This video has made me become vegaterian!

[.sarah]

I love meat, I always have, always will. I eat meat because humans have eaten meat since the beginning of time. I cant stand pork and hardly eat beef. I love poultry, you can put any flavour under the sun on it. I love to cook and if I became a vegan - what would DH and my daughter do? They would be forced into vegetarianism. There many negative aspects of vegetarianism. The possible deficiencies that may develop if a balanced eating plan is not consumed. If dairy, meat, fish, and poultry are excluded, one may become deficient in vitamin B12(important for nerve transmission and necessary for life), calcium (for strong bones, among other functions), iron (for blood), and zinc (for immunity and healing), just to name a few. You have to be VERY determined to stick to your diet and consult a doctor before becoming a vegetarian. It is NOT something you can do overnight, you have to study, plan and think about what you're doing to make sure you dont end up seriously ill.

While the PETA video shows cruelty, not every place is like that. You cant judge stuff like this, especially when it's coming from PETA.

Nuff said....

Yes, people have been eating meat since the beginning of time. Does that make it right? No. I could bring up the old "Just because someone jumps off a bridge, do you?" and use that as an example here. You should do what you feel is right, tradition or not.

Just because you are vegetarian/vegan doesn't succomb your family to it as well. If my future husband wants to eat meat, fine, I don't care. But I would hope that he would let me explain how important is to me that it comes from a place that treats their animals humanely, and respect that.

There are just as many things that can result from eating meat as can from being vegetarian. Different diets work for different people. I am much healthier as a vegetarian, but it is not right for everyone. There are certain diseases that are higher risk as a meat-eater. Anyone who does not have a balanced, well-planned diet will not be as healthy as someone who does, vegetarian or not. Vitamin supplements can take care of lack of calcium, iron, and B-12.

Yes, you have to be determined to stick to your diet. I stick to it because I don't like to know that what's on my plate was treated cruel during it's life and died a painful death. I guess it all depends on what your priorities are.

Every place is not like the one in the video, as already mentioned in this thread. However, a majority of them are. The animals welfare is usually not the concern at meat farms -- the money is. And the ones that do treat their animals humanely usually have something on their package saying so.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

Humans were not meant to eat strictly meat or vegetables. Instead we are meant to eat both. Many studies prove that the humans digestive tract is longer than a carnivores, but shorter than a herbivores. Many herbivores possess multiple stomachs. If people were designed to be strict vegetarians, we would have a specialized colon, specialized teeth and a stomach that doesn’t have a generalized pH - all the better to handle roughage. Furthermore, we have a production of hydrochloric acid in our stomachs, something not found in herbivores. The human pancreas manufactures a full range of digestive enzymes to handle a wide variety of foods, both animal and vegetable.

I guess it all depends on your feelings on this. Everyone has the right to their own choice. Vegetarian, Vegan or meat eater - we are all people. I certainly hate the fact that lots of factory farms are so cruel to the animals and I want to kill myself for contributing. I am very inconfident that I could change my diet - I know there are risks whether you are Vegan or not, but I just couldnt do it. I also dislike it when people think, "You eat other animals, so you obviously dont love your own". I love my animals very much! We are true omnivores (many studies have been done) and were designed to eat meat and vegetables. I am very healthy, I eat alot of vegetables and grains, with only a small portion of meat at dinner time.

I am very proud of you ladies that are vegetarian, believe me. You are very strong. That is a huge step to take - one that I know I couldnt take.

[.sarah]

I agree with everything you just said. It really is personal preference, and whether or not your body can handle one or the other. As long as people are educated on the matter and don't make up excuses, I don't care what their choice is.

[Caxis]

Most of this stuff happens in places like Mexico, and many Asain countries, because the laws against Animal Cruelty are VERY lax, and seldom enforced.

USA, UK, and most of Europe enforce their laws against it. I don't know anything about the inspection process for these countries, but I'd assume that the person who checks the animals to determine if they can be eaten or not would notice abuse.

[CathyBogart]

Not necessarily. Just because there are standards in the US doesn't mean they are enforced or that they're very high standards. Abuse like this is NOT something that is confined to less industrialized countries.

[dogzr#1]

i don't really want to watch the video... but i really do wish to become a vegitarian(sp?). my mom said she will let me once i am a bit older. she said that becoming a vegitarian could give me some nutritional deficiency of some sort and that i need that while i am growing. i am not sure if that made sense but she gave me a better reason that i can't really explain in typing.

[CarrieB]

I watched that video.. and.. i actully cried. I am trying to become vegetarian now!! I know I have only been one for about a week... but it's a good start for me because I used to eat meat everyday. My parents don't take me seriously.. but that won't effect my decision whether to become one or not.