The Astral Pulse

I quit right of, I had enough - I wanted no more part of it...  so it was a pure morally decision, and therefore very easy..  haven´t regretted it for a sec though, and I´ve learned all the health benefits AFTER I decided to "leave out" animals.
I eat no animals from any walk of life, but I do drink some milk every day. That is pretty much the only thing from the animal kingdom I consume DIRECTLY, indirectly I allow other dairy products such as cheese.

I eat alot of soya (haven´t developed any breasts yet Wolfie;) and can recommend that, it´s both very good for you I think and it is very easy to get in the market if you don´t want to make your own soy food... then of course, lots of fresh vegetables (should eat more though), lots of fruits, lots of pasta, lots of grains (oatmeal porridge mixed with 2 bananas every morning, cannot get a better start than that) and so on..  and most important, lots and lots of clean fresh water, nothing vegetarian over that but when speaking of "diets" one can´t leave that out...

 Take care //Qui-Gon

- Your focus determines your reality -

I don't eat meat of any kind, but I do have milk and eggs, but I hate eggs, so I only have them in deserts. My favorite dinners are probably pasta with parmesean cheese and nutritional yeast mixed in, and (I'm embarrassed to say) Kraft mac and cheese (only the shapes of course, I like the Pokemon ones ;) with these soy things called Linketts from a company called Loma Linda mixed in, and pizza of course. The linkets and these things called Tender Bits are things I eat when my body tells me I need some more protein. Other than that, I like alot of fruit, cereal, and peanut butter sandwhiches. Basically I still eat all the same things as when I was 10. I sure hope soy doesn't grow breasts because I've been a vegetarian for all of my 20 years and when I'm older, I'll have quite a set.  Ben

I am in the process of becoming vegetarian.  I have always eaten meat, etc. (because I grew up that way) but in the past few months I have begun to notice that eating meat and ingesting too much diary based food makes me lethargic and prone to headaches.  I also notice that when I avoid heavy foods of any kind and don't over eat, I feel my psychic senses are enhanced.  

In the age of microwave dinners and drive-thru restraunts (especially here in the US) vegerarians and healthy people in general are a definiete minority...and subsequently organic foods are pricey, so as I approach this new way of eating I too look more to pastas and of course natural fruits and vegetables.

For those of you who live outside of the US, does it cost more to eat healthy?  

-Dan

fides quaerens intellectu

Edited by - daniel on 10 April 2002  08:25:48

About two years ago I tried becoming a vegetarian. I ate mostly pastas, fruits and vegetables, cheese, and milk for a few months. But like Daniel said it can be expensive here in the US when compared to fast food and tv diners. Work cut back my hours all at once, very unexpectedly, so I could not afford it for awhile. Sad that when one has to cut back to pay the bills they have to eat junk food. I must say that during that time of eating no meat I felt a lot better than I ever have. I may try doing it again now if anyone could give some suggestions to help me get started.

Greeings all!

Someone above mentioned peanut butter sandwiches - yes - really like those

As for junk food - who says it's cheap? We have a McDonalds here, and I haven't been to it in over a year - even with the kids. To me it tastes like cardboard, and costs a fortune!

I really like vegetarian based food of all sorts - the only thing I used to find was that it wasn't very filling at all. But as I have started eating less and less anyway, it isn't much of a problem anymore.

Good for keeping the weight down as well for those that put in weight easily - I am 6' 3", and weigh about 12 stones (168 pounds) which I figure is a good weight for my height, and definitely feel much healthier - especially after cutting out all alcohol as well.

With best regards,

Adrian.

I am not a vegitarian but just casting my bote and why.

I feel the need for a good steak every so often.  Mostly I eat chicken and such because it's cheaper, but every so often I need red meat.

I look at it as a means of re-affirming MY nature.  I say MY nature because the human race is actually omnivors so we can eat anything and it is only a matter choice.  But for me I like to re-affirm that I am an animal by nature.  It seems to stregthen the more primitive side to my thought patterns.

But as I say...To each his, or her if you perfer, own.  I just have issues with a lot of different vegitables.



David Rogalski
cainam_nazier@hotmail.com

I am vegetarian- but I do chees, milk and eggs.
I have a bad feeling about the soy food- I still eat
it and have to say that many things taste good, but
ther´s still a bad feeling about it.

I try to eat alot of fruit and vegetabeles...

I am going to the gym four times a week, and feel that the
veggi lifestyle is a bit difficult under when trying to build
the body- but hey, it´s a moral choise and I´ll stick to it.

Anybody has any good suggestions for "powerfull" veggi food???

Felix, in "Arnold´s Body Building for Men", Mr Terminator writes;
"People nowadays tend to go overboard when they discover body building and eat diets consisting of 40 to 60% protein - something I believe to be totally unecessary... (In) my formula for basic for basic good eating: eat about one gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight".   And that is Schwarzenegger saying that himself..
I have recommended "A diet for a new america" twice on the forums before, and I do it again, it is superb, you´ll get alot from that one...  you can get it in "Sök & Finn" (Malmoe), I guess you´ve been there a few times, it was my second home when living in Malmoe...


"You put a baby in a crib with an apple and a rabbit. If it eats the rabbit and plays with the apple, I´ll buy you a new car."
(HARVEY DIAMOND)

Be well//Qui-Gon

- Your focus determines your reality -

STEAK!! I would have to have a steak every now and then. No way I could give that up. Like they say, if you are going to cheat, cheat with the best! :)
Seriously I have no moral dilemma with whatever humans eat. No matter what we eat something dies so we can consume its energy. That is the nature of the physical plane. I do see consuming more plants and very little meat a lot healthier diet than one that is high meat content. I feel alot better physically when I eat small portions of meat and lots of fruits and vegetables.
But to each his own. If you feel it is wrong, then it is wrong for you.

