It is interesting.  Meat eaters consider vegetarians stupid; vegetarians consider meat eaters as evil.

Cheers–

MRE 

Maybe today’s vegetarians are atoning for the eco sins of their fathers.

Cheers–

MRE 

For me, realizing that variations in biochemical and biophysiological makeup predispose people to thrive on various dietary approaches has caused me to wonder what all of the fuss is about. Why the animosity between vegetarians and omnivores?

Apparently, avoiding red meat works for substantial numbers of people. However, it would be nice if there were some research correlating HDL blood cholesterol levels with omnivore/vegetarian approaches.

I understand higher HDL levels correlate with greater longevity; it’s a characteristic often shared by centenarians. For example, “…Dr. Nir Barzilai, who has been studying centenarians for genetic and biochemical clues to longevity. At the top of the list so far: HDL and lipoprotein size … Small lipoproteins imply a shorter, less healthy life.” http://www.fightaging.org/archives/000679.php)

Good website. I just now discovered it.

Hi Dave–

I have read Roger Williams’ book.  But I’m not sure it applies to the omnivore/vegetarian debate.

A few years back a remodeling project drove us from our bedroom, bath and shower to one of our guest rooms.  In my own familiar shower, I could turn the handle to precisely the correct position to ensure a flow of water of just the right amount of hotness for me.  When I used the guest shower, I had a helluva time getting the heat adjusted.  The handle and shower mechanisms were exactly the same in both showers, made by the same manufacturer, and installed at the same time.  If I had to get them repaired, they would both take the exact same parts.  Yet they were different.  When I turned the handle on the guest shower to the same place that worked so well on my own, I got a slightly different mix of hot and cold water that I had to fiddle with to adjust to my liking. But although slightly different, they were in more ways the same.  They both functioned to produce a mixture of hot and cold water channeled upward and directed out through a shower head.

I view biochemical individuality as being analogous to the small differences in function between two anatomically identical showers.  I think minor variations in response to particular foods fall into the same category.  I don’t believe that people are dissimilar enough that one group responds wonderfully to a vegetarian diet while another responds better to an omnivorous or a carnivorous diet.  I believe that humans were evolved to perform optimally on a particular diet.  The search for this diet occupies much of my time.  At this point in my quest I’m pretty certain that that diet is a meat-based, low-carbohydrate diet.  I realize that there will be a variation of response to this diet just as there was a variation of response to my ‘identical’ showers, but I don’t think anyone will necessarily do better on a vegetarian diet.  I think there are people who seem to tolerate a vegetarian diet better than others, but that doesn’t mean a vegetarian diet is optimal even for them.

I could go on and on, but I’m sure you get my point.

Cheers–

MRE 

thanks..as always a superb blog

Hi Simon–

I can’t see why a splash of berry juice would have a negative effect.  Go for it.

Cheers–

MRE 

Many years ago I had a stint with vegetarianism. I’ve noticed that in the past couple of years it’s grown quite a bit in acceptance along with “organic” and “green” living. I might just check this out of the library the next time I go there.

Best Regards!

Hi Carly–

If you saw the list of books “screaming for my attention” you would probably find most of them dull as dishwater.

I hope you’re not planning on reaffirm your vegetarian vows from years gone by.

Cheers–

MRE