268 replies to this topic

[LadyCrow]

I've been leaning towards vegetarianism for quite some time now, but would occasionally eat meat every so often (esp. when @ family gatherings). Meat was tasty & delicious, mind you, but after visiting the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary a few weeks ago (which is a cool place, btw), I realized that that place was really the catalyst that I needed to "officially" go vegetarian.

I announced this to my mother a week after making my decision, & she immediately told me a story about a family friend whom had done the same thing. She said that he'd gotten sick after stopping eating meat, but started feeling better after resuming so. Granted, I don't know if this is really a true story or not, but it would've been nice to have support in my decision instead of being discouraged. But that's neither here nor there.

I personally feel good about this decision, & I've even started to cut down on my dairy consumption. Thanks to Ravn, whom introduced me to chocolate Silk many moons ago, I began to enjoy soy milk (esp. the Silk brand; I was excited to discover a plain Silk w/1/2 the calories of regular plain Silk a few weeks ago), so I know that's one of many good avenues for nutrition.

I know there are good resources for vegetarians (I picked up "Living Vegan For Dummies" as a reference book), but is there any that anyone could recommend? Any suggestions are welcome...

Thanks...

[mamapajama]

I have been vegetarian for over 23 years, my husband for 20 and my 14 and 10 year old children have been vegetarian all of their lives (so far).

I think many of us hear the story of the one person who got sick or anemic but I think that is pretty uncommon if you go about it right. Don't get hung up on the protein stuff (unless you plan to not eat dairy or eggs) and watch out and do not eat too many carbohydrates.

Good luck!

[HappieKamper]

I have been vegetarian for nine years (vegan for two). I've always been healthy.

[china cat]

I worry about getting necessary nutrients sometimes. I do take liquid b-12 and a multivitamin. i worry about the protein - I don't drink milk and rarely eat eggs. I try to drink protein drinks (they tend to be high in sugar though).

some resources:

http://www.goveg.com/

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/

http://www.huffingto...i_b_671322.html

this site has a lot of resources (books, recipes....) http://www.vrg.org/

[ame]http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/0316069906[/ame]

[Mama Kel]

Don't get hung up on the protein stuff (unless you plan to not eat dairy or eggs) and watch out and do not eat too many carbohydrates.

This. I was a Veg for over 6 years. It's pretty easy once you get used to it. I find it easier (cooking & prep wise) than being a meat eater. Americans get WAAAAAAAAAAYYY too much protein in their diet. And it's very easy to overload on carbs. I have a great cookbook: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Good Luck!

[Jersey Thug]

vegetarian times (the magazine) is packed full of easy, yummy recipes. that's the only magazine i subscribe to and i look forward to it.

for more complex recipes, i'd suggest picking up a Moosewood Lodge cookbook. i own Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, which is more globally/regionally inspired, because that's how we like to eat...but i hear great things about the others, too so check out the descriptions and pick up whichever one seems most tempting to you, if you decide to buy one.

and between beans, rice, eggs and other dairy, soy products, protein-rich vegetables such as spinach, etc you should have NO problem getting all the protein you need into your diet. it's only when a person relies too heavily upon one food that their diet may become deficient. a niece of mine decided to go veg at age 16, living in a house full of carnivores who don't eat the healthiest diet to begin with. she ran into trouble, but when i asked her what she'd been eating...it was all junk. meat-free junk, yes. but still junk. her mom decided it was a bad idea for her to be a vegetarian because she was having health issues related to her diet, so convinced that meat was the answer, she went back to omnivore status.

you can't live on french fries but if you are even mildly conscious of 'eating the rainbow' you'll be fine

[Ginger Snap]

I'm trying to build dinners around vegetables rather than meat, and have a short/moderate term goal of having at least 4 dinners a week that are vegetarian. I'm cutting the portion of meat way back on meat nights. (like instead of a pound of hamburger in the sauce per pound of pasta, cut it back to half a pound and shred up carrots for the sauce.)

My hope is that with incremental changes, the kids will be more open to eating other things, as it becomes more familiar. I can't imagine ever being a full on vegetarian, (I guess stranger things have happened) but I'm trying to have vegetables, whole grains, and legumes a more substantial part of our diet.

