If going vegan seems daunting, then take some baby steps. Last year, Sir Paul McCartney launched the "Meat-Free Monday" campaign, and people all over the world have committed to consuming no meat (and in many cases, no animal foods at all) at least one day a week.
New York Times food writer Mark Bittman suggests the "Vegan Before 6" (VB6) plan. He eats only plant foods--vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains--until 6 p.m. and then eats whatever he wants at dinnertime. "Within three or four months" of starting VB6, Bittman says, "I lost 35 pounds, my blood sugar was normal, cholesterol levels were again normal ". All these good things happened, and it wasn't as if I was suffering, so I stayed with it."
With so many vegan cookbooks, blogs, online recipes and other resources available, there's really no reason not to at least try cutting back on animal foods.
How we eat, and what we eat, has a real impact on our bodies. We all know this. While the USDA's new dietary guidelines aren't that much different from recommendations issued 30 years ago, one thing has changed: The growing mountain of evidence linking our overweight, sedentary lifestyles to disease--coupled with skyrocketing medical costs--means that we can no longer afford to ignore this sound advice.
Chris Holbein is the manager of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PETA) Special Projects Division, 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510; http://www.PETA.org.
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