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in animal foods (saturated fats, acid
substances that influence the Ph of
the extracellular matrix, cholesterol
and animal proteins as well as toxic
agents, food coloring, antibiotics, etc.).
For the same reasons, indirect animal
products should also be excluded/
reduced (eggs and dairy products).
In my clinical daily practice, I
have also seen that the reduction
or exclusion of animal products
improves symptoms in gynecological
diseases, such as endometriosis and
adenomyosis, and in some chronic
intestinal diseases, such as ulcerative
rectocolitis and Chron’s disease.
It is also true, though, that “self-
made” vegetarian and vegan diets
(i.e. that don’t follow expert medical
advice) can be very bad for our
health. People who don’t exactly
know what to eat often substitute
animal-based foods either with
a higher intake of carbohydrates
and legumes (responsible for
weight increase) or with an
excessive reduction of proteins
and other nutrients, which can
cause deficiencies of vitamin B12,
calcium, etc. Typical symptoms are
fatigue, difficulty to adapt to low
temperatures, headache, muscle
weakness and diminished strength in
the muscles.
* Doctor Barbara Panterna, Surgeon
with a University Specialization in
Nutrition at Università Statale of
Milan. She works in food education
and geriatrics. Teacher for Regione
Lombardia First Aid Courses and
Microbiology. She has written several
medical/scientific articles and she
has written a few novels, available on
Amazon. She has recently published
with Passoni Editore “Storie di
ordinaria ginecologia”, distributed
in Italy by Byer Pharmaceutics. She
works in Milan as a free-lance.
AT PAGE 34
The new frontier of
veganism
Production and customers’ demand
have increased, in Italy and abroad.
Vegan wine maintains intact the fine
organolectic qualities and the typical
character of any other traditional wine
By Maddalena Baldini
Some people say it is a passing
trend, some people talk about a
“revolution” in our lifestyle, more
and more oriented towards a healthy
relationship with food and drinks,
and others insist we are at a turning
point, facing an ethical trend that
will involve a large share of the
western population. Whatever
view is closest to the truth, it is a
fact that vegan wine has become a
protagonist of the market, scoring
a significant rise in sales with a
growth as high as 20% in some
regions. These numbers have made
Italian wine producers think and
some of them have either entirely
converted their production or added
a vegan line production alongside
their traditional ones.
But what exactly is vegan wine? What
characterizes it? As most people
know, the vegan diet doesn’t allow
the consumption of meat and fish
(just like the vegetarian diet), but also
excludes all animal-based products
and products that come from animals
such as milk, eggs, cheese, etc.
In other words, vegans say NO to
everything linked to the animal
world, including the production
stages of all foods and wine. If wine
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