Note: I am rude. I don’t care. I don’t make a penny off my work so it’s full of bad language and spelling. If you find anything I write offensive, blow me. If you find anything I write to be incorrect – tell me! I am always open to new ideas and research. ALWAYS! I also hate corruption so if I link to a study or research group that has ties to big industry, let’s rip it apart together and find the truth.

——–

I took apart this article to show why I as an ultra-liberal just do not find any benefit in being vegetarian or vegan. I like to eat as close the earth and the metal as possible. That means only the most basic means are necessary. I try to eat only things that are grown or killed, and whose preparation can be nothing more than a hot piece of metal over an open flame. No processed foods or additives or HFC or MSG or any other TLA [three letter acronym]. I thought this article about the “myths” of vegan diets absolutely hilarious.
Most vegans are vegan for health and political reasons. In theory, it’s a nice idea. In reality, nothing will ever change. Vegans for years have tried to tell us all that their lifestyle is healthy.

It’s not.

My insights are marked B:

Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-5670-Seattle-Vegan-Examiner~y2009m6d3-Myths-and-truths-about-vegan-diet#fragment-6

Myth: Vegans are at risk for iron deficiency.

Truth: Actually, vegans are less likely to get iron deficiency than lacto-ovo vegetarians. Vegans consume more iron and tend to replace milk (which contains no iron and also inhibits iron absorption) with iron-rich foods. Iron from plant foods is absorbed at a lower rate than from meat, but iron deficiency anemia is no more common among vegans than any other group.

B: This true. According to many sources [I will actually list some of mine!] casein protein in milk acts as an iron-uptake inhibitor.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3741/is_7_52/ai_n6106301/

The best source of iron is found in green leafy vegetables like broccoli and spinach.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinach#Iron

That’s not so bad! Let’s keep moving.

Myth: Vegan diets are okay for adults, but not for children.

Truth: Studies show that vegan kids sometimes fall short on a few nutrients compared to omnivore children, but that they have better intakes of other nutrients. All types of diets for children require careful planning. Vegan diets can provide adequate nutrition for children at all stages.

B: I found this BBC article from 2005 that dealt with children and vegan diets.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/4283585.stm

So I looked up this Lindsay Allen. Her resume is pretty damn impressive.

http://www.iuns.org/council_photo_bio/allen.htm

“She is an expert on the prevalence, causes and consequences of micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries and has conducted numerous interventions to assess the efficacy of micronutrient supplements and food-based approaches to improve nutritional status, pregnancy outcome and child development, resulting in about 150 publications.”

Sorry, crazy vegans. She wins. I looked at her publications here:

https://www.researchgate.net/author/Lindsay+H+Allen

and checked out a few of the board members at the AJCN and didn’t detect a hint of corruption.

Also, since we know for a fact that vegan diets are not healthy, that forcing a child on a vegan diet goes against nature. Furthermore, since most vegans I know are doing it for political reasons as well, forcing that same pressure on a child who doesn’t understand the motives doesn’t make any sense. That’s called indoctrination and is supposed to be something the “liberals” are against.

You are just depriving a child of hard-wired nutritional requirements that he would normally get plenty of if he was eating a “normal” omnivore diet. You are wrong, vegans.

Myth: Dairy foods cause osteoporosis because they are high in protein, so vegans—who don’t drink milk—have lower calcium needs than omnivores.

Truth: Two myths in one! Unfortunately, there isn’t a shred of evidence that dairy foods cause osteoporosis. And the idea that vegans need less calcium than omnivores because of differing protein intakes is debatable. The research on this one is all over the place, with lots of conflicting studies. For now, it’s wise and responsible for vegans to meet standard recommendations for calcium.

Myth: Since vegans don’t drink milk, they can’t get enough calcium without supplements.

Truth: There are a number of plant foods that are good sources of well-absorbed calcium. While vegans can get adequate calcium from natural sources, most don’t meet calcium needs without using fortified foods or supplements. And guess what? Neither do most omnivores.

B: I put these two together because it’s just fuckin’ face-palm season in omnivore land.
Seriously, this is why shit like vegan nonsense gets spread around. Not only is she wrong here – she’s DEAD wrong. I cannot find anything even remotely relating to any study that says a high protein/dairy diet CAUSES osteoporosis. I don’t even think the author knows what osteoporosis is!

http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/default.asp

“Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased risk of fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist.”

Oh but this gets better. What makes up “bone” you ask?

“Bone is living, growing tissue. It is made mostly of collagen, a protein that provides a soft framework, and calcium phosphate, a mineral that adds strength and hardens the framework.”

So what do the experts recommend to battle osteoporosis? Why… dairy!!!!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373952?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=4&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed

But I digress. So we know that calcium is essential. What else?

http://www.naturalnews.com/010528.html

E.x.e.r.c.i.s.e.

