How did you become a vegetarian/vegan? (fresh vegetables, protein, animal)

[53lisa]

Originally Posted by camping!

I was in the same boat, and had been flirting with vegatarianism for at least ten years now.
Then, I roasted a turkey. I had to pull its neck out of its cavity. That to me, sealed the deal.
I haven't eaten meat for almost a month now, and not only do I not miss it I find the longer I go without meat the more disgusting it looks and smells to me.
I don't care for pasta, so I have been eating a lot of salads with extra 'crunchies' in it, gardenburgers, roasted veggies, and veggie pot pie. Love that!
It is kind of a drag that I am making two meals every night, but I really feel physically healthier and I had been horribly nightblind and now that has even improved dramatically.
Take my advice, go into this as a day by day thing and see how long the journey takes you. That is what I did I do not feel deprived at all.

You might want to try bilberry for your eyes. It's an herbal supplement. Sundown makes it, but unfortunatrely it comes in a gelatin capsule.

[53lisa]

When my daughter's friend told me that her and my daughter were vegetarians, I decided to try it for a week. While I was online looking for some recipes to try, I came across PETA's videos, and haven't eaten meat (beef, pork, poultry or seafood) since. I have also switched to cage-free eggs. Free range chickens can be confined to a cage for much of their life, and only have access too the outside for a short amount of time each day.

[dreamofmonterey]

My mother died prematurely from a heart condition caused by hyperlipidemia,bad cholesterol,and animal fats....one day I had cooked some bacon for the ex-husband and looked at the remaining congealed fat in the pan.........all that garbage goes in your body and causes disease...it takes time to learn to use spices and lentils, but its so worth it!.

[lapommedeterre]

I had always agreed with vegetarianism, just never thought I could do it... I liked meat too much... just mostly chicken and steak.
vegan guest speaker came to my sociology class last year and was very effective
check out adaptt.org I think all of his stuff makes a lot of sense.
and there's the whole "humans are herbivores" argument... like everyone thinks you need to eat meat to be normal/healthy. but really it's the whole US society that puts such an emphasis on meat

[sarahkate_m]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

Every morning and evening the deer come out of the forest to visit. I feed them apples and pears. They come really close and most will even eat the fruit while I hold it in my hand. A couple of them will let me scratch their heads.

It wasn't always this way. Although I have been a vegetarian for many years, I used to be a hunter, and deer were among my favorite prey.

My last hunt was in 1963, and what happened not only put me on the road to becoming a non-meat eater, it was the beginning of a long spiritual journey.

It's too long to post here, but if anyone is interested in reading about it, I have it posted here:

http://hintlians.com/story/1963 (broken link)

I don't mean any offense, but does hand feeding the deer make it easier for hunters to approach them?

[sarahkate_m]

Originally Posted by Lilybeans

That part is cultural. In the far east, people eat dogs and cats and you can buy them at a market.

yup: guinea pigs in places like chile, too.

it's all just a part of cultural mindsets: protien sources

you can even eat tarantulas:

i prefer to see tarantulas walking free & easy... not cooked on ma plate!

[sarahkate_m]

Originally Posted by BORGUSX

It is kind of funny that the United States culture has a dogs and "cats at a higher level than other animals menality" when it comes to a pig or a cow. I guess since most people are so used to having them pets than comparing to the number of people that have a cow or a pig as pets.

Then,I can see why and not to mention,that they are able to afford to be picky with our diet whether it is meat based,veggie based,or mixed.

When you can't be picky,then you eat what you need to be healthy,survival is a basic human need.

i've heard that pigs are as smart if not smarter than canines. i always feel very uncomfortable when i see pork tenderloin. it looks... unpleasant.

in retrospect, i've always been/felt healthiest when eating the least red meat & dairy.

my current thinking on eating is that 'alkaline' is the way to go.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

Every morning and evening the deer come out of the forest to visit. I feed them apples and pears. They come really close and most will even eat the fruit while I hold it in my hand. A couple of them will let me scratch their heads.
It wasn't always this way. Although I have been a vegetarian for many years, I used to be a hunter, and deer were among my favorite prey.
My last hunt was in 1963, and what happened not only put me on the road to becoming a non-meat eater, it was the beginning of a long spiritual journey.
It's too long to post here, but if anyone is interested in reading about it, I have it posted here:

http://hintlians.com/story/1963 (broken link)

Originally Posted by sarahkate_m

I don't mean any offense, but does hand feeding the deer make it easier for hunters to approach them?

It might, but we live on a wooded peninsula which is incorporated as a "city".
There is no hunting allowed anywhere in city limits, so the whole area is a game preserve.

Here's something else to think about:

For years, I have had a certain communication with animals and could usually get them to come close and sometimes touch them. An old Indian guy who was a spiritual elder of his tribe, told me that being a vegetarian helped me do that.

He said that meat eaters have a different scent which the deer and other animals interpret as "predator" and stay a safe distance away.

I think there is something to this because I remember when I was in S.E. Asia, we could always smell when the natives were close by. They smelled like fish, which was a major component of their diet.

[sarahkate_m]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

Every morning and evening the deer come out of the forest to visit. I feed them apples and pears. They come really close and most will even eat the fruit while I hold it in my hand. A couple of them will let me scratch their heads.
It wasn't always this way. Although I have been a vegetarian for many years, I used to be a hunter, and deer were among my favorite prey.
My last hunt was in 1963, and what happened not only put me on the road to becoming a non-meat eater, it was the beginning of a long spiritual journey.
It's too long to post here, but if anyone is interested in reading about it, I have it posted here:

http://hintlians.com/story/1963 (broken link)



It might, but we live on a wooded peninsula which is incorporated as a "city".
There is no hunting allowed anywhere in city limits, so the whole area is a game preserve.

Here's something else to think about:

For years, I have had a certain communication with animals and could usually get them to come close and sometimes touch them. An old Indian guy who was a spiritual elder of his tribe, told me that being a vegetarian helped me do that.

He said that meat eaters have a different scent which the deer and other animals interpret as "predator" and stay a safe distance away.

I think there is something to this because I remember when I was in S.E. Asia, we could always smell when the natives were close by. They smelled like fish, which was a major component of their diet.

Thanks for the clarification, Freddy! When I see people here in my neighborhood trying to act like you, I get kinda ticked, cuz we are not in nature preserve. Your story makes good sense though.

I swear the hunters here probably just go "here little deer, I have a treat for you!" Boom. It seems like the herd is thinned down to almost nothing every year.

This year we were really lucky & had a doe nest her fawns in our backyard! It IS really hard not to sweet talk them.

Kate

[MissLariss]

My mom raised me as one so I have never known another lifestyle..