A n i m
a l W r i t e s © sm
The official ANIMAL RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Publisher ~ EnglandGal@aol.com
Issue # 10/06/02
Editor ~ JJswans@aol.com
Journalists ~ ParkStRanger@aol.com
~
MichelleRivera1@aol.com
~ sbest1@elp.rr.com
THE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ EnglandGal Returns Home by Susan Roghair
2 ~ Optimum Vegan Nutrition by Greg Lawson
3 ~ GodSquad
4 ~ In The Name of Food
5 ~ Memorable Quote
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~1~
EnglandGal Returns Home
By Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
On
Monday I was admitted to the emergency hospital due to severe abdominal
pain. I later discovered it was my appendix. There were
complications. Normally, an appendectomy takes about 45 minutes. My surgery
lasted 3 1/2 hours! The surgeon said I had her working. She
couldn't find my appendix! She said it was hidden and twisted up and
inside of me. Scary.
If the surgery, 18 stomach staples, four holes (a 6 inch, two inch, one inch
and half inch) in my stomach wasn't enough to contend with afterwards, I had to
face the biggest horror of all,....................HOSPITAL FOOD!!!!
I always knew hospital food was bad, but not to this degree! I talked
with the hospital nutritionist (Ms. Oxymoron) and explained that trying to feed
me skimmed milk, scrambled eggs and blended meat wasn't cutting it. I
told her that there was something very wrong with the hospital system and that
their menu was loaded with cheese and other cardiac products that would ensure
repeat customers. She looked at me with a blank look on her face,
explained that I was the only vegan patient in a hospital that currently had
600 patients and asked me what I could eat. Geeeez. Very scary.
Today, Sunday, one week later, I was released from the hospital and went home
to be greeted by my five fur kids. Oh, and what a pleasure it was to open my
refrigerator door and see the abundance of delicious vegan food awaiting
me.
Those two things alone is the best medicine I've had all week!
Susan
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~2~
Optimum Vegan Nutrition
By Greg Lawson - ParkStranger@aol.com
A diet based on plant foods has been proven to be
the best way to protect your health, and a vegan diet is already a major step
ahead of the Standard American Diet (SAD, so sad). Most vegetarians are
more knowledgeable and more careful about what they eat than average consumers,
but if you want the ultimate in good nutrition you have to follow a few
guidelines. It's our responsibility to maintain our good health in order
to be an example for others, and to have long lives so that we can fight for
the animals all those extra years.
Try to avoid processed foods and instead, eat a variety of fresh, preferably
organic vegetables and fruits. Most canned foods and prepared frozen
meals have too much fat, salt and all kinds of additives. They are more
expensive than fresh produce and even organic foods. This is because you
are paying for the processing, the glass, the metal and the advertising.
I have to admit, to save time I buy two canned products, beans and tomato
sauce, ok and sometimes salsa, ok, and chips. If the only salt you get in
your diet is from canned beans, a few chips and tomato sauce, then that's
great, you need the iodine from that little bit of salt.
Include different kinds of grains and beans in your meals especially soybean products.
Processed soy products and fortified cereals are the only time-savers worth the
money. Soyburgers, tofu, tempeh and textured vegetable protein I will
leave to the major companies to make for me. However, I do make my own
soymilk for only pennies a quart with a nifty soymilk machine (soytoy.com) and
I make my own frozen soymilk and nut milk desserts with a Cuisinart ice cream
maker.
Hmm, for a moment there I sounded like Martha Stewart, and that's not a good
thing. Let me assure you, the only stocks I deal in are vegetable stocks.
Make sure you get adequate amounts of certain key nutrients such as calcium,
iron, zinc, vitamin B-12 and vitamin D. These vitamins and minerals are
sometimes lacking in a vegetarian diet. You can get these from fortified
cereals, soy products and certain vegetables. B-12 is a vitamin
completely lacking in a plant based diet unless you eat fortified foods,
nutritional yeast or take a B-12 supplement. B-12 is a micronutrient,
which means the daily amount needed is measured in micrograms as opposed to
other vitamins measured in milligrams, and most of us are able to produce this
vitamin in our digestive systems and store it for months. It is still
Really something to be concerned about for optimum health. Please take a
vegetarian formula B-12 supplement.
