160 Days of Vegetarianism

One hundred and sixty days ago I took the plunge and quit eating meat.  I had been thinking about it for three years, experimenting here and there, cutting back my meat consumption so that when I finally decided to be a vegetarian, I had already committed to being so in my mind.  By then it wasn't really a plunge but more like a gentle slipping into.  Once I was mentally convinced, there was only one small step to go.

Many people have asked if it has been hard.  No.  I have three broad categories full of reasoning, so for me there is barely any room for doubt. 

Reasoning #1:  My Health.

My endocrinologist warned me twice over the course of a year that my cholesterol levels were too high.  This is a greater risk in people like me with hormone imbalances.  I then learned that cholesterol only exists in animals, not plants.  For the sake of lowering my cholesterol, I decided I am better off limiting consumption of animal products.  For now I still eat dairy and eggs, but no more flesh.  Since becoming a vegetarian my cholesterol levels have dropped to an acceptable healthy range.  At 240 pounds I was my heaviest weight at the beginning of the year.  Since becoming vegetarian I have lost 10 pounds.  I assume it has to do with eating less fat. 

Reasoning #2:  Animal Health.

I love animals.  Cows and pigs and chickens have feelings and intelligences.  Fish probably do too, even though I have a harder time relating to them.  We are less biologically related to fish after all.  I have always fostered loving and respectful relationships with domesticated animals.  Dogs and cats and horses and birds and rodents are fun companions and beneficial additions to any family.  Often we treat our pets as we would our children because we recognize that they are depending on us.  We provide them essentials for survival and they provide the rest.  So why then do we select certain categories of animals for mass production and consumption?  Pigs and cows and chickens make just as good family pets as dogs and horses and rabbits. 

Yes, I admit to having seen a few documentaries about the cruel methods practiced in slaughterhouses.  I believe businesses generally make choices to grow their profits, and if that means being downright insensitive, then that's what happens.  Although I feel like a hypocrite for eating dairy and eggs, products that come from the same industry, it is simply too difficult for me to commit to a vegan lifestyle at this time in my life.  Living in Ohio I am grateful to have the option of buying Amish eggs and cheese, because somehow I imagine they treat their animals more humanely, without using mechanized contraptions of steel to take over the dirty work and dehumanize the experience.  But, I don't really know how my eggs and cheese are produced and that bothers me a bit. 

What about hunting?  I'm not against it.  I understand it from a cultural and conservational perspective.  I never have knowingly and purposely killed an animal before.  I am from Colorado and my dad always had some kind of wild game in the freezer.  I've tasted wild venison and elk.  Hunting is a popular passtime in Ohio, too.  I own firearms but not for that.  I went turkey hunting once and really enjoyed tracking, but hated the thought of actually shooting and killing an animal.  It is painful enough when I discover that my gardening efforts have resulted in a dead earthworm, or that my bird feeder was so close to my window that a sparrow mistook the sky's reflection for the open air.  I don't know what it's like to be without a grocery store nearby.  I personally never had to kill another animal to eat it, and I'm not sure I ever will. 

Reasoning #3:  World Health.

It is a fact that raising and killing animals creates more pollution and uses more nonrenewable resources than raising and killing plants.  Veggies are cheaper than meat in each country I've ever visited.  We can produce vegetables in tiny spaces like balconies and window boxes.  Raising animals simply costs more and feeds less, and in a world of 7 billion humans and counting, it is increasingly important for us to be aware of the needs of others.  We require community to survive, and we require our planet Earth to survive, so we must be aware and conscious of the path we choose during our lives.  Are we leaving Earth a better place for future generations?  Trawling the ocean floor and overfishing for the world's favorite sushi, and everything we do really, changes our fragile ecosystem forever. 

Conclusion:

I miss the taste of pork.  But vegetables come in countless varieties and flavors.  During menstruation I have salivated at the smell of barbeque.  But after eating a huge dark green leafy salad the cravings go away.  We eat at restaurants too much, and in rural Ohio that means my choices are severely limited to carb-heavy dishes with very little vegetables.  But I have been working on getting in our kitchen more often, and taking the time necessary to treat my body to the benefits of vegetal variety.  We have our own backyard vegetable garden and for the first time we are growing peas, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs.  Next year I hope to try root crops, because no meal is complete without an onion. 

Eventually I would like to completely eliminate animal products from our home.  I've slowly been replacing our soaps with plant-based ones, and I'm careful to select fish-free Worcestershire and Pad Thai sauces.  It does require mindfulness and dedication, but for me that's not the hardest part.  For me it is hard eating at the homes of others, and especially at restaurants that cater to the classic Midwestern-American taste.  If I cut all animal product from my diet, I would starve around here!  I'd be completely on my own.