Author: Dr. Anubha Singh
Here’s what you put yourself at risk of when you choose beef,
Cancer
Beef contains significant quantities of the most toxic organic chemical known – dioxin. Dioxin is a general term that describes a group of hundreds of chemicals that are highly persistent in the environment. Dioxin enters the animal upon exposure to dioxin-contaminated foliage and grass. Dioxin is well-known for its ability to damage the immune system and interfere with hormonal systems, it is a cancer hazard to people.
Heart Disease
Beef eating is a major causative factor for heart disease.
The saturated fat and cholesterol they deliver have been cited as key culprits. According to study published in the journal, Nature Medicine, eating beef (red meat) delivers L-carnitine to bacteria that live in the human gut. These bacteria digest L-carnitine and turn it into a compound called trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO has been shown to cause atherosclerosis, which leads to cholesterol-clogged arteries, you may read it is as a precursor to heart attack.
Doorway to Death
Cattle can carry the deadly new germ, called E. coli O157:H7 with no apparent adverse health effects. When this cattle is consumed as beef by humans, the germ gets activated causing serious food poisoning, which leads to hepatic uremic syndrome, which destroys blood cells and can cause paralysis, kidney failure and even death, especially in elderly people and children.
Mad Cow Disease
Mad Cow Disease or BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is a progressive neurological disorder of cattle that results from infection by an unusual transmissible agent called a prion which damages the central nervous system of the cattle. The disease may be most easily transmitted to human beings by eating beef. There is no cure for this disease, as there is no way to diagnose Mad Cow Disease. It travels through the cow, it is largely undiagnosed and is a silent killer.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Animal-based diet increases bile-tolerant microbes and reduces organisms that metabolize polysaccharides leading to inflammatory bowel disease.
Obesity
Beef eaters are at high risk for obesity which makes them susceptible to a number of other chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and certain types of cancer.
References:
- Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome, Lawrence A. David, Nature, 505, 559–563, (23 January 2014)
- Animal Liberation by Peter Singer
Say no to Colon Cancer,
Switch from Meat to Fibre
Colorectal Cancer is 3rd most common cancer in men and second most common in women according to International Agency for Research on Cancer, WHO. The researchers found a strong correlation between meat intake and colon cancer. On the other hand, 2003 study by European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, establishes that eating more fibre – which is found only in plant foods – decreases risk of colon cancer.
Stay Vegetarian, Live longer
During World War I, Denmark was cut off from all imports, including food. Dr Mikkel Hindhede, then to conserve food, instead of raising livestock, started feeding grains to 3 million citizens. Later his findings were reported in Journal of the American Medical Association. The results were incredible. During the period from 1917 to 1918, when restrictions were most severe, death rate in Copenhagen by disease was by far lowest in recorded history! Similar results were found in Norway and Britain during World War II
