Would you rather be at your most impeccable health and happiness and making as minimal negative impact on the earth as possible, or living for today without any concern for tomorrow?
I am 24 years old and of these 24 years that I've been alive, only recently have I begun to think about ways to, instead of being skinny, to be healthy. A few months ago attempted a twenty two day raw vegan diet. My experiment was successful and I achieved everything that I thought I would achieve and was very satisfied with my end results. I felt healthier, had more energy and I was happier. I was very happy with the way I looked. My weight was so much easier to maintain, my hair was healthy, my skin was clear and my nails where strong. Now, however, I am back to my carnivore ways, often feeling bloated and sluggish after meals. I don't blame this entirely on eating meat because I am also back to drinking diet soft drinks, processed foods and refined sugars.
Despite what you may think about eating eating a raw vegan diet, I know that it is a healthier lifestyle to live by. I tried it for myself, felt the positive impact that it had on my body, converted back to my old ways, and then felt the negative impacts that that diet had on my body. The health benefits of, never mind raw, but a vegan lifestyle are undeniably, but what about the impact that this diet can have on the world?
Eating organic vegetables is important. When you eat an apple, you are filling your body with water, vitamins and minerals. These are essential to achieving our ultimately impeccable health. When you eat pesticide residue, you are filling your body with poisons which mostly do not biodegrade. This is not good for our bodies or the environment.
Organic meats seem appealing? No chemicals, antibiotics or hormones are used in the production of our meat seems like a safe and healthy way of eating. Consider these facts:
Nearly 800 million people could be fed by all the grain currently fed to US livestock(1)
70% of United States grain goes to feeding farm animals(2)
It takes almost 7 pounds of corn and soy to produce just one pound of pork(3)
More than half of the water used for all purposes in the United States goes to livestock production(4)
441 gallons of water is needed to produce one pound of meat(5)
14 gallons of water is needed to produce one pound of wheat(5)
Every pound of beef that is avoided can save 3,000 to 5,000 gallons of water(6)
37% percent of methane gases, a gas that has 23 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide;
65% of nitrous oxide produced from manure, a gas that has 296 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide;
and two-thirds or 64% of ammonia emissions, which contributes to acid rain and destruction of eco-systems(7).
These are some major reasons to stop eating meat, but what about the treatment of these animals to contribute to some reasons not to eat meat. I don't want to preach on these issues, but I do want to recommend checking out the PETA website www.PETA.org and/or watching the documentary Vegucated for more information about the meat industry.
Eating vegan is a healthy choice for our planet and ourselves. For more information on why it is unnecessary for us to have a meat based diet, visit: http://www.veganpeace.com/veganism/health.htm
So why vegan? I felt better when I was vegan. I was healthier and I felt stronger. I want to show my compassion for the animals being treated so wrongly. I want my children's children's children's children to live on a planet that is sustainable and healthy. I know that I alone can not shut down the meat industry but, I can walk by and key their car. I can put a dent in their bumper. I can pull my support from their production and spread the information that so many people are lacking about this evil industry. 100% vegan may not be an ideal option for you but what about vegetarian?
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mahatma Gandhi (Vegetarian)
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