Do you think meat and general ignorance of nutrition has led to so many illnesses and conditions?

depression, acne, etc. were never really found amongst Aboriginal peoples. With all the chemicals, dyes, processing, pasteurizations, abuse, and mutiliation done to foods and animals and pesticides and chemicals added to veggies & fruits we wonder why illnesses like cancer, swine flu, obesity, and this circus of mental disorders is worse than ever before?

Do you have a link or a reference for your claim that 'Aboriginal peoples' didn't suffer from depression?

Just to pick one of the illnesses you mention - there hasn't been a significant increase in the number of cancer cases in recent years or decades. And nobody knows the causes of cancer - there is no scientific evidence to link meat, diet in general or modern day chemicals to cancer, which is an ancient disease that has been around for as long as humankind and longer.

It is received wisdom on this board that veg*nism reduces the risk of cancer, but there isn't any actual scientific proof of that.

I've been vegetarian most of my life and had been vegan for several years- eating a largely organic diet, minimal junk food and plenty of raw stuff - when I was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer.

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The asker of this question has accused me by email of ''slandering vegetarian or vegans or discouraging ppl of it'' in this answer, told me to ''stop and think that maybe your cancer was a unique situation'' (as I told her, through cancer support networks I have met 3 other vegans with cancer and dozens of vegetarians with cancer), and suggested that my cancer '' can be cured if you stop being negative''.

And she says '' I know I won't get cancer or anything else b/c i work hard not to''. Actually, even by her own dubious figures - she says vegetarians are 40% less likely to get cancer than meat-eaters - more than one in six vegetarian women and more than one in four vegetarian men will develop cancer at some time in their lives.

Thank goodness this kind of smugness and, arrogance and certainty that one is right usually wears off sometime before the age of 30. Nauseating while it lasts though.

Absolutely. It is well known and scientifically documented that ignorance causes acne. A lot of people were betting on chocolate, but that's what causes lice. Contrary to popular belief, depression is not caused by meat but by sadness fairies that sprinkle the tears of the unborn onto your belly button.

Hard to say. Before the mass industrialization of food, people didn't get heart disease and cancer at the rates they do now, partially because they died younger. While modern medicine has made some illnesses--so-called diseases of poverty--a thing of the past, it has made others more common--so-called diseases of affluence.

Many zoonotic (spread from non-humans to humans) illnesses are due to overcrowding and cramping of animals used for food. The overuse of antibiotics in animal industry doesn't help either, as bacteria evolve to outwit the medications so they no longer work.

Obesity is due to too much food--too large portions--and not enough movement. It is possible, but less likely, for vegans to be fat.

I've not heard of additives in food being linked to psychological disorders. Could you possibly fill us in more?

Aborignal peoples didn't worry about acne and depression because they had bigger problems like starvation, infectious diseases, injuries, floods, drought, killing each other, rites of passage, etc.

Mentally ill people were often given the job of priest or "medicine man" in primitive cultures because they were thought to be "closer to the gods."

I agree that excessive meat eating and the standard american diet (sad) contribute to illness and disease. its not the only reason but its a big one. people in america and many other developed countries eat overly processed crap which wreaks havoc on our bodies. obesity is an epidemic and that leads many issues. you are what you eat, plain and simple.

I 100% think that. Of course not all diseases can be attributed to meat eating/processed food eating, but I think a lot can be. I think you would find The China Study by Dr. T Colin Campbell interesting. It's mostly about that stuff. It's actually what made me decide to be a vegetarian (almost vegan).

This doesn't sound like a question...

Plus, I'm a vegetarian, and I still suffer from illnesses and conditions such as and including the ones you described. It's GENETIC and meat-eating is not a genetic defect. Relax.

Haven't your heard of the widely documented Zitipongi tripe of New Guinea? Pimples are highly prized among this primative group, and the man with the largest pimples has the best chance of finding a good mate.

Absolutely.

Meat eaters are twice as likely to get cancer than vegetarians. Any cancer charity can give you those statistics.

Heart disease is the biggest killer... Caused by fatty foods, which mainly means meat and dairy.

Yes.

I reckon.