OK, let's look at this rationally for a moment. Let's say you're lost out in the wilderness somewhere. Maybe you are the lone survivor of a plane that crashed into a forest somewhere. After being alone and starving for a few days, you come across a dead animal that seems to have been recently killed by wolves or a bear or something. Let's even say you have the ability to start a fire...maybe you have a cigarette lighter or something with you. IF you were dying of starvation, WOULD you be able to eat the animal for nutrition? The answer, of course, is yes. Humans are capable of eating meat. We have evolved that ability as a survival tool. If a cow was lost in the wilderness, with nothing to survive on but meat, it would soon die. A cow does not have the teeth nor the digestive system to successfully process meat for nutrition. A cow, or any other herbivore, would not even be TEMPTED to eat meat it found...nature has wired their brains to know what is and what is not food. Just as grass isn't something we *feel* we should eat when we get hungry, meat isn't something herbivores *feel* they should eat. We are clearly not herbivores. Yes we can eat meat. The only real question is how much of it is healthy on a daily basis, and how do artificial, processed meat products affect us? Those are debatable points. Whether or not humans are meant to eat meat is not.
Screw meat, I want some of what he's having: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuB3kr3ckYE"]YouTube - Man vs. Wild : Eating Giant Larva[/ame]
china study is a book, just google china study to learn about it, if you have a big library around you they probably have it. and from personal experience, I've noted a way increase in energy after i quit eating meat and dairy, though sometimes I still eat them if I go out to eat since they do taste so good.
Anecdotal evidence is not scientific, and as we're interested in the science of nutrition, please avoid using such anecdotes in future.
Sorry mate but I have to pull you up on this. He's perfectly entitled to share anecdotal evidence on these forums if he wants to, provided he makes it clear that it is anecdotal evidence (which he has in this case). After all, these forums are as much for the sharing of personal opinions and experiences as for the sharing of facts.
Man, cutting out dairy is something I could never do. Each to their own, but I'd cry if I didn't have my daily dose of 4 pints of Cravendale skimmed milk. Filtered for purity. 0.1% fat. Oh baby...
The china study is a book, not any kind of peer reviewed scientific study. The writers had strong vegetarian associations and drew a number of conclusions based on cherry picked evidence. There's plenty of criticism for it too, to list a couple of quick sources: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=385 http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/China-Study.html Just out of interest, before you quit meat and dairy how much fruit and veg was in your diet? A boost in energy levels is commonly reported by new vegetarians and is often attributed to the increase in minerals and vitamins from the deficient state many people are in.
Much as I suspected. Scant conclusive scientific fact.... combined with an anti-milk agenda and loose vegetarianism.
Just gonna quote that again, because it bears repeating. Many of the touted "benefits" of vegetarianism are really just caused by people eating the proper amount of fruits and vegetables in their diet. Many people eat waaaay more meat than is healthy for them, but that doesn't mean we should stop eating it entirely. It's sort of like how studies often find that people who are overweight are more prone to disease: it's usually not the fat itself that causes illness, but the lack of physical activity and proper diet indicated by the person's obesity. Similarly, people who eat too much meat are not only ingesting excessive amounts of it, but they are usually not taking in the correct amount of fruits and vegetables either. I used to work as a waiter, and I was always amazed at how many people would order a meat or fish dish, eat all the meat, but leave the vegetables on their plate untouched. It's really shocking how many people would rather we "left the vegetables out."
It's crazy how few fruit and veg we eat. For example I've seen people in the UK eating the 'Mediterranean Diet' quoting a list of facts and figures and then proceeding to eat mostly pasta and pizza. If you go to an Italian supermarket you'll see it's fairly normal to see shopping baskets half full of vegetables and a little fruit, topped up with fish, meat and a few modern foods. It's completely the opposite of many US/UK shopping baskets which are packed with modern food and if you're lucky a little veg and a couple of cartons of fruit juice in an effort to eat healthy. Then there's portion control, a UK spaghetti bolognese is generally a larger portion than in Italy, and often with a lot more spaghetti and less bolognese. If you served up a UK portion in Italy they'd consider you to be a glutton!
Reminds me of a pasta place here in town. I've never been, but it's a favourite among the younger crowd. Apparently, the portions are so large that you get a prize if you can finish your meal in one sitting. If that doesn't show how irresponsible our society has gotten when it comes to portion control, I don't know what does.
