Contact: Dori Zook 303.795.9898 [log in to unmask] March 16, 2001 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Meatout 2001: Pure Propaganda Outspoken diet experts say Americans should eat more meat, not less Boulder, CO - Tuesday, March 20 marks "Meatout 2001," a vegetarian media campaign urging Americans to give up meat for at least a day. Organizers say the purpose "is to help consumers evolve from a destructive, disease-laden meat-based diet to a wholesome, nonviolent diet of whole grains, vegetables, and fresh fruits." But diet experts Michael R. Eades, MD, and Mary Dan Eades, MD, co-authors of the New York Times bestseller Protein Power and the recently released Protein Power Lifeplan, warn that without meat in their diets, Americans are putting their health at risk. "Humans were designed to eat meat," says Michael Eades. "It was the foundation of our diet for more than two million years. Then, just a few thousand years ago, we switched to a grain-based diet. The results have been devastating. Since the government and others in the nutritional establishment have begun promoting a diet higher in grains and other carbohydrates and lower in fats and proteins, obesity and diabetes have skyrocketed to epidemic proportions," Michael Eades points out. "It takes thousands of generations for a species to evolve." Michael Eades goes on to say that while Meatout 2001 supporters may have the best of intentions, they base their claims on shaky science and ignore the fact that humans were designed to eat meat, not grain. Meatout 2001 organizers also target what they call the relentless barrage of meat industry propaganda in schools, from the media and on the streets. "If anything is propaganda, it's the Meatout 2001 Campaign," according to Mary Dan Eades. "As a parent, I'm especially concerned about their goal of taking meat out of school lunches. Growing bodies need plenty of complete protein and the best source is meat. US school lunches are already dangerously low in protein. To replace the precious little meat still found in the cafeteria with soy would only make things worse. There's a growing body of scientific evidence that soy may actually damage the health of children, especially young boys." The government already promotes grain over meat, dairy and eggs, citing since-disproved 'dangers' of fat and cholesterol. Drs. Eades have seen firsthand what happens when people follow this advice. Without fat and meat in their diet, people turn to grains and such carbohydrate-rich vegetables as corn and potatoes for energy. Carbohydrates turn to sugar in the bloodstream, opening the body's insulin floodgates. Excess insulin, not fat, is the primary cause of obesity, high cholesterol diabetes, and other weight-related illnesses, including heart disease. "Our plan works because humans are omnivores," says Mary Dan Eades. "This means they must eat both meat and plant foods to maintain good health. Yes, Americans should be eating plenty of healthy vegetables and fruits, but they also need meat." Drs. Eades go on to say Meatout 2001's use of celebrity spokespersons is a dangerous campaign tactic. "If Americans really want to be healthy they should listen to scientists, not celebrities" says Michael Eades. To book an interview or live shot with Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades, contact Dori Zook from the Avrin Public Relations Group at 303.795.9898. Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades are passionate, articulate practicing physicians and professors whose expertise on health and nutrition has reached millions by way of both their books and the news media. - # # # - _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com