I frequently point out in my writing and consultation that everything bad that happens to

the human body occurs downstream from inflammation, which leads to premature aging

and disease. Meat is frequently blamed as a source of inflammation. Agenda driven

food zealots would like nothing more than to plaster the news with headlines that meat

causes disease. There is published research from Harvard University that appears to

support that position. According to the study, Harvard researchers comparing the effects of plant-based diets to animal-based diets

discovered an inflammatory link with the meat-based diet. Of course they did, check out

what the meat-eating group ate! One of the researchers, Lawrence David, stated that

“Breakfast was eggs and bacon. Lunch was ribs and brisket, and then for dinner, it was

salami and prosciutto with an assortment of cheeses. The volunteers had pork rinds for

snacks.” 

All meat is not created equal! The meat used in that research project wasn’t organic or

grass-fed, free-range, pasture-raised and was laden with preservatives, antibiotics,

hormones, high in omega 6 content from corn feeding and other contaminants. An

inflammatory response, in this case by altering gut microbiome, was identified and

probably could not have been avoided. No wonder the result was increased

inflammatory markers. Was the investigation a “set up” or just poor research design? It

almost appears that the feeding protocol was designed to result in that same

conclusion. We know that type of diet over time would result in many diseases like heart

disease, colon and other cancers, and many others. The anti-meat crowd gleefully

will cite this research. Unfortunately, most of the grocery store meat shares many of the

inflammatory characteristics as the meats in the Harvard study. If the headline read

“Preservative, Antibiotic, and Hormone Laden, High Omega 6 Content, Corn-Fed Meat

and Meat By-Products Cause Inflammation” I would buy it. Meat is healthy, genetically

compatible and body familiar UNLESS physiologically incompatible food and

contaminants (ex. Corn and chemicals) are introduced to the animal via feed or injection.

Even though the research conclusions were valid that does not mean that the results

could be honestly and practically applied to the question of whether meats are

inflammatory.

Research can be contorted and presented to support nearly any point of

view. If a research project was designed to study the results of sex on pregnancy and

the population to study was females 60 years and above the conclusion would be that

sex doesn’t lead to pregnancy. Accurate results, but the conclusion is faulty. Food

industry executives play the same game in the other direction providing false testament

as to the safety and quality of their products. Quite simply the organic label on USDA

inspected meats is misleading at best and often a joke. So, you must be cautious when

purchasing meats that are labeled organic, grass-fed, etc. The question becomes

who you can trust for the freshest, healthiest meats available?

Abstract link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature12820.html

Wayne Coolidge M.Ed., Master Wellness Consultant. You can contact Wayne for

individual or corporate health/wellness consultation or speaking engagements