Facts excerpted from the Pulitzer Prize nominated DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA by John Robbins.

Realities Facts excerpted from the Pulitzer Prize nominated DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA by John Robbins. Full documentation of every fact in "Realities" is in DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA, available from EarthSave. Human population of United States: 243,000,000 Number of human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by U.S. livestock: 1,300,000,000 Sacred food of Native Americans: Corn Percentage of corn grown in United States eaten by human beings: 20 Percentage of corn grown in United States eaten by livestock: 80 Percentage of oats grown in United States eaten by livestock: 95 Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90 Percentage of carbohydrate wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 99 Percentage of dietary fibre wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 100 How frequently a child dies of starvation: Every 2 seconds Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on 1 acre of land: 20,000 Pounds of beef that can be produced on 1 acre of land: 165 Percentage of U.S. agricultural land used to produce beef: 56 Pounds of grain and soybeans needed to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef: 16 Pounds of protein fed to chickens to produce 1 pound of protein as chicken flesh: 5 pounds Pounds of protein fed to hogs to produce 1 pound of protein as hog flesh: 7.5 pounds Number of children who starve to death every day: 40,000 Number of pure vegetarians who can be fed on the amount of land needed to feed 1 person consuming meat-based diet: 20 Number of people who will starve to death this year: 60,000,000 Number of people who could be adequately fed by the grain saved if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 60,000,000 Historic cause of demise of many great civilizations: Topsoil depletion Percentage of original U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75 Amount of U.S. cropland lost each year to soil erosion: 4,000,000 acres, the size of Connecticut Percentage of U.S. topsoil loss directly associated with livestock raising: 85 Number of acres of U.S. forest which have been cleared to create cropland to produce a meat-centred diet: 260,000,000 How often an acre of U.S. trees disappears: Every 8 seconds Amount of trees spared per year by each individual who switches to pure vegetarian diet: 1 acre A driving force behind the destruction of the tropical rainforests: American meat habit Amount of meat imported annually by U.S. from Costa Rica,El Salvador,Guatemala, Nicaragua,Honduras and Panama: 200,000,000 pounds Amount of meat eaten by average person in Costa Rica,El Salvador,Guatemala, Nicaragua,Honduras and Panama: Less than average American housecat Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests and related habitats: 1,000/year Length of time the world's petroleum reserves would last if all human beings ate meat-centred diets: 13 years Length of time the world's petroleum reserves would last if all human beings are vegetarian diet: 260 years Principal reason for U.S. military intervention in Persian Gulf: Dependence on foreign oil Barrels of oil imported daily by U.S.: 6,800,000 Percentage of energy return (as food energy per fossil energy expended) of most energy efficient factory farming of meat: 34.5% Percentage of energy return (as food energy per fossil energy expended) of least energy efficient plant food: 32.8% Pounds of soybeans produced by the amount of fossil fuel needed to produce 1 pound of feedlot beef: 40 Percentage of raw materials consumed in U.S. for all purposes presently consumed to produce current meat-centred diet: 33 Percentage of raw materials consumed in U.S. for all purposes needed to produce fully vegetarian diet: 2 User of more than half of all water used for all purposes in the United States: Livestock production Quantity of water used in the production of the average cow sufficient to: Float a destroyer Water needed to produce 1 pound of wheat: 25 gallons Water needed to reduce 1 pound of meat: 2,500 gallons Cost of common hamburger meat if water used by meat industry was not subsidized by U.S. taxpayers: $35/pound Current cost for pound of protein from wheat: $1.50 Current cost for pound of protein from beefsteak: $15.40 Cost for pound of protein from beefsteak if U.S. taxpayers ceased subsidizing meat industry's use of water: $89 Production of excrement by total U.S. human population: 12,000 pounds/second Production of excrement by U.S. livestock: 250,000 pounds/second Sewage systems in U.S. cities: Common Sewage systems in U.S. feedlots: Nil Amount of waste produced annually by U.S. livestock in confinement operations which is not recycled: 1 billion tons Relative concentration of feedlot wastes compared to raw domestic sewage: Ten to several hundred times more highly concentrated Where feedlot waste often ends up: In our water Number of U.S. medical schools: 125 Number of U.S. medical schools with required course in nutrition: 30 Training in nutrition received during 4 years of medical school by average U.S. physician: 2.5 hours How frequently a heart attack strikes in the U.S.: Every 25 seconds How frequently heart attack kills in U.S.: Every 45 seconds Most common cause of death in U.S.: Heart attack Risk of death from heart attack by average American man: 50% Risk of death from heart attack by average American vegetarian man: 15% Risk of death from heart attack by average American pure vegetarian man: 4% Amount you reduce your risk of heart attack by reducing your consumption of meat,dairy products and eggs 10%: 9% Amount you reduce the risk of heart attack by reducing your consumption of meat,dairy products and eggs by 50%: 45% Amount you reduce your risk of heart attack by reducing your consumption of meat,dairy products and eggs by 100%: 90% Rise in blood cholesterol level from consuming 1 egg per day: 12% Rise in heart attack risk from 12% rise in blood cholesterol: 24% Meat,dairy and egg industries claim there is no reason to be concerned about your blood cholesterol as long as it is: "normal" Your risk of dying of a disease caused by clogged arteries if your blood cholesterol is"normal": over 50% Your risk of dying of a disease caused by clogged arteries if you do not consume saturated fat and cholesterol: 5% Leading sources of saturated fat and cholesterol in American diets: Meat, dairy products and eggs Hollywood celebrity paid by meat board to tout beef as "Real food for real people": James Garner Medical event experienced by James Garner in April,1988: Quintuple coronary artery bypass surgery World populations with high meat intakes who do not have correspondingly high rates of colon cancer: None World populations with low meat intakes who do not have correspondingly low rates of colon cancer: None Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat meat daily compared to women who eat meat less than once a week: 4 times higher Egg Board's advertising slogan: The incredible edible egg Photographs often accompanying the egg board's slogan: Young women in bathing suits, emphasizing the shape of their breasts Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat eggs daily compared to women who eat eggs less than once a week: 3 times higher Milk Producers original ad campaign slogan: "Everybody needs milk" What the Federal Trade Commission called the "Everybody needs milk" slogan: "False, misleading and deceptive" Milk Producer's revised campaign slogan: "Milk has something for everybody" Increased risk of breast cancer for women who eat butter and cheese 3 or more times a week compared to women who eat these foods less than once a week: 3 times higher Part of female chicken's body that produces eggs: Ovaries Increased risk of fatal ovarian cancer for women who eat eggs 3 or more times a week compared to women who eat eggs less than once a week: 3 times higher Foods males in U.S. are conditioned to think of as "manly": Animal products Increased risk of fatal prostate cancer for men who consume meats,cheese,eggs and milk daily compared to men who eat these foods sparingly or not at all: 3.6 times higher Recommended percentage of daily calories to be derived from protein according to World Health Organization: 4.5% Recommended percentage of daily calories to be derived from protein according to Food and Nutrition Board of the U.S.D.A: 6% Recommended percentage of daily calories to be derived from protein according to National Research Council: 8% Percentage of calories as protein in wheat: 17% Percentage of calories as protein in broccoli: 45% Percentage of calories as protein in rice: 8% Disease linked to inadequate protein