Stop Killing Yourself With Meat and Go Vegan!



Veganism was created to promote a healthy and peaceful lifestyle by not eating or using animal products. Vegans justify their diet and lifestyle based on this logic. Others point to the health benefits associated with not eating meat.

Most plant-based diet research focuses on vegetarianism due in no small number of vegetarians in the US. (Dupler, D.) Plant-based diets are shown to help you lose weight and lower your risk of disease. If you eat a vegan diet, you will have more significant benefits than food containing meat products.

The research on vegan diets focuses on ethics and less on the health benefits. However, research shows how vegan diets can improve the health of those suffering from diseases, animals and humans alike. Because vegan foods have no cholesterol, nutrition professionals use it to treat many conditions.

Many people consume vegan diets for the treatment of problems with fertility, emotional and mental health, obesity and cancer. In one study, a vegan diet was used to treat asthma and resulted in an improvement of over 90% of the patients having less asthma-related symptoms. As the vegan diet becomes more popular, scientists will discover more evidence revealing how it is the best lifestyle.


Vegan diets can reverse the damage done by eating meat. Meat contains little to none of the dietary fiber that your body needs. Because dietary fiber improves cholesterol and lowers the risk of heart disease, the nutrient-rich vegan diet is the best solution for improving your overall health. 

Vegan diets are also rich in magnesium, folic acid, vitamin E, and iron. Plant-based foods reduce your risk of digestive cancers like stomach, liver, colon and pancreatic cancer.

From an ethical viewpoint, veganism has a ripple effect on humans and the environment. Research shows that if we did not forcibly breed cattle, we would not need to produce for mass consumption compulsorily, and they would not need to inject them with antibiotics that cause antibiotic resistance in humans.

Non-organic livestock and farm produce contains cancer-causing toxins and pesticides that are harmful to our bodies. To avoid this, vegans eat only organic food. Studies show that eating non-organic produce puts you at higher risk of cancer.  

            The health consequences of eating meat and poultry are appalling. After removing meat from your diet, even the composition of your blood changes. High levels of meat-sourced proteins in your blood are signs for type-2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. (Eishorbagy, A.) Some studies show where people lost weight and lowered their bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. (McDougall, J.)

         Vegans have minimal amounts of the proteins and fats that meat eaters or fish eaters have in their blood. By not eating meat, you can improve your overall health and reduce your risk of disease.

Eating processed animal products is linked to the rise in the number of deaths caused by obesity and heart disease. Unprocessed meat increases the risk of death, heart disease, and cancer deaths. (Schmidt, J.) Processed meat has an even higher death risk than unprocessed meat. To reduce your risk of death, you need to stop eating meat.

Critics say that if everyone started eating a plant-based diet, it would require more land to survive. However, a study determined that the environmental impact decreased due to the farming methods of plant-based foods. (Temme, V.) Researchers also wanted to shut down the reputation that plant-based diets made women more vulnerable to iron deficiencies. The plant-based diet increased iron levels because it's easier to absorb plant-based iron.


A meat-based diet can also negatively affect the semen quality of men.  A study determined that men who ate processed red meat had a lower normal sperm count and men on a total fish diet produced the highest normal sperm counts. (Afeiche, G.)   

Vegetarians don’t have to be worried about eating dairy and eggs. A study was performed to determine if high-fat cheese and high-fat meat were causes of heart disease. Scientists found that eating cheese produced more fat in the stool. (Thorning, T.)  This information means the fat is not absorbed and stored in the body. The cheese was found to be beneficial to the body. However, the study showed that high-fat meat increased cholesterol levels.

            There is research to suggest that vegan diets are low in omega-3s, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12. Diets low in vitamin D are known to increase cancer risk. Scientists can link deficiencies in omega-3s to poor eyesight and brain function. (Winston, C.) However, there are supplemental products to replace the recommended nutrient levels.

Critics question the effectiveness of a vegan diet on bone health and density, but research shows that there is no difference in bone health for people that eat vegan food compared to those that eat meat. The high alkaline fruits and vegetables in vegan foods contain high levels of nutrients essential for calcium absorption and improved bone density.

There is also critique for vegan diets being iron deficient. However, vitamin C vegan foods make the plant-based iron easier to absorb.

Other opposing viewpoints focus on how social factors impact the results of eating meat. Researchers did a study on the effects of eating meat in Japan. (Kurotanit, K.) They discovered that because women absorb nutrients within flesh differently than men, men were at higher risk of type 2-diabetes than women who ate the same diet. Japan's population also has a lower BMI than Western societies.


            The vegan diet is the best way to lower your chances of obesity, heart disease, and cancer. The best way to apply veganism into everyday life is to start at a young age. School systems should provide students with plant-based options. If students have more options, they may choose the vegan option.  

The likelihood of applying this program is another issue. Dairy and meat companies lobby to have their foods sold at schools and businesses so they can make the most profit. Schools that have the funding to go vegan will reap the benefits.
           

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