My fiancee is a vegan turned vegetarian and she keeps trying to push me towards becoming a vegetarian. I love my meat though. Tell me, as a vegetarian, are you healthy without your meat because I hear that there are things in meat that you need. If you have to take things, what do you take?
Well.... I'm vegan and in great health. I do supplement my diet with a daily dose of multivitamins and B12. I take the B12 at a separate time than the multi cuz I hear there are some ingredients in a multi that might actually prevent the absorbtion of B12, which is a very necessary nutrient. I take vegetarian multis and B12. I eat tons of soy and beans and setain ( aka wheat meat) so I get enough protein from those things. The fact is there's nothing in meat you can't get from the plant world. If you eat a well balanced veggie diet you will be very healthy. That's where most people get lost and think a veg diet is unhealthy... they just weren't doing it right. I am vegan for ethical reasons. It was easy for me to give up meat and dairy for the sake of my cause. I did and sometimes do still have cravings but I am able to rise above the temptation and exercise self control. The thing is you can't be a veghead cuz someone else wants you to be. I encourage people to adopt a vegetarian and preferrably vegan diet for the sake of our people, animals and environment but I understand that ultimately one has do do it because they want to. My boyfriend is 90% vegan(he'll eat meat when we're out). At home we adhere to a strict vegan diet, but I don't dictate what he eats. I've told him that if he wants meat he has to buy it and cook it for himself. But he doesn't. Even though he loves his meat he says he feels great being mostly vegan. He's lost some weight and he's stoked he's contibuting to a better life for all involved. If you're not ready to make the transition you'll end up bitter at your woman and the world and your actions will end up being spiteful. If YOU want to be a veghead well I encourage you will all my soul... but it's not an easy feat. It is a huge challenge and you have to be up for it.
maybe you could try pushing her into music that she doesnt like or something, or pushing her to eat meat, and then tell her thats exactly what she is doing to you. Dont eat vegetarian if you dont want to, since when is it up to her to regulate what goes in your mouth?
TT is right.. there's nothing in meat that we "need" to stay healthy. In fact, if you think that by eating meat you're getting all the nutrients you need, you are sorely mistaken. Most Veg*ns are healthier in general than omnivores for the pure fact that they have done their research and know what they're putting into their bodies. As a result of this, they also tend to eat more varied diets than meat-eaters! So, before making any changes to your diet, ask urself what it's for and what you hope to acheive from it (ie. dietary or moral reasons). Then you can prepare yourself! I'm healthier right now than i've ever been and i don't take any supplements.
True, but if they are going to be married it's not that black and white - for instance, what will the kids eat (if there are any); who will be doing the cooking, and if so, what will they be expected to cook? - seperate meals, what? I'm not vegan, so I don't take B12 supplements, but if you just eat good food there is no reason not to be healthy. For instance, dark green leafy vegies are good for non-haem iron, and (i think this is true, but don't take my word for it) eating them with vitamin C (like a squirt of lemon juice) and not with milk will help you absorb that type of iron better.
I take supplements. And since I'm a vegetarian,not vegan, I use dairy in my diet( usually biodynamic/organic for milk),sometimes eggs(freeliving, of corse), and a bunch of soy and meatwheat. If you have trouble with your meat cravings, there are some vegetarian substitutes for hamburgeres, sausage, etc...that taste EXACTLY like the actual meat, but arn't.Plus a veggie burger( not the substitute.You know mashed potatoes + vegetables?) taste, in my oppinion, 10* times better.
