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Health Issues // Strokes
Meat and Strokes
What Is a Stroke?A stroke is a sudden disruption in the flow of blood to the brain, usually caused by a blockage in a blood vessel in the brain. This interruption of blood flow causes the affected part of the brain to suffocate because blood is no longer carrying oxygen to the brain tissue. Strokes can result in the death of parts of the brain, causing physical and mental impairments—in fact, strokes are the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States.5 Serious strokes are often fatal.The Causes of StrokesAtherosclerosisAccording to Teresa Fung, a researcher who studies strokes at the Harvard School of Public Health, "In essence, an ischemic stroke is much like a heart attack that occurs in your brain and [that] can result from atherosclerosis."6 Atherosclerosis is the narrowing and hardening of our blood vessels that is caused by the consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol. Meat, eggs, and dairy products are the leading sources of saturated fat and the only sources of cholesterol in the human diet. Although the average cholesterol level in the U.S. is 210, the average vegetarian in the U.S. has a cholesterol level of 161, and the average American vegan has a cholesterol level of 133.7 Since vegetarians have lower cholesterol levels and lower intakes of saturated fat than meat-eaters do, they are less likely to suffer from the hardened and clogged arteries that often lead to heart disease and strokes.High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)High blood pressure is the single-most important risk factor for strokes, according to the American Heart Association.8 On average, vegetarians have lower blood pressure than meat-eaters do. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that 26 percent of meat-eaters studied suffered from high blood pressure, compared to only 2 percent of vegetarians.9 Further studies by scientists at Harvard Medical School have confirmed that "[s]trict vegetarians, who eat little if any animal products, and lacto-vegetarians, who regularly eat dairy products, have lower blood pressures than the general population after adjustment for the effects of age, sex, and body weight."10 Since vegetarians have a lower risk of having high blood pressure in comparison to meat-eaters, they reduce their chances of having strokes or developing other cardiovascular problems associated with hypertension.ObesityResearchers have found that obesity nearly doubles a man's risk of having a stroke, and a study of 21,000 people revealed that each one-point increase in body-mass index results in a 6 percent increase in stroke risk.11 People who eat meat are nearly 10 times more likely to be obese than vegetarians are, and on average, vegetarians are 10 to 20 pounds lighter than meat-eaters.12 Since vegetarians are slimmer, on average, they are less prone to having strokes and heart attacks and to developing diseases in which being overweight is a contributing factor.Researchers Confirm the Link Between Strokes and the Consumption of Animal ProductsWhen you consider that eating meat causes atherosclerosis, hypertension, and excess body weight—all of which contribute to strokes—it's no wonder that researchers have found that people who eat plant-based diets are less likely to suffer from these deadly brain blockages. Researchers who tracked 72,000 women over a period of 14 years confirm that study participants who ate diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains were less likely to suffer from strokes in comparison to those who ate the typical American meat-heavy diet.13 The study, published in the scientific journal Stroke, found that people who ate a typical American meat-based diet had a 58 percent higher risk of having a stroke than did those who controlled their intake of meat and other junk food.14 The researchers who conducted the study also noted that of the 72,000 women who participated, those who ate the most fruits and vegetables reduced their risk of having a stroke by 22 percent compared to those who ate fewer plant-based foods.15 Other researchers have found that men who eat the most fruits and vegetables are 40 percent less likely to have a stroke compared to men who pass on vegetarian foods.16 The science indicates that eating meat can cause a stroke, while a vegetarian diet can protect against this deadly brain blockage.Read more. 5 The Internet Stroke Center, "Stroke Statistics," 2005 <http://www.strokecenter.org/pat/stats.htm>. 6 Kirchheimer. 7 Robbins 21. 8 American Heart Association, "High Blood Pressure Increases Your Risk for Stroke," 2006. 9 O. Ophir et al., "Low Blood Pressure in Vegetarians: The Possible Role of Potassium," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 37.5 (1983): 755-62. 10 F.M. Sacks and E.H. Kass, "Low Blood Pressure in Vegetarians: Effects of Specific Foods and Nutrients," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 48 (1988): 795-800. 11 Ed Edelson, "Obesity Linked to Higher Stroke Risk," HealthDay, 28 Oct. 2004. 12 Robbins 58. 13 Kirchheimer. 14 Kirchheimer. 15 Kirchheimer. 16 Kirchheimer. |
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