This thread is a tangent from "What's your religion and why?" in the Religion and Philosophy forum, where we mentioned meat and the Bible.

Until recently, we were "omnivorous," yes, but meat was not a major part of anyone's diet. Even today it takes 16 pounds of corn to make one pound of beef -- pricey, which is why most third world cultures use meat sparingly. Even in the context of evolution, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables (And grains, pasta, potatoes, etc -- don't assume vegetarians only eat salad) makes the most sense for our bodies. Vegetarianism isn't such a bad option.

My dad runs a health program for businesses, who enroll their employees in it to save money on health insurance fees. He can garuntee a return on investment within months. What's the secret? All but eliminating meat from the diet, focusing on fresh "simple" (unprocessed) foods (fruits, grains, and vegetables), plus exercise and water (meaning dropping soda, sweetened tea, and coffee). Sounds terrible, but after a few weeks you actually get used to it -- and the tremendous difference it makes in people's lives cannot be ignored. It's supported by studies from all around the world, which point to the fact that -- though genetics play a small part -- health is a choice, not chance. 80% of type 2 diabetes cases can be essentially cured just by lowering the amount of fat in the diet. Many mental illnesses -- such as schizophrenia -- are virtually impossible to find outside of the western culture, and cancer is scarce as well. Osteoporosis has been linked closely to excess intake of protein, which negates the body's ability to retain calcium (No matter how much milk you drink).

There, I made my rant. Comments? Do I sound like just another health freak?

SigmaX