I'm a vegan (no animal products at all) & a raw foodist(80-90%raw).  Diet for A New America IS a really good book, as is Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman, rancher turned vegetarian. He tells how cows (& other animals) are fed their own pee & poop as well as the P&P from other animals along with a whole bunch of other nasty tidbits.
If you people want to save money eating healthy, you might want to try sprouts, there're alot of different ones & you can get them online or at your health food store. Another way to save money is to see if you have a co-op nearby to shop at.

Hey, Qui-Richard, You don´t live in malmo any more??
I thought you did...

Oopss.. sorry for squezing this non topic message in...

I was pretty vegetarian for quite a while but I've been looking at shamanic people and various mystical people I know - and almost none of them are vegetarian.  But I do think that you must consider the state of the animal you eat, so avoiding any produce from battery hen-houses is a good idea, and hence eating fish is best, as they are the most free-range you can get.

However I still don't eat any meat most days.  I just like to have some chopped sausage with my sauerkraut (I just love sauerkraut!) and fish is nice too.  Also the blood group book says that lamb is good stuff for us type-O people.

I eat free-range eggs regularly but avoid cow's milk as much as I can since the A1 milk-protein scandal hit the news here.  (Goat's milk is rather nice and so much healthier!)  If you haven't heard about it, read this and hope A2 is released soon.  Note that there's a lot more research done than the articles imply.  Dr McLaughlin says that he found he could actually predict a contry's level of heart disease by knowing what their A1 milk consumption was.  
http://www.therockies.com/aswc/news.htm#9
http://www.stockchat.co.nz/features/stocktake/article.php/a6b0e83b
http://www.rssl.com/food-e/010411.htm#article4
http://www.unlimited.co.nz/Unlimited/Unlimited.nsf/ArchiveByDate/20248F6906504E77CC256B5E000E3238?OpenDocument

Food for thought!  So it is safer and healthier all round to steer clear of all animal food I guess.  Definitely when I dine out I never eat chicken or shellfish as I get food poisoning way too easily.

And vegetarianism helps you lose weight?  Well it depends what you eat of course.  I know a some rather obese vegetarians and lots of slim meat-eaters...

And to top it off - ages ago I contacted Robert Peterson (who wrote a book on astral travel) and he said if anything he eats way too much meat!

Cheers,
RIchard

BTW if people are interested in that milk thing, I've just seen that the most info is actually at Dr McLaughlin's website, including his research papers and related medical articles:
http://www.a2corporation.com/html/htmlindex.html
(Definitely worth reading!)

And just to let you know that it isn't a load of crackpot nonsense, I have friends who have a dairy farm and they said that most farms would definitely be gradually changing over to the A2 cows in the near future, as once A2 milk was being sold in quantity, who in their right mind would want to buy the stuff which might give you diabetes or finish you off early with a heart attack?

Hi all,
Another interesting discussion topic---good choice, Adrian!

I've been quite aware/interested in my diet's effect on my life for about 20 years. That is not saying that I have had a "perfect" diet (whatever that would mean) for the last 2 decades, far from it! But I began educating myself in nutrition way back when, once I realized the strong connection between my intake and my output, as it were...(This is perhaps obvious to most people nowadays, but not to too many of us kids of the 70s)...

Anyway, at various times I committed myself to strict vegetarian diets, various approaches therein, but could never stay with it. Not for lack of discipline, however, but mainly because I simply was not as strong or as energized while on any of the meat-less diets I've tried. I would usually give each one 6 months minimum to establish itself...

I grew up in Hawaii (I live in Venice Beach, California now) and have been surfing, swimming, diving, and thrashing around in the Pacific Ocean for more than 30 years...I also weight train to keep my strength up for the winter surfing season, when the waves are consistently bigger, and the issues of dealing with so much water power on a regular basis can get pretty demanding. For me, the soy protein (or even a dairy-only diet) simply couldn't replace the fish, chicken, and rare beef I need to eat to stay not only on top of my big wave hunting, but then I still need to function at a high energy level to deal with the LA rat race, my corporate job, my artistic pursuits, my 2 kids, etc...

So I usually eat a small 3-4 ounce portion of meat per day (at lunch--I go veggie for dinner), complemented with a daily dose of 5-6 different raw fruits, vegetables, & nuts, sprouted grain organically grown bread, organic milk, some rice or pasta, and a gallon or more of mountain spring water...this daily program does this body (a 43 year old one at that) quite good! Oh yeah, for you young bucks out there---my sex drive is as high (or perhaps higher) than it was when I was in my 20s...I ate alot of junk back then, so maybe my balanced diet I've described has had something to do with it (I've been following the one above for 5-6 years now).

One other personal observation/experience regarding diet I can share. When either plummeting into the occasional junk food routine as I've done from time to time over the years, or when I was pure vegetarian---besides the noticeable strength drop-off, I got sick more often than I do now.

Warm regards to all,
Greg

Hey Steppenwolf, is that a self-propelled howitzer on your avatar picture ?????

I am vegetarian. No meat, no fish, no sea food. And more recently no eggs and no cow milk. I started drinking soy milk. However, I am still in cheeze, though I might shift very soon to something else. I try to eat cheeze that has no "animal renette" and from cows that have been treated humanely. My concern is not my health but the awfull way the animals are treated, no so much the slaughter as the conditions in which they lived for their short life before being "executed".

What to eat?
Sure Tofu and Soy products.
ALso Nuts of all kind are very good.
Veggies of course.
Lentils, whole food such as whole wheat bread, pasta, rice,...
Mushrooms are very good with nuts.
Many fruits...
Salads...
Olives, Humus, Tehina, Fetah Cheeze (mediteranean food)..
Many herbs/spices, herbal theas,...
Soy proteins to make "shakes" (e.g. soy milk + soy protein powder + banana in the blender) ...
Cereals + milk (soy milk or rice milk).
Rice + beans gives you also full protein (also with lentils).
SPinash and lentils have the Iron you need (parsley too).

