what made you decide to go veg?

[GotMyHeartFull]

I have been thinking of going vegetarian (and possibly vegan) for quite some time now but have never made it longer than a few days before I am craving meat. Right now I am reading 'You can save the animals 251 Simple ways to stop thoughtless cruelty ' by Ingid Newkirk and WOW :( Baby is doing gymnastics while NAK :giggle

[Punkie]

My main motivation is how I feel when I'm vegetarian. :) I feel SO much better and I find that I am much more aware of what I eat in general. For some reason, being vegetarian helps me to focus on being healthy in other areas :grin

[peacefulveganmom]

Hi! :) I just recently answered a similar question in another post, so I've just copied & pasted parts of it below:

I have been a vegetarian since I was kid, but just decided to go vegan about 2 years ago, after the birth of my first child. My husband made the decision to go vegan with me, and we are now raising our 2 children that way as well. :heart

When I was just a little girl, I really began questioning why we were eating other living creatures, and it really made me sad. :cry I just didn't understand it all, and didn't see why it was "necessary". :shrug So one day I just told my mother I wanted to be a vegetarian and have never looked back!

A couple of years ago God really started convicting me about the animal products I was still consuming (dairy and eggs) so I started seriously seeking some answers. I ran across John Robbins book “Diet for a New America” about this time, and after reading it I couldn’t NOT become a vegan. KWIM?? I have since come to know about the Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA) and have had my convictions strengthened with scripture support and the encouragement of other Christians who feel the same. Their website is www.christianveg.com if you’re interested in reading more.

As for the health benefits of cutting out animal products altogether, there are lots of reasons:
Animal foods tend to be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which elevate blood lipids and increase the risk of heart disease. Since farmed animals are bred to grow quickly and given little exercise, their flesh is particularly high in saturated fats (and not to mention lots of growth hormones!) :sick

Many studies have shown that the Chinese, who eat much less animal fat and protein and get most of their nutrition from plant sources, have much less heart disease mortality and much lower cholesterol levels than Americans and other Asians eating a more Western type of diet.

Animal proteins are heavily laden with sulfur-containing amino acids, which acidify the blood. The body neutralizes the acid by leaching calcium from bones, which makes them weak. :td

The routine use of antibiotics to prevent infections in crowded, stressed animals promotes dangerous antibiotic resistant bacteria. With the consumption of animal products, you also need to worry about the huge amounts of pesticides, hormones, heavy metals, and dioxins that become concentrated in animal fat. (Especially dairy!)

There is also the animal cruelty to consider:
In the US, virtually all food derived from animals (including dairy) is obtained through intensive factory farming methods. Nearly ten billion land animals are slaughtered each year, over a million every hour. These animals suffer greatly from stressful, overcrowded, barren environments that frustrate their instinctive drives and they are given painful amputations without anesthesia (debeaking, dehorning, tail docking, and castration). :cry :mad

And some other reasons:
While humans can digest flesh, our anatomy much more strongly resembles that of plant-eating creatures. For example: like plant eaters, our colons are long and complex; our intestines are 10–11 times longer than our bodies; meat eaters have short intestines to aid in ridding the body of putrid, decaying flesh foods. Our saliva contains digestive enzymes and our teeth resemble those of plant eaters. Our canines are short and blunt, not long, sharp, and curved. God designed us this way, and He doesn’t make mistakes. :tu

In Genesis, the Bible depicts vegetarianism as God’s ideal diet for us. And since we are created in God’s image of love, we are called to be good stewards and caretakers of His creation. After the Flood, God made a covenant with the animals as well as humans. Most people don’t think about this. This covenant is stated 5 different times in the Bible, and clearly says the covenant is for all flesh, not just humans. Something to prayerfully consider……… ;)

Hope this helps answer some of your questions. Sure- It can be a tough lifestyle to follow sometimes, in the society that we live in. But so can “true” Christianity. :O

I just have to continually remind myself that God has not called us to blend in...... Jesus sure didn’t!! :giggle

Feel free to ask other questions if I can answer anything specific for you. HTH :hug

[acrunchymama]

love for animals was my reason. btw, i've read both books mentioned and loved them!

[Mrs. Potatohead]

For me, it started with a concern for animals--I poked around on the web (and posted some articles and pics on my blog) and got myself totally grossed out. From there, I've started reading Dominion. I also just read Eat to Live, which has opened my eyes further to the health benefits. As a result, DH and I are now eating vegan. I'm not sure we can stick with the vegan thing forever, but I think I'll be vegetarian for a long, long time.

[milkmommy]

My main motivation is how I feel when I'm vegetarian. :) I feel SO much better and I find that I am much more aware of what I eat in general. For some reason, being vegetarian helps me to focus on being healthy in other areas :grin

:yes I'm just now making the journey to a veggie life :giggle I haven't decided if I will completely cut out meat becaue I have no like personal or moral reason against eatting meat but I can ditto the above post, its only been a feww days and I'm still learning whats out there but I feel better less hungry I actually DON'T crave nearly as much as I did before. I do find I'm more aware as well. Its a bitdifficult cause DH is totally not on board (I'm not making him eaither) but I need to do this for me.

Deanna

[joyfulmomof2]

I am not totally there yet. I was many years ago also after reading John Robbins book. I was so grossed out. I am not sure how I began eating meat again. I do not think that I eat that much meat, though. I am more of a side dish type of person.

My little one is a vegetarian for the most part. I think he eats meat about 2ce per month. But I am in a living situation right now that prevents me from complaining about anything that I am fed. I am just greatful for what the Lord is providing for us. :)

However, I am making a menu list and gaining much insight now for when I am on my own again with my two little ones. That way I can make sure that we are all eating much more healthfully.

As far as becoming a vegan, I do not feel that I purchase things very often if at all that are animal products, but I would need to look at that further. But I do try to purchase natural products like cotton for the most part.