There is no doubt in my mind that leaving animal products (especially red meat)out of my diet would be much better for my health. However, I find it very challenging to even imagine the idea of not being able to eat steak, cheese, milk, and other foods that I love and have been brought up on. Changing one's diet also taps into an issue of changing some social structure, which can be very challenging. I could apply the information from the China study to my own life by decreasing the amount of red meat I consume, eating more whole grain foods, and continuing with a healthy active lifestyle.
I agree with the statement Mallory made about the difficulty of changing one's eating habits. Knowing what is healthy for you doesn't necessarily change the foods you consume. The results from the China Study are beneficial to society as a whole, but the odds of people, myself included, eliminating something like all red meats from their diets is very minimal.
I agree with both Mallory and Krystal. We have been brought up with certain eating habits which are difficult to change. Totally eliminating meats out of my diet is probably an unrealistic goal. However, if people cut back on their meat consumption (especially red meats) their nutritional intake will improve. Also, I find it amazing how we, as Americans, are extremely ethnocentric in thinking our country is the best yet we are ranked very low on overall life expectancy. I would have pictured the US being closer to the top of the list.
I agree that changing your diet is more complex than you think. Growing up on meat and potatoes in Maine, I have come to love these foods. I know the consequences of eating such foods, but I really believe that a balanced diet, including meat, dairy, vegetable, fruit, and grain is still sufficient and does not do any harm. Along with exercise and happiness, this style of living can be beneficial to many. MODERATION is key, but I honestly don't think you can live life without a sweet indulgence every now and then.
I think the whole concept is sort of out there. It's clear that the research has been completed, but it's still far fetched for me. I rarely eat meat because I don't enjoy cooking and it's cheaper for me to buy something else; and my mother, not surprisingly always tells me I need to incorporate more meat into my diet. However, this study is telling me that she's wrong and I should eat more leafy greens and whole foods, which I don't do either. The one thing about my diet that is consistent with the authors beliefs is that I should continue eating carbs! Hopefully, as others have stated, we can find a balance in order to maintain our best health!
I agree that moderation is key, but meat also has important vitamins such as iron so if we are not getting it from meat we need to make sure to be getting it from somewhere else
I used to think that eating a diet without meat would be impossible, but it's not and there are tons of other foods to get our vitamins and protein from. I have only been vegetarian for a year or so but I can say that my health has increased dramatically. The concept does not surprise me at all because we can get all the nutrition we need from meat free foods. Edamame (soy beans) have tons of protein in them for example. I so however agree that changing our diets is a hard thing to do. I took it in steps and I do not miss meat of any kind, but it is just they way you do you. It's like with all foods do not limit yourself, but do not let yourself eat cake daily. Moderation like everyone has said so far id the key. Also I believe that my health has improved; I was watching a program and there was a man on it who was a raw vegan and he was a competitive runner, he was in his 40's but he looked like he was in his 20's or early 30's and he was outrunning many if not all of his competitors. He said before becoming a raw vegan he never did as well and never was in as good of shape as he is now. If i remember correctly he is number 2 in the nation or something like that, but it was just really neat to see that a lifestyle like that does and can improve your health. I like that how Mallory pointed out how such a simple thing like changing our diet can really effect our social structure. It has for me, I never associated myself with vegans or whole/raw foods. I found myself having more in common with those types of people than others; for example I never used to eat much vegetables or buy them, and now I grow my own and buy everything I can from a local farm or farmers market. I was really happy that we got to learn about the China study because the whole concept was something that I and I think most of us can really relate too.
I was very surprised at the number of diseases caused by eating a diet high in animal protein. I remember hearing in the past that a diet high in protein is good for losing weight, but according to the china study it is actually bad for you. I think that it's good to know that it is bad for us and that we should switch to a plant based diet but that doesn't mean that that will happen quickly or even at all. Our culture's food is based a lot around animal protein, it would be hard for people to change their eating habits so drastically as to not include animal products. Also, like it said in the article, there are powerful industries of animal products that will do everything they can for us not to switch our diet to plant based because they would lose out on a lot of money. I have personally tried to become a vegetarian in the past because of a clip I saw on how animals were being treated and used for food and I thought I felt really strongly about changing my diet. It turned out that doing that was a lot harder than I thought, because it's hard to not eat what you are used to eating, especially if no one else in your family eats that way. So I think it is good to be conscious about the effects of animal products but I don't think it will change the diets of too many people.
