Day 10 - What’s wrong with meat?

“Avoid as many animal products as possible.  The vast majority of major publications regarding disease prevention and reversal support this, and in the healthiest parts of the world, animal (whether it flies, swims, runs, jumps or slithers) and dairy consumption is nowhere near the epic proportions reached in the Western diet.  Eliminate animals and animal products from your diet for optimal health.” – Dr. Todd Pesek, Eat Yourself Super

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) just revoked support of “Meatless Monday,” a campaign encouraging people to observe one vegetarian day a week.  The reason?  The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association got mad.

Now wait a minute, last time I checked, wasn’t it the USDA that is supposed to be inspecting the products and making sure our food is fit for human consumption?  So, the USDA reneged because the cattle companies got mad at them?  Whoa… who’s in charge here?  Are you still feeling like they care about your health?

The US Department of Agriculture said originally:  “The production of meat, especially beef (and dairy as well), has a large environmental impact. According to the UN, animal agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases and climate change. It also wastes resources. It takes 7000 kg of grain to make 1000 kg of beef.”

So even the USDA recognizes that meat is detrimental to the environment (well, until they got yelled at.)  I’m sure you’ve heard rumors of the conditions in the slaughterhouses and the constant mistreatment of the animals.  I’m going to spare you on that (for now) and move on to our health.

Eating meat and animal products leads to a great risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, contributes to arthritis pain, increases cholesterol, and has been linked with not only causing cancer, but also for serving as fuel when cancer already exists.

Every time you consume factory-farmed chicken, beef, veal, pork, eggs, or dairy, you are eating antibiotics, pesticides, steroids, and hormones:
“Half of all the antibiotics made in the United States each year are administered to farm animals, causing antibiotic resistance in the humans who eat them.  A study at the University of California Berkeley linked eating beef to urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women.  It just so happens that the most common infectious disease in women is UTIs.” – Skinny Bitch 

Feeling proud about eating only “white meat” and maybe “the other white meat?”  These were slogans invented by the meat industry.  Chicken has just as much fat and cholesterol as beef.  It hides in the muscle.  It might even be worse; eating chicken and fish has been linked to colon cancer.

Fish alternatives that contain essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and protein: flaxseeds, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds, nuts, soybeans, fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, soy products, and whole grains.
And as if Mad Cow Disease and tainted meat aren't scary enough, did you know that there is fecal matter in half or more of all chicken?  Skinless was even worse than skin-on.  Kathy Freston Investigates:  There's Poop in our Chicken Meat! 

What about protein?  Will I get enough?
It’s a myth that vegans don’t get enough protein.  There are many cases of disease caused by getting too much protein, but it’s exceptionally rare to not get enough.  Just make sure you are eating beans, lentils, nuts, whole grains, and seeds.

“A portion of meat may have a high density of various essential amino acids, but it also has loads of saturated fats.  Proteins from legumes and grains, on the other hand, can deliver an equal number of amino acids with little saturated fat.”  Plus, vegetables are high in fiber, where animal protein has none, and high in vitamins and minerals (again, meat has none.)

There's always the argument:  “Man is superior.  That is why I eat animals.  Because I can – we’re at the top of the food chain.”

Interesting.  “If you study animals in the wild, you will note that they do not rely on anything other than their natural hunting ability, speed, strength, claws, teeth, and jaws.  They have no tools or weapons.  Now look at yourself.  Look at your flimsy fingernails in comparison to an eagle’s talons.  Look at your flat, blunt teeth compared to a lion’s fangs.  Compare your speed and agility to that of a tiger.  Compare the strength of your jaw to a wolf’s  Imagine yourself trying to run after an animal, catch it, and kill it using your bare hands, fingernails, teeth, and jaws  Not only would you look ridiculous, but you’d probably get your ass kicked, too.  And even if you were successful, envision yourself feasting on the kill without the aid of an oven and silverware.” – Skinny Bitch

I know it was a lot of info, but this was just a teaser.  The more I read, the more considerable the evidence grows that we have been fed dangerous lies, hormones, chemicals, and complacency.  There is SO MUCH more to this – the science, the studies, the specific chemicals, the acidity of meat, the diseases spread by tainted meat, the hormones released by terrified animals, all of the health complications linked to meat, the profit of an industry leading to loss in our health, the environmental devastation.  It’s all preventable.  If you are interested in learning more, I would recommend the following:

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone – she’s even kind to you as you read it.  Her recipes are awesome.  Highly recommend.

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin – a no-nonsense approach.  They tell it like it is and sometimes that’s what we need to hear.

The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn – Son of Caldwell B Esselstyn, Jr., MD, who conducted ground-breaking research at the Cleveland Clinic in reversing heart disease through a plant-based diet.  He’s been a professional triathlete and is currently a firefighter.  He has great advice, scientific evidence to back his claims, and even an exercise plan to go along with eating plan and recipes.  A good one to give to your male friends; he makes being vegan sound very manly and cool.

21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart by Neil D. Barnard, MD – He’s one of the ones that all these other folks quote.  Solid information and meal plans.

The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest by Dan Buettner  - Interviews with people in the “Blue Zones” along with advice and conclusions drawn based on research.  Good stuff like “Walk six miles a day”, “laugh often”, “find the meaning in your life and live with joy”, as well as dietary advice.

The Quantum Wellness Cleanse: The 21-Day Essential Guide to Healing Your Body, Mind, and Spirit by Kathy Freston – I think you know a bit about this one by now.

Food, Inc.  – This is a very lively documentary that held my interest the whole time.  It’s fast-paced, fascinating, and not your usual documentary.  Check it out.  You don’t even have to read.

I’m still reading and will keep you posted!

Leftovers would make a nice breakfast.

A light and lovely recipe:  Avocado Fruit Salad

1 cucumber
1 avocado
7 strawberries
1 apple
Juice of ½ lemon
1 TB basil
½ tsp salt or to taste

Dice, Mix and Enjoy!  It tastes like summer.

I just made this up today.  Thanks to Colleen for showing me that basil and apples go well together – turns out, basil makes strawberries sing, too!

 
Note: Apologies to my international readers that most references are to the USA.  I need to get more international reading material!  Then again, I'm pretty sure it's the USA's fault for spreading this garbage around the globe...