I haven't had to "explain" myself more frequently than I have had to in my good ole hometown of Scranton, PA. Surprisingly (or maybe not), I would confide I've gotten "questioned" (criticized) more here than in Costa Rica. So, allow me to set the record straight and in writing so in the case I get frustrated with you I may just refer you here. This is by no means to change your eating habits, but I would like to open you up to my views.
I started questioning meat as child. I come from a highly carnivorous family red meats like filet mignon, being one of their most favorites. My parents had lived in Germany for some time before I was born so they took back to the United States some German traditions like veal covered in cheese and spaetzel which I still enjoy. I remember asking my mom at about 6 or 7 where veal had come from. And she told me the absolute truth- how it was so tender and what was done to reach that tenderness! From that moment I decided I wasn't going to eat veal anymore. Though in actuality, I probably stopped eating it completely a few years later.
I didn't question chicken or red meat until much later. This is most likely due in part to society. McDonald's, Wendy's, Kid Cuisine, Chick-Fil-A, etc. are/were all part of main stream America's eating pattern and until you eat differently you don't realize all the harm it's causing your body. I stopped eating red meat at some point in college and chicken my senior year of college. It was a gradual process- when I stopped eating veal I questioned red meat, when I stopped eating red meat I questioned and stopped eating chicken. Now, I am on the verge of ceasing to consume fish. For the same reasons as not eating meat anymore fish is starting to "creep me out".
Of course you may be able to conclude from my views that I have read the popular books from Michael Pollack, "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore's Dilemma". What I have gathered from these books doesn't necessarily agree with my view on vegetarianism. I would suggest if you are curious enough to ask me why I am a vegetarian, please read these books. In short, they suggest that the mass production of food (particularly the way Americans consume) is detrimental to both Americans and the animals which we consume- every 20/20 special and any research concludes this. These books also indicate that people must eat actual food- not powdered, instant, microwavable, canned, packaged, astronaut ice cream garbage. This also applies to vegetarians and vegans some tofurkey, tofu dogs, etc. (fake meats in many forms) have just as many silly illegible ingredients as jello. Sometimes I get "You don't know what you're missing" from a carnivore. I'd like to just say "Do you know what you're ingesting? If you only knew what you were getting". Thank the stars I'm missing animal carcasses, hormones, by-products, etc. from my diet!!
Again, think what you will. What works for me is being a vegetarian. I like to eat what I consider to be "real" food that has the least amount of animals products as possible. I like to be able to read the label and ingredients and understand what they are, firstly. I also think its important that the food is good for my body. Yes, I definitely eat unhealthy from time to time but not without "guilty conscious". Did you ever notice post-binge eating greasy or unhealthy foods you go into a "food coma" with stomach pain? That's the affect of unhealthy food on your body, which may or may not include meat.
Your eating habits are your lifestyle. They are very important to who you are whether you think so or not. I've been on the vegetarian train for a while now. And sometimes I think I should go vegan. From what I understand vegans do it more for animal rights than anything else which I get. As a spiritual person, I can go a little more extreme with this and think- OK, so if we can't eat any animal products why should we eat plants- they are still living things too!? I am vegetarian because I am OK with eating animal products like milk, but I am not cool with eating their bodies. I am sure if I found out more information about how these mass produced products got to my fridge I would reconsider. But, right now I do not know. I have a half-gallon of vanilla bean ice cream I am looking forward to eating.
Again, these are solely my thoughts which I may have needed to be expanded upon for quite some time now. I do not agree nor disagree with what you choose to consume. I believe these are all lifestyle choices and no one has the right to tell someone how they should live. I am simply expressing my view. I think that is integral to learning about yourself and the world. I'd like to add, I like who I am and am still able to eat out and normally! I hope you think about others, animals, the world and future generations. We need to remember that we are leaving this world one day and the future of the earth and all it's inhabitants- animals and people, depends on what we do now.
I started questioning meat as child. I come from a highly carnivorous family red meats like filet mignon, being one of their most favorites. My parents had lived in Germany for some time before I was born so they took back to the United States some German traditions like veal covered in cheese and spaetzel which I still enjoy. I remember asking my mom at about 6 or 7 where veal had come from. And she told me the absolute truth- how it was so tender and what was done to reach that tenderness! From that moment I decided I wasn't going to eat veal anymore. Though in actuality, I probably stopped eating it completely a few years later.
I didn't question chicken or red meat until much later. This is most likely due in part to society. McDonald's, Wendy's, Kid Cuisine, Chick-Fil-A, etc. are/were all part of main stream America's eating pattern and until you eat differently you don't realize all the harm it's causing your body. I stopped eating red meat at some point in college and chicken my senior year of college. It was a gradual process- when I stopped eating veal I questioned red meat, when I stopped eating red meat I questioned and stopped eating chicken. Now, I am on the verge of ceasing to consume fish. For the same reasons as not eating meat anymore fish is starting to "creep me out".
Of course you may be able to conclude from my views that I have read the popular books from Michael Pollack, "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore's Dilemma". What I have gathered from these books doesn't necessarily agree with my view on vegetarianism. I would suggest if you are curious enough to ask me why I am a vegetarian, please read these books. In short, they suggest that the mass production of food (particularly the way Americans consume) is detrimental to both Americans and the animals which we consume- every 20/20 special and any research concludes this. These books also indicate that people must eat actual food- not powdered, instant, microwavable, canned, packaged, astronaut ice cream garbage. This also applies to vegetarians and vegans some tofurkey, tofu dogs, etc. (fake meats in many forms) have just as many silly illegible ingredients as jello. Sometimes I get "You don't know what you're missing" from a carnivore. I'd like to just say "Do you know what you're ingesting? If you only knew what you were getting". Thank the stars I'm missing animal carcasses, hormones, by-products, etc. from my diet!!
Again, think what you will. What works for me is being a vegetarian. I like to eat what I consider to be "real" food that has the least amount of animals products as possible. I like to be able to read the label and ingredients and understand what they are, firstly. I also think its important that the food is good for my body. Yes, I definitely eat unhealthy from time to time but not without "guilty conscious". Did you ever notice post-binge eating greasy or unhealthy foods you go into a "food coma" with stomach pain? That's the affect of unhealthy food on your body, which may or may not include meat.
Your eating habits are your lifestyle. They are very important to who you are whether you think so or not. I've been on the vegetarian train for a while now. And sometimes I think I should go vegan. From what I understand vegans do it more for animal rights than anything else which I get. As a spiritual person, I can go a little more extreme with this and think- OK, so if we can't eat any animal products why should we eat plants- they are still living things too!? I am vegetarian because I am OK with eating animal products like milk, but I am not cool with eating their bodies. I am sure if I found out more information about how these mass produced products got to my fridge I would reconsider. But, right now I do not know. I have a half-gallon of vanilla bean ice cream I am looking forward to eating.
Again, these are solely my thoughts which I may have needed to be expanded upon for quite some time now. I do not agree nor disagree with what you choose to consume. I believe these are all lifestyle choices and no one has the right to tell someone how they should live. I am simply expressing my view. I think that is integral to learning about yourself and the world. I'd like to add, I like who I am and am still able to eat out and normally! I hope you think about others, animals, the world and future generations. We need to remember that we are leaving this world one day and the future of the earth and all it's inhabitants- animals and people, depends on what we do now.
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