[china cat]

if you want to learn more, or help others in your family understand your choice (and plant a seed for them to do the same), I highly recommend these 4 documentaries

[ame]http://www.amazon.co...E58HJ8AA18AC1RE[/ame]

[ame]http://www.amazon.co...f=pd_cp_d_1_img[/ame]

[ame]http://www.amazon.co...89253632&sr=1-1[/ame]

[ame]http://www.amazon.co...89253655&sr=1-1[/ame]

[Ginger Snap]

Cool china, I saw the Food Matters, and its been something I've been thinking about for a long time and making some very small changes. (albeit not always consistently.) Thank you musicmomma.

It's also something I sense...I work in an environment that I am responsible to make sure there is follow up with medical issues with my clients, of whom have some of the highest of all your risk factors. They they are on all kinds of meds, often die at younger ages...and while the department of mental health and the red cross breath down our necks to be sure we are doing the necessary follow up and correct administering of medication- they barely ever remark about nutrition, of which we are also responsible for. Now there are all kinds of factors making proper nutrition in group homes for mentally ill difficult...what staff knows how to cook, funding...but there isn't even an acknowledgement that there is a lack of nutrition or problem by staff, supervisors, administrators. Apparently a piece of fruit in the morning and a veggie at dinnertime is enough. And I know exactly what they are eating...it's what's on the tables of many of my coworkers. (the menu often becomes what the evening shift's personal household dinners look like, only in bulk.) Just seems like when the doctors order states to decrease fats and sugars and increase fruits and vegetables, we should be paying as much attention to that as whether we give the lipitor correctly. I've talked to folks about it and they do not see what I am talking about.

Maybe if I came at it from a food pyramid point of view, "Well, we have to assume that they are not eating fruits or vegetables for lunch, and since we are responsible to provide breakfast and dinner, it is our responsibility to make sure clients are getting the recommended food." I wonder if I'll get fired.

[china cat]

So many of these vids make that argument, Wit. Nutrition is a health issue - the biggest health issue this country is facing. When's the last time any of our doctor's asked about what we're eating, what we're doing to reduce stress.... I would argue MOST of our health problems are lifestyle/nutrition problems.

[china cat]

do you know candy manufacturers had a say in constructing the food pyramid?!

should look more like

[Ginger Snap]

I'm just saying...maybe it would be a good place to start being that it's widely accepted and all. Right now I'm having a difficult conversation getting folks to believe that the menus aren't balanced as they believe, nevermind cut out meat altogether.

I can't wait for your sweet potato soup!

[china cat]

your sig is too complicated

[Ginger Snap]

touche.

[china cat]

i mean, really, how many times does he have to say conforming and nonconforming. wtf

[Ginger Snap]

alright, I got it.

[china cat]

and it's missing a comma between "hatred" and "and"

[Ginger Snap]

he left that out on purpose...nonconformist and all.

[china cat]

ANOTHER GOOD REASON

http://www.mercyforanimals.org/pigs/

[china cat]

and this classic

http://video.google....47926833909134#

[china cat]

[BoggleKng]

I recently came across Going Wild in the Kitchen by Leslie Cerier. She has some good books.

[mayfly]

wow - that is pretty powerful shit

[Eco]

My story....

Baby steps...

Gave up swine (pork) 2-3 years ago when my father got colon cancer. Waited 6-12 months and gave up eating dead cow as well. Waited another 6 months or so and gave up eating dead chickens...finally last July 4th (odd timing) I gave up eating dead fish. Now I'm down to "needing" eggs for protein and cheese cause I hate the fake cheese. At some point I'll switch over to no animal products.......baby steps....been on and off some vegan raw diets a few times and finding things to replace my protein needs. While I try to eat an ITAL diet eating out is a challenge and a half!

A side note, cutting out chemicals in my diet is cool but if I eat something with them I get sick! Same goes for chemical meds, cough syrup gives me a high like I can walk on air....not a good feeling!

Good luck on your switch to not consuming the flesh of other of God's creations!

[china cat]

eco, lots of alternate sources of protein

nuts, seed, beans, soy, tempeh, oats, quinoa, spinach, brocoli, brown rice....

