Interested in Living the Veggie Lifestyle?

If you're at this page, then you may very well be interested in vegetarianism. 
There are numerous reasons for cutting out meat, some of which apply to me and why I'm a vegetarian, and some are other's reasons. Some of the reasons are:

• Health benefits
• Protest of animal cruelty
• Weight loss
• The negative environmental impacts the livestock industry poses
• Curiosity
• Or simply disliking the taste of meat

Now, there are probably countless other reasons why people choose this lifestyle, but those listed above are usually the most common. The main reason why I am a vegetarian is because I have never cared for meat, and the idea of it is quite off-putting as well. However, I recognize that many people out there do enjoy meat, but are still intrigued by vegetarianism. Why are they intrigued? I tend to think that it is because of a: the health benefits, and b: the disdain for the kind of animal cruelty that occurs in modern factory farms. 
First, the health benefits. According to the American Dietetic Association (the nation's largest organization of nutrition professionals) vegetarians have lower rates of:

• heart disease
• obesity
• diabetes
• the "vast majority" of various cancers
• degenerative illnesses (like Alzheimer's Disease)

And vegetarians typically have much higher energy levels and lower levels of body fat than omnivores (meat-eaters)!!!


F.Y.I.: To increase the health benefits listed above, you could consider going vegan (refraining from eating any animal products i.e. dairy and eggs in addition to meat). I have been vegan before and have never felt better in my life! In my upcoming "Sunday Night Veg Out" dinners, I'll often use vegan products because they tend to be a bit more healthful. 


So now you know a few of the health benefits of being a vegetarian. Interested yet? 
Until next week, I'll leave you with some books about vegetarianism that I've found have great facts  and recipes:
The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin