Environmental and Health Consequences of Meat and Dairy by Sharon L. Wallenberg

“The animal protein culture, conventionally viewed as improved consumption in a “nutrition transition”, has serious environmental and health consequences.”  The Lancet

Seven million people die every year from air pollution.  Animal agriculture is responsible for methane which holds heat in the atmosphere more effectively than carbon dioxide.  In addition, animal agriculture causes air pollution from ammonia, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide.  This is in addition to water and land pollution.  Manure laden with disease, chemicals, antibiotics and hormones is polluting rivers and water tables worldwide, poisoning soils and contaminating waterways.

The single most effective way to eliminate the majority of the problems faced today – food insecurity, hunger, poverty, climate change, disease, habitat loss and species extinction is the plant-based diet, and elimination of exploitation of the most vulnerable – those of other species.

The recent EAT-Lancet Commission advocates plant-based foods.  “Eating plants directly rather than in meat, dairy, eggs, much less of the crop is required to deliver the same amount of protein, without the pollution and pandemics.”

 

Nature Strikes Back

U N Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated: ‘Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21^st century.  Humanity is waging war on nature, and nature always strikes back.  It is already doing so with growing force and fury.” 

The underlying cause of Earth’s problems are its thoughtless treatment of nature including animal agriculture, conventional agricultural practices, and the unjust treatment of other species.  Failure to live in peace with nature causes zoonotic disease, (75 % of all disease), wasteful use of scarce resources - land and water, and global warming.

16 times more farmland is needed for a diet of animal protein than plant protein.  Copious amount of water are used in animal agriculture.  Methane from animal agriculture holds heat in the atmosphere more effectively than carbon dioxide.  This dominion over the Earth and other sentient beings is not simply sustainable. 

Assuming human superiority over Nature, and other species, is causing the predicament we are facing today.  It is only when pride is surpassed by compassion will these deadly dilemmas be overcome.

Sharon L. Wallenberg’s new book ‘Transitioning To A Plant-Based Lifestyle’ is full of scientific facts, how lifestyle choices are affecting Earth, tips on living a happier, more fulfilling and compassionate life.  Available on Amazon soon.

"Transitioning To A Plant-Based Lifestyle", A New Book by Sharon L.Wallenberg

Today everyone is concerned with health, quality of life, and longevity.  Old ways are not working, and it is becoming more obvious that a comprehensive new approach is necessary.  No longer can we wait unit illness occurs or incorporate a nominal amount of exercise and supplements into our regime and consider the problem solved.  What is needed is a new Lifestyle!  And one that works!

Preventative medicine is a new relatively concept.  Given the rising healthcare costs, and plethora of preventable illness, it has practical ramifications.  Preventative medicine involves diet and exercise to prevent the more egregious and expensive maladies and for practical reasons and is beginning to have roots in modern medicine.  Lifestyle Medicine has begun to emerge as an alternative to conventional ways that are not working. 

I think it is possible to go further than preventative medicine and lifestyle medicine to simply ‘lifestyle’ which encompasses all facets of living life.  It is physical, mental and spiritual – mind, body, and soul!  This concept has been around for many years and was considered ‘new age’.  Although its roots may have been on the fringe, it is finally becoming a main-stream concept.  Doctors may refer to it as ‘Lifestyle Medicine’, but I prefer to simply call it ‘Lifestyle’ since it is an all-encompassing healthy way to live life.

‘Lifestyle’ includes not only Diet and Exercise, but also Relaxation, Rejuvenation, Detox, Happiness, Kindness, Compassion, Courage, Humility, Gratitude and Honesty - and most importantly - Forgiveness.  A toxic, unforgiving lifestyle can lead just as easily to disease and debilitation as any tangible cause.  Happiness and kindness may not have monetary value or scientific studies to prove their worth, but I believe they contribute greatly to wholesomeness and longevity.

My new book, “Transitioning to a Plant-Based Lifestyle” proposes to show you how you can live a fuller life, without the assortment of contemporary illness, dissatisfactions, and emptiness, a life that includes not just health, but happiness and purpose.  One that is lived with courage and conviction, is meaningful and enjoyable and includes the satisfaction of knowing that your life makes a difference for many more besides yourself.  It is called the Plant-Based (Vegan) Lifestyle.  

