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Veg*n Not a GP owner, but this topic interested me

Spring

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Hi! Let me explain a bit, I was on here actually looking for some information for a cage I was planning to build for one of my two rabbits, but this forum caught my eye.

I don't know where I stand on me cutting meat out of my diet. I was going to eat chicken the other day, but threw it out because I suddenly felt sick.. this thing i'm about to eat was actually alive , then got slaughtered because some person wanted to make a meal out of it..

Well, anyways now I'm here. I've been thinknig about cutting down on meat in my diet, or becoming a vegetarian. Is it stupid that i'll have these thoughts, and still eat meat? I'm just confused. It's like, what's the difference from eating your pet or eating an innocent pig? Nothing.. I just don't know what to think.

I was just wondering if anyone could help with any support or anything?
Thanks:)
 

BabyGrl

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It is not stupid at all. Sometimes it is hard to change a habit you have had your whole life. Small steps. Some poeple can quit cold turkey and some have to gradually cut it out. Have you seen the Meet your Meat video? That might help.
 

Spring

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Hello :) .

The meet your meat video.. does it have graphic photos of animals being slaughtered?
 

Maisiepaisie

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I've heared it's very graphic but I've never watched it as I know it would upset me. (broken link removed) is a very helpful site for info about going veggie or vegan.
 

Spring

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Hi, and thanks!
I'll look at that website you posted a bit later. I think I'll pass on the meet your meat video.. I think I'm too sensitive to watch a video or see pictures of something like that.
Well, I'm going to see if I have enough will power to see if I can attempt to go vegetarian. I think I'll start it today.This is a real change for me, because I've eaten meat all my life, but I know I can do it if I set my mind to it!

I don't know anyone who's a vegetarian, so it's going to be hard.
 

Weatherlight

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Get to know people who are vegetarian ;)

The animals are too sensitive to enjoy being enslaved, exploited, and slaughtered.

I'm actually wearing this shirt right now...
GiveBloodNewXL.jpg
 

PiggieMamaKelly

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You have to get to know other vegetarians, even if you can only manage finding an online forum or small group of online friends. People are constantly going to tell you you are "nutty", stupid, not making a difference etc. and people are constantly going to act like there is no other food on the planet besides meat, assume you eat salad and tofu all day (ironically I dislike salad AND tofu and still have plenty to eat). You really need some kind of support to keep you sane and feeling good about your choices. Good luck!
 

JarBax

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Spring, you came to the right place - not only for your bunnies (good luck with their cage!), but for yourself too!

Meet your meat is very graphic - it does show video of animals being slaughtered - but then, that is what happens to get the meat from the living animal to the supermarket shelves etc. It is shocking. But if you need a 'boost' to confirm you out of confusion - this is the one to watch. It would also be a good place to send folk to , who think themselves worthy to comment on your decision ( and it is likely there will be at least one). If you are fore-armed with a couple of strong points, you are less likely to wobble when confronted with ther people's opinions - even if it is "I find it difficult to explain my reasoning at the moment, but I'm glad you respect my judgement to know what is the right decision for me" - or something said confidently enough to stop further probing while you clarify things for yourself.

PMK's post reminded me of a story about 'making a difference';

A man walking along the beach noticed further along an older lady bending down, picking up stones and throwing them into the sea. On coming closer, her noticed the beach was strewn with beached starfish, and it was these the lady was laboriously picking up one by one, and throwing back ito the sea. As he passed the old lady. he hid no scorn in his voice as he commented that she was hardly making any difference, as there must be thousands of starfish on the beach. The old lady bent down, picked up another starfish, and gently replied "...Made a difference to that one..."!
 

Spring

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Hi everyone, and thanks :).

I love that shirt weatherlight!

