Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

[Doc4]

Those who have frequented this thread in the past will probably note that a certain unpleasant exchange between a few members has been removed.

It is hoped that a polite dialogue can continue, without a return to those unpleasant comments.

 

[ratcheer]

Those who have frequented this thread in the past will probably note that a certain unpleasant exchange between a few members has been removed.

It is hoped that a polite dialogue can continue, without a return to those unpleasant comments.

Thank you.

Tim

 

[professorchaos]

Like many here, I have no ethical problem eating meat. I do, however, have a problem with how the animals are treated while alive. Since we have the luxury of an abundant food supply, I'd like to think that we can do better than we currently are.

 

[mr_economy]

Like many here, I have no ethical problem eating meat. I do, however, have a problem with how the animals are treated while alive. Since we have the luxury of an abundant food supply, I'd like to think that we can do better than we currently are.

Unfortunately the middle of a harsh recession is a terrible time to start cleaning up our food policies, since quality food generally will cost more than the factory junk we have today. A local dairy farmer here, for example, recently had to sell private stock in his small operation in order to avoid the bank seizing his farm. I love the milk his farm produces, but on my tiny income I just can't afford to pay nearly $4 for a half-gallon of milk. Likewise he can't afford to charge much less than that without massively expanding the scale (and probably decreasing the quality) of the operation.

What we really need is substantial reform in the farm bill. Big Ag corporations have bought off enough members of congress, and hoodwinked a large enough portion of the voters in farm states like Iowa and Kansas, that their megafarms are getting richer from our tax dollars while the small farmer upon whose back this nation was built goes bankrupt.

 

[*King G*]

This comes down to evolution for me. We ARE in fact, omnivores. Our bodies from our teeth to our digestive systems are evolved to eat both meat and plants.

If i put you and a cow into an empty room, I'd love to see you eat it. What claws do you have? What large piercing, flesh ripping teeth do you have? What acidic saliva do you have?

Evolution didn't give you an ability to eat meat. Your opposable thumb provided the ability to hold and create tools from your environment to kill animals, and you're large brain figured out how to make fire in order to cook it.


Try eating raw beef/pork/chicken for a week and see how much your body likes it.

The point of the book is that the amount of meat consumption in this country is ridiculous. The price of meat is also ridiculous. The fact that you can buy a Micky Dee's hamburger for $0.99 and can't buy a head of lettuce for the same price is upsurd.

People need to be eating a vegetable based diet with the inclusion of protien sources from time to time (soy, nuts, hemp are all (bad)cholesterol free solutions for protein consumption)

The Meat Market that exists today isn't sustainable. Methane from animal farts is a larger problem in greenhouse gases than SUV emission's will ever be. But you won't hear that on TV. The meat market is nothing to mess with. Just ask Oprah.

Support local growers of produce. Support locally raised meat products. Eat responsibly. Check out a non-biased, non-PETA movie on the food industry: Food, Inc.

 

[ouch]

Evolution didn't give you an ability to eat meat. Your opposable thumb provided the ability to hold and create tools from your environment to kill animals, and you're large brain figured out how to make fire in order to cook it.

So if an opposable thumb weighs the same as a duck, a brain must be made of wood, and therefore............. evolution!

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=834rI6l5Tv4[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Doc4]

So if an opposable thumb weighs the same as a duck, a brain must be made of wood, and therefore............. evolution!

If I put you and a swallow into an empty room, I'd love to see you eat it.

 

[kopio]

If I put you and a swallow into an empty room, I'd love to see you eat it.

What kind of swallow are we talking about here? African? Laden? Unladen?

 

[letterk]

Just because you don't eat veal doesn't mean that you don't support the industry. If you drink milk, eat cheese, have any dairy product from the store, chances are you're supporting veal. Of the calves that are born, the females are put back into the dairy business, and the males are put into veal cages. Just like how half the chicks that are hatched for laying are killed, due to being male. It's really just one of those things you have to come to terms with or ignore.

Not exactly true. My wife and I come from long family lines of dairy farmers, and this statement certainly isn't true of the dairies and calf ranches I've been around. And they're some of the largest on the west coast, so it's not a small farm type of thing.

Not sure about the chicken thing, never been on a chicken farm.

Personally, I cut out red meat about 10 years ago because my wife is vegetarian. I tried going vegetarian, but didn't appeal to me and I didn't feel good most of the time. I tried going back to red meat and I didn't feel good either. Today, I'm more vegetarian than not most days, but I still eat a healthy dose of fish, turkey and chicken (and sometimes pork, duck, etc...). We buy most of our food from farmers markets and quality/health conscious stores and avoid the mass chains as much as possible. We also have a sizable organic vegetable garden and five fruit trees.

