Unless the intention is to shorten lifespan, the Western diet has it all wrong. Every day, Americans consume excessive amounts of meat and dairy products. While this may not seem like a crime, it is a betrayal of their body. What people don't realize is that they are allowing unnecessary trans fats, many carcinogens, and harmful bacteria to enter their bloodstream. This can lead to countless complications later in life. Whereas if people avoided meat and dairy in favor of fruits and vegetables, the health benefits of this type of eating habit would be astonishing. Although vitamin B-12, found in many meat products, is essential for the production of blood for the nervous system, there are supplements vegans can take to ensure they get what they need. The vegan lifestyle is proven to be healthier than the meat and dairy lifestyle because vegans are less prone to disease, have leaner, more energetic bodies, and their lifestyle mitigates the ecological destruction of the planet. Eating meat and dairy products can lead to many infamous diseases, to which vegans are virtually immune. For people resistant to type 2 diabetes, low-fat vegan diets improve glycemic control better than traditional Western meat and dairy diets for diabetes (Barnard 255). While it is true that fruits are mostly sugar, insulin levels will not increase because they are natural, unrefined sugars. Additionally, a vegan lifestyle helps control blood lipid concentrations, thereby preventing cardiovascular disease (Barnard 258). In fact, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (Hirschler 157). In addition, a lower consumption of fats (avoiding meat) with...... middle of paper ......ulgence in this meal? They certainly do. Works Cited Barnard, Neal D. “Vegetarian and Vegan Diets in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes.” Nutrition Reviews 67.5 (2009): 255-260. Premier Academic Research. Internet. April 15, 2014. Cherepa, Clint. “Vegan for the long term.” American Fitness 30.1 (2012): 66-67. Premier Academic Research. Internet. April 15, 2014. Hirschler, Christopher A. "'What Made Me Take the Step Was a Deer Hunter': Being Vegan in North America." Society and Animals 19.2 (2011): 157-171. Academic research Premier.Web. April 15, 2014.Hood, Sandra. “The vegan diet.” Nurse Practice 35.3 (2010): 14-17. Academic research Premier.Web. April 15, 2014. Marto, Anita. “Becoming vegan: The health benefits of eating vegan can be dramatic, as long as you avoid the pitfalls. » Better Nutrition June 6, 2009: 42. Academic OneFile. Internet. April 15.2014.