Being a Vegetarian

A balanced lifestyle has come to influence the minds and values of many people in today's society. This facet of human life has ushered in a slew of new and exciting trends in a variety of social working arenas. Since food essentially dictates one's wellbeing, people are paying more attention to what they consume and what they deem home. The consumption of vegetarianism, in particular, has ignited the lives of many people and has been embraced as a way of achieving a healthier diet and lifestyle through the avoidance of animal food. Giving up the life of eating meat will mean that no animal will suffer painful deaths, and fewer animals will be domesticated in the appalling conditions. However, the benefits of a vegetarian diet goes further than this, it is associated with various social, spiritual, and societal benefits which can extend the longevity of one’s life.

There are significant philosophical grounds for vegetarianism. This is related to the murdering of an animal, a component of earth life that ought to be protected and respected. Rather than adhering to the extreme cautions of animal rights that go as far as preventing humans from riding mules, vegetarianism advocates consider a key principle- that killing is wrong, and that animals have the same rights as humans. Theoretically, this means that every person must strive to live in peace and harmony with other organisms in the outside world in order to promote healthier living. Even in the considered humane forms of rearing animals and killing them for food results in the violation of their basic interest which is to continue living. By constraining livestock, we also deny them certain rights including living in natural habitats, making free movement and choices, enjoying normal family life, and free from pain or fear. If we were to have an experience of restrain where we cannot make our own choices, I am sure most of us would wish to rather die. Vegetarianism can, thus, enable humans to free animals and protect them from harm.

Vegetarian diet will also help us avoid cases of obesity that is currently affecting the society. Most developed nations, especially the United States, acquire a threatening obesity dimension which has turned into a global crisis. The existing animal diets have a lot of calories with too much saturated fats, sodium, and cholesterol. Such health conditions can be avoided if people reduce their intake of meat or consider strict vegetarian diet. According to the American Dietetic Association, a plant diet is always healthier and is associated with diverse health and nutritional values (Brummans, Cheong, and Hwang 17). In an experiment by the Oxford Vegetarian Study which involved 11914 males and 3378 females revealed that vegetarians have low mass index. The samples of the study were issued questionnaires which inquired about those who eat meat and the non-meat eaters as well as their overall weight ((Brummans, Cheong, and Hwang 18). It was clear that regardless of the age groups, non-meat eaters have lower body mass index. Thus, a vegetarian diet can be a solution to the obesity problem that causes further medical complications.

Furthermore, meat consumption has always been associated with rising cancer cases. Various studies have indicated that in order to reduce the risks of cancer, people should reduce their meat intake or related products. According to Godos et al., consumption of meat “raises the risk of breast cancer among women who take meat daily by 3.8% compared to those who consume meat less than once a week” (11). It is also indicated that men are 3.6 times more likely to develop prostate cancer if they consume meat, animal foods, and eggs every day compared to non-meat eating males. As such, the data suggests that a partial or total reduction in meat consumption can reduce the risks of cancers. The blood analysis of vegetarians has proven that plants provide fiber and nutrients that increase the levels of white cells which help in killing cancer cells (Godoset al. 13). This should encourage people to embrace a vegetarian diet for the purpose of better health.

Nearly all of us need more energy to be able to do various tasks throughout the day. I am a student, and every day I have to take my younger siblings to school in the morning and in the evening go for part time job after school. It very challenging to multi-task, but through a vegetarian diet, I manage to remain energetic throughout the day and always feel enthusiastic towards starting my days. A vegetarian diet can improve endurance and energy required by the body. According to a study conducted by Irving Fisher, a Yale University psychology and nutrition professor, meat-eating athletes are less likely to have stamina and strength compared to sedentary and vegetarian athletes (Marlow et al. 1701S). Those who depend on flesh have less endurance and may need to eat more often in order to regain strength. With a vegetarian diet, I am sure all of us will get sufficient energy, and parents will at least have the strength to spend time with their children after work.

In a world where meat consumption has become a norm, people have been conditions to have the notion that “meat” is a nutritious, wholesome, food. Most of us are unaware of the fact that animal products are full of toxins and poison! Yet frequently, alerts on the deadly impacts of meat consumption are revealed to us. For instance, studies reveal that each year, more than 10 million people fall sick of eating meat that is contaminated (Marlow et al. 1702S). Although some people opt for “organic” meat, it is evident that dead animal meat is usually full of toxins, and as a result, gets poisonous for human consumption. Some of the common meat contaminants include: salmonella and coliform bacteria which have been reported in over 4 million incidents causing diarrhea, fever, chills, vomiting, and even death; parasites such as toxoplasmosis are common in pig products; trichinella spiralis worms which are commonly found in omnivorous and carnivorous animals; self-destruct enzymes found in fish, meat, and eggs may cause cancer; and cancer tumors available in meat products. In addition to this, most factory livestock are usually fed synthetic hormones which might cause sexual disorders, cancer, weight gain, or other disturbances among meat-eaters.

