Meat: We Don’t Need It, We’re Just Addicted To It
Have
you ever thought about why so
many people eat meat? It’s been scientifically proven that it’s better for our
bodies to get our protein from plant-based sources rather than meat, yet the
average American eats 200
pounds of meat per year. Meat and dairy consumption are linked with
numerous health risks including cancer, heart disease, obesity and
more; however, the U.S. government and many medical doctors
(MDs) support the false ideology that people need to consume
a specific amount of meat and dairy products to maintain a healthy diet.
We
are exposed to corporate and government propaganda encouraging us to consume
meat and dairy products starting at a very young age. We are misled to believe
that animal products are healthy for our bodies and a necessity for
growing children.
I
believe that over-consumption of meat is a direct result of psychological
conditioning. This would provide an explanation for why people have
difficulty accepting the environmental and health risks associated with the
meat and dairy industries and why people consider giving up animal products to
be both mentally and physically exhausting.
How the Government and Corporations Created our Addiction to Meat
The
USDA
Food Guide Pyramid states you should eat 2-3 servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese
as well as 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, & nuts per
day. Walter Willett of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University
states, “Individuals can be very healthy with no dairy consumption at all;”
however, according to the USDA guidelines that’s incorrect, despite the fact
that only 75% of people can actually digest milk properly. So, where did
the disconnect occur between the government and science?
During
World War 1, the U.S. government started producing mass amounts of canned
milk so they could be shipped to troops overseas to fight malnutrition. After
the war ended, demand for milk plummeted and the country was left with enough
milk to feed an army (literally). Instead of reducing production, the
government decided they invested too much money into expanding dairy operations
to let it go to waste so they started convincing consumers to buy more.
“Milk
education” became standard practice in schools, which was eventually
extended throughout the entire nation by way of advertisements such as the
multi-million dollar “Got Milk?” campaigns. The USDA, the same governing
body that creates dietary guidelines, also helps form partnerships with
restaurants to develop heavy-dairy menus. Check out this video that elaborates
on the government’s ties to the dairy industry here.
The
USDA has a similar relationship to the meat industry, which is clearly
illustrated in the Food Guide Pyramid. The protein section of the pyramid
only lists different animal products and nuts, completely
omitting many plant-based protein sources. The USDA has heavy ties to many
advertisements and campaigns encouraging consumers to purchase meat. The U.S.
government spends $38
billion annually to subsidize the meat and dairy industries, in comparison
to only 0.04% of that on fruits and vegetables. If the government didn’t
benefit from meat and dairy sales, our recommended intake of animal products
would look significantly different.
Why Don’t We Stop the Addiction?
Study
after study has proven that it’s terrible for our bodies, yet the animal
agriculture industry continues to thrive. I believe this is because people have
difficulty integrating knowledge because they aren’t directly relating it
to themselves. You can tell someone “you might get cancer if you consume this
product,” but until they actually get diagnosed with cancer and feel their body
getting sick, they refuse to listen.
In
addition, I believe people dissociate meat from the actual animals themselves,
which has caused an increase in consumption. When our ancestors killed animals,
it was seen as a spiritual sacrifice, one that was deeply appreciated and
viewed as necessary. Now, consumers can simply purchase meat from a store
without having to watch the animals suffer in order to get it and it’s
completely unnecessary for survival. If everyone had to murder the animals
themselves, I don’t think as many people would eat meat. This disassociation
has become apparent through multiple social experiments performed by animal
activist groups, Buzzfeed, Cowspiracy [SEE VIDEO BELOW] and more. If you were told you had to
kill an animal every time you wanted to eat meat, would you agree to do
so?
In
discussing this subject, many people feel that since meat is a normal part
of their lives, they cannot eliminate it from their diets. This often becomes
apparent among older generations, as they’ve been eating animal products for
longer. If you fall victim to this, ask yourself: are you even still eating
meat in comparison to what it was years ago? Meat is now mass produced through
factory farming and pumped with hormones and antibiotics. Animals are fed their
own fecal matter and GMOs and suffer constant emotional, physical and
sexual abuse.
If
you consider all of this combined with the fact that most of these animals have
been subject to selective breeding, are you still eating the same meat that was
served on plates 50 years ago? This video actually
illustrates how an entire generation of Americans have never tasted real
chicken because they’re so used to the factory farmed versions.
Why You Need to Cut Down Your Meat Intake
Harvard
University researchers recently published a study in JAMA
Internal Medicine,
which examined the association of animal and plant protein with mortality rates
and causes as well as longevity of life. Researchers studied approximately
130,000 people for 36 years, monitoring their diet, lifestyle, illness and
mortality. The
study found that by switching a small amount of processed red meat for
plant protein, participants reduced their risk of early death by 34%. It’s not
just meat that’s the issue; by substituting plant protein for eggs,
researchers found a 19% reduction in risk of death. Even just a 10% increase in
meat intake was linked to a 2% higher mortality rate and 8% higher risk of
death related to cardiovascular issues.
Harvard
has studied the risks associated with consuming meat extensively. Other
research performed by Harvard
University found that even eating small amounts of red meat,
especially processed red meat, on a regular basis has been linked to an
increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and dying from cardiovascular disease
or any other cause in general.
