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Each person has their own reason to become a vegetarian. You need to first figure your own motive below are some reasons people decide to become a vegetarian;

• Some people are animal lovers, who are against animal cruelty that are slaughtered in meat production and slaughtering houses.
• Some people are environmentalists, who understand that raising animals for meat requires land for grazing and that the meat production work in different slaughter houses leads to animal waste accumulation and waste run off, apart from emission of lethal gases like methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
• Some people want to become a vegetarian to follow a religion or a philosophy that they have adopted.
• One of the main reasons why most people are becoming vegetarian these days is because of the various health benefits that come with becoming a vegetarian. People feel more energetic and vigorous following a vegetarian diet.

Becoming a vegetarian is not a one day process. You should realize and understand that human being’s taste buds adopt themselves according to the food that we usually eat. If you’ll try something different or something for the first time, the taste might certainly be rejected.

Step 1. So, the first step towards becoming a Vegetarian is to have enough patience to travel the path from being a non vegetarian to a complete vegetarian. Once you have committed to your goal of being a vegetarian, the following tips will help you achieve it:

Step 2. Do not leave eating a non vegetarian diet at once. Do it in steps so that you get time to adopt yourself to the style. Divide the non vegetarian food items into different groups and start by shunning a single group at a time.

Step 3. Learn to say no. This will be difficult in the beginning when you still remember the taste and smell of your favorite non vegetarian food but with time you will develop the resistance. A good idea will be telling all your people about your newly adopted eating habit, so that they don’t force you.

Step 4. Try a new vegetarian food item every time you go to a grocery store. This is important because you are leaving your favorite diet and you will need something good to replace it. If you don’t like a vegetarian product the first time you try it, don’t lose patience. Try the same product but of a different brand. Tastes vary and so your choices.

Step 5. Read about vegetarianism. Watch videos. Meet people who are vegetarians and talk to them, share their ideas. You should have something that should constantly motivate you to achieve your goal of being a vegetarian.

Vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice that has many benefits.

To get more free information on how to become a vegetarian or to start the vegetarian lifestyle to go http://www.vegetariannewbie.com and claim your special free report
“10 Essential Facts For The Vegetarian Newbie”

Gift certificate to a health store.

Get your friends in the store and they will come out with something healthy and a new love for you! There are many items that they can get that will improve their quality of life.
Food Dehydrator

I have one and I use it all the time. If someone has it they will use it. There are really a lot of uses and a lot of experimenting that can be done.

The book, “High Raw” by Kevin Gianni

Kevin has put together an amazing book about eating raw, including tips on just how to make the transition. This is his story of overcoming illness and increasing energy with raw foods.

A blender to create delicious blender drinks and meals

Another item that can lead to some experimentation! You may be surprised by what people put in a blender!

Easy Veggie Meal Plans

This could be a very thoughtful gift for yourself or a loved one. Take vegetarian eating to a whole new level. Kardena Pauza’s 90 day easy vegetarian meal plan makes the perfect gift. An easy to follow plan that works. Here is a link to her web site to check it out: Easy Veggie Meal Plans. And her plan is guaranteed to work!

So let’s give the healthy gifts this year. Your friends and relatives will love you longer for it!

Have a great holiday season!

Bob

EasyVeggieMealPlans.com

Naturally, when most people think of vegetarian foods and weight loss, they think of men and women eating healthy meals with plenty of energy to spare.

But, what most people don’t realize is there are a number of these so-called “health foods” that vegetarians are regularly consuming that aren’t just unhealthy, but lead to weight gain, and I’m not talking muscle.

Over the years I’ve made many mistakes when it comes to eating healthy on a vegetarian diet and so I thought I would share with you some of the lessons I’ve learned.  This way, only one of us has to make the vegetarian blunders.

With that being said, here are the 5 biggest weight loss dieting mistakes people make when switching to vegetarian meal plans:

1. Eating “health food bars” and protein bars as a healthy snack alternative or as a meal replacement.

This one is a biggie.  These bars are loaded with junk binders and fillers with very little nutritional value.  Unfortunately, many people believe the advertising and so think they are eating a healthy substitute.  My advice, read the labels before you eat them.  If nothing else, skip the bars altogether and have fresh fruit instead.

