Gluten Free Diet

Kristi Answered:
Vegetarian and Vegan diets are ridiculous. Humans were meant to eat meat, Does that mean eat a steak for breakfast lunch and dinner? no, but you can eat it smartly. You need that protein. Especially if your a woman and ever plan on becoming pregnant, that diet can be dangerous. We are omnivores. don’t overdo red meat, but don’t go without either!! Just take care of your body

CalicoSky Answered:
I was vegan for 13 years, though I never went completely gluten free. Reducing gluten is a good idea, since we get far too much gluten (and CORN) in our modern foods. 

Pros of the vegan diet:
It’s a great short-term cleansing diet unless you eat lots of prepared “vegan” foods.

Cons:
You don’t get nearly enough saturated fat, which is the building block of cell walls
You don’t get enough cholesterol, which is a defense and repair mechanism
Agriculture is a bigger threat to the environment (what with water usage, pesticides, herbicides,etc.) than sustainable local meats that are cleanly raised and cleanly butchered. Most of these chemicals are tested on animals, as are GMOs, etc.
Meat eaters had lower triglycerides and less cirrhosis of the liver.
There are no vegan foods that contain absorbable B12.
Vegans tend to eat high amounts of soy, which can cause estrogen problems.
To make processed vegetarian foods taste delicious, manufacturers load them up with MSG and artificial flavors that imitate the taste of meat. If you are cooking from scratch, it is difficult to satisfy all the taste buds with dishes lacking animal foods. The umami taste is designed to be satisfied with animal foods.
Some vitamins are fat-soluble, and it’s difficult to absorb them on a vegan diet.

Here’s a brief thought:
Cows are slaughtered not only to put steak on the table, but to obtain components used in soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, plastics, pharmaceuticals, waxes (as in candles and crayons), modern building materials and hydraulic brake fluid for airplanes. The membrane that vibrates in your telephone contains beef gelatin. So to avoid hypocrisy, vegetarians need to also refrain from using anything made of plastic, talking on the telephone, flying in airplanes, letting their kids use crayons, and living or working in modern buildings.

When I was vegan, I was not a “potato chip vegan”. I did it right, exactly the way all the books told me. I was still ill very often, got awful stomach aches, lethargic, had crazy weight fluctuations, and got very hazy mentally. I am still recovering from it. I am also infertile.

Do what you think is best for you, but as a person with lots of personal experience, I would advise against it.

Daisy Answered:
No vegan diet is a healthy diet. It’s simply not a complete diet. 

Who says so? Jack Norris, a vegan registered dietitian, recommends every vegan supplement (take pills or shots) their diet for B2, B6, B12, iodine, Vitamin D, calcium, zinc and take a DHA supplement daily. Now how can you claim a diet is healthy that requires that kind of supplementation?

Another VEGAN registered dietitian, Ginny Messina, says: “Vegans do need supplements or fortified foods, and admitting that a vegan diet is not automatically pure perfection is way better than getting sick.”

http://www.theveganrd.com/2010/11/recomm

Personally, I think everyone should eat what keeps them happy and healthy, but to claim the vegan diet is healthy is just incorrect. And that’s based on what the Vegan Society, the Vegetarian Resources Group (VRG), VeganHealth, and theVeganRD all say. Supplement, supplement, supplement.

gem Answered:
I eat vegan and mostly gluten free, though not completely. Its very easy at home, but nearly impossible to find anything at a restaurant. Most dishes have meat or fish, the ones that don’t have dairy or wheat. You will really only be able to eat salads if you go out to eat. However, I think that’s the only con (well, maybe also fighting cravings – I’m a major bread addict). It sounds like you already know of the health benefits so I won’t get into them, but I like eating this way because I know that I am using my diet efficiently to provide my body with the fuel it needs to be strong and fight illness, not just eating things because they taste good or are convenient. As an added bonus, you won’t be contributing to the torture and suffering of defenseless creatures. Just be sure to eat loads of fresh fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains and add green smoothies to your daily menu.