personal experiment in renunciation

personal experiment in renunciation

I choose to conduct a personal experiment in renunciation by giving up meat for one week. I went a step further in avoiding the consumption of any form of animal-based products, including eggs and milk. The experience was quite daunting, mainly because I was the only one in my family who chose to renounce meat and animal-based products. The challenge is in maintaining the lifestyle when almost everyone around is taking foods that are dotted with pieces of beef, mutton, or pork (Maxwell et al., 2019). Sometimes along the week, I felt like hiding from myself and eating a chicken stake. The temptations were strong, and it called for an absolute resolution to go successfully through the week. However, my uncle, grandma, and a close friend in the neighborhood are vegans. They motivated me to stay focused on my goal, such that I felt encouraged by their lifestyles.

The purpose of the renunciation was to assess the possibilities of going vegan from a community that believes that eating meat is justified by the scriptures. The purpose of trying the vegan way of diet was prompted by the worrying statistics that show the problems associated with eating animal-based foods. The other purpose was to align with Eastern traditions such as Judaism and Hinduism. The Eastern traditions believe in avoiding the consumption of meat and other products from animals. For instance, Judaism is guided by the principle that advocates for being gentle with every creature. According to this tradition, every being should take care of others. Of importance in adding to my reasons to avoid meat for a whole week was the Hindu’s recipes for various plant-based meals that have been unmatched in their development.

Going vegetarian is advocated and supported by credible sources such as medical doctors and diet advisors who do not attach any value to the consumption of animal-based products. For example, research has proven that taking dairy products such as milk does not add the benefits that advertisers claim to the human body (Fresán, 2019). Some criticisms have even pointed out that taking cow and goat milk does more harm than good by leeching calcium from the bone structure. Further motivations for avoiding animal-based products were led by the identification of plant-based products that have precisely the required amounts of nutrients for the body. Food products that are processed from kales, Tofu, Soy Milk, Broccoli, Edamame, Almonds, Kidney beans, and fruits are rich sources of vitamins and minerals (Maxwell et al., 2019). The plant-based products are safer and more affordable than animal-based products.

The exposure to information during the one week of avoiding meat products has allowed me to start viewing every food on my plate with critical scrutiny regarding what it is going to do in my body system. For instance, taking meat adds too many calories into the body system and exceeds the requirements. The excess amounts of calories must be burned, lest they cause health complications. A 24 grams piece of meat contains 320 calories, while a similar weight of beans has only 120 calories (Fresán, 2019). This shows how many excessive calories one adds to the body by taking just one piece of meat. Animal products do not contain fiber that enhances digestion, they contain saturated fats and cholesterol, and there are heterocyclic amines in such foods.

Ellie Laks is the founder of Gentle Barn, and she offers useful insights into the issue of eating animal-based products by highlighting the disadvantages they cause to the body. It is crucial to consider animals as neighbors that we need to coexist with peacefully. The animals should be treated with dignity, unlike the current operations in farms and slaughterhouses where animals are fed on corn to fatten them and injected with hormones that stimulate high volumes of milk production. I have seen the importance of considering animals with compassion and also conserving the environment by consuming plant-based foods (Maxwell et al., 2019). Apparently, for every person who chooses to shun meat and other animal-based products, an acre of forest cover is saved from destruction because people clear forests searching for grazing lands.

The information from the Gentle Barn presented by Ellie Laks is related to the eastern traditions of respecting animals and choosing plants as the primary sources of nutrients and vitamins. The eastern traditions have practiced vegan customs for long, and their foods are enjoyable due to their vegetarian food preparation techniques that do not compromise on the quality and taste of the meals. For example, Indians are known for their vegetarian meals that comprise of rice, vegetables prepared as curries, chutneys, and pickles, and this meal is served on a banana-leaf plate (Fresán, 2019). These demonstrations of mastery in using plants and their products, while keeping away from animal products can be attributed to their religious beliefs.

Forks Over Knives is an American documentary that is based on advocacy in a documentary format that covers low-fat, whole-food, and plant-based meals. The film advocates for healthier foods and advice the viewers about the dangers of taking processed foods such as oils that have effects of causing health complications to the consumers. The movie helped me to get a new insight regarding the concept of eating whole-meals or at least considering taking foods that are minimally processed. Forks Over Knives advocates for the consumption of whole grains, tubers, vegetables, different fruits, and legumes to supply the body with nutrients and vitamins. At the same time, Forks Over Knives has helped me in understanding the adversities of refined foods that we consume, including refined sugars, oils, and bleached flours.

Vegucated is another interesting documentary that concentrates on the American audience. The objective of the film is to persuade individuals to convert into becoming vegetarians. The documentary is basically based on the three individuals who choose to convert within three weeks despite their love for meat and cheese. Watching the movie gave me a sense of identification and recognition of the effects that eating meat and animal-based products have on the significant aspects of human life. It is a violation of the ethical values when animals that are in unfit health and physical conditions are slaughtered and sold to consumers. Furthermore, there are many environmental concerns over the impact of some extensive commercial farming of animals since the conditions in some of those facilities are harmful to both the animals and the environment. Vagucated also shows an abandoned slaughterhouse that is abandoned, and they are encouraged even more by the realization that their line of duty is bearing fruits. The movie also helped me to identify the feeling of disconnect that separates one’s mind from the reality of what happens to the animals before the meat is served on our plates.

The overall experience of avoiding meat for one week has been eye-opening, and I would like to try and adopt healthy diets. Taking healthy meals contributes to sufficient growth and development of the body while maintaining a balanced supply of the vital elements to the body system (Maxwell et al., 2019). The renunciation of meat has been crucial in ensuring that I understand the basics of what percentage of every variety of food I take. In the process of becoming a vegetarian, I will consider evolving into making meals that contain no meat. Taking whole-grain meals, fruits, and vegetables ensures that the body has enough calcium, protein, and iron.

The advice I received was motivational, and I learned the importance of maintaining focus even when there is opposition. My uncle said that being a vegetarian has impacted his life in a manner that he is free from lifestyle diseases that affect most of the people who eat meat and other animal-based products. My uncle has been a vegetarian for over 20 years, and he decided to convert after working as a director in a slaughterhouse, and the experiences changed his life forever. He advised me to be rational in making dietary decisions and transform slowly until I manage to eat foods without meat comfortably.

References

Gentle Barn

http://plant-based-diet.gentlebarn.org/

Meet Your Meat

Vagucated

Forks Over Knives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrWb7wZ7MlU

Fresán, U., & Sabaté, J. (2019). Vegetarian diets: planetary health and its alignment with human health. Advances in Nutrition, 10(Supplement_4), S380-S388.

Maxwell, A. C., Smith, A. M., Thomas, E. R., Abraham, S. P., & Gillum, D. R. (2019). Factors Determining the Choice of Vegetarian vs. Meat-Eating Diets. International Journal of Studies in Nursing, 4(3), 15.