O/T: I'm Thinking About Going Vegetarian ...

[u8myhouse]

My sister's been a vegetarian for as long as Ican remember, she'sbeenvegan for the past fiveyears as well. I've never seen her eat anything special to have enoughnutrients or anything and she's incredibly healthy.

I personally could never give up my meat. I like it way too much. WhenI was in grammar school, however, they used to try to make us eateverything on our plates and most of the time I didn't like whateverthe main course was, so I told them I was a vegetarian. Of course noone suspected a second grader to be lying about that.

~Christine~

 

[Delphinum]

I find it really easy living witha meateater. I don't mind handling the stuff to cook it mind you,so I make him steaks, chicken and stuff. He eats alot of myveggie stuff though, so I make Quorn spag bol, etc and he'll eat it.

I'm used to having a family that has lots of different meals, we're allso picky, so it doesn't bother me if we have different things everynight.

Ang xx

 

[pamnock]

Boy -- Can I relate to the husband raised on a German diet!

My mother in law is German. Meat is a tremendously importantpart of the meal, as was in my Polish/Irish family. Healthissues led to modifications in my husband's diet, so it was not a bigstretch to practically eliminate meat from our diets. It'salso more economical to forgo the meat. (If you can't convince themit's healthy, tell them it'll save money LOL)

Pam

 

[Jems]

okcall mestupid but what is the differance between Vegan and Vegetarian?

Jen

 

[u8myhouse]

Vegan's don't do animal byproducts, like milk and eggs,either.

 

[Jems]

oh ok- thanks

 

[LindseyandKen]

I went veggie when I was 12, and I'm 24 now, andI can honestly say I don't miss it. There's no problem with the protein- milk, eggs, lentils and beans are fine to keep you going. I wentvegan when I was 16 and became very ill after a few months, so switchedback to vegetarian.

There's plenty of meat substitutes like Quorn, Linda Mac, Cauldron etc.if you miss the meat, and even fish substiture if you need it. I missedfish too much; drooled over prawns, mussles and winkles all the time!It got so bad I started eating fish again at 18 after a discussion withthe dietician - shellfish has iodine in for my thyroid - and that's howI'll stay. I still can't eat 'proper' fish though - it looks like it'sbeen alive and I could keep a fish as a pet. That's my theory - I don'teat anything with fur or fluff, or that I could keep as a pet!

Why not try cutting down slowly if you aren't sure? You could cut outred meat one month, chicken the next, fish the next.....stop whereyou're happy!

Linz x

 

[hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!]

i don't think there is any thing wrong with eating meat as long as....

1) you don't eat it all the timeand take for granted the animal who has lost there life for yourdinner.

2) the animal has had a long and happy life

3) you get it from a properbutcher who doesn't pump all kinds of nasty products into it to make itgrow quicker.

there, my opinion,hope i haven'toffended anyone cos eating meat is a really delicatesubject

lol,smarties

 

[Lissa]

hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!wrote:

i don't thinkthere is any thing wrong with eating meat as longas....

2) the animal has had a long and happy life

3) you get it from a properbutcher who doesn't pump all kinds of nasty products into it to make itgrow quicker.

How do you know these things beforehand? :?

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Meat animals rarely live long happy lives, theolder theanimals becomes, the tougher the muscle tissuebecomes and therefore the meat is tough and people don't generally liketough meat.

Some people don't boycott meats simply because of animal cruelty butbecause of things like the BSE outbreaks (although that really hasn'taffected Canadians despite that it's our beef). I for one just don'tlike the texture of beef or the taste of other red meats.

 

[pamnock]

hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!wrote:

3) you get it from a properbutcher who doesn't pump all kinds of nasty products into it to make itgrow quicker.


lol,smarties

The rancher (person who "grows" the animal) is the one who raises it --then sends it off to the processor where the animal isdispatched. It is then sent to the butcher who cuts it intopieces and prepares it for sale.

Meats that are organically raised will be sold in stores as "certifiedorganic". You may also find organic meats at small farmmarkets or local butcher shops (or grow your own).

More on organic meats:

http://www.misa.umn.edu/Programs/whyorgmeat.html

Pam

 

[m.e.]

Lissa wrote:

hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!! wrote:

i don't think there isany thing wrong with eating meat as long as....

2) the animal has had a long and happy life

3) you get it from a properbutcher who doesn't pump all kinds of nasty products into it to make itgrow quicker.

How do you know these things beforehand? :?

Easy. Buy humanely grown and slaughtered organic meat. We have severalranchers around here who raise small herds, the animals are well caredfor, and their death is very quick (not drawn out like factoryfarmed cows). Also, there are no hormones, antibiotics, or anything.Most health food stores will sell Humane & Organic meat.

 

[sammi]

There are so many things to consider when leavingmeat out of your diet, aren't there? I've been lucky in that I alwaysfound it disgusting to eat it, It smells bad to my nose, and if I everput some chicken in my mouth (which I have tried on the odd occasion,just to see) instantly my gag reflex comes on. It's like my body knows,and it doesn't want meat in there!

