Well, after 30 years (more or less) of being vegetarian, hormones have turned me first into a fish-eater, and now over the last week I've been unable to go a day without eating mammals. It's very, very weird to go from feeling nauseous at the thought of having animal fat in my mouth to waking up in the morning and knowing I won't be able to stop myself from eating sausages today.
I'm having to treat this as a long pregnancy, and hope that the weird and completely irresistible cravings will ease off after SRS and my subsequent reduced oestrogen intake.
My fellow Buddhists are being to some extent tightarsed about all this, I have to put up with a lot of well-meaning "advice" along the lines of "...but have you tried supplements/resisting it/meditating/etc etc..." which is deeply patronising - I mean, why on earth assume I haven't tried everything first? Grmmbl. Ahem. I notice that anyone I know who's ever been pregnant can accept very easily what I'm going through, and just say "it happens..." :).
I'm not happy to be complicit in the suffering of animals - and the suffering of people who have to slaughter them for a living. But it really doesn't feel like a choice at the moment. When it becomes a choice again, I'll choose to be a vegetarian again. Meanwhile - oh god, garlic salami!!! ::)
I am vegan and plan to stay vegan even if i get cravings. I have only been on HRT a few months so I cant say too much yet. but I'm determined to keep it this way.
Oh dear Sister,
This isn't breaking vows this is a medical condition were you body is rebuilding to cope with changes. As you said just like pregnancy. As you know I have no religion, and I have no problems with those who do.
I have had problems with some food over my life. Ok laugh. I'm allergic to onions, I slowly adapted to a small amount of very cooked onion in Italian based foods, recipes. I had my first personally made cheese and raw onion sandwich today. The last one was 40 yrs ago in a pub in Liverpool and I threw up.
So take heart, if HRT cam make me eat an onion, or even smell one without feeling nausea, we have no choice.
Mmm liver and onions could be good for dinner (NO NO I JOKE)
Hugs
Cindy
I'm really sorry you're getting flak from your community for a medical condition. That's just not kind. Shame on them.
Anyway, if you're new to eating meat lately and like salami, I'd recommend getting some fancy chicken sausages at your local grocery store, if they have them. Chicken takes less energy to raise than beef or pork, I believe--at a lower trophic level--and I find these sausages easy to digest (unless, of course, you need, as you say, mammals.) I still have a gut unused to red meat & pork as I was raised without it and sometimes I get gas/indigestion from those. These would be chicken sausages with e.g. mango and red pepper in them, etc.
If you can get it, also, I recommend ground bison as a beef substitute. A lot of it is more ethically raised and the meat is, though leaner, more flavorful than beef in my opinion, and because leaner, less hard on one's innards.
Just my two cents on the topic of meat. I could prattle on about food for hours. :D
I've never taken any vows, I've never been vegetarian because I was a Buddhist - more a case of being Buddhist because it was in accord with my existing ethics.
I've wanted to be vegetarian since I was 8, for ethical reasons, but didn't get to do that until I was 18. I can understand my fellow Buddhists' skepticism about my efforts to avoid eating animals, if they've never personally experienced a craving so strong that they can't think about anything else for days on end. It's hard to empathise; I've never, ever experienced a desire as strong as this in my whole life. It's a shock, and I understand much better now what drug addicts are dealing with. As for 'medical condition', most people consider my transition to be elective, so I've had people say to me "If HRT is doing that to you, stop taking it." Again, if you haven't experienced gender dysphoria, you can't imagine it. It's something else I fended off for years, to the detriment of my health.
At the moment, I just have to eat what my body demands at the time, otherwise I don't eat much at all, which would be no good. I'm hoping this will fade back the way the fish did, to the point where I just want it every few days. At the moment, it's almost every meal. I'm making a really good soup just now (sweet potato, spinach, lentil) and I know that when I eat it, I'm mostly going to want to add salami. So it is.
I'm so sorry Sis,
I did in no way mean to be insulting or disparaging
I was trying in my Aussie humour way to be supportive. As you also know from one Shelia to another, I will walk to the ends of eternity to help and comfort you.
If I upset you please try to forgive, because I never ever meant that.
Hugs and Love
Cindy
Nonono, no offence taken at all, I was just setting the record straight :) (well, that and being prideful of course... ::)).
People often think Buddhists "have to do" stuff, but the whole point is it's all about becoming someone who's able to make choices all the time, instead of being driven around by desire and aversion like a remote control car. Right now, my body has the handset when it comes to food.