consumption: Kwashiorkor Number of cases of kwashiorkor in United States: Virtually none Diseases linked to excess protein consumption: Osteoporosis and Kidney failure Number of cases of osteoporosis and kidney failure in the United States: Tens of millions The average measurable bone loss of female meat-eaters at age 65: 35% The average measurable bone loss of female vegetarians at age 65: 18% Person who popularized the concept of protein combining: Frances Moore Lappe Frances Moore lappe's updated research on a healthy, varied vegetarian diet: Protein combining os completely unnecessary. Health status of pure vegetarians from many populations of the world accordingto the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences:Excellent The Meat Board tells us: Today's meats are low in fat. The Meat Board shows us: A serving of beef they claim has "only 300 calories". The Meat Board doesn't tell us: The serving of beef they show us is only 3 ounces (half the size of an average serving of beef) and has been surgically defatted with a scalpel. The dairy industry tells us: Whole milk is 3.5% fat The dairy industry doesn't tell us: That 3.5% figure is based on weight, and most of the weight in milk is water The dairy industry doesn't want us to know: The amount of calories as fat in whole milk is 50% Oscar Mayer tells us: It is "myth" that hot dogs are fatty Oscar Mayer demonstrates their point by favourably comparing the fattiness of hot dogs to such low fat bastions as: Margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressing and cream cheese The Dairy Council tells us: Milk is nature's most perfect food The Dairy Council doesn't tell us: Milk is nature's food for a baby calf, who has four stomachs, will double its weight in 47 days and is destined to weigh 300 pounds within a year The Dairy Council tells children: To grow up big and strong, drink lots of milk The Dairy Council occasionally tells children: The enzyme necessary for digestion of milk is lactase The Dairy Council never tells children: 20% of caucasian children and 80% of Black children have no lactase in their intestines. The meat,dairy and egg industries tell us: Animal products constitute 2 of the "Basic 4" food groups The meat,dairy and egg industries don't tell us: There were originally 12 official basic food groups, before these industries applied enormous political pressure on behalf of their products The meat,dairy and egg industries tell us: We are well-fed only with animal products The meat,dairy and eggs industries don't tell us: The diseases which are commonly prevented, consistently improved, and sometimes cured by low-fat vegetarian diet include: Strokes Heart disease Osteoporosis Kidney stones Breast cancer Colon cancer Prostate cancer Pancreatic cancer Ovarian cancer Cervical cancer Stomach cancer Endometrial cancer Diabetes Hypoglycaemia Kidney disease Peptic ulcers Constipation Haemorrhoids Hiatal hernias Diverticulosis Obesity Gallstones Hypertension Asthma Salmonellosis Trichinosis Irritable colon syndrome Chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by meat: 55% Pesticide residues in the U.S. diet supplied by Dairy products: 23% Pesticide residues in U.S. diet supplied by vegetables: 6% Pesticide residues in U.S. diet supplied by fruits: 4% Pesticide residues in U.S. diet supplied by grains: 1% Percentage of U.S. mother's milk containing significant levels of DDT: 99% Percentage of U.S. vegetarian mother's milk containing significant levels of DDT: 8% Relative pesticide contamination in breast milk of meat-eating mothers compared to pesticide contamination in breast milk of vegetarian mothers: 35 times as high Percentage of male college students sterile in 1950: 0.5 Percentage of male college students sterile in 1978: 25 Sperm count of average American male compared to 30 years ago: Down 30% Principle reason for sterility and sperm count reduction in U.S. males: Chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, including dioxin, DDT, etc Percentage of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide residues in American diet attributable to meats, dairy products, fish and eggs: 94% The meat Board tells us not to be concerned about the dioxin and other pesticides in today's beef because: the quantities are to small The meat board doesn't want us to know: How potent dioxin and the other pesticides are. The meat board particularly doesn't want us to know: A mere ounce of dioxin could kill 10 million people The USDA tells us: Our meat is inspected The USDA doesn't tell us: Less than 1 out of every quarter million slaughtered animals is tested for toxic chemical residues The dye used for many years by the USDA for many years to stamp meats "Choice", "Prime", or "U.S. No.1 USDA": Violet Dye No.1. Current status of Violet Dye No.1: Banned as proven carcinogen Wingspan of average leghorn chicken: 26 inches Space average leghorn chicken given in egg factories: 6 inches Number of 700 plus pounds pigs confined to space the size of a twin bed in typical factory farm: 3 Reason today's veal is so tender: Calves never allowed to take single step Reason today's veal is whitish-pink: Calves force fed an anaemia producing diet McDonald's brags: 60 million sold McDonald's doesn't brag about: 50 million butchered McDonald's clown, Ronald McDonald, tells children: Hamburgers grow in hamburger patches and love to be eaten McDonald's clown, Ronald McDonald,doesn't tell children: Hamburgers are ground up cows who've had their throats slit by machetes or their brains bashed in by sledgehammers Original actor to play Ronald McDonald: Jeff Juliano Diet now followed by Jeff Juliano: Vegetarian Number of animals killed for meat per hour in U.S.: 500,000 Occupation with highest employee turnover rate in U.S.: Slaughterhouse worker Occupation with highest employee rate of injury in U.S.: Slaughterhouse worker Cost to render an animal unconscious prior to slaughter with captive bolt pistol so that process is done humanely: 1 penny Reason given by meat industry for not utilizing captive bolt pistol: Too expensive Percentage of total antibiotics used in U.S. fed routinely to livestock: 55 Percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1960: 13 Percentage of staphylococci infections resistant to penicillin in 1988: 91 Reason: Breeding of antibiotic resistant bacteria in factory farms due to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock Effectiveness of all "wonder-drug" antibiotics: Declining rapidly Reason: reeding of antibiotics resistant bacteria in factory farms due to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock Response by entire European Economic Community to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: Ban Response by American meat and pharmaceutical industries to routine feeding of antibiotics to livestock: Full and complete support Only man to win ironman Triathlon more than twice: Dave Scott, 6 time winner Food choices of Dave Scott: Vegetarian World record holder for 24 hour triathlon, swim 4.8 miles, cycle 185 miles,run 52.5 miles: Sixto Linares Food choices of Sixti Linares: Strict vegetarian Athlete who most totally dominated Olympic sport in track and field history: Edwin Moses,undefeated in 8 years, 400 meter hurdles Food choices of Edwin Moses: Vegetarian Other notable vegetarian athletes: Stan Price: World record-bench press Robert Sweetgall: World's premier ultra-distance walker Paavo Nurmi: 20 World's records in distance running, 9 olympic medals Bill Pickering: World record swimming english channel Murray Rose: World records 400 and 1500 meter freestyles Andreas Cahling: Winner Mr International body building championships Roy Hilligan: Winner Mr America body building championships Pierreo Verot: World's record for downhill endurance skiing Estelle Gray and Cherly Marek: World's record for cross country tandem cycling James and Johnathon deDonato: World's record for distance butterfly stroke swimming Ridgely Abele: Winner of 8 national championships in Karate,including U.S. arate Association World Championships For the complete documentation of all the facts contained in "Realities," read DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA. Order from EarthSave for $15.70 (includes shipping). Multiple copies are available at a discount write for details. Feel free to copy and distribute "Realities." We ask only that you copy it in its entirety and that the reproduction be of good quality. You may order "Realities" in quantity from EarthSave at cost: (including shipping) 25 - $12 / 100 - $40 / 500 - $190 Make check or money order payable,in U.S. funds, to EarthSave. All orders shipped bookrate, Mail to: EarthSave 706 Frederick Street Santa Cruz, CA 95062-2205 408-4230-4069 Email: earthsave@aol.com

