Question of the Week - March 19 - March 24

[Guest guest]

Hi Folks,

Got a great question for you from one our members, Chen. Thanks for the

question Chen. It is so interesting to read all of your responses and it

really is fun and helpful to everyone.

 

Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian, and if you

aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of eating?

 

Hope you are having a great week!

Judy

[Guest guest]

I became vegetarian 25 years ago after reading Diet for a New America by

John Robbins.

 

 

 

Pat

 

_____

 

 

On Behalf Of wwjd

Monday, March 19, 2007 11:16 PM

v group

Question of the Week - March 19 - March 24

 

(trimmed post.) How long have you been a vegetarian, and if you

aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of eating?

 

Hope you are having a great week!

Judy

 

___

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

3 years. a combination of things when my son was 3 he realized meat+animals,

histiry of colon cancer my doctor recommended no red meat so I took it up a

notch and the Meat your Meat video.

Steph

 

 

 

Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast

with the Search weather shortcut.

 

 

[Guest guest]

So many health issues in my family from eating meat, high BP high

cholesterol, that I decided to make the change for myself.

It's been probably a week before this group started. I'd say little

over a year and a half now. I didn't know where to turn for support so

I joined here and I doubt I could of done it without the recipes and

support the group provided. My family was 100% against it, now they

are accepting.

 

Kenia

[Guest guest]

Hi Judy and Chen,

 

I was an ovo lacto vegetarian 25 years ago, but married a carnivore

in 1988 and started eating a limited amount of chicken and turkey

(and occasionally other meats) for about 10-12 years. Both my wife

and I were seeing how friends and family were falling like flies from

cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and so many other diseases

that we started reading and researching, and decided to go vegetarian

again. After a few years of ovo lacto vegetarianism, my mother gave

me the book " The China Study " and the video " Eating " by the RAVE

diet, and I have been 99% vegan ever since (15 months now). I am not

a fanatical vegan, and will eat a small amount of cheese or seafood

if I am traveling or at a restaurant and there are no good vegan

options.

 

I was never fat, but have lost weight and feel great. I am 48 years

old, and love the idea that I am not clogging my arteries and heart

with fat and not eating things that promote cancer. I also believe

in eating a lot of antioxidants, preferably in fresh fruits and

vegetables, but also take some supplements (like turmeric, garlic,

cranberry, etc).

 

Bryan

 

 

 

, " wwjd " <jtwigg wrote:

>

> Hi Folks,

> Got a great question for you from one our members, Chen. Thanks

for the

> question Chen. It is so interesting to read all of your responses

and it

> really is fun and helpful to everyone.

>

> Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian,

and if you

> aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle

of eating?

>

> Hope you are having a great week!

> Judy

>

[Guest guest]

As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, I follow the seasons of fasting/abstention and

feasting as prescribed by the church, spending roughly half the year as a vegan:

every Wed and Fri throughout the year, Nov 15 thru 12/24; 6 weeks of Great Lent,

1 week of Holy Week, 1 - 3 weeks leading to June 30, August 1 - 15, and about a

dozen other individuals days throughout the year. When not a vegan for

religious purposes, I will eat dairy products, and do occasionally eat fish or

other flesh meats.

 

Denise

http://whatimcookingnow.blogspot.com/

-------------- Original message --------------

 

On Behalf Of wwjd

Monday, March 19, 2007 11:16 PM

v group

Question of the Week - March 19 - March 24

 

(trimmed post.) How long have you been a vegetarian, and if you

aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of eating?

 

Hope you are having a great week!

Judy

 

___

 

 

[Guest guest]

I am not a true vegetarian yet. I still eat seafood once a week. But,

every other day my meals are vegetarian.

Because of a heart attack several years ago, I am very careful what I eat.

And vegetarian seems the healthiest way to go.

Also, since we lost our house to Charley and moved to the mountains of

Georgia, we walk by the pastures in the morning. I could not seriously look

my cows and their babies in the eye (there are now what looks like twin

calves. Possible?) and go home and eat a burger or a steak.

So...here I am. 1/2 vegetarian. Maybe more.

Sue

 

 

----

 

wwjd

03/20/07 00:15:21

v group

Question of the Week - March 19 - March 24

 

Hi Folks,

Got a great question for you from one our members, Chen. Thanks for the

question Chen. It is so interesting to read all of your responses and it

really is fun and helpful to everyone.

 

Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian, and if you

aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of eating?

 

Hope you are having a great week!

Judy

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

When I asked my cardiologist what he ate....he replied fruits and veggies

and occasional fish. I asked him about chicken and he said he worked in a

chicken " factory " while going to medical school and it was gross. He would

never, ever eat poultry. Ha!

