Vegitarianism...

I'm sendin' this straight to the DogHouse as it will probably end up here anyway!

So! I'm very seriously thinking about becoming a vegitarian ... I have recently developed a severe allergy to most dairy products and have never been a big fan. I've also cause to believe that animal fat (not to mention all the hormones and other junk) has been exacerbating my IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Finally, I would like to make this change in support of animal rights.

Are there any other "Vegies" out there? What do people in PetTalk think of being a "Vegie?" PLEASE NOTE: I've got nothing against those who eat meat, as I think that what you eat is a very personal decision! Just need some input :)

Advice needed too :D

I am a Vegetarian...have been my whole life...

Do you have any specific questions?? I can tell you this: When a human is born, they are not born with the enzymes to digest meat. When they are given as a child, they begin to develop it. When you have this enzyme, and you stop eating meat, it will make you crave it. On the flip side, if you have never eaten meat, and you don't have the enzyme, and you eat meat, you will get sick, because you can't digest it. That happened to me...LOL, I learned this because I tried to eat meat and it made me so sick, my husband accused me of being bulemic and made me see the Dr and this is what she told me....lol


DISCLAIMER: I AM IN NO WAY SAYING THAT JUST BECAUSE I DON'T EAT MEAT THAT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULDN'T. YOU BE YOU, AND I'LL BE ME AND WE'LL ALL BE OK TOGETHER.

Crystal

IttyBittyKitty

What sort of allergy tests have you had? Scratch tests or injections? I am curious because I went to an allergy specialist last week and she said food allergies come up best with injections (she does them in the upper arm). I had moulds, airborne particles and grasses done last week and I get food allergies tested next week :rolleyes:

Anyway, I haven't eaten meat for years and years. Are you thinking of going vegan or keeping some animal proteins such as eggs in your diet? This will have an impact on the type of advice you'll receive.

Living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle is a wonderful & compassionate choice. My suggestion would be to read up on nutrition in books tailored for vegetarians/vegans and then keep track of your intake of nutrients each day. After a while you will get the hang of vegetarian nutrition but it does take some adjusting and that needs to be taken seriously. People who fail to actively seek proper nutrition give vegetarians a bad name because like with any diet you can be an unhealthy vegetarian!

Good luck! I’ve personally lived a vegan lifestyle for about the past year and I love it!!! :D If you ever have any questions or concerns please feel free to PM (private message) me and I can help you myself or direct you to other resources.

Let us know how it goes! :) :) :)

I've been a vegetarian for 5 years now...seems longer... I stopped eating meat in the 5th grade. Cattle is so right! I craved that meat Soooo badly when I first stopped... then about 4 years later I accidentally ate some bacon and become sick later that day. :o I stopped for the animals. :)

I'm not a vegitarian.... I like meat too much, but i alos LOVE my vegtables!

Good luck on becoming one, if that's what you want. :)

I am actually going to be a vegitarian, rather than a vegan as I think for me going from beaing omnivorous to being a vegan would be too dramatic for me! Also, I don't think I could stick to a diet quite as strict as that. The animal products I will be eating will be minimal as I cannot have milk. It will probably just be a little bit of cheese and butter (I don't really like eggs all that much). I may go vegan later down the track, but I'll try being a vegie first and get used to that.

I haven't had any meat cravings yet. Funny, I've never craved it anyway - I went for a long time on a low meat diet (as I was skint!) and didn't miss it. So, it is a sacrifice that is worth it for the animals :) ... the good thing about being a "vegie" is that you can still eat some of your favourite crap foods - such as potato chips (cooked in vegie oil if possible, bikkies, soda pops etc. Yay! I think I'd die without a little bit of choccy in my life, although it contains just enough dairy to make me slightly ill.

Miss Meow - I haven't officially been tested for the allergy, but formal tests are on the cards. I know that milk makes me extroadinarily ill, however, so I'll avoid it in the meantime. As I have IBS I will also ask to be tested for a raft of other food allergies if it's not too painful and yukky!

My boyfriend was a bit baffled about my decision as he is the exact opposite - he sees a vegie and runs a 100 miles. He has been supportive though. We compliment each other like yin and yang in that respect! LOL! We can order chicken cashew nut from the local Thai restaurant and he can eat the chicken and I'll eat all the vegies!!

I will take a moment to give you a list of some great veggie food alternatives.

Boca:

They have the best burger patties and smoked sausages for grilling or putting in the oven.

Morning Star:

Breakfast sausages, corn dogs and chicken nuggets and patties are out of this world. The cicken tastes so much like chicken, my cat will even eat it.

"Good Dog" hot dogs are good too.

Anything under the brand called "Favorite" is completely Vegan, even with no animal renet, which is animal enzymes. I love their Chili mix.

And as far as soy milk: Silk is by far the best. They have vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavors....Yuuummm.

Tofu: it is easiest to cook and brown extra firm tofu.

