Are vegetarians crazy?

[LeafUF]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22676203#

According to this study, they just may be. Now we just need to find out if you have to be crazy to be a vegetarian or if being a vegetarian makes you crazy.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:

The present study investigated associations between vegetarian diet and mental disorders.
METHODS:

Participants were drawn from the representative sample of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey and its Mental Health Supplement (GHS-MHS). Completely vegetarian (N = 54) and predominantly vegetarian (N = 190) participants were compared with non-vegetarian participants (N = 3872) and with a non-vegetarian socio-demographically matched subsample (N = 242).
RESULTS:

Vegetarians displayed elevated prevalence rates for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and somatoform disorders. Due to the matching procedure, the findings cannot be explained by socio-demographic characteristics of vegetarians (e.g. higher rates of females, predominant residency in urban areas, high proportion of singles). The analysis of the respective ages at adoption of a vegetarian diet and onset of a mental disorder showed that the adoption of the vegetarian diet tends to follow the onset of mental disorders.
CONCLUSIONS:

Vegetarian diet is associated with an elevated risk of mental disorders. However, there was no evidence for a causal role of vegetarian diet in the etiology of mental disorders.

[The_Ultimate_Gator]

No, but they just can't appreciate a good mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich.

[Dreamliner]

They do seem to be violent and aggressive. Wasn't Hitler a vegetarian ?

[LeafUF]

Hitler was both a vegetarian and a non-drinker. Which may be why I don't trust people that don't eat meat or drink alcohol.

[your_perfect_enemy]

I'd be anxious or depressed too if I didnt get to eat steak.

I think I know what I'm going to grill now this weekend

[fubar1]

I honestly think many vegetarians/vegans, etc are just too uptight. Worry too much about things they honestly can't control, which leads down the path of an ultimate unhealthy end to one's life.

But that really has nothing to do with deciding if a vegetarian lifestyle is healthier than the alternative, which I believe it is.

It just speaks to stress being the ultimate killer, and trumping even the healthiest dietary habits.

[Dreamliner]

The healthiest dietary habit is probably keeping calories in check, regardless food choices. .

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by fubar1

I honestly think many vegetarians/vegans, etc are just too uptight. Worry too much about things they honestly can't control, which leads down the path of an ultimate unhealthy end to one's life.

But that really has nothing to do with deciding if a vegetarian lifestyle is healthier than the alternative, which I believe it is.

It just speaks to stress being the ultimate killer, and trumping even the healthiest dietary habits.

You should probably take a look at my other thread on why the definition of health sucks. Also, there is no telling if stress is the cause of the higher rates of mental disorders among the vegetarian population. It could be any number of things other than stress. Unless there is a study showing that the vegetarian population is more stressed than the general population I see no reason for it to be the sole cause here.

[rpmGator]

I grow organic fruit and veggies for a hobby. The amount and types of pesticides in most store bought veggies are not something that goes on the label.

Soy, was invented by monks to lower their sex drive as they weren't supposed to get any. It raises estrogen levels in both men and women. Cancer prolbems in women and sex drive problems in men, are the reasons I don't touch the stuff.

Anyhow, my mango's are better than any I have bought, and I know there is nothing in them other that what is supposed to be there.

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by rpmGator

I grow organic fruit and veggies for a hobby. The amount and types of pesticides in most store bought veggies are not something that goes on the label.

Soy, was invented by monks to lower their sex drive as they weren't supposed to get any. It raises estrogen levels in both men and women. Cancer prolbems in women and sex drive problems in men, are the reasons I don't touch the stuff.

Anyhow, my mango's are better than any I have bought, and I know there is nothing in them other that what is supposed to be there.

The study iirc has nothing to do with organics just vegetarians. Not eating pesticides is probably a good idea if you can afford it. Just eat a steak once in a while too. Or if you are like me once or twice a week.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

The study iirc has nothing to do with organics just vegetarians. Not eating pesticides is probably a good idea if you can afford it. Just eat a steak once in a while too. Or if you are like me once or twice a week.

Plus, be sure and eat the face for extra protein (and to piss off the vegans).

BTW, leading trainer Jason Ferruggia has confessed he is no longer a vegan.

[rpmGator]

It's cheaper to grow organicly as I don't have to buy a lot of crap, to cure problems I can fix in better ways.

I can also do the same thing and raise my own meats, if I could get the wife to move out to my land. That isn't going to happen, however.

My original point being, vegetarians who don't eat organic get way too many chemicals in their salad. It is almost impossible to grow peaches without spraying them daily or weekly with chemicals.

However, I can grow nectarines without any spray at all...

