Senior Project Essay

April 12, 2017

Relevance/Benefits of Veganism in the Scientific Community

My cooking project will be beneficial to my future as a medical doctor in numerous

ways. I plan to enter the field of obstetrics, and know that extensive knowledge of nutrition is

crucial to mastering a medical education and career. Additionally, I believe we should always

care about how our food is made, whats in it, and how it affects our bodies. Finding an approach

to a balance in diet is important to womens health, especially during pregnancy, so there are

skills from this project that will help me on my journey to becoming an OB/GYN and beyond. I

was inspired by my project to conduct research that ultimately furthered my knowledge on

veganisms effect on humans, animals, and the planet.

All knowledge on food and nutrition can be applied to the role of an obstetrician.

Nutrition is of monumental importance to a pregnancy. The development of an embryo is

strongly influenced by the mothers diet, and the effects of malnutrition on a fetus can be deadly.

For example, alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome and birth

defects, and foods high in iron are beneficial during the last trimester of pregnancy. Dietary

effects on hormone levels can help stimulate and increase milk production for new mothers. Diet

is also significant to maintaining womens reproductive health, and dietary caution, like

incorporating cranberries, soy, raspberries, and black cohosh into their diet as much as possible

will benefit their long term health by helping to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease (PID),

urinary tract infections, and even cervical cancer. Knowing these will be important when

working in womens health. This information will promote scientific research that still needs to
be conducted during my lifetime, such as how to grant access to exemplary nutrition to pregnant

women from all socioeconomic groups.

The food we eat can benefit mental health in many ways, as well, with foods that can

reduce stress levels, anxiety, and maintain healthy estrogen levels. Many spices, herbs, and fruits

can act as elixirs to cure an array of ailments, both physical and mental. Examples of this are

goji, ginseng, chamomile, fennel, garlic, milk thistle, ginger, echinacea, eucalyptus ginkgo,

grapes, hibiscus, hawthorn, cinnamon, and chocolate. Who each, when taken regularly, can

improve wellness and perception, digestion, heart and circulatory health, and respiratory issues.

These all work as antioxidants, promoting blood flow, and lowering cholesterol levels. The

healing properties certain foods have on the bodily systems will be extremely useful knowledge

to me in the future and to incorporate into my diet.

When considering going vegan, I had to educate myself in order to make such an

impactful lifestyle change. I read countless studies from Stanford, Cornell, and other prestigious

universities medical research teams. The results were all fascinating. One study found that meat

production is projected to double by 2020 due to increased per capita global consumption of

meat and population growth. Another found that vegans are prone to calcium and vitamin

deficiencies if dietary caution isnt taken. These were all useful to understanding the global

impact veganism has, and provided insight to the health benefits it can grant.

There is abundant scientific proof to conclude that reducing the amount of animal

products consumed, specifically meat, will have a positive impact on our planet. The growth of

the meat industry mirrors the rise in global population, and the demand is boosted even higher as

Earth grows upwards of seven billion people. To meet the rising global demand for meat,

livestock production has increasingly become more industrialized. Small farms with free-
roaming animals have disappeared from most parts of the world. Studies from Stanford found

that currently, three-quarters of the world's poultry supply, half of the pork and two-thirds of the

eggs come from industrial meat factories. This concentration of livestock increases the

environmental burden, runoff and odor, that were present in rather small and diverse quantities

40 years ago have now become concentrated and significant.

While the global meat industry provides food and a livelihood for billions of people, it

also has significant environmental and health consequences for the planet. Over two-thirds of all

agricultural land is devoted to growing feed for livestock. A mere 8 percent is used to grow food

for direct human consumption. The Western worlds consumption of meat annually equates to

176 pounds per capita, and the global livestock industry uses dwindling supplies of freshwater,

destroys forests and grasslands, in addition to causing soil erosion. This pollution and the runoff

of fertilizer/animal wastes create dead zones in coastal areas and smother coral reefs. This has a

significant impact on climate change. Livestock production accounts for 18 percent of global

greenhouse gas emissions, 9 percent of carbon dioxide and 37 percent of methane gas emissions

worldwide. Because of these realities. it is becoming more and more prevalent to embrace a

plant-based lifestyle.

At this point veganism is an extremely advantageous choice for everyone. Not only for its

tremendous health benefits, but for the long term well-being of the planet. By educating and

conducting more research on plant based living, we can implement a small change to improve

our lives. There are lower rates of obesity, lower risk of diabetes and heart disease, and among

vegans. The public are increasingly becoming aware of the negative effects dairy and meat have
on our bodies, and studies linking casein to cancer, and exposing the bacteria, dioxins, hormones,

and toxins in animal products have contributed to the growing movement.

During the duration of my project, I uncovered more and more new information about the

lingering food crisis. Including that the increased CO2 emissions stemming from meat

production pose a massive threat to many species, and scientists say we could be looking at

fishless oceans by 2048 unless something changes quickly. The decision to support the dairy and

meat industry comes with a price. Not only does it contributes to the normalization of violence

towards animals, it diminishes our resources, contributes to climate change, and increases

pollution. Being a part of the scientific community will require being informed on these impacts,

and help spread ways to prevent the detrimental consequences of meat. These facts may seem

exaggerated, or meant to feign a crisis, but they are 100% true and impact the lives of everyone.

Progress must be made by doctors and engineers within the next twenty years to contain these

potential disasters.

Upon completion of my project and research, I reflect with great confidence and

admiration for what Ive learned. Although it is a lengthy process, extremely competitive and

requires full engagement, Im ready to take the next step in initiating my role in the medical

profession. Medical sciences are so complex and diverse, but obstetrics have always stood out to

me. Optimal healthcare for women is crucial, and ensuring care before, during, and after

pregnancy is paramount. I believe I can take everything Ive learned here and apply it to my

future. Additionally, cooking has always been a therapeutic activity for me. It gives me

gratification to prepare my own food, and cooking plant based feels even more gratifying, and is

still so fun. I had many doubts transitioning to this lifestyle. I was unsure whether my body
would adjust negatively, and wasnt sure if I would have many dietary options anymore.

Through exploration, Ive discovered the endless possibilities to vegan cuisine, and now know

what a perfect fit it is for me. This project inspired me to learn more about veganisms effects on

womens health, animals, and the Earth.

 References

Bryant, Sarah. "Vegan diet mitigates global climate change." Cornell Alliance for Science,

Cornell University,

allianceforscience.cornell.edu/vegan-diet-mitigates-global-climate-change. Accessed 12

Apr. 2017.

Davis, Lauren Cassani. "The Economic Case for Worldwide Vegetarianism." The Atlantic, 28

Mar. 2016, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/03/the-economic-case-for-

worldwide-vegetarianism/475524/.

Harvey, Fiona. "Eat less meat to avoid dangerous global warming, scientists say." theguardian,

21 Mar. 2016, www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/21/eat-less-meat-

vegetarianism-dangerous-global-warming.

Worland, Justin. "How a Vegetarian Diet Could Help Save the Planet." TIME, 21 Mar. 2016,

time.com/4266874/vegetarian-diet-climate-change/.