Table 1: Sample Menus Showing How Easy It Is To Meet Protein Needs


Protein (grams)
Breakfast: 1 cup Oatmeal 6 1 cup Soymilk 7 1 Bagel 9 Lunch: 2 slices Whole Wheat Bread 5 1 cup Vegetarian Baked Beans 12 Dinner: 5 oz firm Tofu 11 1 cup cooked Broccoli 4 1 cup cooked Brown Rice 5 2 Tbsp Almonds 4 Snack: 2 Tbsp Peanut Butter 8 6 Crackers 2 TOTAL 73 grams Protein Recommendation for Male Vegan [based on 0.8-1 gram of protein per kilogram body weight for 70 kilogram (154 pound) male] 56-70 grams Breakfast: 2 slices Whole Wheat Toast 5 2 Tbsp Peanut Butter 8 Lunch: 6 oz. Soy Yogurt 6 2 Tbsp Almonds 4 1 Baked Potato 4 Dinner: 1 cup cooked Lentils 18 1 cup cooked Bulgur 6 Snack: 1 cup Soymilk 7 TOTAL 58 grams Protein Recommendation for Female Vegan [based on 0.8-1 gram of protein per kilogram body weight for 57.5 kilogram (126 pound) female] 46-58 grams

[DancingBearly]

25 years and I am still here. My Dad "Where you gonna get your protein from? You'll waste away.":rotf:
I am leaning way more vegan now as I don't do dairy and only have eggs if their hidden in bake goods.
Speaking of baked goods thats the one thing I caution is eating too many simple carbs(most breads , pasta , cereal)

[china cat]

25 years and I am still here. My Dad "Where you gonna get your protein from? You'll waste away.":rotf:
I am leaning way more vegan now as I don't do dairy and only have eggs if their hidden in bake goods.

on the same path

[china cat]

"The suffering of one being is no different than the suffering of any other being. If a being suffers there can be no moral justification for failure to take that suffering into consideration. "





!

[china cat]

http://video.google....872964130308142

[Eco]

China cat, dig around on Hulu.com (free) and Netflix if you are a paid member, tons of sick movies on both about how the way our food is raised.

[china cat]

I have seen more than I need to

but if you've got others, post a link

[china cat]

chicks dropped into grinders while still alive

[Eco]

IMHO it does no good posting a link. I've shown videos to friends, family, and even my own kids and they don't get it. I think when people are able to accept the evils of raising a live animal in cruel conditions only to harvest them for food in cruel conditions they will rethink their diet.

As a past lover of dead animals I can admire the taste but can't understand now why the stupid fucs want to eat that flesh and bi-products when they can maintain a better diet not consuming dead animals....or their bi-products. Then again (on my great way of twisting stuff) some people supported hanging black people and some people supported executed the Jews....a fucked up world of killing for fun! Eat dead animals and you are hanging black people and burning black people in your front yard.......

[china cat]

What we do know, Eco, is that if no one ever sees the vids, change won't happen. You never know how someone who clicks on a link (if only out of curiosity) will be affected. You can't give up.

My brother has given up almost all meat (my blue collar, fisherman brother!), my ex has not eaten meat in 3 weeks (and asked to borrow and then watched every food documentary I have), my daughter informed me today that she is now a vegetarian!!! My mother has stopped using artificial sweeteners, and buys mostly organic now, two friends have commented on animal cruelty links i've posted on fb--posted that they were horrified by what they saw (one asked how to get involved and sent several e-mails and "liked" several animal cruelty sites afterward)

So, as annoying or as confrontational as it seems, we can get through. I just look at my small circle and see big changes

I care too much to say nothing. I pray that all of us will one day live cruelty-free and treat each other and our fellow earthlings with compassion and dignity.

[china cat]

[Eco]

Good interview!

Also thumbs up for rubbing off on your family. Other than my kids switching to the fake chicken products I've failed in that area.... I don't think anyone has come to one of my cookouts since I tried to grill fake products.....the chicken they didn't notice but the fake hotdogs and fake burgers were a give away.

[china cat]

sorry, eco. i don't blame the revolt i don't eat or serve fake anything--i don't like those fake dogs and products. though i will eat veggie burgers (life is good festival had killer ones) i just cook up a bunch of veggies and a grain, or a pasta sauce, or a bean soup.... feed them what they know, minus the chunk of dead flesh

[Eco]

Random thoughts after working almost 15 hours.....

Burger King & Subway both offer veggie patties but they taste so bad that it doesn't matter what you add to them they still taste like ass. The Subway ones are oddly enough so filling that 1/2 of a sub is a meal....no clue what crap they fill that patty with.

The fake chicken patties are actually pretty good...not so much as a fake product (filling that need) but just as a solidish product in a sandwich or chopped up with sauce and noodles.

I fell in love with "veggie chunks" in Jamaica eating them with Rasta friends but when I ordered them at home it made me feel like I still needed the real stuff so I don't eat them. For some weird reason the perfect taste makes me feel like I'm eating the real thing and that is a little repulsive.

