Vegetarianism as a choice of Life!

Vegetarians are usually associated in other people with a small group of extremists who have lost their minds. Often such a choice of a person is associated with his antagonistic inclinations or passion for a new fashion trend. But in fact, there are few such vegans/vegetarians. Most of them make a choice in favor of Life for other reasons. Let's take a look at which.

1. For many, the first, main, and often the only reason for switching to a vegan diet is the spiritual aspect - compassion for animals and the prevention of violence against them (the principle of "ahimsa" from yoga and the Hindu worldview), the desire to live in harmony with nature and the world . All living beings, regardless of the purpose of their stay on the Planet and the presence of highly developed thinking, are afraid of death. By eating such foods, we sponsor the murder with our own money, support the spread of fear and suffering. Watching many animals around us and / or living with pets at home, at home, we build emotional and friendly relations with them. The mere thought that they can be killed (and, moreover, eaten) is enough to terrify. Realizing how cruelly animals are treated for food without a real need for it, vegetarians refuse to support the exploitation industry of our smaller brothers.

Animals have feelings, create families, and often show phenomenal displays of loyalty, friendship, and caring. These are not plastic toys that can be created, broken and discarded. In addition, man himself is part of the animal world, no matter how much he would like to neglect this fact. Despite the existing differences from animals, we also have many of the same instincts and processes, the structure of organisms.

For the same reasons, in addition to avoiding food of animal origin, vegans usually do not purchase leather and fur products, animal-tested cosmetics, and do not support a variety of activities related to the exploitation of animals (hunting, fishing, circuses, zoos, bullfights, etc.). etc.).

2. Obvious health benefits when switching to veganism, and not only in hot countries - a fact that has been proven by many scientists (read more in other articles in our column " Vegetarianism ") . Many modern doctors specifically recommend such a diet (or at least the rejection of meat) for problems with the digestive system. Exclusion from the daily diet or a decrease in the consumption of animal products helps to rejuvenate the skin, get more energy from the food consumed (plant foods are easier to digest), and improve the body's metabolic processes.

Even without turning to science, it is easy to see that by eating dead animals, we are unlikely to feed ourselves with useful substances - in contrast to healthy vegetables, fruits and cereals, which contain all the elements necessary for life. A well-balanced vegan diet is rich in protein, iron, calcium, and other minerals and vitamins, as the countless examples of vegans around the planet today have proven. An important advantage of plant foods is the absence of saturated fats, which lead to obesity, heart and liver disease, cancer and diabetes.

3. Many people know that the benefit to the environment is to reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions into the atmosphere, but this is not only about cow flatulence. Livestock products pollute soils, rivers and oceans, and the dangerous gas released from them - methane - is the main cause of global warming on Earth. The production of meat and other livestock products requires a huge consumption of crops, water, electricity and other resources necessary for the maintenance of animals, as well as transport costs and other processes associated with the delivery of the finished product to the consumer's plate. Growing too many feed grains for meat production is a major cause of deforestation, habitat loss and the extinction of many bird and animal species. In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soybeans for animals in Europe. This state of affairs contributes to the growth of poverty of the population, since the area of this land could be used to grow food for people.

4. Ultimately, all the benefits of eliminating animal products come down to benefits for humanity as a whole. A plant-based diet requires only a third of the land needed to maintain a meat and dairy type of diet. In the context of the global increase in the amount of food consumed on the planet, the reduction of water and other resources, environmental and socio-economic problems, the transition to plant-based nutrition is the best option for the conservation and sustainable development of life.

PS Do not think that each individual person is not able to change something alone. Make healthy and cruelty-free choices every time you shop or order food. Help save animal lives and our planet from pollution, physical and moral. Now, being a vegan is not so scary, as the number of sane people is growing, the range of choices for food and goods is increasing, and there is also support for like-minded people. It's time to ask yourself: if it's now possible to live a life that includes delicious food and drink, improves health, leaves less harm to the environment, and avoids killing other creatures, then why not? 🙂 You can start, for example, by supporting the initiative proposed by Paul McCartney - Meatless Monday (details here ).

May all living beings be happy!

When writing the article, the following sources of information were used: