I believe my experience has given me a good understanding of both lifestyles. For the past 2 months I've greatly reduced my meat intake again and am starting to remember what it feels like:
- More Energy
- Higher mental clarity
- Almost no digestion problems
Those are the main effects I have felt from removing meat from my diet, or at least keeping it very limited in my diet. It doesn't sound like much when it's in writing, but when you experience it for yourself it is a very strong realization. If you can at least limit your meat to unprocessed meats you'll be doing yourself a big favor, and while I don't despise consuming meat or speak out against it necessarilly, I would like to raise awareness that removing meat from your diet...
- Lowers cancer risk
- Lowers risk of heart disease
- Lowers risk of osteoperosis
Also the meat industry is pretty gross. Upon research I read that 60% of chicken in stores has salmonella bacteria already, 30% of pork contains toxoplasmosis (infections due to parasites), and more than half of all antibiotics in the United States are used on animals to get this meat (for infections and growth enhancement). For more info and facts on my research visit http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/default.aspx
You don't have to take my word for it, I really encourage you to dedicate 30 days to abstaining from meat, even just for the experience of it. I will write another article about how to transition to a vegetarian diet this week so check back soon!
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3 comments:
i am currently a pescetarian. there was a video on ted about how corporations use trawl nets to scrape up all of six jumbo shrimp while destroying underwater biomes in the process, so even eating seafood is questionable.
i have nothing against meat-eaters. in fact, i would eat meat, too, if it weren't for all the less-than-honest practices corporations exercise to acquire the meat. nothing's safe. it's difficult because it's not easy to just start a farm and provide my own food. however, growing a vegetable garden is a healthy and safe alternative.
in addition, most americans waste a lot of the edible parts of animals. people at restaurants get turned off if the fish they ordered still has its head intact. eating bone marrow is unheard of in these parts. however, more and more people are getting exposed to different ways of eating now, and the general state of mind is improving as we become more open to cultural differences. =]
I agree with @Calla - in fact, some health expert once said, that if everyone ate meat, and people were concerned about the practices carried out by these cruel slaughter houses, we can run those specific houses out of business by only buying ones that have open and more humane practices.
That said, there is an importance to staying vegeterian, but i don't believe their is a one diet that fits all - humans are at their own unique level of development, and each person has its unique requirements.
For example, not all of us can absorb vitamins the same way - and its to do with your previous life style.
Just my two cents - thanks for posting Andrew
Thanks Calla. Yeah I'm pretty much a pescatarian too at this point but I'm looking for ways to up my vegetable intake. Also I think 30 days for people who have never tried is reasonable. There's still 335 days in the year to go back to eating meat.
Ali, great points. It's too bad organic and farms that carry out more humane practices aren't the rule. FDA is under a lot of flack because their regulations seem weak and unenforced but at the same time the companies are stimulating our economy and providing lots of food, so it's kind of a grey area.
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