Humans not designed to eat meat?

This is an extremely touchy and popular topic for everyone. We all love food. We love the way it tastes and all that good stuff. When you start to educate yourself on the current state and future of food you start to ask yourself some questions like: “What should I eat?” “Should I be a vegan or vegetarian?” “But chicken tastes so good!” “Is my food making me sick?”

The last question should be the first one that you ask. We don’t realize that most of the times the issues that we are having with dis-ease results from what foods we are eating. I may not be popular for what I am about to say but, it is what it is.

People, you need to stop consuming animal products. An example of how someone put it to me was:

“It is common knowledge to everyone that you are what you eat. This is obvious because once you swallow something it becomes a part of your body. If you are what you eat, and you eat animals, then you are an animal. Animals eat other animals so this makes sense for them.

You are a human being, a light being. Doesn’t it make sense that you should be eating plants and vegetables from the Earth? Think about it. What do plants and vegetables/fruits eat? Green plants produce oxygen and make food, which is called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis means ''putting together with light. Fruits and vegetables that do not use photosynthesis for food will attach to a host plant or roots in order to get food. So they are still in a sense eating sunlight.”

This resonated with me and I realized that it’s not about it being right or wrong. It was about what was best for my health and my overall well being. You don’t have to believe me but try it. Most are under the illusion that you will lack in protein and you will become sickly and weak. This doesn’t even make any sense.

This is a picture of a well know vegetarian animal. Now tell me if you think this animal looks weak and frail:

I don’t think so!! And yes, elephants are vegetarians -- even though they are huge and powerful!!! Elephants are vegetarian because they don't have sharp teeth to chew meat and their organs are not fit to process meats. Does that sound familiar? Kind of sounds like the same issues humans have.

If common sense doesn’t sway you about the fact that humans are not fit to eat meat, then maybe a scientific approach will. The Comparative Anatomy of Eating by Milton R. Mills, M.D. is an interesting paper done by the medical professional to figure out if humans are truly built to be what we call ourselves today-omnivores. Here is an excerpt from the first paragraph:

“Humans are most often described as "omnivores". This classification is based on the "observation" that humans generally eat a wide variety of plant and animal foods. However, culture, custom and training are confounding variables when looking at human dietary practices. Thus, "observation" is not the best technique to use when trying to identify the most "natural" diet for humans. While most humans are clearly "behavioral" omnivores, the question still remains as to whether humans are anatomically suited for a diet that includes animal as well as plant foods.”

So he goes on in the paper to compare the differences and similarities between carnivores, herbivores, omnivores and humans in relation to their oral cavities, stomach and small intestines, etc. The findings break it down into greater detail. This is a summary of his findings:

Facial Muscles- CARNIVORE: Reduced to allow wide mouth gape
HERBIVORE: Well-developed
OMNIVORE: Reduced
HUMAN: Well-developed

Jaw Type- CARNIVORE: Angle not expanded
HERBIVORE: Expanded angle
OMNIVORE: Angle not expanded
HUMAN: Expanded angle

Jaw Joint Location- CARNIVORE: On same plane as molar teeth
HERBIVORE: Above the plane of the molars
OMNIVORE: On same plane as molar teeth
HUMAN: Above the plane of the molars

Jaw Motion- CARNIVORE: Shearing; minimal side-to-side motion
HERBIVORE: No shear; good side-to-side, front-to-back
OMNIVORE: Shearing; minimal side-to-side
HUMAN: No shear; good side-to-side, front-to-back

Major Jaw Muscles- CARNIVORE: Temporalis
HERBIVORE: Masseter and pterygoids
OMNIVORE: Temporalis
HUMAN: Masseter and pterygoids
Mouth Opening vs. Head Size- CARNIVORE: Large
HERBIVORE: Small
OMNIVORE: Large
HUMAN: Small

Teeth: Incisors-CARNIVORE: Short and pointed
HERBIVORE: Broad, flattened and spade shaped
OMNIVORE: Short and pointed
HUMAN: Broad, flattened and spade shaped

Teeth: Canines- CARNIVORE: Long, sharp and curved
HERBIVORE: Dull and short or long (for defense), or none
OMNIVORE: Long, sharp and curved
HUMAN: Short and blunted

Teeth: Molars- CARNIVORE: Sharp, jagged and blade shaped
HERBIVORE: Flattened with cusps vs. complex surface
OMNIVORE: Sharp blades and/or flattened
HUMAN: Flattened with nodular cusps

Chewing- CARNIVORE: None; swallows food whole
HERBIVORE: Extensive chewing necessary
OMNIVORE: Swallows food whole and/or simple crushing
HUMAN: Extensive chewing necessary

Saliva- CARNIVORE: No digestive enzymes
HERBIVORE: Carbohydrate digesting enzymes
OMNIVORE: No digestive enzymes
HUMAN: Carbohydrate digesting enzymes

Stomach Type- CARNIVORE: Simple
HERBIVORE: Simple or multiple chambers
OMNIVORE: Simple
HUMAN: Simple

Stomach Acidity- CARNIVORE: Less than or equal to pH 1 with food in stomach
HERBIVORE: pH 4 to 5 with food in stomach
OMNIVORE: Less than or equal to pH 1 with food in stomach
HUMAN: pH 4 to 5 with food in stomach

Stomach Capacity- CARNIVORE: 60% to 70% of total volume of digestive tract
HERBIVORE: Less than 30% of total volume of digestive tract
OMNIVORE: 60% to 70% of total volume of digestive tract
HUMAN: 21% to 27% of total volume of digestive tract

Length of Small Intestine- CARNIVORE: 3 to 6 times body length
HERBIVORE: 10 to more than 12 times body length
OMNIVORE: 4 to 6 times body length
HUMAN: 10 to 11 times body length

Colon- CARNIVORE: Simple, short and smooth
HERBIVORE: Long, complex; may be sacculated
OMNIVORE: Simple, short and smooth
HUMAN: Long, sacculated

Liver- CARNIVORE: Can detoxify vitamin A
HERBIVORE: Cannot detoxify vitamin A
OMNIVORE: Can detoxify vitamin A
HUMAN: Cannot detoxify vitamin A

Kidney- CARNIVORE: Extremely concentrated urine
HERBIVORE: Moderately concentrated urine
OMNIVORE: Extremely concentrated urine
HUMAN: Moderately concentrated urine

Nails- CARNIVORE: Sharp claws
HERBIVORE: Flattened nails or blunt hooves
OMNIVORE: Sharp claws
HUMAN: Flattened nails

As you can see, the similarities between herbivores and humans are almost identical except in the teeth and nail area. Humans share no similarities with carnivores or omnivores except the stomach type. Herbivores also share the same type of stomach as well. Now the results of his findings:

“In conclusion, we see that human beings have the gastrointestinal tract structure of a "committed" herbivore. Humankind does not show the mixed structural features one expects and finds in anatomical omnivores such as bears and raccoons. Thus, from comparing the gastrointestinal tract of humans to that of carnivores, herbivores and omnivores we must conclude that humankind's GI tract is designed for a purely plant-food diet.”

It seems that we have been sold a bad bill of goods. No wonder all these new diseases and ailments that never existed in the past are now here. You should be present in every moment of your life. Especially when you are eating. How we fuel our bodies is beyond important. Everything that embodies our life is centered on the food choices we make. Our mental, emotional, and physical health. Well that sounds like everything to me. To live is to experience life to its complete fullness. Not spending time curing ailments and disease; feeling bad the majority of the time. Having to spend time on dealing with dis-ease because of eating and thinking the wrong things will keep you in survival mode. Are you alive or just surviving?