.

Abstain from or Quit Drinking, Smoking, and Using Drugs

Medical experts always warn both men and women about consuming cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs and its effects on the unborn baby.

• Alcohol: the substance can interfere with ovulation and may make it difficult for women to get pregnant. Alcohol can also decrease men’s sperm count.
• Smoking: it can damage the eggs and cause miscarriages. Aside from lowering the sperm count on men, cigarettes have been linked to sluggish sperm motility.
• Drugs: they can cause hormonal imbalance that leads to fertility issues. If your partner chronically smokes marijuana, then the sperm count and development of the sperm also take a hit.

Thus, you need to abstain or refrain from taking any such substances leading to and during pregnancy. You must also avoid environmental toxins, such as those from pollutants that can interfere with the baby’s development.

You can refer to this ultimate guide to flush drug toxins out of your body and pass a drug test if you or your partner needs to take one for the workplace. The key takeaway is that you have options to ensure you are clean months or so before you plan to get pregnant.

Follow these tips to physically prepare for conception, and coordinate your efforts with your doctor every step of the way.

Type 2 diabetes rates have risen markedly in recent years among the general population around the world. The rise has been noted particularly—but not exclusively—in Western countries. Several factors, including the ancillary introduction of environmental precipitators, such as BPA, as well as diets that are rich in processed and ultra-processed foods, have been cited by studies as likely contributors to this trend. The rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes is particularly worrisome given the subsequent increase in the likelihood of strokes and heart disease as well as eye damage and kidney disease.

Environmental Health Perspectives recently published the results of a nine-year study that was conducted by Australian and French scientists. The study found a correlation between exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), which is commonly found in many plastics, and the emergence of type 2 diabetes. The research, which was conducted by the Melbourne-based Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, concluded that consumers should be advised to refrain from re-using plastic bottles and take-out containers, which are two of the more commonly used plastics with BPA content, as a way of reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. The study also found a correlation between exposure to BPS, which has been used extensively as a BPA substitute in response to restrictions on BPA usage, and the emergence of type 2 diabetes.

Photo by Jonathan Chng on Unsplash

A second and even more recent study, which was published on December 16, 2019, by Jama Internal Medicine, pointed to a likely correlation between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and type 2 diabetes, citing a 15% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes with every 10% increase in UPF consumption. The study’s results remained statistically significant even following adjustment for metabolic comorbidities, weight change, and other factors among the subjects.

Scientists are overwhelmingly in consensus that one of the keys to remaining healthy in the long term is to adopt a diet that minimizes and optimally excludes all ultra-processed foods altogether. Processed meat and dairy products served at fast-food restaurants, other processed foods that are rich in white sugar, white flour, processed starches, and trans fats, as well as drinks laden with high white sugar contents, have all contributed to the global rise of obesity and heart disease. However, the results of the study, which involved more than 104,000 participants, provided data as to the impact of UPF on type 2 diabetes in particular. They were described by the authors as providing supporting evidence to the argument that UPF consumption should be restricted specifically in order to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Photo by Eiliv-Sonas Aceron on Unsplash

The study is significant considering that ultra-processed food consumption has been on the rise in recent decades in the West, and that trend has since become increasingly prevalent in non-Western countries in more recent years. Whereas some scientists argue that a diet consisting solely of whole foods and that is entirely vegan is the healthiest, others view a broader diet that includes fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products, and lean poultry as more conducive to the ultimate goal, especially given the body’s need for fiber, vitamins, protein, and minerals, some of which can be harder to extract from a purely vegan diet.

Naturally, in order to ensure that a healthier diet is truly efficacious, it needs to be complemented by adopting a healthier lifestyle that includes regular exercise. Several studies indicate that taking natural supplements also contributes to optimizing the impact of dietary change, particularly if that change involves the complete removal and replacement of many components that formerly were staples of the subject’s diet. Natural supplements also have been proven to be effective for other purposes, including anti-inflammatories and even in controlling sugar levels in the blood, which is crucial for averting and dealing with type 2 diabetes.

For example, turmeric has been known for its anti-inflammatory properties by Chinese and Ayurvedic herbalists for more than 4,000 years. This was confirmed through a study by the Journal of Medicinal Food, which found 1,000 milligrams of turmeric daily to be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which is available in supplements that are manufactured by Me First Living. Ayurvedic and Chinese herbalists routinely prescribe turmeric to treat diabetes as well.

A second example is Solgar’s evening primrose oil, which comes in soft gel capsules. The supplement has several gamma-linolenic acids and serves as a common herbal medicine to treat multiple conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and menstrual pains as well as other inflammations. Evening primrose oil is considered to be a good source of fatty acids that may be present in insufficient quantities in a vegan or lean diet.

While the former two can help prevent type 2 diabetes, those who may already have the disease still have use for certain supplements as part of their efforts to combat the condition. CuraLife’s CuraLin contains a blend of natural ingredients, which have also been used by Chinese and Ayurvedic herbalists. The active ingredients in this supplement include Swertia Chirata, which facilitates insulin release, reduces glucose absorption, and improves the intracellular metabolism of glucose. Other ingredients include fenugreek, which improves insulin production, release, and sensitivity, as well as amla, Gymnema Sylvestre, karela, and Tinospora Cordifolia, which are known to contribute to the control of glucose levels in the blood.

The adoption of a lifestyle that includes an overwhelmingly, if not exclusively, a plant-based and healthier diet can greatly help avert the onset of type 2 diabetes and keep it under control after it has presented itself. The revised diet should be complemented by avoiding contact with environmental toxins such as BPA, a regular regimen of exercise, and a discerning selection of natural supplements that can help control sugar levels in the blood and keep them at healthy levels.