A VEGAN (pronounced like VEE-gin) is a person who is deeply connected with the Earth and understands that to live in harmony with Nature is to not consume animal products — or animal by-products, of any sort whatsoever.

A vegan such as myself, however, would consume animals if that was the last resort of survival. But we live in an age where we can survive, and thrive, without eating animals.

Some vegans don’t wear wool and leather, and some do. It’s a matter of the relationship that that person has with animal products and the circumstances, of course. The Native Americas wore animals products to keep themselves protected from the fierce winters, something I support wholly. I wear llama wool and deeply respect the purpose of wool and the animal which provided it.

People become vegans and vegetarians for different reasons. Some start out with the obvious health reasons and eventually begin to experience the spiritual benefits that veganism has to offer. For others, it begins with the spiritual pursuit and follows with the amazing health benefits that come with an all vegetable diet.

Most vegans have a deep respect for all living creatures and wish to do no harm to animals. They’d rather see their selves in pain than take part in the destruction of other living beings such as: cows, birds, goats, sheep, pigs, deer, bears, and all of the other intelligent and amazing animals Mother Nature created on Earth.

The western world has always advocated the use of meat, fish, poultry, grains, dairy products, fruits and vegetables for a healthy living. But recent studies have shown that this diet actually causes diseases.

More people are turning vegetarian and some are turning into vegans. Veganism is a form vegetarianism where the subjects consciously avoid diary products such as: eggs, milk, butter, etc. Vegans also avoid using fur, leather, wool and cosmetics, where the products are tested on animals.

Comparative anatomy studies of humans and carnivores

If we see the hands of human beings, they are rounded without claws suggesting that human hands are meant for pluck fruits rather than tearing flesh. The incisor teeth are meant for chewing vegetables and the human canine teeth is not well developed. The salivary secretion in humans has salivary amylase, an enzyme that is designed to digest complex vegetarian carbohydrates. The hydrochloric acid secretion from the stomach is less than 10% of that of the carnivores, suggesting that the human body is more designed to absorb and digest vegetarian food. Lastly, the length of the large intestine in carnivores is very short and it is three times longer in humans. This is perhaps one reason, why we are meant to be vegetarian.

Non-vegetarianism is dangerous

The consumption of animal fats and proteins has been linked to heart disease, colon cancers, lung cancers, diabetes, higher cholesterol levels, osteoporosis (brittleness of bones), kidney diseases, blood pressure, obesity and more recently the consumption of beef has lead to the fatal MAD COW DISEASE.

Animal agriculture and the environment

Contrary to popular beliefs, animal agriculture takes a devastating toll on the earth’s natural resources because it requires enormous amounts land, water, fertilizes and other resources to feed farm animals. It would be easier on the earth’s resources, if we all turned vegetarian.

Animals pay a heavy price for our way of living

All of us have a distorted notion that drinking milk or eating eggs does not kill animals. We seldom realize that the cows and chickens live their short lives caged, drugged, mutilated and deprived of their most basic freedom so that we can drink milk or eat eggs. Many of us are not aware that these animals are cruelly slaughtered when their production rates decline.

The four holistic food groups

A vegetarian diet would be a lot healthier and holistic.

1. Whole grains, which include rice, bread, pasta, corn, cereals, millets, barley are rich in fiber and other complex carbohydrates, proteins, B complex vitamins and trace elements.
2. Vegetables are rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene riboflavin, iron, calcium and fiber.
3. Legumes are all good sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc and B vitamins. Soy milk and tofu are excellent sources of vegetable protein.
4. Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C and beta-carotene.

The meat industry has contributed to more American deaths than all wars, natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined.

Adopting a Vegan lifestyle is not easy but it provides abundant benefits to animals’ lives, to the environment, and to our own health.