I recently signed up for daily e-mail alerts from earthtimes, an online news service that provides articles on a variety of topics worldwide. I figured it would be good to receive news from different sources, especially when it comes to world affairs. Anyway, this one caught my eye just due to the title:
Sexy 'lettuce ladies' urge Filipinos to become vegetarians
I really had no idea what the "lettuce ladies" were. Apparently, the "Lettuce Ladies" are just another one of PETA's groups, proclaiming how everyone should be vegan. I do admit I find it kind of funny women walking around in lettuce, but then again what other vegetable product could they have used that would actually cover their assets?
I think the whole reasoning behind veganism is interesting. Sometimes it seems like the "hip" thing to do as the emphasis on helping the environment has become so meshed with our culture. No doubt the environment does need our help if we want one for years to come, but sometimes I wonder if there are better ways to get the point across without having it in your face as PETA groups often do. I think it's one reason why people are so turned off by PETA and similar groups.
Anyway, getting back to my point here. People who do become vegan or vegetarian do so for many reasons. Some for ethical or environmental reasons. Others do so to become healthier. Then, there are also those with eating disorders who use veganism as a guise for their eating disorder. I've known several eating disordered persons who did not become vegetarian or vegan until they had an eating disorder. It can be easy to say you don't eat this or that, because you are vegan or vegetarian. I know some people who have grappled with the question of reverting back to eating animal products or not when they began to recover. Some did revert back to eating meat after realizing they were only vegan or vegetarian due to their eating behaviors. However, others stuck with it and are satisfied with that choice.
When I think back to when my eating disorder began in my mid-teens, I too stopped eating meat and declared myself vegetarian. This used to get my father upset since I was quite a meat eater as a kid and a member of the "clean plate club." He never understood this concept of not eating meat and even used to try to get me to taste certain food items with meat in it. In some ways, honestly, I think the Ed was partial to me deciding to become vegetarian. However, at the same time, 12 years later, I still don't eat many meat products. Over the years, I have adjusted my food habits to eating fish products, but that's the only "meat" item I eat. My parents have now accepted this and actually attribute my "good" eating habits to helping them eat less meat and more vegetables and fruits. .
So whenever I'm asked the question if I would ever eat meat again, I say no, I don't miss it. This is true 95% of the time. But I think every once in a deep moon, I do think about eating a piece of ham or turkey or something of the like. I never do though. Maybe it's still some part of me that won't allow myself to go there. Maybe I still hold some association to eating meat? I know I am like that with spaghetti which I still have trouble with. Hmm, this is probably when I should be pulling out my recently bought Food and Feelings Workbook. I have yet to crack it open yet but have signed up for the yahoo group.
Anyway, I'll definitely have to think about this some more as to my real, official reasons for being vegetarian or piscatarean as I like to call myself. It's never quite as simple for me to answer. There is always complexity to it. :sigh:
By the way, besides the Lettuce Ladies, there is also the "Broccoli Boys" as well.
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