02/04/15 First Nutrition Counseling for a Plant-Based Diet
Animal Friends launches a counseling center for a healthy vegan diet for all of Croatia
- Nutritionist Ivana Simic will provide counseling on how to improve your diet monthly, every first Saturday
World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that unhealthy living habits cause epidemic diseases which, when combined, constitute the leading cause of mortality in the world and are a far greater threat for public health than of any other epidemic we know. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and certain types of cancer are the cause of mortality of millions of people in the world, some already in their 30's, 40's and 50's whoselives may be saved by promoting healthier living habits. The results of a report by the European Commission for 2014 on the health status of Europeans confirm that cardiovascular diseases and cancer are also the most common causes of mortality in Croatia.
Animal Friends therefore launched the first free nutrition counseling for a healthy diet based on food of plant origin. Monthly, on every first Saturday, beginning with the7 February 2015, the masternutritionist Ivana Simic will provide answers to citizens' questions throughout Croatia providing advice on how to improve diet, and thereby one's health as well. Answers will be provided via telephone, e-mail or live, according to pre-scheduled appointments via an application form on the web-site: www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr. This useful counseling and information is intended for vegans, vegetarians, and all others, regardless of their diet.
The renowned book by T. Colin Campbell, Ph. D.,The China Study, one of the most comprehensive studies of human nutrition of all times, clearly indicates that people who eat the greatest amount of food of animal origin have the highest cancer and chronic-disease rates and that even a relatively low intake of food of animal origin is related to adverse effects. Considerable research has proven that plant-based diet can prevent and cure cardiac and vascular diseases, various types of cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney failure, hypertension, obesity and a number of other diseases.
The American Nutrition Association and Dieticians of Canada prepared a highly detailed and comprehensive study which definitively concluded "an adequately planned vegetarian diet is healthy, nutritionally sufficient and ensures health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases". A diet change is justified, confirmed by various populations around the world,together with over 160 thousand vegetarians and vegans in Croatia, whose number grows daily. A plant-based diet provides health, vitality, beauty, body-trim/proportion and longevity.
Animal Friends, in addition to nutrition counseling, offers everyone free informative materials - the brochure "Plant-Based Diet" and poster "Plant-Based Diet for Health" that illustrates a food pyramid and lists plant sources of vitamins and minerals, professionally reviewed by Dubravka Novotni, Ph.D. Doctor of Nutrition.
The food pyramid chart promotes healthy habits and provides useful information on vitamins and minerals in fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes and seeds. Information and guidelines on the poster are adapted for general use, to encourage a greater consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Also, on their YouTube channel www.youtube.com/afcroatia, Animal Friends have numerous interesting and valuable lectures on the effectiveness and benefits of vegan nutrition for health.
Additional information and the application form for nutrition-counseling are available at: www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr.
