This is refreshing and exciting. A “Main stream media story” that’s actually comes out with it – Americans eat too much meat and the wrong kind, “processed”. I wish they would have taken it one step farther to include the unhealthy nature of “factory farmed” meats. These animals are raised on GMO grain, animal byproducts, antibiotics and hormones in an unnatural environment with no room to move, sleep and eat, surrounded in their own feces, and may never see the light of day. Factory farmed animals are tortured everyday of their short lives before being slaughtered without any thought to the animal’s suffering. This is what ends up on the average American dinner plate. I’m not just talking about red meat, I talking about all farmed meat, chicken, fish, etc.
So along with cutting back on meat, you may want to consider the source of your meat. I can’t imagine anyone that I know or love would eat this garbage if they knew where it came from. If you have a strong stomach, watch “Meat Video”. This is an example of what really goes on to bring your meat to the table. Factory farming’s main interest is profit not health. If Americans would vote with their wallets and stop buying this bad excuse for meat, this industry would go away and be replaced by real farms again. Of course, information is key. Get educated. Mercy for Animals is a great place to start. Their tireless efforts to end animal cruelty has resulted in many positive changes, but there is still a lot of work to be done. FYI all food borne illness (food poisoning) starts with meat.
People ask me all the time - “Why did you decide to give up meat” (2nd question – what do you eat for protein? – EVERYTHING!)
It started for health reasons. I couldn’t lose the 20 pounds I had gained when I hit 50. and I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a very bad family history of heart disease. And guess what? I have always be health conscious and physically active. It was a gradual process, but along the way I became more and more aware of where our meat was coming from. Besides all the health benefits I’ve realized, what was most unexpected was the savings on my grocery bill. I lost my job in May of 2011. If meat had been a staple in my diet, I would have starved. I can eat on $20.00 a week now if I have to.
I volunteer cooking classes monthly at a local charity for underage mothers. The girls asked me at our last class when I was going to teach them how to cook meat and my response was, “when you can afford to buy REAL meat”. The fact is, the average American cannot afford to eat organic, naturally raised meat. I will be teaching them this semester how to cook meat, because I have learned I have to meet them where they are to make a difference. They will learn how to buy meat and about moderation, but my focus will still be on plant-based cooking. I want to teach them how to be healthy and happy. All I can hope is, they will take what they’ve learned with them to the grocery store.
I’m not saying you can’t be healthy and eat meat. Everyone is different and has a right to their own opinion. But I do think moderation and eating mindfully is key. If we would just think before we eat instead of mindlessly stuffing our faces, most chronic diseases could be avoided. And, I think everyone would agree that animals shouldn’t ever suffer. It is no longer acceptable to torture animals to manufacturer drugs and cosmetics. It’s against the law to torture a domestic animal. Why should it be acceptable to torture animals to produce a food that does us more harm than good? We have choices – they don’t. You can choose to eat cruelty free.
Good Food For Thought….