:-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Dearest Padma,
Humans are obligatory omnivores. Which means we eat veggies and meat.
I have a theory. Look at nature. Carnivore has the eyes in the front of the head, where are herbivores have them on the side of the head.
Herbivore:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themorningnews.org%2Fimages%2Fcontent%2Farticles%2Fherbivore-carnivore-omnivore.jpg&hash=c8e8ccc04a27bb1b7c5f263deb12be687d0ced59)
Carnivore:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.animalcorner.co.uk%2Fanimalgroups%2Fgraphics%2Fbear.jpg&hash=7c74657a52dff26a27bf497b076dc61cedc38b36)
Notice where the eyes are.
That said, we humans can make a choice as to what we want to eat. I have done the vegetarian route. I have also been a carnivore. If you do not wish to eat meat, then don't.
But being in veterinary medicine, I know how animals, that we use for food, are treated. Granted some of them are not the nice places. But they are fed, watered, housed and have access to veterinary care.
To not eat meat because it is a personal statement against the ethical treatment of animals, is a good personal reason not to. But as for me, Give a steak or give me death. (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-2.gif&hash=923c682388a8cabcd6dffaa51761530cad754750)
I really thing that when we have cravings, it is because we are lacking something in the craved food. Which reminds me ...
Where did I put the vanilla ice creme, hot fudge and the dill pickles? (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-9.gif&hash=42bd2ee88d4ddc91007b3b25799f543e9ee358f1)
Having a little light fun with the thread. No harm, no foul. (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-3.gif&hash=f49e2f86761323f2abd9c33941920389dbb3b10f)
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-5.gif&hash=cfc7a68438be4575d8493dfbe65d1b3586f10b81) Love Ya, Sis.
Quote from: Padma on May 13, 2012, 03:10:25 AM
Well, after 30 years (more or less) of being vegetarian, hormones have turned me first into a fish-eater, and now over the last week I've been unable to go a day without eating mammals. It's very, very weird to go from feeling nauseous at the thought of having animal fat in my mouth to waking up in the morning and knowing I won't be able to stop myself from eating sausages today.
I'm having to treat this as a long pregnancy, and hope that the weird and completely irresistible cravings will ease off after SRS and my subsequent reduced oestrogen intake.
My fellow Buddhists are being to some extent tightarsed about all this, I have to put up with a lot of well-meaning "advice" along the lines of "...but have you tried supplements/resisting it/meditating/etc etc..." which is deeply patronising - I mean, why on earth assume I haven't tried everything first? Grmmbl. Ahem. I notice that anyone I know who's ever been pregnant can accept very easily what I'm going through, and just say "it happens..." :).
I'm not happy to be complicit in the suffering of animals - and the suffering of people who have to slaughter them for a living. But it really doesn't feel like a choice at the moment. When it becomes a choice again, I'll choose to be a vegetarian again. Meanwhile - oh god, garlic salami!!! ::)
I respect a lot of Buddhist beliefs, but the fact of the matter is, those animals will continue to suffer either way. Yes you can say you're being complicit, that you should set an example. But to be pragmatic, I would ask, is there any practical desirable outcome of you personally eating meat or not? Outside of your own personal ethics in your own life?
Fact is animals suffer, people suffer, its been the way of things since the dawn of time, and probably will continue until the end of time. That doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to better ourselves and the world around us. But we all have limits. One of those limits is that as far as nature and science is concerned, we're omnivores. It's very difficult for us to survive healthily as herbivores.
Take solace in the fact that suffering is normal, and suffering is temporary, death is inevitable.
Something I tell people, choice is a funny thing. We think we're in control, we decide what we do. And to a degree that's true. But to a very strong degree, we are animals. Omnivorous animals, eat other animals. It's in our nature. Vice is in our nature. Sin is in our nature (if you'll excuse the wording). We can try to fight it, but I can't help but ask myself, what is it really a fight to achieve? The end of suffering, pain, the beginning of utopia? Or just a reduction of the ills of the world. Is your ill making any real difference?
Live life as best you can, for you can do no better. See if you can find a place for eating meat in your personal ethics. If you can not, then I'm sorry for your struggle. Unfortunately as I said, suffering is the way of things.