2. Falling for the convincing advertising that energy pills, energy drinks, or anything labelling itself as “thermogenic” will lead to fat loss.

While you’ll get a two hour burst of “mania”, the incredibly large dosage of caffeine in these products will bring your “high” to a crashing halt that often lingers for two to four hours.

Tip: avoid these ingredients: taurine, guarana, caffeine

Truth be told, energy products do NOT accelerate fat loss and none of them even work to curb your appetite.

So, do yourself a favour; skip the energy roller coaster and avoid every energy product that contains either sugar or caffeine.

3. Thinking there is a magic cereal diet.

There isn’t one.  In fact, most recently a popular women’s magazine was glorifying a particular cereal as the breakfast of choice for those wanting to lose fat. Shame on them!

What they don’t tell you is that many of these cereals contain way too much sugar and refined carbs, little-to-no protein, a small amount of fibre, and worst of all, fat derived from hydrogenated oils.

With that being said, if you really want to lose fat, then whatever you do, avoid processed grains and do NOT eat cereal in place of real food.

4. Wasting money on bodybuilding supplements

Why spend your hard-earned money on a product that is really just processed milk?  Simply put, you don’t need the junk that is advertised in bodybuilding supplement magazines.  You can avoid them and still lose fat and build a better body.

5. The misconception that low-fat products are your best bet for fat loss

Again, those advertisers are real sneaky I tell you!  But here is something they don’t tell you; the only way to make these low-fat foods taste worthwhile is by pumping them full of sugar.

Sugar causes a number of potentially damaging side effects to your body, but the most visible nasty side effect is the fat that is stored right on your belly and thighs.

Tip:  I recommend consuming no more than 6-9 grams of sugar per sitting.  Just be careful of the nutritional label as it might indicate 6 grams/1 cup serving, while you’re eating 2 cups and oops, you just consumed 12-18 grams of sugar!

So, those are 5 of the biggest mistakes made by those switching over to the vegetarian lifestyle.  If you follow those guidelines you’ll be well on your way to a healthy vegetarian fat loss diet.

For more great tips visit Kardena’s web site at: EasyVeggieMealPlans.com

EasyVeggieMealPlans.com

A healthy diet is a vital component to any fat loss program. Fortunately, this superfood can be found at any grocery store or farmer’s market at a relatively inexpensive price.

What’s more, this superfood supplies a majority of the Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamins and minerals to give you endless amounts of energy, it stabilizes your blood sugar and detoxifies your body, and it provides you with the essential amino acids your body needs to build strong, lean muscles.

So what is it?

None other than the leafy green vegetable.

I hope you aren’t disappointed it wasn’t something exotic like elixir berry juice.  But, the truth of the matter is, the leafy green vegetable is an underrated, nutrient dense, inexpensive, and readily available superfood.

It does, however, get a little more exciting in that this dark green vegetable has many substitutes, including spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, chard, parsley, cilantro, and many others.

In fact, if you go to a farmer’s market I’m sure you’ll find plenty to choose from.  And variety is important because each green offers a different composition of minerals and vitamins.

Most leafy greens have a mild flavour, but if you’re unsure about one, here’s a little tip you can use when doing your shopping.  When you find a green that you think you’d like to try, simply pinch off a small piece of it and give it a try.  If you like the taste, add it to the cart, if not, just hope no one was watching!

Alright, you’re home and ready to give the leafy greens a try, but you’re unsure how to eat them.  Well, here are some suggestions:

1.   Prepare a salad with a base of greens that you like, while adding in some of the new, unfamiliar greens. You’ll find that over time you’ll acquire a taste for the new darker greens and begin to really enjoy them.

2.   Add greens to your smoothies. I know it sounds odd, but trust me, you won’t taste a thing.  Just start out with a small amount of greens and slowly add more.

3.   Try making fresh fruit and veggie juice with greens in it. Personally, I like cilantro, parsley, and spinach in mine.

4.   Stir fries are a great way to add in veggies and greens.

5.   Also, try making soups with added greens.

So, those are just some of the ways in which you can add one of the best superfoods to your diet.  Try them out for two weeks and I guarantee that you will feel more alert and have more energy.

