Celebrate 'Meatout' day on March 20.
Invite a carnivore to lunch.
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In this edition...
Health |
 Beat depression and feel better with more fruits and vegetables |
| Vegetarians have stronger tickers - research |
| Vegetarian diet cuts cancer risk - study |
| Time to re-examine our diets |
Environment and World Hunger |
| Food: Sustainability, security, self-reliance |
| Pacific bluefin tuna population is 'fraction of its 1950s size' |
| One in five turtles, snakes and lizards could disappear from earth |
| Halve meat consumption, scientists urge rich world |
Lifestyles and Trends |
| Sometimes you need to wear the 'vegan extremist' label with pride |
| Swedish experts call for tax to tame appetite for meat |
| Vegan dog owners introducing their pets to an all vegetable diet |
| Celebrity vegans on the rise: Dietitians say it's not a fad |
| 101-year-old vegetarian runner says he has run his last marathon |
Animal Issues and Advocacy |
| My story - the life of a dairy cow |
| Slaughterhouse workers are more likely to be violent, study shows |
| No more excuses after the horsemeat scandal. The only defensible option is to go vegetarian |
| More cows tortured for cheese than milk |
| Turn off that camera! Animal cruelty exposés being blocked |
Books and Perspectives |
| Martha Stewart releases vegetarian cookbook |
| John Robbins - 25 years after 'Diet For A New America' changed lives |
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(Excerpts are included from current news stories. Click on the "Full story" link to read the full article.)
Health 
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Beat depression and feel better with more fruits and vegetables
Full story: ENN
According to new research out of the New Zealand's University of Otago, consuming more fruits and vegetables increases calm, happiness, and energy in one's daily life. Perhaps it is the knowledge of eating wholesome, unprocessed foods that fundamentally affects our brains. The body knows that it is doing something right and feels better because of it, both physiologically and mentally. The researchers compared consumption of fruits and vegetables with other types of food, but the difference was clear. To beat depression and increase happiness, fruits and veggies are the way to go.
Read more... |
Vegetarians have stronger tickers - research
Full story: New Zealand Herald
Vegetarians are a third less likely to need hospital treatment for heart disease or die from it, claim researchers. The largest study of its kind found vegetarians have healthier hearts than those who eat meat or fish. It is thought the benefits come from lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol levels through eating low-fat diets based on vegetables, whole grains and fruit. The study of almost 45,000 volunteers included a high proportion of vegetarians - 34 per cent - and mostly women, which resulted in "clear findings," said researchers.
Read more... |
New Zealand Herald - February 6
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Vegetarian diet cuts cancer risk - study
Full story: Food Consumer
A new study recently released in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention suggests that eating a vegetarian diet can significantly lower the risk of cancer. The study found vegetarians were 9 per cent less likely to develop cancer, compared with non-vegetarians. Vegan diets were even more protective against cancer, the study found. Those who followed a vegan diet were 16 per cent less likely to develop all cancers and female vegan diet users were 34 per cent less likely to develop female-specific cancers such as ovarian cancer and breast cancer.
Read more... |
Food Consumer - February 17
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Time to re-examine our diets
Full story: Daily Liberal, Australia
Scientific research shows that diets high in animal products actually kill many more people than cigarettes ever will. As a dietitian, I know that the west's three major killers-heart disease, cancer, and stroke-are linked to meat-heavy diets. The evidence shows that almost 25 to 30 per cent of all cancer related deaths are caused by smoking, but as many as 30 to 35 per cent are linked to diet. Consumers deserve to know that meat, eggs, and dairy products have the same health risks as cigarette smoking, including increased risks of cancer, strokes, and heart disease. Quitting smoking is an important way to prevent disease, but switching to a vegetarian diet is just as crucial.
Read more... |
Daily Liberal, Australia - February 25
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| Environment and World Hunger
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Food: Sustainability, security, self-reliance
Full story: The Ecologist
Modern intensive agriculture is recognised as one of the major causes of loss of biodiversity, and the state of our soils is of great concern. Intensive livestock agriculture is a particularly extreme example of how our food chain has gone badly wrong. Pollution, disease outbreaks, including pandemics and reliance on antibiotics with associated resistance issues, all point towards an industry that is truly unsustainable. Now I am hearing politicians ask if better animal welfare is a luxury we can no longer afford. In fact what we cannot afford to do is continue to produce meat in this way. A report by Compassion in World Farming showed that intensive animal farming reduces food security, due to the need to feed the animals on grain. Can food be affordable without further intensification? I believe it can, but we need to completely reform the supply chain, so that small scale farmers can access the market fairly.
Read more... |
The Ecologist - February 20
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Pacific bluefin tuna population is 'fraction of its 1950s size'
Full story: SciDev
The population of the highly-prized Pacific bluefin tuna has dropped by more than 96 per cent from its estimated level in the 1950s before large scale commercial fishing began and it is unlikely to recover if fishing continues at its current intensity, according to a stock assessment. The summary of the latest stock assessment report of the fish was released by the International Scientific Community for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean. Gabriel Vianna, a marine researcher at the Australian Institute of Marine Science, says that the practice of excessive fishing and catching juveniles is unsustainable and that there is in an urgent need for better management.
