Someone comes to vegetarianism for ethical reasons, and someone refuses meat because of physical health. Each story is about overcoming your own habits and the opinions of others. Woman’s Day talked to vegetarians and vegans in Izhevsk and learned their stories.
She stopped eating meat 2 years ago. Fish – a year ago.
“It all started when my friend and I watched the documentary film Earthlings, where they talk about cruelty to animals and show the true price of meat products. The film made a strong impression, but it took me a while to realize that I was ready to become a vegetarian. Changing the diet seemed unrealistic to me, because everyone in the family eats meat. Then my friend became a vegetarian, and one day the day came when I stopped eating meat.
At first, the parents reacted calmly to the news about vegetarianism, they thought that everything was frivolous. Then they tensed a little, persuasions began and standard phrases: “Without meat it is not satisfying, you will not have the strength.” Mom got used to it faster, now she doesn’t eat meat for weeks with me, dad also resigned himself. But the grandmothers do not know what to feed me, and are still trying to convince me that meat is healthy.
Vegetarianism did not greatly affect health. But a lot is changing morally and internally! You start to think about the most serious things, about who we are and what the soul is, you become kinder.
I usually start my day with a glass of warm water, then have breakfast with oatmeal with honey. I drink tea with some sweets, I like chocolate and cakes. For lunch I cook soups and cereals with vegetables. I like to make pizza, pasta and stew from zucchini. I fell in love with legumes, I try to eat them 2-3 times a week, as they contain a large percentage of vegetable protein. I used to hate pea porridge, but now I love it! And, of course, I use dairy products: milk, kefir, yoghurts, cheeses. “
Tatyana: “Initially, I didn’t even think about the fact that in general it is possible to give up meat completely. My first attempts came in 2009, when I decided to give up meat during the fast (7 weeks without animal products). The next attempt was in 2014, when my husband and I tried again and decided to fast. It was very hard, more morally. This year, around February, my husband came home one evening and said, “We don’t eat meat anymore. Let’s eat right and live long! “
From that moment on, I began to struggle with him, since I myself had not yet come to such a decision. At first, I could afford to eat meat or unhealthy food outside the house. Later, I got a new job where a girl worked who became a vegetarian a few years ago. After talking with her, I began to relate to everything that was happening in a different way, consciously. After a while, two books by V. Zeland about live food came into my hands. After reading them, my mind changed. I completely gave up beef and pork. Fish is a substitute for meat, it is still present in our diet with my husband, but we plan to abandon it too. It’s not worth giving up everything right away – it’s stress for the body, so we do it gradually. My husband and I switched to vegetarianism together, it is easier for us – we support each other. But the relatives took our decision inadequately. My parents say that this is wrong, meat should be eaten, there are many vitamins. The husband lost weight in a short time. I also feel that the extra is gone. I have chronic gastritis, but now, when I do not eat meat, my stomach does not hurt or swell like before, there is always a feeling of lightness.
Here’s my sample daily diet:
In the morning: 2 glasses of spirulina water. For a snack – sweet or biscuits. Lunch: salad with oatmeal cutlet with mushrooms and yeast-free noodles. Dinner: pea soup. I drink tea half an hour after eating. I try to drink plenty of water throughout the day. “
Has not eaten meat for 6 years.
“Since childhood, I didn’t like the smell of rich broth. I got meat from soup and dumplings, preferring poultry and fish. In 2008, I stopped buying sausages, dumplings, sausages and other minced meat products. In general, I always read the composition of the products that I buy, and the composition of minced meat made not at home raised my doubts. I seriously started thinking about giving up meat in 2009. I thought: “If I don’t eat sausage, minced meat, why not give up meat completely?”. I just felt sorry for the time to cook meat dishes. The refusal from meat occurred gradually and naturally, and by the summer only fish remained in my diet, but I also gave up on it over time.
Friends became vegetarians at the same time as me, each for their own reasons. The relatives were not serious, they thought it was a temporary clouding of mind. But when they realized that everything was serious, they began to intimidate: “There will be no strength, you will be ill.”
And, on the contrary, I get sick less often, I no longer feel heaviness after eating. Sharp fluctuations in weight have decreased, and I spend much less time on cooking.
Difficulties arose only when preparing dishes in which meat is the main ingredient – for example, borscht. But, as it turned out, it’s all about spices and herbs.
I start the morning with a glass of water, for breakfast – tea with honey or condensed milk.
For lunch, porridge and vegetables with spices. For dinner I eat nuts, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. “
Aida is vegan.
“The first time I learned about the existence of vegans was from my sister, who was studying this issue at the time. She sent me information, but my first opinion on this type of diet was negative. However, as they say, water wears away a stone. I began to delve into and study people’s opinions about veganism, vegetarianism and raw food diet. And only after another year I became a vegetarian, and then not immediately, from time to time I allowed myself to eat chicken breast and fish. After a few more months, I became a vegan. I have never had a special love for dairy products. The only thing that is difficult to refuse to this day is eggs, but they are also slowly leaving my diet.
The main goal was to improve their health, but gradually moral and ethical considerations became paramount. The most important thing is to do everything gradually, not to give up everything abruptly.
Friends and relatives reacted to my decision in different ways. At first, I wanted to tell everyone about how harmful meat is and why it is not worth eating – any vegetarian goes through this stage. But then you realize that each person has his own path, and only he himself has to go through it and eventually come to something.
The outwardly obvious change is weight loss. In the physical plane, lightness appeared. Morally – clarity of mind. Vegetarianism, veganism, and a raw food diet are more of a spiritual development. Physical health is just a side effect!
Here’s my usual daily diet. I drink 1,5-2 liters of water a day. For breakfast I eat nuts, seeds, raisins, honey. I have a snack with sesame seeds, green buckwheat, bananas, various herbs, dates, oranges, apples.
For lunch: salad of fresh vegetables, vegetable puree soup. Garnish, such as beans, peas, cabbage, any kind of porridge. Snack – herbal tea with fruits, pastries or cookies, chocolate.
Dinner: either fruit or vegetable salad, or again any side dish.
As it turned out, there are a lot of vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists in Izhevsk, although earlier I was sure that this was something unacceptable for our city. We have a common VKontakte chat with Izhevsk raw food eaters, where we communicate, make appointments and hold various events. From time to time we meet at someone’s house and prepare vegan and raw food “snacks”. The last time they made raw food rolls – hearty and tasty. “
Alexandra Turygina, 21 years old
Gave up meat three years ago.
“It all started with watching the film“ Earthlings ”. My mother at that time was already a vegetarian, she gave up meat six months before me. There were no difficulties in giving up meat, but giving up fish was not easy – this is one of my favorite dishes.
After I became a vegetarian, I realized that there is one more kind person in the world. There was lightness in the body, the pressure is now always normal, and all the indicators are good.
In my diet, everything is the same as it was before, only without meat. Pilaf, pizza, lasagna, dumplings – all with plenty of seasonings, sauces and herbs. I really like vegetable puree soups, legumes, cheeses, I order vegetarian sausage.
The surrounding people often asked tactless questions: “Do you know that vegetarianism is harmful?”. My cousin and dad did not approve of the choice either, and now my sister does not eat meat either. The main thing is that my husband supports me, but he is not yet ready to eliminate meat completely. Although now he thinks about what suffering animals experience at the time of death, and does not eat beef. Cows are the most sensitive animals, and in ancient Slavic texts they were a symbol of motherhood. “