It's a common knowledge that most people don't eat right. The average diet contains too much saturated fat and simple carbohydrates, elements that can lead to heart disease, obesity and other serious conditions. A vegetarian diet can be so beneficial.
Vegetarians come in three main types. The lacto vegetarian eats no meat, but does eat diary in addition to fruits and veggies. The lacto-ovo vegetarians eat fruits, veggies, dairy, and eggs. The fruitarians eat only fruits, nuts, and seeds. A vegan's diet will not include any meat, eggs, or dairy.
The only negative aspect of the vegetarian lifestyle is the high probability of vitamin deficiency. Depending on the type of vegetarian diet followed, an individual may not obtain the proper nutrients their body needs to function properly. One such vitamin is B12, which is absent in most vegetarians' diets. Vitamin B12 is needed for red blood cell development and by the central nervous system, and it can be found in meat, dairy, eggs, and poultry. Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include dementia, fatigue, hallucinations, balance problems, and vision disturbances.
Those vegetarians who have been at it for most of their life are at a greater risk of this vitamin deficiency. Since B-12 can be reabsorbed, people who become a vegetarian later in life will typically do not display any symptoms of deficiency for as many as five years. It is a good idea to prevent deficiency from occurring because it is relatively difficult to reverse the effects of vitamin B-12 deficiency.
A person's homocysteine levels can increase if he is deficient in vitamin B12. Homocysteine is an antioxidant in our body, but it can be toxic when there's too much of it. This is an important issue because as many as 20% of the people diagnosed with heart disease have elevated levels of homocysteine in their blood.
You should take 10 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily. If you're a vegetarian, it's best if you get checked for this vitamin deficiency regularly. If your doctor detects that you have a B-12 deficiency, they will provide additional information about the amount of B-12 you should take.
Vegetarians come in three main types. The lacto vegetarian eats no meat, but does eat diary in addition to fruits and veggies. The lacto-ovo vegetarians eat fruits, veggies, dairy, and eggs. The fruitarians eat only fruits, nuts, and seeds. A vegan's diet will not include any meat, eggs, or dairy.
The only negative aspect of the vegetarian lifestyle is the high probability of vitamin deficiency. Depending on the type of vegetarian diet followed, an individual may not obtain the proper nutrients their body needs to function properly. One such vitamin is B12, which is absent in most vegetarians' diets. Vitamin B12 is needed for red blood cell development and by the central nervous system, and it can be found in meat, dairy, eggs, and poultry. Vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms include dementia, fatigue, hallucinations, balance problems, and vision disturbances.
Those vegetarians who have been at it for most of their life are at a greater risk of this vitamin deficiency. Since B-12 can be reabsorbed, people who become a vegetarian later in life will typically do not display any symptoms of deficiency for as many as five years. It is a good idea to prevent deficiency from occurring because it is relatively difficult to reverse the effects of vitamin B-12 deficiency.
A person's homocysteine levels can increase if he is deficient in vitamin B12. Homocysteine is an antioxidant in our body, but it can be toxic when there's too much of it. This is an important issue because as many as 20% of the people diagnosed with heart disease have elevated levels of homocysteine in their blood.
You should take 10 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily. If you're a vegetarian, it's best if you get checked for this vitamin deficiency regularly. If your doctor detects that you have a B-12 deficiency, they will provide additional information about the amount of B-12 you should take.
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