thenextmile

So, the mogul of the talk show circuit is going vegan.  Well, kind of.  Oprah Winfrey announced this past week that she’s going on a 21-day diet makeover.  Her vegan diet, which is free of all animal products including dairy, will be centered on fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans.  Many believe that with this diet, Oprah will be able to generate more of an interest in healthy eating among Americans.  Oprah isn’t alone, every couple months, we hear about another celebrity who’s passing up meat.  But really, do we want the American Public getting their health information from celebrities?Oprah’s yo-yo dieting has been a tabloid headline for years.  Do you all remember when she ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 1994?  I doubt she still runs.  Remember in the late 1990s when she would gain weight, then lose weight, then gain weight, then lose it?  Remember the backlash she received a few years ago after she blasted the cattle industry during her anti-beef rampage.  Pretty soon, Oprah’s going to run out of things to eat.  There is no denying the fact that when Oprah does something, people follow.  Take her book club for example.  For authors, if Oprah mentions your book, it becomes a best seller.  If Oprah devotes an hour long episode to the cruelty of animals raised in puppy mills, viewers start adopting pets.  When Oprah does something, Americans follow the leader.  But please, Oprah should in no way be considered a leader when it comes to health.We know that there are benefits of a vegan diet. Nutrition experts have found that a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes offer a wide-range of health benefits, including lower risks of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  But going vegan, or vegetarian for that matter, doesn’t exactly equal instant health benefits.  Many people who make a quick switch from a typical Western diet to a vegan one, don’t often research how to make such changes.  Loading up on pasta and bread doesn’t equate to improved health.  When you cut out your iron intake by not eating meat, you have to find other sources.  Finding alternative sources of calcium becomes an issue.  Going vegan takes not just research, but an entire shift in lifestyle.  And although the number of Americans currently practicing both vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are at the highest point in history, that doesn’t mean that we all need to jump on the bandwagon.  I’m not saying that we shouldn’t all become vegans.  Americans do need to start making better choices when it comes to their health and what we eat.  But for heaven’s sake, don’t put down that piece of chicken just because Oprah is.  Sure, I hope she raises awareness about the benefits of healthy eating, but let’s not all jump on the Vegan bandwagon just because Ms. Winfrey says it’s the thing to do.  We all know where her diet fads have led her before.

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