6 Mind-Blowing Benefits To Your Body As A Vegetarian
You’ve seen the many PETA images on your Facebook news feed. You’ve watched a few videos where animals were abused. It thugs your heart, shifts you on your seat and yet, here you are. Still toying with the idea of embarking on the more compassionate route of becoming a vegetarian.
“Animal welfare, okay. Benefit the environment, okay. But, what’s in it for me?”
Below are 6 mind-blowing personal benefits of being a vegetarian that hopefully tips the scale, and helps you decide!
Improved Internal Health, Overall.
It’s no secret that factory farmed animals are routinely given hormone injections to unnaturally (and exponentially) speed up growth. Not only is the practice abnormal and creates multiple medical complications for the animal, but do we ever wonder how that cocktail of natural and artificial growth hormones can affect our health?
After all, we are what we eat.
An estimated 80 percent of all US feedlot cattle are injected with hormones. Ingesting that piece of steak can disrupt our hormone balance, cause developmental problems, interfere with our reproductive system, and even lead to the development of breast, prostate and colon cancers!
That’s not the type of risk even the most reckless gambler would take!
Attention, angry men!
Does an increase in testosterone levels really lead to an increase in aggression? Over the years, scientific results has been inconsistent. However, it is widely accepted that the male hormone, testosterone has a facilitative effect on aggression.
After years of being omnivorous, many (male) vegetarians have expressed that they feel less angry and not so easily agitated after making the change to a plant-based diet.
Google: “how to naturally increase my testosterone levels”, and it’s guaranteed that one of the solutions given would be to consume more red meat.
Seems like a simple 1 + 1 = 2 scenario!
A noisy gut is a healthy gut!
Another happy discovery that many vegetarians find is that they develop a better digestive system!
We’ve all had grievances over our irregular bowel movements – either you just can’t go, or you’re going much too often than desired!
Strike seafood and meat out, and you’ll be forced to explore into the fruits and vegetable section on the food pyramid.
Not only will you be shocked by the plethora of options previously undiscovered, but your physical body will continuously reap benefits from your naturally increased fiber intake!
Fiber provides us with the ability to keep foods and waste moving smoothly through our system, avoiding both constipation and diarrhea! A research done in the April 2014 issue of BMC Public Health discovered that every year, Americans could save more than $12 billion – that’s the amount spent on constipation-related therapies!
And a whole lot of extra dough that can be spent on vegan sausages!
Drop a dress size, or 2!
We run to a fast-food restaurant. We over order, over eat and feel overly guilty. We’ve all been there, and have been ashamed about our behaviour – but it just that we can never seem to feel satisfied or full!
What’s the solution? A nutritious plant-based diet!
One of the digestive perks of when you eat foods that are high in fiber is that you feel fuller – and fuller for longer! It’s a no-brainer method for those trying to control or lose weight.
Over time, as we ease into a routine, a bowl of oats drizzled with honey and topped with fresh fruits will look a lot more appealing than a piece of fried chicken!
Improved Complexion
Factory waste, chemical dumping, oil spills, human excrement, animal waste, decomposing entities. Where can we find all that (and more) in one place? You guessed it – the ocean!
Also home to our crustacean, fish and mollusk friends, when we consume seafood we are essentially ingesting all of the above, and more.
For fish alone, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises consumers to remove the skin, fat and internal organs before cooking any fish caught in the wild.
Toxins from the waters of rivers, streams and oceans accumulate in the skin and fat of fish. Although also found in the flesh, they’re not always at levels as concentrated as they are in the skin and fat.
We don’t mean to sound like a broken record, but we are what we eat. Our body physically reflects our diet.
Imagine, no more pesky zits but an au naturale radiant and flawless complexion!
I’m smarter than that.
If you’re wondering whether Albert Einstein was vegetarian? The answer is a resounding YES!
It has been scientifically proven that vegetarians are more intelligent than meat eaters. Don’t believe us? Take a peek at this article that was published by H.E. Tsem Rinpoche back in 2011.
