VEGETARIANISM

VEGETARIANISM

1.       What is Vegetarianism?

Vegetarianism is nothing but a food habit.  It can be practiced by anyone without any barricade belonging to any caste or creed.  It is simply by eating the greens, vegetables, fleshy fruits and dry fruits.  The vegetarian food is abundantly nutritive, and contains all the constituents of food, such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, mineral salts, vitamins and water.  Most of them contain the fibres which are essential for the prevention of constipation.  Meat, fish and egg do not contain these fibres and hence the non-vegetarians, do not answer to the calls of nature (defaecation) properly.

2.       What transformation is going on among non-vegetarians?

Many non-vegetarians are turning towards vegetarianism, nowadays, because of the benefits and nutritional and medicinal values of vegetarian diet.  The doctors, atpresent advise their parents, with the help of nutritionists while treating the health hazards such as Diabetes, Myocardial infarction (Heart attack), stroke etc.  According to the statistics of PETA, 17 million Americans are vegetarians.  Every year, 1 million Americans are switching over to vegetarianism.  In England, 2000 people are turning to vegetarianism every week.

3.       What are the benefits do you derive by consuming vegetarian food?

The vegetarian food varieties such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and greens etc. do not contain the harmful cholesterol.  Hence, vegetarians are less susceptible to diseases like cancer, diabetes, myocardial infarction (Heart attack), stroke, coronary thrombosis etc.  In America, according to John Robbins, people die mostly at the age of 30 to 45, due to the consumption of meat, fish, egg, some marine organisms, ice creams etc. Because, most of them consume with the above food items saturated with the harmful cholesterol.  The toxins like mercury and dioxin are present in fishes and some marine forms.  These toxins are disastrous and cause renal (kidney) disorders.

The greens contain minerals like calcium, magnesium and iron.  They are essential for good health and maintaining balanced metabolic activities of our body.  All the fruits and vegetables contain vitamins which are definitely needed to prevent “deficiency diseases” such as anaemia, night blindness, nervous disorders, osteoporosis and dermatatis (skin disorders).

4.       How do the vegetarian food help to prevent diseases and infections?

Cabbage

It is a leafy vegetable and it is anti-bacterial.  It cures ulceration of stomach and intestine.  It cures jaundice and kidney disorders.

a) Ginger

It is the underground stem of a plant.  It is antibiotic and fights infection.  It cures diseases like cholera, diarrohea, digestive disorders and whooping cough.

b) Garlic

It is highly anti-bacterial and prevents infections.  It prevents heart attack, it controls intestinal worms, prevents diarrohea, cold, influenza and bronchitis.

c) Lemon

It is anti-bacterial.  It controls cholera by killing bacteria.  It cures throat infection.

d) Turmeric

It is an anti-septic.  It cures cold, skin and throat infections.

e) Onion

It is antiseptic and anti-bacterial.  It controls bacteria.  It cures wounds and mouth infections, pus formation in the ear.

f) Orange

It is one of the citrus fruits.  It contains vitamins A, B, C and calcium.  It cures cold, influenza and prevents haemorrage (Bleeding)

5.       Name some great persons who followed vegetarianism.

Poets	-	Milton, Pope and Shelly
Philosophers	-	Albert Einstein, Pythagoras, Socretes, Leo Tolstoy
Politicians	-	Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardhar Vallabhai Patel, Dr. Abdul Kalam
Singers	-	Michael Jackson, Madonna
Sportsmen	-	P.T. Usha, Vijay Merchant, Anil Kumble, Srikanth
Cine Artists	-	Amitabh Bachan, Hemamalini, Madhavan

Those who consume vegetarian food can live long, maintaining salubrious health without getting diseases.  They are also compassionate and kind towards all living creatures.  They also help us to prevent global warming, pollution and ecological imbalance.  So, let us all take a vow to follow vegetarianism and also strive to make a plea and convince others to follow this.  Let us approach be positive, without hurting the feelings of others.  Let us promote animal welfare and prevention of cruelty to animals.