‘Changing to a vegetarian diet has made me look younger – but benefits go beyond that’

World Vegetarian Day, celebrated on October 1, aims to shed light on the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. One woman who switched her diet can attest to the positive impact of embracing a veggie lifestyle, as it helped her “bounce back” to good health.

The NHS advises consuming five portions of fruits and vegetables daily, citing them as “a good source of vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamin C and potassium”. They are also hailed as “an excellent source of dietary fibre, which can help to maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation, as well as other digestion problems.

Also a “diet high in fibre can also reduce your risk of bowel cancer”. But are the benefits worth ditching meat for? For Tamika Smith, they certainly were, as she is convinced that eliminating meat from her diet has improved her overall wellbeing, despite her health conditions, and she attributes her youthful looks to her vegetarian lifestyle.

Tamika, diagnosed with Endometriosis, Lupus, and Fibromyalgia, experienced years of “strange symptoms like sudden weakness, faintness, leg pain, and nerve pain”. However, since she adopted a meat-free diet “over a decade” ago, she believes this lifestyle change is responsible for her recovery from these “unexplained flare-ups”.

“My doctor even recommended I continue with what I was doing because it seemed to work,” she revealed. Tamika further explained: “I focus on understanding my body through research and journaling, and I’ve learned that my body thrives on seeded fruits and vegetables.

“My current healthcare team fully supports my decision, and my care plan is centred around nutrition and superfoods that exclude meat. Even when I was hospitalised in 2021, the dietician made sure I had meals that adhered to my meat-free lifestyle.

“For me, being healthy looks different from the standard definition. With multiple chronic illnesses, sticking to this plan helps me manage flare-ups and maintain my overall well-being.

“When I’m experiencing a flare, I juice fruits and vegetables to reboot my body. This lifestyle has given me clearer skin, reduced inflammation, and a youthful appearance as I approach my 40th birthday in the next few months.”

But what are the benefits of turning your back on meat? For many, meat makes up a large part of their diet, so to go veggie can feel like a struggle. Dr Nabeel Arshad, of The Brooke Surgery in Greater Manchester, said: “A vegetarian diet can have huge health benefits and giving up meat is something many people are considering, whether it’s in the short term or the long term.

“When taking meat out of the diet, it’s important to ensure what we’re eating still has a balance of food groups so our bodies get what they need.

“This includes fruit and vegetables, which are packed full of vitamins, minerals and nutrients such as folate, potassium, vitamin C etc. Fruit and vegetables also have a great source of fibre and water, so you’re getting essential vitamins for the body and also the right support for organs such as your bowels to help them move and keep your body healthy.

“The benefits of having a meat-free diet can include better digestion, as choosing foods that are more rich in fibre can help the bowels to move and aid the digestion system. Bowel movements are a healthy process of the body, and regular movements can help reduce the risk of bowel cancer amongst other conditions.

“If you’re not having fruit and veg and having a balanced diet, your risk of heart disease can be greater as well as strokes and some types of cancers. Plant-based diets and those without meat, can also lower cholesterol levels because animal products typically contain saturated fats that can raise blood cholesterol.

“Those with high cholesterol typically see the benefits of removing red meat from their diet and it can help in lowering these levels, and promote good heart health as well as reducing the risk of heart disease, heart damage, and coronary artery disease.”

Would you consider a meat-free diet? Let us know in the comments…

Source: bing.com