Sue

 

 

----

 

Steph

3/20/2007 5:43:00 AM

 

Re: Question of the Week - March 19 - March 24

 

3 years. a combination of things when my son was 3 he realized meat+animals,

histiry of colon cancer my doctor recommended no red meat so I took it up a

notch and the Meat your Meat video.

Steph

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I'm not vegetarian I just need VARIETY & a break from _____ every so often.

Beth

 

wwjd <jtwigg wrote: Ok, here it is.......... How long

have you been a vegetarian, and if you

aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of eating?

 

 

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[Guest guest]

On Mon, 2007-03-19 at 23:15 -0500, wwjd wrote:

>

> Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian, and if

> you

> aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of

> eating?

 

I originally went vegetarian when I was 18. I decided that since was a

pacifist it made sense to stop eating meat. I remained vegetarian for

almost twenty years, then stopped. After a few years I'm no

transitioning back onto the vegetarian path.

[Guest guest]

, ben miller <wheelscribe

wrote:

>

> On Mon, 2007-03-19 at 23:15 -0500, wwjd wrote:

> >

> > Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian, and if

> > you

> > aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of

> > eating?

>

I recently went on vacation to North Carolina. While driving on the

highway I kept driving past beautiful black angus. I realized that I

could no longer allow these incredible creatures to be slaughtered for

my convienence. Oh ..I'm 53 years young and have been thinking about

stopping meat for years now. I always thought it would be hard. It

wasn't hard at all. 28 days and counting!

Lynn

[Guest guest]

I've been a vegetarian for 2 weeks! Having suffered from migraines and acne

I got rid of all medications I was taking and cut back on triggers/causes.

I just did two weeks on the Master Cleanse and while it had helped I believe

what I eat overall is the cause for most of my problems. So far the past

month has been a really big eye opener for me. This group is definitely

helping with my transition. Thanks!

 

Lisa G.

Houston, TX

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi, Judy! ;-P

 

We are not vegetarians (we eat still meat a few times a week.)It helps

that my kiddies are not really into meat. I have three. Kol (5) Jul (3)

& Elle (10 months) They prefer grains, fruits and veggies.

 

WHY? In a word, chemicals and all un-natural add-ins that the food

industries add into our meat.

 

I just hate adding all the gunk into my babies' bodies!

 

Love all the answers!

[Guest guest]

I became a vegetarian 25 years ago. Back then I was a poor student

living in rural New Mexico and I ran for transportation (I was so

poor I could not even afford a bicycle). I started really disliking

meat when it became obvious that I had to wait a much longer time to

run anywhere. When I ate vegetarian food, I digested it much easier

and also felt better. Also, my first cookbook that I liked

was " Moosewood cookbook " and I found out that I liked cooking

vegetarian food, I found it more aesthetically pleasing and really

got into cooking and learning to prepare food (I hardly cooked until

then). I was ovolacto vegetarian for about 9 years, became vegan

after reading " diet for a new planet " and was vegan for 3 years. I

went back to being ovolacto when I was bicycle commuting 26 miles a

day and working 12 hour days, I could not maintain my weight (lost

too much weight) and could not find time to prepare proper vegan

meals. Eating out is difficult as a vegan and my options were even

more limited due to transportation and the very long hours I

worked. Right after that job I went to Australia and started eating

seafood from time to time. I still do now, so I do not call myself a

vegetarian, even though my diet is 90% vegan. The main reason for me

eating seafood occasionally is to make it easier to travel and to

adapt to a non vegetarian world. I did not like having to worry

about what I was going to eat, and focusing my energy too much on

food did not seem like a healthy mind set for me. Since the main

reasons for my vegetarianism were ecological, as well as maintaining

a healthy and strong body, I did not see a reason to rule out

seafood just to call myself a vegetarian, I do not care for labels

anyway. Most people that try my food tell me they would be

vegetarian if I could feed them all the time…so I hope I have

influenced some to eat more veggie food.>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My doctor told me the same thing. Poultry is the grossest meat packing around.

Chickens with cancer tumors end up on peoples dinner plates.

If that doesn't turn you off chicken, I don't know what would.

Katie

 

Sue <kup wrote:

When I asked my cardiologist what he ate....he replied fruits and

veggies

and occasional fish. I asked him about chicken and he said he worked in a

chicken " factory " while going to medical school and it was gross. He would

never, ever eat poultry. Ha!

Sue

 

 

----

 

Steph

3/20/2007 5:43:00 AM

 

Re: Question of the Week - March 19 - March 24

 

3 years. a combination of things when my son was 3 he realized meat+animals,

histiry of colon cancer my doctor recommended no red meat so I took it up a

notch and the Meat your Meat video.

