Get the Facts Straight!

Much conflicting information exists about what is healthy and not healthy to eat. Here are some "facts" about growing and eating food:

Proponents of anti-meat rhetoric report the following:

• Livestock production uses more than 50 percent of all water in the U.S.
• It takes 25 gallons of water usage to grow one pound of wheat.
• It takes 2,500 gallons of water to grow one pound of meat.
• Livestock in the U.S. consume enough grain and soybeans to feed over five times the entire human population.

What is not discussed in these "facts" are the following:

• Most meat consumption in the U.S. is from meat originating from factory or industrial environments. Factory farms produce enormous amounts of meat never paralleled before in history. Their bottom line is high production and yield, therefore they will need enormous amounts of water to keep their cattle alive.
• Wheat is consumed much more now than ever before in history. Just look at the packages of many products you purchase in the store. Many of them contain wheat or wheat flour. Wheat allergies (and other food allergies) are becoming one of the most prevalent cause of illness and disease. The more your body is exposed to something, especially something processed such as wheat, the more likely it will be that you will develop an allergy.
• Soy beans and grains are not healthy substances for animals to consume. When animals that are slaughtered for meat consume these grains, there is an increased requirement for antibiotics because the animals are more susceptible to disease. The health of the animal goes downhill from there and what results is an unhealthy meat product which, when consumed, causes among other things -- heart disease, diabetes and many other disorders.
• Soy beans, in their whole state, are fine for human consumption in moderation. We are consuming soy and soy products at a higher rate than ever before in history. Soy products are unhealthy to consume, as they are generally processed and should be avoided. Most wheat as well, in mass quantities as we consume in this country, is also unhealthy to consume. Encouraging people to drop their consumption of meat and take up soy and wheat is by these standards, folly. If you are going to eat industrial meat and wheat and soy products, health problems will most certainly ensue.
  

Here are more "facts" from so-called health experts that do not take any of the above information into consideration:

• The average American child's diet contains unnecessary amounts of protein, exceeding the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) established by the National Research Council.
• Diabetes has increased six-fold in the last 40 years from 1.6 million people in 1958 to 10 million diagnosed cases in 1997. Another 6 million people are estimated to have Diabetes but have not been diagnosed.
• Sixty percent of Cancers are caused by diet according to the American Cancer Society.
• Reducing your consumption of meats, eggs, dairy products, fish, and chicken can reduce your risk disease by over fifty percent.

It is interesting to note: the first item mentions that children consume too much protein, and yet the second item states that Diabetes has increased six-fold in the last 40 years (both "facts" are from the same source). Why is this, really? Pay close attention - the reason for this is due to the fact that our demand for meat has increased by at least that much or more, and the majority of what we are consuming comes from none other than -- factory farms. What did we say about factory farms again? Oh right, those facilities feed their animals soy, corn, and grains (carbohydrates), and also administer chemicals, steroids, and growth hormones. These methods do nothing to promote health or well-being in animals nor the people who consume the meat from those animals. So yes, if you continue consuming meat, dairy, and eggs produced by factory farms, by all means, you will develop heart disease and other health problems. But not if you consistently eat healthy, organic, grass-fed varieties of meat and meat products.

Now is it clear why so many people and an increasing number of children in particular have Diabetes and are heading for Cancer and heart disease? So actually, when the American Cancer Society reports that sixty percent of Cancers are caused by diet, they are actually reinforcing all the data we have discussed here -- that factory farm environments produce meats and dairy products that contribute to disease and illness.

Organic, sustainable farms that grass-fed their animals to produce meats and dairy products are the viable solution. These products represent the culmination of health which supports natural living and the environment, produces far less waste, and works in harmony with the Earth. When you consume these products, you are feeding your body the correct, natural, and balanced portion of food it needs to be healthy. Factory farms cannot make the same claim about their products. Obesity, heart disease, and other disorders do not stand a chance in a body which eats the proper types of food for health.

Be very cautious when you consider believing any philosophy which advocates less meat consumption but encourages eating more soy, corn, and grains. Use your brain and think about the chain of events that causes things to happen. Your health and the planet will thank you for it.