Studying bacteriaDid you know that a staggering two million Americans become infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria each year?

According to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), one little organism – antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus – yearly kills more people than homicide, HIV/AIDS and Parkinson’s disease put together.

Shockingly, these deadly microorganisms do not infect us through unwashed hands as so often feared. They attack us through favorite foods we think we can’t live without.

We live in a world where a carnivorous diet is in high demand. Many people consume meat as often as three times a day.

But have you really thought about where the meat comes from? And how the livestock was raised, treated and fed?

Today, most farm-raised animals such as chicken and cattle are loaded with antibiotics to promote their growth and prevent diseases as they often live in crammed, unsanitary conditions. In fact, 80 percent of all antibiotics used in US is agricultural.

Those antibiotics are transferred to humans via meat consumption.

These unhealthy and intense livestock farming methods were developed to boost meat production while cutting cost.

The outcome is drug-resistant disease, which has become a huge problem worldwide.

A statement released at the end of 2013 by Consumer Reports reveals that an astounding 97% of all chicken sampled throughout the US was contaminated by serious disease-causing bacteria…most of which was antibiotic resistant.

Microorganisms like Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, enterococcus, and E. coli are just a few of them.

The best way to protect yourselves from getting infected by antibiotic resistant diseases is to be aware of the quality of the meat we are choosing.

Choose meat from organic, small farms where animals are not fed with antibiotics and are kept in healthy conditions is key.

Make sure your meat is always well-cooked and be aware of safe food handling practices.

However, as many studies have revealed in the past, the safest and the healthiest diet is the meat-free diet. Foods like fresh vegetables, fruits and legumes are loaded with vitamins and minerals providing great, safe health benefits.