Veganism

When deciding what to eat, there are countless camps to choose from: omnivores, vegans, vegetarians, and more (don't forget the g-frees!). With all the ways to eat, identifying with a certain label can be convenient for conveying the restrictions of your diet without having to list every single thing you can and can't eat.

But what about modified diets like seagan? Lately we've been hearing this term more and more; "seagan diet" was coined to differentiate between pescetarians, who like seagans don't eat other types of meat except seafood, but unlike them still eat dairy and eggs, and seems to have a growing following. While the diet sounds healthy — lots of fresh whole foods and omega 3s! — the idea that a seagan is in any way a vegan has struck some as odd, since vegans often avoid all animal products for reasons that are more than diet-based.

Seaganism isn't the only modified diet on the block; every day there's a new word for a new diet (flexitarians, anyone?) that has more to do with what you allow yourself to eat rather than lifestyle changes. What do you think of terms like "seaganism"? Do you identify with a diet whether or not you agree with the other aspects of the lifestyle?

Being that February is heart health month, it's a good time to review how to keep your ticker ticking properly. Ditching artery-clogging meat and dairy products, which increase risk for heart disease, sounds like a step in the right direction, but unfortunately going vegan like Alicia Silverstone doesn't automatically put you on the safe list. According to research, vegans may not be getting enough iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids from their diets, which are all essential for a healthy cardiovascular system.

On the plus side, vegans do tend to have lower BMIs (body mass index) and cholesterol levels. But to do their hearts good, vegans need to make sure to get their fill of the heart-healthy essential vitamins and nutrients mostly found in meat and dairy products. Learn where to find those nutrients in a plant-based diet.

Alicia Silverstone knows that eating well can help the planet, which is one reason she decided to swear off meat and dairy and adopt a vegan lifestyle. But it's not all selfless: she also appreciates how her improved diet makes her look younger and glowing.

In a new interview with Health, the Clueless star talks about her eating philosophy, her line of cruelty-free beauty products, and her book The Kind Diet, coming out in October. Here are highlights:

• On why she wrote the book: "Once you're informed, then you can be really gentle and kind to yourself, by giving yourself all the gifts life has to offer — like mental clarity and vitality — all while making the planet better."
• On why she went vegan: "I didn't come at it, honestly, from a health point of view. I was 21 when I went vegan. And when anybody told me to be healthy, I thought people were just telling me [to lose weight] because I'm in this business. So I was like, 'Go F yourself!' [Laughs.] Yet when I look at those pictures from back then, I can see the puffiness in my eyes. It's weird to be 32 now and feel and look younger. . . . Right after I first made the switch to a plant-based diet, people were literally telling me, 'What have you done? You’re sparkling.'"

To read more highlights — including what Silverstone has to say about being naked in her backyard — read more