In the Paleolithic era when humans first discovered the hand axe, the tool was used to dig for and cut roots. Later, once the Mesolithic era gave rise to communal living, the growth of civilizations relied on farming and vegetarianism was the dominant diet.

The popularity of the vegetarian diet diminished as people became more established but today we see more and more people - even celebrities - adopting and promoting vegetarianism, and for good reason.

The following is a list of reasons why you should adopt vegetarianism:

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1. More bang for your buck.
Typically, vegetarian diets consist of more nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. This means yougeta more nutrients whichresults in better health, a strengthened immune system, and more energy.

2. Better overall health.
Innumerable studies have shown that vegetarians tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, obesity and other chronic diseases. Here are a few highlight studies:

• Doctors Dean Ornish and Caldwell Esselstyn have used a vegan diet to prevent and reverse heart disease with a 100% success rate(Esselstyn Caldwell B, 2008)
• Vegetarians are at a 40% lesser risk of cancer compared to meat eaters. (Hall, Celia, 1994)
• A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1990 found that regular meat consumption increases the risk of colon cancer by as much as 300%. (“Why Vegetarianism.”)

3. Lose a little, gain a lot.
Vegetarians are healthier. Fullstop. One reason is because meat contains a lot of fat, especially saturated fat. Thus replacing meat with fruits and vegetables will provide your body with loads of fibre, antioxidants,andmicro-nutrients that form the basis of good health.

4. Reduce acidity.

Meat is highly acidic and offsets your blood pH, which should be slightly alkaline. This can lead to disease.

5. Anatomical design.

This point is sure to create some debate, so let me know your thoughts. Meat takes longer to digest, up to four days, and it often putrefies in your system before being completely digested. This encourages bad bacteria to grow, leading to disease. Anatomically speaking our digestive system, from themouth all the way through is similar to herbivores and not designed to digest meat. True carnivores have claws and fangs for killing its prey and short, straight intestines to eliminate meat quickly to avoid food poisoning as meat begins to putrefy (typically two to five hours). However, humans have extremely long, convoluted intestines to fully absorb nutrients from plant and vegetable matter, similar to herbivores.

Carnivores also have twenty times the stomach acid which allows them to break down meat more efficiently than humans. Carnivores, as a result, live shorter lives than herbivores such as elephants, rhinoceroses, whales, or giraffes whose long lifespan often mirrors or outlasts our own (Tora, Raj, 2011).

6. Better bone health.

A study from Cornell under nutritional biochemist Colin Campbell has found that a diet with meat uses more calcium from the body than a plant-based diet. This correlates to low bone density and higher rates of osteoporosis. The culprit is likely excess protein consumption with poor retention and absorption of dietary calcium. A vegetarian diet helps deliver both vitamin D and calcium, both necessary for higher bone density.

7. Avoid food poisoning.

Meat is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, especially if not stored, prepared or cooked correctly. Every living thing is a host to micro-organisms and while living they provide good health but after death these same micro-organisms begin decaying its host. Avoiding meat is the best way to avoid food poisoning.

8. Easier weight management.

Numerous studies have shown that vegetarians are slimmer and are less likely to be obese than meat-eaters. Vegetarian diets are actually ideal for our bodies because their quick digestion keeps our metabolic rate high. This keeps the body feeling light, fresh and active.

Some vegetables are also known as “negative calorie foods” where they burn more energy while being digested than what they provide (celery is one such example). Vegetarianism helps you to lose weight steadily, but permanently since you are basically shedding excess weight by clearing out clogged arteries and digestive tract.

9. Longevity.

Again, this is a debatable point astheir are many side factors that would need to be taken into account. Research shows that vegetarians live an average of seven years longer than meat-eaters do, while vegans tend to live about fifteen years longer. Since vegetarianism has proven to demote growth and development of many diseases, it ensures that your body stays active and functioning for longer.

10. Reduce animal suffering.

Well, this is obvious. We could talk all day about animal cruelty, the tiny cages, and the fact that animals can feel pain but one paragraph here of words will not make you understand animal sufferings. If you're want to shift your paradigm, watch some movies like Food Inc. I have a page of resources like this.

11. Help the environment.

The meat industry harms the environment in a multitude of ways. Raising livestock for meat consumption wastesfuel, pollutes air and water with waste matter, causes loss of biodiversity, and wastes food and grain that can otherwise feed people.

12.Energy and behavioral differences.

Imagine a wall of gears all attached to each other, if you push one, they all begin turning one-by-one and if you stop one, they allslow down and eventually stop. Our body is similar to this - constant work keeps it energetic. A timely working of all systems in our body keeps it full of energy, which in turn helps you do work and feel fresh and light all day. We all know how being low on energy translates into bad moods and irritation. A vegetarian diet is like the ice-cold lemonade on a hot, sunny summer day — it will provide tons of energy and refresh your mood.

13. Hormonal imbalance.

Another big problem these days is the amount of hormones pumped into meats for the look, weight, texture etc. Our bodies are sodelicately-balanced and so perfectly-timed endocrinologically, that even slight fluctuations can cause damage. JohnVerall, a chemical expert of the British Veterinary Products Committee, recently showed a link between increased rates of breast cancer, prostate cancer and other hormonal imbalances due to hormones pumped into beef in the US (“Artificial hormones in U.S. beef linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer.” (Natural News, 2006) Children at the age of puberty are so sensitive to hormonal balances that any external agitation in levels can cause many harmful effects.

These are only 13 reasons. I ended up writing 28 very different and distinct advantages for becoming a vegetarian in the first chapter of my book (which hopefully should be finished by April 2013. Let me know if you would like a specific topic included in it).

So the answer to "Why Vegetarianism?" is simple it makes you feel better. I would really like to know other knowledgeable individual's thoughts on this. Drop us a comment if you have any questions.