For more great tips visit Kardena’s web site at: EasyVeggieMealPlans.com

EasyVeggieMealPlans.com

For many of us traveling, it means skipping workouts, eating processed foods, and generally feeling guilty and frustrated because our commitment to a healthy lifestyle has temporarily gone by the wayside.

But with a little effort and following some quick and easy tips I’ll share with you, you’ll never have to resort to the over-priced, high-calorie food options that are prevalent in airports.

But first, did you know that when you’re at the airport you can actually take your own food through the security check?  Most people don’t know this, but as long as it isn’t liquid, gels, or gooey stuff over 3 oz. then you’re in the clear.

Okay, so you know that preparation is the key for anyone looking to lose weight and stay fit.  Well, this is especially the case when a last minute road trip unexpectedly arises.

So, with that in mind, here are some healthy food options suitable as snacks, breakfast, or dinner, that you can easily put together.

1.   Grab all the veggies you have in the refrigerator and combine them to make one big tasty salad.

2.   Pack 2-4 healthy nut bars.  My favourite is the RAW bar.

3.   Cut up fresh celery, carrots, and cucumbers – it’s quick and it’s easy.

4.   Add a few pieces of fruit to your “lunch pack”.

5.   Nuts are another excellent snack option.

6.   Seaweed snacks.  These delicious treats are sure to draw some wandering eyes as people try to figure out just what the heck it is you’re eating.

7.   And lastly, pack a bag of flax crackers.

If you can put just 10 minutes into preparing some snacks for your trip, you’ll feel so much better later on when everyone else is stuffing their face with high fattening foods and you’re sticking to you healthy diet.

Even if it’s just some healthy snacks to tie you over while waiting at the airport, this plan with help you eat healthier and avoid the junk you know is bad for you.

For more great tips visit Kardena’s web site at: EasyVeggieMealPlans.com

When you eliminate high-fat meat and processed foods from your diet, then much of your body’s energy is freed from the intense work of digesting these foods. Everything becomes clearer. Your blood, your organs, your mind. You start to become more aware of the toxic nature of the food you had been eating before.

Toxicity is of much greater concern in the twentieth century than ever before. There are many new and stronger chemicals, air and water pollution, radiation and nuclear power. We ingest new chemicals, use more drugs of all kinds, eat more sugar and refined foods, and daily abuse ourselves with various stimulants and sedatives. The incidence of many toxicity diseases has increased as well. Cancer and cardiovascular disease are two of the main ones. Arthritis, allergies, obesity, and many skin problems are others. In addition, a wide range of symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, pains, coughs, gastrointestinal problems, and problems from immune weakness, can all be related to toxicity. When you start eating detoxification foods such as a vegetarian eating plan, your body eventually cleanses itself of the harmful effects of these toxic foods.

No matter what you reasons are for eating a more vegetarian diet, the health benefits that are derived will become obvious in a very short amount of time. Vegetarians tend to have lower blood fats, cholesterol, and triglycerides than meat eaters of a similar age and status. Even those vegetarians who consume eggs and milk quickly see that their cholesterol is lower than those people who eat meat.

Heart Disease
High levels of blood fats are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Researchers have found that men who eat meat six or more times per week double their chances of developing heart disease. Middle-aged men are more likely to suffer from fatal heart attacks. Women are protected by their hormones for the majority of their life, but older women are prone to develop heart disease later in life. Older women who are vegetarian have been shown to have a lower risk of heart disease.

In 1982, British researchers did a study on more than 10,000 vegetarians and meat eaters. They found that the more meat that was consumed, the greater the risk of heart attack. They also found that by eliminating meat from your diet, you are reducing your consumption of fats and cholesterol that are damaging to the heart. At the same time, however you must be careful not to compensate for not eating meat by consuming too much milk and eggs, as this can negate the benefits. To gain all of the benefits of vegetarianism, your intake of cream cheese, ice cream, hard cheese and eggs should be moderate. The introduction of more veggies, fruits and raw foods will enhance your benefits.

