That was the day, my first semester of my second year of college, that I decided to give up eating meat forever. I haven't looked back once.
The change originally started due to my drive to become healthier and feel better about myself and my body. I began working out regularly and trying to incorporate as many healthy foods into my lifestyle as I could. I had never enjoyed the taste of meat to begin with, especially chicken, hamburger, or really any meat. My steak had to be well done and drowned in ketchup because the thought of digesting the dead cow in front of me made me sick. So I gu
ess the truth is, reality just hit me, and I realized that instead of embracing cruelty to innocent farm animals by consuming a product I didn't even enjoy, instead I could focus on healthier choices and on enjoying the wonderful natural foods there are out there that don't require the slaughtering of animals, some of which (pigs) have the intelligence capacity of a 3 year old. Immediately after becoming a vegetarian, I started researching vegetarian recipes and began trying new vegetarian options at restaurants. I was pleased to find that there were dozens, if not hundreds, of different foods that I would have never even considered eating before I gave up eating meat that I ADORED and continue to eat regularly. I also immediately began researching the cruel methods involved in the meat processing industry and all the health benefits I gained by giving up eating meat. All of my research lead me to one conclusions....that I had DEFINITELY made the right choice. Take the following video for example (and yes, certain slaughterhouses have much more stringent practices than others, but it doesn't change the fact that these animals are murdered unnecessary for you to eat & enjoy for dinner tomorrow night)...Watch this video with caution...very upsetting. (link)
The video is certainly not for the squeamish, and I have trouble getting through the whole thing myself...I cannot stand the idea of innocent animals being hurt for my pleasure. Many may argue that "animals are put on this Earth for humans to eat," and that belief is your prerogative, but knowing that eating meat doesn't give your body any health benefits, that animals have a mind and a capacity to understand and feel, and that you could be leaner, healthier, and just as happy without consuming a dead animal, how can you truly make that argument with conviction? In fact, there are many facts that will show you, indeed, that consuming meat, especially red meat, does your body very little good:
1. Red meat is loaded with saturated fat. Saturated fat is responsible for higher instances of heart disease and atherosclerosis. 1
2. "Factory-farmed animals contain toxic chemicals. Meat contains accumulations of pesticides and other chemicals up to 14 times more concentrated than those in plant foods. Half of all antibiotics used in the US are used in farm animals and 90% of those are not used to treat infections but are instead used as growth promoters." 2 Those steroids, in fact, are used in such high quantities, that many chickens and small farm animals are unable to hold up their own weight and their legs break under the pressure. The evidence is sickening, the treatment these animals receive during their short lifespans is nothing short of cruelty. If a dog or other house-pet was treated in this manner, the animals' owner would face criminal charges, without a doubt.
3. More protein isn't always better. In fact, it can be worse. "In a study of osteoporotic fractures, a research group from the University of California published results showing that the risk of a hip fracture in post-menopausal women essentially depends on the composition of their diet. Older women with a high intake of animal, rather than vegetable, proteins ran a significantly higher risk for hip fractures than people in a control group. The incidence of hip fractures in individual countries correlates with the ratio of animal to vegetable protein in the daily diet. These researchers concluded that a low-grade metabolic alkalose is probably the optimum acid-base status." 3
The fact is, I could sit here for days spewing off facts and information about the negative impacts of consuming meat. But I don't expect those facts to motivate you necessarily to give up meat, especially if you are a die-hard me
at eater. Becoming a vegetarian is a very personal and a very internally driven decision, from my experience. I don't typically try to convert anyone--you are all smart enough to observe your surroundings and understand where the meat on your plate comes from. While I am not asking you to change your lifestyle or give up your passion for chicken, I will ask one thing of you...try, when possible, to increase the quantity of farm grown and hormone free products you buy. Support local farmers. While free-range doesn't always imply that the chickens are truly treated more humanely, do your research...there are places locally you can purchase eggs and other products from where you can trust that the animals were not put through the wringer at a slaughterhouse, spending their last moments of life in wretched pain. Try to cut out the amount of red meat you eat, and remember...veggies are tasty too :)
Click on the image to learn more ^^ :)
1. http://environment.about.com/od/health/a/red_meat_mad.htm
2. http://www.zenzibar.com/Articles/15_reasons.htm
3. http://www.heimat-fuer-tiere.de/english/articles/med/meat_makes_you_sick.shtml
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