Introductions - Why Vegetarian?

[Chris Tinney]

How fun! Welcome.

Just thought I'd say hi and introduce myself.
Im the founder of VegHaven :)
This is me :)~

I'm traveling for the next year on The Peace Tour..

I'm Vegan for for both health and ethical reasons.
My intention in starting VegHaven was to create a Social Network that makes a difference!

Thanks for coming and please jump in and tell us about yourself :)

What made you become Vegetarian?

How did you find your way here?

We can't wait to learn more about you!

Namaste,
Chris

[Chris Tinney]

And we are so glad you did. Thanks for all you do for animals!

[Chris Tinney]

Thanks Lil bunny! We appreciate all you do here!

[Vonda K]

Hi

I live in the UK with my husband and three children.

We became vegetarian for both health and ethical reasons as well.

I grew up in New Zealand and shifted to the UK three years ago.

Vonda K

[LotusYogini]

Hello everyone.
I like the idea of this site/group/community.
I hope all is well.
I live in Georgia with my hsuband. I met my husband 7 years ago (actually Halloween marks 7 years together and 4 years of marriage) Any way..he was vegan and I was a meat eater. After some time and health issues on my end he encouraged me to give the Vegetarian lifestyle a try. I did and it improved my health and issues I was having with my digestive system. He also knew I was an animal nut. We have several bunnies, reptiles and a cat & dog.
So, it felt right.
I've only been Vegetarian about 2 years.
My husband has been for over 10 years I beleive.
Living in the South and being Vegetarian has its downside regarding going out to eat.
However we did locate a place called Green Sprout to celebrate our anniversary next week.
So HI!
From Flo in Georgia.

[Expeditus]

I was vegetarian for 2 years in high school but trying to ask for vegetarian food on fields trips, band meetings, and family dinners was next to impossible so after 2 years of it I decided I would put it off. Once I did I completely forgot about why I became vegetarian in the first place. This past year I had been thinking about it a lot so I decided to become full vegan for ethical reasons as well as health. Since then I feel amazing. I have twice as much energy now, I don't get tired and bitchy in the middle of the day at work (okay maybe I stil get bitchy) and I can live knowing that I'm making a difference.

[ktsmurf]

Almost 7 years ago, my oldest brother moved back in with the family. He was vegetarian, and in cooking two sets of meals it became easier if more people ate the veggie food, so I did. After a short while of this I noticed that I felt really good, except when I'd eat some meat. I decided that it was obviously the healthier choice to be veg, and have been since Thanksgiving '01. After being veg for a while, I started getting interested in the animal rights and environmental aspects, and now everything I find just confirms that I made the right choice.

I've flirted with veganism for about 3 years now, and since moving to Portland a month ago I've noticed that not only is it feasible to eat vegan in restaurants, my body is icked out by dairy. I think I've gone and become vegan by accident, just like I became a vegetarian. Awesome.

[Miranda [TerraFire]]

I'm totally jealous of you for getting to live in such a veg-friendly place as Portland! <3

[Chris Tinney]

Yeah portland rocks!!
Im in PDX!
Make sure you check out our Portland Group

[Jenny]

First of all, I must say this site is great! kudos to you Chris and everyone else helping this site flourish.
I grew up on a farm in a very small town. We butchered all our animals; mainly chickens and cows, but we had pigs at one time. I was 8 when I realized that animals were my friends. My brother and I would play in the pastures and swim in their water troft in the summer (I know that sounds gross, but nothing was gross when you are a kid). I had names for the cows and they would let me pet them. One day I realized that "Bessie" was gone and we where having roast for dinner. I figured it out quickly and I couldn't eat it. We sold the farm a year later.
Over the years, I would eat red meat here and there, mainly because it was on the dinner plate.
In middleschool my English/History class had to write a debate paper on anything we wanted to change. It was going to be sent to Olympia to our legislature. I decided to write my paper on banning the eating of meat. I knew it was going to be a hard paper to write; afterall, I was the "oddball" that even considered it. I must have read 50 animal rights books. Everything from hunting to the circus. It was horrible. I could not believe what a immoral society we lived in (and still do). I was 13 when I made my decision to go vegetarian. My mother thought I was crazy and didn't offer any alternative meals for me. I think I lived on canned peas and bread for like two years :) 13 years later I started volunteering at Pasado's Safe Haven and learned the stories of their dairy cows. I couln't believe I wasn't vegan! All this time I thought I was doing my moral part in helping ALL animals, but I wasn't. I've been vegan for almost 2 years. My mother now thinks I "have gone way too far" and I am going to die! :) I have never felt better and I can now eat without feeling guilt :)

[Leslie]

Hi,
I'm a new to the vegetarian community.
I've never been a big meat eater therefore it was not difficult for me to give up eating meat and chicken.
I've always hated fish and seafood so I didn't have to worry about eliminating that from my diet.
I was a vegetarian years ago after reading the book The Jungle my Upton Sinclair.
I didn't realize that the practices for slaughtering animals haven't changed that much since the early 1900's.
Also, after seeing the horrific video's on animal cruelty I just couldn't justify eating animal flesh ever again.
I have always been an animal lover and have two dogs, and love them dearly.
My husband is now eats vegetarian meals at home as I refuse to buy meat, he understands my postion on this and is happily eating what ever I cook.
The only thing I'm concerned about is getting enough protein. I hate tofu and tempah. I love legumes and eat these quite often.
Many of the vegetarian recipes I come across consist of mostly carbs and cheese. (I haven't made the jump to being a Vegan yet), I figured one step at a time.
I'm already overweight and am very concerned about putting on even more weight.
Also, my doctor who practices western and eastern medicine is also a vegetarian.
When I told him that I had become a vegetarian he told me that not everyone can be a vetetarian.
He said his brother-in-law became one and exsists mostly on pasta and has put on tons of weight, this is why I'm so concerned about having too many carbs in my diet.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Leslie

[Miranda [TerraFire]]

I'm happy for you! I'm jealous of how accepting your husband is. My fiance is a carnivore through and through and thinks my being vegan is annoying and childish. I'd die of happiness if I ever saw him eating tofu. XD
Rice and beans together make an almost complete protein, I've heard. You can get great protein from plant sources besides just soy.
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/food/nutrition/protein.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/veganproteins.shtml
http://www.soystache.com/plant.htm
http://www.downbound.com/Vegan_Protein_s/469.htm

And a great way to make the jump towards being vegan is just to eat more vegan meals! Look up as many recipes as you can, or try the vegan versions every now and then for whatever you're trying to make! Also, giving vegan "substitutes" like my personal favorite, Purely Decadent "ice cream" [http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/purely_decadent.html], a try is a great step too!

[christopher morrison]

is xd some form of extra terrestrial?