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Dave
Scott is the only six-time Triathlon champion, and an outspoken
proponent of vegetarianism. He's in good company. Throughout history,
people seeking optimal health and performance while avoiding cruelty
to animals have chosen not to eat meat. They include some of the
greatest geniuses of all time, from Socrates and Da Vinci to Charles
Darwin and Albert Schweitzer. And some of today's most recognize-able
personalities: Brad Pitt, Pamela Anderson, Steven Jobs, Hank Aaron,
Paul McCartney and many more. There are compelling health, environmental
and ethical reasons not to eat flesh-based products-and a multi-billion
dollar global meat industry determined to make sure you do.
10 things the meat industry doesn't want you
to know...
1. Meat can damage your health.
65% of all diseases in the U.S. are diet- related-diseases or
conditions that can be prevented, improved or sometimes cured
by a low-fat diet free from animal products. They include several
cancers, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, hyper-tension, obesity,
impotence and strokes
2. Meat increases your cancer risk. Fully 40% of all
cancers are diet related. Men who consume meat and dairy products
are three times more likely to die of prostate cancer.
Women who eat large quantities of meat, eggs, butter and cheese
increase their risk of breast cancer (Source: Earth Save Foundation)
3. Meat poisoning is very common.
When you eat meat, you're supporting an industry that warehouses
and inhumanely slaughters millions of animals, often in unsanitary
conditions. Salmonella poisoning kills an estimated 1,000 Americans
and causes 1.4 million illnesses each year, according to the
Centers for Disease Control. Three-fourths of federal poultry
inspectors said they do not eat chicken "because a third
of all chickens (13% of turkeys) show salmonella bacteria."
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4. Less
meat means less hunger. While 20 million people will
die this year of mal- nutrition and starvation, 70% of the total
U.S. grain supply is consumed by livestock. Americans consume
236 pounds of meat per year (cf. 10 pounds in Japan).* If we eat
even 10% less meat, 225 million people can be fed with the land,
water and energy now used to produce livestock.
5. We don't need meat for
protein. Only 4.5%-8% of daily calories should come
from protein, according to the World Health Organization. Protein
is found in tasty soy burgers, bacon, sausage, etc. from Morning
Star, Yves and other brands in supermarkets and many restaurants.
Add lentils and garbanzo beans for essential amino acids. You
can also get protein from vegetables and grains:
6. Antibiotics overload.
More than half the antibiotics in the U.S. are routinely fed
to livestock. In the last 30 years, staphylococci infections
resistant to penicillin increased from 10% to 91%, due mainly
to the breeding of resistant bacteria in factory farms.
Continue
to "10 things the meat industry doesn't want you to know!"
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