Why Vegan? -A summary-

I've wanted to make this post for a while, basically my aim is to make short summaries of the main reasons why I think being vegan is so damn important.

Animal rights: 

Selective breeding - Animals used within industry, whether it's meat, milk, eggs, wool, etc have all been selectively breed to best suit the purpose humans have imposed upon them. They are far removed from their original, natural form, & this often has crippling effects on their health.

Unnatural environment - Most 'industry animals' (dairy cows, pigs, meat & egg chickens, etc), spend their lives in small, uncomfortable surrounds, some to the point that they suffer endlessly, day in & day out. 'Free range' is not a solution, in many cases the animals only have slightly more room than in factory farms. Most animals suffer in filthy, cramped conditions, & exhibit all kinds of distressing behaviors, from attacking one another, to crying, & chewing on the metal bars of there confines.

Slaughter - If you believe in the idea of 'humane slaughter', then I would ask you to imagine your beloved family pet in the same situation as that which a cow, pig, or chicken must face, in that light does it still seem humane? Also consider that virtually all industry animals are only permitted to live a fraction of their natural lives, male chicks, & bobby calves are only babies when they are slaughtered.

Cruel practices - Within animal industries there are many standard practices that are extremely cruel, baby pigs have there teeth & tails cut off, with absolutely no pain relief. Young chickens have the ends of their beaks & toes removed (to stop fighting in crowded conditions), cows are branded with a red-hot iron, & often have large metal rings put in their noses. We do these horrible things to control & subdue these animals, so that we can keep them in unnatural situations.

Natural behavior denied - Virtually all industry animals are forced to live in a way which denies them their basic natural instincts, pigs love to explore, dig, take mud baths, plays, & build a nest when they are pregnant, no such behaviors are possible in the conditions most animals are raised in.

Dairy cows - The dairy industry baffles my mind. The basic cycle is -
We artificially impregnate cows, so that they will produce milk for their baby, when the baby is born, we tear it away from it's mother so that we can harvest the milk for ourselves, some of the babies will enter the dairy industry, but most are slaughtered just days, or weeks after birth, cold, hungry, & afraid without their mothers. The mother cows cry out for their babies for days, as we steal the milk intended for their offspring.
This cycle continues, on average, for 8 years, until the cows body is too depleted to produce high enough quantities of milk, at which point, after a life of service she is sent to slaughter.

A short life - Industry animals are only kept alive for a minimal amount of time. For meat animals, this is until they reach full size (this has been increased, & sped up via selective breeding, hormones, etc), for dairy cows, & egg chickens this is until their bodies tire, & their production drops, or stops. We look at these beings as objects, to be used, & disposed of as we see fit, furthermore we are taught to view industry animals differently from companion animals, this is not fair, & not a healthy mentality.

Animals deserve respect, & they have the right to live happily, & carry out their natural instincts. There is nothing natural about what we put these animals through, their lives are short & miserable, & we can help put a stop to it by simply choosing a vegan lifestyle.

Environmental impact:

We raise millions of animals every year, & it requires a massive amount of resources, including land, feed, fresh water, medications, etc. We clear vast habitats & eradicate native species to make room for domesticated animals, to grow their feed, & we dedicate tons of fresh water to raise them, if we redirected all these efforts & resources, no one in the world would be without food & water!
Animals must also be moved around a lot, to & from farms, then to the slaughterhouse, then onward to be processed, packaged, & yet again to reach the shop. Huge trucks are needed, moving is stressful for the animals, & very polluting. The huge quantities of blood, & offal from processing often ends up contaminating soil, nearby waterways, & the ocean.
Animals of course produce lots of waste themselves, including excrement, & gas, in such unnaturally high concentration it causes massive problems for the environment, it results in poor air quality, polluted soil & water, & many other serious problems.

Personal health:

Human beings gain nothing by eating animal products. This has been well documented for decades, & there are thousands of fit, healthy vegans that stand as testament to this fact.
Animals products are riddled with fats, cholesterol, harmful hormones, & dangerous proteins.
There is nothing provided by animal products that is not available in a healthier form from plant foods.
Fruits, vegetables, salad greens, & nuts are the ideal foods for our bodies, eating simple whole foods, & more fresh raw food (especially fruit) will result in a slimmer, healthier body, with a greatly reduced risk of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, etc.

A very simple way to know if a food is good for your body is if it is acid-forming when digested, or alkaline-forming when digested. The human body is alkaline (except the stomach when digesting certain foods), & alkaline-forming foods support us best.
*Alkaline-forming foods: all vegetables (except asparagus, which is mildly acid-forming), All fruit (except blueberries, & olives), all sprouts, & some nuts - almonds, chestnuts, coconuts, etc.
*Acid-forming foods: all dairy products (except butter, which is neutral), all animal products (except blood & bone), & all grains & grain products (except millet, which is mildly alkaline-forming)
Acid forming-foods must be neutralised by our body, this is achieved using alkaline minerals, primarily calcium & iron, which is sourced from our bones, blood, etc. This is why, contrary to what we are told, dairy is not good for our bones!

We are taught to eat those foods which can be most easily monopolised, & mass produced, because they achieve the greatest profits. Animal welfare, & human health are not priority, profit is. Most people simply do not know any better, & never understand why they become ill. I felt this way when I was diagnosed with multiple diseases at the age of 19, but as I learned, & adjusted my diet my health is improving :)

We all have the ability to help end animal suffering, reduce damage to the environment, & improve our health. Changing to a vegan lifestyle is a powerful start, knowledge is key, so read as much as you can, watch all the documentaries you can, also observe the world around you to help you make the right decisions. The truth can be tricky to find, but it is there.

Resources:

Two of the best documentaries I have seen, I highly recommend checking out both!

'Forks over knives' (watch trailer), &
'Peaceable kingdom: the journey home' (watch trailer).

Buy Peaceable Kingdom DVD  - HERE
Buy Forks over Knives DVD - HERE or HERE

Websites:
vegankit.com
lunchboxbunch.com
WorldVeganDay
veganonline.com.au
crueltyfreeshop.com.au
TheVeganZombie
squidmaster.net
ThugKitchen.com - (Warning! Coarse language)
VeganMenu
VeganCheatSheet