Published Letters and Op-Eds from
COK’s Writers Group

Atkins Overweight?

Published in the Miami Herald on February 16, 2004.

Re the Feb. 11 article by Sara Olkon Atkins’ own health placed on the scale: If the revelation that fad-diet guru Robert Atkins died overweight and with heart problems doesn’t provide enough incentive to refrain from eating high fat, cholesterol-laden animal products, then ethics and compassion certainly should. The billions of animals raised and slaughtered annually throughout North America for human consumption are treated as mere production units rather than as living, feeling beings.

During their abbreviated life spans, most suffer greatly and die violently in order to provide financial profit for the animal agriculture industry. There is a wonderful diversity of great-tasting, healthy, vegetarian options free of meat, eggs and dairy products on the market.

Why not choose a kind diet and give them a try—for the health and well-being of humans, animals and the planet itself?

BARB LOMOW, Eugene, Ore.