Benefits of Vegetarianism
The practice of vegetarianism goes far back in history. Many
known
philosophers & religious teachers urged their followers to
avoid the flesh diet. Brahminism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism &
Buddhism acknowledged the sacredness of life & the need to
live without causing suffering; so did the early Christians.
There are many types of vegetarians. "Vagans" are the
strictest vegetarians who eat only plant foods & exclude all
the animal by-products such as milk, cheese, eggs, curd, butter,
ghee & even honey. There are "lacto-vegetarians"
who eat plant food as well as dairy products & "lacto
avo vegetarians" who eat eggs besides plant foods & dairy
products. There are even fish eating vegetarians. The common factor
is that they do not eat flesh of warm blooded animals.
Meat seems to have assumed an exaggerated importance nutritionally.
It is generally mistakenly believed that nutritional deficiencies,
especially of proteins & vitamin B-12 & poor health may
result if animal foods are eliminated. Studies have indicated
no health problems or deficiency diseases for those on a vegetarian
diet.
Green vegetable protein is as high in quantity as milk protein
& thus makes a valuable contribution to the vegetarian's protein
nutrition.
Most diseases of the human body are caused by auto intoxication
or self poisoning. The flesh of animals increases the burden of
the organs of elimination & overloads the system with animal
waste matter & poisons. Chemical analysis has proved that
uric acid & other uremic poisons contained in the animal body
are almost identical to caffeine, thein & nicotine, the poisonous
stimulating principles of coffee, tea & tobacco. This explains
why meat stimulates the animal passions & creates a craving
of liquor, tobacco & other stronger stimulants. Excessive
uric acid resulting from meat eating also causes diseases such
as rheumatism, kidney stones, gout & gall stones. Meat proteins
causes putrefication twice as rapidly as do vegetable proteins.