Not really relevant to the thread, but this subject reminded me of a quote I really like:
"I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants." ~ A. Whitney Brown
If you're having issues with the meat because of how the animal is raised, why not try some local raised animals where you can go and see how the animal is raised? A lot of local farms are usually happy to oblige a tour and many take good care of their animals. The meat may be a bit more expensive, but it's usually worth it. You'll know exactly what is going into the animal, how the animal lives, and possibly how it is killed (if you were so inclined to ask). It might help with your peace of mind.
Would it help to buy only humanely treated meats? Perhaps organic?
We raise chickens to slaughter. I just hatched another set last month. However those chickens would not have even lived if I had not hatched them because those animals will not brood their eggs. Even if they had existence somehow (perhaps one got lucky because it was laid by a broody hen (very rare)), it would be much harsher than the environment I give them. Here they have free access to food AND fresh pasture with plenty of bugs. Here they have constant access to water. Here they are protected from predators by both us and the geese. They will only know the warmth of spring, summer, and early fall. Then I will place them into cones upside down and after apologizing and thanking the bird I will slit its throat. Being upside down helps calm the bird and when I am skillful enough to use the razor well, they suffer very little. It is a single spike of pain and then they bleed out calmly. Now I will admit that my skill is not good enough and sometimes I must make multiple cuts and the bird does panic, but my intent is for as peaceful a death as possible while still retaining the safety of the meat. Someone who did this for a living would be able to use the blade correctly almost all of the time. Is this not a lesser evil? The bird's life would have never started if someone hadn't incubated it and a "good" farm will treat the birds as royalty until they end in as painless a matter as possible.
Quote from: Lynn Gabriel on May 13, 2012, 07:27:00 PM
If you're having issues with the meat because of how the animal is raised, why not try some local raised animals where you can go and see how the animal is raised? A lot of local farms are usually happy to oblige a tour and many take good care of their animals. The meat may be a bit more expensive, but it's usually worth it. You'll know exactly what is going into the animal, how the animal lives, and possibly how it is killed (if you were so inclined to ask). It might help with your peace of mind.
Yea you could even ask the animals name and talk to it a while before they kill it just to make sure you get on a personal level with it. ;)
Quote from: Amazon D on May 13, 2012, 07:50:49 PM
Yea you could even ask the animals name and talk to it a while before they kill it just to make sure you get on a personal level with it. ;)
Hahaha, I don't think that helps when it comes to eating meat. I personally won't eat meat that I know the name of the critter it came from. I also won't eat babies because it feels wrong to me.
I was not aware that vegetarianism was mandated within Buddhism.
Quote from: Jamie D on May 14, 2012, 02:02:28 AM
I was not aware that vegetarianism was mandated within Buddhism.
Nothing is mandated in Buddhism. Most Buddhists are vegetarian as an expression of the ethical precept (Buddhist ethical precepts are not 'commandments', they're training principles, requiring conscious choice) of "not harming living beings". For me, that means trying to do as little harm as I can (and as much good as I can) - I don't expect to be able to do no harm.
Speaking as an omnivore who spent most of 30 years not eating animals, I don't agree that it's difficult to survive healthily as a herbivore.
And saying 'everything suffers' does not, as far as I'm concerned, free me from what I consider to be an ethical obligation not to
add to that suffering.
This is weird to me. As a vegetarian I always thought the "I couldn't give up meat" thing was an excuse. It's even an excuse I used, albeit when I was 12 years old and was more likely to thoughtlessly repeat the opinions of others, so I'm not inclined to take it very seriously. You seem pretty sincere and I believe you, though. Particularly since there would not be any benefit to starting a topic like this if it weren't true.
I guess the world still ends up being more complicated than I'm first inclined to think.
My experience with Buddhism was through the Pure Land and Zen schools, so I have a very different view to those who follow Southern Asian or Tibetan forms. If you need to keep warm in an icy winter and there is no firewood, you throw the wooden statue of the Buddha on the fire without a thought.
I treat any animal flesh I consume with respect, and am aware it was a living creature. Also if someone believes in karma, maybe the animal deserved to be eaten?
Karen.
Quote from: Carbon on May 14, 2012, 03:14:47 AM
This is weird to me. As a vegetarian I always thought the "I couldn't give up meat" thing was an excuse. It's even an excuse I used, albeit when I was 12 years old and was more likely to thoughtlessly repeat the opinions of others, so I'm not inclined to take it very seriously. You seem pretty sincere and I believe you, though. Particularly since there would not be any benefit to starting a topic like this if it weren't true.