I know that I am a picky eater, and I know what I like. I, like most people, try to eat healthy, and I have done a better job at it now that I have my own apartment and am living on my own, but I don't think it would be realistic for me to switch to a vegan diet. First, I try to eat as much fruits and veggies as I can, but its expenisve to eat healthy, maybe when I am no longer a college student I'll try to be more conscious about the choices I make, but for now I have enough to worry about and make my choices based on effieciency. Like everyone has said, eliminating animal products from my diet is not the answer I am looking for, I am a burger kinda girl! But making changes so that having 2-3 vegetarian dinners a week is a step that I will help to improve my health as well as to expand my palate.
Diet is a key determinant in health; i have a first hand experience in a diet change. I had a sever problem with acid reflux to the point where it made me sick. The school nurse proscribed me Nexium to take; it worked, but what worked better was changing my diet. I eliminated all sugar, white flour starches, and dairy. In a month i lost 8-9 pounds, and i had no acid reflux. I felt healthier. The only problem with this is that having a strict diet is hard to maintain. The school is not very good at creating alternate options for people with special needs, and lets face it my favorite food it ben and jerry's. But my limiting the amount of times, and frequency i have ice cream i don't have a reaction (or it is really minor). Changing our diets can make us all healthier, but to do that the prices of healthy food needs to go down, and junk food prices need to go up. Making just a few changes may result in a better outlook for our society as a whole.
After reading the China study, it really made me think twice about the foods I consume. I am definitly guilty of having a diet that contains lots of meat and animal protein, which evidently isn't very good for my body. I think it is a harsh reality that as Americans we eat unhealthy, but it is all a part of our upbringing. I was raised eating meat, and changing that habit now would be extremely hard. Coming from northern Maine, my mother use to joke that all the people up there are "meat and potato" people. It is just a part of our life. Now that I am on my own and I personally choose my own foods, I am finding myself switching to different foods and changing my diet habits. Studies such as these really opened my eyes to the harsh reality of health and its correlation to society and upbringing. Although I was raised on meat and potatoes, I now know I can change my lifestyle for the better. By doing so, I can prevent things such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and so much more. The China Study is hard evidence of this.
I do not eat red meat daily but if i had the time to cook, i would! Meat has always been a central part of my family's diet and neither side of my family has a history of the chronic diseases stated in the China Study that are brought on by eating red meats. I think it is very interesting that a variety of cancers and heart disease and such are found the be a result of the animal protein in red meats. I'm no medical expert but I believe that eating a variety of foods in moderation and exercise are ways to keep good health and fend off disease. I try to minimize the amount of fast food and junk food and i try to walk places instead of drive, go to the gym, and get involved in sports. Yes, a plant based diet would probably be the healthiest route to go but by only doing a plant based diet you are missing out on a lot of other vitamins and such that are essential to your good health as well! The China Study definitely is an eye opener to the many side affects of consuming too much animal protein and really makes you think twice about the connection between what you eat and the causes of potential disease in your body. However, as I said earlier, i still believe that moderation is the key to good health.
I know this is probably a terrible way of thinking, but I find myself believing that even if I were to cut out things such as meat, I would end up being sick from something else. Living in America, we are exposed to so much. If I cut out all red meats I might just end up dying from other chronic illnesses that have nothing to do with my consumption of plants. There is no denying the benefits of a plant based diet. I have thought about changing my diet on occasion, but find it too hard to give up a delicious piece of steak or a juicy cheeseburger. It is part of our culture as Americans. Also, simply cutting out meats wouldn't be healthy unless your diet as a vegetarian included all of the vitamins and nutrients needed. I know some very unhealthy vegetarians who live off of pasta and potato chips. Being a healthy vegetarian is much more than just cutting out meats.
I would say that I would have to agree with what everyone else has said. I feel that maybe switching to a plant-based diet may be healthier, but like most of the others I was personally brought up on the "meat and potatoes" diet. As depressing as the comment Emily made is, I think that even by cutting out animal proteins our long-term health as Americans may not improve too greatly or stay too great for too long due to other factors. Let's face it our lifestyle aside from the consumption of animal proteins isn't that great. I would also consider the risk of pesticides and other chemicals that might get into more plant-based foods, even with the plant-based diet. I think that eating organic would probably help with this, but like the others I feel that these options are not within my financial reach. I also have to strongly agree with the difficulty of changing your diet. This past summer I was diagnosed with celiac disease, meaning I can't eat gluten. This was very rough for me, and even rougher after I moved into my own apartment and had to buy my own groceries. Gluten-free food is much more expensive and harder to find at typcial grocery stores. I've had to read my fair share of food labels nowadays and it is shocking the amount of chemicals and stuff that is in there if you take the time to read it, even in plant-based foods.