Steph

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wow! I had a friend in college who was vegetarian for a few years

before returning to his meat-eating ways. I was crushed and could

hardly imagine how he could do it. Your ~20 is even harder to

fathom.

 

To answer the question, I have been a vegetarian since the end of

1995. My father had gone veg a few years before me and I knew I

would eventually. I made the switch mid-cheese-burger at college.

It suddenly didn't seem natural. My friend, now making the switch

himself, happily accepted my unfinished meal.

 

Happy Meatout and Earth Day!

 

-Erin

www.zenpawn.com/vegblog

 

 

, ben miller <wheelscribe

wrote:

>

> On Mon, 2007-03-19 at 23:15 -0500, wwjd wrote:

> >

> > Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian, and if

> > you

> > aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of

> > eating?

>

> I originally went vegetarian when I was 18. I decided that since was

a

> pacifist it made sense to stop eating meat. I remained vegetarian for

> almost twenty years, then stopped. After a few years I'm no

> transitioning back onto the vegetarian path.

>

[Guest guest]

You are so lucky that you are a good cook. I am a lousy cook. But, I am

learning.

Sue

 

 

----

 

cabrita_trl

03/20/07 18:16:33

 

Re: Question of the Week - March 19 - March 24

 

I became a vegetarian 25 years ago. Back then I was a poor student

living in rural New Mexico and I ran for transportation (I was so

poor I could not even afford a bicycle). I started really disliking

meat when it became obvious that I had to wait a much longer time to

run anywhere. When I ate vegetarian food, I digested it much easier

and also felt better. Also, my first cookbook that I liked

was " Moosewood cookbook " and I found out that I liked cooking

vegetarian food, I found it more aesthetically pleasing and really

got into cooking and learning to prepare food (I hardly cooked until

then). I was ovolacto vegetarian for about 9 years, became vegan

after reading " diet for a new planet " and was vegan for 3 years. I

went back to being ovolacto when I was bicycle commuting 26 miles a

day and working 12 hour days, I could not maintain my weight (lost

too much weight) and could not find time to prepare proper vegan

meals. Eating out is difficult as a vegan and my options were even

more limited due to transportation and the very long hours I

worked. Right after that job I went to Australia and started eating

seafood from time to time. I still do now, so I do not call myself a

vegetarian, even though my diet is 90% vegan. The main reason for me

eating seafood occasionally is to make it easier to travel and to

adapt to a non vegetarian world. I did not like having to worry

about what I was going to eat, and focusing my energy too much on

food did not seem like a healthy mind set for me. Since the main

reasons for my vegetarianism were ecological, as well as maintaining

a healthy and strong body, I did not see a reason to rule out

seafood just to call myself a vegetarian, I do not care for labels

anyway. Most people that try my food tell me they would be

vegetarian if I could feed them all the time…so I hope I have

influenced some to eat more veggie food.>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I stopped eating red meat in 1992. Meat always creaped me out. When I

told my family I wasn't going to eat red meat anymore they weren't

surprised. My last red meat was a double quarter pounder from

McDonalds. Enough said!!!

 

I stopped eating chicken in 1998. My last chicken was these chicken

tenders from Hard Rock Cafe. It was on a trip to LA and I had the worst

heartburn the next day. Well, the heartburn could have been from the

alcohol too but I still blame it on the chicken..LOL..

 

I still eat fish. I really love it. I mostly cook vegetarian. My

husband eats meat and I let my children try everything. They are 3 & 4

and I do believe that kids need a balance of all foods at their age.

When they get older they can make the decision for themselves just like

I did.

 

Tracey

 

, " wwjd " <jtwigg wrote:

>

> Hi Folks,

> Got a great question for you from one our members, Chen. Thanks for

the

> question Chen. It is so interesting to read all of your responses

and it

> really is fun and helpful to everyone.

>

> Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian, and

if you

> aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle of

eating?

>

> Hope you are having a great week!

> Judy

>

[Guest guest]

I became a vegetarian because at age 50 I had the arteries of a 95 year old.

Litterally and truthfully, I was dying. I don't believe that God created us to

suffer and die the way we do now. 3000 years ago, people lived vigerous, active

lives until they were about 100 and then declined over a period of days and

died. I thought about it and read Genesis. God put adam and eve in the garden

and sais take care of the animals and eat the plants. I decided if it was food

for adam and eve, it would be food for me. That is why I became vigetarian.

Why I stay vegetarian is because it works. I am healthier than I have been in

years.

Katie

 

 

 

TV dinner still cooling?

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[Guest guest]

My husband and I became vegetarians almost 5 years ago after giving

Donna a hard time for over 22 years for being one. I was asahmed to

tell her we decided to join her. What did she do? Gave me stacks of

cookbooks, shared bulk ingredients with me and even copied all her

recipes and taped them in a binder for me. I have not missed meat one

time.

