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Wednesday 20 May 2009

Lessons On My Vegetarian Journey


This week is National Vegetarian Week and I have been reflecting on my own vegie journey. I began my vegie experience in 2004 - There were many personal things going on in my life and my body was in change. I just couldn't eat or even smell meat for a long time and it became very easy to avoid meat and fish all together. In this time, I have returned to try meat/fish twice and felt sick lol. I just couldn't do it!

So what has being a vegie eater taught me?

Being vegetarian or vegan does not mean you are healthy. You can still be a fast-food-junk-atarian. It's easy to fill the empty void of meat/fish with hings that give you short term satisfaction, like junk food.

I appreciate food so much more now. I am really seeing food properly and looking at ingredients and various tastes. It has also made me much more adventurous with food. My senses feel so much sharper too.

I feel lighter, spiritually. I can't explain it but I feel that a huge weight has both spiritually and physically lifted from my body. It feels great!

My kitchen is much more simplified. OK, confession, maybe its because I still don't cook as much as I would like to... but all the stuff I used to buy are no longer there. Instead, its filled with much more raw and simplified ingredients.

It costs me less in the long run to shop. The same amount of money that I would have spent on steaks now buys me much more veg for my money. And shopping at farmer's markets mean that food is fresh and not as expensive.

Eating in season is great! There are many local farms in the UK that will send you a weekly big box of random fresh organic veg from their farms that are all in season. And it doesn't cost much, the taste is well worth it - so my friend says. I need to try this for my Self! See Veg Box Schemes

It's amazing how you connect with other vegie lovers! It's a whole new world of networking and meeting people who are passionate about food, earthy living and creativity! I love the idea of centering life connecting around food, spirituality and good company.

It takes serious discipline. It's not an over-night thing for most vegetarians/vegans/raw-foodists so its a journey to stick to for personal reasons. I also believe that people who are both meat/fish eaters and vegie eaters are quick to judge. Keeping in mind, it's a personal choice, I feel that there is no need to explain my Self. Family and friends might find it strange at first but they get over it!

My next stage... I don't drink milk but I still occasionally eat dairy. However, my body is now reacting very bad to it. So I would like to re-venture out into vegan and raw foody ways (it has been an on/off thing for a while). It's so much more simpler and easier!

... Random reflections off the top of my head. Maybe more to come soon...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hear, hear!

i enjoy the simplicity that comes with plant-based consumption. it takes some well thought out planning though and discipline to ensure you're getting what you need nutritionally.

now although i've been veggie for a few years i wasn't getting enough fresh foods (i love starchy things. haha). so, i've recently decided to stick to whole foods which means a reduction or elimination of veggie junk foods (bye bye health food store cookies and chips. lol!). so yeah, thanks for mentioning that you can be veggie and unhealthy because it is possible.