For those of us living in a sunny climate, vitamin D isn't that much of a
concern. We can make our own with just a little exposure to
sunlight. Iron and zinc are easy to obtain in a vegan diet which includes
nuts, seeds, grains and beans.
This brings us to the mineral calcium.
The dairy industry has convinced us that cow's milk is needed to obtain calcium
and that calcium is necessary for strong bones. But in fact, the calcium
from broccoli, kale and other green leafy vegetables is more easily absorbed
and doesn't come with the hormones, pesticides and other chemicals found in
dairy products. Many studies, including the Harvard Nurses Study, one of
the largest studies of diet and disease, which tracked the eating habits of
thousands of nurses for over a decade, found that those people who used dairy
products had more bone fractures than those who did not.
http://www.channing.harvard.edu/nhs/
The reason for this is that bone strength depends on a variety of factors and
not just calcium intake. The sulfur bearing amino acids of animal
products cause our systems to become more acidic, causing the body to leech
calcium from the bones to neutralize the pH factor. Ah, the power of
cheesy advertising.
Good Nutrition in a Nutshell
Most of us think that a very low fat diet is what
we need for good health, but this is not true. Be sure to include the
good fats of nuts, seeds, avocados, and a dash of olive oil in moderation as
part of a healthy diet. These foods provide vitamin E among other
nutrients and monounsaturated fat, the good kind.
In recent years the importance of essential fatty acids, especially omega-3,
has become clear. Omega-3 keeps our blood thin, preventing platelets from
clogging up our arteries as plaque. Omega-3 fatty acids also lower
triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol and studies indicate they may help
relieve the symptoms and possibly even prevent rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and
Alzheimer's disease.
I know some vegetarians who have been persuaded to go back to eating aquatic
creatures to obtain fish oil, which is high in omega-3. This is quite
unfortunate, not only for the fish, but also for the humans who are also taking
in PCBs, dioxin, mercury, other pollutants and heavy metal poisons.
Please don't kill fish unnecessarily, they want to hold onto their lives as
much as you do. The fish get their omega-3 from algae. We could
too, but if you are not that fond of pond scum there is an easy alternative.
Flax seed is a terrific source of omega-3 fatty acids. Whole flax seed
are not easily digested and need to be ground in a coffee bean grinder, in a
blender with water or purchased already ground. Flax can spoil relatively
fast and so it needs to be kept in the freezer. Some studies have shown
that ground flax is a better source of omega-3 than flax seed oil for health
reasons, so go with the ground seeds as a regular part of a healthy diet.
Ground flax seed can be added to baked goods such as muffins and cakes, added
to bean/nut loafs or sprinkled into casseroles and other dishes. Try to
include a tablespoon or two of ground flax seed or flax seed meal in your daily
diet plan.
Omega-3 Spectrum Spread is a much better choice than either butter or margarine
to spread on a muffin or an ear of corn. Omega-3 Spectrum Spread contains
no trans-fats which are worse than saturated fats, and it delivers a healthy
dose of omega-3. But don't use Spectrum Spread as your main source of
omega-3; use ground flax seeds and think of Spectrum Spread as an occasional
augmentation.
For much more information about good nutrition, I highly recommend
"Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, R.D., one
of the best books on vegan nutrition available.
http://www.nutrispeak.com/bvegan.htm
The 10 Must Include Foods
These
foods should be consumed often, but don't neglect the other fruits, vegetables
and grains. I have included this list because we tend to love packages of
ten, it seems to make information easy to assimilate. The ten commandments,
the ten ways to satisfy your lover, the top ten music videos, it's all because
we have ten fingers, well, most of us do. ( My Uncle Ned, who was with Ringling
Brothers Circus for a while, could play Chopin like nobody else, but that's
another story. )
The following foods should be included in your diet on a regular basis, and you
should choose non-GMO (non-genetically modified organisms) and organic forms of
these vegetables whenever you can.
1. Soyfoods
The majority of studies have shown that soy decreases LDL, the bad form of
cholesterol, while boosting HDL, the good form. This is the major reason
why the Food and Drug Administration approved the following health claim to be
used on packages of soy products...Including at least 25 grams of soy in your
diet may reduce your risk of heart disease. Remember, the FDA is a very
conservative organization, you should consider that word "may" to
mean the same as the "may" word used on cigarette packages,
"may" cause lung cancer.
