Mankind has created many problems on this Earth, ranging from environmental crisis to the human welfare tragedies, as we have already known. We have been trying hard to solve these issues as soon as we realise that something goes wrong, through scientific and technological innovation. These are a few examples:
Pesticides are formulated (together with genetically modified organisms these days) to wipe out 'pests' (including other organisms in that area) in plantations instead of getting rid of them through biological control, where targeted pest is gotten rid through predation using the natural predator of the pest without poisoning the environment.
[Recommended reading: Silent Spring]
Geo-engineers have considered to pump large amount of sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere (higher part of our ozone layer) to reflect the heat from the sun in order to slow down global warming instead of cutting greenhouse gases emissions from industries directly through laws and policies.
[Recommended reading: This Changes Everything]
Antibiotics are introduced to eliminate the bacteria Escherichia coli (or more commonly called as E. coli) in cattle to prevent contamination on beef instead of switching the grain-diet back to grass-diet which can dramatically reduce the bacteria in the digestive system of cattle.
[Recommendation watching: Food Inc.]
We seems to have gotten used to this way of thinking where we create something to solve a problem instead of going back to check out the real cause of the nuisance and resolve it there. The thing is, that 'something' that we come out with becomes another problem that we need to solve using another new innovation. This unending cycle of problem-solving is portrayed in combating human health issues as well. Medications and surgeries are being improvised over the years to cure cancers, heart diseases, diabetes etc. Of course there are successful cases where patients recover from these illnesses through the formal way of receiving treatment prescribed to them, but is that the only way to have good health?
The documentary Forks Over Knives has pointed out the root cause of all these 21st century health issues - animal protein. We are generally being educated that meat and eggs give us protein while milk gives us calcium. These information seems to have anchored in our mind since we were born from what our parents and the school taught us and fed us. It is understandable that it is difficult to overthrow the 'facts' since it has been practised for decades in this modern world. I had believed in that dietary guidelines too just like how I believe in sciences, but sciences could be proven wrong with new emerging theories. The evidences of harmful effects due to animal product consumption are all around us, but they are being ignored because that is something that we are not willing to accept. Meat, cheese and milk are so difficult to be given up that we brave through the risks of having health problems by eating them with the faith that they can bring us the nutrients we need to stay healthy. According to many statistics shown in the documentary, the solution to these reversible health issues is to switch our diet to plant-based whole food diet. Well I am not going to go into details on the content of this documentary (watch it!), there is one thing that really caught my attention - prevention of a disease through diet is better than curing it through medication and surgery, which can only temporarily ease the symptoms but not eliminating the disease.
It pains me to see people around having to take pills upon pills that lower the cholesterol level, blood pressure, blood sugar level and the list goes on. Even though people are concerned about their health and starting to do something about it by exercising regularly, eating organic food, avoiding refined sugar and other logical things that can keep us fit, here are some facts which we have overlooked which could possibly affect our health. I used the term 'possibly' is because I am saying these without referring to any scientific references, but through simple logical thinking.
1) Milk is a secretion from mother's breasts to feed the young until a point when the young will wean from it and starts eating solid food. So is it logical that we, humans continue to take dairy products which come from other animal species even though we are already adults?
2) Cholesterol can be only found in animal products and it is made naturally in our own body as well. So is it logical that we take cholesterol from other animals into our body, then swallow some pills trying to lower the cholesterol level back down?
3) It is true that meat contains all the amino acids that our body need, however the animals obtain those amino acids from plants that they eat. So is it logical that we consume the secondary nutrients from animals while we could have directly consumed them from plants?
4) We are encouraged to drink two glasses of milk per day to strengthen our bones and prevent osteoporosis. We even eat cheese, yogurt and cream which are made using milk. So is it logical that osteoporosis is still so common among us even though we have followed the dietary guideline?
These are just a few statements that came to my mind after watching the documentary. I have read some of these information on internet but I have forgotten the source. You can find a lot of information on why you should take plant-based diet for a better health. Many people become vegans because of ethics which concerned about the welfare and rights of animals, but before we talk about other creatures (who cares!), the least that we can do is for the good of our own health. Nothing worries us more than health issues, not even global warming. Maybe you still do not believe that plant-based whole food diet can improve your health condition, it is no harm to try a 3-month vegan diet to see whether the diet has affected your health. I understand the absurdity of giving up meat in many traditional cultures, but if we want better health, we definitely need a change.