this side of heaven

The other white meat

I was already eating a limited amount of pork in my diet. There are several reasons for this: the first, is that two years ago when I did my first detox, pork was one of the foods I could not eat at all. Apparently the pig does not contain sweat glands in its skin as other livestock do. Thus its meat and all its internal tissue has a greater degree of toxins stored in it than other livestock.

But the detox diet is a temporary measure. After a while, pork began slowing finding its way back into our diets again. But then I discovered that as a high- fat and slow- digesting meat, pork was not the optimum protein for me to eat for weight control. Okay ... strike two against the other white meat.

Then I started to learn about pork and parasites. From the USDA's Retail meat analyzed for parasites:

"A recently completed survey of meats for a common microscopic parasite found none in raw beef and poultry and a low level in pork."

Oh great, it only takes one to start a parasitic infection. Somehow I am not comforted.

From Common parasites threaten everyone:

“It is best to avoid pork altogether since tests show that pork parasites remain alive after the meat has been cooked to a char.”

From The Silent Killers:

"A doctor in Chicago put a piece of raw pork tissue under a microscope. It was loaded with living worms. Everything was moving, and all the samples were the same. Then he cut the pork, and charred in on the grill. He made it into charcoal and then put some of that under the microscope. The parasites were still moving."

From Dangerous parasites common among pig farmers:

"Dr. Mercola's Comment: Yet another confirmation from the literature documenting the wisdom of avoiding pork. They are scavenger animals, not fit for human consumption."

From The Dangers of Pork Eating Exposed:

"Have we not seen that a hog is nothing better than an animated mass of physical defilement? Few who have seen the animal will dispute that his filthiness is a most patent fact. How wise and sanitary, then, was the command of God to the ancient Jews: "It is unclean unto you. Ye shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their dead carcass."

"Although it may not be said that this law still exists, and is binding as a moral obligation, it is quite plain that the physical basis upon which the law is founded is as good today as at any previous period. Could it be proved that the hog had kept pace with advancing civilization, and had improved his habits, we might possibly feel more tolerance for him; but he is evidently just as unclean as ever, and just as unfit for food."

"Adam Clarke, when once requested to give thanks at a repast of which pork constituted a conspicuous part, used the following words: "Lord, bless this bread, these vegetables, and this fruit; and if thou canst bless under the gospel what thou didst curse under the law, bless this swine’s flesh."

Okay, I'm convinced. No more pork eating in this house. I already make my own Italian sausage and breakfast sausage out of ground turkey (more sausage recipes here). We love BBQ ribs, but will stick with beef ribs from now on. Next step: parasite cleanse. I know this one works because it is the one my daughter used when she was diagnosed with cervical dysplasia and wanted to treat it nutritionally before going under the knife.