Meat Is Not Green

Environmental Warning: Meat's Not Green

Climate change has been called humankind's "greatest challenge" and the world's most grave environmental threat, but what is the leading cause of our climate crisis? Is it driving an SUV? Nope. Factories? Nope. Planes? Nope. These are the first things that come to mind, but the leading cause of climate change might actually be on your dinner plate.

According to a 2006 U.N. report, the meat industry produces more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined—providing further evidence that meat's not green. These gases worsen climate change and might lead to catastrophic disasters—like droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, and disease outbreaks—unless we drastically reduce the amounts emitted into the atmosphere.

PETA's "Meat's Not Green" video shows that the most effective way that individuals can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions—and help reduce pollution and habitat destruction as well—is by switching to a vegetarian diet.

Is Your Diet Causing Climate Change?

Watch PETA's Video on the Diet-Environment Connection.

Visit PETA

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~Groovy~

Respecting animals means going vegan

Posted by: Vegan Future
Reposted by: ~*TAMMY*~ Chaplain For Animals

Respecting animals means going vegan

An excellent booklet from the Boston Vegan Association which presents the arguments in favour of a vegan diet. It details why vegetarianism isn't good enough if you really want to protect animals from suffering.

The booklet draws primarily on ideas presented in Introduction to Animal Rights: Your Child or the Dog, written by professor Gary L. Francione, Distinguished Professor of Law and Nicholas deB. Katzenbach Scholar of Law & Philosophy at Rutgers School of Law-Newark.

Here are some quotes from the booklet:

There is no morally signifcant diference between dogs and cats and other animals, e.g. cows, pigs, birds and fish, all of whom also have an interest in not being harmed.

Within about 24 hours of being born, calves are separated from their mothers, a traumatizing experience for both the cows and their offspring.

"Pigs down on the kill foor have come up and nuzzled me like a puppy. Two minutes later, I had to kill them — beat them to death with a pipe. I can’t care." Ed Van Winkle, slaughterhouse worker (Gail A. Eisnitz, Slaughterhouse)

To this day, the Humane Slaughter Act, despite extensive activist lobbying, exempts Kosher and Halal slaughter and offers no regulation whatsoever on the slaughter of chickens, turkeys, fish, and rabbits, which means that over 99% of all animals used for food in this country are not even covered.

The value of a sentient life is not measured in its utility to others, but in its immense, irreplaceable value to the being whose life it is. Joanna Lucas (Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary)

What happens to male chicks in the egg industry? Because they are not bred for meat and are unable to lay eggs, over 250 million male chicks are ground up alive, gassed, electrocuted, or suffocated each year.

While vegetarianism may seem like an adequate solution, it is not. As we have seen, both milk and egg production are directly harmful to animals. And as has been established, the only reasons to use dairy and egg products are based in convenience and pleasure.

Becoming vegan will bring your beliefs and your actions into alignment—you will be living in accordance with your belief that it is wrong to harm a sentient being without justifcation. Most importantly, by becoming vegan you will play a direct role in abolishing animal exploitation and working toward the goal of ensuring that no sentient being is ever harmed merely to satisfy our trivial interests.

Respecting animals means going vegan

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Go Vegan today: Download a free starter kit
Watch vegan videos on the Vegan Future Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/veganfuture
Download vegan booklets, fliers, fact sheets and starter kits: www.scribd.com/veganfuture
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/veganfuture

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What is ahimsa and how does it relate to veganism?

Ahimsa is the Sanskrit term for non-violence and is a basic teaching in yoga philosophy. The term ahimsa or non-violence refers to our thoughts, our words and our actions. Practicing ahimsa requires compassion and empathy for others. It calls us to treat others the way we would like to be treated. This directly relates to veganism in that when we see ourselves in a fish, cow, deer or any other living being just as we do with our cats and dogs we are unlikely to take their life. We have profound respect for our own life and when we see ourselves in others we have respect for their life. The practice of ahimsa is then a practice of connecting with all living beings and becoming the peace you would like to see in the world.

Visit The Website for lots of groovy information

Grown your own food- Path to Freedom

For those of you who are not familiar with the Dervaes family this is a wonderful introductory video.

HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION - Radical Change Taking Root

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPEBM5ol0Q

You may subscribe to the Dervaes Family youtube site at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/dervaes
or
Path To Freedom


Reposted with gratitude by
Kindness of Strangers E_CO Member


Thank you!

