SOS: Saving Ourselves
A Vegan Health Article from All-Creatures.org

These vegan health articles are presented to assist you in taking a pro-active part in your own health.

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From ARISE (Animal Replacements Innovate Scientific Experimentation)

Cancer. Heart Disease. Though politicians and scientists have declared war on these destroyers of lives for literally decades, and while millions of animals have been lethally experimented upon, Heart Disease and Cancer remain the number one and two leading causes of death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1,200,000 Americans fall victim to these diseases every year.

We have been promised an end to these scourges of humanity, but they have never come. And as long as animals remain the principal source for experimentation, we may never see the end at all.

While promoting and utilizing human-centric scientific research is critical to finding cures, each of us can play a significant role in saving our own lives, through lifestyle change and healthy living.

Beyond eliminating obvious damaging activities such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption, one of the most powerful and effective ways we can prevent disease is by choosing a vegetarian and vegan diet.

“Many studies have shown that vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (which causes heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer.” American Heart Association

Prostate Cancer Study

In June of 2008, the Washington Post reported on a study that showed the effects of a vegan diet for men with prostate cancer.

“New research suggests that stringent dietary changes, getting more exercise and practicing stress reduction can change the expression of hundreds of genes. Some of the changes positively affect genes that help fight cancer, while others help turn off genes that promote cancer development, according to the study, which is in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Previous epidemiological studies have found that the incidence of prostate cancer is significantly lower in areas of the world where people eat a more plant-based, low-fat diet instead of the higher-fat, higher-protein diet often consumed in the United States.

“In September 2005, they reported that after intensive lifestyle changes -- consuming a vegan diet with about 10 percent of calories from fat, walking 30 minutes six times a week, and practicing stress management one hour daily -- men with early prostate cancer lowered their PSA scores [a blood marker for prostate growth] by 4 percent, while men in the control group saw their PSA score rise by 6 percent.” The Washington Post, June 17, 2008

“No men who followed the [vegan] diet and exercise plan had to have additional treatment for prostate cancer, though 6 men in the other group did have to be treated because their cancer appeared to be getting worse.” The American Cancer Society 8/11/2005

Controlling Diabetes with a Vegan Diet

In 2006, researchers from George Washington University School of Medicine released the results of a study that showed “A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes.” Diabetes Care 29:1777-1783, 2006

“This study shows that a low-fat vegan diet and a diet based on ADA nutrition recommendations can help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose levels and lower their chances for heart and blood vessel problems. These improvements were greater with the low-fat vegan diet.” The American Diabetes Association

A separate study by Loma Linda University, also discovered the benefits of a strict vegan diet in relation to diabetes.

“Conclusions— The five unit BMI [body mass index] difference between vegans and non-vegetarians indicates a substantial potential of vegetarianism to protect against obesity. Increased conformity to vegetarian diets protected against risk of type 2 diabetes after lifestyle characteristics and BMI were taken into account. Pesco and semi-vegetarian diets afforded intermediate protection.” Diabetes Care DOI: 10.2337/dc08-1886, April 7, 2009.

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All-Creatures.org Health Position and Disclaimer

We began this archive as a means of assisting our visitors in answering many of their health and diet questions, and in encouraging them to take a pro-active part in their own health. We believe the articles and information contained herein are true, but are not presenting them as advice. We, personally, have found that a whole food vegan diet has helped our own health, and simply wish to share with others the things we have found. Each of us must make our own decisions, for it's our own body. If you have a health problem, see your own physician.