Certain
meats are also known to cause cancer. Numerous studies have proven that
replacing animal protein with plant protein is not only healthier for your
body, but it could even reverse the
harmful effects of eating meat. (source)
Another
more well-known study is The China Study performed
by a Professor at Cornell University, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, PhD. In the study,
Campbell used the traditional criteria to decide what is a carcinogen (in
regards to animal-based proteins) from the government’s chemical
carcinogenesis testing program. The study showed that animal protein is
very acidic, thus the body takes calcium and phosphorus from the bones to
neutralize the acidity. You can read more about this here.
According
to Dr. T. Colin Campbell, “What I did during the early part of my career was
nothing more than what traditional science would suggest. I made the
observation that diets presumably higher in animal protein were associated with
liver cancer in the Philippines. When coupled with the extraordinary report
from India showing that casein fed to experimental rats at the usual levels of
intake dramatically promoted liver cancer, it prompted my 27-year-long study
The China Project, of how this effect worked. We did dozens of experiments to
see if this was true and, further, how it worked.”
Related
articles for more information:
FOOD, Inc
(1:33:34)
Why Dairy Is Scary For Ours Bodies
Milk
advertisements often state that dairy is healthy and can help strengthen bones, which couldn’t be
further from the truth. A study published in the American Journal of Public
Health showed that dairy consumption may increase the risk of bone
fractures by 50 percent. This study was performed by Harvard Pediatrician
David Ludwig, who emphasized that bone fracture rates are lower in
countries that do not consume milk compared to those that do and stressed
the importance of getting calcium from plant sources instead of dairy.
Calcium
is a mineral found in soil. Animals get their calcium by consuming calcium-rich
plants, so why would you consume an animal’s milk when you could go
straight to its source?
Rosane
Oliveira, DVM, PhD, explains,
“If you eat a relatively low-calcium diet, your body will adjust. Studies show
that when fed a relatively low-calcium diet (415 mg/day), our intestines become
more efficient at absorbing calcium, and our kidneys conserve it better.
Equally, when overfed with calcium (1,740 mg/day) our bodies adjust as well:
our intestines block the calcium absorption, while our kidneys eliminate more.
This is an example of how our bodies protect us: if not eliminated, the excess
calcium would get deposited in our soft tissues (heart, kidneys, muscles, and
skin), making us vulnerable to illness and even death… a true testament to how
smart our bodies really are!”
In
addition, dairy milk is filled with antibiotics, hormones, puss, blood, and
other ingredients your body should not be consuming. These issues are seen
across the meat industry as well, especially because almost every single dairy
cow ends up being killed for its meat anyways.
Still
not convinced that dairy is scary? Check out this short video that sums it up
beautifully here.
How Do We Cure Our Addiction To Meat?
Many
of us feel the need to eat meat, even if it’s at a subconscious level as a result of
psychological conditioning. So, why not cure yourself of your addiction by
giving your body exactly what it wants? There are numerous cruelty-free
substitutes for burgers, chicken, bacon, and other animal products that are
capable of satisfying your cravings.
In
fact, science can now prove it. World-famous chef, David Chang, recently
crafted a veggie burger which contains Heme, the molecule that makes meat
addictive and taste “so delicious.” The molecule was recreated
by Impossible Foods by fermenting yeast, so it’s completely cruelty-free.
Chief
Financial and Operations Officer at Impossible
Foods, David Lee, explains, “The Heme is natural and identical, down to the
molecular level, to what is consumed from a cow. A cow uses plants and turns
them into meat. We use plants and turn them into meat.” (source)
There
have been similar innovations in creating dairy-free milk that is molecularly
similar to cow’s milk as well. As demand increases, more and more
companies are developing these cruelty-free products. A Canadian
study found that over the past 5 years, the country experienced a 189%
increase in new products making a “vegan” claim. According to Stats
Canada, consumption of beef per capita decreased by 25% from 1999 to 2015 and
consumption of pork per capita fell from 30.09 kilograms in 1999 to 22.63 in
2015 (source).
The U.S. experienced similar decreases
in regards to red meat and total meat consumption and an increase in veganism
as well.
Final Thoughts
To
be clear, I don’t think that consuming meat and dairy substitutes is the only way to
transition to a vegan or vegetarian diet. I am vegan and although I enjoy
imitation meat products, I do not feel the need to consume them very often. I
don’t think veganism is a short-term trend, I think it’s a way of living that
more people are starting to adopt. However, it’s clear that every body is
different, so you need to listen to yours and eat what makes you feel best!
That being said, there’s no doubt in my mind that if you transition to a
plant-based diet and overcome your addiction to meat, you will feel better.
From Collective
Evolution @ http://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/11/14/meat-we-dont-need-it-were-just-addicted-to-it/
Cowspiracy (Short Version)
(16:31)
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following intrepid filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it.
Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.
As Andersen approaches leaders in the environmental movement, he increasingly uncovers what appears to be an intentional refusal to discuss the issue of animal agriculture, while industry whistleblowers and watchdogs warn him of the risks to his freedom and even his life if he dares to persist.
As eye-opening as Blackfish and as inspiring as An Inconvenient Truth, this shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet, and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population.
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following intrepid filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it.
Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean “dead zones,” and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.
As Andersen approaches leaders in the environmental movement, he increasingly uncovers what appears to be an intentional refusal to discuss the issue of animal agriculture, while industry whistleblowers and watchdogs warn him of the risks to his freedom and even his life if he dares to persist.
As eye-opening as Blackfish and as inspiring as An Inconvenient Truth, this shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet, and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population.
For more information about vegetarianism see http://nexusilluminati.blogspot.com/search/label/vegetarianism
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