Path to Freedom

Path To Freedom on Oprah





Starter Kit (PCRM)


Starter Kit for Teens (Animal Place)


Starter Kit (Mercy for Animals)


Guide to vegetarian eating (Humane Society of the US)


Guide to dairy- and egg-free shopping, cooking and eating (Animal Aid)




Kindness of Strangers E_CO Member usually does environmental and nutritional education

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Meat Is a Global Warming Issue

Reposted With Thanks To: One Voice

Meat Is a Global Warming Issue

By Dan Brook, E Magazine

There are many human activities that contribute to global warming. Among the biggest contributors are electrical generation, the use of passenger and other vehicles, over-consumption, international shipping, deforestation, smoking and militarism. (The US military, for example, is the world's biggest consumer of oil and the world's biggest polluter. )

What many people do not know, however, is that the production of meat also significantly increases global warming. Cow farms produce millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane per year, the two major greenhouse gases that together account for more than 90 percent of US greenhouse emissions, substantially contributing to "global scorching. "

According to the United Nations Environment Program's Unit on Climate Change, "There is a strong link between human diet and methane emissions from livestock. " The 2004 State of the World is more specific regarding the link between animals raised for meat and global warming: "Belching, flatulent livestock emit 17 percent of the world's annual production of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. "

The July 2005 issue of Physics World states: "The animals we eat emit 21 percent of all the CO2 that can be attributed to human activity." Eating meat directly contributes to this environmentally irresponsible industry and the dire threat of global warming.

Additionally, rainforests are being cut down at an extremely rapid rate to both pasture cows and grow soybeans to feed cows. The clear-cutting of trees in the rainforest -- an incredibly bio-diverse area with 90 percent of all species on Earth -- not only creates more greenhouse gases through the process of destruction, but also reduces the amazing benefits that those trees provide. Rainforests have been called the "lungs of the Earth," because they filter our air by absorbing CO2, while emitting life-supporting oxygen.

"In a nutshell," according to the Center for International Forestry Research, "cattle ranchers are making mincemeat out of Brazil's Amazon rainforests. "

Of course, the US should join the other 182 countries in ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. Of course, we should sharply reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and shift towards renewable sources of energy. Of course, we need to stop destroying the rainforests. Of course, we need to stop the war in Iraq and drastically reduce the US military budget (presently at half of the entire world's total military spending), which would increase, not decrease, national and global security. But as we're struggling and waiting for these and other structural changes, we need to make personal changes.

Geophysicists Gidon Eshel and Pamela Martin from the University of Chicago concluded that changing one's eating habits from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to a vegetarian diet does more to fight global warming than switching from a gas-guzzling SUV to a fuel-efficient hybrid car. Of course, you can do both.
Where the environment is concerned, eating meat is like driving a huge SUV.
According to Eshel, eating a vegetarian diet is like driving a mid-sized car or a reasonable sedan, and eating a vegan diet (no dairy, no eggs) is like riding a bicycle or walking.
Shifting away from SUVs and SUV-style diets, to much more energy-efficient alternatives, is key to fighting the warming trend.

Global warming is already having grave effects on our planet. Vegetarians help keep the planet cool in more ways than one.
Paul McCartney says,
"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. "
Andrea Gordon, in her article "If You Recycle, Why Are You Eating Meat?" agrees:
"There is a direct relationship between eating meat and the environment.

Quite simply,
you can't be a meat-eating environmentalist!?
Sorry folks. "

Vegetarianism and veganism is literally about life and death -- for each of us individually and for all of us together.
Eating animals simultaneously contributes to a multitude of tragedies:

the animals' suffering and death;
the ill-health and early death of people;
the unsustainable overuse of oil, water, land, topsoil, grain, labor and other vital resources;
environmental destruction, including deforestation, species extinction, mono-cropping and global warming;
the legitimacy of force and violence;
the mis-allocation of capital, skills, land and other assets;
vast inefficiencies in the economy;
tremendous waste;
massive inequalities in the world;
the continuation of world hunger and mass starvation;
the transmission and spread of dangerous diseases;
and moral failure in so-called civilized societies.

Going veg is the antidote to all of these unnecessary tragedies.

The editors of World Watch concluded that "the human appetite for animal flesh is a driving force behind virtually every major category of environmental damage now threatening the human future -- deforestation, erosion, fresh water scarcity, air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, the destabilization of communities and the spread of disease." Lee Hall, the legal director for Friends of Animals, is more succinct: "Behind virtually every great environmental complaint there's milk and meat. "

Global warming may be the most serious global social problem threatening life on Earth. We need to fight global warming on the governmental and corporate levels, and we also need to fight global warming on the everyday and personal levels.

Now we need to fight global warming -- with our forks!

April 22 is Earth Day

People across the planet are taking steps to go “green” by changing light bulbs and driving habits. Yet with the unmistakable connections between factory farming and the destruction of our environment, the most effective change one can make for the earth is a change to a plant-based diet. With animal agriculture accounting for more dangerous greenhouse gases than the entire transportation sector — making it one of the leading causes of climate change — there is no better time to act than right now.

Go green for Earth Day by choosing a vegan diet

Celebrate Earth Day Everyday: Go Vegan

One Voice

Repost from Help make a difference (www.myspace.com/choosecompassion)

Repost from David Dvorak (www.myspace.com/dmdflipsider)

Repost from Marri Dutch (www.myspace.com/435564007)

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Peace
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How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness, and the Future of Life on Earth

Reposted with Love & thanks:
Delly Doolittle ♥ Vegan 11:11

Reposted with thanks by~
Martha
*♥♥*Garden of Vegan*♥♥ *

How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Happiness, and the Future of Life on Earth



by John Robbins; 1987
Excerpts from Diet for a New America


Is there a doctor in the house?

You might think that your doctor would be a reliable guide to your optimum diet, and would convey to you any emerging truths of sound nutritional research that significantly affect your health - But actually, most doctors don't know very much about nutrition- You'd think they would, but they don't -That's not their department - They have been trained to treat disease with drugs and surgery - They have not been trained to prevent disease through healthy life and diet-styles

Nutritional education is not just inadequate in contemporary medical schools; in most cases it's nonexistent- At the 69th annual meeting of the American Medical Women's Association, one doctor drew knowing laughs when she told the audience about her lack of nutritional training - Said Dr Michelle Harrison:

"They had one lecture -- on a Saturday morning -- and it wasn't compulsory- I don't remember what was in the lecture, because I didn't go"

Only 30 of the nation's 125 medical schools have a single required course in nutrition - A recent Senate investigation revealed that the average physician in the United States received less than three hours of training in nutrition during four years of medical school

