Vegetarianism and veganism. Facts and myths. Missing taurine
Nowadays, being an esotericist means being mainly a vegetarian. With this popular lifestyle, one should not forget the risks. This article contains useful advice for vegetarians on how to avoid risks.
Old Slavs vs. Esotericists
Although the esoteric community likes to admire Slavs, Slavs were not vegetarians and they also ate meat. These are scientific facts. And they did well.
Taurine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine
Vegetarians/vegans suffer from a lack of taurine. Although a vegetarian diet provides essential amino acids, meaning that the body can produce all types of proteins even with a vegetarian diet, it does not produce them in sufficient quantities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_amino_acid
The solution for vegetarians is to take taurine through nutritional supplements.
Taurine makes up to 0.1% of the weight of the entire body.
It significantly lowers blood pressure and is an antioxidant (i.e. it has preventive effects against cancer).
From a neurological point of view, taurine prevents excitotoxicity, and excitotoxicity is the main cause of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. (For example, memantine, which prevents excitotoxicity, is indicated for Alzheimer's disease).
Taurine has a similar effect to benzodiazepine sedatives. Taurine and benzodiazepines have in common that they are agonists on inhibitory receptors. While benzodiazepines increase the absorption capacity of GABA receptors, taurine acts on glycine receptors. The effect of taurine is similar to that of benzodiazepines, but taurine does not have the disadvantages of benzodiazepines as it is a natural substance. Benzodiazepines are indicated for anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, and epilepsy.
Vegetarians must therefore face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and an increased risk of cancer, as well as an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, depression and anxiety disorders.
Vegetarian taurine compromise: eggs: eggs have a high content of amino acids from which taurine is synthesized.
Soy vs. breast cancer in women and gynecomastia in men
Vegetarians are forced to eat a lot of soy. Soy has a high content of phytoestrogens (plant estrogens). The strongest and most significant factor for breast cancer is estrogen. Although research based on statistics is controversial, an increased risk of breast cancer must be taken into account. In men, a high intake of phytoestrogens can manifest as gynecomastia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gynecomastia
In this case, however, the solution is quite simple: an increased level of estrogen suppresses the effect and production of testosterone, and conversely, an increased level of testosterone displaces estrogen.
Several nutritional supplements are available in fitness bodybuilding stores to increase testosterone production, and they are suitable for both men and women.
Testosterone and breast cancer prevention https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26160683
A tragic case of a vitarian (fruitarian) diet: a true story
Not every popular esoteric lifestyle is really good. I heard about a teacher at an unnamed high school who practiced the strictest and most fanatical vegetarian diet, vitarianism. She had very wrinkled skin on her face and was as thin as a rake – as if she were from a concentration camp. She also managed to convince 3 other colleagues – teachers – to adopt her lifestyle. They were just as thin as she was. In the end, however, our vitarian "heroine" ended up very badly – she collapsed and had to be hospitalized.
Myths about animal fats and cholesterol
The theory that saturated (animal) fats are harmful is an outdated myth that originated in 1950, and even today the medical community has not completely gotten rid of this myth. http://tv.hnonline.sk/53ab47f5-ec95-4aa1-ad8a-821a32c8c156/vegani-vs-masozravci-odbornik-na-rovinu-hovori-co-potrebujete-vediet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturated_fat
Decades ago, in order to do business, manufacturers of margarine (artificial vegetable fats) bribed scientists to declare animal fats harmful. I have also heard of such a theory.
Furthermore, few people realize the very origin of margarine: the reason for its production was the difficult post-war times when there was a shortage of vegetable fats. So, no glory.
As for saturated fats, the truth is not black and white, too much of anything is harmful, and obesity is bad.
The issue of cholesterol is also closely related to saturated fats. The truth about cholesterol is not black and white, and outdated myths about the harmfulness of cholesterol have already been refuted https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterol . Humans inevitably need cholesterol to function. A human body without cholesterol can even border on life-threatening conditions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith%E2%80%93Lemli%E2%80%93Opitz_syndrome
Important steroid hormones (estrogen, testosterone) are synthesized from cholesterol, which are also essential for human functioning. In men, testosterone deficiency can manifest as sexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and gynecomastia (an aesthetic defect – breast growth/enlargement in men).
http://www.mgmmedical.sk/odstranenie-prsnych-zliaz-u-muzov-gynekomastia?PHPSESSID=a2a639d96edcf1bf62e4e9c02fac8a1e
In women, estrogen deficiency manifests as hypertension (since estrogen is an adenosine reuptake inhibitor, an agonist for adenosine receptors, it very effectively lowers blood pressure), which results in an increased risk of heart attack and depression (since estrogen also has the same effects as SSRI antidepressants) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307822/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenosine_reuptake_inhibitor
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/030636238590151X?via%3Dihub
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homocysteine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homocysteine