Never in a million years did I think I would ever entertain the idea of being vegan. Vegetarian, yes, but I loved cheese, yogurt, and milk too much to consider cutting it out. It was naive of me to think that without these things, I couldn't sustain a proper diet, and that by eating these things, the animal wasn't actually being killed so it was okay because they were not being hurt. I was wrong. I have done countless hours of research about the care of factory animals, only to end up with a broken heart and a vow to do better for them. I didn't get through the first five minutes of Food, Inc. without bawling.
Animals deserve to live outside, not stuck in a cage with no sun, water, or exercise...especially those animals that most humans insist on eating. Cows are the only animals that can properly digest grass, yet they are fed grain and then killed. That matters, in case anyone thinks it doesn't. The stress than an animal goes through prior to being slaughtered also affects things like hormone levels and other toxicities that enter their bloodstream and end up in our grocery stores. Most factories are not properly maintained, cleaned, or cared for in general so often times the meat is mixed with animal (and human) feces. Yum.
Research has shown that pigs are almost, if not more, closely related to humans than chimpanzees. They can follow direction and even form a bond with us. But go right ahead, slaughter it so you can eat your precious bacon.
Chickens, once their heads are cut off (since that's the most common way), can still survive, but their stress levels are through the roof. As I mentioned earlier, that can enter their blood stream and stay in the meat we eat.
Don't even get me started on all the chemicals that are added to the meat once they leave the factory and are being prepared to be shipped to the store.
Harvard University recently released results from a study conducted that concluded that we do not need milk to maintain a healthy diet. It's a good thing, because most dairy cows are used specifically for that purpose, never see the sunshine, are used for mating, and then once they stop producing and can no longer give birth, they are killed and their meat is wasted.
I realize that I probably sound like a PETA activist, but I don't really care. If you don't want to do it for yourself or for the animals, or even for the environment, then that's fine. No one is holding a gun to your head. But at least take the time to do your research about what's on your plate.
So what's next? I think I'm gonna try the vegan thing...at least for the duration of my time here in Hawaii and while we are underway. Maybe by that time I'll have trained myself well enough to get my husband involved. :P If not though, that's okay too.
Have a beautiful day everyone.
Animals deserve to live outside, not stuck in a cage with no sun, water, or exercise...especially those animals that most humans insist on eating. Cows are the only animals that can properly digest grass, yet they are fed grain and then killed. That matters, in case anyone thinks it doesn't. The stress than an animal goes through prior to being slaughtered also affects things like hormone levels and other toxicities that enter their bloodstream and end up in our grocery stores. Most factories are not properly maintained, cleaned, or cared for in general so often times the meat is mixed with animal (and human) feces. Yum.
Research has shown that pigs are almost, if not more, closely related to humans than chimpanzees. They can follow direction and even form a bond with us. But go right ahead, slaughter it so you can eat your precious bacon.
Chickens, once their heads are cut off (since that's the most common way), can still survive, but their stress levels are through the roof. As I mentioned earlier, that can enter their blood stream and stay in the meat we eat.
Don't even get me started on all the chemicals that are added to the meat once they leave the factory and are being prepared to be shipped to the store.
Harvard University recently released results from a study conducted that concluded that we do not need milk to maintain a healthy diet. It's a good thing, because most dairy cows are used specifically for that purpose, never see the sunshine, are used for mating, and then once they stop producing and can no longer give birth, they are killed and their meat is wasted.
I realize that I probably sound like a PETA activist, but I don't really care. If you don't want to do it for yourself or for the animals, or even for the environment, then that's fine. No one is holding a gun to your head. But at least take the time to do your research about what's on your plate.
So what's next? I think I'm gonna try the vegan thing...at least for the duration of my time here in Hawaii and while we are underway. Maybe by that time I'll have trained myself well enough to get my husband involved. :P If not though, that's okay too.
Have a beautiful day everyone.
I've been considering consuming ONLY local, farm-raised, well treated meat & eggs. I can kick dairy to the curb, but would eat locally made cheeses, particularly goat cheese. Cow's milk is actually not great for the body. But with my hectic life I am always finding excuses to just eat what is easy. Rain, my room mate, is doing the vegan thing, now. She slips up a little here and there. She's doing vegan and gluten free (she has an actual allergy to gluten). The "gluten free" craze drives me nuts. Yes there are people with allergies to wheat. But cutting wheat out of your diet if you are not allergic is not really beneficial, and eating things labeled "gluten free" definitely doesn't make you a healthier person. See, corn is gluten free, so many of those things are just made with corn or soy instead of wheat. Not really better for you... ugh. Working at walmart I know how crazy this is getting, and it needs to slow down. Like every day I get someone new asking me where the gluten free options of x, y, z are. But anyway, that's kind of a tangent. The point is, I would love to support locally sourced, humanely treated proteins. That is all. lol.
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