Vegetarian Testimonial No. 2
A Vegetarian For 1 Month

Since I turned vegetarian, I’ve noticed some changes in my lifestyle—for example, shopping. I used to shop at places like Vons, Ralphs, Costco, which are much cheaper to shop at. But now I seem to shop at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, which are known for their good quality of organic produce. So price is a bit higher, but I think it’s worth it. I’ve also noticed socially, in my family-friends network, that’s changed: it’s not been as supportive as I had hoped it would be. I thought I was doing a good thing, but what’s happened is—my boyfriend who I live with, I generally cook for him, so omitting meat out of the meal plan has not been very good on him, so he hasn’t been too supportive. And my friends, they tend to eat at fast food joints like McDonald’s, and they think it’s a bit strange that I’m not eating meat, so I don’t feel supported by them. And then also my mother—I called her and told her, “Mom, I’m vegetarian now, so when I come home from England, the meal plan’s going to be different.” And she kind of thought it’s just going to be a passing phase and I’m going to start eating meat as soon as I get back over there. But I am vegetarian and I’m going to stick with it.

So now that I have turned vegetarian, I find that I’m eating a lot more salad and vegetables than I used to, and definitely a lot more fruit. And just reading up on it, I found fruit is a really good source of vitamins and nutrients, as well as vegetables. So I’ve bulked up on them. I generally didn’t eat meat before a lot, but what I’ve done is instead of eating chicken with my stir-fry, I’ll substitute that for tofu. I also buy ground beef substitute, which is a soy-based substitute for ground beef. And I’m still learning, because I am a new vegetarian, I’m still out there looking for new recipes, to fulfill my dietary needs.

Since the month has passed of me being vegetarian, I have noticed some slight changes in my health. For example, I feel like I’m processing food much easier and I’m going to the bathroom more efficiently. Also, I don’t feel as tired as I used to. I think just eating meat here and there made it a bit heavier in my system, so I just feel a bit lighter. I don’t know if it’s psychosomatic , but I just feel a bit cleaner inside.

Being vegetarian is right for me because morally, I’m not contributing to the pain and the suffering that animals reared for meat production have to go through. I’m saving a lot more money. I’m buying healthier foods that are organic, which people think are much more expensive, but it’s much cheaper than buying meat. And you are worth it—I’m worth it, and I feel so much more healthier. I feel like my body’s running more efficiently, and that I’m sleeping better. I feel like I’m getting the right nutrients, and these are all the reasons I feel like vegetarianism is right for you.