What makes plant based diets eco-friendly and better for our bodies?

Feelings of uneasiness fill my body as I think of the use of animal derived products.

I always struggled with one internal battle and that was eating meat.

My parents always yelled at me to drink milk as my siblings and I pounded down a glass with dinner. “It’s going to make you big and strong” my mother would say on countless occasions. How much truth is behind this though? The fact of the matter is that the truth is this is just an old wive’s tale. Milk from cows is no different than human breast milk. Cow’s milk is meant for calves as breast milk is meant for babies. Give a delicious dairy substitute a shot such as oat milk. There won’t be any nutrients your body is missing out on and you’ll be missing out on this animal genocide we’ve put our blinders on towards.

I never knew the horrors these poor, defenseless animals endured in order for us to get products we don’t need until I watched the documentary What Came Before. The documentary exposed the nightmares of factory farming and starred American television personality, Steve-O. Throughout the short 11 minute documentary, it felt like I had my hands over my eyes for an hour as the innocent animals were slaughtered.

“But that documentary only shows one slaughterhouse and not all of them. Maybe mine is fine.”

Ah, the classic line when someone doesn’t feel like facing the truth on a topic. You’re right, maybe the one your meat comes from might operate a bit more humanely. The fact of the matter  though is that these horrific slaughterings still operate on a daily basis. Nothing will erase the images and trauma I experienced after watching that. I still get flashbacks as I sit there stunned, numb, and dazed. How could I have been so oblivious those years prior to watching that documentary? Feelings of disgust towards society swallow me on a daily basis wondering why people are still so oblivious to animal cruelty.

“I don’t want to watch that documentary. I don’t want to see that.” I know, I know. It’s so much easier to be oblivious to the health risks of meat consumption and animal cruelty.

When you search for family recipes online, you’re flooded with all of these options that 9 times out of 10, all have one thing in common. The star of the dish is meat. Long term consumption of red meat and other processed meats can be associated with cardiovascular disease, mortality, diabetes, and colorectal cancer.(1) Now you may be saying, “well what do I do if I’m having fast food for dinner?” As quick as you can say that, is as quick as fast food chains are starting to add vegan options. Try putting on a blindfold and having a whopper, then an impossible burger. After the first bite, you’ll realize the process of your food being made, doesn’t have to begin with slaughtering.