I am glad that you are happy with your diet. There is no one right diet
for everyone. This does not change the fact that some humans get very sick
without eating meat. I can go for 72 hours then my body temperature starts
to drop. The only thing that will bring it back up is a serving of meat.
I guess you can survive if you like to take pills. I chuckle every time I
see this argument. I have worked very hard to be able to survive without
the handful of pills everyday. The drug companies are one of the reasons
that the doctors do not receive good nutritional educations. Life out of a
bottle is not sustainable. Taking supplements is not the same as using
food to get all your nutrients.
In addition, soy is one of the most heavily chemical foods in
agribusiness! As soon as you start to use soy as a main protein, you are
supporting factory farming, big time.
One other fallacy, that meat eating animals eat food that humans could
somehow use. Most land that is used for raising animals is not capable of
producing any kind of cereal or vegetable crop. It is marginal land, that
can grow grass and not much else. You will feed fewer people without the
meat, since nothing will grow where the animals have been raised.
Bright Blessings,
Kim
At 05:33 PM 3/10/2005, you wrote:
Greetings listers,
Just thought I'd say a word or two about vegetarianism, being one who has
survived quite well with such a diet. I think that the idea that many
vegetarians can't stay healthy with a no-meat diet is somewhat outdated
now. Current ideas about health and nutrition are shifting completely --
indeed, the entire standard "food pyramid" guide that we all grew up
learning, with its bulwark of grains at the bottom, is being entirely
reconsidered. For vegetarians of the past, their biggest problem was
eliminating the major protein staples proffered by meat, which was a true
problem. It was one of the first criticisms I received as a mid-teenager
when I decided to go veggie, and I had to fight to convince certain of my
family members that I could handle a vegetarian diet and still get the
protein necessary.
Nowadays, there are lots more common options for getting excellent sources
of protein: a suite of soy-based products, like soy seitan, tofu,
"imitation" soy-based meats, cottage cheese, eggs, tempeh. Used
judiciously, vegetarians can reap the benefits of an entirely balanced
diet, without some of the associated health and ethical dilemmas of meat
eating that often bother aspiring vegetarians: cholesterol problems; high
fat levels in some meats; concerns over ethical farming/husbandry of
animals; concerns over killing animals in general; concerns over the food
distribution food problem in the world (by switching to a vegetable-based
diet, more actual primary production farming goes to feed more people,
whereas eating meat actually reduces the number of people fed because
cattle and sheep and other animals consume far more green matter than is
reaped via the animal itself).
There is also a huge world of supplements and vitamins out there that more
than makes up for any potential vitamin/nutrient deficiencies lost from
giving up meat. In fact, the best Omega-3 sources come from fish -- and
vegetarians can get molecularly distilled fish oil pills that also ensures
no harmful trace elements, such as mercury, are getting into their
bodies. Additionally, a Harvard study done recently testing for mercury
levels in human hair pointed out that mercury can come from red meats just
the same as fish. Those on vegetarian diets have far, far lower levels of
mercury in their bodies than meat eaters (I know, I was tested and was
well below the EPA reference number of 1.0). Green foods supplements,
antioxidants from tea and berries -- some of the highest sources of
antioxidants anywhere -- cacao seeds, and other supplements can provide
all the vitamins and more necessary for excellent health that most people
arent' aware of, unless they've done a little bit of research.
Of course, I'm not opposed to people eating meat. I do believe humans
evolved as omnivores -- and so I don't really believe the argument (which
I've heard) that Homo sapiens was really originally an herbivore. But,
someone here posted earlier that if you analyze the diets of our
forebears, meat -- in general -- was not consumed nearly as regularly as
grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables. It was a luxury item that our
pre-human ancestors got every so often, and poor people even in today's
world still often can't afford. I also do believe in supporting
sustainable, humane family farms, and will encourage my meat-eating
friends and relatives to seek out those better sources for their
meats. Factory farms are unnatural, cruel, and often invisible to the
ordinary person shopping for meat in the grocery store, looking at nice,
pert little packages of ready-wrapped meats. The connection with the
animal and the hard fact of having to kill an animal to survive or eat
meat is all but gone from the better part of society. I think if many
people knew what happened behind factory farm doors, they would be
appalled. So, I applaud those who are sensitive to the needs of animals,
and who have that relationship. Many earlier human societies were the
same way; killing an animal was done out of necessity, for survival.
At any rate, not to blather on, but I just wanted to add my two cents, and
point out that it's actually extremely easy to stay healthy today as
vegetarians -- so long as vegetarians (or vegans) know how to do it right.
Fascinating discussion!
Best,
tamsyn
________________________________
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Kim & Garth Travis
Sent: Thu 3/10/2005 6:49 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Cleaning Up Factory Farms
Greetings,
Not everyone can stay healthy on a vegan diet. Many of us get very sick
when we cut out all meat. Just eating dairy and eggs is not
enough. Besides, I do need the manure from my animals to fix my burnt out
land. If you read through the small farms section of JTF, you will find
all kinds of information about this. The only cure I have found for cotton
rot in the land is blood and offal. When I asked Texas A&M how to cure
cotton rot, they told me it could not be done. Well I did it.
There are many reasons as to why to eat meat. Good 100% grass fed beef and
lamb has Omega 3s and lots of CLA that keeps you healthy. It also does not
have the mercury that fish has these days. I know that some people can
stay healthy as vegetarians, but not many. I know I read a study, I can't
remember where that vegetarians have shorter life spans, on average.
At 07:55 PM 3/9/2005, you wrote:
>I hear you -- my sister's a vegan, but she eats her own eggs (ie, her
>CHICKENs' eggs :-)) because she knows they're well-treated. Far be it
>for me to preach vegetarianism -- that would be extremely hypocritical.
>But it's an issue I'm addressing now. Why eat "lower" lifeforms at all?
>Dirt would be best, plants next, animals last if ever.....
>
>-K
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