MIam, miam, I think I am hungry....

BTW: in thibet and India they are all vegetarians.. also Daniel in the Bible was vegetarian,...

Why eat a cow? Why eat chicken? Why eat dogs (in Asia)? Why eat Gorilla and monkeys (in Africa and Asia), why to eat the fresh brain of Monkeys (Asia)? To get another epidemy? why all that when we can manage without it.

The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to it
(native american proverb)

The time will come when men will look upon the murder of animals as
they look upon the murder of men
(Leonardo da Vinci)

For as long as space endures
And for as long as sentient beings remain,
May I also abide
To relieve the suffering of living beings.
(A prayer by Shantideva that His Holiness The Daila Lama recites every day)

I do feel that spiritual progress does demand that at some stage
we should cease to kill our fellow creatures for the satisfaction
of our bodily wants
(Mahatma Gandhi)

I thought about becoming vegetarian but, in the end, I don't see why.

For me, animals/insects/plants are equal.  Once, I heard a vegetarian monk said that it was better to eat fish rather than meat because fish had less consciousness than by example a cow, so it was not as bad for HIS (the monk's) karma...  I found that sooooo selfish.

Then, some people think that it's better to eat plants because they kind of don't suffer as animals do...  How do they know?  I heard some scientific study that demonstrated (by experiment, not theory) that plants could kind of feel...  They just don't have a mouth to scream.  What's worse; we eat most plants/fruits "alive"...

Now, from a diet point of view, I agree that too much meat is not good.  And I don't trust meat anyway; especially US meat full of hormones and antibiotics.  So, in the end, I eat the equivalent of a small steak once a week; either at once or spread on a few days.

Hello Adrian and others[:)]
I'm sorry I'm answering to that topic so late...I just saw it now for the first time[:I]
I'm vegetarian and I feel good indeed like this. I've always hated eating meat - heh when I was little my parents forced me to eat "properly", but I was spitting out all the meat[:D] I don't like eating fish either. And as I'm not vegan I can eat cheese and drink milk, but I just forget about that and it seems I don't have the need of taking any sort of that food either. So, I prefer to eat cooked vegetables and fruits - sometimes I don't have the will to eat at all.
Best wishes[:)]

Another late reply here [:D]

I am not totally veggie, but i don't really eat red meat. It's not a decision i made consciously, i just don't like the stuff. I can't remember a time when i really did, but i think when i was a lot younger i ate it.
Now i still eat a bit of chicken, and the processed meat you get at fast food places (yum! [:P] ). If there is a BBQ and there's some sort of steak there i might have a go at it, but for the most part it doesn't appear in my diet.
This has actually caused a problem for me, because i haven't been getting enough iron, thus my iron levels have been low. So i'm having to take iron pills at the moment. Looks like i'll be eating more baked beans from now on! [|)]

Greetings all!

Just curious as to how many people here are vegetarians?

If you are, to what extent, Vegan? Do you eat cheese etc.? Do you eat fish?

Also if you are - what do you recommend as a food basis? e.g. Soya, Tofu etc.?

With best regards,

Adrian.

Wow, how things can change in just a few years. When I first responded to this topic there were no Super Walmarts here. Now we have many of them, a Super Target, Health Food Stores, Walmart and Target both are carrying more and more organic produce and products as well as the other grocery stores. Most grocery stores now have specialized culture sections. Soy products are varied, tasty and in abundance. Oh yeah, and I am vegetarian. I have been so for about a year. I eat no meat. I drink soy milk but I do eat cheese and ice cream. I feel great on many levels. This has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I would also like to retract from my previous post about a veggie diet being expensive. I was wrong. It is expensive if you buy a lot of processed foods, but fresh fruits and vegetables are usually pretty cheap. I thought I would give an update.  :smile:

I've been a semi-vegetarian for about a year and a half. Due to moral issues, I quit eating red meat& chicken, however , I still have fish, sea food and dairy products. However, most of my diet consists of vegetables and fruit.

You're lucky, falln.  Where I live, the fruit and vegetables are not cheap...well, except for the lettuce and bananas.

Yeah, fruits are expensive here, too. The only way how to get them for cheap is to grow them in the garden.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat meat with every meal either. I do consider myself somewhat of a health nut. I drink lots of water and juice. No sodas or anything with surgar. I love a garden burger. But an occasional steak is really good too. I try to keep a good balance.

My next-door neighbors just started selling cantaloupe out of a trailer, and they are cheap ($1)and fresh. Fruits and veggies tend to be cheap sometimes, but not organic - it's always at least twice as much.

Quote from: NayYou're lucky, falln.  Where I live, the fruit and vegetables are not cheap...well, except for the lettuce and bananas.

Really? In Georgia this time of year? Fruits and vegetables are usually cheap here until the winter months, especially compared to how much you get and how far it will go compared to meat.

I don't know where you are getting your information about Georgia Produce prices but I promise, come visit and buy some veggies.  If you know of some great market I can go to, please share!  :grin:  I only buy hamburger meat occasionally because the kids love their hamburgs

Stookie..   Fruits from a trailer?.. ahhhh, only in the south I suppose. :lol:  It would cost me 10 bucks in gas alone to come to your place. :iroc:

Quote from: StookieI'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat meat with every meal either. I do consider myself somewhat of a health nut. I drink lots of water and juice. No sodas or anything with surgar. I love a garden burger. But an occasional steak is really good too. I try to keep a good balance.

My next-door neighbors just started selling cantaloupe out of a trailer, and they are cheap ($1)and fresh. Fruits and veggies tend to be cheap sometimes, but not organic - it's always at least twice as much.

