laracely

Tips for turning vegetarian

The AM New York paper included an little article about going veggie, and I found it pretty insightful for those toying with this idea. I’ll go over the tips a couple at a time, and add some notes about my own experience…

While going meatless isn’t for everyone, it can improve your health. Here are tips from nutritionists on making the transition:

1. Know why you’re doing it. Having firm reasons - moral, ethical, medical, environental or otherwise - can keep you on track. [ For me, it was to pursue a healthier lifestyle and avoid all the antibiotics and chemicals that industrial farms feed the animals we eat. I also have loads of veggie friends who changed their diet because the idea of eating a sentient being. That is, something that can experience pain or pleasure. ]

2. Set guidelines. Many vegetarians decide to keep eating eggs and dairy, while others opt to cut all animal products. [ I had to experiment a bit and find a balance that suited my system - sometimes I will avoid dairy and eggs, but also enjoy those once in a while. After avoiding dairy a while, I have noticed that my body doesn’t have a 100% positive reaction to it. ]