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.