We must also recognize the fact that vegetarianism aids in the protection of the environment. In order to raise animals for beef, farmers use a lot of water which is used for manufacturing feeds, growing grass for grazing, and other activities within the farms. Meat-eating diet is also associated deforestation; vast land is currently cleared worldwide with the intention of raising cattle. Livestock also feed on vast grazing lands which are always left bare, thus, resulting in desertification. Furthermore, most livestock reared for commercial use always consumer large quantity of methane, a greenhouse gas that can result in global warming (Marlow et al. 1703S). These environmental effects have affected a lot of activities, and have resulted in famine, flood, and increased ice melting conditions. As we continue to clear lands and affect the natural climatic conditions, it is obvious that the next generation will not be able to survive on Earth as a result of limited resources. When we feed on vegetarian diet, we will definitely feel good with the knowledge that we are protecting the environment.

In summary, vegetarianism should be embraced as a new technique that promoted better health and simpler life. Through such diet, it is evident that we will be able to have better health. An individual who eat plant-based diet is able to loose extra pounds or remain healthy with controlled cholesterol and fat levels. Such people are also at low risk of developing various nutrition-related diseases such as heart failure, cancer, and obesity. Further, such lifestyle will enable us to protect the environment since most of the land will be covered with forests rather than grazing fields for livestock. Thus, it is true and valid that meat diet is harmful to humans and the environment. I believe that these arguments in favor of vegetarianism are able to help many of us improve our eating habits as we aim towards improving health.

Commentary

The speech above addresses the issue of eating meat, and as such advocates for the adoption of a vegetarian diet. It discusses various risks associated with eating meat including diseases such as cancer and obesity, environmental degradation, ethical misconduct. The audience of the speech is the general public who depend on meat as their diet. They are informed of the risks of the type of food they consume, and an alternative that can create a greater change in their lives. To make the message effective, the speech utilizes various persuasion elements in order to convince the audience including rhetoric proofs (pathos, ethos, and logos), and deductive reasoning.

An evident persuasion element utilized in the speech is ethos. This refers to the attempt of the speaker to convince the audience through an appeal to his/her credibility. In the speech, the author attempts to prove that he is aware about the vegetarian diet, and as such, has the right and credibility to discuss the topic. The speaker admits to being a vegetarian, and has already witnessed its benefits which he reveals to the audience. In the attempt of explaining how vegetarianism enhances strength and energy, the speaker stated, “It very challenging to multi-task, but through a vegetarian diet, I manage to remain energetic throughout the day and always feel enthusiastic towards starting my days.” In this case, I admitted to being a vegetarian, and has since then felt its benefits in increasing strength and endurance. This form of persuasion is significant as it improves the level of trust among the audience towards believing in the message.

Another persuasive technique evident in the speech is pathos which involves convincing an audience by use of emotional appeal. The speaker creates emotional moments such as anger, happiness, panic, or anxiety which can compel the audience towards taking an action. In the speech this has been used several times. An instance is when the speaker claims that meat diet forces humans to rear livestock which results in the restraining of the animals. The speaker suggests that restraining prevents animals from having rights, and further let the audience imagine the impact of being retrained. It is stated that, “If we were to have an experience of restrain where we cannot make our own choices, I am sure most of us would wish to rather die.” In this statement, the audience is expected to imagine how they would feel being kept behind bars the rest of their lives. It invokes feeling of empathy and may in turn promote the consumption of vegetarian diet rather than meat.

The speaker has also utilized logos to impact the perception of the audience regarding the subject addressed. Logos entails the use of facts and figures to highlight an audience of the existing situation; this might aid them in believing the claims of the speaker. In the speech, the speaker has included logic to prove that animal diet is harmful to human consumption. For instance, the evidence for possible impact of consuming meat has been clearly highlighted when the speaker stated: “According to Godos et al., consumption of meat “raises the risk of breast cancer among women who take meat daily by 3.8% compared to those who consume meat less than once a week” (11).” Since a study had been conducted by others and proven the meat consumption causes ill-health, the audience may believe the information to be credible.

Deductive reasoning has also been applied in the speech to convince the audience of the reliability of the message. In making a deductive argument, the speaker considers the fact that as long as the premises are true, the conclusion must also be true. This is to mean that the premises support the conclusion made by the speaker, and as such becomes a valid statement. In the conclusion paragraph of the essay, the speaker denotes that since facts support various impacts of meat diet, it is harmful to human health. It is stated that, “Thus, it is true and valid that meat diet is harmful to humans and the environment.” The conclusion is based on various premises, including the possible health and environmental impacts of meat diet. The audience can, therefore, believe that it is important to consider vegetarianism.

Works Cited

Brummans, Boris HJM, Pauline Hope Cheong, and Jennie M. Hwang. "Climate and Sustainability| Faith-Based Nongovernmental Environmental Organizing in Action: Veroes’ Campaigning for Vegetarianism and Mindful Food Consumption." International Journal of Communication 10 (2016): 23.

Godos, J., et al. "Vegetarianism and breast, colorectal and prostate cancer risk: an overview and meta‐analysis of cohort studies." Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics (2016).

Marlow, Harold J., et al. "Diet and the environment: does what you eat matter?." The American journal of clinical nutrition 89.5 (2009): 1699S-1703S.