Reading through the other comments posted I would have to agree with what everyone else has said. Each of us have been brought up in a family where culture has affected what we chose to eat and for most of us it includes animal products on a daily basis. It would be interesting to see what not eating animal products would do to our bodies if we chose to not have anything for an entire week. I'm curious to see how my body would react. Would I feel healthier? Have more energy? Would I begin to feel ill? It would be a challenge to change the norms of our everyday life, but possibly cutting back and moderating is the best option overall.
I definitely agree with everyone and the China Study when it says that we would be healthier with the exclusion of animal products, and there are so many people who live this way. But for me, it does not come down to the love of meat and animal products that makes me not be a vegetarian, it is strictly economic. It is so much more expensive to buy all healthy food all the time, and even though humans often know the foods we consume are not always healthy, we do it anyway. It is difficult to give something up that you have had your entire life.
After looking at this study i kinda of chuckled because my grandfather recently was diagnosed with a gout when reading about the foods and things he should eat and do to help prevent break outs animal products such as red meat were a big no no. So he now has to watch what he eats and the amounts of animal products he adds to his diet. Personally i come from a family who likes to eat meat, seafood, and many other animal products. I agree with allison i feel that its way to expensive to by healthy food all the time especially in the economy we live in today. With limiting the intake of animal products we still can live a healthy life.
I agree with the fact that with a healthier diet there are positive benefits. However, looking at my lifestyles, it is much easier and cheaper to buy fast food meals, than spend 3x that on a small portion of healthy organic foods.
There is no way that i could cut animal products outs of my diet. However, i have cut out fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, Wendy's, and Burger King, and also any soda for the past three years. I feel that it has been very beneficial to my health. i feel that i can eat anomal product and pretty much everything i want since i workout 5-6 days a week.
I consider myself to have a fairly healthy diet; I don't eat seafood (for moral reasons); I don't drink soda or eat a lot of sugar; I rarely eat red meat; and fast food repulses me. I've even cut out most of my dairy, but I do eat goat milk products. My only indulgence is poultry, and well, I have to have a veggie omelette to start the day. I think the bigger problem here is distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy fats as well as proteins.
There is a lot of hype surrounding low fat diets with a common misconception that fat is unhealthy. Some fats, like hydrogenated fats, are unhealthy. There are also good fats, like olive oil. Personally, I love the stuff; I use it as a butter substitute in cooking. I use flax seed in the same way, and it also gives me the omega 3s I need since I don't eat fish.
As far as protein goes, I think lean meats are perfectly fine. Although I stick to organic and free range options whenever possible. I don't think eating burgers and steaks all the time is a healthy option, especially when the diet is lacking in fruits and vegetables; which might cause the correlation between colon cancer and high meat consumption. Processed foods might also be a contributing factor to cancer rates.
Taking the China Study account, I don't think I could cut out all animal products from my diet. My hypoglycemia would kill me (not literally mind you) if I did not have eggs every morning. I know my family would not be able to adhere to it; my parents and my sister are carnivores. Although I might be making some progress; I have convinced my mom to stop buying seafood (albeit for environmental reasons). Huzzah!
I agree with what everyone has posted, I know when i lived at home, my mom would always cook a meal with some kind of meat and then vegetables and a another side. I would say we would have some kind of red meat at least 1-3 times a week, but now that I am in college my whole families diet has changed. Going home for winter break this year was different, I was expecting to go home to homecooked meals like steak and potatoes but things changed. My dad recently had heart surgery, and he had a total 180 of his diet, which is pretty plain with chicken, fish, and on a rare occasion he could eat red meat. My mom is also on a diet, so there is pretty much only healthy food in my house. After reading the article i realized that it is probably better that i don't have so much red meat. It would be hard to totally get it out of my diet, but to cut back on it, would be a more realistic thing for me to complete.
I think it would be amazing to try and eliminate the red meat and most dairy out of my diet. I dont think it's sustainable though. Although we all know it would be better for us and even lengthen our life, as a society, Americans are resistant to giving up anything they are used to eatting. I was always brought up on red meat and dairy and the idea that I will never eat those things again is not realistic. I do think that it would be a good lifestyle change for anyone who can stick with it though.
