Who else is a vegetarian here?

[Jackal]

I'm a mostly vegetarian for religious and ethical reasons. I say "mostly vegetarian" because I will eat meat if I'm at someone's house or at a party, so I don't offend them, and I will sometimes eat meat if I'm travelling and there's nothing else to eat in that area. However, I don't eat meat at home. I read that the Dalai Lama does the same thing: he's a vegetarian at home, but occasionally eats meat when he's travelling.

Who else is a vegetarian here? And why?

[DaRick]

Not a vegetarian as such, but for many reasons, I only eat beef, chicken, fish and pork. I no longer eat lamb because of halal rituals in Saudi Arabia, for instance.

[Think Different]

I'm not vegetarian, but during the Orthodox fasts, which comprise about 180 days per year, the fast is strictly vegan (except for shellfish...go figure). Like you, I will eat whatever is served me when I'm out with friends, or a guest at someone's house. It's quite an offense to force my fast on others, who are being generous to me. When not fasting, I generally stick to fish and chicken and probably eat red meat about once a week. That's just for health reasons. I also tend to focus more on the Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, since they have so many vegetables in their diet.

[onezero4u]

almost vegan here...going on 12 years.

for lots of reason:
hate the thought of eating dead carcasses-the taste makes me sick-i feel heavy bloated after a meal with meat - my digestion is way faster with vegan diet - cheaper to shop at supermarket - agrees with my non-harm philosophy - im an animal lover - livestock property could be better served raising fruits and veggies for tons more yield at cheaper prices.

yada yada

[DaRick]

I'm not vegetarian, but during the Orthodox fasts, which comprise about 180 days per year, the fast is strictly vegan (except for shellfish...go figure). Like you, I will eat whatever is served me when I'm out with friends, or a guest at someone's house. It's quite an offense to force my fast on others, who are being generous to me. When not fasting, I generally stick to fish and chicken and probably eat red meat about once a week. That's just for health reasons. I also tend to focus more on the Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, since they have so many vegetables in their diet.

Yeah, my mum's a Malaysian, so my meals always have lots of vegetables and rice.

[ErikHeaven]

I stick to my poultry. I love turkey,duck and chicken. I also have lamb. Beef is bad for you. But the other stuff is ok and necessary.

[odbo]

I'm not a vegetarian but I avoid meat whenever I can, so I have it about once every 2 weeks. Fish is great when I can get it.
I don't want to support factory farms/modern American slaughter houses. And much of the meat is simply tainted.
The cows are on corn not grass. The meat is full of chemicals and hormones.. and the stuff at fastfood places isn't even meat.

It doesn't make me feel good when I eat it, much like a slice of cake. Empty calories plus the guilt of eating death.
Ya that's right, unless you're eating raw meat you're getting very little benefit out of it. There's a risk of parasites but that comes with the territory.
Meat is shown to make people angry, or at least more susceptible to get angry. If you want to be calm, happy and healthy, raw and whole foods are the way to go.

"But plants have feelings too!" Indeed.. but I think sustainable farming vs unsustainable, organic vs monsanto, humane vs dehumanizing techniques, will resolve themselves if the general population tackles its own gluttony.



In a perfect world, if I lived on a farm, I would eat animals (and share it with the dogs) when they died naturally, but I wouldn't slaughter some goat to celebrate this or that holiday.
If a dog or pet-pig died I'd probably just bury it though!


I think a lot of people are coming around thanks to films like Fastfood Nation and Food Inc. and books like Omnivore's dilemma.

[Jackal]

Wow, a lot of us are vegetarians or partially vegetarian here! Maybe this is a result of anti-mainstream thinking.

I know that Winston is also a vegetarian, but I've never heard him say why.

I'm not vegetarian, but during the Orthodox fasts, which comprise about 180 days per year, the fast is strictly vegan (except for shellfish...go figure).

Hmm, interesting. I didn't know that Orthodox Christians fasted.

I've done some special Tibetan Buddhist fasts which involved eating a vegetarian breakfast and lunch on the first day and only having one small yogurt for dinner. Then, starting at midnight, we didn't eat or drink anything for a bit more than 24 hours. The first one I did was very tough and pushed me to the limit of my willpower. When I did it again on other occasions, I knew what to expect and it wasn't as bad, although it was still tough near the end.

[Think Different]

Robert Frost (1874–1963). Mountain Interval. 1920.

