What do celebrities Russell Brand, Carrie Underwood, Paul McCartney and Ellen DeGeneres have in common?

Well, besides being attractive, famous, and rich, they’re all vegetarians. They are among the estimated 7.3 million U.S. residents who profess to follow a vegetarian diet. And in order to get the rest of us thinking about it, the North American Vegetarian Society has designated October “Vegetarian Awareness Month” with a tempting little contest:  give up meat, fish, and poultry for 30 days and you can enter to win up to $1,000.

The Benefits of Vegetarian Eating

Of course, even the chance to win money wouldn’t be enough of a carrot (pun intended!) for some people to forgo burgers, steaks and chops for a month. But there are distinct health and societal benefits associated with vegetarian eating:

• According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarian diets reduce the risk of developing major killers such as heart disease, stroke, cancer (colorectal, ovarian and breast cancers), diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.
• Growing plants to support a vegetarian diet uses much less fossil fuel (and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions) than does raising and processing animals for their meat.
• As the North American Vegetarian Society points out, vegetarian diets “save animals from suffering in factory-farm conditions and from the pain and terror or slaughter.”
• On a global scale, vegetarian diets remove the incentive for third-world countries to convert rainforests and other precious ecosystems into pasturelands.

Eating Vegetarian Without Skimping on Nutrition

It can be difficult for vegetarians to get enough vitamins, minerals, and protein to meet their daily needs. The key is to eat a wide variety of plant-based foods, including whole grains, lentils, beans, soy products, nuts, and seeds. Dairy products and eggs are also excellent sources of protein and nutrients (but are not included on the stricter vegan diet).

Vegetarian-friendly vitamin and mineral supplements are always an option when you’re too busy to eat balanced veggie meals. Nutrition experts say Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12 and Iron are especially important for vegetarians leading hectic lives.

Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor

Health columnist Jane E. Brody of the New York Times recently wrote about how yoga benefits orthopedic problems. It was a fascinating look at how certain yoga moves can strengthen key muscles to relieve joint pain and loss of function. In addition to that, the article said, yoga benefits the bones—actually increasing bone density in a controlled study of people with osteoporosis.

Orthopedic Issues and Yoga Benefits

As a yoga lover and one who’s had a few orthopedic issues in my life, I sat up and took notice. I sent Jane Brody’s column to all my friends. And I thought about the overall yoga benefits I have derived since breaking my right leg two years ago: better muscle tone, more flexibility, deeper breathing, improved balance, and easier relaxation at bedtime.

But to learn that yoga benefits the very ailments that sideline many of us Baby Boomers, such as piriformis syndrome, rotator cuff injury, and loss of bone mass—to me, that was like icing on the cake! According to Brody’s article, a specialist in physical and rehabilitative medicine with New York-Presbyterian/Columbia hospital successfully treats rotator cuff injuries with a modified form of a yoga headstand. Goodbye surgery!

The same specialist has shown that yoga benefits osteopenia and osteoporosis patients not only by decreasing the risk of falls, but also by increasing bone density in their hips and spines. The patients in the study did just 10 minutes of yoga daily over a two-year period.

Gain Yoga Benefits Without Investing Big

One of my favorite things about yoga is that it doesn’t require much equipment. All you really need is a good yoga mat and clothes that allow you to move freely. You can usually find yoga classes at your local gym or YMCA, or follow along to a yoga DVD at home. You may find that to hold the positions effectively enough to experience true yoga benefits, you may need sticky gloves or sticky socks. And some people like to increase the range of their yoga stretching using special straps.

For both men and women, the good news is that yoga benefits your body and mind in ways we’re still learning about, even though the practice is thousands of years old.

Yoga

Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor