Great essay, Jonathan.
If anyone wishes to change his/her diet to Vegan, please be careful.
Much of what is sold as Vegan is dangerous as it can be loaded with GMO non-organic foods.
I read one label of Vegan Gluten-Free food at Whole Foods Market, which supposedly is now more than 50% controlled by Monsanto or by one of their subsidiaries. The food label claimed that it had soy oil, which is a high source of unhealthy omega 6 (see reference below). Unless that soy oil is labeled "Organic," one must suppose that it is probably GMO, as most soy oil is from GMO crops. The label also mentioned that there was corn in the product. Again, most corn is now GMO or GMO-contaminated in the open fields. I certainly did not buy that very expensive product. Note: buying foods labeled as "Vegan" usually brings a very high price tag as they cater to a young well-educated and rich population who are not concerned about prices.
It is far better to eat unprocessed foods that are organic and non-GMO. Processed foods have too much Omega 6 in the form of soy, safflower, sunflower, or corn oil. Actually, olive oil (salads), coconut oil (cooking), and butter are better. Butter, especially butter from pastured cows, is best eaten raw (not used in cooking or baking). Cheeses, yogurt, and meat from pastured-fed cows, goats, and sheep have much higher natural Vitamin A and D, especially in the spring and early summer.
Fish with backbones (vertebrates) are considered fish meat, and we cannot have the flesh of fish during Great Lent except on Saturdays, Sundays, and feast days. The best fish are non-farm raised wild salmon and trout. Sardines from Northern cool waters are also good. Fish without backbones (invertebrates), such as clams, oysters, lobster, and crabs, can be eaten during Great Lent, but these invertebrates are considered bottom dwellers and can pick up contaminates. It used to be that crab and lobster were poor men's food, but now they are pricey and often served with butter sauce, which makes them a non-Lenten dish.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400149/b ... ega-6.html
By contrast, sources of omega-6 fatty acids are numerous in modern diets. They are found in seeds and nuts, and the oils extracted from them. Refined vegetable oils, such as soy oil, are used in most of the snack foods, cookies, crackers, and sweets in the American diet as well as in fast food. Soybean oil alone is now so ubiquitous in fast foods and processed foods that an astounding 20 percent of the calories in the American diet are estimated to come from this single source.
The body also constructs hormones from omega 6 fatty acids. In general, hormones derived from the two classes of essential fatty acids have opposite effects. Those from omega-6 fatty acids tend to increase inflammation (an important component of the immune response), blood clotting, and cell proliferation, while those from omega-3 fatty acids decrease those functions. Both families of hormones must be in balance to maintain optimum health.