The National Child Development Study (in England) found that those who were vegetarian at age 42 had significantly higher childhood general intelligence than those who were not vegetarian at the same age.
Vegetarians within the test group had a mean childhood IQ of 109.1, whereas meat eaters had the mean childhood IQ of 100.9. A large difference!
So what choice will you make today?
For more interesting lists:
1. 5 Practical Tips For A Spiritual Retreat
2. 6 Signs You Need A Retreat – Pronto!
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Today there are more people turning to be a vegetarian. Vegetarians are usually more conscious about the earth and their overall health. People should consider becoming vegetarian because it has health benefits, reduces animal abuse, and helps reduce the risk of some diseases.
Vegetarian diet has become mostly accepted in many cultures for its limitless benefits. It will be a healthy option if we choose to adopted to be a vegetarian with well balance diet. Of course going green definitely keeps immunity higher.
Thank you for the knowledgeable sharing article, It is important for people around the world to understand the importance of being vegetarian.
Some other amazing benefits of being a vegetarian or following a vegetarian diet:
1. Increases lifespan
Though there are many factors that would attribute to an increased lifetime and adopting a vegetarian diet is one factor you can follow. The more you eat fruits or vegetables, the lesser is the toxin and chemical build up in your body, thus facilitating more healthy years and a longer lifespan.
2. Lower cholesterol levels
Believe or not but there is no health benefit in eating animal fat. As cholesterol comes only from animal foods, vegetarian diets are cholesterol-free. Although cholesterol is an essential component of each human cell, vegetarians do not need to worry about not getting enough cholesterol, because the body can make all the cholesterol it needs from vegan foods. Korean researchers after examining the long-term effects of following a vegetarian diet concluded that body fat and cholesterol levels were lower in vegetarians than omnivores.
3. Less risk of stroke and obesity
The vegetarians tend to be much more conscious in their food choices and usually never overeat or pick foods based on emotions; two practices that greatly contribute to obesity. The University Hospital Ghent Department of Pediatrics in Belgium says adopting a vegan diet is a good way to minimize your chances of having a stroke or being obese.
4. Reduces risk of diabetes
Non-vegetarians usually experience extreme levels of blood sugar, sometimes very high, just after consumption. This can be avoided and a constant flow of blood sugar can be maintained if the nonvegetarians swap over to a vegetarian diet. A healthy vegetarian diet is easy to absorb, is nutritious and contains less fatty acids.
5. Gives healthy skin
If you wish to have healthy skin then you need to eat the right amount of vitamins and minerals with plenty of water. Fruits and vegetables that we eat are very rich in vitamins, minerals and also have sufficient antioxidants. Moreover, as they are water based, if you eat them raw it can further improve the intake of healthy nutrients. Many vegetarian foods also are rich sources of antioxidants that help you stay disease free, with healthier skin.
6. High fiber content
Fruits and Vegetables also contain high fiber content, which is necessary for proper digestion. It helps improve body metabolism and helps in fast elimination of toxins and other chemicals from the body. Vegetarian foods are usually water-based, which helps in maintaining the required liquids in the body.
7. Can reduce depression
According to researches, a vegetarian may be happier than the non-vegetarian counterparts. It was also discovered that a vegan had lower scores on depression tests and mood profiles when compared to meat or fish-eaters. Moreover, there is an element of freshness to most vegetarian foods, especially when it comes to organic produce. So it is bound to cleanse our minds and keep our thoughts positive.
8. Improves metabolism
Vegetarian food is easy to digest and it keeps the metabolism of an individual in a good state. Also, the resting metabolism rate or RMR in people with a vegetarian diet is quite higher. You must know that RMR has a direct relation with the metabolism of an individual – that means the higher the RMR, the more speedily it burns fats and vice-versa.
9. Reduces the risk of cataract development
According to a research conducted by the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oxford, there is a strong relation between the risk of developing cataracts and our diet- with a higher risk falling on nonvegetarians or meat-eaters and the lowest risk of being vegans.