Read more... |
One in five turtles, snakes and lizards could disappear from earth
Full story: NBC News, U.S.
Nearly one fifth of all reptiles - turtles, snakes, lizards and crocodiles - are on a slippery slope toward extinction due to loss of habitat, overharvesting and other factors, a new report says. The study is the first of its kind to summarize the global conservation status of reptiles. More than 1,500 species were selected at random from around the world for conservation assessments in an effort to gain a representative sample. The results highlight "conservation priorities and knowledge gaps which need to be addressed urgently to ensure the continued survival of the world's reptiles," more than 200 researchers led by Monika Bohm at the Zoological Society of London
Read more... |
NBC News, U.S. - February 15
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Halve meat consumption, scientists urge rich world
Full story: Guardian, UK
People in the rich world should become "demitarians" - eating half as much meat as usual, while stopping short of giving it up - in order to avoid severe environmental damage, scientists have urged, in the clearest picture yet of how farming practices are destroying the natural world. The quest for ever cheaper meat in the past few decades has resulted in a massive expansion of intensively farmed livestock. This has diverted vast quantities of grain from human to animal consumption, requiring intensive use of fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides and, according to the UN Environment Programme [UNEP] report, "caused a web of water and air pollution that is damaging human health." Prof Mark Sutton, who is lead author the UNEP study, wants the change in diet to be pioneered in Europe, as the U.S. will be a tougher nut to crack.
Read more... |
Guardian, UK - February 18
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| Lifestyles and Trends
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Sometimes you need to wear the 'vegan extremist' label with pride
Full story: Free From Harm Blog
Being dismissed as an extremist isn't the worst thing in the world. But as a new animal activist, I used to unconsciously dread this accusation. I carefully worded my responses to avoid it at all costs. No more. Now liberated from fear of being labeled extreme, I whole-heartedly encourage others to abandon their fear... Smearing courageous change-makers is a centuries-old defensive tactic employed by those who feel threatened by those very changes. Every great movement has begun with a group of restless activists - brave pioneers who are marginalized by the status quo.
Read more... |
Free From Harm Blog - January 22
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Swedish experts call for tax to tame appetite for meat
Full story: EurActiv.com
Swedish agricultural authorities are recommending a tax to reduce meat consumption and say such a levy should be adopted across the European Union. Sweden's Board of Agriculture proposed the tax aimed at reducing the environmental impact of meat production. Experts on the government board said there are environmental and health benefits to eating more vegetables. "Voluntary actions have to be complemented by public policies," they said in the report Sustainable meat consumption: What is it? How do we get there?
Read more... |
EurActiv.com - January 23
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Vegan dog owners introducing their pets to an all vegetable diet
Full story: Yahoo! News
Many Torontonians are going vegan, and that includes the four-legged ones. Vegan diets for dogs are becoming increasingly prevalent in Toronto as owners who follow the vegan lifestyle are implementing it on their pets. Ken Butland, 35, is a vegan who is passionate about his lifestyle and wanted to pass it down to his two dachshunds. "My philosophy extends far beyond what I put in my mouth," says Butland. "Anyone who's dependent like a child or an animal, it's my responsibility to make sure I'm not buying products that are dependent on exploitation to other animals."
Read more... |
Celebrity vegans on the rise: Dietitians say it's not a fad
Full story: Medill Reports, Chicago Northwestern University
Diet trends seem to be the norm in Hollywood. Whether it's losing weight like Natalie Portman did for her role as a prima ballerina in "Black Swan," or shedding extra pounds for an awards ceremony, celebrities often set the trend. However, vegan lifestyles may stand as the exception to the crash diet rule. Celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Alicia Silverstone and Kristin Bell have touted the benefits of a vegan lifestyle for social and environmental reasons. The menu for the Governors Ball, the official post-Oscars party, features a variety of vegan and vegetarian fare such as vegan pizza with pesto and grilled vegetables, Japanese baby peach salad and edamame guacamole. [See slideshow at the link.]
Read more... |
Medill Reports, Chicago Northwestern University - February 21
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101-year-old vegetarian runner says he has run his last marathon
Full story: NBC Sports, U.S.
Fauja Singh, the oldest runner ever to complete a full marathon, finished his final race on Sunday [February 25], and now will hang up his competitive running shoes for good. From now on, Singh, who will soon be 102 years old, will run just for fun, "to inspire the masses."
Read more... |
NBC Sports, U.S. - February 25
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| Animal Issues and Advocacy
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My story - the life of a dairy cow
Full story: Mercy for Animals
 Acclaimed artist Gretchen Ryan has teamed up with Mercy For Animals to shoot a YouTube video highlighting the plight of dairy cows. The three-minute piece, modeled after videos recorded by bullied teens, tells a harrowing, emotional story.
