I Am a Vegetarian
We humans cannot digest nor eat meat because we neither have fangs nor claws to do so. We are physiologically not suited for a carnivorous diet. Psysiologically, people are more akin to plant-eaters, foragers and grazers, such as monkeys, elephants and cows, than to carnivora such as dogs, tigers and leopards.
For example, carnivora do not sweat through their skin; body heat is controlled by rapid breathing and extrusion of the tongue. Vegetarian animals, on the other hand, have sweat pores for heat control and the elimination of impurities. Carnivora have long teeth and claws for holding and killing prey; vegetarian animals have short teeth and no claws. The saliva of carnivora contains no ptyalin and cannot predigest starches; that of vegetarian animals contains ptyalin for the predigestion of starches.
Flesh-eating animals secrete large quantities of hydrochloric acid to help dissolve bones; vegetarian animals secrete little hydrochloric acid. The jaws of carnivora only open in an up and down motion; those of vegetarian animals also move sideways for additional kinds of chewing. Carnivora must lap liquids (like a cat); vegetarian animals take liquids in by suction through the teeth.
There are many such comparisons, and in each case humans fit the vegetarian physiognomy. From a strictly physiological perspective, there are strong arguments that humans are not suited to a fleshy diet.
Much of the world's massive hunger problems could be solved by the reduction or elimination of meat-eating. The reasons: 1) livestock pasture needs cut drastically into land which could otherwise be used to grow food; 2) vast quantities of food which could feed humans is fed to livestock raised to produce meat.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers should supplement their diets with vitamins B12 and D."
Vegetarian children also have high nutritional needs, and these too, are obtained from a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian menu is 'life-extending.' As young children, vegetarians may grow more gradually, reach puberty somewhat later, and live substantially longer than do meat-eaters.
Many of the world's massive environmental problems could be solved by the reduction or elimination of meat-eating, including global warming, loss of topsoil, loss of rainforests and species extinction.
The temperature of the earth is rising. This global warming, known as "the greenhouse effect," results primarily from carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas. Three times more fossil fuels must be burned to produce a meat-centered diet than for a meat-free diet. If people stopped eating meat, the threat of higher world temperatures would be vastly diminished.
Trees, and especially the old-growth forests, are essential to the survival of the planet. Their destruction is a major cause of global warming and top soil loss. Both of these effects lead to diminished food production. Meat-eating is the number one driving force for the destruction of these forests. Another devastating result of deforestation is the loss of plant and animal species. Each year 1,000 species are eliminated due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses. The rate is growing yearly.
This economic incentive impels these nations to cut down their forests to make more pastureland. The short-term gain ignores the long-term, irreparable harm to the earth's ecosystem. Those who eat flesh are also far more likely to contract cancer than those following a vegetarian diet.
Physicians are not sufficiently trained in the importance of the relation of diet to health; meat-eaters ingest excessive amounts of cholesterol, making them dangerously susceptible to heart attacks. The average cholesterol consumption of a meat-centered diet is 210 milligrams per day. The chance of dying from heart disease is great.
The world's natural resources are being rapidly depleted as a result of meat-eating. Raising livestock for their meat is a very inefficient way of generating food. Pound for pound, far more resources must be expended to produce meat than to produce grains, fruits and vegetables.
Meat-eating is devouring oil reserves at an alarming rate. It takes nearly 78 calories of fossil fuel (oil, natural gas, etc.) energy to produce one calory of beef protein and only 2 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calory of soybean.
The large amounts of antibiotics fed to livestock to control staphylococci (commonly called staph infections), which are becoming immune to these drugs at an alarming rate increases the danger of eating meat.
Because the antibiotics are only partially effective because the bacteria that cause disease are becoming immune to the antibiotics. These antibiotics and-or the bacteria reside in the meat that goes to market. It is not healthy in any way for humans to consume this meat and meat also contains dangerously high quantities of deadly pesticides.
Many of those who have adopted a vegetarian diet have done so because of the ethical argument, either from reading about or personally experiencing what goes on daily at any one of the thousands of slaughterhouses, where animals suffer the cruel process of forced confinement, manipulation and violent death. Their pain and terror is beyond calculation.
People who come in contact with slaughterhouses cannot help but be affected by what they see and hear. Those living nearby must daily experience the screams of terror and anger of the animals led to slaughter. Those working inside must also see and participate in the crimes of mayhem and murder. Most who choose this line of work are not on the job for long. Of all occupations the slaughterhouse worker has the highest turnover rate. It also has the highest rate of on-the-job injury.