I am suddenly in the mood for a good cantaloupe.  :smile:

I drink lots of water and juice as well, along with green tea in the morning. I can't stand soda, but every once in a great while I might have a little, but very rarely.

I guess it depends on where you get it but here the price of some organic has dropped a lot. Sometimes it is not much more than nonorganic. A few things are even the same price, like last time I was at the store organic carrots and oatmeal were the same as non-organic.

I must be very fortunate.

LOL!  I was too!  so I looked at the local Kroger online paper and they have them on sale, 2 for 4 dollars.  :grin: in fact they had several things on sale.  I'm going a Krogering.  

Looks like I got fortunate today when I looked at this thread, who'd thunk it would have lead me to a good sale. :peace:

Quote from: NayI don't know where you are getting your information about Georgia Produce prices but I promise, come visit and buy some veggies.  If you know of some great market I can go to, please share!  :grin:  I only buy hamburger meat occasionally because the kids love their hamburgs

Being in the same general geographical area I assumed things would be similar.

Quote from: NayLOL!  I was too!  so I looked at the local Kroger online paper and they have them on sale, 2 for 4 dollars.  :grin: in fact they had several things on sale.  I'm going a Krogering.  

Looks like I got fortunate today when I looked at this thread, who'd thunk it would have lead me to a good sale. :peace:

I am glad I could be part of the contribution to lead you to good priced cantaloupe. Enjoy!

Now I am going to have to check out the sales papers.

Quote from: fallnangel77

Quote from: NayI don't know where you are getting your information about Georgia Produce prices but I promise, come visit and buy some veggies.  If you know of some great market I can go to, please share!  :grin:  I only buy hamburger meat occasionally because the kids love their hamburgs

Being in the same general geographical area I assumed things would be similar.

Nope.  I learned that long ago.  It's not even the same in some of the different counties.

(http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/spezial/Fool/appl.gif)

Quote from: runlolaI have been a vegetarian for most of my life..
vegan for two years

Cool! Were you raised vegetarian? I find it hard going to my parents because they never have many fresh vegetables and fruits.

I strive for vegan but I am not there as I do use some dairy and I use honey in my oatmeal most mornings for breakfast. I don't like eggs so that is not a problem and I am conscious when buying products if animal parts were used in some way.

Quote from: Nay
Nope.  I learned that long ago.  It's not even the same in some of the different counties.

In what part of Georgia do you live? Do you have farmer's markets near by?

I still live with my parents who are very non-approving when it comes to vegetarianism. From time to time, they try to hide meat in my meals, hoping that I won't notice it, for they think that I'm going to die because of not eating meat sooner or later.  :razz:
It's even harder for my brother, who is a vegan.  :wink:

Quote from: VilkateI still live with my parents who are very non-approving when it comes to vegetarianism. From time to time, they try to hide meat in my meals, hoping that I won't notice it, for they think that I'm going to die because of not eating meat sooner or later.  :razz:
It's even harder for my brother, who is a vegan.  :wink:

I am sorry to hear they try to make you eat meat. Would showing them articles about how vegetarian diets can be healthier for you, or that some cultures are vegetarian actually help convince them?

Quote from: fallnangel77

Quote from: Nay
Nope.  I learned that long ago.  It's not even the same in some of the different counties.

In what part of Georgia do you live? Do you have farmer's markets near by?

Unfortunatly that is on the north side.. and I'm on the south side.  I used to go there all the time when I lived up that way.   Takes over an hour to get there.  What part of Georgia do you live in?

Thanks for trying to help, but I promise you, I know what I'm talking about.... :lol:

I live in Tennessee.

Yeah, I know.  :smile:  That was my point.

Quote from: runlola

it's hard when your parents think meat is best.

If they only knew.  :razz:

I like veggies...as long as they're surrounded by meat!

Quote from: jub jubI like veggies...as long as they're surrounded by meat!

LOL  :lol:

I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals.

I'm a vegetarian because I HATE vegetables!!  :twisted:

I physically cannot be a vegetarian (tried it out once).
One reason is that saturated fat is about the only thing that keeps me from dematerializing. My metabolism is ridiculous...a demanding monstrous thing. Or it hardly metabolizes, malabsorption...I'm not sure which is my problem. I have a hard maintaining a healthy weight. Well...not a hard time, but a face-stuffing junk-food-inhaling time. When I eat healthy or don't eat as much meat I start to look ghastly thin, in less that 2 weeks time.

I also seem to have an allergy of sorts to supplimental Vitamin B12. Whenever I take a multivitamin or eat anything enriched with B12 I get tremors and sometimes vomit. And those symptoms ARE like that of being moderately poisoned by cyanide...look up the components of supplimental B12 and you'll see why I have my problem.

I'm also unable to digest a vast number of vegetables...it kind of runs in the family. :shock:


:cool:
I'm the bane of the militant vegetarian and vegans existence. I've really made some of them despise me just by explaining my diverse system, disproving their belief that everyone should and very well can become vegetarian. I don't believe that will happen here, though, as no one seems to have that militant attitude.

QuoteI'm the bane of the militant vegetarian and vegans existence. I've really made some of them despise me just by explaining my diverse system, disproving their belief that everyone should and very well can become vegetarian. I don't believe that will happen here, though, as no one seems to have that militant attitude.

Wait for it!  : :justkidding:

I've met more vegans that looked down their noses than ones whom didn't.   You should do a search and read some old, old threads.  :grin:

It's hard to be a veggie *scratches head*  that just doesn't make sense.   You should choose to become a vegan because you like how it makes you feel or the taste of the food.  If it's hard for you, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons.   Like, to please others, or to look more important.  Hence the militant attitude that was mentioned.

No one is saying, "come to the darkside of meat, Runlola" LOL.. but the vegans have no problem pointing out our short comings and how wrong it is to eat meat.. phfftt..

