Steer Clear of: Factory Farmed Eggs

As I'm sure you have all heard, there is a ridiculous recall on some 550 million eggs in the United States.  Now while I could spend this entire post giving you all reasons to cut eggs out of your diet and your life completely, I won't (I'll save that for another day).  Today my aim is to shed a little light on the situation at hand and maybe stray you from your regular eating/shopping habits and enlighten you on the common practices of egg farmers.

To start, if you are going to continue to eat eggs, you should undoubtedly, for the time being at bare minimum, but my suggestion is forever, stop buying eggs produced in factory farms and solely buy from local and organic farmers.  The best way to know what you are eating is to know the farmer who sold it to you (and that goes for everything from meat to dairy to eggs to veggies).  Shopping at a farmer's market is not only an amazing way to spend an hour (or an afternoon if you're like me), but it is a pretty solid way of quality controlling the food you bring into your home.  Farmer's markets are becoming increasingly popular in the United States (thank goodness) and I can pretty much guarantee you that your food will be cheaper and oh so much more delicious if you choose to shop locally!

Here's a picture from the camp farm I mentioned yesterday here (along w my niece Ashley...this pic is entitled Ash and the Hens and it sounds like it could be a punk rock band or something, ha!):

This is what a coop should look like.  There is no more than one hen to a pen and they have free range to move about the entire coop and even head outside for some fresh air whenever they like!  Here they are hangin out:

Now back to the issue at hand: factory farmed eggs.  There are so so sooooooo many reasons why they should be avoided, but let me list my top few:

1. Chickens have feelings too.  They are beings with emotions and souls and are treated without an ounce of decency or respect.  The levels or cortisol (stress hormone) in factory farmed animals are sooooooooo high because of the filth and space of their living conditions.  What effect do you think that cortisol you're eating has on your body?!?

2. A large majority of our bodies are not meant to digest eggs.  I actually started my veganism when eggs started making me feel badly.  I was constantly bloated and stomach aching after eating eggs and I knew it was my body telling me: NOOOOO Thank You.

3. Due to the cramped living spaces and waste they live in, factory farmed animals are shot up with antibiotics to avoid disease.  Now two things occur: one is that you're eating all those antibiotics and your immunity to them is increasing (which creates superbugs, but more importantly means that when you get sick, the antibiotics the doctor gives you won't work!) and two the antibiotics don't kill all the potential diseases caused by rotting waste and the dead animals who wouldn't survive (hence a salmonella outbreak).

Yesterday, my supersmart and savvy friend Madeleine sent me the following article by Francis Lam: here it is.  It's worth reading.  Lam covers most of the bases and gives some good advice if you are going to keep eating eggs (which you shouldn't).

I'd like to leave you with this: for those of you who aren't vegan, maybe this is a good time to experiment.  Start with cutting eggs and meat out of your diet.  In a week cut out dairy.  See how you feel.  I promise within the span of a month you will feel energetic and fresh.  Like an entirely new person!  Remember that the immediate reaction may be tough to push through (some people experience acne and an overly active bowel...) but that is just your body expelling the bad stuff out of you and cleaning out your insides to suit the new you!

Good luck to any of you who decide to take the challenge and remember I am here to help with any questions you may have.  Know that whatever level of commitment you are ready for is extremely valuable and something to be proud of.  Every step in the right direction is a big one!