This summer take the Veg Pledge - simply go meat and fish free for 7 days and donate the money saved to the charity Beating Bowel Cancer. To make it even easier, the charity has developed an online calculator which you can use to work out how much money you will save, based on your average weekly meat consumption and where you shop. It’s a great way to look at your diet and spending habits and raise funds to help those affected by bowel cancer at the same time.
It’s only for a week and you could learn a lot about what you eat and spend your money on, as well as support a great cause. It’s a real win-win situation.
Learning to live without meat occasionally could also be good for your health, as there is strong evidence to suggest eating too much red and processed meat is one factor that can increase the risk of developing the disease.
Mark Flannagan, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said: “Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer and someone is diagnosed every 15 minutes. Yet if diagnosed early, more than 90% of cases can be treated successfully.
“There are some risks for bowel cancer that you can’t change, such as your age and family history. However there are a number of factors known to increase your risk. You can reduce your risk by cutting down on red meat and processed food, exercising, quitting smoking and reducing your alcohol intake.
“The charity is here to help beat bowel cancer but we rely totally on donations, so we’re asking people to make one simple lifestyle change for 7 days to help us continue our work and support all those affected by the disease including patients and families.”
The Veg Pledge will run throughout the summer and Beating Bowel Cancer is encouraging those who are up for the challenge to visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org to calculate their meat and fish savings on the Veg Pledge calculator. The site also houses a range of delicious vegetarian recipes to help you swap those meaty meals for something a little more bowel-friendly – including recipes from Michelin star chef, Adam Gray.
Beating Bowel Cancer is the support and campaigning charity for everyone affected by bowel cancer, providing vital practical and emotional help – on the phone, digitally and face to face. The charity also runs the UK’s only nurse-led specialist helpline for bowel cancer which patients call a ‘lifeline’.
