Are Hot Dogs as Bad as Cigarettes?

By Michael d’Estries, Mother Nature Network

We all know the damage that cigarettes can cause to our health, but should hot dogs be given the same cold shoulder? 

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit that advocates for a plant-based diet and preventative medicine, that answer is yes — and this is but one of many processed foods that are slowly killing us.

How Dairy Actually Causes Osteoporosis

I know what you are thinking, dairy prevents osteoporosis. It keeps my bones strong right? Wrong. The more dairy you consume the weaker your bones become, let me explain how. 

Thinking back to High School Chemistry, we remember acids and alkaline. When placed together they neutralize making both ineffective. What many don't realize is that calcium is an alkaline, while the proteins in milk are an acid. The problem is that there is actually more acid in the milk than alkaline calcium. So when you drink the milk, your body has to leach more calcium from what is already in your bones in order to neutralize the acids coming in. Of course we cannot give dairy all the blame, but it is definitely a large part of the problem. The problem is too much protein in our diets. It is so sad that those who consumes dairy to prevent osteoporosis, are actually causing the opposite to occur. 

Processed Meats Declared Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

By Mike Adams

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has just completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer. Its conclusion is rocking the health world with startling bluntness: Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption. Consumers should stop buying and eating all processed meat products for the rest of their lives.

UN Urges a Vegan Diet To Feed A Growing Population

A recent report released by the United Nations found that the rate in which other cultures are moving toward a Western diet that's heavy on both meat and dairy is simply unsustainable. The UN also proclaimed that diet was one of the largest contributors to fossil fuel consumption. With the global population surging to a predicted 9.1 billion by 2050, a vegan diet will be a must in order to be able to feed the population.

According to the report, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Production and Consumption: Priority Products and Materials, seen on the Guardian:

The Protein Myth

In the past, some people believed one could never get too much protein. In the early 1900s, Americans were told to eat well over 100 grams of protein a day. And as recently as the 1950s, health-conscious people were encouraged to boost their protein intake. Today, some diet books encourage high-protein intake for weight loss, although Americans tend to take in twice the amount of protein they need already. And while individuals following such a diet have sometimes had short-term success in losing weight, they are often unaware of the health risks associated with a high-protein diet. Excess protein has been linked with osteoporosis, kidney disease, calcium stones in the urinary tract, and some cancers.

Cooking Without Eggs

Many people choose not to use eggs in their diet. About 70 percent of the calories in eggs are from fat, and a big portion of that fat is saturated. They are also loaded with cholesterol—about 213 milligrams for an average-sized egg. Because egg shells are fragile and porous and conditions on egg farms are crowded, eggs are the perfect host for salmonella—the bacteria that is the leading cause of food poisoning in this country.