In a society where the meat industry has become very big business, we are conditioned to think of “meat” (i.e. the flesh of slaughtered animals) as a wholesome, nutritious food. Most people don’t realize that meat products are loaded with poisons and toxins! Yet periodically, harsh “reality checks” alert us to the deadly dangers of eating meat. For example, this past month a bacterial outbreak traced to a Michigan meat processing plant killed nine people and caused three stillbirths; another 60 people were sickened. Every year tens of millions of people become sick after eating contaminated meat! Though some may think eating “organic” meat is the solution, the fact is that dead animal flesh is inherently full of toxins and thus poisonous to the human system. In fact, the list of contaminants found in meat is too long to be adequately covered here, so we’ve simply touched on some of the most common and/or dangerous meat contaminants:
Mad Cow Disease. This disease is caused by “cow cannibalism” – the practice of feeding dead and diseased animal parts to other animals of the same species. When contracted by humans, Mad Cow Disease causes loss of memory, loss of bodily control, and then death.
Parasites. Toxoplasmosis contaminates eighty-five percent of all pig products; the trichinella spiralis worm is found in many species of carnivores and omnivores; and tapeworms and many other parasites are contracted from eating meat.
Salmonella. Dr. Richard Novick of the Public Health Institute reported to Congress, “The meat we buy is grossly contaminated with both coliform bacteria and salmonella.” Over 4,000,000 cases of salmonella poisoning occur annually, causing nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting, chills, and even death. The abuse of antibiotics in factory farms has led to salmonella strains which are resistant not only to antibiotics, but even to cooking. Scientists predict an untreatable epidemic of salmonellosis.
Stress hormones and toxins. When terrified animals are put to death, their bodies immediately release all kinds of hormones and toxins. Consequently, large amounts of uric acid, adrenalin, and other hormones are found in the flesh of slaughtered animals. These fear and stress hormones instigate violent behavior in human beings.
Putrefied products. Meat, fish and eggs all decompose and putrefy extremely rapidly. As soon as an animal is killed, self-destruct enzymes are released, causing the formation of denatured substances called pytolamines, which cause cancer.
Cancer. Literally, cancer tumors are found in “meat” products. Infected and diseased animals are frequently undetected by meat producers/inspectors, and diseased parts, including cancer tumors, are sometimes labeled as “parts” and end up in spam or hot dogs.
Nitrates. Animal flesh naturally turns a sickly gray-green color soon after it is slaughtered. The meat industry hides this discoloration and keeps the meat blood red by adding nitrates and other preservatives. These preservatives are so toxic that cancer researcher Dr. William Lijinsky says, “I don’t even feed nitrate-laden foods to my cat.”
Hormones. Factory farm livestock are fed vast amounts of synthetic hormones. These hormones cause precocious sexuality and other sexual disorders, weight gain, cancer, and other disturbances in meat eaters. As a result of consuming chemically fattened livestock, British schoolgirls mature sexually at least three years earlier than in the past. In Puerto Rico, some children have matured sexually as early as four to eight years old as a result of exposure to livestock hormones. Young teenage boys developed full breasts! When their exposure to hormone-treated meat and dairy products ended, their symptoms receded.
In the United States, dangerous growth hormones such as Steer-oid, Compudose, Synovex, and others are found in practically every feedlot in the country. The fattening hormone DES, though banned, is still in use by factory farmers. This hormone is so potent that factory farmers who absorbed even minute amounts of it developed symptoms of impotence, infertility, enlarged and tender breasts, and changes in their voice register. Even one molecule of DES is sufficient to trigger cancer. Yet several years after its ban, the FDA found that 500,000 cattle had been illegally implanted with DES!
Pesticides. Flesh products are the most concentrated source of pesticides (i.e. chemical poisons) in the human diet. Ninety-five to ninety-nine percent of toxic chemical residues in the American diet come from meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs. Pesticides such as dioxin (a component of Agent Orange), heptachlor, PCB’s, toxaphene, DDT, aldrin, and kepone are so toxic that even the most minute doses cause cancer, birth defects, abortions, and death, in studies performed on lab animals. The production and use of pesticides is largely unregulated, and as a result toxic pesticides are used in staggering amounts in factory farming. The fat-soluble pesticides become concentrated in the fatty flesh of the animals, ensuring a plentiful supply of poison in the diet of meat-eaters.
Eat veggie, be healthy! The evidence is overwhelming. Eating meat is bad for your health, bad for the environment, and bad for everyone. Conversely, a wholesome vegetarian diet is delicious and nutritious – the perfect source of fuel for the human body. By choosing a vegetarian diet, you can experience optimum health, and the happiness of living at peace with your friends in the animal kingdom.