Cancer
Vegetarianism has also been show to reduce the incidence of certain types of cancer as well. These diets are low in saturated fat, high in fiber and contain phytochemicals, which protect from cancer. Several large studies in both England and Germany have shown that vegetarians, when compared to meat eaters, have about a 40% less chance of developing cancer as compared to meat-eaters. Seventh-Day Adventists are largely lacto-ovo vegetarians, have been known to have a reduced cancer risk because they tend to avoid meat. In China, it has been found that they have similar reduced breast cancer rates due to the amount of vegetables that they eat. In contrast, Japanese women tend to eat more meat and are eight times more likely to develop breast cancer.

Meat and dairy consumption has been linked to various other cancer including:
Colon cancer
Prostate cancer
Ovarian cancer

In studies done by Harvard on several thousand women, it has been found that those who regularly consume meat increase their chances of colon cancer by 300%. These high fat diets that many people consume also cause the body to produce excess estrogen. This increase has been linked to an increase chance for breast cancer. They have also found that breast cancer rates are one third higher in premenopausal women who eat mostly meat diets.

Cambridge University has also linked meat diets with high levels of saturated fat to breast cancer. They have linked dairy products to an increased risk of ovarian cancers as the process of breaking down lactose may damage the ovaries. In men, prostate enlargement has been linked to meat consumption and the risk triples.

Other studies have linked an increase in white blood cell production to vegetarianism as well. These cells are required in fending off bacteria, infection and disease. Thus, the immune system is stronger when a vegetarian diet is consumed.

Improved Digestion
Vegetarians see a lot of improvement in their digestive systems because they are able to create a healthy and natural environment for these organs. Our digestive system was originally designed to consume more vegetable matter rather than meat. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts were the staple of the prehistoric diet and your digestive system greatly benefits when you go back to this natural type of diet. The Western diet has been drastically changed to include highly processed food and refined flour and sugar products. This has led to a variety of health problems from heart disease to obesity.

When the body isn’t being fed properly and the digestive system isn’t functioning properly, the body begins to adapt. It begins to make changes in the cells of the stomach and colon. When we don’t consume enough fiber, we incur a variety of problems including constipation and hemorrhoids. These problems are not normally seen in a vegetarian diet.

Weight
Weight is a huge problem in this country and if you think about it, have you ever really seen a fat vegetarian? Most likely you have not. In fact, most vegetarians are lean and healthy. Whenever you see a dietician or nutritionist, they most likely tell you to increase your vegetable intake and decrease the amount of meat you consume, especially red meats and pork. Many vegetarians who resume their old diets have found that the weight they lost tends to come back. Your will power is not enough to prevent the onset of weight from eating a high-fat meat based diet.

You are naturally healthier and feel better when you eat a diet that is high in dietary fiber, which is consumed from vegetables and fruits. As a vegetarian you are essentially feeding your body the nutrition that it needs to provide your body with useful energy, not energy that has to be stored. You just feel better because of this.

Many diets fail because we are forcing ourselves to avoid food that we like. This only leads to temptation to eat those foods. The trick to being a successful vegetarian is to realize that you don’t need to eat meat and that you can go without it. You are focused on eating healthier and you forget that you are trying to lose weight. You actually begin to lose weight without realizing it, simply because you have eliminated your main source of fat and overall unhealthiness. At the same time, all of the bad health effects disappear because of your healthy and natural diet.

Kidneys
Diets that are high in animal proteins tend to cause the body to excrete more calcium, uric acid and oxalates. These are three substances that are the main components of kidney stones. For those people who have a tendency for kidney stones, British researchers have advised that these people follow a vegetarian diet. The American Academy of Family Physicians has also confirmed that high animal protein consumption is the cause of kidney stones in the US as well. By eating a vegetarian diet your body does not secrete as much of these substances, therefore it does not form kidney stones.

Osteoporosis
For many of the same reasons we are able to reduce the risk of kidney stones by following a vegetarian diet, we are also able to reduce our chances for osteoporosis. Eating meat may actually promote bone loss because it forces calcium out of the body. In many nations where veggies are the basis of their diet, osteoporosis is less common than in developed countries such as the US. And, calcium is consumed less in the US.

