Friday, February 8, 2013

Vegan Diets Don't Work (According To No One)

In a conversation earlier today a friend proclaimed (once again) that a vegan diet doesn't work. She knows it doesn't because....well....actually I'm not why why she knows this as she's never been a vegan and it's doubtful she has ever gone more than a few meals without some kind of animal product. But she seemed pretty sure and who I am to argue - I've only been thriving on a vegan diet for three years now. Issue free. Of course some people do and will have issues on a vegan diet - it's not surprising - it can be done wrong. Yet look at all (ALL) the issues produced by the Standard American Diet - or even the not so standard but still animal product heavy diet. That information isn't hard to find. For the scientific data Google Diseases of Affluence. For the less scientific just go to any Mall food court. People wish (or need) to defend their addictions and will do so to the bitter end (for most) but that doesn't make it so or true. It just makes them wrong. I have said often that perhaps not everyone needs to should go vegan - everyone should however be responsible for where their food comes from - they should bear witness to the senseless cruelty, the soul dumbing horror inflicted on animals for the sake of their pleasure. Their health care should reflect the cost of their choices - the same as smoking or any other addiction. And they should pay accordingly. I think there can be a sensible approach to diet for the non-vegan - local, as cruelty free as possible and still predominately plant-based. It's worked for most of the world for the best part of history. Even the celebrated Native American hunters of our past were mostly plant eaters. Google that too.

Peace,
Eric

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