Where do vegans get calcium? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_in_biology#Food_sources

Let us look at the top 5 sources for calcium per 100g:
Parmesan cheese – 1140mg
Sesame seeds – 989mg
Milk powder – 909mg
Molasses – 273mg
Hazelnuts – 250mg

I went onto iherb.com and found their normal bag of sesame seeds. 16oz is 454g. That is a little less than a quarter of the bag.

http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Sesame-Seeds-Hulled-16-oz-454-g/15179?at=0

Now let us compare against something as fantastic as milk, shall we? I will of course compare against my favorite, whole milk.

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/69/2

In a serving of ONE CUP of milk (244g) there is 276mg of calcium. I think you will quickly see that vegan diets blow at getting adequate amounts of calcium without going far out of your way.

What does that mean for vegans? Making up for it in unnatural ways, of course! Normal healthy people? Nothing. I have never heard anything that would suggest that normal American’s are lacking in calcium. In fact, most obese people do not have to worry about osteoporosis because their usually excessive dairy intake and carrying around an extra 200lbs means their skeletal systems are pretty damn strong.

Vegans need to learn to list sources or shut up.

Myth: Organically-grown plants provide vitamin B12.

Truth: There is no evidence that plants grown in organic soil can provide adequate B12 for vegans. Vegans need to include fortified foods or B12 supplements in their diet. There is absolutely no debate among this among responsible vegan nutritionists.

B: No shit, Sherlock.

Myth: Vegans need to consume combinations of plant foods to meet protein needs.

Truth: This myth is definitely a golden oldie. It’s been around since at least the early 1970s—and even though it was refuted in the 1990s, most of the world hasn’t caught up. Sadly, this includes many health professionals and journalists. Here is what the American Dietetic Association along with all vegan nutrition experts say: When vegans get adequate calories and eat a variety of whole foods throughout the day, they get plenty of protein. Protein is not an issue for vegans.

B: There have been a bunch of studies that say eating too much red meat will kill you, too. Let us examine these protein sources.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7959128.stm

But what 500,000 Americans did wrong was be fat and lazy. Cancer and heart problems are what we call, “diseases of affluence.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseases_of_affluence

Most people say red meat is bad for you because it is high in saturated fat which raises your LDL levels.

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-red-meat

Which just is not true…..

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/is-meat-good-or-bad-for-us-425192.html

This is all white noise that statistician will spin whatever way they want their numbers to look like. Our cavemen forefathers ONLY ate meat – the BONE MARROW to boot. MM…delicious!

A Harvard university study actually says we should eat MORE saturated fats to lower LDL levels! Dubbed the “American Paradox” –

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WJS-4PB160B-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=e272e42ee8e7c5904f7e07efb23b1aca

http://books.google.com/books?id=zB1243xWpwgC&printsec=frontcover

Encarta for a little reading on human evolution, just to refresh your memories:

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761566394_12/human_evolution.html

More so, the evidence is pouring in. Repeat after me: FATS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM!

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/80/5/1102

http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Health/Digest/dcd76-2Page3.htm

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100231525

and my favorite, Men’s Health:

http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=nutrition&category=food.for.fitness&conitem=b675909829731110VgnVCM10000013281eac____

“The research is clear: Carbohydrates, not fats, are the foe in America’s battle against heart disease and obesity
By: Adam Campbell & Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D.”

So again this is a case of misinformation being rampantly spread around that are actually just knee-jerk reactions.

So where do vegans get protein from? Soy?

http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/ TOXIC SOY???

No thanks. Pass the steak.

Myth: Vegan diets cause eating disorders in teen girls.

Truth: Some teen girls who already have eating disorders choose vegan or vegetarian diet as a way to control intake. A vegan diet will not cause an eating disorder and is not a sign of an eating disorder.

B: That is some tall circumstantial evidence. To many and especially other modern foragers like me, eating vegan is an eating disorder.

Who’s to say vegan is the answer? Correlation does not equal causation. Maybe if girls were not bombarded by impossible body images by mass media and force fed school lunches things would be different. Let’s attack the whole system and not just put a piece of duct tape on the broken water main.

The whole system is broken. The science backs it up. Evolution is real and our genetics have painted us a beautiful manual on how we should be living. When your new iPod says plug it into a USB port, you plug it into a USB port. We are developing better reading glasses every single day, and the human instruction manual is becoming more and more clear as time goes on. And vegetarian/vegans are just fooling themselves.

Let us continue.

Myth: Vegan diets are fattening because they are so high in carbohydrates.

Truth: Some vegans are fat and some are skinny. As a group, though, vegans tend to be slimmer than meat eaters. Whole plant foods are high in good carbs and rich in fiber and are good choices for weight control.

B: Proof?

As a group, athletes are the healthiest out of all humans on the planet.

I thought it would be interesting so I did a Google on famous vegan athletes. According to wiki, that number is ……………. TEN!

Yeah, really. Ten? Vegans need to wake up.