There is no doubt in my mind that leaving animal products (especially red meat)out of my diet would be much better for my health. However, I find it very challenging to even imagine the idea of not being able to eat steak, cheese, milk, and other foods that I love and have been brought up on. Changing one's diet also taps into an issue of changing some social structure, which can be very challenging.
ReplyDeleteI could apply the information from the China study to my own life by decreasing the amount of red meat I consume, eating more whole grain foods, and continuing with a healthy active lifestyle.
I agree with the statement Mallory made about the difficulty of changing one's eating habits. Knowing what is healthy for you doesn't necessarily change the foods you consume. The results from the China Study are beneficial to society as a whole, but the odds of people, myself included, eliminating something like all red meats from their diets is very minimal.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Mallory and Krystal. We have been brought up with certain eating habits which are difficult to change. Totally eliminating meats out of my diet is probably an unrealistic goal. However, if people cut back on their meat consumption (especially red meats) their nutritional intake will improve. Also, I find it amazing how we, as Americans, are extremely ethnocentric in thinking our country is the best yet we are ranked very low on overall life expectancy. I would have pictured the US being closer to the top of the list.
ReplyDeleteI agree that changing your diet is more complex than you think. Growing up on meat and potatoes in Maine, I have come to love these foods. I know the consequences of eating such foods, but I really believe that a balanced diet, including meat, dairy, vegetable, fruit, and grain is still sufficient and does not do any harm. Along with exercise and happiness, this style of living can be beneficial to many. MODERATION is key, but I honestly don't think you can live life without a sweet indulgence every now and then.
ReplyDeleteI think the whole concept is sort of out there. It's clear that the research has been completed, but it's still far fetched for me. I rarely eat meat because I don't enjoy cooking and it's cheaper for me to buy something else; and my mother, not surprisingly always tells me I need to incorporate more meat into my diet. However, this study is telling me that she's wrong and I should eat more leafy greens and whole foods, which I don't do either. The one thing about my diet that is consistent with the authors beliefs is that I should continue eating carbs! Hopefully, as others have stated, we can find a balance in order to maintain our best health!
ReplyDeleteI agree that moderation is key, but meat also has important vitamins such as iron so if we are not getting it from meat we need to make sure to be getting it from somewhere else
ReplyDeleteI used to think that eating a diet without meat would be impossible, but it's not and there are tons of other foods to get our vitamins and protein from. I have only been vegetarian for a year or so but I can say that my health has increased dramatically.
ReplyDeleteThe concept does not surprise me at all because we can get all the nutrition we need from meat free foods. Edamame (soy beans) have tons of protein in them for example. I so however agree that changing our diets is a hard thing to do. I took it in steps and I do not miss meat of any kind, but it is just they way you do you. It's like with all foods do not limit yourself, but do not let yourself eat cake daily. Moderation like everyone has said so far id the key. Also I believe that my health has improved; I was watching a program and there was a man on it who was a raw vegan and he was a competitive runner, he was in his 40's but he looked like he was in his 20's or early 30's and he was outrunning many if not all of his competitors. He said before becoming a raw vegan he never did as well and never was in as good of shape as he is now. If i remember correctly he is number 2 in the nation or something like that, but it was just really neat to see that a lifestyle like that does and can improve your health.
I like that how Mallory pointed out how such a simple thing like changing our diet can really effect our social structure. It has for me, I never associated myself with vegans or whole/raw foods. I found myself having more in common with those types of people than others; for example I never used to eat much vegetables or buy them, and now I grow my own and buy everything I can from a local farm or farmers market.
I was really happy that we got to learn about the China study because the whole concept was something that I and I think most of us can really relate too.
I was very surprised at the number of diseases caused by eating a diet high in animal protein. I remember hearing in the past that a diet high in protein is good for losing weight, but according to the china study it is actually bad for you. I think that it's good to know that it is bad for us and that we should switch to a plant based diet but that doesn't mean that that will happen quickly or even at all. Our culture's food is based a lot around animal protein, it would be hard for people to change their eating habits so drastically as to not include animal products. Also, like it said in the article, there are powerful industries of animal products that will do everything they can for us not to switch our diet to plant based because they would lose out on a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteI have personally tried to become a vegetarian in the past because of a clip I saw on how animals were being treated and used for food and I thought I felt really strongly about changing my diet. It turned out that doing that was a lot harder than I thought, because it's hard to not eat what you are used to eating, especially if no one else in your family eats that way. So I think it is good to be conscious about the effects of animal products but I don't think it will change the diets of too many people.
