Author: Mateo De la Vega

This past Thanksgiving, I ate a substantial amount of meat, which I regret because I know that it sanctions the inhumane treatment of animals at industrial farms. On the other hand, my mother had prepared a great dinner with so much love that I couldn’t bring myself to reject it.

However, during break I also talked to a friend about the benefits of switching to a plant-based diet. I explained how this reduces the likelihood of suffering from heart disease and reduces inflammation (Adler 2018), an argument that he found very compelling since he is an avid runner.

Moreover, after thanksgiving dinner (which made me wake up with a headache), I came to the conclusion that I would benefit greatly if I adopted a (mostly) plant-based diet for the long-term. Realizing also that it wouldn’t be wise to commit to this diet religiously, because there will be moments when meat is the only available option.

I also have the intention to keep sharing my reasons for embracing a plant-based diet, even after the semester ends. In this manner, I can continue to spread awareness about the inhumane practices of the animal husbandry industry, and also share information that may help others increase their quality of life.

Finally, at the beginning of my project I foresaw constant struggle, mostly because I had the preconception that any form of nonviolent activism required sacrifice on some level. And this is true, transitioning into a plant-based diet was difficult, and in some instances of hunger I found myself craving animal protein. However, I also feel better physically, as I now feel that my energy levels are more stable throughout the day. More importantly, I feel better spiritually, since I know that my diet no longer comes at the cost of the extreme suffering of other conscious beings.

Adler, Allan. 2018. “The darker side of inflammation”. Accessed November 28, 2018.

https://healthbeat.spectrumhealth.org/the-darker-side-of-inflammation-vegan-diet-stroke-heart-attack/

As Thanksgiving approaches, I have accepted that eating meat will be inevitable for this occasion. Nonetheless, during the past few months I was able to reduce my meat intake substantially. With my goal of boycotting industrial animal husbandry still standing, I found an even stronger motivation in trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

For me it is hard to continuously compromise for the sake of an issue I have only experienced through my computer screen. But when I know that I am also doing this for myself, remaining a vegetarian becomes much more compelling. So, although it is important to be aware of the maltreatment of these animals, I find that the argument for attaining a higher quality of life is more persuasive.

As humans our bodies are built better for a plant-based diet (for more go the PETA website linked below). This means that we are more efficient in digesting high fiber and nutrient dense food, the two main characteristics of a plant-based diet. My experience confirms this evidence, since I became a vegetarian I feel more energetic throughout the day and don’t experience a “food comma” after each meal, which has led to better concentration overall.

I have now realized that while I was trying to reduce violence towards animals the result that more directly impacted me was a decrease in self-violence (our bodies aren’t made for the diets we give them). It still astonishes me how many of our cultural constructions, just like with war, work against our own well-being. Finally, if you don’t think becoming a vegetarian is worth it to stop an inhumane practice, you should at least consider the health benefits.

Is It Really Natural? The Truth About Humans and Eating Meat

This past week I have found myself better able to persevere with my project. It is still difficult for me to subscribe to a full vegetarian diet, and I’ve eaten meat more than once. However, mentally I now find myself more connected to the cause, and two factors have contributed to this: I’ve been reading more articles on the subject, and have been communicating about my experiences with others both through posts and conversations. The articles that focus on the conditions these animals are raised and kept in have dissuaded me on many occasions from consuming meat, and now that more people are aware of my project I can’t just give up on it.

With my friends and family I’ve tried talking specifically about these industrial farms, and how by going vegetarian one can boycott these businesses. Many of them questioned the diet’s apparent lack of protein, and I countered this argument by pointing out how only recently (during the Industrial Revolution) we began consuming meats in such high amounts. However, nearly all of them responded that they would continue with their traditional diets, while only a few expressed real concern for the issue. It became clear to me how habits that are objectively wrong can be become normalized by our culture.

On another occasion, I found a video that focused on the horrors of the chicken meat industry (linked below), and showed it to a couple of friends. They were noticeably shocked and disgusted, afterwards I told them that by eating the “traditional” diet they were sanctioning these practices. One of them decided to try being a vegetarian, while the other considered it. Their reactions toward the video reminded me of the power visuals have in this anti-meat campaign. In the future I’ll try to show more people these kinds of videos, because even though these videos tend to be graphic, they are effective in making the viewers question their diets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pixGkSFBty0

My first week of vegetarianism wasn’t as smooth as I anticipated it to be. The transition into vegetarian food was quite difficult, as for most of my life I’ve been consuming animal based foods (especially meats). Moreover, I have broken the diet on two occasions already, and everyday I struggle to maintain the regime. However, I have come to understand that it is important for my project to be challenging and that I impart its purpose to others.

Although Remaining vegetarian thus far has required great mental willpower, the struggle is necessary. Initially I believed switching to vegetarianism would be easy, and that this change would only make me feel good to be supporting the movement against Industrial animal husbandry, and healthier.  However, customs are hard to change, and after the second day I’d become tired of eating tofu and quinoa. Nonetheless, struggling with this project is part of what makes it valuable. This notion is remarked in Nagler’s The Nonviolence Handbook, where he mentions how Satyagraha  (A way of passive resistance) often necessitates suffering (Nagler 2014, 53-54),  as it shows true commitment and draws attention to the issue.

Finally, I have decided to increase the influence my project will have in the community. As in the first week I found value in struggling with it, I now want to communicate to others why I’m choosing to go vegetarian. I will share the difficulties inherent in making such a sharp transition, mentioning how the challenges of becoming a vegetarian are insignificant compared to the immense suffering all the animals that become our food go through. Hopefully, after hearing about the horrors of industrial animal husbandry others will join me knowing well that it will require genuine determination.

Nagler, Michael. 2014. The Nonviolence Handbook. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.