Well, I went vegetarian (practically vegan most of the time) this week and found it a lot harder than I wanted it to be. In my typical style, I had forged ahead with a new lifestyle change without preparing for it adequately, so I was depressed at my lack of choice of items to cook with and prepare for lunches. I was cold, irritable, and had a vague sense of anxiety most of the week.
By the weekend, with no visible change I was hoping for with the digestion issues, I went back to the Bible and God graced me with this passage from Genesis 9:
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. [emphasis mine]
OK, so God did intend for us to eat meat, too. But I still don't think factory-farming fits into His covenant with us. So, I strive for a happy medium. A compromise. Because after a week of one extreme, I went to the other extreme this weekend. I felt more satisfied, and warmer again, but it didn't help the digestive issues at all either.
Here's the new plan:
1. Search out sources of meat and eggs approved by the Winnipeg Humane Society. There's a number of places in the city that sell locally-grown, free-range, pasture-fed meat and eggs.
2. Eat less meat and more vegetarian meals. There are an overwhelming number of facts out there that show that our greed for flesh protein is at a huge cost to the environment and to the amount of food that could be produced to feed the world.
3. Choose wisely when eating out. Anything that is cheap and easy is that for a reason.
4. Choose grain alternatives to wheat wherever possible. I still have reasons to believe that wheat sensitivity is part of my issues. And modern-day wheat does not have the nutrients, fibre, and protein content that other whole grains such as spelt and quinoa have.
5. Choose to treat meat and animal products with respect. I want to be mindful of the sacrifice that was made to nourish me and my family.
I think if I had given it more meal planning, and had stocked my fridge and pantry better, my week may not have been so difficult. However, I go on these journeys to learn something. I learned that my body needs some meat. I learned that eating whatever way I want still does not help me. I also have learned about where my food comes from and I think that's important. What worries more is the quick reply, "I don't want to know..." and the refusal to listen to the truth. If you don't listen to truth, what do you listen to?