Also, I have certain memories implanted in my brain which Iwill neverbe able to let go of; the veal calves screaming for their mothers whiletied to those tiny plastic houses...the skinned rabbits hanging frommeat hooks in China Town windows... the roasted pig head at themedieval wedding I attended...I don't know, I love animals, They arefriends! If you don't need to eat them to survive, then why bother? Whyinflict suffering if you don't need to? I know about the food chain,but I think that this very thing is what is wrong with the earth atlarge, because people generally don't think things through completely;They go with the tide, They do what they've always done and not hadtime to really evaluate.

Anyways, sorry about that. One other thing to note is that, after beingvegatarian for many years and vegan off and on too, I tried my personaltrainer sister's recommended diet to lose a couple pounds and hopefullygain more energy...You know, the minimal carbs, lots of protein(chicken& fish) + protein shakes and loads of veggies, but notmuch fruit because supposidly it is too high in sugar and stores as fatin the body. Well, after a few days of eating like that, I woke up withall my joints aching, less energy, and headaches. I've talked to manymeat eaters who find that, when they stop eating it all these chronicpains and problems they were told were just part of the aging processand could do nothing about, just dissapeared! You gotta wonder...

I'll not do that again!

BunnyMommy, your plansounds good, There's a nice balance going on there. I'm vegan and tendto lean towards raw vegan (on good, disciplined days!) so of coursethat's too extreme for almost all people, But with a good mix of lotsof good, minimally processed food you'll probably feel great, and tento one you'll discover awesome veg meals that you may not have had thethoughts to try when eating meat. It's fun! That's what I think.

Yay!

~Sammi~

 

[m.e.]

sammi wrote:

I don't know, I love animals, They are friends! If you don'tneed to eat them to survive, then why bother? Why inflict suffering ifyou don't need to? I know about the food chain, but I think that thisvery thing is what is wrong with the earth at large, because peoplegenerally don't think things through completely; They go with the tide,They do what they've always done and not had time to really evaluate.

Like I said, I really respect anyone who has made this lifestylechoice. But I would appreciate the same respect being extended tomyself. I am no longer a vegetarian, and I have my reasons. I, too,love animals, and I have taken the time to really think through mychoices regarding diet. I just happened to come to a differentconclusion than you And meat-eating being wrong with the world atlarge? heh. . .there are way too many things wrong with theworld at large

 

[Stephanie]

Thank you m.e.

I too used to be a vegetarian and it was not working for me so I wentback toeating meat for my own health.I 100% respectanyone decision to eat whatever they want, be it meat or not. Let's notget a debate going over whether or not it's right or wrong. Some cansay "I love animals and won't eat them" while other say "animals eatanimals". Let's just agree to disagree on certain aspects and keep inmind To Each Their Own.

Besides, BunnyMommy just wanted information on the subject. I'm sureshe doesn't want us getting into it over what can be a delicate issuefor some people. Sorry if I'm overstepping my bounds, I've just seenthis subject get heated with people I know (none here).

 

[RaspberrySwirl]

Yep, what they said....

BunnyMommy, I would be very interested inhow you come to your conclusions in what you decide to do. I know youwill do thorough research and I've been thinking about making somechanges in hopes of helping some health issues. I am also interested inhearing more about this success story of a few years ago. You can emailme about some of these details!

Raspberry

 

[hotchocolatewithsmarties!!!!!]

We get all our meat froma butcher we trust who grows (or should i say looks after) all his ownproduce.

 

[Gabby]

Carolyn wrote:

I love meat, was raised on it, but there are times when I think aboutit or look at it closely and I can get turned off very quickly. If Isee a vein or soemthing like that, I can lose my appetite immediately.I can't think about it too much if I'm eating it. I just have to enjoythe taste.

There have been times where I have gone without meat, but I felt weakafter a few days or a week of it. I noticed a big change in how I feltthe minute I had a piece of meat.

I have toyed with this idea for years and will continue to do so; it's a love/hate thing for me.

-Carolyn

i think there are some who really have to have meat intheir diets and others who can not tollerate it, physically i mean, andthose inbetween as well. I myself do not eat alot of meat, had cut itout for about 5 years way back when...but had to add certain onesback...I couldn't live w/o cheese thoughMy hubby is verymuch a meat person, but he does eat less than he used to. He wouldnever cut it out totally, but then I'm not asking him too.

 

[Stephanie]

Oh, I just really couldn't live without cheese. Period.

 

[bigfloppy]

I agree about the cheese, it would be hard for meto become a vegan! I have a few suggestions. If you have a Trader Joe'smarket or a Whole Foods market close bythe choices there forveggie cooking are wonderful. they both have websites with storefinders.

Also check out this website: www.christinacooks.com

having had two kids isn't part of the problem,lol!Besides, the issues of factory farming, mad cow, birdflu, and cruelty have helped me make this choice too. Its a personalchoice for anyone to make however.

Just be sure to eat a balanced diet and take a good quality multi vitamin.

Good luck!