I've been thinking about the vegetarian/vegan question...Namely, how are the two related and if so, how closely. I have concluded that essentially there is no difference between vegetarianism (i.e. eating dairy products, and in some cases eggs) and omnivorism (eating anything and everything). In other words I have come to look at it like this: There are Vegans who do not consume anything from an animal, and there is everyone else.
A response to this might be that at least vegetarians, like vegans, do not eat dead animals (i.e. only animal products that can be extracted without killing the animal). And this is true. But here we are entering the ethical domain of veganism, and the treatment of dairy cows, and egg producing chickens etc. has been shown conclusively to be as horrific if not more horrific than the treatment of animals raised for slaughter. For instance, Dairy cows are hooked up to tubes and confined to spaces too small to turn around in. That is just the beginning and I will not go further with these descriptions. Suffice it to say that it is simply torture of defenseless creatures who want to live in open space and without pain and suffering just as we human animals do.
As for the nutritional aspect, the consumption of animal protein doesn't change whether you are eating flesh or the by-product of an animal. The protein still causes the same damage to the body--acidic in nature, and very difficult for our bodies to process, thereby producing increased oxidation and wear. The only way to avoid this damage to our bodies is to remove animal protein from our diet entirely. To go all the way.
However, as I further thought about this subject, I also came to the conclusion that vegetarianism, as a life decision, at least heads in the right direction. And, while I feel that it is not nearly enough of a choice to affect real change in the world and on our personal health, it represents an awareness of what we are consuming on a daily basis. Many times it leads to Veganism, and is, at that point, a more gentle transition than from omnivore to vegan by going cold turkey. Hmmm, I couldn't resist that phrase.
Live well and I'll write again soon. By the way, I'm not a hippy.
Sid Hillman
Comments (2)
Hi
To respond to the question on veg vs. vegan vs the rest, and vegis' being lumped in with the rest: I say it is humane to produce your own cheese or meat, or trade/purchase with another local producer. I have hens and see no complaints about "stealing" their "excretions" When I hear a thump sound and open the next to collect her donation, how much more fresh can you get? It feels natural and good. Sure, when she gets diseased or something she needs to go on to hen heaven, and I have to undertake her. Don't cringe so much, that too is just part of natural elimination of the unfit. Where did she come from? Where does she go that fateful day? Is it a bad thing to die? Think compost returning back to the soil and recirculating through the system again and again.
So I say EAT MEAT-DRINK MILK. In moderation we omnivores CAN BE just as good as you all, we just need to put out the effort and do it the right way or not at all.
Yorgen
Posted by yorgen quent | July 24, 2008 12:36 AM
Posted on July 24, 2008 00:36
Becoming vegan, was in a way, like seeing the light. (I see that you talk about Veganism as compared to Religious views later) But it was more than that for me. The more I became part of the vegan world, the more conscious my choices became, in regards to food, life, compassion, connections to people, jobs, relationships etc... It becomes a wonder how I lived so long in the dark, ignorant to what I was doing in the world, and how my decisions were effecting other beings.
For a long time, eggs were a part of my diet. I thought that I was living compassionately. I did not see the harm that could come to the animal by eating eggs, cheese or drinking milk for that matter. I have read and learned that there is so much abuse that happens to supply the mass quantities of eggs and milk to the public. Did you know that some free-range chickens, have been raised until a certain age inside, i cramped quarters with no space to move and that when the door is opened to make them 'free-ranged' they are too scared to step outside, so they continue their life inside.(Read the Omnivores dilemma) (Not to mention the ill health effects to people, did you know that animal proteins, according to a study done by Dr. Campbell can turn cancer cells on and off in the body? Read the China Study to find out more.)
Pushing people into my beliefs only turn people away, but I find that a lot of people want to know more. It is a subject as secretive and as taboo as sex. People are too afraid to ask the questions until they are alone with one of them vegan types.
The main question asked: how do you get your protein?
Lentils,
Beans,
Brown Rice,
Beets,
Broccoli,
Kale,
Nuts,
Sunflower seeds,
pumpkin seeds,
Hemp seeds,
Flax,
Polenta,
miso,
Tofu,
Tempeh,
Fruits
Posted by Jennifer Jones-Horton | August 6, 2008 8:57 PM
Posted on August 6, 2008 20:57