It's National Vegetarian Week and as vegetarianism is close to my heart I decided I wanted to dedicate some time to it this week on my blog, sharing a whole bunch of perspectives and posts to burst some (super ridiculous) myths and questions about vegetarianism. I've been vegetarian for almost a year now and I've honestly never felt healthier or happier about my diet!
Probably the most common question vegetarians are asked is...
"Why are you vegetarian?"
Personally, I'm vegetarian as I realised how hypocritical it was to care so much for domestic animals and love animals in general but be fine with funding the murder of milllllions of animals. But also until I became educated on it, I had no idea how much the meat industry contributed to global warming, world hunger, poverty and pollution, the meat industry causes so so much devastation and I didn't want to support that. And really, how can you feel fully, completely alive when you're sustaining yourself on death???
But that's not the only reason, so I asked instagram and here are some reasons from all my favourite veggie pals, giving you a whole load of perspectives on the lifestyle...
And I wanna eat better foods like I now eat vegetables every single meal basically whereas before I wouldn't even have then once a day so I feel more sassy now - Megan @meghetherington_
Mainly ethical reasons, the way the animals are treated puts me right off, even when they're stunned there's no way they don't feel fear before they're killed. But also the health reasons, nowadays we know red meat is a carcinogen and in a world where 1 in 2 people will get a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime why tempt fate when there's plenty of other, more healthy options that give you exactly what, or more than meat does. - Estelle @estelledf
I'm just all about the animal welfare haha. I don't believe animals were placed on this earth for us to eat, I also don't agree with some of the ways they are raised and killed, I don't believe we, as humans, have the right so essentially 'play God' and decide what can live and what can die just to satisfy our own species, they have as much right to life on this planet as we do. - Georgia @geoxgiarich
For animals and the environment I'm 14 so can't go vegan but when I'm 16 I'm going vegan. - Hannah @cha0s.calm
I believe animals should be treated how humans are and they feel physical pain too and I'm sure it would be classed as weird if you were eating a humans leg at Christmas. - Ellie-May @fl0ralpastel
I'm vegetarian cause I can't bear the cruelty shown to animals who are killed for us to eat and the complete lack of respect for animals shown by the food industry. Killing and frightening animals for a burger just doesn't make sense to me. Plus the environmental impact of rearing animals is fucking up the planet massively. And, to be honest, animals are cute, I couldn't bring myself to kill one so I couldn't bring myself to eat one. - Helena @helenasmadfatdiary
I was brought up as a vegetarian, so the notion of eating animals seems like an alien concept to me. It is for this reason that is suspect I will remain a vegetarian for better or for worse, forever. That said, I am not morally opposed to the very act of eating meat; I do not necessarily wish to unconditionally universalise vegetarianism either. Yet, I am an advocate of animal rights, and therefore I believe that the decision to eat meat does entail the perpetual suffering of a variety of species of creatures. Peter Singer, a noteworthy Utilitarian, notes that this suffering is the chief reason to avoid eating meat, and in many ways I agree. If it wasn't for the nastiness of the factory farm industry, and the brutality with which animals are treated, I myself would consider indulging in a hamburger on occasion. But, given the West's excessive style, I don't really foresee a world where the meat making industry has reduced suffering at cost to its own profits. So, for me, eating animals causes unnecessary suffering that cannot be justified, but I do not believe that someone who eats meat in moderation is therefore innately evil. After all, I have no claim to the moral high; find me someone who seeks to be entirely morally pure and I will show them to be a fallacy in pursuit of an unachievable end. - Izaak @groovy.cactus
When I was ten I saw a tv programme about turkeys just before Christmas, and it's put me off eating meat for life. I can never get my head round the idea of having what used to be a living, breathing, feeling thing, on my plate for dinner. It sounds cliche, but meat IS murder, and I resent the idea that an animal has been bred to be killed so that I can have a burger. Although my vegetarianism began on an ethical basis, I've recently become more tuned into the environmental impacts after watching 'Cowspiracy'. It's equally repulsive as it is fascinating to learn how much water and fuel is used on meat production, and how many forests are being destroyed for farming purposes. It's so wasteful. I don't, however, hold any judgement against people that do eat meat - I respect that it's a personal choice and a matter of opinion. - Mhairi @mhairi_music
I haven't been a vegetarian for long, at the start of the year I finally felt in control of food and therefore could properly take on a vegetarian diet with the right mindset and for the right reasons. My small time as a vegetarian may make me less of one to some people, but I'm being honest when I say it's now proudly a part of my identity and it feels like I've been vegetarian my whole life.There are so many different reasons to become a vegetarian, I think if people were forced to watch documentaries like Earthlings and Vegucated many would actually be more inclined to take on the lifestyle, but I think for me what did it were my questions about my own life and myself.Did I want to be someone who was happy to contribute to the torture and murder of animals? When I ate meat I felt extremely guilty, and towards the end of my relationship with meat I even started to have nightmares and panic attacks, it became a trigger. The discourse between my diet and mental health was becoming so intertwined that it just wasn't worth it.I have absolutely nothing against meat-eaters, most of my family are so, it's a choice and you need to do what makes you feel comfortable and happy. So I'm now around 5 months vegetarian and I'm immensely happier, healthier and looking forward to eating again! - Ellie @eldwards
I never felt fully comfortable eating meat but I was never sure why. Initially, I decided to commit to vegetarianism - I was pescatarian to begin with actually - for selfish health reasons. I wanted to feel better and change my experience of being alive a little. And then the more I got behind it, I realised how important it is for our planet and for maintaining the beauty in this world. To protect the innocent animals that are slaughtered by the millions. I'm still learning more and more about how meat really is murder and how harmful it can be to the human body, but it's clear from even the most basic research that the benefits of a meat-based diet are drastically outweighed by the benefits of vegetable based diet. Also, a friend of mine put me onto the idea that if an animal lives it's whole life in a cage, in agony and then you consume it's frozen, defrosted and refrozen rotting flesh, the level of negative energy you're ingesting is maniacal. It's so easy to be vegetarian that I barely even think about it. It just means I get to try new food at restaurants, as oppose to a burger and chips. Being Vegetarian/vegan is the only diet choice that really makes any sense, if you ask me. - Lucas @lucassjoness
National Vegetarian Week is encouraging people to go meat-free for one week, what reason do you have not to give it a try? You can't ignore the benefits! Make the connection between your pet and your plate, if you saw how your food got there, would you still eat it?
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