Alternative lifestyles

An alternative lifestyle is a lifestyle generally perceived to be outside the cultural norm. A vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, fish, or fowl or products containing these foods. The eating patterns of vegetarians may vary considerably: – Vegan: follows a strict diet excluding eggs, dairy, and all other animal products; – Lacto-vegetarian: Excludes animal flesh and eggs; – Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: Eats a diet of mainly grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts, dairy products, and eggs, and excludes meat, fish, and poultry; Ovo-vegetarian: Excludes animal flesh and dairy products; So, why should we become a vegetarian? Every minute of every working day, thousands of animals are killed in slaughter-houses. Every year, more than 27 billion animals (including fish) are killed for food in the United States alone. Animals who die for our dinner table die alone, in terror, in sadness and in pain. Anyone who eats meat condones and supports the way animals are treated. Animals suffer from pain and fear just as much as we do. Because when animals feel pain, they scream, too. If we burn them, they feel it. If we give them electric shocks, they feel it. Because they will not be able to lay eggs. There are no rules about how this mass slaughter takes place. Some are crushed or suffocated to death. Many are used for fertiliser or to feed other animals. Animals which are a year old are often far more rational – and capable of logical thought – than six week old babies. Pigs and sheep are far more intelligent than small children. Eating dead animals is barbaric. What does meat contain? Drugs and hormones There are over 20, 000 different drugs, including sterols, antibiotics, growth hormones and other veterinary drugs that are given to livestock animals; Agriculture chemicals animal foods contain far higher concentrations of agricultural chemicals than plant foods, including pesticides, herbicides, etc; High fat plus cholesterol Animal foods are higher in fat than most plant foods, particularly saturated fats.. Modern farm animals are deliberately fattened up to increase profits. Eating fatty meat increases our chances of having a heart attack or developing cancer; Pathogenic microorganisms There are a host of bacteria and viruses, some quite dangerous, that are common to animals. When we eat meat, we eat the organisms that are there; Body wastes Food from animals contain their waste, including adrenaline, urine and lactic acid, etc., Before adding ketchup, the biggest contributors to the ” flavor profile” of a hamburger are the leftover blood and urine; Excess protein This causes excess nitrogen in the blood that creates a host of long-term health problems. Meat isn’t good for our health – lower rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. – High fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, several common cancers, and other chronic diseases (such as macular degeneration and cataracts); Vegetarians are fitter than meat eaters. Longevity. Go veg for the world water waste The world’s fresh water shortage is being made worse by animal farming. And meat producers are the biggest polluters of water. It takes 2500 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat. Here we can see a table where it´s clear that the gallons of water necessary to produce vegetables and fruits is much lower than to produce meat food ———– Soil erosion Topsoil erosion, overgrazing and deforestation countries (clearing forests to allow for grazing and grain production) are other environmental problems involved with livestock production. Air pollution … global warming – More than 50% of greenhouse gas emissions come from raising animals for food and dairy (or “ livestock production”) – The dairy sector accounts for about 4% of man-made global warming; the rest is due primarily to the production (and consumption) of meat – Ending World Hunger – It is estimated 14 vegetarians can live on the resources needed to feed only one person who eats meat and other animal products Living in Harmony with Nature – A diet that is not in harmony with nature causes problems on all levels: o disease o environmental degradation o the inhumane treatment of animals – A diet that is in harmony with nature brings benefits on all levels of life: o good health o sustainable environment o humane treatment of all life [pic][pic]