Vegetarianism and Veganism: The First Conscious Steps…
There are many truths, many perspectives, many realities, but for the here and now I would like to present a case for vegetarianism and veganism and offer my own sentiments and observations. Vegetarianism to me was, is and always has been, a first conscious step. If we are what we eat and continue to consume flesh, we are then the by-products of suffering. When you read the facts about how animals are treated and suffer during their lifetime, how their lives are cut short and how they are killed, you will feel shock, horror, pain and sadness and know that you too have to make a change and move on.
I have been a vegetarian since my early twenties, some of those years being strictly vegan ( being vegan means consuming no animal by products of any kind, including dairy products and eggs ). How do I feel? I feel great! There is something very satisfying when you know that you have taken a stand for what you feel, know and believe. When eating this way there are many different things and ways to eat. Life and eating becomes alive and joyful again. When you say “no more pain”, you decide this for both yourself and the animals. You decide to create a more powerful and harmonious future for us all. As we move into the 21st century, it is time to be more than what we have been and time to be all that we are and we are not savages. It may be a part of us, but it does not have to manifest three times a day during breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Research the subject yourself, everywhere there are healthy and unhealthy vegetarians and vegans, as there are healthy and unhealthy meat eaters. Vegetable proteins exist in abundance. It has been proven over and over again that the human body, even the growing human body of infants and children, does not need animal flesh or by-products to live and thrive.
For those of us living or wishing to live a wholistic lifestyle, vegetarianism and veganism are the first conscious choices. Long ago man was in tune with beasts to the degree that he occasionally ate meat to survive. It gave him strength in the cold winters. In those times, all parts of the dead carcass were used for survival. Man believed that the spirit and life force of the animal entered his own body and that he took on that strength. Man and beast were inter-connected. The beast laid down it’s life; there was understanding between both. It has been a long time since then. Nowadays cattle and other animals destined for consumption are mass-produced. Their lives and the slaughter process is a very far cry from the old ways. Speaking to those who work in and watching footage from the slaughterhouses is a real eye opener. The animals die in great fear, smelling the fear of others dying before them. Fear and a lifetime of suffering produces toxins in their bodies. They are often ill and often have tumors which have to be cut out of their bodies. These poisons run through their blood stream affecting all of the “meat”, of which at least eighty percent is this toxic, dirty water. When you eat meat you do not eat life, you eat fear, illness and death.
Vegetarianism and veganism is growing. People these days are more health conscious than ever before. Government guidelines are now cutting down on fats and in some cases red meats. The WHO ( World Health Organisation ) has finally classed processed meat as a class one carcinogen. Everyone knows someone who is a vegetarian or vegan. Many overweight people have been happy to discover weight loss and much greater vitality and energy after giving up meat. Others give up a host of medications. Things from diabetes, to blood pressure, to heart problems to digestive and skin problems all seem to respond very well and can all be improved and even cured with better food choices. We are also more informed about the fact that eating meat is not a vital part of life or a nutritional requirement. We now know that we can live well ( I would say live far better ) without it. Even in the state of Texas, the home of beef and steak, more and more restaurants are offering delicious meat free alternatives. If your favorite restaurant does not offer vegetarian or vegan choices ( and I don’t mean just raw vegetables ), it’s time to ask. Public demand will always sway the balance of what is required and what is available.
I meet many people who would like to become vegetarian or vegan but imagine that it involves a lot of cooking and careful planning. Not so! There are so many ready to eat and healthy foods available! It does not have to be hard work and there are so many great tastes to try!
For more information on the ethical, animal welfare and ecological aspects of vegetarianism and veganism I recommend that you visit PETA ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ). Also watch movies like “Cowspiracy” and “Earthlings”. For more information about the amazing health benefits of a vegetarian and vegan diet, I recommend you visit “Forks Over Knives” ( see the movie, read people’s healing testimonials, find plant based doctors and books, check out recipes and meal planners and more! )
