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A veggie’s dilemma….

Thursday, September 20th, 2007 | General

So, I think I’ve decided to go carnivore, not that I was a pure herbivore at all. I still needed a nutritious source of lean protein which was from seafood. Not mussles. oysters or calamari, but the omega 3 salmon and lean protein of cod and halibut..well you get the picture. In actuality I was a Pescetarian- From Wickipedia a pescetarian — will not eat the flesh of any animals other than types of seafood. Actually, here is the breakdown: : Most nutritionists recognize five basic kinds of vegetarians:

• Semi-vegetarians eat chicken, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products.
• Pesco-vegetarians eat fish, eggs and dairy products.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat dairy products and eggs.
• Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs.
• Vegans eat no animal foods.

So it looks like I am going to be going in the direction of being a “semi- vegetarian”. One that is completely neurotic about the chicken purchased for consumption. My justification; in reference to my previous post, I have experienced a significant increase in headaches, lethargy and overall light headedness when I’m trying to run on the treadmill or using the ellyptical for 60 minutes +.

I feel hungry consitently throughout the day and have been doing more research on protein needs of the human body for energy and muscle building. I have been doing more weight training and notice my endurance levels collapsing. Over dosing on protein from soy, now is not the best source of protein for the human body. It now should be consumed in moderation.
I became a vegetarian or to be more accurate now pescetarian in 1993 when I worked at Subway.

Just seeing the meat come into the stores (especially the roast beef), it was horrible. That on top of listening to a long speach from a Subway owner/ manager about the butchering process of the animals and reading a very propaganda like book called, “Diet for a new america” my motions to move to a pescetarian diet were justified. While more politically driven, there were some other reasons as well, including weight loss and my simple empathy for the animals.

At that time there wasn’t much out there in regards to purchasing meats that were free of hormonal injections and the enforced cage like living facilities. Facilities were so bad, animals were forced to feed on each other because they were crammed so tightly. For example in chicken farms, chickens lived in in metal cages barely the size of them and (you get the picture) I couldn’t stand that these animals were mistreated for the sole purpose of satisfying our human carniverous cravings.

Although, as humans, we weren’t meant to be herbivores. We need the complex protiens, amino acids and Omega 3s, for bone structure, muscle development and tissue regeneration, hence we need protein from multiple sources. There are so many nutrients in meat, such as iron that we as humans need for healthy functioning bodies and supplements aren’t absorbed as effectively as the real deal.
So, my point is, is that a big justification for being a pescetarian is reduced. I can go to a New Season’s and pick up chicken that has had a good life, free range, organic, no hormonal injections and hopefully the end to their life wasn’t too dramatic. So then I can be okay and purchase just such meat and introduce chicken back into my diet as a full source of protein that will hopefully meet the nutrional needs my body seeks with the amount of activity it requires daily.

First, I have to start by taking baby steps and slowly introduce the protein back into my diet, although I know if I ever had a cold, I would turn to organic chicken broth which helped. There is something about chicken broth, it has a ton of nutrients and it was always so comforting on a cold winters day with saltines delicately crushed over the top.

I think my cravings have increased, and while the fake Quorn or fake chicken is good, no matter how much you marinade it, it still tastes the same. It may be lower in calorie but the protein value isn’t nearly as much as having real chicken as a source of protein.

I just know there will be no “wings” in my future. I think just the idea of tearing off flesh from a bone with my teeth… well I feel like I should be in the 14th Century and it just gives me awful goosebumps. I’ll be happy with the ” free-range, organic, hormone free lovely individually cut chicken breasts that can be prepared in multitudes of fashion. The more disassociation the better. But isn’t that what America is all about. Disassociation.

Here’s to our wonderful and dear, precious chickens, that are here to serve our nutritional needs. Yeah, sorry, no KFC for me, that’s for sure. I gotta have integrity.

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