I know that I am a picky eater, and I know what I like. I, like most people, try to eat healthy, and I have done a better job at it now that I have my own apartment and am living on my own, but I don't think it would be realistic for me to switch to a vegan diet. First, I try to eat as much fruits and veggies as I can, but its expenisve to eat healthy, maybe when I am no longer a college student I'll try to be more conscious about the choices I make, but for now I have enough to worry about and make my choices based on effieciency. Like everyone has said, eliminating animal products from my diet is not the answer I am looking for, I am a burger kinda girl! But making changes so that having 2-3 vegetarian dinners a week is a step that I will help to improve my health as well as to expand my palate.
ReplyDeleteDiet is a key determinant in health; i have a first hand experience in a diet change. I had a sever problem with acid reflux to the point where it made me sick. The school nurse proscribed me Nexium to take; it worked, but what worked better was changing my diet. I eliminated all sugar, white flour starches, and dairy. In a month i lost 8-9 pounds, and i had no acid reflux. I felt healthier. The only problem with this is that having a strict diet is hard to maintain. The school is not very good at creating alternate options for people with special needs, and lets face it my favorite food it ben and jerry's. But my limiting the amount of times, and frequency i have ice cream i don't have a reaction (or it is really minor).
ReplyDeleteChanging our diets can make us all healthier, but to do that the prices of healthy food needs to go down, and junk food prices need to go up. Making just a few changes may result in a better outlook for our society as a whole.
After reading the China study, it really made me think twice about the foods I consume. I am definitly guilty of having a diet that contains lots of meat and animal protein, which evidently isn't very good for my body. I think it is a harsh reality that as Americans we eat unhealthy, but it is all a part of our upbringing. I was raised eating meat, and changing that habit now would be extremely hard. Coming from northern Maine, my mother use to joke that all the people up there are "meat and potato" people. It is just a part of our life. Now that I am on my own and I personally choose my own foods, I am finding myself switching to different foods and changing my diet habits. Studies such as these really opened my eyes to the harsh reality of health and its correlation to society and upbringing. Although I was raised on meat and potatoes, I now know I can change my lifestyle for the better. By doing so, I can prevent things such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and so much more. The China Study is hard evidence of this.
ReplyDeleteI do not eat red meat daily but if i had the time to cook, i would! Meat has always been a central part of my family's diet and neither side of my family has a history of the chronic diseases stated in the China Study that are brought on by eating red meats. I think it is very interesting that a variety of cancers and heart disease and such are found the be a result of the animal protein in red meats. I'm no medical expert but I believe that eating a variety of foods in moderation and exercise are ways to keep good health and fend off disease. I try to minimize the amount of fast food and junk food and i try to walk places instead of drive, go to the gym, and get involved in sports. Yes, a plant based diet would probably be the healthiest route to go but by only doing a plant based diet you are missing out on a lot of other vitamins and such that are essential to your good health as well! The China Study definitely is an eye opener to the many side affects of consuming too much animal protein and really makes you think twice about the connection between what you eat and the causes of potential disease in your body. However, as I said earlier, i still believe that moderation is the key to good health.
ReplyDeleteI know this is probably a terrible way of thinking, but I find myself believing that even if I were to cut out things such as meat, I would end up being sick from something else. Living in America, we are exposed to so much. If I cut out all red meats I might just end up dying from other chronic illnesses that have nothing to do with my consumption of plants. There is no denying the benefits of a plant based diet. I have thought about changing my diet on occasion, but find it too hard to give up a delicious piece of steak or a juicy cheeseburger. It is part of our culture as Americans. Also, simply cutting out meats wouldn't be healthy unless your diet as a vegetarian included all of the vitamins and nutrients needed. I know some very unhealthy vegetarians who live off of pasta and potato chips. Being a healthy vegetarian is much more than just cutting out meats.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I would have to agree with what everyone else has said. I feel that maybe switching to a plant-based diet may be healthier, but like most of the others I was personally brought up on the "meat and potatoes" diet.
ReplyDeleteAs depressing as the comment Emily made is, I think that even by cutting out animal proteins our long-term health as Americans may not improve too greatly or stay too great for too long due to other factors. Let's face it our lifestyle aside from the consumption of animal proteins isn't that great. I would also consider the risk of pesticides and other chemicals that might get into more plant-based foods, even with the plant-based diet. I think that eating organic would probably help with this, but like the others I feel that these options are not within my financial reach.
