I'm not sure why so many Christians are kicking up a fuss over this.

It seems obvious enough to me that the sanitary and dietary laws would still apply. Christ's sacrifice did not change the laws of physics.

For example, the old testament laws forbid urinating or defecating in or near the waters that people draw to drink from. We know that breaking this law causes cholera.

I don't see anyone arguing that we should dispense with septic tanks and just dump all the waste into our wells instead, yet people champion eating the flesh of animals that we've been told are too filthy to be fit for human consumption.

Unclean animals are a cesspool of parasites and disease. You really do eat them at your own risk. Chronic health problems and premature death are the result. This has not changed.