Choose to go on vegetarian ,it’s a healthy and worthy way to live.Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try . I have always been health conscious, I saw sick people with medical problems my whole life and naturally wanted to avoid going down the same path. I try my best to go meatless and have more vege since then. The simple act of becoming a vegetarian will make a difference in the health of our planet. By eating meat we share the responsibility of climate change, the destruction of our forests, and the poisoning of our air and water. We can save many lives by going on vegetarian. Through reasearher has found that those on vegetarian had a better complexion, healthy, better digestive system and many more benefits to our body in long term.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing such a informative article , to create awareness so as more and more people will be on vegetarian or at least meatless.
Stay healthy in more ways than you think by Being Vegetarian!
Factory farmed animals are mass produced and force- fed and injected with hormones so as to meet the insatiable appetite and demand for meat. Before we rush into another fast food joint for a quick tasty meal, let’s pause and give this some thought. When we consume this meat, with all the injected toxins and hormones, we are ingesting all of it with the meat we take. Think of the negative impact this has on our body’s well-being, even to the point of developing cancer in us!
More than that, studies also show that taking meat does lead to people becoming angrier and more aggressive due to an increase in testosterone levels.
Fruit and vegetables also increase our natural fibre intake and leads to a better digestive system , with the reduced likelihood of problems like diarrhea or constipation.
Health aside, there is the prospect of a slimmer you, with a face that is clear of pimples and the like,a more beautiful you!
Last but not least, studies also show that vegetarians are likely to be more intelligent. A famous example of a vegetarian is Albert Einstein!
Wow! Don’t you want to be a healthier, more intelligent and more beautiful person? Be vegetarian then!
Thank you very much Rinpoche for these beneficial information on being a vegetarian. Makes a lot of sense in these research. I have slowly cut down on eating meat and eating more vegetables.My mum is becoming more compromising about this now.
Feeling great to become vegetarian. Which I really agreed with Rinpoche that been a vegetarian will reduce our anger because of the hormone injection to the animals. But I’m surprised that been a vegetarian is a smart person. If thinking deeply is true thou.. animal is also part of living being in our planet earth. We cant kill indirextly and eat them just for us to survive or taste craving.
Hope people will be more aware what will causes them in harm from their daily intake.
_/|\_ Victor Choi
It is really amazing to know that by being a vegetarian you can be smarter. It has been proven that eating meat can cause cancer, besides that veges give us more vitamins, fibres and proteins as compared to meat.
Meat also spreads diseases like Ebola.
I hope that the meat gluttons will realize what harm meat can do to them and stop eating it.
I’m actually quite surprised to read about how being a vegetarian can make someone calmer and not so hot-tempered. The reason I’m shocked is because I do not see a connection between how being a vegetarian can make us become less angrier.
If studies state that it’s real of course no one can deny it, I’m very glad and rejoice the fact that these studies were experimented and have shown results. I hope more people will realise the benefits of being a vegetarian so that less animals will have to suffer.
Eating meat is not good for us. There are many benefits to be a vegetarian, including we will become smarter, avoid having skin problems, and makes us less anger or bad temper.
I am vegetarian since 6 years old and I am very healthy 🙂
Yes Liang Jing, you are very healthy. Thank you for caring about animals and having a diet that is kind to them.
And if anyone says being vegetarian makes someone drowsy and no energy, they should meet you! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Yes Pastor Jean Ai you are right 😉 Elephant is vegetarian and they are very strong and kind.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for another beneficial and interesting article. It’s admirable to how you will always keep posting articles for the betterment of all sentient beings. 🙂
Thank you. _/|\_
Your student,
Keng Hwa.
Thanks for the post! It’s short and nice.
May friends after taking plant-based diet or even have a less meat diet, notice that:
* Their body or feet less smelly
* They are less tired as before
* They feel “lighter” than before
* They have solved their diarrhoea or constipation problem
Thus the benefits mentioned in this article are convincing.
Be a vegetarian, is not only good for one’s health but also for the Earth and our animal friends. Let’s be one, starting today!
Going Vegetarian is the smarter choice.