Becoming a vegetarian – Harvard Health

People become vegetarians for many reasons, including health, religious convictions, concerns about animal welfare or the use of antibiotics and hormones in livestock, or a desire to eat in a way that avoids excessive use of environmental resources. Some people follow a largely vegetarian diet because they can’t afford to eat meat. Becoming a vegetarian has become more appealing and accessible, thanks to the year-round availability of fresh produce, more vegetarian dining options, and the growing culinary influence of cultures with largely plant-based diets.

Traditionally, research into vegetarianism focused mainly on potential nutritional deficiencies, but in recent years, the pendulum has swung the other way, and studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses. According to the American Dietetic Association, “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. “

“Appropriately planned” is the operative term. Unless you follow recommended guidelines on nutrition, fat consumption, and weight control, becoming a vegetarian won’t necessarily be good for you. A diet of soda, cheese pizza, and candy, after all, is technically “vegetarian.” For health, it’s important to make sure that you eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It’s also vital to replace saturated and trans fats with good fats, such as those found in nuts, olive oil, and canola oil. And always keep in mind that if you eat too many calories, even from nutritious, low-fat, plant-based foods, you’ll gain weight. So it’s also important to practice portion control, read food labels, and engage in regular physical activity.

You can get many of the health benefits of being vegetarian without going all the way. For example, a Mediterranean eating pattern — known to be associated with longer life and reduced risk of several chronic illnesses — features an emphasis on plant foods with a sparing use of meat. Even if you don’t want to become a complete vegetarian, you can steer your diet in that direction with a few simple substitutions, such as plant-based sources of protein — beans or tofu, for example — or fish instead of meat a couple of times a week.

Only you can decide whether a vegetarian diet is right for you. If better health is your goal, here are some things to consider.

Can becoming a vegetarian protect you against major diseases?

Maybe. Compared with meat eaters, vegetarians tend to consume less saturated fat and cholesterol and more vitamins C and E, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals), such as carotenoids and flavonoids. As a result, they’re likely to have lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower body mass index (BMI), all of which are associated with longevity and a reduced risk for many chronic diseases.

But there still aren’t enough data to say exactly how a vegetarian diet influences long-term health. It’s difficult to tease out the influence of vegetarianism from other practices that vegetarians are more likely to follow, such as not smoking, not drinking excessively, and getting adequate exercise. But here’s what some of the research has shown so far:

Heart disease. There’s some evidence that vegetarians have a lower risk for cardiac events (such as a heart attack) and death from cardiac causes. In one of the largest studies — a combined analysis of data from five prospective studies involving more than 76,000 participants published several years ago — vegetarians were, on average, 25% less likely to die of heart disease. This result confirmed earlier findings from studies comparing vegetarian and nonvegetarian Seventh-day Adventists (members of this religious group avoid caffeine and don’t drink or smoke; about 40% are vegetarians). In another study involving 65,000 people in the Oxford cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford), researchers found a 19% lower risk of death from heart disease among vegetarians. However, there were few deaths in either group, so the observed differences may have been due to chance.

For heart protection, it’s best to choose high-fiber whole grains and legumes, which are digested slowly and have a low glycemic index — that is, they help keep blood sugar levels steady. Soluble fiber also helps reduce cholesterol levels. Refined carbohydrates and starches like potatoes, white rice, and white-flour products cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, which increases the risk of heart attack and diabetes (a risk factor for heart disease).

Nuts are also heart-protective. They have a low glycemic index and contain many antioxidants, vegetable protein, fiber, minerals, and healthy fatty acids. The downside: nuts pack a lot of calories, so restrict your daily intake to a small handful (about an ounce). The upside: because of their fat content, even a small amount of nuts can satisfy the appetite.

Walnuts, in particular, are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits. Even so, fish are the best source of omega-3s, and it’s not clear whether plant-derived omega-3s are an adequate substitute for fish in the diet. One study suggests that omega-3s from walnuts and fish both work to lower heart disease risk, but by different routes. Walnut omega-3s (alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA) help reduce total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, while omega-3s from fish (eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) lower triglycerides and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Cancer. Hundreds of studies suggest that eating lots of fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, and there’s evidence that vegetarians have a lower incidence of cancer than nonvegetarians do. But the differences aren’t large. A vegetarian diet can make it easier to get the recommended minimum of five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, but a purely vegetarian diet is not necessarily better than a plant-based diet that also includes fish or poultry. For example, in a pooled analysis of data from the Oxford Vegetarian Study and EPIC-Oxford, fish-eaters had a lower risk of certain cancers than vegetarians.