The Plant-Based (Vegan) Lifestyle is about compassion.  It is not just a diet.  It is a Lifestyle that not only involves diet, exercise, and health.  It is about making the world a better place, not only for people, but for the billions of other inhabitants we share this planet with.  It is about providing simple solutions to complex global issues.  Plant-based (vegan) is not a form of deprivation.  It is a lifestyle which embraces life, and life lived to the fullest.  This lifestyle holds the promise of a healthier population, a sustainable planet, and kindness and compassion for all.

 

 

 

On Line Vegan Retreat

The Vegan Retreat is a virtual internet business offering support for individuals seeking to transition from the unhealthy meat and dairy based diet to the healthful plant based vegan diet.  This will be accomplished through lectures by the Founder on a variety of relevant topics, and individual counseling sessions by appointment.  Individual counseling fees will be announced.

Lectures are offered remotely on the internet.  Topics include Understanding Nutrition; Reversing Diabetes; Cancer Causes and Prevention; Healthy Hearts; Natural Pain Management; Weight Loss Naturally; Raw Food Made Easy;  Personal Wellbeing; Stress Management; Understanding Zoonotic Disease Causes and Prevention; Plant Based Kitchen Essentials; Organic vs. Veganic; Sustainable Agriculture; Detox; Draining The Lymphatic System; Hormones and Balance; The Body’s Need for Water; Animal Agriculture - Its Implications for Human Health and the Environment;  Environmental Effects of Dietary Choice; Transitioning from the Meat and Dairy Based Diet to the Healthful Plant Based Vegan Diet; and many others.

Individual Counseling sessions will be offered by appointment on Zoom for a fee.  In person meetings for small groups will be held at The Rabbit Hole, a vegan restaurant in Pompano Beach.

Sharon Wallenberg is a Health Care Provider with experience as a Dietitian, Licensed Massage Therapist, Licensed Colon Therapist, and Licensed Esthetician.  She has certifications in Reiki, Reflexology, Live Blood Cell Analysis, Lymphatic Drainage, and Microdermabrasion.  She is a graduate of the Christian Healing Ministry - School of Healing Prayer. 

Ms. Wallenberg has a Masters Degree in Business from Long Island University, has studied on the Doctoral level at Fordham University, has a Bachelor Degree in Business from the University of the State of New York, and an Associate Degree in Nutrition from Westchester Community College.

Ms. Wallenberg is the Founder of Vegan International, a UN ECOSOC applicant.  The Advisory Board includes health experts: Neal Barnard, M.D., T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., Nandita Shaw, M.D., Lawrence Kushi, Sc.D., Juliana Hever, R.D., exercise experts: Robert Cheeke and Mindy Colette, and veganic agriculture experts: Nassim Nobari, Mona Seymour, and William Faith.

Ms. Wallenberg attended Carolina Farm Stewardship Association Conferences, completed the Organic Growers Certification program, and attended agriculture classes at the University of North Carolina.

She is the Author of “The Search For Raoul Wallenberg – The Truth”, is currently writing “Transitioning to a Plant-Based Lifestyle” and many, many articles on Health, and United Nations issues.

 

Sunshine Overcomes Depression by Sharon L. Wallenberg

It is a scientific fact that sunshine produces a chemical reaction in the brain.  The brain produces serotonin, a chemical that is a potent mood enhancer.   There is a relationship between serotonin production and bright light, usually the sun, but can be from artificial light.  Serotonin is a natural anti-depressant without the dangerous side effects of anti-depressant drugs. Some of these drugs have been linked to suicides.

Conversely, the lack of sunshine has been scientifically proven to cause depression.  People who spend most of their time indoors not only miss receiving Vitamin D from the action of sunlight on the skin, but also have a higher risk of depression. 

Next time you feel down in the dumps, go for a walk outside, and enjoy the beautiful, healthful Florida sunshine.  Don’t forget the sunscreen!  Humans in their infinite lack of wisdom have depleted the earth’s ozone (protection) layer making it necessary (and lucrative for some) to use sunscreen.  The SPF rating (which you always wanted to know what it meant, but too were embarrassed to ask) stands for Sun Protection Factor. 

Enjoy the sun!  Be happy!

Enjoy the sun!  Be happy!

