How to be vegetarian - easily

Have you ever found yourself choosing fish over meat? Have you heard about how a more vegetable-orientated diet can bring health benefits? Do you sometimes feel concerned about the conditions in which animals are kept? Are you concerned about the increasing price of meat?

These are all thoughts and stages that many of us go through when moving towards being a vegetarian. I use the phrase "moving towards" because in my opinion it's important to become a vegetarian at your own pace.

I have a lot to thank my parents for. I grew up eating rice and peas and vegetable stews with little meat. We ate a good amount of fish, especially mackerel, and had a roast (usually chicken) once a week. I was not used to eating a lot of meat. When I became a student, I became more aware of how animals were treated and this bothered me. I also had a limited budget. A college friend of mine was vegetarian and her food was always delicious and interesting. I spent my early vegetarian days eating a lot of lentils and dairy products and a certain amount of soy-based products like many who transition from a meat-based diet. Occasionally I would have some fish.

Moving to Switzerland saw a new stage in my vegetarian lifestyle. I took the decision to become a lacto-vegetarian, someone who eats dairy products, during my nutrition studies. Most of my food is now plant-based, so closer to that of a vegan but this is very much a personal choice because of the way I know my digestive system works.

Nowadays, I choose to be vegetarian simply because of how good I feel and the amount of energy I have when I eat in a more conscious way. It's been a good way to understand my likes and dislikes and also to analyze the reasons I choose certain foods.

When you're sick you may have had the experience of your body wanting to eat more lightly, or of not having any appetite at all. This innate knowledge can be accessed on an everyday basis as we become attuned to how we nourish ourselves. And, as with any knowledge, the more gently we access it, the easier it is to accept it for ourselves.

Action step: Analyze your buying habits - what food do you buy regularly that supports your move towards being a vegetarian?

Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved Janet Gomez