More and more people around Australia are deciding to go meat, animal products and/or dairy-free. Whether you are doing this for ethical reasons, or because of the health benefits, it is important to ensure that your body continues to receive all the nutrients (particularly micronutrients) which it needs for good health.
Discovering the Benefits of a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet
Making the decision to embrace a plant-based diet, whether as a Vegetarian or as a Vegan, can have a life-changing impact on health and well-being.
Many people report feeling healthier, having more energy and notice an improvement in the progression of chronic illnesses once they remove meat and/or dairy products from their diet.
Changes in the Nutrients Your Body Receives
If you have always eaten a conventional western diet, which incorporates animal products in fairly large quantities, eliminating them from your diet can cause significant changes in the type of nutrients your body receives and the quantities of vitamins and minerals provided.
Sometimes adjustment to a new way of eating takes time or requires the ingestion of larger amounts of particular foods to avoid nutritional deficiencies.
Get Support in Making the Healthiest Permanent Change
If you are eager to embrace the benefits which a Vegetarian or Vegan diet may bring, but are concerned about the impact a diet free of animal products may have on the quality of your nutrition, read on to discover why there is nothing to fear and how your Dietician or Nutritionist can help you adjust.
For example, they can show you how to get enough protein on a vegan diet and help you learn how to avoid gaining weight on a vegan diet.
The Right Type of Diet can Help in Making and Managing the Changes
If you don't know quite where to start when it comes to going meat-free or animal products free, why not ask our Dietitian or Clinical Nutritionist for some advice?
How our Dietician or Nutritionist Can Help You
At Brisbane Livewell Clinic, we offer high-grade dietary advice which is personalised to meet your individual requirements.
Not only do Vegetarians and Vegans need to eat a wide variety of foodstuffs to make sure they get all the micro-nutrients they need for optimal well-being, but some people may also need to adjust their diet to take into account pre-existing medical conditions, allergies or intolerances.
We can work with you to support and modify your chosen dietary regime, tweaking it so that it provides optimal nutrition for your individual situation. This type of structured approach ensures that you can make the switch to a plant-based diet without putting any undue stress on your metabolism.
Supplementation Could Also Make a Difference
Although a Vegetarian or Vegan diet can provide the vast majority of nutrients needed for health, the less variety in the foods you eat, the easier it is for a nutritional deficiency to occur.
Also, some people (for example older people or those with a chronic illness) may need to take on additional vitamins, minerals or plant compounds to enjoy the very best health.
We work with each of our patients to devise a supplement regime that will ensure they receive the nutrients they need.
Use Diet and Nutrition to Support Individual Health Issues
Studies show that the right sort of nutrition can have a powerful effect on a range of medical conditions. Anything from mental health problems through to diabetes, fibromyalgia and more can benefit from taking on board appropriate nutrients.
Our Dietitian and Clinical Nutritionist can complete a detailed medical assessment of your requirements. Using their expert knowledge, they can pinpoint areas where additional nutrients, often in the form of herbs or carefully chosen supplements can be used to have a physiological benefit on the disease's pathology.
In many cases, a carefully chosen plant-based diet, used alongside the right type of supplementation, can really make a positive difference to many different long-term health conditions.
Maintaining Balance with Your Vegetarian or Vegan Diet
Following a Vegetarian or a Vegan diet is not necessarily a guarantee of eating well.
Vegetarians and Vegans are as capable as meat-eaters of making less-optimal dietary choices. If you choose not to eat meat, dairy or animal products, it will take considerable effort to ensure you are still getting all the nutrients you need.
Some people tend to opt for either a highly restrictive diet when they decide to go meat-free, or conversely compensate for feelings of "missing out" by consuming large quantities of Vegetarian or Vegan "junk food".
Neither of these two extremes is a healthy choice, particularly in the longer term.
So Consult with Our Dietician/Nutritionist today!
We work with our patients to modify and support their dietary preferences, at the same time as providing them with eating choices that maximise nutrition while also being palatable and offering a sustainable choice.
Research shows that gradual, positive dietary changes are often the best way forward.
At Brisbane Livewell Clinic, we can advise on suitable nutrition for diets that are free of animal products, giving you the information you need to optimise the healthy choices you are making. We can also advise on additional supplementation, offering a tailored nutritional solution that helps Vegetarians and Vegans find a diet that works for them and supports their commitment to this life change.
Last Updated on 15 April 2024 by Brisbane Livewell Clinic