I also have to strongly agree with the difficulty of changing your diet. This past summer I was diagnosed with celiac disease, meaning I can't eat gluten. This was very rough for me, and even rougher after I moved into my own apartment and had to buy my own groceries. Gluten-free food is much more expensive and harder to find at typcial grocery stores. I've had to read my fair share of food labels nowadays and it is shocking the amount of chemicals and stuff that is in there if you take the time to read it, even in plant-based foods.
Reading through the other comments posted I would have to agree with what everyone else has said. Each of us have been brought up in a family where culture has affected what we chose to eat and for most of us it includes animal products on a daily basis. It would be interesting to see what not eating animal products would do to our bodies if we chose to not have anything for an entire week. I'm curious to see how my body would react. Would I feel healthier? Have more energy? Would I begin to feel ill? It would be a challenge to change the norms of our everyday life, but possibly cutting back and moderating is the best option overall.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with everyone and the China Study when it says that we would be healthier with the exclusion of animal products, and there are so many people who live this way. But for me, it does not come down to the love of meat and animal products that makes me not be a vegetarian, it is strictly economic. It is so much more expensive to buy all healthy food all the time, and even though humans often know the foods we consume are not always healthy, we do it anyway. It is difficult to give something up that you have had your entire life.
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at this study i kinda of chuckled because my grandfather recently was diagnosed with a gout when reading about the foods and things he should eat and do to help prevent break outs animal products such as red meat were a big no no. So he now has to watch what he eats and the amounts of animal products he adds to his diet. Personally i come from a family who likes to eat meat, seafood, and many other animal products. I agree with allison i feel that its way to expensive to by healthy food all the time especially in the economy we live in today. With limiting the intake of animal products we still can live a healthy life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that with a healthier diet there are positive benefits. However, looking at my lifestyles, it is much easier and cheaper to buy fast food meals, than spend 3x that on a small portion of healthy organic foods.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way that i could cut animal products outs of my diet. However, i have cut out fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, Wendy's, and Burger King, and also any soda for the past three years. I feel that it has been very beneficial to my health. i feel that i can eat anomal product and pretty much everything i want since i workout 5-6 days a week.
ReplyDeleteI consider myself to have a fairly healthy diet; I don't eat seafood (for moral reasons); I don't drink soda or eat a lot of sugar; I rarely eat red meat; and fast food repulses me. I've even cut out most of my dairy, but I do eat goat milk products. My only indulgence is poultry, and well, I have to have a veggie omelette to start the day. I think the bigger problem here is distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy fats as well as proteins.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of hype surrounding low fat diets with a common misconception that fat is unhealthy. Some fats, like hydrogenated fats, are unhealthy. There are also good fats, like olive oil. Personally, I love the stuff; I use it as a butter substitute in cooking. I use flax seed in the same way, and it also gives me the omega 3s I need since I don't eat fish.
As far as protein goes, I think lean meats are perfectly fine. Although I stick to organic and free range options whenever possible. I don't think eating burgers and steaks all the time is a healthy option, especially when the diet is lacking in fruits and vegetables; which might cause the correlation between colon cancer and high meat consumption. Processed foods might also be a contributing factor to cancer rates.
Taking the China Study account, I don't think I could cut out all animal products from my diet. My hypoglycemia would kill me (not literally mind you) if I did not have eggs every morning. I know my family would not be able to adhere to it; my parents and my sister are carnivores. Although I might be making some progress; I have convinced my mom to stop buying seafood (albeit for environmental reasons). Huzzah!
I agree with what everyone has posted, I know when i lived at home, my mom would always cook a meal with some kind of meat and then vegetables and a another side. I would say we would have some kind of red meat at least 1-3 times a week, but now that I am in college my whole families diet has changed. Going home for winter break this year was different, I was expecting to go home to homecooked meals like steak and potatoes but things changed. My dad recently had heart surgery, and he had a total 180 of his diet, which is pretty plain with chicken, fish, and on a rare occasion he could eat red meat. My mom is also on a diet, so there is pretty much only healthy food in my house. After reading the article i realized that it is probably better that i don't have so much red meat. It would be hard to totally get it out of my diet, but to cut back on it, would be a more realistic thing for me to complete.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be amazing to try and eliminate the red meat and most dairy out of my diet. I dont think it's sustainable though. Although we all know it would be better for us and even lengthen our life, as a society, Americans are resistant to giving up anything they are used to eatting. I was always brought up on red meat and dairy and the idea that I will never eat those things again is not realistic. I do think that it would be a good lifestyle change for anyone who can stick with it though.
ReplyDelete