If you stop eating red meat (whether or not you become a vegetarian), you’ll eliminate a risk factor for colon cancer. It’s not clear whether avoiding all animal products reduces the risk further. Vegetarians usually have lower levels of potentially carcinogenic substances in their colons, but studies comparing cancer rates in vegetarians and nonvegetarians have shown inconsistent results.

Type 2 diabetes. Research suggests that a predominantly plant-based diet can reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. In studies of Seventh-day Adventists, vegetarians’ risk of developing diabetes was half that of nonvegetarians, even after taking BMI into account. The Harvard-based Women’s Health Study found a similar correlation between eating red meat (especially processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs) and diabetes risk, after adjusting for BMI, total calorie intake, and exercise.

What about bone health?

Some women are reluctant to try a vegetarian diet — especially one that doesn’t include calcium-rich dairy products — because they’re concerned about osteoporosis. Lacto-ovo vegetarians (see “Varieties of vegetarians”) consume at least as much calcium as meat-eaters, but vegans typically consume less. In the EPIC-Oxford study, 75% of vegans got less than the recommended daily amount of calcium. But vegans who consumed at least 525 milligrams of calcium per day were not especially vulnerable to fractures.

Certain vegetables can supply calcium, including bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, collards, and kale. (Spinach and Swiss chard, which also contain calcium, are not such good choices, because along with the calcium they have oxalates, which make it harder for the body to absorb calcium.) Moreover, the high potassium and magnesium content of fruits and vegetables reduces blood acidity, lowering the urinary excretion of calcium.

People who follow a vegetarian diet and especially a vegan diet may be at risk of getting insufficient vitamin D and vitamin K, both needed for bone health. Although green leafy vegetables contain some vitamin K, vegans may also need to rely on fortified foods, including some types of soy milk, rice milk, organic orange juice, and breakfast cereals. They may also want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

What about the health risks of being vegetarian?

Concerns about vegetarian diets have focused mainly on the following nutrients:

Protein. Research shows that lacto-ovo vegetarians generally get the recommended daily amount of protein, which is easily obtained from dairy products and eggs. (Women need about 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Because the protein in vegetables is somewhat different from animal protein, vegans may need 0. 45 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.) There are many plant sources that can help vegans meet their protein needs, including peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, seeds, nuts, soy products, and whole grains (for example, wheat, oats, barley, and brown rice). Vegetarians used to be told that they had to combine “complementary” plant proteins (rice with beans, for example) at every meal to get all the amino acids contained in meat protein. Now, health experts say that such rigid planning is unnecessary. According to the American Dietetic Association, eating a wide variety of protein sources every day is sufficient.

Vitamin B₁₂. Vitamin B₁₂ is found only in animal products, but those products include dairy foods and eggs, so most vegetarians get all they need. If you avoid animal products altogether, you should eat foods fortified with vitamin B₁₂ (certain soy and rice beverages and breakfast cereals) or take a vitamin B₁₂ supplement to avoid a deficiency, which can cause neurological problems and pernicious anemia.

Iron. Studies show that in Western countries, vegetarians tend to get the same amount of iron as meat eaters. But the iron in meat (especially red meat) is more readily absorbed than the kind found in plant foods, known as non-heme iron. The absorption of non-heme iron is enhanced by vitamin C and other acids found in fruits and vegetables, but it may be inhibited by the phytic acid in whole grains, beans, lentils, seeds, and nuts.

Zinc. Phytic acid in whole grains, seeds, beans, and legumes also reduces zinc absorption, but vegetarians in Western countries do not appear to be zinc-deficient.

