A careful analysis of the current research seems to show that a well-planned vegan diet can support healthy lifestyles at every life-stage, from pregnancy and weaning to elite athletic performance. Studies of Seventh Day Adventists in the USA, which are reasonable large and well controlled, suggest that - accounting for all other lifestyle factors - being vegetarian seems to add about 2 years of healthy life expectancy. References are available from various sources, such as this recent review of vegetarian diets in the British Medical Journal: http://www.bmj.com/content/339/bmj.b2507.extract Adding 'meat, milk and/or eggs' to a well-planned vegan diet will not create any mysterious health benefits. We all need to be making generally healthy, informed choices. For example, everyone in the UK over the age of 50 should be taking a vitamin B12 supplement or fortified foods as we lose the ability to absorb this vitamin 'second-hand' via non-plant foods as we age, and need it first-hand from bacteria. Similarly, everyone in the UK should look at vitamin D supplements or fortified foods outside of the summer months - particularly in Scotland, if you have darker skin, or if you rarely uncover in the sun - as we have a long 'vitamin D winter' now associated with serious diseases such as MS. The Finns apparently lose the advantages of the high fish content in their diet due to mercury etc. contamination of their fishing grounds, so getting Omega-3 fats from the same source as the fish get them - algae - or using good plant-based sources such as flaxseed, rapeseed, hempseed or walnuts may be advisable. British soils are deficient in iodine and selenium, for which kelp seaweed and Brazil nuts are a good remedy no matter your dietary choices. None of this is hard, expensive or unmanageable, once you've spent a little time getting into good habits.
