Wednesday, Feb. 18, marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter when many Christians abstain from animal foods in remembrance of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert before launching his ministry. But meat-free Lent is much more than a symbol of religious devotion to Christ. It helps reduce the risk of […]
Sanders VanZandt
Posted inLetters
S. VanZandt: Have a ‘tofurky’ Thanksgiving
This week, President Obama will pardon two turkeys to promote the turkey industry. Every one of us can exercise that same pardon power by choosing a nonviolent Thanksgiving observance. It is a most fitting way to give thanks for our own life, health and happiness. The 240 million turkeys killed in the U.S. this year […]
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S. VanZandt: A better choice of lifestyle
Recently, the drinking water of 400,000 Toledo residents was fouled by animal waste. With unfettered growth of animal agriculture and ineffective discharge regulations, it might happen here in Maine. The problem has become pervasive. Waste from chicken farms has rendered the ocean off the East Coast unfit for fishing. Waste from Midwest cattle ranches, carried […]
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S. VanZandt: A recommended diet
TV host Glenn Beck and other stalwarts of the Christian right have attacked the recent blockbuster “Noah” as being “pro-animal” and unfaithful to the Bible. Well, I would have to say yes and no. The film is both pro-animal and faithful to the Bible, at least to the Book of Genesis, the only source for […]
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S. VanZandt: A healthier lifestyle
An article in a recent Time Magazine cited several reasons for vegetarians living longer. The article was prompted by a report in the American Medical Association’s Internal Medicine that a vegetarian diet lowers blood pressure, a key factor in the risk of heart failure and stroke. The Mayo Clinic notes that vegetarians are at lower […]
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S. VanZandt: An uncanny parallel
Jan. 17, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Surgeon General’s first report on health hazards of cigarette smoking, that office released a report linking smoking to several new chronic diseases. Those include diabetes, erectile dysfunction, cancer of the colon and liver, and stroke, in addition to the well-known links to lung […]
Posted inLetters
S. VanZandt: Embrace the vegan lifestyle
Aug. 28 marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s march on Washington, observed with marches, speeches and speculation on what causes Dr. King would embrace today. He would certainly continue to work for racial equality. But he would also likely advocate for a rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan, workers’ rights, gay rights and animal rights. […]