Oh brother.. yes, Runlola, your life is soooo much harder than a meat eater..  :roll:

Ah...well, now I regret saying anything and getting into this again.

I think...your diet makes up less than .001% of who you are as a person. So, definitely a silly, very petty thing to judge someone over. When I meet you, I'm certainly not considering what you eat.

Yes I've seen inside a slaughter house and watched all the gruesome videos that exist online. I also know that for many people it may be more healthy to be vegetarian. But there are biological exceptions, and that is the way it is. I know firsthand. It is not always a matter of choice.

But, yes, I eat meat. I understand it can't be explained to some really staunch vegetarians, but medically I cannot go vegetarian. I've tried explaining...it's not that I am against it. With me, there is not a reason to be so defensive. There isn't a reason to argue.

It's a tired old argument.

And when you think about it, pretty ridiculous.

Everyone should give it less consideration, if anything.

Quote from: AstirI physically cannot be a vegetarian (tried it out once).
One reason is that saturated fat is about the only thing that keeps me from dematerializing. My metabolism is ridiculous...a demanding monstrous thing. Or it hardly metabolizes, malabsorption...I'm not sure which is my problem. I have a hard maintaining a healthy weight. Well...not a hard time, but a face-stuffing junk-food-inhaling time. When I eat healthy or don't eat as much meat I start to look ghastly thin, in less that 2 weeks time.

I also seem to have an allergy of sorts to supplimental Vitamin B12. Whenever I take a multivitamin or eat anything enriched with B12 I get tremors and sometimes vomit. And those symptoms ARE like that of being moderately poisoned by cyanide...look up the components of supplimental B12 and you'll see why I have my problem.

I'm also unable to digest a vast number of vegetables...it kind of runs in the family. :shock:


:cool:
I'm the bane of the militant vegetarian and vegans existence. I've really made some of them despise me just by explaining my diverse system, disproving their belief that everyone should and very well can become vegetarian. I don't believe that will happen here, though, as no one seems to have that militant attitude.

When you tried to change your diet, did you do it all at once or gradually? I have read that making the change all at once can mess with the body, especially if you ate a lot of meat. It is best to wean yourself off of meat and slowly start eating more fruits and veggies. This way your body can adjust to the change. That said, I don't really care what you eat. You do what you have to do.  :smile:

Quote from: runlola

it doesn't surprise me that you don't understand.
When I say it's hard, it's hard because the way the world is.
It's hard to find a vegan meal in a restaurant...
It's hard when they have parties at work & there is nothing for you to eat...
It's hard when everything is designed for meat eaters & you are left out.
you could never understand this unless you walked in a vegan's sandals... :roll:

This is so true. You really do not know how much the world caters to meat eating until you try to go without it. Suddenly many restaurants you might have enjoyed going to are no longer options. Employee appreciation lunches at work no longer include you. Might as well skip family day at work because all they are serving is meat. Those pot luck family get togethers are no longer so great for the tummy.

Quote from: NayOh brother.. yes, Runlola, your life is soooo much harder than a meat eater..  :roll:

I challenge you to go one week writing down every place you go that meat is offered to you, every time you eat somewhere/thing, every time you have to deal with food. Just observe your choices. I am not even asking you to stop eating meat. I am just asking you to become aware of the situation.

Quote from: Astir

I think...your diet makes up less than .001% of who you are as a person.

I have to totally disagree with you on that point. I don't think we realize how important food is to us. Food is a big part of our lives. It is something we deal with throughout the day, every day for our entire life. Now it may not be something a lot of people think about and thus don't find that important, but think about how food effects your life. Eating is not just about keeping that pain out of your tummy. It gives us those things we need to stay alive and healthy. But it also has a social aspect. Families sit down over a cooked meal. Work places sometimes have meals for employees. Family get togethers usually include food. Who has not been on a date that involved eating? Diet is a big part of who we are. It may not matter to me or you what we each eat since we will probably never eat together, but if we did it could have atleast some influence on each of us. It would certainly effect what was cooked or where we went to eat.

Thank God beer is one of the four food groups! :drunks:

:rotfl: :rotfl: Jub-Jub.

Ahem...anyhoo,

QuoteI challenge you to go one week writing down every place you go that meat is offered to you, every time you eat somewhere/thing, every time you have to deal with food. Just observe your choices. I am not even asking you to stop eating meat. I am just asking you to become aware of the situation.

LOL.. what, are you runlola's tag team partner now?   Why in the world would I do this silly challenge?  Many of the restaurants out there today have at least one meatless meal, not to mention the countless salads.  You two seem to like the martyr position...  *oh, woe is me, look at how I suffer* :hanging:

Off the top of my head, I can tell you Chili's has a guiltless black bean burger, it is meatless.  Applebees, they have this great onion soup.....  meatless, and they are the kings of salads, that can be ordered without the meat.  Olive Garden..Mmmmm..bread sticks and salad galore!  and all those dipping sauces....the alfredo sauce alone is enough to make ya slap your momma...but I guess if you are a true vegan.. then that sauce would be a no, no for you.

In atlanta there is the Green Sprout, Cafe' Sunflower, Camli's, veggie land, Sam's gourmet vegatarian paradise, (lol.. long name) and soul vegatarian south restaurant, there are more, but you get the idea.

These days a vegan needs not to suffer.. .unless that is, they want to.  :grin:

:crybaby:  Poor poor pitiful me.

I am not saying it is impossible to be vegetarian or vegan. Today, in many places it is much easier then just a few years ago. Also, thankfully, some restaurants do have vegetarian, and if you are really lucky vegan, dishes. But one or two dishes compared to the entire selection? And some places don't have anything without meat. I don't really care. I won't go to them. And that is not the point. Everything is catered to meat. Like with work lunches, there is no one vegetable in site. Just give me some green beans or corn and I would be happy. It is little things you notice.


