The truth is, I think I was born a vegetarian. I can remember being a young girl and feeling sick to my stomach when I saw raw meat or bird bodies defrosting in the sink. My parents weren’t open to the idea of me eating differently and eventually I adapted and became an average American carnivore.
I used to love chicken pot pies and traditional Thanksgiving dinners.
And then, one day about 15 years ago I broke out in hives and had to go to the emergency room. The doctors thought it was a reaction to something I ate and suggested I get screened for allergies. It took a couple weeks to get an appointment and I didn’t want to risk getting hives again, so I began to research food and allergies on my own.
Along the way, I learned some really disturbing things about the foods we are sold and my heart guided me into a vegetarian lifestyle.
It felt like coming home.
While I have been a vegetarian for almost 2 decades, I am not a political one. I like my meat eating friends and family and it is not up to me to say what is right for them. I don’t go around introducing myself as “Linda the Vegetarian” and some of my friends may even be surprised when they read this.
What I do know is that being a vegetarian feels right for me on a soul level. It doesn’t feel like a decision I made, it feels like who I am.
There are other reasons why this lifestyle feels in alignment for me and might appeal to you:
- My doctor says I am a lot healthier than her other patients my age
- Food production is bad for the environment
- If we ate less meat, we could produce more food for starving populations
- Food production can be cruel to animals
- Animal products are often full of hormones and other drugs
- Food animals are often sick and already dying
- We take in the energy of what we eat
If you are interested in learning more, these resources can get you started:
Movies: (most of these are available on Netflix)
Food Inc
Vegucated
Websites:
Vegsource
And, of course, there is always me. Just ask your questions in the comments below and I will be happy to respond.
So glad to have found someone with similar values. I have watched some of those movies and I have recommended them to my friends and family too. Love some of the websites you have shared.I would love to share this post on my blog too. I will be scheduling it for this week.
Thanks Anvita. So, glad to “meet” you. Let me know when you share the post and I will share it in my social media so people get to see your website.
I know this is TOTALLY unethical of me, but when I started eating less meat, it wasn’t because I felt bad for the animals at all–I just didn’t trust how my school was preparing meat. Plus, they kept making fatty pork so I stayed away from meat. This post teaches me about all the downfalls of meat though, and I must say, it is a bit persuasive. Meat, however, is well in my culture, so I can’t say I’ll give it up, but I do already eat less of it and am always looking for substitutes! Since you’re against meat because of cruelty, are you going to eventually become vegan?
Blossom: I am not sure why you feel it is unethical and encourage you to simply do what feels right for you. Every person has their own journey and I fully respect that. Please don’t judge yourself as right or wrong.
I am not “against” meat. There are people who treat their food animals humanely, keep them healthy, allow them to be free range, and don’t pump them full of drugs. Unfortunately, this is becoming even more rare. If I chose to eat meat, I would focus on humane and organic sources.
I also don’t think I will become a vegan. It just feels like my body does well the way I am eating now and I have a touchy digestive system that may not do well with a vegan diet. So, this is what I choose for me because it feels right.
You get to choose what feels right for you. And, it might even change over time.