It’s complicated. I grew up in a ‘meat and potatoes’ household. Meat was part of almost every meal … That seems like a lifetime ago.

Over the years, I kept hearing and reading how ‘red meat’ in particular, with all its hormones, antibiotics, and preservatives, was more detrimental to my health than beneficial. Then, also came the exposes on ‘factory farming’ or ‘industrial meat production’. Each new set of facts and revelations made me question my ‘traditional diet’. I also learned that many of my allergy issues were directly related to that meat-heavy diet.

At that point, 40+ years ago, I became, more or less, a vegetarian, adopting the socalled Mediterranean diet, heavy in vegetables, with a little fish and dairy. I also began to think of eating mammals as a sort of cannibalism, so quit eating any mammals at all.

Then, a few years ago, I went completely vegan. Since I was still having some difficulty with my sinuses and mucus, having discovered so late in life that I was also somewhat lactose intolerant. So, now I eat only plant-based whole foods … vegetables, grains, berries, and friut. If I use any oils or condiments, they are plant-based. That’s working well for me. I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life, and that’s without any significant healthcare other than Medicare, as I’ve not seen a doctor in more than 30 years…

My solution may not be for everyone, but it is something to seriously consider. Our lives and the life of the planet depend on it. Most of the arable farmlands of the planet are used for animal feed production for factory-farms, as one pound of animal protein requires from about two to ten pounds of plant protein to produce, plus hundreds of gallons of water. Not very efficient for feeding a population of 7+ billion people!

–LE