hariḥ oṁ
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Namasté
In the past I have been asked , why not eat meat? I offered a few reasons¹ yet more conversation always focused on health. The conversations/debates went from 'humans were designed to eat meat' to 'where do you get your protein from ?'. The conversations were always opinion-oriented without any scientific basis, until now. Let me offer the following.
There has been several studies that have been completed. The latest one I have read was the work by Dr. T. Colin Campbell , Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University. He published his work and also written a book called The China Study.
This information is significant - that is, statistically significant. His work held statistical significance at the 95% confidence level and at the 99% confidence level i.e. highly statistical significance = 99% , or a 1% chance of probably due to chance or randomness of the data.
His findings ( my words here) - what you put in your mouth completely influences one's health or ill-health.
Proteins specifically from animals contribute to cancer growth; The tests initially started in the lab, then ended up in a full-scale study that occurred in China - hence the 'The China Study'. Why there?
Prior to Dr. Campbell going to China , a national study was completed there. 880 million Chinese people in this study analyzing death rates for 12 different kinds of cancer, taken from 2,400 areas across their nation. A database of all this information existed - a base line for further info, studies, work was now inviting Dr. Campbell to this country. Multiple people were on his team. The research project culminated in a 20-year partnership between Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine.
The study looked at the following:
When complete, that has more then 8,000 statistically significant associations between life style, diet and disease variables i.e. extremely comprehensive! I could add more on this but its best you read the book or look for yourself.
- 12 different kinds of cancer
- ~48 different kinds of diseases , including individual cancers
heart disease, infectious diseases, etc. to name a few.- They gathered 367 variables, and cross compared each variable with every other variable.
- They visited 65 areas across China, administered surveys and blood tests, urine samples, etc. on 6,500 adults
They evaluated/recorded what people ate and also analyzed the food that was eaten.
You can also take a look at this site: http://www.thechinastudy.com/about.html
and excerpt from the book: http://www.thechinastudy.com/PDFs/ChinaStudy_Excerpt.pdf
Many things were found - too long to list out so let offer just a few ideas in my words.
Some findings:
Tons more data and findings - but if you have interest, it is worth the reading the fact-based, science-aligned book.
- An excess of animal protein in a human's diet, compliments/supports a fertile bed for cancer growth to occur.
NOTE I am not saying meat is the carcinogen e.g. chemicals from industrial processes that is one cause for cancer cell growth ; it ( the animal protien) is considered a promoter to cancer cell growth.
One example given by Dr. T. Colin Campbell for this condition of animal meat's contribution to ill-health ( again my words):
Think of growing grass , you put down seeds in fertile dirt, then add water and fertilizer. If one is prone to cancer (genetics, environmental conditions) , the seeds are sewn. Yet if you do not add the water and fertilizer ( animal proteins) the seeds will not take, will not grow. Here is where animal protien is the 'promoter' - the water and fertilizer in this example.- Animal fat ( not just meats, but cheeses, butter , butter milk, etc.) also contributes to multiple diseases, heart disease, etc.
The more animal protein the more heart disease a country will experience ( data from 20 different countries)- Reducing (eliminating) animal protein sources as a food supply is a healthy choice.
- Where you get your protein from is important, yet protein is not the total story on health.
- FYI: First to offer this insight came from an Indian research paper 'The effect of dietary protein on
Carcinogenesis aflatoxin' by T.V. Madhavan and C. Gopalan
praṇām
1. Benefits of vegetarian ( my view)
- Spiritual - do the least amount of harm - ahiṁsā we know as non-injury, and a few others from yama-and-niyama
- Economic - a efficient/least cost model
- Environmental - less strain on the environment ; less invasive
- Health - best for the body
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