The evidence also strongly suggests that soy products can prevent certain forms
of cancer, reduce the symptoms of menopause and prevent the loss of bone mass
which leads to osteoporosis. In a future article I will deal with the
hype about the dangers of soy products. You might have heard some of the
propaganda from the dairy industry that soy causes brain disorders, breast
cancer and homosexuality; it's only more cheesy advertising to promote bovine
mammary fluids and cow captivity.
The best forms of soy are tempeh and soy yogurt, which have been fermented and
so are easiest to digest. Miso is also fermented and a good source of
minerals and protein, however it is salty, so use this product sparingly. Tofu
and soymilk are the next best forms of the bean. It's ok to occasionally
include some of the more heavily processed forms of soy, such as soydogs,
soyburgers and other meat analogs. They are certainly better than the
alternatives and usually low or nonfat. Try to select the products with
the least additives and don't make them the center of your diet.
2. Tomatoes
When raw, tomatoes offer a variety of nutrients including a healthy dose of
vitamin C. When cooked, the antioxidant lycopene becomes more
available. Lycopene reduces the risk of prostate cancer and cancers of
the digestive system, so have some cherry tomatoes in your salad before your
entree of pasta with marinara sauce.
3. Broccoli
Numerous studies have linked cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and bok choy to a reduced risk of breast, colon
and stomach cancers. A recent study by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine found
that a substance in broccoli called sulforaphane prevents stomach ulcers that
can lead to stomach cancer. Broccoli is also a great source of vitamin C
and calcium. Be sure not to overcook: Lightly steam or stir-fry these
vegetables to retain the nutrients.
4. Kale and the other green leafys
Kale is a tasty member of the leafy greens food group and is a terrific source
of calcium, beating dairy products by a mile in terms of bioavailability.
The idea that dairy is the best source of calcium is very successful propaganda
from the dairy industry and isn't supported by the scientific studies.
Mustard greens, collard greens, broccoli and other dark green leafy vegetables
are great sources of calcium and other minerals. Wear a green mustache
not a white one.
Got Bilked? Milk does nobody good.
5. Nuts and Seeds
The vitamin E and monounsaturated fat in nuts and seeds make them an important
addition to the diet. Choose unsalted nuts of course and eat a handful a
day.
6. Garlic and onions
Make sure your homemade pasta sauce has plenty of garlic and onions. Both
strengthen your immune system and make you less vulnerable to colds, bacterial
infections, and other nastiness.
7. Berries
Blueberries, strawberries, cranberries and blackberries are good sources of
antioxidants. Cranberries help protect against urinary tract infections
and have other antibiotic properties. Blueberries help protect mental
functioning from the effects of aging. I was going to say something else
about blueberries, hmm, maybe I'll think of it later. Just eat lots of
berries, trust me.
8. Carrots and other orange colored things, sweet potatoes, orange bell
peppers.
The beta-carotene in these vegetables protects eye health and the immune
system.
9. Bananas
The potassium in bananas prevents the loss of calcium from the body. A
recent study by the University of California at San Francisco found that
potassium rich foods help prevent osteoporosis by preventing the loss of
calcium from the bones.
So, please allow me a quick recap about osteoporosis, because my mother
suffers from it and she drank milk all her life. It's a terrible disease
and I would like people to be able to avoid it. Salt and soda pop and the
sulfur bearing amino acids in animal protein (including milk) leech calcium
from your bones. Leave those food items behind. Eat lots of green
leafy vegetables, broccoli, beans and tofu for calcium. Eat bananas,
melons and potatoes for potassium which helps you hold on to your calcium.
10. Tobbs
The Other Beans Besides Soy.... black, garbanzo, pinto, navy, lentils
etc. Beans are great sources of minerals and protein. If you only
need a few beans to top a salad, freeze remaining beans in a couple of baggies
and use for future soups or salads.
Instead of the four or five food groups or that stupid food pyramid that was
paid for by the meat and dairy industries, think of the seven food color
groups, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.
To find your pot of gold, Eat a rainbow every day.
