What were YOUR reasons???

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2004
What were YOUR reasons???
18
Tue, 11-30-2004 - 4:10pm

For what reasons did YOU choose to become a vegetarian?


I would love to see some of the other reasons (besides the ones that influenced me) that others were drawn towards.


Hugs to all!!!! :-)



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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-29-2003
Tue, 11-30-2004 - 5:48pm

Hi, Alison! I'm new to this board, but saw your question and thought I'd post....

When I initially became vegetarian in grad school, it was because (regardless of logical validity!) I had decided that if I couldn't kill a cow, then I shouldn't be eating it, thereby making someone else do my "dirty work". After so many years (over a decade), the reasons have evolved as I have evolved, expanding into health reasons, animal treatment reasons, sustainability reasons, moral reasons... any number of things. Sometimes it was even just because people assumed I'd "grow out of the phase"! Now, it's really just a lifestyle for me. I think if I ate meat, I'd get sick.

Good question,
Amy

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2004
Wed, 12-01-2004 - 1:17pm
My reason for becoming a vegetarian is so that I could lose weight the healthy way without eating meat. Studies show that it is so bad for your body and plus the treatment of these animals is insane and I wouldn't want anyone to eat my flesh (which is basically what they are doing to animals). There have been too many recalls and breakout of Salmonella poison going on which can lead to death. I want to eat healthy and so far this is the only way of life that comprehends.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 12-02-2004 - 11:59am
i originally became vegetarian for health reasons, but over the years as i learned more, i accumulated a variety of reasons - animal rights, environmental, political, etc.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-18-2004
Sat, 12-18-2004 - 5:06pm
I became a Vegetarian for Health reasons and A Vegan FOr Animal and Envirometal Reasons. I have been Vegan for one year now and absolutly love my new lifestyle
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 10:56am
congrats on your one year anniversary of being vegan!
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-16-2003
Sat, 01-08-2005 - 11:47pm

I became Veg because I saw how they kill the animals and sat in my house and bawled my eyes out.. I have never been more horrified than watching the slaughter house undercover videos.


I was actually raised Veg on my mother's side due to religous beliefs but ate meat while with my father's side of the family so in the end going Veg wasn't hard at all since basically I had been on and off my whole life..


I've never even looked into the health aspect of it although seeing so many people who chose The Veg life style for that reason has me curious!



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 01-11-2005 - 8:42am

i've often wondered how anyone can watch those and not go veg.


i like your website - your little boys are adorable!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-06-2004
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 1:52am

The first time I went Veg. I was 16 and away at a boarding school in Southern California. The directors were real Hippies. The showed us a video on how animals are raised and killed. After I watched that I only ate Smart Dogs, white rice, peas and carrots for a while. When I came home I slowly moved back into the meat eating lifestyle, mostly because I was lazy and my parents hated me being veg.

I went Veg 5 years ago while taking a health and safety class in order to teach early childhood education. The teacher was vegetarian so it wasn't the typical Health class. And when she brought in speakers on the unhealthy affects of eating meat and dairy, I knew I needed to make the switch. I soon became pregnant after making the switch and basically have raised my children vegetarian. My oldest went through patches of eating meat but for no good reason. But I renewed my commitment to vegetarianism a couple years ago and a year ago veganism. My youngest now 1 has never eaten meat or dairy.

Last night I saw an undercover video on the Peta website that showed how a slaughterhouse is killing their cows and it literally made me sick. It was the worst thing I have ever seen.

So my reasons are health, animal rights, and environmental.

Heather Roman
Vegan Skin Care, Beauty and Nutrition
http://ecowares.myarbonne.com
ecowares@myarbonne.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2004
Wed, 01-12-2005 - 3:18pm

I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons.

 

     
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-20-2003
Thu, 01-13-2005 - 12:35am

What makes a cow eatable but a horse a pet and companion? What is the difference between the parakeets who twitter in my ear, who company find so cute, and a turkey or chicken? Why do we keep dogs and cats as pets, who some people treat as children, while most pigs will be sent to a butcher? And you all have heard that pigs can make friendly, intelligent pets so the dividing line is definitely blurry.


I never was impressed by the taste of most meats and was always so aware of the animals involved in my supper. I believe that some people are born vegetarians and I was one of them.


I have several health issues involving the GI tract and I believe that going vegetarian the day I went to college was the second best thing I've done for my issues (I have celiac disease, in which the body produces antibodies when you eat gluten. The antibodies attack the intestines. Giving up the wheat, barley, rye, and oats that contain gluten was the best thing... the damage prevents you from digesting and the immune response can cause cancer and other autoimmune disorders). Because my health is so touchy, I do eat dairy- but try to choose sources with policies I can live with.


I live at home do to my health issues as well as my mother's disability and cook for my family. My father adds heat and serve meats to the meal for himself and Mom- Mom eats it as a side dish, though. But even Dad's health has improved since he's eating less meat, whether he'll admit the relationship or not!


My quick answer is that I am a vegetarian for all of the common reasons- there is no single issue that made me give up choking the stuff down. I ate meat for 18 years, though I ate very little of it in my teens because it was what was served. Dad smiles at the people who tell him that all kids go through a stage of being a vegetarian but get over it. He knows that for me this is a life choice, and after 8 years he's gotten used to it.



Jaseann



cl-Celiac Disease


If your neighbor doesn't think you look sick, it doesn't mean your symptoms aren't real. If a doctor ignores you, it doesn't mean it's all in your head. If there aren't definitive tests yet, it doesn't mean the disease doesn't exist. You know your body- trust yourself!

Jaseann

co-cl-Celiac Disease

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