Omega-3 fatty acids. Diets that include no fish or eggs are low in EPA and DHA. Our bodies can convert ALA in plant foods to EPA and DHA, but not very efficiently. Vegans can get DHA from algae supplements, which increase blood levels of DHA as well as EPA (by a process called retroversion). DHA-fortified breakfast bars and soy milk are also available. Official dietary guidelines recommend 1.10 grams per day of ALA for women, but vegetarians who consume little or no EPA and DHA should probably get more than that. Good ALA sources include flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, and soy.

For more on eating for optimum health, buy the Harvard Special Health Report  Healthy Eating: A guide to the new nutrition .

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Is it Better Than Eating Meat?

By Diana Kelly

The Rumor: Vegetarians are healthier than meat eaters

You’ve heard buzz over the years that following a vegetarian diet is better for your health, and you’ve probably read a few magazine articles featuring a celeb or two who swore off meat and animal products and “magically” lost weight. So does ditching meat automatically equal weight loss? Will it really help you live longer and be healthier overall?

The Verdict: Vegetarian diets can be unhealthy if you’re not careful

First of all, what exactly constitutes “vegetarian”? There are two basic kinds of vegetarian diet: lacto-ovo and strict (vegan). Most vegetarians fall into the lacto-ovo category: They eat only non-animal products (fruits, veggies, grains, nuts, soy, etc.), but do eat animal byproducts, such as yogurt and eggs. In terms of nutritional requirements, being a lacto-ovo vegetarian isn’t all that different from being a meat-eater, according to Katherine Tallmadge, RD, LD, past media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Vegans, however, don’t eat any animal products whatsoever — and as a result, “they must be very careful in their selection of foods so that they get all the nutrients they need,” says Tallmadge. (Potato chips are vegan, after all.)

That said, following a vegetarian diet “can be nutritionally superior to any other way of eating,” says Tallmadge. “It can be one of the healthiest ways to eat, because we know plant foods are loaded with nutrients to protect our health.”

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than meat eaters. Vegetarians also tend to have a lower body mass index, lower overall cancer rates and lower risk of chronic disease.

But if your vegetarian co-worker is noshing greasy veggie burgers and fries every day for lunch, is he likely to be healthier than you, who always orders the grilled salmon? Definitely not!

“A vegetarian diet doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss — especially if you eat out at restaurants often,” says Tallmadge. “A lot of times, the only vegetarian dishes on the menu are cheesy and fattening.” It can be hard to find restaurants serving soy burgers or beans and rice, and eating restaurant-size portions of pasta, rice, nuts and cheese could quickly add up to weight gain. According to Tallmadge, the desire to eat lighter meals that provide adequate protein is what makes many vegetarians change their minds and start eating fish.

The most important thing for vegetarians of all kinds to remember is to make sure they are getting key nutrients, including protein, fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and vitamins D and B-12. Protein is essential for building muscle mass, amino function, fighting disease and healing, according to Tallmadge, so make sure you’re getting protein in each meal throughout the day for optimum absorption. “In order to get essential amino acids and nutrients,” says Tallmadge, “vegans must eat soy protein — the only vegetable protein which is as complete as animal protein. Or they must mix beans with grains.”

If you’re considering going vegetarian, keep these tips in mind:

1. There are numerous research-proven health benefits to following a vegetarian diet, but only if you’re doing it properly and not substituting meat with processed or high-fat vegetarian products.
2. Both lacto-ovo vegetarians and vegans need to make sure they are getting adequate nutrition. It’s a good idea to purchase a book on how to follow a vegetarian diet, or to meet with a nutritionist to outline what a few days of meals looks like.
3. Be aware of how much of your diet is made up of nuts as a source of protein, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. An ounce of nuts is about 180 calories and 5 grams of protein. You should be getting between 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal. So: You’d have to eat thousands of calories worth of something like nuts in order to get the amount of protein you need to be healthy, according to Tallmadge. They’re a healthy food, but high in fat and calories — so be sure to round out your diet with a variety of vegetarian proteins.

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How to become a vegetarian (and not break loose): 5 important steps

We do not know for what reasons you want to stop eating meat and adjust your diet in general (and in no case do we impose this idea on you). But if you are determined to become a vegetarian, here are the instructions from The Challenger and Olesya Besperstova, project manager at No Plastic. It’s Fantastic, will help you not to break loose and not to abandon your idea halfway through.

