This is not to mention that the lifespan of a chicken in the wild would typically reach up to nearly 8 years. Industrialization plays a big part when it comes to our excessive consumption of animal products. Given the means to produce and ship out these products on such a ginormous scale, the American population was suddenly greeted with a seemingly glorious abundance of “nutritious” foods. The United States produces enough food to feed every citizen around 3,900 calories per day. Since 1970, the consumption of fats has increased by 38%, sugar intake has increased 20%, and consumption of high-fructose corn syrup has increased by over 1000%. The annual consumption of dairy also increased between 1950 and 2000 by over 287%, most apparently in processed and prepared foods. Manufacturing such an excessive amount of animals in such a limited space with a limited budget has changed the relationship between farmers and their livestock. In this industry, animals are no longer seen as living things, but as a product. With this mentality, the quality of life for livestock is no longer considered, resulting in malnutrition, horrendous living situations, bizzare mutilation practices, and inhumane slaughter.
The use of genetically modified food sources is another rising issue in how we are sustaining our growing population. Currently, the average American citizen consumes his or her own body weight in food additives every year, according to Blatt Harvey in his novel, America’s Food. As GMO’s are becoming more and more common in our diets, concerns are beginning to rise about the safety of these food-like substances. In Artemis Dona and Ioannis S. Arvanitoyannis’ article for the Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition Journal, the effects of these chemicals are studied. The low level safety procedures surrounding the production of manmade food is definitely something worth investigating. Through animal toxicity studies, scientists have shown that certain GM foods toxically affect several essential organs and systems. The effects include hepatic, pancreatic, or reproductive damage that may change the biochemical, and immunologic functions of our bodies. The use of genetically modified foods has been shown to increase IGF-1 molecule which may promote the risk of cancer.
To cope with periods of famine, the human race has an instinctual desire to eat food whenever it is available, most preferably foods containing fats, carbohydrates, and salt, as in nature those are the most energy-abundant foods. Our incredibly recent ability to tap deep into the Earth to obtain fossil fuels and create a booming industry resulting in a ceaseless supply of savory, satisfying snacks has created a breeding ground for obesity. Never in history has such a tremendous amount of food been so widely available. There are still many third world countries struggling to get enough substance on a daily basis. In fact, there are now roughly as many obese people on our planet as there are underweight people, about 1.1 billion in each category, both of which suffer from malnourishment and a variety of diseases. Our lack of self control in this country is leading us directly to our deaths, quite literally. The current obesity epidemic in our country has a direct correlation with our fast paced, consumer driven lifestyles. One in every three medicare dollars is spent on the treatment of diabetes.
America’s Centers for disease Control and prevention report that “when an individual becomes obese, risks also increase for cancers, liver and gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, osteoarthritis, and gynecological problems including infertility for women”. There are many physical ailments associated with humans consuming meat and dairy, as our digestive systems are not fully adapt to process them. The article, written by Bonnie Bruce, DrPh, MPH, RD, Gene A. Spiller, PhD, CNS, Leslie M. Klevay, MD and Sandra K. Gallagher, is an examination of the effects of consuming a diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, as opposed to one high in animal fats. These foods have proven to contain high concentrations of antioxidant phenolics, fibers and many other phytochemicals that are protective against chronic diseases.
The study involved twelve women following a refined-food diet for four weeks and then switching over to a phytochemical-rich diet in order to observe and compare serum lipids and antioxidant enzymes. This tracks the effects on lipoproteins, antioxidant defenses and colon function. The results concluded that the women consumed 61% less saturated fat, 13% less cholesterol. On the other hand, vitamin E intake increased 145% on the phytochemical-rich diet, vitamin C intake increased 160%, dietary fiber intake also increased 160%, and carotene intake increased by over 500%. This study proves that a diet full of plant based foods positively affected lipoproteins, reduced the need for oxidative defense mechanisms and improved colon function. As Earthling Ed, popular animal rights activist, points out in one of his many youtube videos promoting veganism, our bodies are not adapt to eat an animal-based diet. All carnivorous animals in the wild kill their prey with what they were biologically given. Our hands make very crude weapons, they do not have claws, but instead opposable thumbs ideal for picking and seeding fresh fruits. Our canines are short and flat, perfect for piercing the skin of plants, not muscle tissues.
