As of the beginning of the year I stopped eating meat. It isn't a political statement, it is for my health. As more and more hormones and antibiotics are added to meat it just doesn't seem to be a safe option anymore. Think about it. Females are growing breasts and hitting puberty at earlier ages. The sperm count in many men also has dropped. Antibiotics are also pumped into perfectly healthy animals as a "preventative" to keep livestock from getting sick. Recent studies however, have suggested that giving the livestock these antibiotics is creating super bugs that are harder to treat. These same super bugs can be passed to humans. These reasons are some of the top reasons why I have decided to change my dietary lifestyle.
Just to give you a background. I was a Paleo/Primal diet type of guy. Lots of veggies and meat. I loved meat. I made fun of vegetarians and vegans. I thought that vegetarians and vegans never got enough protein. I considered them weak, extremists, hippies....you get the idea. Which is why many people were surprised when I gave up meat. No fish, no fowl, no pork, no beef. Just vegetables, little dairy, and eggs. Although they are in my refrigerator I haven't had any eggs since the beginning of the year, either.
I know. You are wondering where I get my protein. Besides the little dairy, I also get protein from beans, nuts, seeds, and dark green vegetables. You would be amazed to know a stalk of broccoli can have as much as 8 grams of protein. What about iron? Dark greens, and beans contain iron too. Not to mention all the other nutrients you get from these foods.
Was it hard? Not lying. It was difficult. I would see a piece of steak or some grilled salmon and think about how good that was in my mouth. As time went on though, I started to not miss it. Now, when I see meat, I see fat and blood. It isn't even appealing to me. I walked by the meat aisle today, on my way to pick up some raw cheese, and it looked disgusting. I didn't even want to stop to look at it.
I have noticed that I have more energy. I am not as sluggish. I sleep better. I am not bloated. I am losing body fat, and my strength is increasing. Do any of these sound like negatives? I sure as heck don't think so. So I am going to issue this challenge. Do your research. Find some vegetarian or vegan recipes. Then try it out for a week or two. I admit, it may not be for everyone, but what can it hurt to try something new?
