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Photo by Guy Théroux © For information on the Blood Type Diet, click here Great Vegetarian restaurants in Ottawa
Why vegetarian meals ? Note: Not everyone wants to become a vegetarian. For some, an occasional vegetarian meal suffices to complete one's need of vegetables, fruits and vegetable proteins, and as a way to live healthier and lower one's cholesterol. Some dedicate one day a week as their vegetarian day. It is a personal choice and we respect it fully. We have no intentions to impose any diet on anyone. The following information may simply serve as a means to inspire you to add some vegetarian meals to your life. We, at the Kaivalya centre have been vegetarians for decades and are happy to report a health that is likely above the average. But still, we do not wish to impose this diet on anyone; we believe in a free, educated choice about our lifestyles and diet. Warmest regards, Lynne and Jürgen
Why vegetarianism?
* SURVIVAL OF HUMANS According to researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, following a nutritional investigation carried out on 6,000 vegetarians, vegetarians have a 28% reduced risk of dying from cardiac disease and a 39% reduced risk of dying from cancer, compared to risks associated with people who consume meat regularly. Generally, the studies and statistics confirm that vegetarians suffer less from the following illnesses: hypertension, infractus, hypercholesterolemy, diabetes, renal calculi, anaemia, arthritis, osteoporosis, and cancers of the breast, ovaries, prostate or colon; then those who consume meat. They have an extremely strong immune system. The white blood cells of vegetarians are likely to be twice as effective in destroying tumoral cells compared to those of the carnivores; according to a study undertaken in Germany. SURVIVAL OF ANIMALS According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 800 million animals are slaughtered yearly in Canada. That is more than 2 millions a day in Canada alone! Those animals live in Holocaust-like conditions; a miserable life, ending in the slaughterhouse. The meat industry considers animals to be solely a source of profit, a meat machine on legs. In intensive breeding programs animals suffer from chronic respiratory problems, diarrhoea, heart attacks, cancers, viral arthritis, eye pain due to the emanations of ammonia, stomach ulcers, pneumonia, etc. The meat industry then uses a panoply of chemicals - vaccines, hormones, tranquillisers, antibiotics - to counter these diseases. On a world-wide scale, the industry uses more than 27,000 tons of antibiotics. The pigs consume 60% of total volume, while poultry consume approximately 20%. Laying hens live several to a small cage, suffering from decalcification of the bones, deformations of the legs, wounds and lesions on the skin and the plumage. Aggressiveness, cannibalism, frustration and despair characterise the breeding of captive birds. Chickens, turkeys and other birds also undergo the horrors of intensive breeding: overpopulation, mutilation, insufficient ventilation, chronic respiratory problems, cancers, viral arthritis or blindness. More than 3 billion poultry are killed annually in North America. A cow provides 6,000 litres of milk per year, which is 5 times more than in the Fifties. They pass the majority of their existence pregnant and in a state of enforced lactation in order to produce both calves and milk because without a calf, there is no milk! The calf is separated from his/her mother a few days after his/her birth. The "milk calf" is tied by the neck, in darkness and in such a narrow enclosure that it can neither take a step, lick himself or lie down. Twice per day, for approximately 4 months, the lights are turned on only at feeding times. For nourishment it is fed a chemical pulp which makes it feeble, so that its meat, called veal, has the beautiful pale pink colour and tenderness so heavily coveted by gourmets! The cow is killed at around 5 years of age, whereas its life expectancy is 20 years. The great majority of "ground meat" comes from milk cows. And all cows end their days in the violence of the slaughterhouses, as they and their calves feed the meat market. Pigs provide an industry of 7 million animals killed per year in Quebec alone (20 million in Canada). Right up to its last day of existence, a pig's life is summarised by cruelty. It is a life of castration without anaesthesia, ears