I'm Really Going to Do It

I always say that. Always. But I'm 100% dead serious about this.

As some of you are aware I tried being Vegetarian for a little while not that long ago. It actually wasn't that difficult and the only reason I stopped (but not fully stopped) was because I was tired of trying to think of new things to eat and I still had meat in my freezer that was tempting me. I've drastically cut down on the amount of animal products I am eating, but I still eat them here and there.

After finishing up with Skinny B***h, I've decided that I would greatly benefit from being a full time vegetarian and eventually I will transition into being an almost Vegan. I say almost because I do believe there are some food items (like honey) that I don't have a problem using, nor do I find them harmful (especially local honey because it helps with allergies).

This may seem totally mindblowing for some, especially if you've known me for a while. You know that I absolutely LOVE to bake and cook, but the benefits of this new lifestyle will far outweigh the fleeting pleasure of a delicious batch of cinnamon rolls (however, I do need to clarify right now that it's not like I won't ever again eat this stuff, but I'll reserve it for REALLY SPECIAL times like my birthday or Christmas). Also, I'll keep baking for others upon request- I can't deny a dear friend homemade cookies!

If you're wondering why I've decided to change my habits so dramatically, I've listed a few reasons below: (also, don't think that I am expecting anyone to feel the same way I do... I don't think this is how everyone needs to live, it's just how I think I need to live to be healthier.)

1. I have allergies. I didn't realize how much of my allergies were exacerbated by chemicals, hormones, etc. found in meats and dairy products. Animals are given steriods and hormones to grow bigger, antibiotics to keep them from getting infections and we wonder why we have so many health problems and resistant strains of bacteria and viruses. All of these foreign things enter your body when you don't need them and your body tries as hard as it can to react to them, but because it's so taxing your immune system is compromised and your are a.) more susceptible to germs and actual allergic reactions and b.) more prone to have allergic reactions to things that you aren't really allergic to since the body is confused trying to process to much. My allergies each year have been getting worse and worse and I'm starting to develop rashes and irrations to new things. I'm willing to bet that a lot of it is just built up toxins in my body and not really the pollen/dust/dander that's getting to me. I'm not saying that those things don't bother me, they do, but I think that they would bother me far less if my body wasn't so focused on trying to rid me of everything else.

2. Dairy is not good for you. Numerous studies have shown that mammals lose the ability to break down lactose in later toddlerhood (so around 3 or 4 for a human). Once you pass this milestone it becomes much harder for your body to process milk and taxes the body much more when it has to do so. Milk is supposed to support a mammal during it's biggest growth spurt and ensure that it gets enough nutrients to develop. After this time period there is no reason to drink milk- especially the milk of another mammal. Human milk is meant for humans and cows milk is meant for calves. Cows are much larger than humans and thus their milk is filled with lots more fat than we need. Sure it's creamy and delicious, but is it worth having to do the extra 30 minutes of cardio to burn? No.

I also learned that milk contains small amounts of morphine and releases opiates when ingested. OPIATES. So cheese and other dairy products are not only not necessary, but they have an almost addictive property to them- ever wonder why thinking about homemade macaroni and cheese makes you feel so good (or cheese cake, or quesadillas)?

Third, dairy stimulates your mucus production, and who wants to be more phlegmy? Not me! Having said all of this about dairy doesn't mean I'm going to completely swear it off yet, but I will definitely start limiting what dairy I do eat (I cannot yet give up Greek yogurt, it's just too flippin' delicious). I also want you to know that I don't look down on anyone that continues to drink milk and use dairy products. This is a personal decision I am making for myself and I don't expect anyone else to feel the same way I do- I don't want to shove it down your throats because it's definitely something you have to decide to do for yourself.

3. The horrific conditions of factory farming. I won't go into the graphic details, but if you do some research you will see the treatment of animals that are going to be used as food is horrendous and many field researchers and reporters have found that the farming standards and slaughtering practices set by the USDA are not being followed in a vast majority of farms and slaughterhouses. This is not to say that all farms and slaughterhouses aren't doing their due diligence in this area, but A LOT aren't and the meat that is getting into our food supply is not as safe as we think it is. So many contaminants get into our meat because of the factory conditions; so much meat is passed through to be sold that doesn't meet the government's standards for being safe for consumption.

Did you know that most countries in Europe will not accept American exported meats because our standards are far lower than theirs? WOW. Plus, the USDA does not monitor the farms that claim to be "Free Range" or "Free Roaming" to ensure that this statement is correct so it is very loosely used. Unless you buy from a local company that is certified by a locally run agency you don't really know if the animal was kept in a tiny disgusting cage all of it's life or if it actually was roaming free outside.

4. You don't really need to eat meat to survive and be healthy. That's right. We DON'T have to eat meat to get protein or iron. We can get sufficient amounts of both from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and beans. Look at your teeth. What shape are they? Flat. Why? Because we aren't made to be ripping flesh apart with them! In no way do my teeth resemble tiger's teeth for biting and tearing meat all of the time. I have to pause here and laugh because I know someone who, when I first met them, said that they didn't like to eat meat because it was too hard to chew. I thought, "What? Who is this person? They must have pretty puny jaws and bad teeth to say that." But now that I look at it, our teeth really weren't made for a lot of meat eating. Again, I'm not saying I think you're not making the right choice if you want to eat meat, but I think I'd feel better not eating it since clearly our bodies are programmed to eat mostly other things.

There are many more reasons why this change makes sense to me, so I will begin my transition this week. Now that I have more information I don't think that sticking to it will be very hard at all- I just have to remind myself that it's for my health. I also need to buy some new cookbooks (oh goody, you don't need to give me a reason to buy more books!).

Again, don't think I want everyone to live this way and think this way! It's taken me years to really understand this lifestyle and now that I do, I feel it's a good way to go for me. I think it's just important to understand where your food comes from and what's in it!