Foods For A Diet: Jun 14, 2013

Roundup Here is The Roundup, Edition 7, bringing you the best from around the web from the past two weeks!

This week, Chris Masterjohn, PhD has written two fantastic articles; the first chronicles his experience with vegetarianism, the second describing the many reasons why nutrient-dense animal foods are essential for mental health. While most new vegetarians experience health benefits when they first make the switch, there are many who develop significant health problems brought on by nutrient deficiencies.

Chris explains in the second article that turning vegetarian led him to develop problems with digestion and lethargy, a mouth full of tooth decay, and a profound aggravation of anxiety disorders he had struggled with in the past. This is a common story among many vegetarians, and one that needs to be shared widely, as there are many people out there who do not realize that going vegetarian isn’t necessarily the best choice they can make for their health.

Chris focuses on the importance of methylation in supporting mental health; a process which relies on adequate levels of certain nutrients such as vitamin B12, sulfur amino acids, and glycine. To get enough of these nutrients in our diets, Chris reminds us that consuming less common animal products such as bones (usually as bone broth), skin, and organs.

This article echoes many of the concerns I brought up in my last article on B12 deficiency. As I explained in this post, B12 deficiency can cause serious neurological consequences such as brain fog, memory problems and cognitive decline, and vegetarians and vegans are significantly more likely to be B12 deficient than omnivores. With the popularity of “health-promoting” plant-based diets in the media, it’s crucial to continue sharing this information with friends and family who may be considering or have already chosen a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Several studies suggest that long-term use of synthetic antioxidant vitamins may be harmful.A study suggests liposomal glutathione may be up to 100 times better absorbed than non-liposomal forms. (I’ll discuss this more soon.)An analysis of data from the NHANES III cohort found no association between intake of red meat (processed or fresh) and mortality.A new analysis of early human teeth from extinct fossils has found that they expanded their diets about 3.5 million years ago to include grasses and possibly animals.The New York Times describes technology’s potential for making us less, rather than more, connected in the ways that truly matter.The Atlantic explains how the microbial community in the ground is as important as the one in our guts.The Healthy Home Economist shares how the greatest danger from heterocyclic amines (HCAs) is not from grilled or barbecued meat, but from processed and packaged protein foods including veggie burgers and other “approxi-meats.”Esther Gokhale teaches techniques for maintaining better posture, which can help soothe back pain. (Gokhale will be at AHS this year.)Tagged as: b12, deficiency, nutrition, the Roundup, vegan, vegetarian