notched, cut teeth and a tail cut to avoid cannibalism. Pigs raised on large hog farms suffer massively from respiratory problems, chronic diarrhoea and cardiopathies. Inactivity, crowdedness, and deprivation of its most elementary needs, cause in this sensitive and intelligent animal, troubled or violent behaviours. SURVIVAL OF THE PLANET On earth, we find 2.5 billion bovines, which eject into the atmosphere 75 million m3 of methane produced per annum through fermentation of defecation or during digestion. Methane is partially responsible for global warming. A farm with an average of 2,000 pigs produces in one week 30 tons of manure and even greater quantity of urine. To produce one beef protein it takes fifteen plant proteins and for one poultry protein it takes eight of them. An acre of cultivable land can produce 70 kg. of beef or 10,000 kg of potatoes. To nourish a vegetarian, we need 1/4 acre of land or less; carnivores need 4 acres. Therefore the land area needed to nourish 1 carnivore can supply the food and water needed to nourish 16 vegetarians. The cereals necessary for 100 cows would nourish 2,000 humans. One needs 9,326 litres of water to produce 450 kg. of beef; we need 80 litres of water to produce the same quantity of lettuce. More than 50% of the world production of fish is used to feed livestock. 15 MILLION CHILDREN DIE OF HUNGER ON OUR PLANET EACH YEAR! If we ate only 10% less animal proteins on earth, the agricultural surface released by the cattle would make it possible to nourish 1 billion human beings. The Meat industry is an ecological catastrophe. It causes erosion and impoverishment of the soil, turning it into a desert, deforestation, wasting of natural resources, and air and water pollution. OUR INDIVIDUAL FOOD CHOICES HAVE A PLANETARY REPERCUSSION * * * "Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." Albert Einstein "...So we want our environmental ethics to honor all without exception as manifestations of Spirit, and also, at the same time, be able to make pragmatic distinctions of intrinsic worth, and realize that it is much better to kick a rock than an ape, much better to eat a carrot than a cow, much better to subsist on grains than on mammals." -Ken Wilber, A Brief History of Everything, pg 40 "The principal cause of intoxication from the toxic pesticides and other products is consumption of food rich in fat like meat and dairy products. Vegetarian food or a diet low in animal products make it possible to substantially reduce our exposure to the majority of these carcinogenic products." Lewis Regenstein, author, writer.
"Does the rich white man, with his meat overconsumption and his lack of generosity towards poor people, act just like a cannibal - an indirect cannibal? While consuming meat, which wasted all the grain which could have saved them, we ate the children of the Sahel, Ethiopia and Bengladesh. And we continue to still eat with an unsatiated appetite" Rene Dumont, scientist, writer, activist. "Vegetarians have the best food. They have the lowest rate of coronary diseases of any group of people in this country. Certain people make fun of vegetarians, but vegetarians constitute a fraction of the percentage of the heart attacks. They out survive us. At present, they exceed by 6 years the expectation of life of meat eaters." Dr. William Castelli, cardiologist * * * AHIMSA is a Sanskrit word meaning "non-violence". AHIMSA is a Quebec organisation with existing non-profit goals since 1987. It aims to defend, promote and support the interests, the needs and the rights of animals. AHIMSA informs and encourages peaceful behaviour toward animals and nature. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE -- Your financial contribution to AHIMSA will allow you to receive our pamphlets on fur, vivisection, vegetarianism, etc. and our Newsletter, including vegetarian recipes, etc. But most significantly, you will help us to reach more people and will thus contribute to circulating this information, to sensitise and defend the cause of animals and our planet. Newsletter: Subscription for 4 publications: 18$ - Web site: www.ahimsa.cjb.net Books: "Végétarisme et non-violence: 13$(postage included) AHIMSA For consultations on Nutrition contact Sylvie Gouin at : 613. 290.5283
QUOTE: "You have just dined, and, however scrupulously the slaughter-house is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
An interesting Web site on Being Green and Vegetarianism.
