In the Veggie Direction...

Image by SqueakyMarmot


I think this lifestyle change is probably the biggest I've ever undertaken (aside from popping out two little humans, of course), but I'm sure it's going to reap great benefits: moving toward a more vegetarian diet.

For the past week, I have been eating with a focus on more fruits and vegetables, some cooked, but mostly raw. I've had one or two meat meals - I think I'll always allow myself that option in certain situations (like when at a friend's house or girls' sushi night), but it will be an option I'll less likely take in the future.

Why would I want to do this?

Before I go on, I just want you all to know that I'm not trying to convince you to do what I'm doing!
Vegetarianism isn't for everyone, and that's okay. I was raised on the heavily meat-based, native Filipino cuisine, so I understand the dedication of many to the "bacon for brunch" movement.
However, there are are many valid reasons for going veg. Here are some...

1: Avoid Life-Threatening Diseases
Studies have shown that fruits and vegetables cut the risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer's, and macular degeneration. Meat increases the risk.

2: Maintain Healthy Weight
Vegetarians are slimmer and less like to be obese than meat eaters, as long as they stay away from the high-fat/high-processed non-meat foods like french fries, pizza, and chips.

3: Eat Safer Food
When you eat meat, you also eat any leftover waste, urine, adrenaline, blood, etc. Plus, you also eat tranquilizers, antibiotics, and hormones injected in them by the producers. And of course, meat is a more likely source of E. coli, salmonella, and other food-borne illness.

4: Reduce Inhumane Treatment of Animals
By eating less or no meat, you reduce your involvement in the suffering of animals raised in stacked cages, surrounded by feces, painfully castrated, and locked in blood-soaked slaughtering rooms.

5: Good for the Environment
Meat production uses more resources than vegetable production... more water, more land, more fossil fuels, etc.
- The plants we grow to support meat for 20 people will feed 200.
- Acres and acres of rainforest are destroyed on a daily basis to graze livestock, driving thousands of species to extinction and creating a large percentage of the world's greenhouse gases.
- It takes 2500 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat, contributing to the world's fresh water shortage.

But what about protein?

Most meateaters eat more protein than they really. Our bodies need only about 45-60g of protein depending on weight, and we can get all of that from a vegetarian diet, no complicated combining necessary.
Really! Take a look at our primate cousins. They're primarily herbivore, and look at how strong and stocky those silverbacks are!
Still not convinced? Okay, then I dare you to take on one of those wimpy salad-eating elephants. Go on, I'll wait. Yeah, save your plane fare - you know you'll lose.

How Am I Doing So Far?

I'm really motivated primarily by my desire to get healthy, so I'm thrilled to find that I've lost about 2 inches from my waist, I don't go into a food coma after meals, I feel light and energetic, and I've avoided the illness that's struck down Roomie and the kids!

This way of eating has been so easy and so much fun! I've been eating a fruit breakfast and drinking a daily smoothie: 60% leafy green and 40% fruit. If I want an extra protein shot, I'll add some vegan protein powder, my favourite being from manitobaharvest.com.
Experimenting with different flavours in my smoothies has given my tastebuds a good swift wakeup call! I'll post what I eat once in a while.

My ultimate goal is veggie with lots of raw... and maybe some sashimi on a special occasion or two. :)

Do you have any meal suggestions? Ideas for a tasty smoothie? I'd love to hear from you!

Do you want to try this out? I haven't read any raw/veg books yet, but check my blogroll for some veg and raw blogs that have inspired me.