:celebrate:

Still suffering, just not so severly now, hmm?   :violin:

I'm curious as to why some people won't eat meat.

Is it for religious reasons? Do you feel that the slaughter of animals is cruel and unjust? Maybe you feel that meat isn't healthy? Or maybe a combination of all of these reasons.

I'm not trying to be a smart butt or anything, just trying to understand.

Quote from: jub jubI'm curious as to why some people won't eat meat.

Is it for religious reasons? Do you feel that the slaughter of animals is cruel and unjust? Maybe you feel that meat isn't healthy? Or maybe a combination of all of these reasons.

I'm not trying to be a smart butt or anything, just trying to understand.

I can't speak for others, but for me it's a number of many factors. Firstly, regardless of what anyone says, the body has more traits in common with herbivores than carnivores – from our jaws and teeth, to digestive track and what produce we can gain energy from. Secondly, as a sentient being that does have a choice, I choose not to eat the body of another self-aware being who would feel the same emotions as a human when faced with their death. Thirdly, the meat industry today is pretty terrible in regards to pumping animals full of growth hormones and antibiotics, which are then consumed with the meat. And lastly I am eating a much healthier diet since being vegetarian(9 years now). Add to this recent findings linking frequent meat consumption (especially red) with DNA damage and consequent higher incidence of caner, and the shear amount of resources needed to produce 1 kilo of meat (in comparison to any other food stuff) which would make it physically impossible to feed the current worlds population with meat alone.

I am pretty much of the opinion everyone has their own choice. I would never preach what others should or should not do. My partner, friends and parents all eat meat, and that is their decision. I just gave you my reasons in response to your question.

Sounds like some good reasons.

Any special considerations for protein supplement?

Quote from: jub jubI'm curious as to why some people won't eat meat.

Is it for religious reasons? Do you feel that the slaughter of animals is cruel and unjust? Maybe you feel that meat isn't healthy? Or maybe a combination of all of these reasons.

I'm not trying to be a smart butt or anything, just trying to understand.

For me it started one weekend I had all to myself. I would do yoga before lunch. When it was time to eat lunch I did not feel like eating anything heavy like meat so I would just eat a nice salad. I think I did not eat any meat that weekend and after wards I felt great. So I slowly started eating lighter, meaning more fruits and vegetables, so that I could do yoga in the evenings after work. I just could not do yoga after eating a heavy, meat meal.

After that I started looking into diet and health. With a family history of high blood pressure and diabetes I wanted to do something to reduce my risk. After doing some searching on the net it seemed to be agreed by actual doctors and researchers that a vegetarian diet with exercise is the best lifestyle to help prevent these things. After that I started seriously going vegetarian. I had a book, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil, sitting on my bookshelf for ages that I had never opened. I started reading it and he, a medical doctor, actually promotes a vegetarian diet (though he does suggest eating fish if one wants) while cutting out a lot of fat and unhealthy additives most products have in them. I have been following his advice for the most part, minus the fish and add flax seeds for omega acids.

So it all started for exercise and health reasons, but now that I have been refraining from eating animals it feels spiritually right for me as well. I feel closer to animals and nature on a spiritual level. It just feels right and natural.

Quote from: jub jubSounds like some good reasons.

Any special considerations for protein supplement?

You can get everything you need from plants. Beans, grains, nuts, seaweed, seeds, soy products, and plenty of vegetables have protein. It is a misconception that only meat contains protein.

Quote from: NayStill suffering, just not so severly now, hmm?   :violin:

I need a hug.  :sniff:  :hug:

I have diabetes type II and also run high blood pressure. I'm a wreck when it comes to good health. I sometimes wonder why I'm still alive. I do work out though, 3 X a week with weights and 30 minute cardio. Perhaps that's why I'm not rubbing elbows with my ancestors at the moment.

It's just about lunch time. I think I'll go to Zaxby's and have a nice salad with (sorry) grilled chicken!  :grin:

I once knew a girl who was vegetarian, yet a heavy smoker. :confused:

Quote from: runlolaBeing vegan is more than just going without meat.
It means going without any animal products or by-products.
Animal products are throughout most packaged foods.
Unless a restaurant clearly states that a dish is vegan,
you have no idea what's in it.  

Mexican dishes may use lard in the preparation of the beans or tortillas.
Asian restaurants may often use fish sauce, chicken stock, oyster sauce,
or shrimp paste, even in dishes marked vegetarian.
This is because in many Asian countries vegetarian is defined simply as not eating animal flesh.

Middle-Eastern restaurants often use yogurt and butter as part of their sauces.
Indian restaurants may use ghee, which may or may not contain dairy,
in the preparation of many dishes, as well as yogurt.

Many food products contain ingredients like eggs, milk, honey, butter, or other animal products.
An example of this is that most commercial margarines contain various dairy products.
Other less obvious ingredients to avoid include gelatin, whey, and casein. Some pasta may contain egg.  

Some commercial flours are treated with treatment agent 920 (L-Cysteine)
which can be extracted from duck and chicken feathers.

There are many reasons why vegans avoid white table sugar, why some
purchase only organically-grown unbleached sugar,
and why still others eschew sugar products altogether

Many alcoholic drinks are fined (ie clarified) using animal ingredients
Wine May have been refined using isinglass, dried blood, egg albumen,
gelatine, chitin

Biscuits -Quite likely to contain animal fats
Chips- May have been fried in animal fat.
Chocolate- Watch out for whey and emulsifiers
Fast Food -Watch out for Bean/Vegetable burgers being cooked with fish/chicken/meat products
Soup Stock- May contain animal fat.
Pastry- May contain animal fat.
Anchovies- Small fish, found on pizzas and in some brands of worcester sauce
Bread- Some bakers may grease the tins with animal fat
Chewing gum- Often contain glycerine produced from animal fats

:jawdrop:  :jawdrop:  :jawdrop:


Doesn't leave much to choose from, does it. One thing is for sure, I could never be a vegan. Vegetarian maybe.