I guess the world still ends up being more complicated than I'm first inclined to think.
It's weird to me too. I spent most of three decades not remotely attracted to eating animals. This time a month ago, the thought of putting mammal fat in my mouth made me nauseous. Right now, I feel like a meat junkie. I think it's starting to wear off, and I'll be happy if it does.
If you are concerned for the treatment of animals in abattoirs, you could always eat kangaroo.
Roo is out at night nibbling the grass, sees a blinding light, bang,and it's all over in milliseconds. No being trucked miles, stressed in yards etc.
Karen.
And it hops onto your plate. ;D
Quote from: Padma on May 14, 2012, 03:43:10 AM
I think it's starting to wear off, and I'll be happy if it does.
I'll be happy for you, too. I may not be a buddhist but after just a bit less than a decade I'd hate to have to deal with that.
QuoteAnd it hops onto your plate.
In my case, I eat my meat so raw it will most likely hop out again! :laugh:
Quote from: Maegan on May 14, 2012, 06:24:32 AM
In my case, I eat my meat so raw it will most likely hop out again! :laugh:
I always order my steak this way. "Throw it on the grill, count to five. Stick it with a fork. If it moos, flip over".
Sorry Padma.
Quote from: Padma on May 14, 2012, 03:03:34 AM
Nothing is mandated in Buddhism. Most Buddhists are vegetarian as an expression of the ethical precept (Buddhist ethical precepts are not 'commandments', they're training principles, requiring conscious choice) of "not harming living beings". For me, that means trying to do as little harm as I can (and as much good as I can) - I don't expect to be able to do no harm.
Speaking as an omnivore who spent most of 30 years not eating animals, I don't agree that it's difficult to survive healthily as a herbivore.
And saying 'everything suffers' does not, as far as I'm concerned, free me from what I consider to be an ethical obligation not to add to that suffering.
But are you adding too it? How are you adding too it?
I ask this as a serious question.
Also, when I said eating healthily as a herbivore. I include not eating anything that is processed from animal products or any kind of dietary supplements that supplement anything missing as a result of that diet.
Hm, I don't know... I haven't had weird "HRT cravings" yet (and it's the first I hear of them o:), really, but whenever I crave for meat or something akin to that, I don't really crave for that particular thing, but rather for a general taste or nutrient. For example, if I crave for fries, I actually crave for salt and/or oil. A salad and crackers do the job! When I "crave for meat" (which feels really weird, since I don't actually like the taste of meat to begin with), I generally just need proteins and/or fat and/or salt, or a combination of that. A lentil soup or beans generally settle that.
So if you "want to eat meat" but don't want to at the same time, you might want to analyse those cravings and see what else would satisfy them. And if you're really morally torn by the thought of eating meat, well, don't forget that it's almost impossible to resist eventually eating something once you've bought it. So make sure you only go to the grocery after a big meal and resist meat there. (And honestly, with all the gross blood and fat and squishy stuff there is on raw meat, it should be easy to resist.)
So, uhm... If there is any, the meaning of weird, specific cravings is probably that you need the nutrients in what you crave for. If you crave for meat but don't want to eat meat, get foods with the nutrients that are in meat.
Oh, yeah, and you could try those fake meat things made out of soy. Sausage, burgers, etc. They're FREAKING DELICIOUS even though they cost a lot.
But do what you want, really. Meat isn't -that- noxious.
PS: If you eat meat, don't choose sausage. D: It's the worst for your health, along with almost all prepared cooked meats and such. And if you crave for them and not other meats, it's probably a sign that you crave for salt and taste, not for the actual sausage~.
That is some smart deductions there A ;)
Modern slaughter techniques of any method are far, far, kinder than what any animal will die from in nature. Have you ever watched a family of ducks or geese swimming across a pond when all the babies start getting pulled under by turtles? Nature is harsh. Hugs, Devlyn
Quote from: A on May 15, 2012, 03:01:42 PM
So make sure you only go to the grocery after a big meal and resist meat there. (And honestly, with all the gross blood and fat and squishy stuff there is on raw meat, it should be easy to resist.)
Doesn't work with cigarettes for me.