But I took it a step farther. Being an MMA fighter, of course I was interested in Mac Danzig. So I dug around. Since 2007 to 2009 – he has lost 4 and won 2. Way to be competitive, champ. On top of that, according to this article:

http://www.themmadigest.com/2007/08/lean-mean-and-green%E2%80%A6vegan-fighter-mac-danzig-packs-a-punch/

He likes to eat this shit – http://www.ultimatelife.com/home.htm

Sorry vegans, but the ultimate meal does not come in a tin can or a pill or a supplement or anything like that. It comes after hard work. It comes after a brutal day when you drag your freshly killed carcass back home to cook over an open fire.

Myth: You will automatically lose weight on a vegan diet because it’s so low in fat.

Truth: Most vegan diets are not low in fat. Eating a low fat diet does not guarantee weight loss and eating a vegan diet does not guarantee weight loss. A vegan diet is a healthful way to lose weight, but you still have to use up more calories than you consume.

B: As I have already established before, carbohydrates will do more to wreck your system and make you fat than fats ever will. Insulin sensitivity? Further required reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin_resistance

Symptoms of IR
1. Fatigue.
2. Brain fogginess and inability to focus. Sometimes the fatigue is physical, but often it is mental.
3. High blood sugar.
4. Intestinal bloating. Most intestinal gas is produced from carbohydrates in the diet. Insulin resistance sufferers who eat carbohydrates sometimes suffer from gas.
5. Sleepiness. Many people with insulin resistance get sleepy immediately after eating a meal containing more than 20% or 30% carbohydrates.
6. Weight gain, fat storage, difficulty losing weight. For most people, too much weight is too much fat. The fat in IR is generally stored in and around abdominal organs in both males and females. It is currently suspected that hormonal effects from such fat are a precipitating cause of insulin resistance.
7. Increased blood triglyceride levels.
8. Increased blood pressure. Many people with hypertension are either diabetic or pre-diabetic and have elevated insulin levels due to insulin resistance. One of insulin’s effects is on arterial walls throughout the body.
9. Depression. Because of the deranged metabolism resulting from insulin resistance, psychological effects are not uncommon. Depression is said to be the prevalent psychological symptom.

“[…] there are some grounds for suspecting that insulin resistance is related to a high-carbohydrate diet.”

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Myth: Our ancestors ate meat, so vegan diets aren’t natural.

Truth: Our ancestors gnawed raw meat off the bones of animals and scavenged for wild greens. Today’s omnivore diet is completely “unnatural,” because it includes foods like grains and dairy that played no part in the meals of early humans. Vegan diets support health and eliminate animal cruelty. That sounds better than “natural!”

B: this one cracks me up the most.

Speak for yourself, Mrs. Expert. My diet has not one lick of grains or gluten. I dig dairy because it is not far from the Paleolithic bandwagon and because I find it to be an excellent source of nutrients that I need right now. We are all born into the world drinking milk and from efficiency point of view, maximizing your survivability in the modern world is a very Darwinian mindset I like to maintain which manifests itself throughout my lifestyle.
But I don’t even really say that I am a paleo-dieter, I just follow it as a guideline, and nothing more.

I refuse to let my gut lose the ability to digest lactose sugars, which is what it is all about, in my opinion. We have the ability to process lactose when we are babies, which means we are meant to consume it in youth. We live in a modern universe and while it is unnatural to continue to consume dairy, it’s also unnatural to wear cotton shirts, watch television, twitter, and just about anything else in our 21st century lifestyles. It’s hypocritical to pick and choose what you preach about while embracing the other half.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerance#Nutritional_concerns

http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/everyvegan/

http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/natural

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/b12.htm

I do not, nor will I ever, endorse a vegan diet. It is not healthy. It is not the way we are programmed to operate. I also do not endorse humans to continue to eat the way we do. Things need to change, for sure, and perhaps the solution is far away from anything we can accomplish in a single life time.

Our food culture is broken. Our farmers are fucked. Our techniques for growing are both environmentally and in regards to human wellbeing FUBARed. We know the answer but we are not equipped to handle it.

But you don’t need even an acre to grow your own sustenance.

Start your own farm. Hunt your own meat. Fish your damn self. Grow your own fruits and vegetables. It’s natural. It’s easy. And there will be no big industry spraying DDT on your own crops. Remove yourself from the grid by doing it yourself. Take the initiative.

Don’t have the resources? Sorry, that’s your problem. Buy local. Eat free-range chicken and grass-fed steak and organic grown fruits and vegetables. Get active. Get involved! Get off your carbo-loaded ass!

You don’t have to preach some fanciful methodology and get up on your high horse because you’re more “eco” than me. I don’t care about you. I don’t care what you do. But more importantly I don’t want to hear your bullshit. It is not true. Get over it, vegan nut jobs.

When you are free of all pre-established methodologies and simply live the best you can do, you feel no guilt when you take a shortcut. You don’t have to make everyone else stir in their seat because “that guy” thinks it’s cruel to farm shrimp and the rest of you are about to tear into some nice seafood kabob.

And for the love of Darwin read this: http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-1a.shtml [linked from the pro-vegan page above]