That is why I cook most of my own food. That way I know what is in it.

Quote from: fallnangel77

Quote from: Astir

I think...your diet makes up less than .001% of who you are as a person.

I have to totally disagree with you on that point. I don't think we realize how important food is to us. Food is a big part of our lives. It is something we deal with throughout the day, every day for our entire life. Now it may not be something a lot of people think about and thus don't find that important, but think about how food effects your life. Eating is not just about keeping that pain out of your tummy. It gives us those things we need to stay alive and healthy. But it also has a social aspect. Families sit down over a cooked meal. Work places sometimes have meals for employees. Family get togethers usually include food. Who has not been on a date that involved eating? Diet is a big part of who we are. It may not matter to me or you what we each eat since we will probably never eat together, but if we did it could have atleast some influence on each of us. It would certainly effect what was cooked or where we went to eat.

Well, let me put it this way...
That is how much what you eat matters to me. .001%. Otherwise I think of you as a human being. Not a meat eater, not a vegetarian. It's not something that matters to me. I will not judge people based on what they eat. It's a concept I find too absurd.

Also, I never consumed much meat. And yes I did try to ween myself off with help from knowledgable vegetarians. Just believe me when I say It didn't work. You also missed a very huge point I made. I'm allergic to supplemental vitamin B12. So, what option does that leave me since it only occurs naturally in one thing? I have to eat meat.

I get very sick when I eat anything enriched with B12. Try to understand...it's also hard for me to make sure everything I eat doesn't contain certain things. I know the pain in the butt it is to avoid certain ingredients. I also have celiac disease and must do my very best to avoid gluten (guess how many things gluten is in :shock: ). I'm also highly lactose intolerant and allergic to half the vegetables in existence. I KNOW what a strict, altered diet is like. I know it so well that I've stopped eating out and when I eat at someones house, I just eat what I can. I'm not going to complain to people because I have a different diet.

I'm also a type 1 diabetic, and must count carbs religiously, and purchase items based on that. Understand that I must eat food like taking medicine. If I was to alter my diet one more time...I'd probably go insane.  :sad3:

And sometimes I do quite enjoy meat above all else. Because it's the one carbfree thing I can eat without having to inject insulin.

I'm actually exhausted with dieting and watching everything I eat. It's such a pain that I'm ready to go anorexic... :sad3:

Quote from: Astir

Quote from: fallnangel77

Quote from: Astir

I think...your diet makes up less than .001% of who you are as a person.

I have to totally disagree with you on that point. I don't think we realize how important food is to us. Food is a big part of our lives. It is something we deal with throughout the day, every day for our entire life. Now it may not be something a lot of people think about and thus don't find that important, but think about how food effects your life. Eating is not just about keeping that pain out of your tummy. It gives us those things we need to stay alive and healthy. But it also has a social aspect. Families sit down over a cooked meal. Work places sometimes have meals for employees. Family get togethers usually include food. Who has not been on a date that involved eating? Diet is a big part of who we are. It may not matter to me or you what we each eat since we will probably never eat together, but if we did it could have atleast some influence on each of us. It would certainly effect what was cooked or where we went to eat.

Well, let me put it this way...
That is how much what you eat matters to me. .001%. Otherwise I think of you as a human being. Not a meat eater, not a vegetarian. It's not something that matters to me. I will not judge people based on what they eat. It's a concept I find too absurd.

Also, I never consumed much meat. And yes I did try to ween myself off with help from knowledgable vegetarians. Just believe me when I say It didn't work. You also missed a very huge point I made. I'm allergic to supplemental vitamin B12. So, what option does that leave me since it only occurs naturally in one thing? I have to eat meat.

I get very sick when I eat anything enriched with B12. Try to understand...it's also hard for me to make sure everything I eat doesn't contain certain things. I know the pain in the butt it is to avoid certain ingredients. I also have celiac disease and must do my very best to avoid gluten (guess how many things gluten is in :shock: ). I'm also highly lactose intolerant and allergic to half the vegetables in existence. I KNOW what a strict, altered diet is like. I know it so well that I've stopped eating out and when I eat at someones house, I just eat what I can. I'm not going to complain to people because I have a different diet.

I'm also a type 1 diabetic, and must count carbs religiously, and purchase items based on that. Understand that I must eat food like taking medicine. If I was to alter my diet one more time...I'd probably go insane.  :sad3:

And sometimes I do quite enjoy meat above all else. Because it's the one carbfree thing I can eat without having to inject insulin.

I'm actually exhausted with dieting and watching everything I eat. It's such a pain that I'm ready to go anorexic... :sad3:

I feel your pain...honest. It really makes you wonder in the grand scheme of things why some of us are given certain burdens to bear. You wind up asking yourself "What the hell did I do to deserve this?" Is it by luck? Did I choose this for myself so I could learn a lesson? Maybe I'm paying for something one of my relatives did?

I'm with you though. I would never judge a person by what he or she eats. It's such a petty thing to begin with. Now I will judge someone by what they wear! :lol: J/K

Thanks John.

I don't know why some in this world just look for reasons to disapprove of or not like other people. I'm the opposite. I will find that thing I like about someone, and end up loving them. :hearts: lol

It just seems diet should be considered insignificant. I don't know how one can pay so much attention to their diet and stand it. It makes food a great deal less enjoyable. I hardly enjoy eating after the lengths I must go to. The funny thing is, I don't have a choice...while a vegan or vegetarian would. If I don't follow certain dietary guidelines I can have a seizure or go into a coma. Food can kill me rather quickly if I'm not so careful. Finding the balance between food and insulin is imperative...demanding and exhausting.

What I would give to not have to worry so much about what I eat...




