Mincing vegetarians rather than words

Researchers have tried to show why vegetarianism provokes hostility

Vegetarianism – the wanton ingestion of nothing but non-meat – sometimes produces or provokes antipathy, hostility and disgust. Researchers have struggled to understand why. In 1945, as the second world war was ending, US Army Major Hyman S Barahal, chief of the psychiatry section of Mason general hospital in Brentwood, New York, issued a report called The Cruel Vegetarian. Major Barahal began by explaining the word "vegetarianism" for anyone who might be ignorant or confused: "It consists essentially in the exclusion of flesh, fowl and fish from the dietary."

Major Barahal drew upon his own experience at having met, and endured the presence of, several vegetarians. "Their exaggerated concern over the welfare of animals betrays the utter contempt and hatred which they hold for the human race generally," he reported. "As far as the present writer knows, no [previous] article has ever attempted to explain the psychology of a person who, of his own free will, becomes a fervent follower of the cult."

Major Barahal preferred to mince vegetarians, rather then words. He cut directly to the meat of the matter: "The average vegetarian is eccentric, not only as regards his food, but in many other spheres as well. Careful observation of his views ... will frequently reveal somewhat twisted and rather peculiar attitudes and prejudices. In short, the average vegetarian is not definitely 'a lunatic', but he certainly fringes on it."

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Lettuce give it a chance! Almost a third of meat eaters would not consider dating a vegetarian

While most singles consider looks, personality and career ambition among the top most important qualities for a potential partner, for some, eating habits can make or break a relationship.

According to recent survey, Love Bites, 30per cent of meat eaters said they would not date a vegetarian or vegan. 

Today.com and Match.com polled 4,000 singles and found that sharing a common passion for food was a top priority for carnivores while vegetarians were far less bothered by their mate's culinary preferences.

Biological anthropologist and Match.com's chief scientific advisor, Dr Helen Fisher, attached many theories to the discovery, many of which are rooted in man's evolutionary background.

First and foremost is that sharing food is a ritual central to all members of the animal kingdom.

She explained on Today.com: 'It's so common in the animal world to give food for sex that it's called the nuptial gift. Mankind's first luxury was meat, and when carnivores share food - what they are sharing is this luxury.

'It's more than just cultural, it's instinctual.'

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Animal rights bosses pay birthday tribute to Sir Paul McCartney

Vegetarian campaigners have paid a special tribute to SIR PAUL McCARTNEY ahead of his 70th birthday by recreating the famous cover of THE BEATLES' ABBEY ROAD album - with giant animals.

The rock legend is a leading supporter of animal rights and has promoted the cause through his Meat Free Monday campaign and his work to continue his late wife Linda's vegetarian food line. 

He turns 70 years old on Monday (18Jun12) and to celebrate, officials at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have mocked up Abbey Road's famous road-crossing cover photo using humans in furry chicken, cow, pig and fish outfits.

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The vegetarian bodybuilder

Growing muscles, as everyone knows, requires a high-protein diet. Which is why the assumption is that athletes and sportspersons cannot possibly be vegetarian. At the very least, goes the commonly held perception, they must eat eggs.

 But wrestler Sangram Singh defies that perception. A gold medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in South Africa, Singh has been strictly vegetarian since he was a child. Which is why the bodybuilder was recently signed by the animal rights organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) as their brand ambassador. 

“I want PETA to do something to stop the killing of animals,” says Singh, who claims he had never even heard of the organisation till they approached him. “When I lived in Delhi, I used to visit the Lodhi Gardens and feed the pigeons, crows and ducks there. The power you gain after killing someone [an animal] is unreal. I think people should eat vegetarian food for 20 days and then see the glow on their faces.”  

Born a premature, Singh suffered arthritis at the age of three and was in a wheelchair till he was 11. But after watching a wrestling match in his village, he built himself up to be the wrestler he is today. And all this happened, he claims, despite the fact that he’s never eaten anything non-vegetarian in his life. 

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Vegetarian Paul McCartney urges meat-free Mondays for school kids

Musician Paul McCartney, who has been a vegetarian for 40 years, is urging schools in England to offer vegetarian lunch options to students, citing health and environmental reasons.

In a video he taped on behalf of his charity, Meatfree Mondays, McCartney cited a United Nations report indicating that the livestock industry is responsible for up to 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are accelerating climate change and global warming, says McCartney.

Going meat-free one day a week is not only good for the environment, but is also healthier, says the former Beatle, referring to studies that indicate vegetarians have lower incidences of heart disease, obesity and cancer than meat eaters.

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Allergies and vegetarianism

If you suffer from allergies, adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet may offer some relief. Researchers have found that those who exclude animal products from their diet in favor of plant-based foods are less likely to need treatment for allergies or asthma.

A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, poultry and seafood but instead consumes a plant-based diet, including seeds, nuts, legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables. Some vegetarians will eat dairy and eggs but some do not. A vegan diet is more restrictive with the exclusion of all animal flesh and byproducts, such as eggs, dairy, honey, etc.

Vegetarian and vegan diets have been studied in the relief of allergies and asthma since the mid-1980s. A 1985 Swedish study demonstrated that asthmatics who followed a vegetarian but especially vegan diet for a full year had a marked decrease in their needs for medications, and frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

In 1994, Loma Linda University tracked how often medical treatments for ailments, including asthma and allergies, were needed for a group of nearly 28,000 people. They found that vegetarians were less likely to need treatment.

Why does a vegan diet help alleviate allergies?

•One of the chemicals, aside from histamine, released during allergic reactions is called leukotrienes (fatty molecules in the immune system that contribute to inflammation). The production of leukotrienes is influenced by the presence of arachidonic acid, a fatty acid found exclusively in animal products. A vegan diet may help reduce leukotrienes because of the absence of arachidonic acid.

•Fruits and veggies contain antioxidants and many nutrients beneficial for the immune system and allergy relief.

•Vitamin E seems to help ward off seasonal allergy symptoms. You’ll find it in many of the foods consumed by vegetarians, including green leafy veggies, beans, apples, carrots, celery, wheat germ and nuts

•Many who follow a vegan diet experience weight loss which can reduce inflammation.

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Bug Bites Can Turn You Vegetarian

Have you heard about the bug bite that can turn you into a vegetarian? That story made the front page of my browser this week, and my wife heard it as part of a newsbreak on her favorite Christian radio station.

It seems researchers believe that a large number of people who have developed allergic reactions to red meat acquired the allergy after being bitten by a tick. According to University of Virginia researchers, “Of the over 1,500 people who have now reported meat allergies to the researchers, at least 90% say they were bitten by ticks in the weeks preceding their allergic reaction.” (See the story here.)

The cases are located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Allergy clusters have been reported in Pennsylvania and New York as well.

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Peta names 'sexiest vegetarians'

Jessica Chastain and Woody Harrelson have officially been named PETA's Sexiest Vegetarians of 2012. 

The Hollywood stars are both committed to living a meat-free lifestyle. 

E! Online reports that non-profit animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is elated to honour Chastain and Harrelson for their choice to be meatless.

Chastain stopped eating animals 15 years ago. 

She spoke previously about how she managed to gain nearly 15lbs for her Oscar-nominated role in 2011's The Help on a strict vegan diet. 

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