Quote: Originally Posted by Superfoot View Post No matter what you eat, if you burn off more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. [Topher] The government should make it law for signs saying this to be placed in the dieting section of every bookshop! Hello! I am so sick of hearing about this or that fad diet. Honestly, eat what your body requires. If you exercise, your body is going to want more. This is probably logical somewhere in the annals of biology or physiology or some other field I didn't bother to study (sorry), but I stand by my admiration for both of the above comments: I am a mother (x?). And slender. Still. Yeah. It does come down to diet--by which I mean meat and vegetables. They're good for you, it's true. And exercise is a good thing.
Meat or vegetarian diet is a personal choice. As my MA training & life experience grows, I find that- for me, from karmic & health standpoints, meat is not the best choice. Plenty of reasons for this, which I'll share if you want. Plenty of protein available from non meat sources. But that is only my choice, for me. I'd never presume to push my preferences on others, IMHO, that's obnoxious & off putting...& btw, cows, buffalo, horses, & even the baleen whale...all powerful animals, made of masses of muscle, & vegetarians, all
Not true. Baleen whales eat zooplankton (animal plankton), such as krill and copepods (small crustaceans), amphipods, worms, squid and small fish.
And all with very digestive systems very different from those of humans. A human could not even survive on a diet of mostly grass similar to that of these animals, much less become a "mass of muscle". Large herbivores have specialized digestive systems (multiple stomachs, long intestines, rumination, etc.) that allow them to effectively break down the tough plants they eat. Humans do not have such a digestive system. We can only eat certain plants, and many of the nutrients we need (e.g. essential amino acids) are most easily found in meat. Again, this points to the fact that in nature, humans were at least part-time meat eaters. This of course is not a moral or ethical argument regarding the rightness or wrongness of eating meat. From a purely physiological perspective though, meat is an important part of a healthy diet, if eaten in the proper amount. If you want to believe in karma rolleyes that's a whole different ball game, but, as we've seen with in the Skinny B**** books, most people who claim that meat is unhealthy are either misinformed or lying.
a friendly response... Best (for me) in terms of type of protein broken down by human dentition & digestive enzymes? No. PROOF: When ppl end up in the operating theatre or autopsy table, the volume of rotten meat remaining in the gut for many weeks following ingestion is really a shock to see. Meat rots at body temperature (like it decomposes in the sun). Rotting meat in the gut causes dangerous levels of toxicity. Undigested meat sits in our gut for such a long time, because, in addition to our teeth being unable to completely break it down mechanically, our saliva & gut enzymes can't completely break it down chemically. without being more graphic, I'll just share that I've seen it, & it's impressive. in nature, humans were at least part-time meat eaters.[/QUOTE] Yes...our saliva & dental anatomy support this This of course is not a moral or ethical argument regarding the rightness or wrongness of eating meat.[/QUOTE] Since the moral aspect is half the reason I don't eat meat, it's relevant. When an animal is about to be killed, s/he knows it, & gets very scared. ALL scared living beings dump an enormous amount of stress hormone into the body (us too). This stress hormone is present in the meat, & it is NOT GOOD for us to eat. PROOF-visit a slaughterhouse. Google "downed cow" to confirm the fear & pain these animals experience. Research widespread diseases such as the swine flu (originated from animals being raised for slaughter in close quarters getting sick from the lack of space, & passing illness to people). You may already know how e.coli gets into meat isn't a handwashing issue in the restaurant or store;it's animal feces getting mixed up in the meat during the slaughter process. I could go on, but you get the idea. I can only speak for myself, these are some of the things that influenced me. From a purely physiological perspective though, meat is an important part of a healthy diet[/QUOTE] Healthy is a matter of opinion... Everyone is welcome to their opinion, including me...I feel it's unhealthy on a physiological & spiritual level to eat meat, so I don't, but most of my friends are hard core omnivoures, as is my dear significant other, & I love them all, very much I spend a lot of time at my work, many shared meals w/co workers....most of my coworkers have no clue about my diet. I eat what I eat, they eat what they eat, it's all good I'm just not that pressed to influence the food choices of competent adults If you want to believe in karma rolleyes that's a whole different ball game,[/QUOTE] Eyerolling is perfectly OK For me, it's like "believing" in air. Believe or don't believe, it's still there, & we'd all know immediately if it wasn't but, as we've seen with in the Skinny B**** books, most people who claim that meat is unhealthy are either misinformed or lying.[/QUOTE] Wow. That's a pretty strong statement...Still, I won't argue there, can't really comment on most people as I don't know what's in their minds...can only speak for myself...I am very friendly, glad to discuss this, & I'm neither misinformed, nor lying...
I stand corrected I honestly thought baleens ate algae....how about the manatee? I think these sweet creatures are vegetarian, but I don't know...I'm asking...?