 

[strat1117]

My older son (now 21) tried vegetarianism about 5 years ago for about a year. One day, on a trip to Virginia, we stopped at Dixie Bones for some BBQ.

He was cured.

 

[letterk]

My older son (now 21) tried vegetarianism about 5 years ago for about a year. One day, on a trip to Virginia, we stopped at Dixie Bones for some BBQ.

He was cured!

OK, that's funny.

 

[strat1117]

OK, that's funny.

 

[Gunky]

I think our drinks in this country play a big part in our health downfall. I gave up soda in August of 09, hasn't been THAT long, but that combined with my reduced intake of red meat, my bowels and energy level have been given new lives!

 

[psychlopath]

I, too, have had the displeasure of being in both slaughter houses and veggie processing places.

Neither of them make you go "I cant WAIT to get home and eat this stuff!!"

I can, 100%, agree that the slaughter house seemed...I dunno, more professional and well cleaned. Food worthy, I suppose.

Somehow I manage to eat both still, though.

I'm not so sure about those health ideals of going vegan, though.

I only know one vegan and MY anecdote is...she finds it hard to fulfill her diet and, honestly, is one of the softest and pudgiest people I know.

But if I were trapped in a snowed-in lodge, far from help, I’d pick her to eat first.

So I encourage her.

 

[SRock]

I'm another of the 'moderation camp'. I eat meat and I love it. It's hard to beat a great steak and an ice cold beer. That said, in any given week I typically eat read meat only once. The rest of the week it's chicken, turkey or vegetarian type meals.

As others have mentioned I also think there are far worse things we do to our bodies than consuming read meat. I also gave up soda. I used to be a 6 a day Mt. Dew drinker. Since giving up regular soft drinks I've lost weight, and feel better. After making the decision to cut back on red meat (probably went from 5 days a week to 1) I also feel much better. I sleep better and have more energy.

Personally I think we are/were designed to be omnivores but whether it is Flora or Fauna moderation is key.

I won't get into the debate about what our teeth are best suited for, what any particular deity says about animals as food or the morals/ethics of current agricultural practices. I'll simply say that I respect everyone's right to eat what they want and thats all I ask in return.

Best post I've seen in a while.

+1

I've always said; "I'm a vegetarian who eats meat."

Hey, me too!

Like many here, I have no ethical problem eating meat. I do, however, have a problem with how the animals are treated while alive. Since we have the luxury of an abundant food supply, I'd like to think that we can do better than we currently are.

+1

So if an opposable thumb weighs the same as a duck, a brain must be made of wood, and therefore............. evolution!

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=834rI6l5Tv4[/YOUTUBE]

My older son (now 21) tried vegetarianism about 5 years ago for about a year. One day, on a trip to Virginia, we stopped at Dixie Bones for some BBQ.

He was cured.

To quote Larry the Cable Guy, "I don't care who you are, that's funny right there."

 

[professorchaos]

I think our drinks in this country play a big part in our health downfall. I gave up soda in August of 09, hasn't been THAT long, but that combined with my reduced intake of red meat, my bowels and energy level have been given new lives!

Good for you! I gave them up nearly 4 years ago and don't miss them in the least. As a matter of fact, on the exceedingly rare occasion I have one, I can't drink 1/3 of it.

 

[Kelly siefkas]

Our food supply is market driven, it produces what we are willing to buy. Our biggest problem is the intake of non-foods, fatty,overly processed, white flour, sugar. As for veal, you have to do something profitable or you are losing.

 

[jkh]

I think our drinks in this country play a big part in our health downfall. I gave up soda in August of 09, hasn't been THAT long, but that combined with my reduced intake of red meat, my bowels and energy level have been given new lives!

Damn you Coca-Cola and your deliciousness! I try very hard to maintain a healthful diet, but Coke is my biggest weakness.

 

[kingfisher]

I....am considering learning how to hunt and prepare game. ....

.

I'll put in a plug for my nephew's book here. It's called "From Mountaintop to Tabletop," and it's about the proper ways to prepare and cook wild game. His name is Matt Pelton. The book is available at amazon.com.

 

[Gunky]

Damn you Coca-Cola and your deliciousness! I try very hard to maintain a healthful diet, but Coke is my biggest weakness.

I hear you man, I drank Coke all my life, then about 2 years ago I gave that up and found Mexican Coke. I mine as well be considered a "coke" addict after that (cheesy joke). I gave the stuff up, NOTHING good about soda. Only PLUS maybe is it may help with vomiting/nausea. My skin has cleared up too from giving the coke the boot.