Why I'm a "Cheating" Vegetarian

In the greenhouse at Cuisinart Resort,
Anguilla, BWI.

Although I hate to put a label on myself, we are a label-driven society.  Whether it’s a pair of jeans, smart phones, cars, sneakers, etc. - we identify them and sometimes pay a lot of money to buy products because of the “label” that are on them.  When we meet people in social settings, we identify ourselves with our labels:  wife, husband, mother, dog lover, cat lover, boss, artist, photographer, etc.  In politics, our labels are:  Democrats, Independents, Republicans, conservatives, liberals and undecideds.  For me, some labels include:  wife, step-mother, dog-lover, daughter, nonna (that’s what the grandkids call me), friend and vegetarian, well... a “cheating vegetarian”.  

According to the Vegetarian Society a vegetarian “does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or by-products of slaughter.”  http://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=698 I actually eat seafood occasionally (usually once or twice a week, but sometimes not for several weeks).  I also eat eggs and dairy every once in awhile.  So to be more accurate I suppose I’m actually I am a vegetarian who is of the lacto-ovo-vegetarian variety who sometimes eats seafood, or I’m a pescatarian.  Confused yet?  I know it makes MY head spin!  This is why I call myself a “cheating vegetarian”.  

There’s actually a LONG story of how I came to choose to eat the way I now eat, but I’ll try to keep it short.  Basically, it started for health reasons when I was suffering from frozen shoulder.  If you don’t know anything about this condition, it’s EXTREMELY painful and can last for 1-2 years.  Read about it here:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/frozen-shoulder/DS00416   In dealing with the pain from this condition, traditional medicine failed me and it was through my desperate measures to get relief from the pain that I sought help from alternative methods.  I went through 9 months of intensive treatment using acupuncture, chiropractics, physical therapy, massage therapy and changing my diet.  It was during that time when I discovered how food could be used as medicine.  This isn’t a concept that is new - Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, talked about it several hundreds of years ago.  

After seeing what just a few changes in my diet could do, I watched documentaries about the food industry (Food Inc., Forks Over Knives, Super Size Me, King Corn) which sparked my curiosity.  Then I did more research by reading books (The Kind Diet, Omnivore’s Dilemma, Food Rules, Fast Food Nation, Skinny Bitch, Engine 2 Diet and Eating Animals).  

When I first started learning more,  my views about food started changing for health reasons and I decided I would cut back on my consumption on meat, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, cut back on processed foods and cut out fast food.  And when I ate meat I would only eat hormone-free/antibiotic-free/grass-fed meat.  However, in my reading, I began to think  about how certain religions and countries didn’t eat certain meats.  For example Hindus don’t eat beef because the cow is considered sacred. This is when my mind began to make a paradigm shift.  

While considered taboo in the Western world, horse meat is still consumed by humans in Central Asia, parts of Europe and South America.  I have several friends who are horse lovers and own horses - I love horses as well.  And although I haven’t spent a lot of time around these beautiful creatures, I can tell you I have seen distinct personalities in them and could never imagine eating horse meat.  

With a horse I met in Lexington, KY.

In other countries, most notably Asia and Africa, the consumption of dog meat by humans is still common, however, it is forbidden by both Jewish and Islamic dietary laws.  I am a dog owner and call my two dogs my “furry children”.  When I look at them with their sweet expressive eyes and wet noses, I truly cannot ever imagine getting to a point where I would choose to... Oh, I can’t even go there!  It just makes me ill to think about it!  

With my "furry girl" Hershey.

It was in thinking about the love I have for my dogs when I decided I could no longer eat meat.  But you say, “Hey, Donna, you still eat sushi and oyster!  I see the pictures you post on Facebook and Twitter!”  Well, yes I do.  But that is a personal choice I have made and I am okay with it.  I eat seafood occasionally, but I really do try to limit it and when I cook at home, I’m pretty much a vegan when cooking for myself.  The way I justify my “okay-ness” with eating seafood is this: If necessary, I would be willing to do what it takes to get that fish to my dinner table from start to finish.  Can’t say I would be able to go through the whole process with chicken or pork or beef.  Whenever I start to crave fried chicken I just start thinking about the first step in “processing” a chicken and my craving goes away.  But the process for getting fish, shrimp, oysters, etc. to my table - I can honestly say I can handle that... but only on occasion.  

Getting a kiss from my boy, Zeke.

I had gotten to the point where I just went to the store and bought the meat in the package without giving thought to where it came from or what life was sacrificed to satisfy a craving I may have had.  When I do eat sushi, it may sound corny, but I say a silent prayer thanking the fish for giving it’s life so it can nourish my body.  The thing is, I can say I’m more “thoughtful” about my approach to food and that makes me feel better about my health and as a human being.  

And I don’t worry.  I won’t tell you how you should eat either because according to the Book of Donna it’s YOUR body and your choice, just like being a “cheating vegetarian” is MY choice.  But that’s the great thing - we have the ability to make educated choices.  So, what choices will you make?  Eat well.  Be happy.