Thirty years ago, when many doctors smoked cigarettes themselves, it would have been pretty hard to elicit sound advice from them on the health consequences of smoking - Many doctors, in fact, recommended smoking to non-smokers, as a way of dealing with social nervousness- It wasn't that these doctors were evil people, or lackeys for the tobacco industry- It was, rather, that they hadn't been told anything in medical school about the relationship between smoking and major health problems- They lived in the same culture as everyone else, in which smoking was seen as totally legitimate - In fact, a famous Camel cigarette commercial loudly trumpeted: "More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette," and made a point of linking good healthcare with smoking their brand

Today, a similar situation exists with respect to the health consequences of a meat habit- Today's physician is exposed to the same propaganda promoting meat and dairy product consumption as the rest of us, and he hasn't the nutritional training that would enable him to evaluate these messages any more intelligently than we can - Furthermore, the meat, egg, and dairy industries are particularly keen on "educating" doctors with their biased view of nutrition - The Meat Board, for example, has presented a series of extremely expensive full page color ads in the Journal of the American Medical Association, presenting a nutritional slant that one nutritional authority, Dr Kenneth Buckley, did not find at all impressive - He called it:

"slick and deceitful propaganda, coloring and twisting the facts in the most manipulative way"

The Lowest and Highest Life Expectancies in the World



After World War II, scientists began for the first time to compile comprehensive statistics correlating the diet-styles and health of all the populations in the world

One fact that emerged consistently was the strong correlation between heavy flesh-eating and short life expectancy- The Eskimos, the Laplanders, the Greenlanders, and the Russian Kurgi tribes stood out as the populations with the highest animal flesh consumption in the world -- and also as among the populations with the lowest life expectancies, often only about 30 years

It was found, further, that this was not due to the severity of their climates alone - Other peoples, living in harsh conditions, but subsisting with little or no animal flesh, had some of the highest life expectancies in the world- World health statistics found, for example, that an unusually large number of the Russian Caucasians, the Yucatan Indians, the East Indian Todas and the Pakistan Hunzakuts have life expectancies of 90 to 100 years

The United States has the most sophisticated medical technology in the world, and one of the most temperate of climates- One of the highest consumers of meat and animal products in the world, it also has one of the lowest life expectancies of industrialized nations

The cultures with the very longest life spans in the world are the Vilcambas, who reside in the Andes of Ecuador; the Abkhasians, who live on the Black Sea in the USSR; and the Hunzas, who live in the Himalayas of Northern Pakistan- Researchers discovered a "striking similarity" in the diets of these groups, scattered though they are in different parts of the planet- All three are either totally vegetarian or close to it

Particularly striking to researchers who have visited these cultures is that the people not only live so long, but that they enjoy full, active lives through their many years, and show no signs of the many degenerative diseases that afflict the elderly in our culture

"They work and play at 80 and beyond; most of those who reach their 100th birthday continue to be active, and retirement is unheard of - The absence of (excess protein) in their diets engenders slower growth and slim, compact body frames- With age, wisdom accumulates, but physical degeneration is limited so the senior citizens of these remote societies have something unique to contribute to the lives of others - They are revered"

The Lab Results Speak

At Yale, Professor Irving Fisher designed a series of tests to compare the stamina and strength of meat-eaters against that of vegetarians- He selected men from three groups: meat-eating athletes, vegetarian athletes, and vegetarian sedentary subjects - Fisher reported the results of his study in the Yale Medical Journal - His findings do not seem to lend a great deal of credibility to the popular prejudices that hold meat to be a builder of strength

"Of the three groups compared, the... flesh-eaters showed far less endurance than the abstainers (vegetarians), even when the latter were leading a sedentary life"

Overall, the average score of the vegetarians was over double the average score of the meat-eaters, even though half of the vegetarians were sedentary people, while all of the meat-eaters tested were athletes

A comparable study was done by Dr J Ioteyko of the Academie de Medicine of Paris- Dr Ioteyko compared the endurance of vegetarians and meat-eaters from all walks of life in a variety of tests - The vegetarians averaged two to three times more stamina than the meat-eaters- Even more remarkably, they took only one-fifth the time to recover from exhaustion compared to their meat-eating rivals

Wherever and whenever tests of this nature have been done, the results have been similar - Doctors in Belgium systematically compared the number of times vegans and meat-eaters could squeeze a grip-meter - The vegetarians won handily with an average of 69, whilst the meat-eaters averaged only 38 - As in all other studies which have measured muscle recovery time, here, too the vegetarians bounced back from fatigue far more rapidly than did the meat-eaters


World Records



The achievement of vegetarian athletes are particularly noteworthy considering the relatively small percentage of vegetarian entrant - Athletes, after all, are not immune from the cultural conditioning that meat alone gives the required strength and stamina - Yet some have adopted vegetarian diets and the results invite scrutiny

Dave Scott, of Davis, California is universally recognized as the greatest triathlete in the world - He has won Hawaii's legendary Ironman Triathlon a record four times, including three years in a row, while no one else has ever done it more than once - The event consists, in succession, of a 2 point 4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile cycle, and then a 26 point 2-mile run

Dave calls the idea that people, and especially athletes, need animal protein a "ridiculous fallacy" -There are many people who consider Dave Scott the fittest man who ever lived - Dave Scott is a vegetarian

I don't know how you might determine the world's fittest man - But if it isn't Dave Scott it might well be Sixto Linares - This remarkable fellow tells of the time:

"when I became a vegetarian in high school, my parents were very very upset that I wouldn't eat meat... After fourteen years, they are finally accepting that it's good for me - They know it's not going to kill me "

During the fourteen years that Sixto's parents begrudgingly came to accept that his diet wasn't killing him, they watched their son set the world's record for the longest single-day triathlon, and display his astounding endurance, speed, and strength in benefits for the American Hearth Association, United Way, the Special Children's Charity, the Leukemia Society of America, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association - So deeply ingrained, however, is the prejudice against veganism that even as their son was showing himself possibly to be the fittest human being alive, his parents only reluctantly came to accept his diet - Sixto says he experimented for awhile with a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (no meat, but some dairy products and eggs), but now eats no eggs or dairy products and feels better for it

It doesn't seem to be weakening him too much - In June 1985, at a benefit for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Sixto broke the world record for the one-day triathlon by swimming 4 point 8 miles, cycling 185 miles, and then running 52 point 4 miles

Then there's Edwin Moses - No man in sports history has ever dominated an event as Edwin Moses has dominated the 400-meter hurdles - The Olympic Gold Medalist went eight years without losing a race, and when Sports Illustrated gave him their 1984 "Sportsman of the Year" award, the magazine said, "No athlete in any sport is so respected by his peers as Moses is in track and field"- Edwin Moses is a vegetarian