So, with our meat-eating diets we are forced to also consume calcium supplements and prescription drugs to prevent the onset of osteoporosis. These supplements can also have drastic side effects. Many nutrition experts agree that the calcium supplements purchased at drug stores are inferior to the calcium that you receive from natural food sources. This is typically because they are not absorbed well by the body.

There are several good sources of calcium including:
Orange juice
Dry beans
Dark leafy vegetables
Tofu

Detoxification
Many people have gotten on a kick of doing weekend Detox diets and similar programs. Did you know that you don’t have to do this if you are a vegetarian? Cleansing the body of harmful toxins is easy if you eat a vegetarian diet. You are not consuming all of the growth hormones and antibiotics that you get from the meat that you purchase at the grocery store. People really don’t realize that they get these toxins from their carnivorous diet. A diet that is high in fat and processed tends to slow down the digestion of your food and this allows your body to soak up and accumulate the toxins from this type of diet.

Bacteria and toxins that accumulate in your system can also create a feeling of sluggishness. There are also a variety of digestive disorders, such as colitis and irritable bowel disorders that may develop as well. When you eat a healthy vegetarian diet, you introduce dietary fiber to your diet and your digestive system begins to suddenly work better.

When you eliminate meat from your diet, your body is freed from the intense work it takes to digest those types of food. Everything seems to become clearer and work better. You also become more aware of the toxicity of the food you had been eating before.

Chemicals and toxins in our food have become a large concern in the US. There are more and more chemicals and preservatives being added to our food. We are ingesting these products every time we eat processed foods, refined foods, and various other hormones and antibiotics that we receive through our meat. Because of this, a variety of other issues are developed in its wake including:
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Arthritis
Diabetes
Obesity
Skin problems
Headaches
Fatigue
Pains
Coughs
Gastrointestinal problems
Weak immune systems

As you can see there are many reasons to consider vegetarianism if you want better health!

PETA
PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This is an organization that is devoted to changing the mindset of people when it comes to animals. They are against using animals for anything from food to clothing and they are particularly against trapping for fur.

PETA is extremely passionate for their cause, almost to an extent of being outrageous. However, their cause is noble in that they believe animals have rights and deserve that their best interests be taken into consideration. They seek to have people realize that animals can suffer and that they have an interest in leading their own lives as animals. They believe that as a society we need to re-evaluate our place on earth and where we fit in with the other animal inhabitants of the world.

Animals & Growth Hormones
In an effort to produce more animals at an increased rate for human consumption, many animals have been treated with growth hormones so that they can be raised and slaughtered at an expedited rate. At the same time this leads us to consider how these animals are raised and treated for this purpose.

The fact of the matter is that if many people saw how many of these animals were raised, they would become vegetarians on the spot. For example, egg-laying chickens are often raised with six to a cage. Each chicken only receives about 67 square inches of space. These chickens are also generally treated with growth hormones as well as antibiotics to increase growth rate and decrease disease. Free-range and certified organic chickens may receive more spacious conditions and are not fed hormones or antibiotics.

This brings us to another point. After you handle chickens it is suggested that you use bleach to clean the surfaces so that you remove bacteria. Also, chicken must be cooked at certain temperatures and for a certain period of time to ensure that you will not catch any food-borne illnesses. It does not seem wise to eat anything that has to be handled with such care.

From chickens, you can easily move into how cattle are treated. First you must consider dairy cattle. Dairy cattle are often given hormones that stimulate their reproductive processes so that it continues to produce milk. A cow will only produce milk after she has given birth. They often live in cramped conditions and as soon as they calve, male calves are sent to become veal while females are raised to produce milk. The hormones that the cows receive cause the cow to produce ten times more milk than they would ordinarily. At the same time, they are hooked up to electric pumps, which cause irritation to the cow’s udders.

After a certain age, we really don’t need to consume milk. At the same time, we are not designed to drink cow milk, but human milk. We don’t milk pregnant women do we? Just like our bodies were not designed to eat milk, we were not designed to drink cow milk and digest those proteins either. You can receive just as much and more calcium from green, leafy vegetables.

