Zoo50
I disagree with various parts of that statement, but I think I understand your sentiment.
Firstly, there is absolutely a "natural order" to all life. Predetors eat prey, bugs eat plants, birds eat bugs. Etc etc. An oversimplification yes but you get my point.
The natural order of life is the structured ecosystem evolved over millions of years of trial and error, and every piece has a role in the great cycle.
Where do we humans fit in? At the top of course. To answer that question fully we would have to look at the evolution of our species. Since thats a long and boring lecture, Ill keep it short and sweet.
Our bodies, clearly, are designed to eat just about anything. We are omnivores. We can take any food, any diet, and our body will do its best to survive on it. But thriving is not the same as surviving.
We arent evolved to be herbivores, thats a fact, but we can choose to be if we wish to.
I never said vegetarians were all unhealthy, I simply said that eating meat is important for a man to be in optimal health.
I wont rely on pills to be healthy.
I could give you a long boring lecture on testosterone production and protein synthesis, healthy cholesterol and vitamins but again I will keep it short and sweet.
We can eat anything we want for any reason we want. I could live on rice alone if I chose to subject my body to that, but it doesnt make it optimal or natural, definitely not healthy.
The things I state about my diet are not me reciting some study I chose to cherry pick, but rather the result of years of personal experience.
I feel my best, sharpest and brightest while consuming large amounts of red meat. I perform my best in the gym, burn the most fat and generally emotionally feel the best eating meat. I feel my worst while consuming grains and processed foods. I feel weaker, slower, bloated and mentally foggy.
Grains are for prey animals. Humans are not grazing animals.
I like fruit, but too much sugar has the same effects.
Like I said, I was vegetarian (even a vegan for a while), a "healthy" one at that. I ate my soy proteins and took my vitamins, but it was not optimal. I know now that I was not my best. My testosterone levels suffered, my muscle mass was non existant and my body was unsatisfied. I thought it was what was best for the world, and the humane thing to do. I didnt want to contribute to the harming of the planet and the abuse of life. I didnt realize it isnt so black and white as "eating animals means suffering and eating plants means no suffering".
I respect your choice to be a vegetarian, its your body.
I agree that the mainstream meat production industry is disgusting and full of suffering, unhealthy animals.
I recommend farm fresh, grass fed beef that has been humanely and cleanly handled.
Not all animals are tortured.
But, since we are on that topic, someone above made a great point.
What about all the damage and death caused by horticulture and crop production?
Do you honestly believe that me raising a flock of chickens on my land and eating them is worse than what it takes to produce the amount of grains, vegetables and soy that being vegetarian would require?
Think about the tilling, land clearing, tractors, dozers, pesticides, fertilizers, trailers etc, its not exactly a "do no harm" activity..
Big agriculture is a major contributor to many problems. Bad farming is causing eco collapse and the death of the pollinators, thats a fact..
And my point here is not to be contrary and snide, its simply to bring light to the fact that things arent always what they seem.
A local farmer with a small herd of livestock is not an animal abusing monster, but big agriculture is polluting the worlds water suppies and soil as well as decimating many ecosystems..
You dont have to contribute to suffering directly for it to be happening, its just not that black and white.
Youre no healthier or less guilty by not eating meat is my point in summary.
I’m the same way for the most part. I just won’t touch boiled eggs.