In other news...this terrible thing called salad happened to me the other day. It was horrifying. j/k :wink:

I know about all of them, the stereotypes. I have many vegetarian friends.

I've only ever come across two individuals who were highly mean and unfriendly about it. It was like they were on the warpath when they crossed me. I figured it was just how they were...and regardless of them being passionate about vegetarianism. I told them off...but, for being jerks. Not for being vegetarian or passionate. = P

Now for some meat eaters (I dislike that term by the way) it only takes one batsh!t crazy person (that happens to be vegetarian) attacking their character to make up their mind about the whole. The reverse is also true. There are plenty of passionate animal rights activists who are friendly and polite. And that's all that matters. I know this to be true, and do not judge. I actually assume people are good, until they give me an extreme reason to believe otherwise.

A bad attitude absolutely poisons a good idea sometimes...

QuotePeople start pre-judging you the minute you say you are vegetarian

yeah, it seems sort of odd, but my relatives like to point that out about me when we meet new people, and I usually get dirty looks, lol. I think avoiding loaded topics and ideas when expressing oneself presents a clearer picture in most cases.

I've never thought vegatarians were odd, or terrible enough to give a dirty look to, that's just rude.

Quote from: Astir

Well, let me put it this way...
That is how much what you eat matters to me. .001%. Otherwise I think of you as a human being. Not a meat eater, not a vegetarian. It's not something that matters to me. I will not judge people based on what they eat. It's a concept I find too absurd.

Also, I never consumed much meat. And yes I did try to ween myself off with help from knowledgable vegetarians. Just believe me when I say It didn't work. You also missed a very huge point I made. I'm allergic to supplemental vitamin B12. So, what option does that leave me since it only occurs naturally in one thing? I have to eat meat.

I get very sick when I eat anything enriched with B12. Try to understand...it's also hard for me to make sure everything I eat doesn't contain certain things. I know the pain in the butt it is to avoid certain ingredients. I also have celiac disease and must do my very best to avoid gluten (guess how many things gluten is in :shock: ). I'm also highly lactose intolerant and allergic to half the vegetables in existence. I KNOW what a strict, altered diet is like. I know it so well that I've stopped eating out and when I eat at someones house, I just eat what I can. I'm not going to complain to people because I have a different diet.

I'm also a type 1 diabetic, and must count carbs religiously, and purchase items based on that. Understand that I must eat food like taking medicine. If I was to alter my diet one more time...I'd probably go insane.  :sad3:

And sometimes I do quite enjoy meat above all else. Because it's the one carbfree thing I can eat without having to inject insulin.

I'm actually exhausted with dieting and watching everything I eat. It's such a pain that I'm ready to go anorexic... :sad3:

I was not trying to "recruit" you, so I hope you didn't take it that way.  :smile:  I understand. I read labels. I know that it is hard to avoid gluten, and many other things.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I could be very easily because I don't eat meat often at all.

I just don't like meat. If I eat beef especially, I feel nauseous afterwards. I will occasionally eat bacon, only if it's crispy, and only like a few times out of the year, because I don't come across it. It's not something I cook for myself.

I used to eat chicken, but even that repulses me now. Just the stringiness of it.

So I'm more of a vegetarian just because I'm a picky eater. Not because I feel bad for animals...although I say that...but the main reason I don't eat beef is because it looks too much like cow flesh. Chicken nuggets don't seem as bad.

My favorite food is salad. I love lettuce.

Ok rambling over.

I've been vegetarian  for a while now, but for the most part I was never a big meat-eater anyway. Aside from the nightmare that is factory farming, I realized that I was a hypocrite: I would never kill an animal myself ( unless perhaps my life depended on it) so why should some other person being doing the dirty work for me? No, it was a conscious decision that I had to make and I have felt really good since making that decision.

Additionally, over the long term I think that factory farming is unsustainable, and I'm hoping that it will end with the unraveling of globalization. So, to this extent it is probably better to start eating lower down the food chain anyway.

Quote from: falsetigerlimbs
My favorite food is salad. I love lettuce.

I use to like lettuce until I started using spinach in its place. Now I can't stand lettuce. Next time you make a salad try using spinach instead. Spinach has a lot more nutrients than lettuce  and is a lot better for you. I like its texture and taste better in salads (and everything else in my opinion).

Quote from: runlola
maybe you are eating the wrong types of lettuce.:razz:
I never eat iceburg but I love romaine. Romaine is my
favorite. Arugula is good too, very spicy. And I love mache.

LOL Maybe I should not have said I can't stand it. Iceburg is not worth buying reguardless of how cheap it is. Romaine and Arugula are good, for lettuce.  :razz: I don't think I have ever had mache. I will have to look into that.

I still prefer spinach, though.  :smile:

I don't like spinach. I'm really picky about textures, and I don't like the texture. Or the taste for that matter.

I love romaine lettuce though. My parents always buy iceberg but I insist on getting separate lettuce.

But it is really good for you. Look what it did for Popeye!

Yeah!  He has a mishapened mouth,  freakously huge forearms, smoking problem, anger problem, romance problems and stutters.  Bring on the spinach!  :lol:  :justkidding:

Quote from: NayYeah!  He has a mishapened mouth,  freakously huge forearms, smoking problem, anger problem, romance problems and stutters.  Bring on the spinach!  :lol:  :justkidding:

Yeah, the things you have to do to get on tv.  :razz:

Did you ever see The Family Guy episode with Popeye? That was funny.

QuoteYeah, the things you have to do to get on tv. :razz:

:rotfl: :rotfl:  What did Olive Oil ever see in him?  :lol:

I don't know why I can't sit through a whole episode of the family guy...  the dog ticks me off..LOL.   My son, however,  told me about an episode where they were making fun of poltergiest and that sounded funny as heck!  I do want to catch that one.