The Solar Cafe at Wormtown had some great vegan & veggie food options! Hush about Life is Good.....I passed by it twice a day working and it pissed me off that I could not attend!

3 more months until work slows down and I can return to a mostly vegan diet for the winter.

Tried a vegan raw diet a few times...all good but raw cabbage takes a few days to get use to. Mixing fresh fruits and veggies along with some nuts into a meal=yummy!

I refuse to cook dead flesh, it stinks and there is no way in hell I'm supporting killing for others! I also refuse now to use my grill.....

my 3 cents......

[kramer]

really? i LOVE the Subway veggie patty. mostly mushrooms and a whole bunch of spices. yum!

[Eco]

I dunno but I can't drown the taste out even the southwest sauce....I still eat them in a pinch but I don't jump with joy.

[kramer]

omg that is my favorite sandwich. veggie patty w/ southwest sauce, hell yes!

[Karen]

What we do know, Eco, is that if no one ever sees the vids, change won't happen. You never know how someone who clicks on a link (if only out of curiosity) will be effected. You can't give up.

My brother has given up almost all meat (my blue collar, fisherman brother!), my ex has not eaten meat in 3 weeks (and asked to borrow and then watched every food documentary I have), my daughter informed me today that she is now a vegetarian!!! My mother has stopped using artificial sweeteners, and buys mostly organic now, two friends have commented on animal cruelty links i've posted on fb--posted that they were horrified by what they saw (one asked how to get involved and sent several e-mails and "liked" several animal cruelty sites afterward)

So, as annoying or as confrontational as it seems, we can get through. I just look at my small circle and see big changes

I care too much to say nothing. I pray that all of us will one day live cruelty-free and treat each other and our fellow earthlings with compassion and dignity.

I you. Thanks for posting this. I was vegetarian for many, many years and went back to my evil ways in 06... All the links in these posts have impacted my profoundly. I especially identified with Ellen when she talked about a diet filled with mean that had a short, pain filled, anxiety ridden life. I just came cross a journal entry from 1999 where I said the same thing!

Thanks again for posting all this.

[china cat]

wow, thank you so much for sharing that karen.

We can be more compassionate, we can love, we can change the world.

I ask everyone to confront their own lifestyle and watch Earthlings. It will change you. And when that happens, the world becomes a more beautiful place to live.

[china cat]

Some environmental reasons to go veg:

From the book Eating Animals:

Factory farms are responsible for a significant amount of pollution. Livestock production emits more greenhouse gasses than all U.S. cars combined. To quit eating meat, will do more for the environment than giving up your car

"The a typical feedlot will produce 344 million pounds of animal excrement, annually. Farmed animals produce 130 times the amount of shit as human beings do - it's about 87,000 pounds of shit per second. All this shit includes about 100 microbial pathogens that can cause serious illness to human beings. The shit also includes nitrates, methane, ammonia, cyanide, carbon monoxide and other dangerous gases. Much of this waste is converted and sprayed in a liquified form onto fields. People living in communities close to these farms experience increasing health problems and degradation of property values. Liquified waste is also dumped into lagoons - these toxic lagoons can span 120,000 square miles at 30 feet deep. 100 or more of these giant cesspools loom in the vicinity of just one single slaughter house. Another horror is the example of farms destroying nearby waterways. One farm (Smithfield) spilled more than 20 MILLION gallons of cow shit into the New River in NC (twice as big as the Exxon Valdez oil spill). EPA revealed that 35,000 miles of U.S. rivers in 22 states have been polluted due to chicken and hog excrement. This manure is also linked to MRSA (a flesh eating bacteria that has killed more people each year than AIDS)." Never mind all the resources (water, feed, fossil fuels) that it takes to grow, produce, and transport the food that feeds the animals.

Going veg is one of the best things you can do for the environment

[china cat]

In honor of the earthlings who lived and died horrifically so people could eat them on thanks giving

every purchase we make is a vote for the kind of world we want to live in.

[Gypsy Bob]

Question for yous Female Womenz > Does being a Vegetarian mean you can't partake of "Manly Essence"?

[china cat]

well if it isn't cruel and doesn't kill ya...

[Depends]

Question for yous Female Womenz > Does being a Vegetarian mean you can't partake of "Manly Essence"?

I would think vegans might have an issue, but vegetarians, nah....

[GingerLove]

I am absolutely addicted to my Moosewood cookbooks, does anoyone have any suggestions on other veggie recipe books of the same quality?

[GingerLove]

haha what an interesting question i'm veggie, but will have to ask my vegan friends about that one