Vegetarianism and health

[Lillia]

I don't think there is one diet out there that is suitable for everyone. I believe you have to figure out what works best for you. We aren't against it but rarely eat red meat...we do eat fish and chicken alot. I know if I don't get enough protein I feel lethargic. Not enough milk and cheese and I get achey. I do think fresh fruits and veggies are very beneficial to all.

[LisaB]

I turned vegetarian when I was 9 but started eating fish when I was 15.

I wasn't a very healthy veggie, but it was my own fault, I was really young and although ate a lot of fruit and veg I'm so fussy I mostly lived off cups of tea
I was really struggling for meals, so eating fish allows me a lot more meal ideas.

I often contemplate, now I'm older, going back to being vegetarian instead of piscatarian.

[saint-spoon]

I don’t see that there is any problem with anyone deciding on a vegetarian diet so long as they have no underlying health issues, there are after all many cultures that are vegetarian for religious or spiritual reasons. I think that key is to make sure that your diet is balanced and that you have a wide range of different foods. I did read a while back that the west has a relatively limited range of foods that we eat in comparison to many Asian countries; we are limited to about 60 or 70 different foods whereas the average Japanese person may regularly eat 170 different foods. There is a theory that having a wide range of foods can be beneficial to health as you are taking in many variations of the main food groups and as such these will affect your body. It is well documented that meat will take on a different flavour if the animal is fed on herbs in a meadow rather than bags of animal feed, maybe a wide range of foods can be beneficial by changing how your body is made up.

[Bashney]

As long as you eat lots of pulses and wholegrains,nuts and dairy then the overall diet will be very healthy.
I've never had a weight problem ran a half marathon last year also rarely get I'll.
I don't eat meat for ethical reasons and it's better for the environment not too.

[saint-spoon]

I don't eat meat for ethical reasons and it's better for the environment not too.

It depends on what you are eating, I would argue that eating a line caught Pollock a couple of miles away from where it was caught is better than eating lentils grown and shipped in from the other side of the world. Is lamb raised on English moor land less ethical than soya grown on slash and burnt rain forest field?