I think I'm doing alright with my vegetarian diet.. I haven't eaten meat since Sunday at lunch. It's a bit of a challenge.. espcially since last night I went to my favourite restaurant, and to my surprise there was notes infront of some meals that says if it's vegetarian or not. I ate this delicious peurto valarta salad (Sorry if I messed up the spelling). It was excellent! A new favourite :)

I actually told my best friend about me maybe going vegetarian first, and she said if that's what I wanted to do, she'd support me.. I was a bit nervous in telling her, but I'm glad that she's not like some people that get all in your face and act like what your doing is the worst possible thing..

I told my mom, and she said she'd support me too.

I have a few questions about a vegetarian diet.. I have servre allergies to nuts and tree nuts so that's one source of protien that I can't have. I haven't gone shopping yet, but I've read that flax bread is good with missing nutrients of your a vegetarian? Or was that vegan? Well I've been eating lots of flax bread with pickles (weird combo, but surprisingly good!)
I still have to do research before I go too drastic on my vegetarian diet.

I'm still eating eggs (yummy farm fresh ones from a lady my dad knows, and the chickens are treated like royalty!), but I'm not sure about salmon (I usually only buy wild.. does this make a difference?), just so I can keep my protien intake up. Does anyone have any pretty easy vegetarian meals I can prepare? I'm looking up recipes, but I've been busy so I'm just usually seeing what I think would be good.. (i'm not the world's best cook..)

I've also been getting some head aches since Sunday.. could this be the change for my body?

Thanks everyone, I'm still looking up research, but I'm making a bit of progress!
 

extensiblecow

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I am a vegetarian. In extreme circumstance, I will only eat fish (the bigger the better, for one fish can feed many) - that is, when I could not find any vegetarian meals at all. I try not to touch prawns either.
 

Spring

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Oh ok :).

My mom doesn't believe in fish farming, so we only really get wild salmon, and occasionally canned tuna. I enjoy fish, so I think I might continue to eat it. I'm just wondering if it's humane how they catch/treat/prepare fish?

I'm just curious, now that you've brought up shell fish, what people think about it? Do you still eat mussles, clams and things like that? I don't think they have the power to sense things and interperet it, so I was wondering if vegetarian still choose to eat these?
Thanks, once again!
 

Maisiepaisie

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JarBax said:
PMK's post reminded me of a story about 'making a difference';

A man walking along the beach noticed further along an older lady bending down, picking up stones and throwing them into the sea. On coming closer, her noticed the beach was strewn with beached starfish, and it was these the lady was laboriously picking up one by one, and throwing back ito the sea. As he passed the old lady. he hid no scorn in his voice as he commented that she was hardly making any difference, as there must be thousands of starfish on the beach. The old lady bent down, picked up another starfish, and gently replied "...Made a difference to that one..."!
That story is actually a poem and one of my favourites. Sorry if I'm going off topic a bit now but I'd love to share this poem with you. Its wonderful. Here it is:

The Difference He Made
by Randy Poole</SPAN>
Amidst the morning mist of the swift returning tide
I set out on my daily run, my walkman on my side.
Lost within my private world apart from cares and woes
I ran along the moistened shore, the sand between my toes.
</SPAN>
In the distance, I saw a boy, as busy as can be.
He was running, stooping, picking up, and tossing in the sea.
Just what he threw, I couldn't tell, I looked as I drew near.
It seemed to be a rock or shell - as I approached him I could hear:
</SPAN>
"Back you go, where you belong. Your safe now hurry home.
Your family's waiting for you little starfish, hurry on!"
It seemed the evening tide had washed the starfish on the shore,
And the swift receding water left a thousand there or more.
</SPAN>
And this self-appointed savior, was trying one-by-one
To toss them back into the sea, against the racing sun.
I saw his plight was hopeless, that most of them would die.
I called out from my private world, "Hey Kid, why even try?"
</SPAN>
"Must be at least a thousand here, strewn along the beach,
And even if you had the time, most you'll never reach.
You really think it makes a difference, to waste your time this way?"
And then I paused and waited, just to hear what he would say.
</SPAN>
He stooped and took another, and looked me in the eye.
"It makes a difference to this one sir, this starfish will not die!"
With that, he tossed the little life, back where there was hope.
He stooped to take another. I could tell this was no joke.
</SPAN>
The words that he spoke to me cut like a surgeon's knife.
Where I saw only numbers, he saw only life.
He didn't see the multitude of starfish on the sand.
He only saw the little life he held there in his hand.
</SPAN>
He didn't stop to argue, to prove that he was right.
He just kept tossing starfish in the sea with all his might.
So I too stooped, and I picked up, and I tossed into the sea,
And I thought, just what a difference, that this boy has made in me.</SPAN>​
 