Many people, even by those people who eat meat regularly, have viewed the veal industry negatively. The veal industry is cruel no matter who you are and how you look at it. The calves are taken from their mothers after they are about one day old. They are then kept in pens that prevent them from moving so that their muscle tissue stays soft and tender. The calves are then fed a liquid, often containing beer, that is deficient in iron and fiber. This causes anemia in the animal and produces the pale meat. At about 20 weeks, the calf is then slaughtered.

Turkeys are also produced in an inhumane manner. The consumption of turkey has become very popular over the past few decades and it is eaten for more than just holidays. Turkeys are more aggressive birds so they are kept in a confined and dark area to discourage their aggressive behavior. They are then overfed until their legs cannot support the weight of their body. This is because Americans want the largest turkey breast they can get for their holiday celebrations. Naturally and wildly, a turkey may live up to 10 years. These turkeys are slaughtered at 2 years of age. They also suffer from foot and leg deformities, heat stress and starvation. Approximately 2.7 million turkeys die each year due to the abnormal stress and disease of this process.

Many religions do not eat pork for their various reasons and some meat-consuming people don’t care for it either. Pigs are raised in similar unsanitary conditions. In fact, many farmers and workers on pig farms have died from breathing in the methane gas that is produced from the immense amount of waste that pigs produce at pig farms. Pigs are also overfed and kept in crates. They have a limited range of movement that does not suit their natural behaviors. They may also be fed growth hormones and antibiotics. Pigs have natural rooting behaviors and the captivity they live in does not allow them to live naturally.

Seafood and shellfish can be a part of a healthy diet. Fish contain a lot of nutrients that we don’t get from other meats. It contains a high-quality protein, essential nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids and it is low in saturated fat. However, eating fish has its harms as well. Fish often contain mercury. These levels are not usually bad enough to hurt us, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women, especially pregnant women, and young children to avoid certain types of fish and shellfish. This is because some fish have high levels of mercury that are not safe for these people to eat. Eliminating fish from your diet is usually the last step in going towards a complete vegetarian diet.

Whatever your reasons are for becoming a vegetarian, there are four different types of vegetarians and you can choose the type that you want to be.  There are many different types of vegetarians, as some people are not able to give up all animal products completely.  The four types are:

Lacto Vegetarians: This diet consists of no animal products or eggs.  They do eat dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt.

Ovo-Vegetarians: This diet consists of no animal or dairy, but they do eat eggs.

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians: This diet consists of no animal products, but they do eat dairy and eggs.

Vegan: This diet consists of plant-based foods, which means that it excludes all animal products including dairy, eggs, meat and even honey.

If you haven’t figured out what type of vegetarian you are going to be, it’s okay.  It takes time and experimentation with different recipes to figure out what you can’t live without in your diet.  For example, some people can’t live without milk and eggs.

You Really are What You Eat
The expression “you are what you eat” has been heard numerous times and it is often used in advertisements.  But, if you really think about what this means, you really start to think twice about your diet.

A good example of a person being what they eat can be seen in your blood plasma.  Your blood plasma is clear liquid, but after eating a fast food hamburger your blood plasma becomes cloudy with fat and cholesterol.  This is what your body absorbs after eating a high-fat hamburger.

Inversely, you also become what you don’t eat.  When you switch from eating a lot of meat to eating a vegetarian based diet, you lose fat.  You are also less prone to various cancers and diseases.  Your cholesterol can also improve.  When you are lean and eating less meat products, you find that many of your health and fitness problems go away.  The risk of Type II diabetes is also reduced.  Blood pressure falls into normal ranges as well.  When you’re healthier, you also do not have to take fewer medications.

If you have a family history of high cholesterol or blood pressure, then you are particularly dependent on what you eat and it is easier for you to become what you eat.  Moving towards a vegetarian diet can reduce the incidence if numerous diseases.  Vegetarians are also statistically healthier.

What Did Our Ancestors Eat?
Do you ever wonder what our ancestors ate and how far we have diverted in our eating habits?  Originally, our ancestors were hunter-gatherers and were not omnivores.  They did not eat animals.  When you look at predators and carnivorous animals you can see that they have teeth designed to rip and tear.  Their teeth are not designed for chewing.  Animals that are designed for chewing like herbivores have flat teeth that are designed to breakdown food.

