| Most people make the decision to become a | | | | benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, |
| vegetarian because of health and wellness reasons. | | | | cholesterol and animal protein as well as higher levels |
| But most Hindu and Buddhists are strict vegetarians | | | | of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate |
| and others practice vegetarian eating habits because | | | | and antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E. |
| they are animal activists and abhor the treatment of | | | | Becoming a vegetarian also gives you an easier time |
| animals during the slaughter process. | | | | maintaining an appropriate weight. Some criticisms |
| Becoming a vegetarian has gained widespread | | | | include the difficulty that some people have getting all |
| acceptance in the past 5 years as research is | | | | of their essential nutrients. However, eating a normal |
| showing that eating a vegetarian diet will lower a | | | | variety of whole grains, beans, nuts, and vegetables |
| persons risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, | | | | will OFTEN give vegetarians adequate amounts of |
| diabetes and cancer. | | | | the essential nutrients. |
| There is more than one way to become a | | | | After becoming a vegetarian many people report |
| vegetarian. You should know yourself enough to | | | | "feeling better" and having more energy with the diet |
| know if going cold turkey or moving into a vegetarian | | | | change. Your daily dietary intake should include |
| lifestyle slowly will be more successful. Becoming a | | | | vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains. |
| vegetarian slowly means beginning by excluding meat | | | | Becoming a vegetarian is a choice. Everyday you |
| and fish. Some people find that excluding one type of | | | | chose your diet, exercise, stress levels and work |
| meat a month makes the transition easier. | | | | patterns. Sometimes we think they are chosen for |
| Recent research has shown that vegetarians live | | | | us but it's just not the case. We choose. Becoming a |
| longer and healthier lives. The American Dietetic | | | | vegetarian is a continuum effect. It's never that you |
| Association (ADA) on their website states that | | | | are or you aren't but rather how much of a |
| vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional | | | | vegetarian are you? |