Reasons why I am Vegetarian

Reasons

• It usually benefits your health.
• Meat obviously requires the killing of animals.  If you do not consume animals for a long period of time, you really can make a difference on the demand for meat.  Not to mention all the lives you save along the way.
• You then have no direct impact on the mistreatment of livestock.
• Less/No hormone intake: estrogen, growth hormone, etc
• It is better for the environment.  We are only breeding certain species within genuses for food, and this limits their gene pools.  It kills whole ecosystems.
• Seafood in particular: for every fish that is eaten, many more are thrown back into the ocean to die.  This number multiplies for shrimp (my previous favorite seafood).  Some of the fish we eat did not grow up in nature.  They were bred and raised on fish farms, with limited nutrients and space.
• I did not kill any of them, nor could I have.
• Spiritual reasons, feel free to look up the theology agreeing with vegetarianism.  It can be found in Buddhism, Hinduism, and more.

Becoming Vegetarian

          I was aware of all the various reasons for becoming vegetarian.  I decided I wanted to decrease my consumption of meat/impact on the environment.  I started noticing the amount of meat I was consuming and decreasing it minimally.  Simulataneously I was influenced by the Native American tradition of giving thanks after taking any life and truly feeling gratitude and remorse.  After doing this with each meal containing a part of a life, I realized I did not need to be taking another’s life.  I could not have killed any of these animals, nor prepared them; so why was I eating them?

          I decided to try being vegetarian.  It began as a simple decision to not eat meat, and see how far it would go, and how long I could do it.  I wanted to see how it would affect me; if I would crave meat; if it would noticeably benefit my health and energy.  It was not difficult for me to not eat meat, as I rarely ate meat to begin with (usually less than once a day; typical American is with every meal).  I quickly loved it.  I could literally feel a difference, and it felt great.  Every once in a while I wanted to eat meat, but I was able to resist it.  I quickly became used to not eating it, and remembering to not consider it.  It was easiest to not eat meat when I prepared the meals because I would buy the ingredients ahead of the time when I was hungry.  When we are hungry and/or crunched for time, we are more likely to binge on any food limitations i.e. sugar, meat, non-diet items, etc.

          At the same time in my life, a lot of other changes were taking place.  Each of them helped each other and worked together for my transformation.  I believe becoming a vegetarian aided other desired changes.

I have been a vegetarian now for over a year, as of October 2010.  I have noticed that at different times my desire for meat changes.  Most days I do not think of eating meat, nor desire it.  Some days I vaguely want some, and other days I distinctly crave a certain dish.  At no time would I say it has been difficult to not eat meat.  I think vegetarianism came naturally to me.  At about 9 months I did not want meat at all; I was completely adjusted to not eating meat.  After a year, I am back to wanting meat every once in a while.  However, it is not a major concern or something that I miss or mourn.  If I have a particularly strong desire for meat, I remember that if I ate it, I would get sick.  That kills the desire right off.  Time and again I have had dreams in which I ate meat.  In each one, I felt sure it was real, and I knew I would be sick, and regretted it deeply.  In all cases, I had accidentally consumed it; or not realized until I had already had too much.  It is a genuine fear I would do so in real life.  After 3 weeks into being a vegetarian, I finished one of my little brother’s quesadillas, forgetting it had chicken in it.  I tried to throw up all of the chicken.  Even so, my stomach got a little upset, but not horribly.  Mind you, this was after only 3 weeks, not even a month.  A week ago, I ate a piece of cheese from a cheese tray that had bacon in it.  I had no reaction whatsoever.  It was a tiny piece of bacon, though, so little I was not sure it really had meat in it.

          And now, 14 months into being a vegetarian, my sister says I smell like one.  Lol, I am not sure what that means.  I guess vegetarians smell better than omnivores!  : )

Other Low Meat-Health Options

An easy way to transition into not eating meat, one that I tried for a few months, no buying meat (not at a store or restaurant), that allows you to finish someone else’s meat, or at holidays, but not directly influence the market.

Cook meals that have a side of meat, rather than framing your entire meal around the meat dish.  This changes the amount of meat you consume, and changes the style of the meals you eat.  This style is comparable to vegetarianism, but with a small side of meat.   There is a huge difference between this and a hamburger.

My personal favorite idea for limiting your meat intake: weekday vegetarian. 

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/graham_hill_weekday_vegetarian.html