JarBax

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Thankyou Maisiepaisie (love your name by the way!) - I've never heard the poem before - it's really, really good. Infact, I'm going to take it into school with me tomorrow - there's a small group of kids I work with who I think might appreciate it too!
 

Spring

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Thats a fantastic poem :)
 

Maisiepaisie

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Glad you like it :) Sorry about the HTML codes. They weren't there when I copied and pasted, not sure why they appeared.
 

Spring

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Hi everyone. I just have a few questions about food I was thinking about..

I'm not sure about turning vegan at this time. Now, I'm just struggling with trying to stick with turning vegetarian. Is goats milk/cheese any more humane then the process to get cows milk? I don't have a problem with dairy, I don't eat it too often anyways. I heard once that you get more calcium from spinich, than double that of milk or something along those lines? I only get eggs from my dads friends, like I've said before, so the eggs are from a great, humane source.

Also, I was just wondering if soy nuts are part of the nut family? I'm allergic to nuts and tree nuts. My mom saw them today in the grocery store, but didn't think I was allowed them. Has anyone heard of them? I'll have to talk to my allergist just incase. I've also tried soy milk (my mom drinks it) and I can't say I'm too found of it.. it tastes a tiny bit too chalky for my taste buds! I'm still going to try the chocolate soy milk.. maybe I'll like that kind!

I'm still wondering what I might have tonight.. I haven't gone alternative shopping yet, so I'm just seeing what I can find.

Thanks
 

JarBax

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I've not heard of soya nuts before, but I know that soya milk is made from soya beans. (not much help I know!) Have you tried the soya milk that is sweetened with apple juice? That's the one we use for everything (I know some folk use the non-sweetened stuff for cooking). You could give rice milk a go.

Enjoy your 'alternative shopping' tonight!
 

Percy's Mom

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Spring said:
Do you still eat mussles, clams and things like that? I don't think they have the power to sense things and interperet it, so I was wondering if vegetarian still choose to eat these?
I can't speak to whether or not they sense and interpret anything, but I can tell you that if you eat fish and shellfish you're not a vegetarian. Eating seafood of any sort makes you a pescetarian.
 

extensiblecow

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JarBax said:
I've not heard of soya nuts before, but I know that soya milk is made from soya beans. (not much help I know!) Have you tried the soya milk that is sweetened with apple juice? That's the one we use for everything (I know some folk use the non-sweetened stuff for cooking). You could give rice milk a go.

The "nut" bit is soy bean, that gives soy milk.
My Grandmother and Mother used to make soy milk out of soy beans.
It is good source of protein, especailly for vegetarian, and women.
I heard that it helps with women's estrogen issues - whatever that is.:)
 
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extensiblecow

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Spring said:
Is goats milk/cheese any more humane then the process to get cows milk? ...

Not sure about the "more humane" bit when goats' milk is produced than cows'.
I read in Australian newspaper some years back that the farming industry used to inpregnate cows regularly so that they start to lactate and hence produce milk.
I can't remember now (having read that years ago) if they abort the feotus.
But I sure can remember that when the calves were born, a lot of them were not raised properly for they could not find any use for these "by-products".
Anyway, just recalling what I've read.
 
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