"Nothing will benefit health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." Who could argue with one of the smartest men that ever lived, Albert Einstein? Decreasing meat in the diet will greatly reduce the risk of many life-threatening health problems. Americans consume more meat than any other country, and also have many more serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and cancer. It has been a long known fact that you are what you eat, and your health is directly affected by your diet. In most cases, the best cure for disease is prevention and the best medicine is education. (Avery-Grant 131).
About fourteen million years ago, all of us were vegetarians. The advanced ape that, according to evolutionists, was our ancestor, ate many trees, and probably some insects, but mainly, he/she was a herbivore. The first documented vegetarian was the famous Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras, who lived during the sixth century B.C. He opposed the consumption of animal flesh because he believed that the human soul was immortal and moved on to a new body after death, possibly that of an animal. Many early religious groups, particularly the Hindus and Jainists, shared this idea. The followers of Jainism are probably the most extreme vegans, to this day they will not eat any food that had been uprooted from the ground, such and potatoes or turnips for fear that a worm might be deprived of its soil. They also wear nose and mouth coverings to avoid breathing in tiny organisms. Many religions have special diets, such as the Jewish faith, in which you are not allowed to eat pork or shellfish. (Pork is also forbidden by Muslims). As insects are also prohibited, orthodox Jews must be careful not to bite into a wormy apple. The most well-known vegetarian group today is probably the Seventh-day Adventists.