Vegetarians: Are You One Yet?
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It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living by its purely physical effect on the human temperament would
most beneficially influence the lot of mankind." - Albert Einstein
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There are three primary reasons for becoming a vegetarian: improved health, conservation of the earth's resources
and the treatment of commercially farmed animals.
Health (yours)
Animal flesh is high in saturated fat, a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer, as well
as the obvious obesity we see all too often in the U.S.
Flesh foods are always low in fiber, a contributing factor in colon cancer, and possibly other cancers and diseases.
Excessive protein consumption leads to osteoporosis from calcium depletion. Calcium is used to neutralize the excessive
acidity caused by consumption of animal flesh. The much needed calcium is taken from the bones (few people consume
enough absorbable and usable calcium to meet their daily needs). Calcium is a natural pain killer, so its depletion
also leads to increased sensitivity to pain. It also relaxes the muscles, making bedtime an excellent time to take
a calcium supplement.
Conservation
70 percent of the grain harvested in the U.S. goes to feed farm animals. It takes a lot of water to raise farm
animals, between the water used for their food and their own water consumption.
It takes a lot of space to grow the grain to feed the animals. Plow down some more forests to make more land available
for raising grain and for grazing. Who cares about the ozone or global warming anyway?
Speaking of global warming, guess what contributes the most damage to the depleting ozone? Cows! The methane gas
(farts - excuse me - I had to say it) cows produce are a major pollutant!
And speaking of pollution, the unhealthy, overcrowded conditions in which over 8 BILLION farm animals are raised
each year result in major groundwater contamination beneath them. It affects the quality of water in the surrounding
communities. Fish and seafood are also affected by this water pollution in some areas.
Health (the animals')
The vast majority of commercially grown food animals are raised in unhealthy and unsanitary conditions, such as
artificial light, stagnant air filled with the fumes of their excrement, extreme overcrowding, and the noise of
frightened frustrated animals (themselves).
To make them grow faster than normal they are given hormones, including Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH). This hormone,
given to cows, is excreted in their milk. Many humans feed their babies cow's milk formulas, believing it is a
good wholesome food. The milk that comes out of most dairy cows is not fit for their own calves (if they were actually
allowed to drink it.) And human parents continue to feed this unnatural "food" to their children as they
grow (and grow and grow - have you noticed how large some kids are these days?)
Then there's all the antibiotics they give the animals to counteract some of the effects of their unhealthy lifestyle.
Half the antibiotics used in the U.S. go to farm animals. Some of the antibiotics end up the milk, so that "healthy"
liquid contains a steady stream of antibiotics, and results in a growing number of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Not to mention the wear and tear on the milk drinker's immune system, and the destruction of friendly bacteria
in the intestines which are nature's B vitamin factories.
Speaking of factories, milk cows are forced to make 10 times the normal amount of milk. How? Better living through
chemistry: drugs and hormones! Yes, of course you drink them when you drink the milk. Then when the cows can no
longer overproduce (in other words, their health is waning) they are slaughtered to make hamburgers. Yum! Pass
the ketchup and pour me a large glass of nice cold milk to go with it!
The bacteria count in properly cooked meat is appalling! There's also the risk of diseases caused by contaminated
meat. One of the biggest food disasters in recent years was Mad Cow Disease. Cows with this disease were butchered
and fed to other cows. Then these forced-to-be-cannibal-cows-who-would-really-rather-eat-grass were butchered and
fed to people. People got this fatal dementia (Mad Cow Disease) because - hey, forget about the factor that maybe
they didn't know about the disease - they were too cheap to feed the cows good food.
Think about it. Can unhealthy animals possibly be good for your health? The animals live in deplorable conditions,
require lifelong antibiotics to survive, live stress-filled lives, devoid of fresh air and sunchine, are savagely
butchered (have you ever been to a modern slaughterhouse?) are transported, packaged, shelved, sold, cooked and
eaten either because you believe you need to eat them to remain healthy or because you crave them.
By the way:
Did you know it's legal to take expired milk off the grocer's shelf, send it back to the factory, reboil it, put
a new expiration date on it and put it back on the grocer's shelf? I like recycling, generally, but this is just
plain disgusting!
Most of the foods in supermarkets are genetically engineered. We're not talking about hybridizing. We're taking
about splicing genetic material of plants with chemicals and biological materials not normally found in plants.
Stuff like Roundup and Bt and bacteria and viruses.
We're taking about tampering with the entire food chain, and insect populations. We're talking about a "science"
our government has declared safe without proper testing and without considering the potentially disastrous and
irreversible damage to plants worldwide, which are already becoming contaminated by uncontrollable cross pollination.
We're talking about wiping out monarch butterflies. All of them. They're eating genetically altered corn as they
migrate through the U.S and are dropping dead in their migratory path!
Am I ranting and raving? No, I'm just touching the tip of the iceberg. Most of the other nations in the world are
banning the import of genetically engineered food crops. Only the U.S is still declaring the safety of these unknown
hazards, designed to reduce the chemicals needed to grow them and actually requiring more - for less yield!
What can you do?
Become a vegetarian or a vegan. You can do this gradually or all at once.
Vegetarian: A vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry, fish or seafood. (So when I come into your lovely
restaurant and tell you I'm a vegetarian, please don't tell me you have wonderful chicken or fish.)
Vegan: A vegan is a vegetarian who does not use animal products including honey, milk and other dairy
products, eggs, leather, silk, fur, wool, or cosmetics or soaps derived from animal products, or tested on animals.
Improve your diet. Even the food pyramid is a good start! Eat more whole grains. (Are hospitals serving them
yet? Next time you're in one - for yourself or just visiting - ask! Then email me and let me know. I'd love to gather and post info from around the US, and the rest of the world.)
Eat more vegetables, preferably organic, which is the best way to guarantee they are not genetically engineered.
If you must consume animal flesh, consume less.
Become informed about food practices in this county, the propaganda generated by the food and drug industries,
and the genetic engineering of plant foods.
It can be overwhelming and depressing the more you read, so balance this intake of information with positive
input such as enjoying the beauty of nature, humor, and taking time to take a nice warm bath by candlelight.
Once you're refreshed and relaxed share some of what you've learned with others who may be receptive.
Resources:
To find locally-grown organic vegetables in your area, visit LocalHarvest.org.
Books and Cookbooks
The Healing Arts Bookstore
BioDemocracy Campaign/Organic Consumers Association
6114 Hwy 61
Little Marais, Mn. 55614
Tel. 218-226-4164
Fax 218-226-4157
http://www.purefood.org
The Farm Sanctuary
http://www.farmsanctuary.org
American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS)
801 Old York Rd., #204
Jenkintown, PA 19046-1685
1-800-SAY-AAVS
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
P.O. Box 42516
Washington, D.C. 20015
(301) 770-PETA
Vegetarian Resource Group
http://www.vrg.org
Vegetarian Events, Inc.
P.O. Box 1057
Alachua, FL 32616
(904) 454-4341
- Vegan Express Catering and food concessions
- Cooking demonstrations
- Networking of vegetarian groups and individuals
- Setting up displays at festivals, schools, libraries, etc.
EarthSave
http://miami.earthsave.org
Heritage Forests Campaign
http://www.OurForests.org
