A Beginner's Guide to Vegetarianism

[zengrifter]

One Bite at a Time:
A Beginner's Guide to Vegetarianism

By Kathy Freston, HuffingtonPost.com
Posted on March 2, 2007, Printed on March 3, 2007
http://www.alternet.org/story/48633/

I've argued in two recent essays, "A Few More 'Inconvenient Truths'" and "Vegetarian Is the New Prius," that a plant-based diet is a good choice for the planet, our health, and animals. Of course, there are other things we should be doing -- from cutting down on our consumption to working for governmental change to buying organic and on and on -- but where diet is concerned, a vegetarian diet is the hands-down best choice for those of us who care about animals and the environment.

I heard from a lot of people who wanted help in making the transition to a vegetarian (or mostly vegetarian) diet. Let's face it: If you've been eating meat all your life, this sort of a change can be daunting even just to think about, let alone act on. Happily, it's easier than ever today to make the transition from meat-eater to vegetarian, and the following suggestions should help even the most die-hard carnivores make the switch.

First: Transition

If you're not ready to give up meat completely, start by eating meatless meals one or two days a week. The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Columbia University's School of Public Health, and other public health schools have designed a "Meatless Monday" campaign to help Americans avoid our four top killers -- heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer -- by eating meat-free at least every Monday. The "Meatless Monday" program provides recipes, meal plans, nutritional guidelines, cooking tips, and more.

My only problem with the campaign is that some of the recipes feature fish, and fish are definitely not vegetables. If you're eating fish, you're eating meat, and the recent studies on fish are even scarier than the studies on beef or any other food. The three-part front page series in the Chicago Tribune about brain damage and other health problems caused by mercury, PCBs, and the other toxins found in fish and the front page piece in the Wall Street Journal about the teen whose fish consumption put him in remedial classes should be enough to turn anyone off fish consumption. For omega-3 fatty acids, go with flax seeds, walnuts, and leafy greens.

...more - http://www.alternet.org/story/48633/

See also -
MEET YOUR MEAT
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/show...ight=meet+meat