Veggie Love Planet

Cause of global warming: greenhouse effect Primary cause of greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels Fossil fuels needed to produce meat-centered diet vs. a meat-free diet: 3 times more Percentage of U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75 Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly related to livestock raising: 85 Number of acres of U.S. forest cleared for cropland to produce meat-centered diet: 260 million Amount of meat imported to U.S. annually from Central and South America: 300,000,000 pounds Percentage of Central American children under the age of five who are undernourished: 75 Area of tropical rainforest consumed in every quarter-pound of rainforest beef: 55 square feet Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses: 1,000 per year Source = " Diet For A New America " by John Robbins

Number of people worldwide who will die as a result of malnutrition this year: 20 million Number of people who could be adequately fed using land freed if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 100 million Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by people: 20 Percentage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 80 Percentage of oats grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 95 Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90 How frequently a child dies as a result of malnutrition: every 2.3 seconds Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on an acre: 40,000 Pounds of beef produced on an acre: 250 Percentage of U.S. farmland devoted to beef production: 56 Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce a pound of edible flesh from feedlot beef: 16 So, why don’t you choose to be a vegetarian and save the world from hunger? Be Vegetarian and save the world from hunger! Source = " Diet For A New America " by John Robbins

Many people with omnivorous eating habits understand the basics of vegan living, that most vegans don't eat or wear meat or animal products or by-products. Yet many of these same people are taken aback when a vegan explains that she won't eat honey. They don't understand why a vegan wouldn't eat honey. Here's why. Vegans choose their particular lifestyle for multiple reasons. One of those reasons is to protect their health . Vegans have studied the findings of legitimate scientists and have discovered that eating animal protein is hazardous to one's health. Eating animal protein (whether it is found in meat, eggs, or dairy products) can be directly linked to multiple Western diseases (also known as "diseases of affluence"). Some of those diseases include cancer, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and osteoporosis, to name a few. A great many vegans have chosen to eliminate all animal protein from their diets to gain these health benefits. Even vegetaria...

Plant-based diets are gaining momentum and becoming more mainstream. Pop your head into any grocery store and you’ll be able to find numerous products marked “Vegetarian” or “Certified Vegan.” It can be difficult to know what’s what! Below are brief definitions to help guide you. Vegetarians do not consume any fish, meat, or poultry. A lacto-vegetarian consumes dairy products and an ovo-vegetarian consumes eggs. A lacto-ovo vegetarian consumes both dairy products and eggs, but no meat. Products labeled “vegetarian” typically do not contain any meat or meat-derived products; however, there are no regulations in the U.S. governing the use of “vegetarian” on a label.  To be certain that a product is vegetarian, contact the manufacturer. An example of a meat-derived product is gelatin, which is prepared from animal bones. Vegans are vegetarians who do not consume any animal/insect=derived products including dairy products, eggs, and honey. This group avoids animal/insect-based food...

The next time you cut up a pineapple, rub the leftover juice onto your clean skin with a cotton wool ball, leave for 5 minutes up to a maximum of 15 minutes, then gently wash it off and apply extra virgin coconut oil.( This only works with fresh pineapple. The enzyme papain that dissolves dead protein is not present in canned pineapple as heating destroys it.) 7 Benefits of Pineapple 1. It lessens risk of hypertension . Hypertension occurs when too much force is exerted on the artery walls while the blood circulates. One of the best ways to combat this is to infuse a high amount of potassium plus a small amount of sodium in your diet to lower blood pressure. Pineapples are the perfect for hypertension because a cup of pineapple contains about 1 mg of sodium and 195 mg of potassium. 2. It helps you lose weight ! Eating pineapple can highly cut down your sweet cravings because of its natural sweetness, saving you from a lot of sugar-induced calories. Incorporating a lot of pineapple i...

If there was an eating style that made you happy, would you do it? What if that same eating style helped keep your weight in the healthy range?  And reduced your risk of breast, bladder, and other cancers?  Would you then? Vegetarians have been studied extensively and recently, studies reveal that a vegetarian lifestyle is healthier overall.  In Nutrition Journal, vegetarians had less depression, anxiety and stress and overall, better moods than meat-eaters in the U.S.  The reason?  Vegetarians eat less animal-based essential fatty acids and more omega-3 from plants.  People with diabetes have a higher incidence of colon, liver, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers.  The American Diabetes Association and American Cancer Society suggest more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less red and processed meats which reduces the risk. In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers say postmenopausal women can lower their risk of breast canc...

Country music star Carrie Underwood has revamped her diet plan and become a vegan. The singer adopted a vegetarian lifestyle several years ago after discovering the long-term health benefits of cutting out meat, and the former “American Idol” star reveals she’s now avoiding animal products all together in a bid to boost her overall well-being. She tells Self magazine, “I’ve been a vegetarian for seven years, but after seeing a friend who looked amazing and had recently gone vegan, I thought, ‘What’s holding me back?’ Now I’m 95-percent vegan.” However, Underwood insists she’d consider adding dairy back into her eating regime if she could run her own farm. She adds, “My veganism is based on a concern about where my food is coming from. In my perfect world, I’d have webcams wherever food is processed so I’d know how clean it is. “I’ll never eat meat again, because I look and feel better without it, but if I could raise my own cows and chickens and produce my own eggs and cheese...

The American Heart Association recommends eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats and poultry. The new USDA dietary guidelines for the first time highlighted the benefits of a vegetarian or vegan diet, including a reduction in obesity and heart disease. It's never too early to take steps to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, which affects men and women. In fact, it kills twice as many women as all forms of cancer combined. "We all should be worried about heart disease regardless of our age," said Susan Levin, nutrition education director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. "Most people, by the time they are 18, have plaque in their arteries." A vegan diet is more mainstream than ever, making it easier for novices to stick with it. "It's not a hippie folk dancer thing to do," she said. "It's just people who want take control of their health." Going vegan is just one way to...

