Christian Vegetarian Association Blog - Monday, 8 October 2007

Health and Diet

Welcome to the weekly CVA blog! In it you will find famous quotes, news and commentaries.

2. Famous quote – Dr. Annie Besant (1847 –1933), prominent Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator

3. Older Canadian Cattle to Enter the US

4. Bible verse – Matthew 6:33

5. Factory Farms are a Public Health Concern

1. Overuse of antibiotics: Hog factory farms routinely give antibiotics to whole herds as standard procedure in order to enhance growth and fight off disease amidst intense confinement. However, this indiscriminate use of antibiotics brings serious consequences to humanity, such as the increased resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. A recent study by the University of Illinois identified the presence of several transferable genes (in underground water around 2 hog farms) that confer antibiotic resistance, which raises tremendous concerns given that it suggests these genes are at large in the environment.

To read the full article please visit Antibiotic runoff

Factory farms manipulate animals as if they were commodities and rarely think of the consequences this brings to the environment, animals and our health. Christians are called to be good stewards of God’s Creation and should not support a business, such as the meat industry, that causes tremendous suffering to all Creation.

2. “When we recognize that unity of all living things, then at once arises the question - how can we support this life of ours with least injury to the lives around us; how can we prevent our own life adding to the suffering of the world in which we live?”
~ Dr. Annie Besant (1847 –1933), prominent Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator

3. Older Canadian Cattle to Enter the US: After more than 4 years of the mad-cow scare, the US is planning to open its border to Canadian cattle born after March 1, 1999, as well as meat from them, saying they pose no health risk. "The likelihood of BSE becoming established in the U.S. cattle population by allowing additional commodities from Canada is negligible," said John Clifford, the U.S. Agriculture Department's chief veterinarian. On the other hand, groups such as the Food and Water Watch, a non-profit consumer rights group, believe the decision is too premature and poses health risks as long as US officials are "more concerned about facilitating trade than protecting public health."

To read the full article please visit US to allow import of older Canadian cows

4. Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”

God's Lordship over our lives implies reflecting God's love to all Creation in our daily lives. In the process, we find fulfillment for obeying God and participating in the reconciliation of God's Creation.

5. Factory Farms are a Public Health Concern: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has issued a report highlighting the potential threats livestock concentration may pose to public health due to the risk of disease transmission from animals to humans. The report emphasizes the global concern of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus of avian influenza as well as the "silent" circulation of influenza "A" viruses (I.A.V.s) in poultry and swine. The FAOs recommendations to meat producers are the application of biosecurity measures and that production sites should not be built close to human settlements or wild bird populations, among others.

To read the full article please visit FAO says livestock concentration a public concern

While meat producers try to increase their profit and decrease their costs in order to meet the demand for meat products, farmed animals suffer unimaginable pain and terror, and new diseases arise that pose danger to God’s animals and humanity. A plant-based diet is a compassionate choice that helps decrease the number of animals raised for food and therefore the likelihood of disease transmittal between farmed animals and humans.

6. Hepatitis E linked to Pork: The Hepatitis E virus is one of the few viruses which has been shown to be transmitted directly from animals to humans and scientists are alarmed to see that the disease, which was confined to China, India and developing countries, is now found in European countries. Dutch researcher Erwin Duizer expressed, "We also need to quickly work out the local route of infection in Europeans, as knowing if Hepatitis E is directly caused by eating pork meat or liver, or caused by foods or people being in contact with pig feces, will make it possible to implement effective preventive measures.”

To read the full article please visit Hepatitis E in Europe: Are pigs or pork the problem?