Also, Lynns post got me thinking (I know, run, hide!) Does anyone know how many babies are in a serving of caviar? Hugs, Devlyn
Quote from: Devlyn Marie on May 15, 2012, 07:06:52 PM
Also, Lynns post got me thinking (I know, run, hide!) Does anyone know how many babies are in a serving of caviar? Hugs, Devlyn
Ooo...I did something dangerous. :p
I don't eat caviar and I won't try that stuff. There's something squicky about eating fish eggs. However, I don't consider them babies because they're not living (in my opinion) and therefore OK to eat.
Quote from: Devlyn Marie on May 15, 2012, 05:22:45 PM
Modern slaughter techniques of any method are far, far, kinder than what any animal will die from in nature. Have you ever watched a family of ducks or geese swimming across a pond when all the babies start getting pulled under by turtles? Nature is harsh. Hugs, Devlyn
Uhm, putting aside slaughter methods (which I still think are awful; being carried to the other building in an indecently crowded truck, and wait in line whilst your friends get crushed and you hear them, and when it's your turn, be crushed yourself with tens of others...) I'm pretty sure that the actual debate is not on how they die, but how and why they live.
Quote from: A on May 15, 2012, 03:01:42 PM
...So, uhm... If there is any, the meaning of weird, specific cravings is probably that you need the nutrients in what you crave for. If you crave for meat but don't want to eat meat, get foods with the nutrients that are in meat...
I have already devoted months in the autumn to trying all possible substitutes, assuming (as you are doing) that I was missing something like protein, or vitamins/minerals, or omega oils, or or or... and nothing removed my craving. I find it intriguing that people (and not just you, and in spite of me already mentioning this) keep assuming I haven't tried everything else first :).
Quote from: Asfsd4214 on May 14, 2012, 07:52:09 PM
But are you adding too it? How are you adding too it?
I ask this as a serious question.
Also, when I said eating healthily as a herbivore. I include not eating anything that is processed from animal products or any kind of dietary supplements that supplement anything missing as a result of that diet.
I consider that everything is interconnected (we just think we're all separate because that's the way we tend to think). If an animal is slaughtered so that I can eat it, in what way could I possibly not be connected with that animal's unnecessary suffering (and the suffering of whoever has to slaughter it)? It's no different in principle from me paying to have someone assassinated, for example - that person suffers unnecessarily, and it's my fault. If I do not eat animals, it's not necessary for any animals to be slaughtered by me or on my behalf. I consider it sad but completely irrelevant that the animal may get slaughtered for someone else to eat - if it's on my behalf, I'm personally involved in its suffering a frightening and premature death, and I don't want that. Right now, I am stuck being involved in the death of animals so I can eat them, and I hope this stops soon.
As for a vegan diet, there's no problem getting all the nutrients you need (in most cases) by simply eating a carefully chosen and balanced diet of vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts, seeds, proteins. I say 'in most cases' because it's apparent that there are some people who can't stay healthy on a vegan diet, and it's apparently down to genetics. But most people can - it's just that most people can't be arsed to eat a proper diet consistently.
@ A, OK, let's take humans out of the equation. The world would still be full of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Almost every living thing would still be eaten before it reached it's adult stage. It's the master plan. Hugs, Devlyn
Quote from: Lynn Gabriel on May 15, 2012, 09:30:11 PM
Ooo...I did something dangerous. :p
I don't eat caviar and I won't try that stuff. There's something squicky about eating fish eggs. However, I don't consider them babies because they're not living (in my opinion) and therefore OK to eat.
Whether or not a person can eat caviar is apparently determined by a combination of one's opinions on vegetarianism and abortion.
QuoteAs for a vegan diet, there's no problem getting all the nutrients you need (in most cases) by simply eating a carefully chosen and balanced diet of vegetables, fruit, pulses, nuts, seeds, proteins. I say 'in most cases' because it's apparent that there are some people who can't stay healthy on a vegan diet, and it's apparently down to genetics. But most people can - it's just that most people can't be arsed to eat a proper diet consistently.
What do you think about vitamin B12? Do you support using "vegan B12" or does one just get a vitamin pill and not think about where the b12 is coming from too much?
I try to take a multivitamin just because like most people I can't always stay on top of my diet 100%. I'm not that big on dairy products so sometimes this is my primary way of getting B12, but since I'm not an actual vegan in principle this doesn't really matter.
I think the biggest thing stopping me from positioning myself as a vegan is having to find alternatives for non-food animal products. It's not exactly easy to find cheap quality "vegan shoes" although I expect I could if I scoured the internet enough.
