Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Choice: A Non-Violent Ethos

The choice to be a vegetarian or vegan is often for reasons multiple and complex to each individual. Many, myself as well, include the Ghandian ethos of compassion and simplicity: non-violence towards all living things. This was also of course his solution to conflict-resolution as you can find out about by learning more about Mahatma Gandhi. In "The Story of My Experiments with Truth", he articulates: "I was intellectually converted to vegetarianism". This was also my experience, naturally because it is thinking about food choices that first causes a moral examination of food choices: choices we make multiple times every day of our lives. This process of the mind lead me to the ideology that no other beings lives need to be infringed upon for me to eat healthily and with pleasure! What started in my mind eventually became practiced in my body. A simple choice completely changed the impact that my previously un-evaluated cuisine decisions were having on my health. Importantly, this choice does not just effect me as an individual - it also directly impacts the the environment by reducing my ecological footprint. I've been a vegetarian for just over a year now and WOW do I feel fabulous - one of the best decisions and changes I've ever made. It's a choice and it is certainly yours and only yours to make.



3 comments:

  1. I noticed the same thing when I became a vegetarian 6 years ago. I became conscious of my food choices and what I was putting into my body. Needless to say - becomes of this change I dropped nearly 30 pounds. Easy substitutions from chicken to chik'in makes a huge difference on my health. My mum even participates in this change. For New Years I made Vegan cabbage rolls. She served them and no one knew the difference.

    I am now vegan and never been healthier.

    I look forward to reading your blog, Nicole!

    - Chelsie

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  2. i miss Ukranian and Polish food alot Chelsie - I need to hop on that vegan cabbage roll train!

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  3. I will totally give you the recipe. I haven't had cabbage rolls in YEARS.

    It's pretty simple. Just substitute hamburger for Yves Round Ground.

    So delicious.

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