So I tried to go vegetarian a few years back, but it was such a weak effort... all I did was take the meat off the plate and NOT replace it, so I got super hungry super fast! We need protein, yeah? So it failed dismally.
My sister has successfully gone vegetarian, but she is selfishly still in the Galapogas living it up, so I can't readily ask her questions. I recall one eventful car trip with her... I used to live quite near an abattoir, and had to drive past it to get to my place. There we were, driving along, listening to music, when she suddenly winds down the window and yells... "MURDERERSSS!!!" I almost crashed the car. Thanks for that, Vic!
One of my fans opened my eyes recently (I'm sorry, I don't remember who it was!). She posted a video, wish I'd kept the link, of animals being treated DISGUSTINGLY by humans. I couldn't watch it all the way through, I was crying after the first few clips. She said I should watch it all the way through, especially if I still eat meat. I can't. So I KNOW that I have no business eating meat... ignorance isn't bliss, its selfish. Thats how I feel about my own diet, anyway.
This time I want to do it properly, research, find out what makes good meat substitutes. I feel like I have to be super careful not to get anaemic. I am a breastfeeder, plan to be until Butterfly is LEAST two years, and hopefully tandem feed her when the next bub is born. I have already lost SO much weight from feeding her, which alarms me a little, as its still coming off and although I eat well, I do eats me a lot of chocolate...
I have also had low iron in the past. So I have to do this thing properly so I can remain healthy and continue to make quality milk. Does anyone have any suggestions for books, or someone to consult about it? Like a naturopath or something? I'm pretty uninformed with this stuff.
If anyone could help me out with their favourite recipes, advice, or something?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIjanhKqVC4
ReplyDeleteMeet your meat
I am vego and have been for 12 yrs now. I am breastfeeding at the moment and have found sprouts like broccoli, alfalfa, mung beans all sprouted at home organically have boosted my milk supply so much and my son drinks a lot so it is handy indeed. Sprouts are magic.
ReplyDeleteHeads up, chocolate ROBS YOU OF IRON :((
ReplyDeleteVery sad fact, but true.
I have not eaten meat for 6 years. I don't eat so *great* I guess, and my iron levels are 'low' but I've not been anaemic. I guess it depends on the person, but it takes a pretty crappy diet to go that far I think!
The only thing that is annoying to me about being vego and I am, mostly, is the total lack of food variety when you eat at a restaurant (I live in a backwoods here) and that meat substitutes are sooo expensive here.
Sanitarium make some yummy stuff that is easily available at Coles/Woolies, that's an easy place to start.
My part vegeism is some to do with animal ethics but mostly because meat is NOT good for your body, its all a lie!
I feel personally better that I don't eat fluffy baby animals, but other people still do, by the millions, so injustice will never stop :(
i grew up basically vego as both my parents were. but i do eat meat now.
ReplyDeleteI would say i feel very guilty about the way that we treat animals before they are killed it is disugsting.
I dont think i feel bad though that as a race we eat meat.
I have always thought the best way to do it would be if you want meat, grow the animal and then kill it.
One it will make you much more appreciative of the food you are eating and the animal would have had a better life whilst alive.
In regards to fluffy animals and such i strongly believe no meat is worse then another morally. Killing a cow for meat is the same as a calf its still a life. Or a bunny or duck. One life is not more valuable then the other in my opinion.
My dad never ate meat as he always said its not fair that we grow meat in a cage then slaughter it. they never got the chance to fight for their life and let us hunt them etc, he said if we were going to farm animals that way we should farm humans and eat them, how is it worse we are just another animal on the food chain? it has always made me think why do we hold ourselves so far above other animals we are the only ones that torture our food before it dies?
On that note i will get off my soap box. i do eat meat but i always buy organic free range i know that it is not perfect but its better and its not easy here to farm ur own otherwise i would do that.
Great topic. I was vego when I was a teenager but didn't eat well and had low iron. I still have low iron but doctor said i probably always will and it's not that low where I need iron tablets.. if i eat meat. But im so sick of eating meat. I hate steak. I force myself to eat it for the sake of iron, but the thought of it makes me gag. I also heard that meat substitutes are so processed they contain no nutritional value, and the healthiest way to be vego is to eat whole foods. I'd like to look into it more cuz if I go vego again I need to do it properly. I might wait til after I have the baby, but im also planning on breastfeeding for quite a while. Good luck with it, and let us know how the change goes.
ReplyDeleteI have low oron whether i eat meat or not..... the trick is to combine iron rich foods.
ReplyDeleteRemember the ads on tv that say you can eat meat or you can eat a truckload of spinach for the same amount of iron.... technically true but if you combine spinach with other foods you will get more than your daily iron needs.
this also goes for calcium etc (soft drink strips you of calcium)...