Now mind you, I have ALWAYS said that I love me some steak and a big slab of beef like the next guy. There is something to be said about that yummy burger. HOWEVER...Oprah's episode on Becoming Vegan was so eye-opening on alot of levels. She encouraged her staff to try being vegan for one week. She did not force them to do so, but many stepped up to the challenge. She had over 350 staffers join her and it seems they lost like 450 (ish) lbs, gained 83 lbs in one week and one gentleman even stated that he had lost 11 lbs and has never felt better. Oprah also included in the factual evidence that a young lady staffer actually felt that she had, two days in to trying the vegan experience, went through some sort of detox and withdrawal symptoms. This did not shock me very much.
It was so interesting. What scared me to the salad bar the most was the segment Lisa Ling did on visiting a cattle slaughtering house and how the process is performed. YIKES! For those of you who have yet ot experience the NOW network and see an episode of Ling's hour long newscast, you are missing out. WONDERFUL!!! They did not really go into full visual disclosure in the slaughter house of "THE" moment of death, however they did show Ling's eyes as the 4 inch bolt was shot into the cow's head and the cut was administered to begin the blood letting. Horrifying. And then they showed the cow's body strung up by its feet to drain and begin the removal of hide, etc. YOU ALL KNOW ME... I get queasy at the sight of a hangnail... This moment was very eye-opening...
Some interesting facts I found online concerning becoming vegan are :
- Eating a vegan diet has shown to prevent some diseases, including blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, can greatly reduce the possibilities of colon cancer and breast cancer and lowers cholesterol.
- Lengthens your life by three to six years.
- Provides healthy skin and helps you lose weight.
- Reduces body odor and bad breath.
- Increases your energy levels.
- Makes your hair and nails stronger and healthier. (and with my hair turning whiter and whiter and leaving the party on the top of my head...healthier and stronger is better RIGHT?)
Oprah's guests then went on to say that it would be difficult to give up something you are used to. In fact, they also stated that you have to do what is best for you. They suggested "No-Meat Mondays" or to become "Vegan-ish".
I think this is something I should look more into and see what other goodies I can find out about the topic. I am truly not sure that I can give it up fully...I love my eggs, milk and ice cream, and the occasional steak here and there....but maybe this could be a beginning of a little more healthier eating? I could definitely afford to remove the sugars and could definitely do a "No MEAT Monday" regime.
More to come.
7 comments:
You can become a vegetarian, which I have been for over 20 years! What you're NOT getting by cutting out meat are all of the antibiotics and genetically modified feeds ingested by the animals. That alone is worth it to me! And I can sleep at night knowing that I was not responsible for the killing of another living creature just to get food, when there are plenty of substitutes available these days. Veggie burgers, veggie lunch meats, chicken substitutes, BBQ substitutes are all great tasting and good for you. (Chuck Martens)
Hi Brandon,
I've been following a vegan diet for almost two years now. I went from being on 8 different medications, down to 1 (thyroid, can't get rid of that!). I was about to start Remicade...so things were not going well. I am so much healthier now! I originally did it for my health, but even if they found a miracle drug at this point, I would never go back. I am so happy that I am truly an advocate for not killing any animal. The food I eat is delicious also! I am not missing out in the least. (: Let me know if you want some cookbook/blog/message board/recipe recommendations!
Jill Barnhurst
Let us remember to think for ourselves and not just jump on the "Oprah said so...therefore it is..." wagon.
Whether you want to be a vegetarian or a consumer of meat, we must become a person of moderation. We have become a society that has forgotten how to moderate our choices. If you choose to eat meat, then eat some...not the whole beef. Same can be said for other life choices such as food, beverage, entertainment...the list goes on and on.
The media segments on processing beef made me mad. These are not the norms. I know this as I deal greatly in this industry. The same could be said for education, health care, economics and government. I am not willing to group everyone into one category and then say it is a bad industry don't ...go to school, see a doctor, borrow money from a bank...and so on.
Oprah has the power to persuade people, especially those that do not think for themselves. Think for yourself. Educate yourself without media slanted stories that carry an agenda. Then if you choose to eat meat or not eat meat you have done so because YOU wanted to. Not because Oprah said so. And let's always remember to have a little moderation in life. That alone will keep us healthy, create good choices and probably extend our lives.
Whether you choose to eat meat or not, you can still make healthy choices about your diet, choices that impact both your health and the health of our planet. The food industry in this country, aided by our government, has an agenda of getting us to eat more to support our economy, but this often goes directly against what is good for our health.
For info on the food industry, check out Robyn O'Brien's TED talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGA&feature=player_embedded
and Marion Nestle's website: http://www.foodpolitics.com/
plus this podcast interview with Marion Nestle: http://www.thekathleenshow.com/2010/03/01/episode-the-politics-of-foodhow-washington-and-big-business-affect-what-you-eat-an-interview-with-marion-nestle/
For an inspiring look at how food production can heal our planet listen to these TED talks by Dan Barber:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_barber_how_i_fell_in_love_with_a_fish.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_barber_s_surprising_foie_gras_parable.html
This website points to a lot of research in support of eating animal products as a necessary part of human health: http://www.westonaprice.org/
The tone on the site is a bit reactive and biased, but if you are deciding to eliminate animal products from your diet, you should look at this research so you can make informed decisions.
There are plenty of other resources, let me know if you want more. Bottom line is that you absolutely should be aware of what you are putting into your body. There is no other single daily action that can impact your health as much as your diet. I applaud your interest and hope you continue to explore and spread the word about what you learn. I believe that learning what is good for ourselves changes how we impact the people around us and our planet.
Coming from someone "in the industry" (being that I am a vet student and have seen first hand/learned about the "proper" methods of animal slaughter) I can tell you it's not a pretty thing. But, I am still eating meat and enjoying it thoroughly. Granted, I do eat less pork products, but that is due to parasitology more than the method of killing of these animals.
Know that even though in the footage you see, these animals look like they are in pain and suffering as they die, it is not the norm. If done properly, the brain is "shut-down" before pain can be registered.
Like everything else in life, a few bad apples can ruin the barrel. And some crappy people don't follow the proper guidelines as to how it's suppose to be done.
Not every slaughterhouse is inhumane, and not every animal is killed with violence. Yes, the reality of the industry sucks, but realistically we, as humans, are omnivores.
It is upon each person to educate themselves as to where their meat is coming from and it's effects on your body personally.
I love Oprah as much as the next person, but I've tried being veggie and vegan and honestly, a good ol' ribeye steak will win over tofu anyday.
Another choice would be to purchase your meat products from small "organic" farms like Natural Girl, or Freckle Face Farms. They are local, they are "free range" hormone free and have a significantly better "product" The chicken and beef I have purchased at the farmers markets and CSA's in NLR and Searcy were wonderful, and I can visit the farm to get meat and see for myself.
A good friend of mine who chose a vegan lifestyle broke her hip at 30 due to nutrients she did not consume. Not all veganism is necessarily a healthy choice.
And I agree with the Oprah brainwashing . . . take everything there with a grain of salt, and thoughtful research.
Brandon,
Great post. Very thought provoking.
I myself have thought about becoming a vegitarian off and on. The only thing stopping me is a great burger.
I have decided that moderation and smart shopping is the better choice for me.
This country has a serious issue with everything in bulk. Food, groceries, booze, entertainment...the list goes on. Americans get upset if their meal at a restaurant isn't big enough to server a family of four.
So like shopping I have decided that meat intake can be moderate and I am still going to benefit. There are benefits to eating meat products just don't eat them in excess.
Thank you for the great topic.
Holly
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