1. Do not change your diet abruptly

If you’ve been eating meat, fish, and dairy products all your life, cutting them out sharply and restricting your diet is unlikely to make you happy. Often the results of this approach are stress and breakdowns. It is better to play it safe and turn vegetarianism into your lifestyle gradually.

Olesya Bespertova

CEO of the No Plastic project. It’s Fantastic

– I highly recommend that when switching to vegetarianism, veganism does not impose severe restrictions on the diet right away. This can cause extreme stress. Eat more vegetables, try to learn more about a varied diet and healthy foods. Be patient, it takes years for many to transition to a vegan or vegetarian diet, and that’s okay.

Start small, such as eliminating only red meat from your diet. Leave chicken and turkey on your daily menu. Try following this principle for a month or more. Take your time, but if you feel comfortable, move on to the next step.

2. Avoid all meats

And again, act consistently, but do not rush. For example, start with one meat-free day per week. You can join the international movement Meatless Monday (“Monday without meat” – English) – people around the world are sure that in this way they strengthen their health and take care of the planet.

When you feel ready to completely cut meat out of your diet, do it. But let all kinds of fish remain on your menu.

Olesya Bespertova

CEO of the No Plastic project. It’s Fantastic

— In my case, giving up meat was very easy and natural. I was on vacation in Asia and I practically didn’t eat meat there, just because hearty and hard to digest food is not what you need in the heat. At first I stopped eating red meat, and after a couple of months, white meat. Left in the diet only fish and seafood. I haven’t eaten meat for more than three years, and I don’t feel like it.

The practice of yoga greatly reinforced my rejection of meat – I became interested in ashtanga yoga, and non-violence became an important principle of life for me. After that, I also gave up unnecessary use and disposable items.

3. Gradually eliminate fish from your diet

First, the one that resembles red meat in structure, such as tuna. Then all other types of fish. Many people who later became vegans or vegetarians spent months or even years in the first or second stage.

If you don’t feel ready to give up fish, take a step back. Perhaps you need more time.

4. Leave your favorite foods in the diet

If you feel like eating eggs or drinking milk, keep those foods in your diet. Gradually look for an alternative. For example, instead of cow’s milk, try rice, pumpkin or almond milk. A healthy and uncomplicated substitute for cow’s milk can be an oatmeal drink (how to make it at home – read this material).

You may eventually like the taste of plant-based milk even more than the taste of an animal product. By the way, you can cook delicious smoothies and even coffee with vegetable milk (here you will find a recipe for coconut cold brew).

Olesya Bespertova

CEO of the No Plastic project. It’s Fantastic

— How we eat, what foods we choose, greatly affects the resources of our planet. The production of meat and milk requires a huge amount of resources, these products have a high carbon footprint.

I try to choose products with a low carbon footprint – local seasonal vegetables, berries, fruits.

5. Diversify your menu

It would be a mistake to perceive vegetarianism only as a dietary restriction. Use the opportunity to expand your palette of tastes, try new products that you did not notice before, discover new dishes.

Olesya Bespertova

vegan, CEO of the No Plastic project. It’s Fantastic

— High-protein cereals helped me diversify the menu (by the way, they turned out to be very tasty): quinoa, green buckwheat, as well as chickpeas, lentils, mung beans. Previously, all this was not on my menu, now it is part of my daily diet.

I love raw pressed oils, my favorites are hemp and avocado oil. Plant milk is just a discovery for me, almond and rice-coconut are the most delicious. I am looking for products with Organic certificates (there is a note about this on the packaging), I am glad that now it is not a problem to find such products in Russia.

Now my menu has become really diverse, I try new foods and dishes, and before that I mostly ate only meat with side dishes. There are a lot of fruits, berries and greens in my diet. And since , the highlight of the vegan menu is aged cashew cheese. I tried it in Bali and in Europe – incredibly delicious!

Learn how to make hummus, add it along with pomegranate and mint to cauliflower, make crunchy vegetable chips, or make a veggie kebab. Make sure that the diet is varied, rich in vitamins and useful trace elements, protein and fiber, so that the calorie content of the daily menu is sufficient.

