HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
> Letter to Time Magazine re. their article on vegetarianism > > >From : "Nancy A. Hey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > CC : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject : Your article on vegetarianism > Date : Fri, 19 Jul 2002 09:26:30 -0400 > > Dear Time Magazine editors, > > I want to thank you for your recent cover story > article about vegetarianism. This is a very important issue, as I feel that > more people need to know about how dietary choices affect the planet we live > on. > > People who consume meat need to know where that > meat comes from, and the ethical implications of eating it. I myself have > been a vegetarian for over 20 years. I became a vegetarian becasue I did > not want to participate in the torture and killing of living, sentient > beings. > > Most people who eat meat do not realize that most > meat comes from factory farms where animals suffer terribly in tiny cages, > are de-beaked, de-horned and castrated with no pain killers, and often have > their throats slit while fully conscious. (The Washington Post did an > article on this a few years ago titled "They Die Piece By Piece). I think > if more people were aware of the extreme cruelty involved in meat > production, more of them would become vegetarian. > > The only criticism I have of your article is that I > think you might unnecessarily scare some people away from adopting a > vegetarian, and especially a vegan diet by the cases you cited of certain > people suffering vitamin deficiencies while on a vegan diet. Most of these > deficiencies were found in teen-agers, or people new to vegetarianism, who > weren't experienced in how to eat a balanced vegetarian diet. Also, by your > own admissions, teen-agers often have other unhealthy habits, like junk food > and fast food adictions. Therefore, these habits were probably more of a > factor in their vitamin deficiencies than their vegetarianism. > > In contrast, there is ample evidence that people > who eat a healthy, well balanced vegetarian diet have by far fewer health > problems than people who eat meat. For example, the study that you quoted > by the American Dietetic Association which found that "appropriately planned > vegetarian diets are healthful, are nutritionally adequate and provide > health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases" should > hold a lot more weight than the studies of the people who ate the unbalanced > vegetarian diets. Also, studies done by Dr. Dean Ornish who has treated > heart patients by putting them on a vegetarian, and close to vegan, diet > should be taken into account. He found that all of his patients, regardless > of their background or ethnicity, became more healthy on a vegetarian diet > than they were when they were eating meat. > > I personally have benefitted from my 20 years of > veganism, specifically in terms of greater physical endurance and a stronger > immune system. People who want to lead a compassionate lifestyle by not > consuming the products of animal cruelty and death need not fear for their > own health based on a few skewed surveys. A vegetarian, and prefereably > vegan diet benefits animals, humans, and the environment. I would strongly > encourage your readers to try it. > > Sincerely, > Nancy Hey > Bethesda, MD > --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
