"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian."'
--Paul McCartney
Growing lettuce and arugula is a whole lot easier than raising a cow for slaughter. One of the lessons from the past year’s once-in-a-century pandemic is that America's meat-centric food system is not sustainable for our planet and for humans.
As evidence continues to mount about the health benefits
of plant-based eating and the ability to reverse chronic diseases, the case against eating foods from animals worsens. Not only is plant-based eating healthier for
humans, it is so much healthier for our planet.
Cows require a lot of land.
Raising beef requires 20 times more land than the equivalent protein
found in beans. Thirty percent of the Earth’s ice-free land is used as pasture
for livestock, according to an article in The Washington Post.
Plant-based eating, with its focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, is a joyful way of eating. Ten years ago the film "Forks Over Knives" was released in May 2011 and a cascade of films about food, the environment, and health flowed. People learned about the underside of the beef and chicken industries with their inherent cruelty to animals, the damage caused by eating animal products, especially when it comes from fast food restaurants (watch "Supersize Me") and the health benefits of eating plants, not animals. Doctors like Michael Greger and Neal Barnard have proven that plant-based eating not only controls diabetes, but can reverse it for many people.
Make the move to plant-based eating. Next time you make spaghetti, skip the meatballs. Learn how to make vegan parmesan (recipe in next week's Wellness Wednesdays article). It's easy!
With love and kindness,
Nancy Heinrich, MPH
Founder and Wellness Architect