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~3~
GodSquad
Submitted by tuesdaypeel@yahoo.com
GodSquad
is column in Newsday, a big circulation newspaper in Long Island New York, as
well as boroughs of NYC. They also have a cable tv show on Telecare Tv on Long
Island, GodSquad is Jewish Rabbi -Marc Gellman and Catholic Priest Msgr.Thomas
Hartman. They have an advice column in Newsday, in which the following
column appeared on 9/23/02.
Q. My daughter has become a vegetarian. She thinks this is a spiritually
correct diet. Can you tell me the religious significance of vegetarianism?
A. Animals feel pain, are often raised and killed in tortuous environments and
use massive amounts of grain that could feed people. Animal fats also are a
cause of obesity and heart disease. The basic spiritual teaching of all
faiths is that it is a religious virtue to eat things that do not feel pain
when they are killed. Buddhists, Jains, Taoists and post-Vedic Hindus are
very strict in this view and command adherents to be vegetarians.
The Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam all allow the eating of
meat because animals are not considered to have souls.
However, all three faiths have many teachings that point followers toward
vegetarianism as a higher, healthier and more spiritually advanced diet, and
Catholics have days of abstinence such as Lent when they do not eat meat.
The biblical texts on this subject are interesting. Adam and Eve are
given permission to eat only fruits and vegetables in the Garden of Eden:
"See I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth and
every tree that has seed bearing fruit. They shall be yours for
food" (Genesis 1:29).
The first permission to eat meat in the Bible does not come until the ninth
chapter of Genesis, after the flood. However, in the passages allowing Noah to
eat meat the limitations are clear: The meat must first be drained of all its
blood (orthodox Jews fulfill this by salting all meat to leech out any trace of
blood), and Noah is told that there will be blood reckoning for all blood we
shed, animal or human.
Then a connection is made to murder: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by
man will his blood be shed" (verse 6). The idea that seeing blood
pouring from the animal that will be our lunch might harden our hearts to the
image of blood pouring from our victims is a clear spiritual caution to try to
eat the way Adam and Eve did."
Contact the God Squad, c/o Newsday, 235 Pinelawn Road,
Melville, NY 11747-4250, or at godsquad@telecaretv.org.
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~4~
In The Name Of Food
By WantNoMeat@aol.com
Our habit requires that blood be shed
so to slaughter the cattle head
Men with prods and a whip
pack them in trucks for one last trip
Inside they struggle for fresh air
the horror is seen in their stare
Made to suffer in the cold or heat
just because we call them meat
The last stop, the slaughter grounds
where they'll be reduced to simple pounds
From their journey they are wore
but they must endure even more
Down the ramp they slip and slide
with no place for the injured to hide
Forced, they enter the winding coral
so large and wide they scrape the rail
They don't yet know where they are led
or what is waiting in the killing shed
Pushed along like a food machine
they follow each other until the death is seen
To look ahead at each who fell
the nearing doom a caustic smell
Moved along, the one ahead drops
in utter terror, he rears and stops
Racing heart, wide eyed with fright
the panic sets in at the sight
Now he knows the path to his fate
begins right here at this bloody gate
If only this were a mistake
but the final step he was forced to take
Behind him the gate will close
all because of the food we chose
A captive bolt placed on his head
stunned he falls but he's not dead
The assembly line begins here
where billions come every year
In this room of bloody stains
a single back hoof is attached to chains
Off the ground his body is flung
to await the knife he is hung
But he wakes up, this isn't rare
and he's too much for one leg to bare
Tendons tear and bones break
he swings and struggles for life's sake
Ghastly terror and unrelenting pain
his screams and bellows are in vain
Men unfeeling to his brutal strife
slice him open with a knife
His body quivers, blood pours out
a simple meal it's all about
One last gasp as he's bled
his anguish over, now he's dead
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~5~
Memorable Quote
"Alas, what wickedness to have one living creature fed by the death
of another..in the midst of such wealth as Earth, the best of Mothers,
provides."
~ Pythagoras
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Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal Rights Online=-
&
Advisory Board Member, Animal Rights Network Inc.,
not-for-profit publisher of The Animals' Agenda Magazine
http://www.animalsagenda.org/
The
Animals' Agenda Magazine: WebEdition
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
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