1. The Road Not Taken


TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 20

[keius]

I suppose i'm "mostly" a vegihead like you guys. Mostly for health/diet reasons. I'm getting older and have to watch my weight.
I don't eat fast food at all, except for maybe Boston Market once a month...if you consider that fast food.
Streak once every month.

I don't go out of my way to avoid meat/seafood but i usually don't eat it unless someone plops it in front of me. So i'll eat whatever i eat if i go out, which is rare nowadays.

I try to eat healthy by avoiding cakes, sodas, icecream, cookies, etc.. but i'll splurge occasionally.

My meal today has so far consisted of streamed brussel sprouts, steamed spinach, 2 small baked sweet potatoes, flavored oatmeal, some OJ, a cup of coffee, green tea, a fruitshake (made myself), an organic energy bar (supposedly), and a cup of flan(my big splurge today).
If i feel i'm not getting enough protein, i'll usually toss some protein powder in with my fruit/veggie shake.
Prob have potato noodles with mixed veggies for dinner.
You get the idea.

My wife still eats meat though, as does my 2yo son. She hates my mostly veggie diet.

[The_Hero_of_Men]

I suppose i'm "mostly" a vegihead like you guys. Mostly for health/diet reasons. I'm getting older and have to watch my weight.
I don't eat fast food at all, except for maybe Boston Market once a month...if you consider that fast food.
Streak once every month.

I don't go out of my way to avoid meat/seafood but i usually don't eat it unless someone plops it in front of me. So i'll eat whatever i eat if i go out, which is rare nowadays.

I try to eat healthy by avoiding cakes, sodas, icecream, cookies, etc.. but i'll splurge occasionally.

My meal today has so far consisted of streamed brussel sprouts, steamed spinach, 2 small baked sweet potatoes, flavored oatmeal, some OJ, a cup of coffee, green tea, a fruitshake (made myself), an organic energy bar (supposedly), and a cup of flan(my big splurge today).
If i feel i'm not getting enough protein, i'll usually toss some protein powder in with my fruit/veggie shake.
Prob have potato noodles with mixed veggies for dinner.
You get the idea.

My wife still eats meat though, as does my 2yo son. She hates my mostly veggie diet.

One day, I should try a vegetarian/vegan diet...

[Winston]

I'm a vegetarian too. In the banner above, you will find a link to HappyCow.net, which I placed to help people find vegetarian friendly places to eat at.

I am a vegetarian for all the standards reasons, plus:

- it feels right
- it gives me better cleaner karma
- it keeps me looking younger

You should see that film "Meet your Meet" on Peta.org narrated by Alec Baldwin. It may also be on YouTube. It may convince you why meat is bad.

[Winston]

Jackal, you're a Buddhist right? Do you eat garlic? Why don't Buddhists eat garlic? Ladislav takes garlic pills and says it greatly helps detoxify his body. I heard that garlic is a natural antibiotic too. So if it has healing properties, then why do Buddhists consider it to be bad?

[The_Hero_of_Men]

Jackal, you're a Buddhist right? Do you eat garlic? Why don't Buddhists eat garlic? Ladislav takes garlic pills and says it greatly helps detoxify his body. I heard that garlic is a natural antibiotic too. So if it has healing properties, then why do Buddhists consider it to be bad?

Where can I buy garlic pills? Will it really help de-tox my body? If so, how do they do it?

[Jackal]

Jackal, you're a Buddhist right? Do you eat garlic? Why don't Buddhists eat garlic? Ladislav takes garlic pills and says it greatly helps detoxify his body. I heard that garlic is a natural antibiotic too. So if it has healing properties, then why do Buddhists consider it to be bad?

Yes, I'm Buddhist. It's not true that all Buddhists are not allowed to eat garlic. I think only monks aren't allowed to eat garlic, and also people at certain types of meditation retreats are not allowed to eat garlic while they are there.

Yes, garlic has proven benefits for the body, but Buddhism is all about the mind, and Buddhist texts say that garlic disturbs the mind by increasing negative emotions. Also, it does have a strong smell, so if one guy in a meditation retreat stank of garlic, it would be distracting.

Actually it's not just garlic that is prohibited in those situations, it is the "Five Pungent Spices": onions, scallions, chives, garlic, and leeks.

I eat garlic and onions except when I'm at certain meditation retreats.