And if people start asking annoying questions about your menu, we know how to answer them.

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I want to become a vegetarian. Where to begin?

Often, the transition to a plant-based diet is accompanied by doubts and anxieties, which are generously fueled by relatives and friends. In this case, it is worth paying special attention to obtaining high-quality and reasoned information in order to be calm about your health and strengthen your desire to lead a conscious lifestyle.

We at Vegetarian are launching a series of articles aimed at helping those who are just thinking about vegetarianism or have recently embarked on this path. They will help you understand the most burning issues! Today you have a detailed guide to useful sources of knowledge, as well as comments from people who have been vegetarian for years.

What books to read at the beginning of the transition to vegetarianism?

Those who cannot imagine their life without an hour or two of exciting literature will have to discover many new names:

China Study, Colin and Thomas Campbell

The work of an American biochemist and his medical son has become one of the biggest book sensations of the last decade. The study provides detailed descriptions of the relationship between animal diets and the occurrence of many chronic diseases, tells how meat and other non-plant foods affect the human body. The book can be safely given into the hands of parents who are worried about your health – many communication difficulties associated with a change in nutrition will go away by themselves.

Nutrition for Health by Joel Furman

The book is based on the results of the latest scientific research in the field of the impact of diet on overall health, appearance, weight and longevity of a person. The reader, without undue pressure and suggestion, learns proven facts about the benefits of plant foods, has the opportunity to compare nutrient compositions in different products. The book will help you understand how to change your diet without harm to health, lose weight and learn how to consciously relate to your own well-being.

Encyclopedia of Vegetarianism, K. Kant

The information in the publication is really encyclopedic – brief blocks are given here on each of the issues that concern beginners. Among them: rebuttals of well-known myths, scientific data on a vegetarian diet, tips for a balanced diet, diplomatic issues of vegetarianism and much more.

“All about vegetarianism”, I. L. Medkova

This is one of the best Russian books on mindful eating. By the way, the publication was first released in 1992, when vegetarianism was a real curiosity for recent Soviet citizens. Perhaps that is why it provides comprehensive information about the origin of the plant-based diet, its varieties, transition techniques. As a bonus, the author has compiled an extensive “range” of recipes from vegetarian products that you can easily and simply please loved ones and yourself.

Animal Liberation by Peter Singer

Australian philosopher Peter Singer was one of the first in the world to draw attention to the fact that the interaction of man and animals should be considered from the point of view of law. In his large-scale study, he proves that the interests of any creature on the planet must be fully satisfied, and the understanding of man as the pinnacle of nature is erroneous. The author manages to hold the reader’s attention with simple yet solid arguments, so if you’re thinking about switching to a plant-based diet after thinking about ethics, you’ll love Singer.

Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cow Skins by Melanie Joy

American psychologist Melanie Joy in her book talks about the newest scientific term – karnism. The essence of the concept is the desire of a person to use animals as a source of food, money, clothes and shoes. The author is directly interested in the psychological background of such behavior, so her work will resonate in the hearts of readers who love to deal with inner emotional experiences.

What films to watch?

Today, thanks to the Internet, anyone can find a lot of films and videos on a topic of interest. However, there is undoubtedly a “golden fund” among them, which in one way or another was appreciated by already experienced vegetarians and those who are just starting this path:

“Earthlings” (USA, 2005)

Perhaps this is one of the toughest films, without embellishment showing the realities of modern life. The film is divided into several parts, covering all the main points of animal exploitation. By the way, in the original, the notorious Hollywood vegetarian actor Joaquin Phoenix comments on the picture.

Conscious Connection (UK, 2010)

The documentary consists of in-depth interviews with representatives of various professions and fields of activity who adhere to vegetarianism and see new perspectives in it. The film is very positive, despite the presence of factographic shots.

“Hamburger without embellishment” (Russia, 2005)

This is the first film in Russian cinema that tells about the suffering of farm animals. The title is consistent with the content of the documentary, so before watching it is necessary to prepare for shocking information.

“Life is beautiful” (Russia, 2011)

Many Russian media stars took part in the shooting of another domestic film: Olga Shelest, Elena Kamburova and others. The director emphasizes that the exploitation of animals is, first of all, a cruel business. The tape will be of interest to beginners in plant nutrition who are ready to think about ethical topics.