Read more... |
Mercy for Animals - January 11
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Slaughterhouse workers are more likely to be violent, study shows
Full story: News.com, Australia
People who work in abattoirs are more likely to be desensitised to suffering, which in turn could make them more likely to be violent towards humans, the research published in the Society and Animals journal found. Overseas research has found that towns with abattoirs have higher rates of domestic violence and violent crimes including murder and rape, which prompted the Australian team to investigate the situation [in Australia]. Flinders University senior sociology lecturer Dr Nik Taylor said it had been established that if you're cruel to animals, you're more likely to be violent to humans. She found that meatworkers' aggression levels were "so high they're similar to the scores... for incarcerated populations." And women are the worst.
Read more... |
News.com, Australia - January 23
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No more excuses after the horsemeat scandal. The only defensible option is to go vegetarian
Full story: Guardian, UK
As the scandal goes on, that very British sensitivity whereby cows and pigs can be killed and hacked to pieces, but no one must touch horses - or dogs - remains as curious as ever. No one has died, or even fallen ill; the possible entry of the veterinary drug bute into the scandal still looks likely to be a mildly worrying detail rather than the basis of any reasonable cause for mass panic. As far as I am aware, as the meat industry has grown both increasingly complex and ever-more unregulated, precious few of the voices now screaming about its excesses have ever sought to prise open its doors. The fact [is] that most people eat meat, but recoil when they see what it entails.
Read more... |
Guardian, UK - February 17
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More cows tortured for cheese than milk
Full story: Mercy for Animals Blog
Of all farmed animals on today's factory farms, dairy cows receive some of the worst treatment. They are repeatedly impregnated so that they constantly produce milk, have their newborn calves taken away from them shorty after giving birth, and have to stand in filthy stalls where they can barely move - all so that farmers can collect their milk. Once a cow's milk production declines (usually after four years), she is rewarded with a trip to the slaughterhouse where she will most likely become hamburger. And, he truth is that cheese production today puts more demand on cows than any other dairy product.
Read more... |
Mercy for Animals Blog - February 19
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Turn off that camera! Animal cruelty exposés being blocked
Full story: ABC News
Fearing arrest under laws pushed by the agriculture industry, animal rights activists have halted undercover camera investigations into animal cruelty in five [U.S.] farm states. "If you think that chilling speech and closing the curtain on our food production is winning, then yes, they've won," Wayne Pacelle, CEO and president of the Humane Society of the United States, told ABC News. Animal activists groups say the laws interfere with freedom of speech and they intend to challenge the laws in court. "Agribusiness interests, rather than trying to prevent cruelty to animals, are trying to prevent the public from seeing what's going on on factory farms in the United States," said Pacelle. "You will never stop the abuse if you shut the cameras down."
Read more/Watch video... |
More Animal Issues and Advocacy News and Videos:
Heartwarming video shows kind dolphins rescuing a stranded seal pup. Amazing footage captured by Canadian crew records helpful behaviour that is 'common' in the animal world. - Daily Mail, UK (February 5)
Tea Leoni narrates “The Sonny Side of Life,” and shares with us the happy ending for a mischievous rescued calf named Sonny whose fate turned when he found a new home at Farm Sanctuary. The answer to "What's wrong with dairy?" - Farm Sancturay (February 23)
The misery of 'free-range' turkeys
Turkeys advertised as 'free range' may never even have been outdoors - Daily Mail, UK (December 14)
Current animal consumption numbers - trending down
Vegan Outreach blog (February 3)
A day in the life of a lamb
Farm Sanctuary Blog (February 21 )
Two more turkey workers convicted of cruelty to animals
Mercy for Animals Blog (February 23)
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| Books and Perspectives
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Martha Stewart releases vegetarian cookbook
Full story: Mother Nature Network
While Martha Stewart isn't prepared to give up meat in her kitchen just yet, the 71-year-old has certainly made quite the transition over the last few years to decrease the amount she's preparing. That shift is reflected in a new cookbook by the media mogul titled Meatless that not only includes over 200 vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free recipes - but also provides a road map for those looking to drop meat from their diet altogether.
Read more... |
Mother Nature Network - February 11
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John Robbins - 25 years after 'Diet For A New America' changed lives
Full story: VegSource
25 years ago, John Robbins published a seminal work that made the connection between food, health, the environment and the horror of factory farming. The book was titled Diet For A New America, and it's the book that made Team VegSource (aka the Nelson family - editor's note: yours truly as well) awaken, and decide to go veg. The 25th Anniversary edition of Diet For A New America [is now] on sale. It's updated and even more powerful today than 25 years ago! [Watch video of John at the link.]
Read more... |
Editor's Pick:
 Just received our personal copy of Fit Quickies by the plant-based fitness expert, Lani Muelrath and love it! It can truly change your life, five minutes at a time. Lani makes fitness fun and accessible. Not to mention eating healthier seem like a piece of cake. Check out the great reviews. Visit Lani's website for more info.
Also of interest:
Websites/Blogs:
Plants-4-Hunger - A Well-Fed World's donation program that lets you help fight hunger in the world and help animals at the same time. 100 per cent of donations are food and water projects various countries around the world.
Viva! - Vegetiarians International Voice for Animals, based in Bristol, UK- tons of resources and important campaigns. If you don't already know about the wonderful rescue of Hamish and Dougal and William, be sure to read their story. You can also watch an interview with Viva! founder Juliet Gellatley on the about page.
Plus....
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