Veganism: Why do people turn vegan
World-renowned physicist Albert Einstein once said, “Nothing will
benefit human health and increase chances of survival for life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet”.
Many people are turning vegan all over the world due to many reasons. For some it is an ethical decision involving concepts like respect to all forms of life. Former president of the US, Abraham Lincoln said, “I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being”.
For some people, going vegan is a way of conserving the environment. Some people believe that turning vegan promotes overall health and a sense of general well-being. It is more of a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than a system of diet. A vegan is a person who does not eat or use animal products. Vegans don’t have honey, eggs and dairy products. They do not use leather and wool.
Dairy products and eggs are not obtained by killing animals. However, vegans refuse to use them because they believe that animals have the freedom to exist without human interference.
Commercially raised egg-laying chickens and commercially raised cattle are slaughtered when their production declines. Living beings are treated like machines. They are fed with products to increase their productivity. Some of these products cause significant damage to their health. Some people have gone vegan as a protest against these practices.
Some experts believe that livestock farming has a huge negative impact on the environment. They are of the opinion that more resources (like land, fertilizer and water) are required to produce food through animal sources. In an endeavor to increase their yield, livestock farmers are resorting to practices that are accelerating topsoil erosion.
This is affecting the productivity of the soil, thereby impacting the agricultural yield. Many trees are cut down to create farm lands. Animal waste from massive feedlots is polluting sources of water. Many people have gone vegan in an endeavor to save the environment.
Some people turn vegan as it has many health benefits. Consumption of animal fat and animal proteins causes many health disorders in human beings. It increases the risk of developing medical conditions like arthritis, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular problems and hypertension.
Around 60 percent of people cannot digest cow’s milk because fat and protein content of cow’s milk is very different from human milk. A study has proved that men with early stages of prostate cancer benefited significantly by modifying their diet and lifestyle.
Another study conducted in the US indicates that people who consume red meat regularly are more likely to suffer premature death. Components of vegan diet like vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains are rich in essential and safe nutrients. Vegan diet is low in saturated fat and rich in fiber.
Many people have turned vegan successfully. Most of them suggest that it has to be a gradual process. Famous personalities like Plato, Albert Einstein, Pythagoras, Vincent Van Gogh, George Bernard Shaw, Martin Luther, H. G. Wells, Isaac Newton, Voltaire, Leonardo da Vinci, LBenjamin Franklin, Rickey Williams, Pamela Anderson, Tony Benn, Paul McCartney, Alicia Silverstone, Greg Chappell, Mahatma Gandhi, Joaquim Phoenix and Henry Ford were vegans/vegetarians.
Whether to go vegan or not is an individual decision. The above-mentioned facts will definitely help the person to take the right decision in this regard.