Even meat with its corn fed, hormone injected product, is not as good for you as the grass fed beef.

Soy isn't a good choice to replace meat, unless you are a monk.

[Dreamliner]

Americans are ingesting more chemicals than ever.

Americans are living longer than ever.

Therefore, chemicals are extending our lives.

[rpmGator]

More cancer than ever killing kids under ten also... but focus on the cure, not the cause.

Might be the better health care that is keeping people alive.

It sure isn't injesting poison that is doing it.

Besides, if you think about it, most of the old people, didn't have the chems in their foods during their youth as many weren't even invented yet.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by rpmGator

More cancer than ever killing kids under ten also... but focus on the cure, not the cause.

Might be the better health care that is keeping people alive.

It sure isn't injesting poison that is doing it.

Besides, if you think about it, most of the old people, didn't have the chems in their foods during their youth as many weren't even invented yet.

Hey, if you get to make your sloppy correlations, then why can't I make my sloppy correlations.

FYI: I'm standing against food fear and food hysteria. Besides, we're all going to die and food tastes yummy, especially when it comes in a can or a package. Preservatives are preserving us.

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by rpmGator

My original point being, vegetarians who don't eat organic get way too many chemicals in their salad. It is almost impossible to grow peaches without spraying them daily or weekly with chemicals.

rpm, I think what you do with growing your own food is great and I think its best to keep unnecessary chemicals out of your diets as well. That just doesn't seem very relevant to this thread where the study shows higher prevalence of mental disorder among the vegetarian population. There is no evidence that says its because they are not eating organic or that going vegetarian and not organic causes you to ingest more chemicals than a non-organic meat eater who is also ingesting a lot of chemicals.

So basically, I think the validity of organics is a good conversation that maybe requires its own thread. When I lived close to a weekly farmers market I would regularly buy organic vegetables and humanely raised grass fed beef, and eggs from farmers in Virginia. Unfortunately, that stuff is expensive and not always easily accessible.

[Dreamliner]

Want to die early ? Don't become a natural eating guru then.

[rpmGator]

The food I grow taste's better than that packaged crap you think is yummy. For one, you can't find the types of fruit I grow as commercial industry is not concerned with more than quantity and fitting it into a box.

The people who first grew the ugly tomato lost over a million bucks as they weren't allowed to sell it, as it didn't fit the box all tomato's had to conform too.

So you eat what fits the box, not what is the more tasty or healthy for you.

I grow barbados cherries, otherwise known as acerola on your bottle of vitamin C. One cherry has as much C as an orange. You won't find them fresh, in most places.

The addition of many chemicals in food, may have a lot to do with your opinion on why eating veggies alone, can cause problems.

I will die also, but after a more tasty meal than your last one.

For every person you can come up with that has died from eating better, I can name ten who died from cancer. Eating the poison and thinking it is a better way, is why I would never take your advice on any health subject.

[Dreamliner]

Originally Posted by rpmGator

The food I grow taste's better than that packaged crap you think is yummy. For one, you can't find the types of fruit I grow as commercial industry is not concerned with more than quantity and fitting it into a box.

The people who first grew the ugly tomato lost over a million bucks as they weren't allowed to sell it, as it didn't fit the box all tomato's had to conform too.

So you eat what fits the box, not what is the more tasty or healthy for you.

I grow barbados cherries, otherwise known as acerola on your bottle of vitamin C. One cherry has as much C as an orange. You won't find them fresh, in most places.

The addition of many chemicals in food, may have a lot to do with your opinion on why eating veggies alone, can cause problems.

I will die also, but after a more tasty meal than your last one.

For every person you can come up with that has died from eating better, I can name ten who died from cancer. Eating the poison and thinking it is a better way, is why I would never take your advice on any health subject.

I doubt that your food tastes better than the packaged food that you eat. I have good friends who grow their own. I eat and enjoy theirs. I particularly enjoy their tomatoes. But I ain't giving up mine either. Plus, it's hard to beat the convenience.

There is arguably more evidence that chemicals are helping us than killing us.

I also stand against effete food snobbery. But no, I don't laugh when I see the natural eaters and vegans die early. I think it's sad because they might have lived at least as long also enjoying the tasty packaged stuff they were deathly afraid would kill them (before they died).

[rpmGator]

If you can't buy what I grow, you have no clue what taste's better. I do as I have tried both....

Fairchild mango's just kick ass and when you find one to buy, jump on it. Only one place in Florida sells them, I just walk out to my tree. More convenient that cranking my truck to go shopping, for sure.

I also just planted a Tebow mango. It is a cross of the best tasting mango grown in Florida, with another that increases yield. Way more things to eat than what you have in any store.