Refried Beans: Rosarita refried beans makes a vegetarian style, which means it doesn't use animal fat lard in cooking them.

I hope this has helped you. I don't know where you live or what the availability is in your area. Also, if you want any recipe's I have a million, as I'm sure the other veggies in this forum will be glad to share as well.


Regards, Crystal

I got this from the Local Hara Chrisna's:


HUNGER:

1. Number og people worldwide who will die of starvation this year: 60 million

2. Number of people who could be adequately fed with the grains saved if Americans reduced their intake of meat by 10%: 60 million

3. Human beings in America: 243 million

4. Number of people who could be fed with grains and soybeans now eaten by U.S. livestock 1.3 billion

5. Percentageof corn grown in the U.S eaten by people: 20%

6. Percenage of corn grown in the U.S. eaten by livestock: 80%

7. Percentage of oats grown in the U.S.eaten by livestock: 95%

8. Percentage of protein wasted by cycling grain through livestock: 90%

9. How freequently a child starves to death : every 2 seconds

10. Pounds of potatoes that can be grown on one acre: 20,000

11. Pounds of beef on one acre: 165

12. Percentage of U.S. farmland devoted to beef production: 56%

13. Pounds of grain and soy beansneeded to produce a pound of feedlot beef: 16

NATURAL RESOURCES

14. User of more than half of all waterused for all purposes in the U.S.: livestock production

15. Gallons to produce a pound of wheat: 25

16. Gallons to produce a pound of meat: 2,500

17. Cost of common hamburger if water used by meat industry was not subsidized by U.S. taxpayers: $35/lb

18. Current cost of of pound of protein from beef steak if water was no longer subsidized: $89

19. Years the world's known oil reserveswould last if every human ate a meat centered diet: 13

20. Years they would last if humans no longer ate meat: 260

21. Percentage of raw materials consumed by U.S. to produce present meat centered diet: 33%

THE ENVIORNMENT

22. The cause of global warming:Greenhouse effect

23. Priary cause of greenhouse effect: carbon dioxide emissions fromfossil fuels

24. Fossil fuels needed to produce a meat centered diet: 50 times more

25. Percentage of U.S. topsoil lost to date: 75%

26. Percentage of U.S. topsoil lost directly to livestock raising: 85

27. Number of acres of U.S. forests cleared for cropland to produce a meat centered diet: 260 million

28. Amount of meat U.S. imports actually from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama: 200 million pounds

29. Area of tropical rainforest consumed in every quarter pound hamburger: 55 square feet


30. Current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforests for meat grazing and other uses: 1,000 per year

PESTICIDES

31. Percentage of pesticide residue in the U.S. diet supplied by grains: 1%

32. Percentage of pesticide residue in the U.S. diet supplied by fruits: 4%

33. Percentage of pesticide residue in the U.S. diet supplied by vegetables: 6%

34. Percentage of pesticide residue in the U.S. diet supplied by dairy products: 23%

35. Percentage of pesticide residue in the U.S. diet supplied by meat: 55%

Statistics from: "Diet For A New America" by John Robbins

No reason to cut chocolate out of your diet!!! :) Go for "dark chocolate" instead of "milk chocolate." YUM! :D

I tried to be a vegetarian one time last year, after we watched a moive about animal farming in science. I lasted half an hour and then I was off to Burger Baron! :D

LOL, I could never live without meat, but I respect those who can! :D

I too respect vegens, but not super veggens who dont respect me and the fact that i do eat meat. Because I respect nobody who doesnt respect me and my beliefs in return.

I've been a vegetarian on and off my whole adult life. If you're gonna do it, I agree with CDM get to know morning star farms (their corn dogs are to die for). and Boca.
and if you can get it MELISSA's SOY TACO rules! as does Melissa's soyrizo (vegetarian spicy sausage). ooh lala.

OH OH OH!!!


Boca makes Boca Crumbles which is soy "ground beef." It works great in taco's and hamburger helper, and the best part....no need to thaw it out or cook it before adding it to the helper!!! You just dump it right in and it cut's cooking time in HALF!

(because if you're anything like me, you will forget to take things out to thaw)

Crystal

I don't think they stock any of those brands here in Australia, but I'm sure that there are lots of good brands here.

I don't really like tofu, but I LOVE MUSHROOMS! Yum! So I think I'll be fine. What a great excuse to eat shedloads of 'shrooms!

Still no meat cravings. It has been 2 days since I last ate meat (it made me feel sick and I didn't finish it) ... and even the smell of meat makes me feel yukky.

I've decided to continue eating small amounts of fish as I transition into my vegie diet, but there will be no more red meat, pork or chicken at all. Eventually even fish will be off the menu.

Cattle Dog Mum - those are some scary stats!

Iceyshiver - I respect everyone's personal beliefs ... my boyfriend is practically a carnivore, but it's his choice.

And the best thing? I REALLY DON'T MISS MEAT! YAY!