There are many myths that appear to humans about the meat and dairy industry and it’s impact on the body. I’m here to inform you, and maybe even surprise you, through a few facts.
Myth: Cancer is Purely Genetic
Research has found that eating meat and dairy increases your risk of cancer more than smoking cigarettes. The fact that cancers are typically genetic is a myth. While we can still get genetic cancers, these risks can actually be reversed through our diets. And I’ll tell you why!
Cancer history is typically only repeated in generations because children are taught to adopt the same lifestyle habits from their parents. If the parents eat a lot of meat and dairy, then they are raised eating a lot of the same things as well. Cancers and diseases are adoptive from families, but not purely genetic.
And it’s not too late if you’ve been eating animal products your whole life, studies show even switching to fully plant-based for just two weeks(!) has caused tumors and cancers to diminish and even disappear in patients. Changing your habits can actually reverse these risks.
Myth: The Best Protein Comes from Meat
The myth that you can only get protein from meat has slowly gone away with the introduction of tofu and bean recipes, but what we don’t learn is the protein is all originally plant-based. There are no necessary ingredients in meat and dairy products that you cannot get going fully plant-based. In fact, all of the benefits are increased in plant-based foods.
The second thing is that the meat industry has actually provided people with false information about protein. Websites, trainers, and nutritionists are all urging people to eat more protein than they necessarily have to. I’ve been a competitive athlete since 8th grade, and because I didn’t eat meat, my parents sent me to many nutritionists because of their worry I wasn’t getting enough protein from my diet. I heard different numbers each time. For a 145 pounds 5’11” young athletic female, I was told 50 grams per day. The number grew to 75 grams, then 120, then back down to 105. The last number I heard was 90 grams. Stressing about how I was ever supposed to get this amount of protein, even from meat, I couldn’t imagine anyone following this. Doctor Garth Davis in What the Health describes that an average adult male would ideally only need 30-40 grams of protein.
The only thing that only exists in animals is B12, a necessary vitamin that was adapted into humans. In reality, this vitamin typically originates in bacteria (which should say something about the meat industry) which humans evolved into needing. Simply taking this as a supplement is the easiest and healthiest thing you can do. Check out the video below which summarizes the protein discussion in the documentary.
Not Myth: 1 Egg Yolk = 5 Cigarettes
The cholesterol from the yolk actually clogs arteries and increases inflammation. The health impacts that eating a single egg yolk has the same health impacts as smoking 5 cigarettes. It’s actually crazy the extreme health risks these products have. What kind of messed up science is this?
Explanations:
I hope you are questioning these facts by now, because I’m here to provide you with some explanations for-
- Why is no one talking about this?
- Why aren’t doctors doing something?
- Why does the government not do anything about this?
In the documentary, What the Health, we become aware of the ultimate United States motive: money. Not surprising, but how does this play into food? Just the biggest sponsors of the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Breast Cancer Association, American Prostate Cancer Association, or any other cancer/health problem you can think of.
Their biggest sponsors are all meat or dairy corporations. The most over-processed, dangerous companies as well. Some of the associations websites actually describe the benefits of eating meat and dairy, including recipes that feature meat. The USDA has had dairy and meat listed in their annual food pyramid/plate recommendations to Americans. This is the same as looking at the health benefits of smoking from tobacco industries.
I trust my doctors, but they don’t learn about nutrition in their years of training. They are experts in treating bad diets, but not informing. It’s up to us as a society to prioritize what we consider culturally healthy and safe for us.
Plant-Based Habits 