I’ve been vegetarian for several years now and I think I get more questions about it than I do about paganism. I don’t attempt to “convert” other people to vegetarians, and I don’t bother other people about eating meat. I don’t agree with eating meat, but I feel everyone has the right to make their own choices and I am only responsible for my own. This doesn’t stop some people from getting defensive when I mention that I am vegetarian. Some people get absolutely nasty over the subject. I guess some people just can’t handle others that are different from them in any way.

There are common misconceptions about vegetarians.. Here is some information on vegetarianism in general and my reasons for choosing it.
There are several different types of vegetarians
Pesco vegetarians-These vegetarians do not eat any meat with the exception of fish.
Lacto vegetarians-do not eat meat or fish but do consume milk and dairy products.
Ovo Vegetarians-Do not eat meat but still consume eggs
Vegans-Do not consume any type of animal products
Fructarians-eat only fruit
Some may be considered more than one. For example, I eat eggs and dairy products, so I am lacto-ovo vegetarian.
Why I chose to be vegetarian
People have various reasons for being vegetarian. These are just my personal reasons
First and Foremost, meat grosses me out. . I don’t like the thought of eating animal flesh. I have a hard time digesting it too.
I frequently became nauseated after eating it. Some things, like hamburgers and sausage, literally caused me to vomit
I believe it’s wrong to kill animals needlessly. Personally, I couldn’t stand to kill a cow or a pig myself. I don’t believe animals are here for the human race to use and abuse. Consuming anything containing blood also conflicts with my personal religious beliefs
Health reasons: Eating meat increases your chances of getting a variety of health problems, including heart disease and cancer
Environmental reasons: Animals raised for meat have a devastating impact on the environment.
A few facts:
Animals like cows and pigs do not naturally occur in the wild in the numbers they exist today. They are deliberately bred and farmed in large numbers.
The meat industry is responsible for 85% of soil erosion in the United States.
A single vegetarian saves one acre of trees a year.
A vegetarian diet requires 300 gallons of water per day, where a meat based diet requires 4000 gallons.
Water supplies and the environment are being contaminated by the wastes of factory farming. A typical pig farm generates raw waste equal to that of 12,000 people.
A cow grazing on one acre of land provides enough meat to sustain a person 2 and a half months. Soybeans planted on the same amount of land would sustain a person for 7 years



How to be a vegetarian
If you’re considering adopting a vegetarian diet, please keep in mind that you can’t survive on lettuce alone. I think this is where a lot of people fail, they are so used to meat based meals, they do not know how to balance their diets without it and wind up malnourished. I’d recommend getting a good vegetarian cookbook to get an idea of the variety of healthy meals you can make without meat. My personal favorite is 1000 Vegetarian Recipes by Carol Gelles. This book has many recipes for both vegans and people that consume dairy and eggs and there is also a bit about health included.
You may want to consider seeing a dietician to help you come up with a vegetarian diet that will work for you. Be cautious in who you choose, I have heard of very anti-vegetarian dieticians. I don’t know what their motivations are beyond personal issues or lack of research and training. Every doctor and nurse I’ve talked to considered vegetarian diets a positive things as long as they are balanced properly.
Protein is usually a big concern. Soy based products can help. Tofu, Tempeh and TVP are common and usually readily available. Many people do not like the taste of these things on their own. I’ve found that they are much better added to recipes. There are also many ready-made, soy based meat substitutes available Some taste remarkably like the real thing, others aren‘t so good. You may need to try several different brands to find ones you like. Always read the label on vegetarian products, many things that are labeled “meatless” still contain animal products like animal fat, meat based broth, and gelatin.
If you choose a vegan diet, there are also many good dairy and eggs substitutes available, again, you need to try different brands and find one you like.
Restaurant can be a problem, it’s the sole reason I am not vegan. I have better luck in cities than small towns If you’re stuck somewhere and don’t see a vegetarian option on the menu, ask if they have vegetarian options as some have them off menu.

Links
PETA's vegetarianism Fact sheet
The Ecological Argument
Veggies unite
The Vegetarian Resource Group

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