For example, carnivora do not sweat through their skin; body heat is controlled by rapid breathing and extrusion of the tongue. Vegetarian animals, on the other hand, have sweat pores for heat control and the elimination of impurities. Carnivora have long teeth and claws for holding and killing prey; vegetarian animals have short teeth and no claws. The saliva of carnivora contains no ptyalin and cannot predigest starches; that of vegetarian animals contains ptyalin for the predigestion of starches.
Flesh-eating animals secrete large quantities of hydrochloric acid to help dissolve bones; vegetarian animals secrete little hydrochloric acid. The jaws of carnivora only open in an up and down motion; those of vegetarian animals also move sideways for additional kinds of chewing. Carnivora must lap liquids (like a cat); vegetarian animals take liquids in by suction through the teeth.
There are many such comparisons, and in each case humans fit the vegetarian physiognomy. From a strictly physiological perspective, there are strong arguments that humans are not suited to a fleshy diet.
Much of the world's massive hunger problems could be solved by the reduction or elimination of meat-eating. The reasons: 1) livestock pasture needs cut drastically into land which could otherwise be used to grow food; 2) vast quantities of food which could feed humans is fed to livestock raised to produce meat.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers should supplement their diets with vitamins B12 and D."
Vegetarian children also have high nutritional needs, and these too, are obtained from a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian menu is 'life-extending.' As young children, vegetarians may grow more gradually, reach puberty somewhat later, and live substantially longer than do meat-eaters.
Many of the world's massive environmental problems could be solved by the reduction or elimination of meat-eating, including global warming, loss of topsoil, loss of rainforests and species extinction.
The temperature of the earth is rising. This global warming, known as "the greenhouse effect," results primarily from carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas. Three times more fossil fuels must be burned to produce a meat-centered diet than for a meat-free diet. If people stopped eating meat, the threat of higher world temperatures would be vastly diminished.
Trees, and especially the old-growth forests, are essential to the survival of the planet. Their destruction is a major cause of global warming and top soil loss. Both of these effects lead to diminished food production. Meat-eating is the number one driving force for the destruction of these forests. Another devastating result of deforestation is the loss of plant and animal species. Each year 1,000 species are eliminated due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses. The rate is growing yearly.
This economic incentive impels these nations to cut down their forests to make more pastureland. The short-term gain ignores the long-term, irreparable harm to the earth's ecosystem. Those who eat flesh are also far more likely to contract cancer than those following a vegetarian diet.
Physicians are not sufficiently trained in the importance of the relation of diet to health; meat-eaters ingest excessive amounts of cholesterol, making them dangerously susceptible to heart attacks. The average cholesterol consumption of a meat-centered diet is 210 milligrams per day. The chance of dying from heart disease is great.
The world's natural resources are being rapidly depleted as a result of meat-eating. Raising livestock for their meat is a very inefficient way of generating food. Pound for pound, far more resources must be expended to produce meat than to produce grains, fruits and vegetables.
Meat-eating is devouring oil reserves at an alarming rate. It takes nearly 78 calories of fossil fuel (oil, natural gas, etc.) energy to produce one calory of beef protein and only 2 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calory of soybean.
The large amounts of antibiotics fed to livestock to control staphylococci (commonly called staph infections), which are becoming immune to these drugs at an alarming rate increases the danger of eating meat.
Because the antibiotics are only partially effective because the bacteria that cause disease are becoming immune to the antibiotics. These antibiotics and-or the bacteria reside in the meat that goes to market. It is not healthy in any way for humans to consume this meat and meat also contains dangerously high quantities of deadly pesticides.
Many of those who have adopted a vegetarian diet have done so because of the ethical argument, either from reading about or personally experiencing what goes on daily at any one of the thousands of slaughterhouses, where animals suffer the cruel process of forced confinement, manipulation and violent death. Their pain and terror is beyond calculation.
People who come in contact with slaughterhouses cannot help but be affected by what they see and hear. Those living nearby must daily experience the screams of terror and anger of the animals led to slaughter. Those working inside must also see and participate in the crimes of mayhem and murder. Most who choose this line of work are not on the job for long. Of all occupations the slaughterhouse worker has the highest turnover rate. It also has the highest rate of on-the-job injury.
By:
rockingentleman
Age:
26-30
