: Defending Vegetarian Diets Against the Omnivore Concern (long)

[Guest guest]

>As for why people think they have any real right to query vegetarian diets,

>I guess they think that vegetarians are putting their lives in danger .

>Lee-Gwen

 

What I don't understand is why everyone involved, both omnivores and

vegetarians, doesn't mention, in conversations, a very simple truth:

That there are whole big groups of populations, like a significant chunk of

Indians, especially in the South, who have been completely lacto-vegetarian

for centuries and still they and their children thrive. I'm not talking of

the malnourished beggars, okay? Not all Indians, or all Indian vegetarians,

are malnourished beggars, there are middle-class people, moderately poor

people and of course even filthy rich people. I still remember during a trip

in Kanya Kumari, the southernmost point of India, the porter who took my

luggage. I was carrying quite a lot (first because it was a 90-day trip, and

secondly because I had been doing, ahem, some heavy shopping, I'm afraid!).

He took my suitcase on his head and the heavy bag in his hand, and proceeded

to walk briskly uphill from the RS to the hotel, while I was PANTING behind

him. And that was in 1991, I was at my ideal weight, doing ballet and yoga

and things. He was thin and wiry, but his body was like steel!

 

Moreover, many populations in Europe, until the middle of the 20th century,

have been almost completely vegetarian because of poverty. Peasants and

things. They would never dream of sacrificing the cow that gave them milk

all year round and helped in the fields, or the hen that lay eggs, or the

cock that made the eggs into more chicken to sell. All these populations eat

meat only during holidays, marriages, christenings etc...., arguably not

more than once a month. Some of them were malnourished, maybe, but many or

most were not, and they worked hard all day in the fields, so I don't

suppose they were wimpy and devoid of strength. I know for certain about

Greek and Italian peasantry, and I have heard first-hand accounts from old

people, about how it was before WW2. Some of them eat meat not more than 4-5

times a year. The ones that were malnourished were mostly because they lived

in places with not enough variety of fruits and vegetables all year round.

Some people in more or less isolated mountain villages had, for instance,

only apples and pears, which are available only for two or three months, and

no citrus fruits or tomatoes for vitamin C, because in the plains tomatoes

ripen in July, and can hold up to December, but in these places they ripen

in August and after October they are gone. Of course they still could grow

cabbage, potatoes and carrots, but not much more.... These vitamin problems

were more serious than protein deficiency for them.

 

I'm mentioning this, because most of the people in these lists and their

friends are Americans, and they are not very aware of the conditions of life

in the rest of the world, especially in old times, so they tend to forget

these facts when discussing vegetarian or other diet and its effects. As I'm

not very knowledgeable on the conditions of life of early American settlers.

But in their case, as they were plains people, and some of them cowboys, I

suppose they had access to much more meat than we did. Any info would be

welcome, I always want to learn more!

 

 

Irene

Towards_health_and_beauty/ Friendly support

and guidance to everyone struggling with weight and wellness problems.

[Guest guest]

Me too ;=) I know, though, that a lot of people who came to North

America in the middle of the 20th century (as well as before, but I

don't get much chance to talk to them these days! ;=)) used to think,

and probably still think, that eating large quantities of meat is a sign

of affluence - and so it is, in a way. It is also one of the problems of

affluence. Like being able to eat chocolates every day ;=) And yes,

since we all know now that even omnivores shouldn't eat meat more than a

couple of times a week, it is also a sign of greed. I wasn't raised on a

Mediterranean diet, as a close friend of ours was, but I wish I had

been. I don't think, however, we can ever hope to persuade omnivores -

any more than they will be able to persuade vegans or vegetarians ;=)

The battle is to persuade them to stop picking at us :=O or telling us

how brave they think we are, which is not much better ;=)

 

best,

pat - canada

 

> What I don't understand is why everyone involved, both omnivores and

> vegetarians, doesn't mention, in conversations, a very simple truth:

> That there are whole big groups of populations, like a significant chunk of

> Indians, especially in the South, who have been completely lacto-vegetarian

> for centuries . . . Moreover, many populations in Europe, until the middle of

the 20th

> century,

> have been almost completely vegetarian

>

---

PAT (In London, Ontario)

Email List: townhounds-

(townhounds/)

Personal Email: SANTBROWN

Personal Webpage: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/

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* " Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man

will not himself find peace. " - Albert Schweitzer

* " Don't be afraid. Just start the tape. " - Anne Rice

* " I don't do pawprints. " -- Snoopy

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