The pus, blood, antibiotics, and carcinogens in milk -- and the chronic fatigue, anemia, asthma and autoimmune disorders caused by milk consumption -- do no body good. Got milk? If not, then thank your lucky stars. Because if you do, medical research shows that you are likely to be plagued by anemia, migraine, bloating, gas, indigestion, asthma, prostate cancer, and a host of potentially fatal allergies -- especially if you are a person of color. Ignoring this, the government declares that milk is essential to good health, subsidizes the milk industry to the tune of billions of dollars, and requires milk in its public school lunch programs. And celebrity shills sporting milk mustaches tell us that milk is rich in proteins, calcium, and vitamins -- and very cool to boot. They forget to tell you about the dangers lurking in that innocuous-looking glass of white. Once criticized only by naturopaths and vegans, now the health effects of milk are being decried by many mainstream doctors....

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain disease,”.  The paper goes on to state that vegetarian and vegan diets are appropriate for every stage of life including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and athlete’s. Journal of American Dietetic Association 2009;109:1266–1282 There are many health benefits to a well-planned vegetarian diet according to the American Dietetic Association.  These include preventing and treating heart disease, lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein, the bad kind of) cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes and even cancer. Specifically increased fruit and vegetable intake is protective against cancer of the mouth, esophagus, stomach and lungs.  Soy food intake is associated with lower risk f...

One of the greatest things about brunch is that it is designed to be a feel-good meal. It's got a relaxed European atmosphere necessary to accommodate condensing two meals into one. People don't tend to brunch alone, so it's also a most wonderful way to connect with friends and family to make delicious, lasting memories. As any vegan can likely vouch, breakfast can be the kiss of death for the non-meat eaters. Eggs and bacon seem to flavor every greasy bite of breakfast foods, aside from the juice. But brunch? Well that's a whole different story. Brunch can easily accomodate a vegan diet, deliciously. The next time you're brunching, try some of these favorites anyone can enjoy: Fruit is an essential part of any brunch. Sliced juicy melons, fresh & ripe berries, and of course, pineapple, are a must for a satisfying brunch. And don't forget the savory fruits: olives, sliced cukes, and try ripe avocado and tomato slices on toast. Top off with watercress or ...

Vegetarianism is increasing in popularity in the United States, according to a recently published position paper in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association . Among adults, 2.3% of the population is vegetarian and 3% of 8- to 18-year-olds follow a vegetarian diet. That doesn’t sound like much, but—compared with just a few decades ago—there is a definite movement from Americans to give up their beloved burgers, at least some of the time. According to the American Dietetic Association’s new position paper, released in July, “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.” In summary, vegetarian diets offer health advantages and are approp...

A Pennsylvania State University study showed that omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources actually promote bone formation and may help to reduce the risk for osteoporosis by inhibiting excessive bone loss. Omega-3 fat in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is found dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and a variety of vegetable oils. Plant sources of essential fatty acids : Dark green leafy vegetables Flaxseed Flaxseed oil (also called linseed oil) Chia seeds Pumpkin seeds Sunflower seeds Canola oil Hemp oil Soy oil Wheat germ Soybeans Tofu Tempeh Additionally, plant sources of this essential nutrient tend also to be rich in vitamin E, which has many benefits including promoting cardiovascular health. Certainly, vegetarians attain optimal health by consuming plant-based meals.  They are leaner and have more energy than their omnivorous counterparts and now it is apparent that they enjoy a healthier mood state, as well.a

It has been well documented that people who choose a vegetarian diet enjoy superior health with lower risks for a variety of disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Now, science has presented us with yet another reason to choose the healthful vegetarian lifestyle. A new study published in Journal Nutrition has linked the vegetarian lifestyle with healthier mood states. It turns out that vegetarians are not only a lot healthier than the rest of the population, apparently, they are a lot happier, too. How does this finding challenge current recommendations? According to the researchers at Arizona State University, the vegetarians in their study experienced significantly less negative emotion than the omnivores. This is good news for everyone, because consuming fish is often the subject of government health advisories. The oceans are increasingly polluted and contain unacceptable levels of contaminants, such as dioxin and PCPs, and a recent government study revealed wid...

It's never too early to encourage healthy eating habits. In his landmark book Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care , the late Dr. Benjamin Spock, America's most respected pediatrician, recommended that parents raise their children on a vegan diet. "We now know that there are harmful effects of a meaty diet," wrote Spock. "Children who grow up getting their nutrition from plant foods rather than meats have a tremendous health advantage. They are less likely to develop weight problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer. ... I no longer recommend dairy products. ... There was a time when cow's milk was considered very desirable. But research, along with clinical experience, has forced doctors and nutritionists to rethink this recommendation." Doctors and concerned parents agree: Consuming dairy products is unnatural, and it can make children sick.

Stomachaches are only the beginning of the problems that your kids may face if you give them dairy products. Studies suggest that milk consumption may contribute to asthma, constipation, recurrent ear infections, iron deficiency, anemia, and even cancer. Consuming dairy products can also make kids overweight. There is a reason why dairy products are so fattening—they're packed with fat and calories. In fact, calves can gain almost 500 pounds by the time they are weaned from their mothers. The calories from the fat and sugar in cow's milk will add to your child's waistline and detract from his or her health. On the other hand, many plant foods contain calcium but don't have all the cholesterol or come with the adverse health effects that are associated with dairy products. Plus, despite what the powerful dairy industry lobby might claim, independent scientists have found that the calcium in plant-based sources is more easily absorbed by human bodies than is the calcium...