He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire.

                                                                                                                        -Lao-tsu.

Largest Beef Recall in History Warrants Mention

     This past Sunday February 17, 2008 a California meat company issued the largest beef recall in U.S. history.  A huge portion of the 143 million pounds of beef has been used in school lunch programs as well as in some popular fast food chains to make hamburgers, chili, and tacos, as far back as February 1 2006.  

     The tip-off was sparked by the release of an undercover video that showed workers kicking sick cows and using forklifts to force them to walk. Proper protocol would have been to alert the staff veterinarian so that the animals could be removed from the production line. Animal cruelty charges were filed against two employees who were subsequently fired by the meat company.

     Now this is very disturbing news for me on a number of levels. I know that my Health Inspirations are normally upbeat and positive, but I am so passionate about this topic I could not possibly let this slip by without discussing it.

     I began thinking about the consequences of my dietary choices almost twenty years ago after reading a ground breaking book by John Robbins – heir to the worldwide Baskin-Robbins chain of ice cream stores – called Diet for a New America. This book enlightened me not only to the physical consequences of a highly meat-based diet, but also to the environmental, humanitarian, and ethical implications as well.

     In short, Robbins describes a situation where if each of us were to decrease our meat intake by just ten per cent (that’s perhaps one less burger a week for some of us), we could veritably solve world hunger. The theory? Well, the crops we feed to the animals could actually be used to feed people.

     Just some food for thought, as it were.

     Interestingly, at the forefront of the campaign against mass livestock production and towards the virtues of a largely plant-based diet is former millionaire cattle rancher Harold Lyman. You might recall his appearance on Oprah, where after hearing his perspective on the inside scoop on the industry, she looked into the camera and proclaimed she would never eat meat again.

     Now I think that’s a bit extreme and please note I am not suggesting you go completely vegetarian. But might I at least encourage you to be a more conscious consumer when it comes to your nutrition choices? It might mean shopping at an occasional farmer’s market, where you get to know the local grower or distributor. Or simply look for labels such as “free-range,” ‘hormone-free,” or “organic.”  Chances are these items were produced by smaller farms who still uphold the virtues of sustainable agriculture and ethical animal treatment.

     Now I’ve heard angry responses when I bring up this topic. “Who are you to tell me how to eat? It’s my right to eat any way I want.” Yes, you’re right about that, and I would never want to infringe on anyone’s freedom to choose. But it is my job as a responsible physician and the expert health consultant to shed light on current issues as they affect the general public. Please consider what I have shared with you and spread the word for a better world for all of us.

Healthiest regards,