Paavo Nurmi, the "Flying Finn," set twenty world records in distance running, and won nine Olympic medals- He was a vegetarian

Bill Pickering of Great Britain set the world record for swimming the English Channel, but that performance of his pales beside the fact that at the age of 48 he set a new world record for swimming the Bristol Channel - Bill Pickering is a vegetarian

Murray Rose was only 17 when he won three gold medals in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia - Four years later, at the 1960 Olympiad, he became the first man in history to retain his 400 meter freestyle title, and he later broke both his 400 meter and 1500 meter freestyle world records - Considered by many to be the greatest swimmer of all time, Rose has been a vegetarian since he was two

You might not expect to find a vegetarian in world championship body-building competitions -But Andreas Cahling, the Swedish body builder who won the 1980 Mr International title, is a vegetarian, as has been for over ten years of highest level international competition - One magazine reported that Cahling's "showings at the Mr Universe competitions, and at the professional body-building world championships, give insiders the feeling he may be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger "

Another fellow who is not exactly a weakling is Stan Price - He holds the world record for the bench press in his weight class - Stan Price is a vegan - Roy Hilligan is another gentleman in whose face you probably wouldn't want to kick sand - Among his many titles is the coveted Mr America crown - Roy Hilligan is a vegetarian


The Rise and Fall of the Protein Empire

Not all authorities agree on a precise figure for our daily needs of protein, but their calculations do fall within a specific range - It is a range that runs from a low estimate of two and a half percent of our total daily calories up to a high estimate of over eight percent

The figures at the high end end include built-in safety margins, and are not "minimum" allowances, but rather "recommended" allowances

If we ate nothing but wheat (which is 17% protein), or oatmeal (15%), or pumpkin (15%0, we could easily have more than enough protein - If we ate nothing but cabbage (22%), we'd have over double the maximum we might need

In fact, if we ate nothing but the lowly potato (11% protein) we would still be getting enough protein

This fact does not mean potatoes are a particularly high protein source - They are not - Almost all plant foods provide more - What it does show, however, is just how low our protein needs really are

There have been occasions in which people have been forced to satisfy their entire nutritional needs with potatoes and water alone - Individuals who have lived for lengthy periods of time under those conditions showed no signs whatsoever of protein deficiency, though other vitamin deficiencies have occurred

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the virtual symbol of male muscular development, says in his book, Arnold's Body Building for Men:

"Kids nowadays...tend to go overboard when they discover body building and eat diets consisting of 50 to 70% protein--something I believe to be totally unnecessary... (In) my formula for basic good eating: eat about one gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight "

This formula is in keeping with the range we have already discovered

To meet Arnold Schwarzenegger's suggested protein quota, you'd do fine without meat, eggs, or dairy products - If you ate only broccoli, I'd probably wonder whether you had lost your marbles, but you'd get more than four times Schwarzenegger's suggested requirement


Osteoporosis and the Protein Connection




Unfortunately, the loss of calcium and other minerals from the bones is a gradual process which goes on steadily for a long time before it becomes evident - There is no flashing red light to warn us that our bodies are losing calcium - And it is usually not apparent until loose teeth, receding gums, or a fractured hip show how brittle and chalky the bones have become - The end result of the skeletal structure's gradual erosion is calcium-deficient bones that may break with the slightest provocation - Even a mere sneeze may crack a rib

One of the reasons the decreasing bone density is hard to detect until it reaches such an unfortunate stage is that even in extreme cases of osteoporosis, the calcium level of the blood is usually normal - In the body's ranking of needs, the blood level of calcium takes definite priority over the bone level of calcium - The body needs calcium in the blood for vital operations, such as controlling muscular contractions, including the heart, blood clotting, transmission of nerve impulses, and other utterly essential tasks - When the body needs to supply calcium to the blood for any reason, it acts as if the bones were a "bank" of stored calcium, and through a series of biochemical reactions a "check" is drawn on the calcium bank - Your body draws calcium from your bones to supply calcium to your blood


I used to believe that bones lost calcium only if there were not enough calcium in our diets - The National Dairy Council is the foremost spokesman for this point of view, and the solution they propose, not at all that surprisingly, is for us all to drink more milk and eat more dairy products - This point of view does seem logical - But modern nutritional research clearly indicates a major flaw in this perspective - Osteoporosis is, in fact, a disease caused by a number of things, the most important of which is excess dietary protein!

The correspondence between excess protein intake and bone resorption is direct and consistent - Even with very high calcium intakes, the more excess protein in the diet the greater the incidence of negative calcium balance, and the greater the loss of calcium from the bones - In other words, the more protein in our diet, the more calcium we lose, regardless of how much calcium we take in

Summarizing the medical research on osteoporosis, one of the nation's leading medical authorities on dietary associations with disease, Dr John McDougall, says:

"I would like to emphasize that the calcium-losing effect of protein on the human body is not an area of controversy in scientific circles - The many studies performed during the past fifty-five years consistently show that the most important dietary change that we can make if we want to create a positive calcium balance that will keep our bones solid is to decrease the amount of proteins we eat each day - The important change is not to increase the amount of calcium we take in"


Losing a War We Could Prevent



In 1971, President Nixon signed the Conquest of Cancer Act, thereby officially inaugurating what has become known as the "War on Cancer " - Today, the war continues - Every day the National Cancer Institute spends over three million dollars - They are joined in the fray by organizations such as the American Cancer society, which spend another million dollars a day

You might think that with so much money being spent, we'd be making progress - But the war on cancer isn't going very well - We aren't massacring the enemy; it's massacring us

"Everyone should know the war on cancer is largely a fraud "
-- Dr Linus Pauling, two-time Nobel prize winner

The most common caners -- cancers of the lung, colon, breast, prostate, pancreas, and ovary -- together account for most cancer deaths- the death rate from these cancers has either stayed the same, or increased, during the past 50 years- And the statistics for the less common cancers are equally bleak

John Bailar, former editor of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, who worked for the Institute for 25 years, told the 1985 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science that today more people with benign or mild diseases are being included in the statistics, in order to make it seem like more cancer victims are being cured

Another tactic, which makes it appear things are getting better than they are, is to define a cancer patient as "cured" if he or she has survived for five years after being diagnosed, and is free of obvious symptoms - With early enough detection, many cancer victims will indeed fit this criteria of "cured"- However, in many cases, this early detection does not change the date of death, but only the length of time the person is aware he or she has cancer- One prominent physician who has seen more than enough of modern cancer treatment has grown very cynical:

