Pollan cites chronic diseases, cancer, and a shortened lifespan to advocate a decrease of meat consumption. It's a great tactic, scaring the beef out of us, and the leniency in Food Rules regarding meat is a little comforting: "Treat meat as a flavoring...," (p53, #23), the stress on the phrase "eat mostly plants" in rule 22, and rule 29, "Eat like an omnivore." The permission to eat a food he attributes so much bodily harm to couples with the guidelines towards the end of the book on enjoying treats, breaking rules, ripping pages. It might be a bit of submission by Pollan as he accepts our love for food and is slightly forced to give an overwhelmed, guilty-feeling reader something of a buffer and some comfort. It might also be an acceptance of these 'occasion foods' as a little necessary-- that our contemporary tastes have developed and our cravings become acute, powerful, and easily satisfied by a massive production strucuture that delivers our comfort food so quickly and in quantity.
I think I'm feeling healthier. Friends and I did the "Master Cleanse" a few months ago, fasting for 4 days while drinking lemon, pepper, and syrup the entire time. We agreed that there weren't any noticeable changes to our physiques or moods, that we didn't even feel particularly healthy. Under Food Rules, I've accepted my salads and have even compensated for the decrease in how much meat I eat by having grilled vegetables, the slight char delivering at least the flavor for a craving. Habits have set in (this week is a half-way point, isn't it?) and this is actually a little exciting or at least reason to be very optimistic that a feeling of health, of STRENGTH, OF VITALITY will come around. That I'll be able to lift cars, chew mountains, and jump higher.
Statistics on American meat consumption-
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/resources/research/stats_meat_consumption.html
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