Click here:
Protein When we take in more protein then we need the breakdown and excretion of the sulphur containing amino acids causes the urine to become more acidic. As the urine becomes more acidic, it caries out calcium with it. This loss has been associated with osteoporosis and the excess creates a weakness for the kidneys that may lead to kidney disease. All animal flesh and dairy products are concentrated sources of protein and sulfur amino acids. Proteins taken in from plants also contain sulphur amino acids which are essential for building body protein however they have less of a concentration of these and are therefore a better choice for anyone who wants to increase his or her intake of protein but does not want to negatively effect his or her overall well being. Essential Amino Acid (building blocks of protein) They are essential because the body cannot manufacture them, they need to be implemented through diet. Eggs, tofu, quinoa and wheat provide us with all nine. However it is not necessary to get all nine at the same meal. It can be provided healthfully to the body throughout the day. Good sources of vegetarian protein include: Grains: wheat, quinoa, millet and rice + they are high in iron, zinc and the B vitamins. Legumes: lentils, adzuki beans, peas, mung beans, chick peas and much more there are over 11 thousand different kinds of legumes. They also provide three advantages over animal protein: 1 - the fat that is present is unsaturated, 2- they are a good source of calcium and 3- they are high in soluble and insoluble fiber. Nuts and Seeds: when meat and dairy products are eliminated the intake of fats especially saturated fats drops considerably therefore nuts and seeds provide us with valuable oils and the fat content is not a worry. They are a great source of protein as well as vitamins, minerals and in some cases good source of Omega-3 EFA. Seitan: Made from the gluten in wheat flour it is very high in protein. Excellent for strength and vitality. It is an excellent substitute for animal protein. It can be added to stir-fry dishes, stews, soups and salads. Tempeh: fermented cooked soybeans bound together by a mold (Rhyzopus) Different varieties are obtained by adding wheat rice millet or peanuts and then allowing it to ferment for different lengths of time. It is a great source of protein low in saturated fats and Asian tempeh is even a good source of vitamin B12. It is available fresh, frozen, dried or precooked. It can be steamed, fried or broiled. Vegetables are also a source of protein which complements the other amino acids. Iron
* women between 19-49 years of age: 13 mg
Vitamin B12 Vitamin D Zinc Calcium Sylvie Gouin © - Certified Nutritionist - 613.290.5283 * For a private consultation on nutrition contact Sylvie Gouin at the phone number mentioned above. * For introduction to Vegetarian Cooking Classes contact Lynne Cardinal at 613.721.7888 or click here
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In the following web pages are some very interesting comments on the Blood Type Diet: "Eat Right 4 Your Type" - An analysis done by Dr. Ronald Roth. This page has interesting study and comparison of different tendencies related to different blood types. The statistics do not support the principles of the Blood Type Diets, making it a very questionable diet. Visit this web page for details: http://www.acu-cell.com/btd.html Also: http://www.earthsave.org/news/bloodtyp.htm http://www.vegsource.com/articles/blood_hype.htm http://www.all-creatures.org/health/zonebloodtype.html
Great Vegetarian Restaurants in Ottawa: Here are a few addresses of some of the greatest vegetarian restaurants in Ottawa and Gatineau areas (though the vegetarian diet can easily be accomodated in all restaurants): The Green Door Restaurant Vegetarian and Organic Foods Since 1988. The Green Door Restaurant is Ottawa's oldest and best known vegetarian restaurant. Specializing in high quality foods and baked goods made from ingredients that are locally grown and produced. Healthy Vegetarian Buffet - 198 Main Street - Ottawa - 613.234.9597 Soup'Herbe café Cafe Soup'Herbe is a non-smoking
establishment that serves vegetarian fare. Located on Chelsea's main street,
the eatery features a terrace and has a liquor license so patron can enjoy
a drink outside during the summer. Address: 168 chemin Old Chelsea Chelsea
QC J9B 1J3 Gaïa The Table
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