I became a vegetarian a little over six months ago. People always ask why and then list the common reasons. The answer is that I did it for all the common reasons. I do it for the health reasons mostly but I also do it because of the animals and the environment. A vast majority of the meat consumed comes from animals that are treating horribly. There are to many examples to list and I'm not expert but I know enough. Most people eat meat anyway and just choose not to think about it or proclaim their lack of concern by making a joke or say something about humans being on top of the food chain. Personally I'm not okay with it and it enforces my beliefs supporting vegetarianism. It's basic ethics for me. I definitely don't judge others for eating meat. Most of our society has grown up eating meat and it's the norm. It's just a personal choice of mine after doing some thinking about it.
The health implications of eating meat are debatable but I've discovered a few things. I had some trouble with my cholesterol throughout most of my twenties. Mine ranged around the mid 200's. After not eating meat for several months it has dropped below 200 for the first time in over ten years. Last check it was 172. Heart disease kills millions of people and one contributor is plaque in your arteries from having high cholesterol, among other things. Meat is full of saturated fat so by eliminating that from my diet, I've solved the problem. I don't need to take medication. I understand that some people's bodies produce harmful levels of cholesterol and those people require medicine to stay healthy. Who knows, that may eventually be the case for me. But for many if not most it can be controlled by simply limiting consumption of cholesterol and the saturated fats.
Since Allison is vegetarian and does all the cooking I've learned that being a vegetarian is not impossible and can be very satisfying. You definitely do not need to eat meat to get all the nutrients your body needs. Since going vegetarian my diet has become much more diverse. The variety of food is far more satisfying than I would have expected. Meat eaters often wonder what a vegetarian eats. Sticks and leaves? Many people hear "Vegetarian" and say "I don't really like salad" or "I hate tofu". I'm pleasantly surprised at the variety of my diet. Again, this is because of Allison. She's been doing this for so long she has done all the work and passed the info along to me. Many people attempt to become vegetarian and fail because they limit themselves to lettuce and a handful of common vegetables. They become unsatisfied quickly. The other pitfall is replacing meat with simple carbohydrates like pasta and bread.
Being vegetarian does take work though. You need to know how to get complete proteins from non animal sources. In some cases you have to combine certain foods to increase absorption of their nutrients. Fortunately a recent vegetarian fad has caused many restaurants and markets to offer more non meat choices. The question is, is it a fad that we're seeing? Perhaps. I don't care either way. I'm not doing it because others are. It's strictly a matter of belief based upon what I know. The growing number of vegetarians along with the boom of the information age has made it a better time than ever to be vegetarian. Allison is always getting great recipes and information from the growing number of web sites dedicated to the vegetarian and vegan diet. As I mentioned before it's also helping dispel many of the myths about vegetarianism. It isn't a far out idea or strange in the least. Being a vegetarian doesn't make you anything other than someone that does not eat meat.
So what about organics? Organics and "all natural" are quite different and a bit confusing, I've found. Stupid labels put on food that suggest "all natural" or other such claims are often bogus. You must look at the label and decide for yourself what is "natural". There are no regulations for "natural" so there you go. Organic, on the other hand, does mean something and this is an area we've come a long way with. There is a certification, at least, that designates something as organic. Typically this will mean that something was grown free of harmful pesticides or fertilizers. This is more difficult to do which is why it costs more.
Another consideration is nutrient replenishment of the soil. Soil has a natural abundance of nutrients that makes the food grown on it healthy and good for you. Over farming the land degrades the soil leaving produce that is far less enriched with the good things we expect to get when we eat fruits and vegetables. For example, a farm will have 15 or so nutrients abundantly available in the soil but over time, if those nutrients are not put back into the ground, you're left with a depleted soil containing only a few nutrients. Organic farming practices rely on crop rotation and traditional cultivation to limit erosion. Foods grown this way are healthier in that they have more of what is good and do not have those things that are bad. Going all organic is hard because it is expensive but there are lists of those vegetables and fruits that benefit the most from organic farming. You can always start there.
I've only really scratched the surface here and there is so much more to all of this. My level of knowledge is tiny but what I've learned so far is compelling to me. It's compelling enough for me to make some simple changes. I've found that you need not be an expert to make better choices. It isn't an all or nothing thing either, it's a progression. Can't live without meat? At least try to eat organic meat. For example, it's much better to eat beef that isn't from a cow feeding on it's own grounded up dead and pumped full of antibiotics, chemicals and hormones. Many of the harmful chemicals used on farms concentrate in animal fat that you later grill up and enjoy. Also, animal suffering is reduced a great deal when raised organically.
