 |
INTERVIEW WITH A VEGETARIAN: A personal transition story
Q: How long have you been veg?
A: 5-6 years
Q: What was the most influencing factor that started you on this journey?
A: Health and moral reasons. When I was in college I prepared
a lot of vegetarian foods at home, but I usually ordered lean meat dishes when I went out to eat.
I moved to Europe and I guess I had to try everything! As a result I gained weight. At this time, there were a lot of
problems with European meat such as the mad cow disease. The final straw with meat was when I went to Spain with my mother.
It was a hot August week, and we decided to go to a bull fight. For some reason, I didn't think anything of it. I thought
it would be like the Bugs Bunny cartoons. The man fighting the bull would simply wave a red flag around a few times, and
at the end the bull would die. Well, the bull did indeed die and he was tortured in the process. You could see the blood
on the bull's coat shining in the sunlight. The bull had arrows and sharp objects hanging off of him. After that moment
I couldn't think of eating anything more with meat. I haven't since.
As a result, I feel healthier than ever. I rarely get sick and when I do, I usually just need some extra sleep.
Q: Would you recommend any veg books?
A: The Self-Healing Cookbook by Kristina Turner, which is much more than a
cookbook. Moosewood also has some nice cooksbooks. They have a lowfat vegetarian that I would recommend.
Q: Is there anyone in the veg community you've been exposed to who has
impacted your decisions in some way?
A: I can't think of anyone. I basically have been liking my lifestyle on my own.
Q: Favorite Dish?
A: I have several!
Q: Favorite Spice?
A: Curry and Cinnamon
Q: What is your favorite cuisine?
A: Vietnamese and other Asian dishes, Indian and Italian.
Q: Do you have any companion animals?
A: My cat, Tammy. I adopted her from the Humane Society 15 years ago and she is still
living a healthy lifestyle. She is a true carnivore and I can't change her! She is a well-traveled cat, but unfortunately
doesn't travel well!
By the way, there are a lot of cute dogs and cats at the Humane Society. If you are looking for a pet, please check them out! We are planning a Gala event in November called "Hot Dogs and Cool Cats goes Hollywood." It will be a
fun night with lots of entertainment. All proceeds will go to the Humane Society of Sarasota County. We are looking for sponsors!
Q: Tell us how you transitioned into a veg lifestlye after eating meat your whole life
A: Quite easily. There are a lot of nice salads or stir-fry dishes that can easily be made.
Basically my diet progressed to different stages. At first I just stopped eating meat, but continued to eat dairy products.
About 1/2 year ago I stopped eating dairy products. Of course if I eat a piece of cheese
or something prepared in butter once in a while, I know that I'm not going to fall over.
This is really a health
decision. I eat shrimp or fish a few times per month too, but I have greatly reduced the frequency.
-Sheryl Nessel
|
|
