Whether to become a vegetarian might be something you have been thinking about for some time but do not really know if will change anything for you. So how will it change things in your life and for the planet? Individually it probably won't as it is only a small scale thing but if many people feel the same way, it does have an effect on the lives of many animals. This point is very well highlighted by the instances of heart disease in people that have a meat rich diet in America.

Many of today's heart conditions would not be so commonplace if people did not eat so much food with high levels of cholesterol, such as dairy products and eggs. The organization Earth Save says that a meat eating individual is four times more likely to have a heart attack as a vegetarian. The risk of a heart attack for vegans is even lower with only a one in ten chance of having a heart attack against those of a person who eats meat. The heart is only one organ that benefits from a vegetarian diet because there are other health advantages.

For instance, you won't be exposed to nearly as many preservatives, which are common in meat and are linked to cancer. Hormones used in animal feed are obviously not present either in vegetarian meals, which have proved to create hormone problems in people. Another substance, lactose, is also missing from their diet which has causal links with digestive conditions. Ok so there are obvious health benefits to becoming a vegetarian but it will also mean that many animals will not be harmed either.

In fact the death toll of animals may be far greater than expected with figures in the region of 2,700 eaten by an average American in their lifetime. Just in a couple of decades, many hundreds of animals would not need to loose their lives if you were to make this commitment. Furthermore, by reducing your intake of dairy products and eggs, many hens and cows will have better living conditions. It is difficult to ignore the impact that eating meat has on the planet and makes the case for becoming a vegetarian stronger. An improvement in your overall health with less chance of cancer or a heart condition and the reduction of animal deaths provide a compelling argument.