On a somewhat related note, I recently learned that carmine is made from bugs, making it very definitely not vegetarian. Now I have to be suspicious of anything that's colored red or pink...
And all those wild yeasts that are on every plant surface on the planet are......animals. Hugs, Devlyn
Quote from: Carbon on May 16, 2012, 10:59:34 AM
Whether or not a person can eat caviar is apparently determined by a combination of one's opinions on vegetarianism and abortion.
Mmhmm and you've just seen my views on it, at least abortion assuming that those fish eggs are fertilized. As for vegetarianism, whatever floats the person's boat. I'm not a vegetarian because I can't afford the lifestyle. However, I also don't eat a bunch of meat because I also can't afford to have it too often. I generally eat what the body craves.
I'm a vegetarian partially to save money. It's generally cheaper to get beans/rice than it is to get meat. I know people's situations are different though.
Quote from: Devlyn Marie on May 16, 2012, 11:21:20 AM
And all those wild yeasts that are on every plant surface on the planet are......animals. Hugs, Devlyn
as both a nerd and an avid homebrewer, I am duty-bound to point out that yeasts are fungi, which is neither plant, animal, nor bacteria. ;)
I stand corrected, I thought yeasts were little critters. Thank you, hugs, Devlyn
Heh, they wish they were, I'm sure. One strain in particular would probably eat your cat if you weren't watching it closely.
Sadly veganism is a concern even when talking about beer - many beers are filetered and clarified using gelatin (derived from animal collagen) or isinglass (made from fish bladders). People who can make the effort to sort through all of the various things that go into our food have my admiration; I just go for the tasty stuff and try to buy from farms and manufacturers who make an effort to be decent.
Yeast - a fungi to be with. (unless it's candida... ::))
And being vegetarian or vegan, there's a line of sense to be drawn somewhere about how much of your life you devote to what you're eating, and leave time for all the other ethical areas of concern. As I had to point out to a vegan once, the ethical benefit of his being vegan was cancelled out by his being a complete arsehole towards anyone who wasn't vegan. For example :).
Devlyn Marie: Uhm, I think the principle behind vegetarianism and veganism is not to want to kill/take advantage of living beings who have feelings/a conscience/intelligence. Yeasts and bacteria, just like plants, do not even feel anything. Similarly, insects don't really have an individual conscience, and even if they do, they don't have feelings. However, dogs, pigs and pigeons, for example, have those to varying degrees. I'm not trying to convince you, just to have you stop saying it like my point of view isn't even valid...
And Padma, no one has ever tried everything, ever. I'm just trying to help, you know. Did you try looking for other foods with a taste similar to the meats you crave? Because honestly, if fake meat doesn't satisfy your craving for meat, if it tastes like meat, looks like meat and contains the same things as meat... I think your problem is psychological.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come across that way. I respect your opinions. I believe in a varied diet including all the food groups. I know that isn't everyone elses view. Again, I apologize, hugs, Devlyn
It's all right. I tend to take things in a weird way. Tired and working alone on a frustrating team project~
Quote from: A on May 16, 2012, 04:21:15 PM
...Because honestly, if fake meat doesn't satisfy your craving for meat, if it tastes like meat, looks like meat and contains the same things as meat... I think your problem is psychological.
Fake meat may look like and taste similar to meat, but it really doesn't contain 'the same things as meat' and isn't designed to - it's a very manufactured chemistry set aimed to mimic the colour, texture, and flavour of meat, not to offer the same nutritional value. And I've been eating it for years, in small quantities, because I like the taste of some of it.
I'm open to the possibility that my 'problem' has a psychological element, given that the mind is always involved. But it's very clear to me that my body is in the driver's seat here.
And it's fine - I don't expect anyone who hasn't had the same experience I'm having to be able to empathise with it, I was just letting off steam about it happening in the first place.
Listening to your body is good. It is possibly telling you that after so long as a vegetarian, it wants lots of iron, or something along those lines.
Sometimes I get a craving for a particular food like that, so I just have some. At the moment it is beetroot. Like all purple veg it is full of lots of nutrients. And, lets face it you can't beat a root. >:-)
Aussie play on words.
@ A "working alone on a frustrating team project" That statement is keeping a stupid grin on my face! I've worked with those kind of teams before. Then again, sometimes you can do more without them! Hugs, Devlyn