Vegan diets can reduce your risk of ruthless COVID!

A leading vegan campaigning charity, VIVA!, based out of the UK launched a campaign in 2020 called #slashtherisk campaign. The big idea is that "a vegan diet can help you lose weight, reverse diabetes, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing your risk of severe COVID-19." 

These statements are based on a study that was conducted in 2020 by some leading scientists and the study results were published on (NCBI) The National Center for Biotechnology Information's website. The study concluded that "Cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity, diabetes, cancer, smoking, kidney disease and COPD are the main underlying causes making Covid-19 more likely to result in severe, life-threatening disease."

Therefore, considering the chronic diseases listed above are the causes "making Covid19 more likely to result in a severe, life-threatening disease" it stands to reason that a vegan diet can reduce your risk of severe COVID by contributing to the reduction or eradication of those diseases. 

One particular study on NCBI's website states "a whole-foods plant-based diet ... are highly beneficial for preventing and treating type 2 diabetes. Equally important, plant-based diets address the bigger picture for patients with diabetes by simultaneously treating cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, and its risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, hyper-lipidemia, and inflammation. The advantages of a plant-based diet also extend to reduction in risk of cancer, the second leading cause of death in the United States ..." These study conclusions show benefits beyond lessening the risk of severe COVID and include advantages of a plant-based diet regarding two of the top leading causes of death in the United States.

Even though these studies refer to plant-based diets there is also a link between vegetarian diets and increased health benefits. The conclusion of the study states "Both British and California data are also fairly consistent in showing a reduction in total cancer incidence among vegetarians." Again we see how a diet eliminating meat products helps reduce the incidence of one of the leading causes of death in the US. The same study concludes "it seems clear that vegetarians experience less CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) than do others ... the evidence that risk of diabetes is less in vegetarians is highly suggestive ... body weight is lower in vegetarians ... LDL cholesterol is lower in vegetarians, and this is probably true for blood pressure and risk of treated hypertension."

So even if you are not ready to let go of eggs, dairy, cheese or fish and go completely vegan or plant-based you can still enjoy a healthy and balanced lacto-ovo or pesco-vege diet and feel good knowing that you are helping your body to reduce your risk of chronic diseases that are often common from a standard western diet. More on this is another blog post.