Humans evolved from creatures that were vegetarian.  The digestive systems were not designed for eating and digesting meat.  Eating meat is a fairly recent development in human history.  It is believed that humans began to eat meat because they couldn’t find the natural foods they were used to eating.  They might have assumed that eating meat would help to sustain their meat.

Initially, we were similar to creatures that evolved from animals like herbivore apes.  These apes looked similar to man and walked upright with their arms and hands.  They naturally foraged for food and ate roots, berries, fruits and nuts. They also lived moment to moment constantly foraging for food.  Hunting requires thought and eating meat required fire.  Until fire was discovered, man primarily ate vegetables and fruits.  Vegetarian eating is a natural form of eating and much healthier.

Why Did Humans Start Eating Meat?
Necessity is the mother of invention and prehistoric men who lived in frozen areas ate anything that they could to survive.  The prehistoric man had to eat meat in order to survive.  This would be the first time that they had ever eaten meat.  This changed the way people would eat and health forever.

The first meat that was eaten would have been cooked by fire that was natural started by natural forest fires.  Without fire, they could have possibly eaten raw meat as well.  The digestive system most likely rebelled to eating the raw meat, but as they became adjusted meat became a part of their regular diets.

You may have heard of people who have lived vegetarian lives for a long period of time and then became violently ill afterwards.  This is similar to what prehistoric men would have gone through.  Biologists will tell you that we are not really designed to digest meat, but that we have adapted to it over time.

The Tradition of Eating Meat
As man developed, they began eating more and more meat.  This led to whole families eating meat as a main part of their meal and thus the tradition of eating meat began.  The turkey became the staple of Thanksgiving dinner.  New Year’s has always been associated with pork and sauerkraut.  Ham is the traditional meal of Easter.  In the summer, you can’t wait to smell the barbeque in the air.  As you think about all of the meat that we consume, it’s hard to believe that we were designed to live off of vegetables, fruits, nuts and berries.

When humans had to begin eating meat to survive, it became a group event.  One Indian was not able to go out and hunt a buffalo alone.  It took at least four people to hunt a buffalo.  The same is true for a variety of other animals that we hunted and ate.  The meat became the center of attention and it took several family or tribe members to clean, cook and even dry the meat.  After the work was done, the meat was shared as a reward for hard work.

Now, we don’t have to hunt our meat, but we do buy it.  We still enjoy getting together and celebrating over a ham, because this is ingrained in our nature from thousands of years of traditions.  All celebrations tend to hover around some sort of food item, but imagine what your options would be if we gave up meat and imagine how much healthier our meals could be.

If you recognize that you could feel much better about yourself if you were able to eat healthier then that should be a good enough reason to switch or at least decrease the amount of meat that you eat.  You don’t have to make a complete switch.  Sure, some people enjoy a nice cold glass of milk and may need it to ensure they are receiving adequate calcium and vitamin D.  If you don’t think you can give meat up completely, you can simply make your meat more of a side dish and eat more healthy veggies.  You will be amazed at the difference it will make.

There are many reasons that you might decide to switch to a vegetarian diet. Do you like what you see when you look in the mirror?. The majority of Americans are not at a healthy weight and this can be the number one reason to switch to a vegetarian diet lifestyle. Also, ask yourself these questions:

Are you at your ideal weight?
Do you feel great?
Do you wake up full of energy and ready to go?
How is your health?
Is your blood pressure where it should be?
Are your cholesterol and blood sugar levels at the correct level?

If you find that “no” is the answer to most of these questions then you should consider what you are putting into your body. If you find that you feel worse after eating, you may be wondering if the food is causing the problem.

The answer is yes. Your food should nourish and feed your body. It should leave you feeling refreshed and energized. The body is a machine and it needs good fuel. The fact of the matter is that most people are overweight and obese. This is because we eat too much meat and too much fat. Problems such as high blood sugar, Type II diabetes, high cholesterol and other health related problems are caused by our diet. All of these problems can be prevented by changing what YOU are putting into your body.

So by now you have figured out the benefits and advantages of being a vegetarian. And you know that you do not have to go cold turkey. You can just start replacing your meat with vegetables a little at a time. And before you know it, you will be a vegetarian! A healthy vegetarian!