"The real beneficiaries of early detection are the providers of health care, who now have a longer time in which to treat the victims before they die- This means they can charge more for doctor's visits, more procedures, more tests, and longer hospital stays -The American Cancer Society ... has put hope up for sale- Unfortunately to date, it has been selling mostly false hope" -- Dr John McDougall

Two Searches

In 1976, the United States Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, under the chairmanship of Senator McGovern, convened public hearings on the health effects of the modern American diet - After listening to the testimony of the nation's leading cancer experts, McGovern was not particularly delighted with the war on cancer, calling it a "multi-billion dollar medical failure "

At one point in the proceedings, McGovern pointedly asked National Cancer Institute director Arthur Upton how many cancers are caused by diet- The head of the largest cancer organization in the world replied "up to 50 percent "

McGovern was dumbfounded - "How can you assert the vital relationship between diet and cancer," he demanded, "and then submit a preliminary budget that only allocates a little more than one percent (of National Cancer Institute funds) to this problem?" Dr Upton responded sheepishly: "That question is one which I am indeed concerned about myself "

Organizations like the National Cancer Institute are not encouraged to focus much attention on prevention because there is vastly more money to be made in treatment, and far more glamour in the possibility, however remote, of a cure- Attention is further drawn away from prevention by food industries whose products are known to be involved - They apply immense pressure on government and public health organizations to keep them from informing the public as to what is known about dietary prevention - The result is that you and I are continually being told to put our faith and our money into cancer treatment, and into the hope for an eventual cure - We are not told how to keep cancer from happening in the first place- The tragic result is that we are losing a war we could prevent

Colon Cancer

In the 1970's, a number of studies were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute which reported what was then startling news- Researchers were finding that the incidence of colon cancer was high in precisely those regions where meat consumption was high, and low where meat consumption was low

It was found, in fact, that there is not a single population in the world with a high meat intake which does not have a high rate of colon cancer- Even the conservative journal of the Association for the Advancement of Science concluded:

"Populations on a high-meat, high-fat diet are more likely to develop colon cancer than individuals on vegan or similar low-meat diets"

The digestion of meat itself produces strong carcinogenic substances in the colon and meat-eaters must produce extensive bile acids in their intestines to deal with the meat they eat, particularly deoxycholic acid- This is extremely significant, because deoxycholic acid is converted by clostridia bacteria in our intestines into powerful carcinogens- The fact that meat-eaters invariably have far more deoxycholic acid in their intestines than do vegetarians is one of the reasons they have so much higher rates of colon cancer

The human intestine has a very hard time handling the putrefying bacteria, high levels of fat, and lack of fiber that characterize meat, dairy products, and eggs- There are other animals, though, whose intestines seem designed for the task- The human intestine is anatomically very different from that of the natural carnivores, such as dogs and cats- Because of the design of their intestines, these animals are virtually guaranteed short transit times

Our bowel walls are deeply puckered; theirs are smooth - Ours are full of pouches, theirs have none - Our colons are long, complex pathways, like a winding mountain road full of hairpin turns; theirs are short, straight chutes, like wide open freeways - The toxins from putrefying flesh are not the problem for them that they are for us because everything passes through them so much more quickly - Dogs, cats, and the other natural carnivores do not get colon cancer from high-fat, low-fiber, flesh-based diets - But we do


Reducing your intake of pesticides



The most effective way to reduce your intake of toxic chemicals is to eliminate your intake of meats, fish, dairy products and eggs

Some people feel that eating "organically raised" beef and poultry is a good way to limit their intake of pesticides - It is important to realize, though, that while meat products labeled "natural" or "organic" may be better than the typical factor farm commercial products, they still will include the concentrated toxins from all the foods the livestock ate - These lethal chemicals accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals in much greater concentrations than are found in fruits and vegetables - Pesticide authority Lewis Regenstein writes:

"Meat contains approximately 14 times more pesticides than do plant foods; dairy products point 5 times more - Thus, by eating foods of animal origin, one ingests greatly concentrated amounts of hazardous chemicals - Analysis of various foods by the FDA shows that meat, poultry, fish, cheese and other dairy products contain levels of these pesticides more often and in greater amount than other foods"

Contaminated mother's milk



In 1976, the EPA analyzed the breast milk of vegetarian women, and discovered the levels of pesticides in their milk to be far less than the average - A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine made a similar comparison, and found:

"The highest levels of contamination in the breast milk of the vegetarians, was lower than the lowest level of contamination (in) non-vegetarian women ... The mean vegetarian levels were only one or two percent as high as the average levels in the United States"

This is a tremendously important statistic - The breast milk of the average vegan nursing mother in the United States contains only one or two percent of the pesticide contamination as that experienced in the national average


Wasting the food we have



The livestock population of the United States today consumes enough grain and soybeans to feed over five times the entire human population of the country- We feed these animals over 80% of the corn we grow, and over 95% of the oats

It is hard to grasp how immensely wasteful is a meat-oriented diet-style - By cycling our grain through livestock, we end up with only 10% as many calories available to feed human mouths as would be available if we ate the grain directly

To supply one person with a meat habit food for a year requires three-and-a-quarter acres - To supply one lacto-ovo vegetarian with food for a year requires one-half acre- To supply one pure vegetarian [vegan] requires only one-sixth of an acre - In other words, a given acreage can feed twenty times as many people eating a pure vegetarian diet-style as it could people eating the standard American diet-style

According to the Department of Agriculture statistics, one acre of land can grow 20,000 pounds of potatoes - That same acre of land, if used to grow cattle feed, can produce less than 165 pounds of beef - In a world in which a child dies of starvation every two seconds, an agricultural system designed to feed our meat habit is a blasphemy

The ground beneath our feet

The U S Soil Conservation Service reports that over 4 million acres of cropland are being lost to erosion in this country every year- That's an area the size of Connecticut - Our annual topsoil loss amounts to 7,000,000,000 tons - That is 60,000 pounds for each member of the population

Of this staggering topsoil loss, 85 percent is directly associated with livestock grazing

Timber!