 

Sissy (Donna's sister)

[Guest guest]

You are lucky to have such a warm hearted, giving and kind sister.

Katie

 

pepepukpetunia <pepepukpetunia wrote:

My husband and I became vegetarians almost 5 years ago after giving

Donna a hard time for over 22 years for being one. I was asahmed to

tell her we decided to join her. What did she do? Gave me stacks of

cookbooks, shared bulk ingredients with me and even copied all her

recipes and taped them in a binder for me. I have not missed meat one

time.

 

Sissy (Donna's sister)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now that's room service! Choose from over 150,000 hotels

in 45,000 destinations on Travel to find your fit.

 

 

[Guest guest]

I picked up a Vegetarian Times Mag. years ago and decided this was

the way I wanted to eat. It's been a wonderful experience and this

is such a friendly helpful group so if any of the non-vegetarian

members want to give it a try it won't be hard to do.

 

Gypsy

 

 

, " wwjd " <jtwigg wrote:

>

> Hi Folks,

> Got a great question for you from one our members, Chen. Thanks

for the

> question Chen. It is so interesting to read all of your responses

and it

> really is fun and helpful to everyone.

>

> Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian,

and if you

> aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian lifestyle

of eating?

>

> Hope you are having a great week!

> Judy

>

[Guest guest]

I grew up in a fairly carnivorous family but hated most kinds of meat. I could

not handle turkey at all, any chicken still on the bone, pork chops, or any form

of seafood whatsoever. I could only tolerate what are probably the grossest

kinds of meat--hot dogs and hamburgers. But since I was a child not living in a

democracy, I had to eat it. Occasionally I would go on strike and refuse to eat

something, and then I would serve time sitting at the table until bedtime, but I

still would not eat it. I never liked the texture or taste of meat, and once I

knew what meat was, I had to literally suppress my gag reflex to eat it. I

would eat as little as I could get away with.

 

Shockingly, as soon as I could control all of my meals, I started cutting out

meat. Then, one day in college, I was eating a hamburger from the " fast food "

restaurant on campus and had a horrifying experience. It was something that

could have happened with respect to any other food but happened to be hamburger,

but that did it for me. Then, a few years later, I was eating a chicken

sandwich and started coughing. Some jokester said, what...did you get a

feather??? Ha Ha! And that was the beginning of the end.

 

My husband (boyfriend at the time) and I both cut out chicken and became 100%

vegetarians (although he will occasionally eat seafood when he is in a setting

where no veggie food is available). We have two little ones who are both

vegetarians as well. It has been about 15 years since I last willingly ate any

form of meat (haven't we all had that awful experience of biting into something

that is supposed to be but is not meat-free? Shudder!).

 

My family has become very accepting of our diet. In fact, my stepmother,

formerly one of the ringleaders in the vegetarian mockery club, announced that

per Dr. Neal Barnard, she is stopping eating meat altogether and might even

become a vegan!

 

Jen

 

 

[Guest guest]

Congratulations! It makes me so happy to hear everyone's stories...

knowing there actually can be compassionate people in this world.

(sometimes it's hard for me to keep faith in that, especially when I

think of factory farms).

I've been vegetarian for a little over a year, and I feel like it's

the best decision I've ever made. My boyfriend influenced me in the

beginning, and it was hard at first, but after researching it and

learning all I could and collecting a bunch of veg. recipes, it's

become the easiest thing in the world. For all of those who are

struggling with it, it gets much easier.

 

 

, " lynn " <frigault wrote:

>

> , ben miller <wheelscribe@>

> wrote:

> >

> > On Mon, 2007-03-19 at 23:15 -0500, wwjd wrote:

> > >

> > > Ok, here it is.......... How long have you been a vegetarian,

and if

> > > you

> > > aren't what has gotten you interested in the vegetarian

lifestyle of

> > > eating?

> >

> I recently went on vacation to North Carolina. While driving

on the

> highway I kept driving past beautiful black angus. I realized

that I

> could no longer allow these incredible creatures to be slaughtered

for

> my convienence. Oh ..I'm 53 years young and have been thinking

about

> stopping meat for years now. I always thought it would be hard.

It

> wasn't hard at all. 28 days and counting!

> Lynn

>

[Guest guest]

>Still working at becoming a vegetarian. But during my childhood I had

the right idea. I hated meat and seemed to love veggies. I got use to

drinking soymilk/ricemilk at school (Seventh Day Adventist) but my

grandparents who raised me were meaters!!!

 

Now I come to believe when I started eatting meat/fast foods at 19 it

was start of my health issues...Our family is slowly reverting to

veggie life.