Staying healthy with healthy eating

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[university Daily Kansan]Vegetarianism isn't just a trend. There are a variety of reasonsbehind becoming a vegetarian, ranging from religion to health concernsto animal cruelty concerns.Whatever the reason, though, nutritionists say people should be sureto research dietary choices to prepare their bodies for theswitch.Registered dietician Dina Aronson says people consideringbecoming vegetarian should first consult a dietitian who specializesin vegetarian diets.Just as the reasons behind vegetarianism are varied, so are theunderstandings of diet. Brena Bessa, Manaus, Brazil junior, says shewent to a dietitian when she decided to become a vegan. She hadstopped eating meat at age 10, but wanted to be informed before goingvegan.Bessa says she learned the limitations of her diet and how to be sureshe was staying healthy. Today she takes a daily vitamin to be sureshe gets the nutrients she needs,

regardless of whether they are inmeat....Vegetarians tend to eat less grease and fat and usually consume morenutrients that can help the body. Aronson says vegetarians tend tofollow well-planned diets with fewer nutritional pitfalls than thosewho regularly eat meat."Scientific studies show that vegetarians, compared tonon-vegetarians, tend to have lower body weights and lower risk ofdiseases such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and kidney disease,and certain types of cancer," Aronson says.Aronson also says that non-vegetarians can have healthier diets thanvegetarians simply because they do eat meat. She says that keepingyour consumption to a healthy level and watching what you eat is animportant aspect to keeping your diet healthy.-- full story:http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/mar/13/staying_healthy_healthy_eating/