If one of your goals for 2019 is to eat more fruit, veg and plant-based foods, veganism is the lifestyle for you – no ifs or buts about it. Unless your sole reasoning is to better your health (read: finally give the flu the flick). In which case, might we suggest you don’t take the above advice.
A new survey of over 1,000 office workers across the UK has found that vegans take twice as many sick days as carnivores. They also book more doctors’ appointments, seeing their GP on average 2.6 times during sniffle season compared to the national average of 0.7 times.
In addition, two-thirds of those who subscribe to the eating regime admitted to skipping work due to illness in 2018 more than they had in previous years. On the other hand, just half of their meat-eating colleagues took the same number of days off as the year before – one in three even claimed to have taken less.
Frustratingly, the report didn’t expand on why this was the case. Although experts point out that following a vegan diet can make a person more prone to iron, zinc and B12 deficiencies which can, in turn, weaken the immune system.
Truth be told, we’re not here to poo poo veganism. There are countless studies that suggest that cutting back on your meat consumption can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and improve cardiovascular health – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
But it is important to ensure you’re meeting all your nutrient requirements and keeping tabs on how you’re feeling before it gets to the chucking-a-sicky-point.
With that in mind, here are a few vegan-friendly foods to help keep your immune system in tip top shape:
- Blueberries
- Dark chocolate
- Turmeric
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Broccoli
- Sweet potatoes
- Spinach
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Green tea
- Oranges
- Kiwifruit
- Red capsicum
Source: Read Full Article