World Response to Coronavirus Disease and Climate Change by Sharon L. Wallenberg

The UN Climate Ambition Summit, (Dec. 12, 2020), the UN General Assembly 31^st Special Session – In Response To the Coronavirus Disease Covid-19 Pandemic (Dec. 4, 2020), and UN Summit on Biodiversity (Sept. 30, 2020), had one thing in common – THEY ALL MISSED THE POINT!

No one can argue with the ideas discussed in the Climate Ambition Summit, five years after the Paris Agreement.  Coal consumption needs to be cut, dependence on fossil fuel needs to end, solar, wind, and hydro energy need to be promoted.  BUT THE SINGLE GREATEST CONTRIBUTOR TO CLIMATE CHANGE, METHANE FROM ANIMALS RAISED TO BE EATEN BY HUMANS, WAS NOT EVEN MENTIONED.

The United Nations General Assembly 31^st Special Session – In Response to the Coronavirus Disease Covid-19 Pandemic discussed a plethora of ideas, BUT NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC - EXPLOITATION OF ANIMALS.  The discussion included the disproportionate adverse effect on women and girls being victimized by violence from frustrated men.  There are currently 2.5 million more child marriages, and a high rate of death from childbirth in girls 15 to 19 years old.  Eleven million girls are at risk of not going back to school after the pandemic.  Violence against children 2 to 17 years old is up to one billion.  Hundreds of millions of children have been out of school.  Refugees, displaced persons, migrant workers, and the countries that host them, are particularly vulnerable.  The poorest countries are the most impacted.  Worldwide there were eight million people in hunger increasing to135 million in the last four years.  This has now spiked to 270 million people starving during the Covid pandemic.  Efforts to provide clean water, nutrition and health care in developing nations have been seriously affected.  The pandemic has exacerbated efforts to combat other lethal diseases including malaria and measles.  The poorest countries are the most impacted.  The crisis is especially difficult in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) whose economies depend primarily on tourism.  235 million people may not survive 2021. 

Vaccines are currently available, but there is not enough money to purchase all the vaccines needed worldwide.  There are no vaccine distribution mechanisms in developing nations.  UNICEF, WHO, and GAVI will attempt to finance and distribute vaccines in remote areas.  The maxim: ‘No one is safe until everyone is safe’, needs to be embraced.

Only once during the Special Session was the actual cause of the pandemic referred to: ‘Wet markets should be closed.’  Only one speaker, Pavan Sukhdev, from United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), referred to the inability to live in harmony with nature, and habitat destruction, in relation to pandemic disease.  Ten percent of the Earth’s forests have been lost, causing closer interaction between humans and other species.  Habitat destruction and species extinction makes transmission of disease more likely to happen.  High biodiversity reduces the risk of zoonotic disease by the ‘Dilution Effect’, protecting human health.  Mr. Sukhdev said further that chemical farming is destroying soil, and referred to natural farming (also known as Veganic Agriculture) which produces higher yields at lower costs, without risk of the disease producing contaminants Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and others from animal exploitation.  THE CURRENT GLOBAL HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CRISIS IS CAUSED BY THE EXPLOITATION OF VOICELESS, RIGHTLESS SPECIES BY THE HUMAN SPECIES.

The Unfulfilled Promise of Nuremberg

From an article by Ben Ferencz (Wallenberg's Neighbor) and added to by Sharon Wallenberg

After millions of innocent people were killed in World War Two, everyone prayed for a more peaceful future.  The primary goal of the United Nations was “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” 

An International Military Tribunal (IMT) was established in Nuremberg.  Chief Prosecutor Robert M. Jackson (US Supreme Court) warned that if law was to serve a useful purpose, “it must condemn aggression by any other nations including those who sit here now in judgement.” 

A war called Speciesism is being perpetrated on innocent victims by all developed nations.  This unlimited aggression is against those most vulnerable on this planet - defenseless animals - considered by some to be another nation.

“To initiate a war of aggression is the supreme international crime” was decided at Nuremberg...It was hoped that this might deter future wars.  Yet, it soon became apparent that not all were prepared to give up their perceived right to go to war. 

Speciesism, is a supreme international crime.  It is a war against the defenseless who are murdered, incarcerated, abused, subjected to habitat destruction and species extinction.  The by-products of this war are climate change from methane; pollution of water, land, and air; rising human health care costs and human morbidity and mortality.

The promise of Nuremberg remains unfulfilled.