Celebrate Vegetarianism/Veganism!

[CatsCradle]

Okay, so a recent thread in TAO reminded me that we need to celebrate our choices to be vegetarians or vegans.  I'm tired of feeling like I'm making the wrong choices, despite the fact that I've felt great for 20+ years as a veg'n and there are plenty of friends and family who can attest to the same.  

First order of business:  I'm a healthy vegetarian (mostly vegan) who doesn't suffer from malnutrition, protein deficiency, depression, anemia etc.  Unfortunately, I don't 'need' meat to survive and function at optimum power as a biological being.  I'm sure the meat and poultry business cries each night.  

Second:  I breastfed a now extremely healthy five year old on a vegan diet.  She has all her teeth.  She is not dying.  She is a vegetarian.  She tires me out with her shear energy.  

Third:  I'm a runner and a marathoner who doesn't suffer from exhaustion and other ailments associated with the mainstream ideas of the veg'n lifestyle and energy levels.  But of course, DD tires me out, but that's different subject.

Fourth:  I know that eating a "balanced" diet is not akin to eating meat, but that eating a balanced diet is eating the things that are required of my body (which are contained in 'nutritious' food and not the food types themselves) are key to healthy living and energy.  Green beans are nutritious, but I'm not dumb enough to believe that green beans are all I need for complete health.  

Fifth:  you fill in the blanks.

Disclaimer:  this post was quick but probably inadequately proposed but I suddenly felt passionate about the subject.

[catnip]

I'm the only person in my family over the age of 30 that is not on blood pressure or cholesterol drugs.

I love the food I eat - almost all unprocessed, seasonal, fresh foods, scratch cooked beans and grains, lots of organic fruits and veggies.

[Neera]

I am celebrating not having to clean or cook a dead animal. I wasn't vegetarian since birth but I had never cleaned/cooked. I did it for dd because then dh thought that was the best diet. Now, we are all on the same page.

[dovey]

I celebrate three healthy vegan pregancies and three energetic and healthy vegan children - (and none of them have had any cavities.)

I celebrate being strong enough to resist all the fad diets telling me that I need to feed my family animal products for them to be healthy.

I celebrate 7 years of continuous breastfeeding while eating a vegan diet, and more years to come. 

I celebrate all of the animals who were never born into atrocious conditions because vegetarians never placed an economic demand for them. 

I celebrate all the delicious food that my family and I have grown to nourish ourselves and our friends. 

I celebrate the many human beings throughout history who have taken an ethical stance against using animal flesh for food.

[Sayward]

I LOVE THIS POST!
 

Originally Posted by dovey 

I celebrate three healthy vegan pregancies and three energetic and healthy vegan children - (and none of them have had any cavities.)

I celebrate being strong enough to resist all the fad diets telling me that I need to feed my family animal products for them to be healthy.

I celebrate 7 years of continuous breastfeeding while eating a vegan diet, and more years to come. 

I celebrate all of the animals who were never born into atrocious conditions because vegetarians never placed an economic demand for them. 

I celebrate all the delicious food that my family and I have grown to nourish ourselves and our friends. 

I celebrate the many human beings throughout history who have taken an ethical stance against using animal flesh for food.

[mumkimum]

   I think this is a great thread to see.

I have 12 solid years behind me of being vegetarian (at least 3 of those vegan).

It has been fantastic - I have eaten and learned about so many different vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, etc. and made oh, so many delicious meals without meat.  

I have been healthy and nourished.  

I have 2 daughters being raised vegetarian and they're healthy, energetic, normal children.  Who LOVE artichokes. 

I have taught and introduced others to delicious vegetarian foods that they never would have tried or eaten otherwise.  And they liked them.    (Even though they didn't have meat.)