Become a Vegan (or at least a vegetarian)

Recently, thanks to my lady and all of the books/material I've read, I decided to become a vegetarian (and then a vegan).

What were my reasons? If I was taking a test, I would say "all of the above." Here are the reasons, in a nutshell:

1. Cruelty: Animal cruelty is out of control. We've seen the commercials with forklifts shoving cows to their feet so they can get butchered. This happens because laws state that a cow cannot be killed unless it can stand on its own.

Cows have to be "stunned" by a metal bolt before getting slaughtered. Unfortunately, the meat industry overload and a lack of training, employees, etc, the "stunner" misses its mark quite frequently. The cow has to be stunned and stunned again. You get the picture. If not, find some video online.

That is not even the beginning of the horror stories.

2. Health: Meat and dairy products are just plain unhealthy. How many tons of meat recalls do you hear about every day, week, month, etc.? Did you know that milk products can actually CAUSE osteoporosis? Did you know milk is linked to cancer, thanks to bovine treatments?

I've lost 25 pounds since becoming a vegetarian (and then a vegan) and have never felt better.

3. Political: Between ads targeting children, the joke that is the USDA, the meat and dairy lobbyists in government, there are many reasons to "Trust No One." We're just being plain old duped. The standards for food overseas far outweigh the disaster of a system we have here. And it's not for not knowing. It's to save pennies.

4. Environmental: For you green freaks, yup, eating meat and consuming milk is bad for the environment. The high demand for cattle leads to deforestation. Cow gas also leads to the a larger output of methane gas, adding to our Global Warming problem. So on and so forth.

5. Excess: Eating meat is bad for many reasons, but do we really need sausages and bacon for breakfast, hamburgers and chicken wings for lunch, and steaks and hot dogs for dinner?

Look at the American diet and the obesity epidemic we face. This meat craze has led to the unbalanced diets we now have.

Sorry if this post is long and sorry if it's a bit vague scientifically or lacking in the anecdotal sense.

For in depth reasons, read Skinny Bitch (Hilarious, but really hits home), Fast Food Nation (one of the most comprehensive books I've ever read about anything), and The China Study.

Visit these websites, read those books mentioned (or, if you don't feel like reading them, ask me about them, I will be glad to tell you!) and raise your awareness of what you're putting into your body.

http://www.vegan.org/

http://milksucks.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Study