The United States has converted approximately 260 million acres of forest into land which is now needed to produce the wasteful diet-style most Americans take for granted- Since 1967, the rate of deforestation in this country has been one acre every five seconds

But the primary cause of deforestation is not urban development - For each acre of American forest that is cleared to make room for parking lots, roads, houses, shopping centers, etc , seven acres of forest are converted into land for grazing livestock and/or growing livestock feed

The fountain of life

Over half the total amount of water consumed in the United States goes to irrigate land growing feed and fodder for livestock - Enormous additional quantities of water must also be used to wash away the animals' excrement - It would be hard to design a less water-efficient diet-style than the one we have come to think of as normal

To produce a single pound of meat takes an average of 2,500 gallons of water -- as much as a typical family uses for all its combined household purposes in a month

To produce a day's food for one meat-eater takes over 4,000 gallons; for a lacto-ovo vegetarian, only 1,200 gallons; for a pure vegetarian, only 300 gallons - It takes less water to produce a year's food for a pure vegetarian(vegan) than to produce a month's food for a meat-eater


ECO-EATING

Global Warming due to Animal Agriculture
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Peace
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The 10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow at Home

This is an awesome website---> Ecosalon.com

April 6, 2009 at 5:00 am by Tina McCarthy
The 10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow at Home

Thanks for dropping in! While you're here, you can subscribe for a convenient way to stay updated on all the latest green goodness. Or check out everyone's favorite posts. Thanks for stopping by!

Gardening is hot, hot, hot. And why not? Planting a few seeds on your deck or in your backyard yields delicious, organic results - and money savings, too. Besides, April is National Gardening Month! You know the basics of how to start your own vegetable garden, but where do you go from here? Here are some crops that even the least green thumbed among you can tackle, and tips on how to make them flourish.


tomato



Originating in South America, this plump red herbaceous perennial is rich in nutrients like niacin, potassium and phosphorous, antioxidants like lycopene, anthocyanin and carotene, and vitamins A, C and E. Tomatoes can add a juicy shot of flavor to a variety of dishes, such as salads, sandwiches and pasta.

After the last frost of winter has thawed, pick a spot in your yard that receives ample sunlight and test the soil’s pH level - you want between 6 and 7. (To increase the Ph level, add lime. To decrease it, add sulfur.) Spread compost over this area and mix it with the soil. Dig a hole for each seed, leaving at least a foot in between for growth, cover them and firmly pat down the soil. Water them with a spray bottle a couple times per week.


radish



Existing in shades of red, purple and white, these root vegetables were first cultivated thousands of years ago in Europe. Radishes are a great source of potassium, folic acid, magnesium and calcium, and are commonly used in salad dressings or as a garnish for salads.

Radishes thrive in soil with a pH level of around 6 or 7. Till a sunny patch in your garden and plant the seeds ½ inch below the soil’s surface with one inch of space between each. Water them lightly every couple days. Radishes are fast growers and should be ready to pull in several weeks. Don’t wait too long, or they’ll begin to deteriorate.


zucchini



In the late 1800s, spontaneous mutations of summer squashes yielded the first zucchini in Italy. Typically shaped like a cucumber, this yellow or green vegetable is low in calories and chop full of potassium, folate and manganese. Zucchini can be boiled, fried or steamed as a tasty side or stuffed and baked as a delectable entrée.

In a mound of composted soil a foot high and a couple feet wide, sow several zucchini seeds. Space each mound approximately 3 feet apart, water them heavily every other day and wait for them to sprout in a couple weeks. They should be ready to harvest about a month later.

beets




Evolving from wild plants in the Mediterranean, the beet, or beetroot, has a fleshy root that can be boiled and eaten plain, tossed in a salad or used to make borscht. Betaine, one of the primary nutrients in this deep red or purple vegetable, is known to improve cardiovascular health.

Clean and strengthen the seeds by soaking them in water at room temperature for a day. Plow the soil and remove any stones from the top 3 feet. Plant each seed 2 feet apart and water them at least once every day.


carrots



This biennial root vegetable was first domesticated during the 10th century in modern-day Afghanistan. Rich in vitamin A, antioxidants and dietary fiber, the carrot’s orange color is a result of the carotene it synthesizes when growing. Carrots are equally delicious as a healthy snack, in a side of steamed vegetables or even baked into a cake.

Leaving several inches in between holes, dig less than an inch deep and plant a couple of seeds in each. Make sure that the soil stays moist but remember to water the carrots less as they begin to reach maturity.


spinach



Early forms of this annual flowering plant were first found in the ancient world on the Indian subcontinent. High in both iron and calcium, this green leafy vegetable is eaten plain, cooked in a quiche, used as a pizza topping and made into a chip dip.

Turn over the soil with compost and plant seeds less than an inch deep, placing them at least 2 inches apart to give room for growth. Sow the soil a couple more times in the first month and keep this area well-watered.


peas



Dating back to the Neolithic Age in Jordan, Syria and Turkey, peas grow in the seed-pod of a legume. A good source of vitamins A, B and C, these small green spheres can be roasted for a tasty snack or thrown into stir-fries, casseroles and soups.

Cultivate the soil with nutrient-rich compost. Keep in mind that your soil must drain well in order for peas for flourish. Space each seed several inches apart and sow them one inch deep. Freshly planted seeds require ½ inch of water every week, while more mature plants need a full inch.


peppers



Native to Central and South America, these green, yellow, red or orange vegetables range in flavor from spicy to sweet. Containing nutrients like thiamin, folate and manganese, peppers can be stuffed with rice and meat or give salads, salsa and pasta a zesty kick.

Till the soil with both compost and Epsom salts, which will make it rich in magnesium to help the peppers develop healthily. Since they grow best in warm soil, sow the seeds a foot or more apart in raised beds. Water them frequently, keeping the soil moist, or they may taste bitter once harvested.


lettuce



Enjoyed in ancient Egypt as an aphrodisiac, lettuce is a good source of folic acid and vitamin A. Used as the primary ingredient in most salads, this green leaf vegetable, of which there are dozens of common varieties, can also be stuffed with various ingredients to make a lettuce wrap or top sandwiches, hamburgers and tacos.

When cultivating the soil with nutrient-rich compost, break up any chunks and remove debris. Make sure that seeds are planted between 8 and 16 inches apart and water them every morning. Avoid doing so at night because this could cause disease.


onion



Archaeologists have traced the first known onions back to the Bronze Age in early Palestinian settlements. Rich in dietary fiber, folate and vitamin C, these bulb-shaped vegetables add flavor to an assortment of foods, like dips, soups, salads, casseroles and much more.

Plow the soil a foot deep and get rid of debris. Use parasitic nematodes to prevent maggots and cutworms from destroying the crop. Plant the seeds a couple centimeters deep and several inches apart. Weed this area frequently but gently and provide them with about an inch of water every week.

P.S. Bring out that green thumb with the complete guide to composting and tips for healthy soil.

Images: Ron1478, Manjith Kainickara, clayirving, whitneybee, Nikki L., colorline, ms.Tea, Mzelle Biscotte, John of Austin, bcballard, Darwin Bell

Source: wikipedia
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Peace
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