Vegetarians speak

Irena Ponaroshku, TV presenter – vegetarian for about 10 years:

The change in my diet took place against the backdrop of a strong love for my future husband, who had been “vegetarian” by that time for 10-15 years, so everything was as pleasant and natural as possible. For love, literally and figuratively, without violence.

I am a control freak, I need to keep everything under control, so every six months I pass an extensive list of tests. This is in addition to regular diagnostics by Tibetan doctors and a kinesiologist! I think that it is necessary to monitor the state of the body and regularly undergo MOT not only for beginners, but also for those who have already eaten a dog on a conscious diet. Soya.

Do you need help with the transition to a vegetarian diet? If a person knows how and loves to educate himself, listen to lectures, attend seminars and master classes, read relevant literature, then it is quite possible to figure everything out on your own. Now there is a sea of ​​information on how to compensate for the absence of animal food in the diet. However, in order not to choke in this sea, I would still recommend contacting one of the vegetarian doctors who conduct those very lectures and write books.

In this matter, it is very important to find “your” author. I would advise listening to one lecture by Alexander Khakimov, Satya Das, Oleg Torsunov, Mikhail Sovetov, Maxim Volodin, Ruslan Narushevich. And choose whose presentation of the material is closer, whose words penetrate the consciousness and change it.

Artem Khachatryan, naturopathic doctor – vegetarian for about 7 years:

Previously, I was often sick, at least 4 times a year I lay with a temperature under 40 and a sore throat. But for six years now I don’t remember what fever, sore throat and herpes are. I sleep a few hours less than before, but I have more energy!

I often recommend a plant-based diet to my patients, explaining the physiological processes that depend on one or another type of nutrition. But, of course, every person makes his own choice. I consider veganism to be the most adequate diet today, especially in a metropolis with its negative impact on our health.

It is important to understand that positive changes will ensure a smooth transition to a completely plant-based diet. After all, if a person simply stops using animal products, most likely, he will face a lot of problems that doctors of traditional medicine are trumpeting about! If he realizes this and does everything correctly, cleanses the body, grows spiritually, increases the level of knowledge, then the changes will only be positive! For example, he will have more energy, many diseases will go away, the condition of the skin and general appearance will improve, he will lose weight, and in general the body will be significantly rejuvenated.

As a doctor, I recommend taking general and biochemical blood tests at least once a year. By the way, the notorious B12 in vegetarians can slightly decrease, and this will be the norm, but only if the level of homocysteine ​​does not increase. So you need to track these indicators together! And it is also worthwhile to carry out duodenal sounding from time to time in order to monitor the condition of the liver and bile flow.

For a novice vegetarian, I would advise finding a specialist in this matter who could become a mentor and lead along this path. After all, switching to a new diet is not at all difficult in the physical aspect. It is much more difficult to resist in your decision before the oppression of the environment and misunderstanding of loved ones. Here we need human support, not book support. You need a person, or better, a whole community where you can calmly communicate on interests and live without proving to anyone that you, as they say, are not a camel. And good books and films will already be advised by the “right” environment.

Sati Casanova, vegetarian singer for about 11 years:

My transition to a plant-based diet was gradual, it all started with immersion in a new yoga culture for me. Simultaneously with the practice, I read spiritual literature: the first lesson for me was T. Desikachar’s book “The Heart of Yoga”, from which I learned about the main principle of this ancient philosophy – ahimsa (non-violence). Then I still ate meat.

You know, I was born and raised in the Caucasus, where there is a beautiful culture of feasts with ancient traditions that are still carefully observed. One of them is to serve meat to the table. And although in Moscow I could not eat it for six months, returning to my homeland, I was somehow tempted, listening to my father’s logical arguments: “How is it? You are going against nature. You were born in this region and cannot help eating the foods you were raised on. It is not right!”. Then I could still be broken. I ate a piece of meat, but then suffered for three days, because the body had already lost the habit of such food. Since then, I have not eaten animal products.

During this period, many changes have taken place: excessive aggressiveness, rigidity and grip have gone.