I can't make up stories stanger than this...

[Mistress M]

Those same tribal people you're talking about who "hunt and fish" also have parasites from the fish and meat they eat.

If we want to talk about "natural man", let's talk about early human cannibalism. Genetic markers found all over the world show that we developed a gene early on to protect us from brain diseases caused by eating human flesh. Evidence from pre-historic human skeletons indicate that we would even crack the bones of the dead to suck out the marrow. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n..._cannibal.html)

[ElizabethX]

Why do tribes hunt and fish?

Because it's what they've been doing for thousands of years.

Yeah to what Mistress said. You know, there is plenty about the tribal or more natural peoples that we wouldn't condone, diet and all. We bring up hunting and fishing because it is one thing that still remains a connection from them to us while ignoring the other aspects of "civilized" "evolution" we have undergone and enjoyed in our histories and present which SURELY separate us. For this one connection, hunting and fishing seems pure, but does it's continued tie just up into today MAKE it pure? How many of us championing the virtues of hunting and fishing are purists, or even naturalists ourselves? I am not calling to question any tribe to tell the tribe how wrong they are. All I know is my own evolution has brought me here. In diet and lifestyle it is hard to compare any of us to tribes...

[wendyful04]

I've been eating less and less actual meat lately.
Tonight, I had pasta topped with diced tomatoes, slices of jalapeno, chunks of garlic and minced cilantro, all sauteed in water with a dab of butter. Yummy dinner. Didn't weigh me down at all, even though I ate two bowls.

Honestly, I can't make myself believe that one way of eating -as far as the vegan/non-vegan debate goes - is any better than the other. I know overweight, psychotic, sickly vegans. I know overweight, psychotic, sickly non-vegans.

All I know is that the people around me who try to eat as healthy as they possibly can and exercise frequently and have an upbeat attitude seem to be the most beautiful and most healthy of all.

[ElizabethX]

True enough... but to me, the vegan/vegetarian thing was never really about health.

[Etherspin]

Nope - for health reasons people might adopt a "strict vegetarian" diet , no animal products in your food, but they wont actually go vegan which is the omission of animal products from all possible facets of your consumption , e.g. a strict vegetarian might still wear a wool jumper..
first and foremost its about ethics and recognising the connection and similarities between humans and all sentient beings - the environmental and health implications of a well executed vegie diet are just compelling side effects