Vegetarian Life Interviews

Why go Vegetarian?

There are probably as many reasons to go vegetarian as there are vegetarians out there. For some, it’s religious, for others an issue of animal cruelty prevention, and for others it can be simply health related. The following interviews are with real vegetarians who want to share their meat-free philosophy with the world. If you have any questions about any of the content contained within these interviews, please feel free to drop us a note for more information!

Anna Carlin, Vegetarian for 7 years

EM: So Anna, tell us- why did you decide to give up meat and become a vegetarian?

AC: Well, Elizabeth, for me, it was definitely a spiritual thing. I was always an animal lover, and I couldn’t condone eating any more animals and still consider myself a compassionate person. I would look at my dogs and cats and feel so guilty that other animals out there are suffering so I can have a steak or a Thanksgiving turkey. If anyone ever tried hurting my pets I’d be incensed. I realized I had no more right to take the lives of these poor farm animals than anyone else had to take the lives of my pets.

EM: Wow, it sounds like it really struck a nerve with you. How did you go about giving up meat- was it gradual, or did you just up and quit one day?

AC: I had debated quitting for a very long time- we’re talking four or five years. I tried to stick to only white-meat products like poultry and fish, but I’d have the occasional red meat, and I tried really hard to not think about it. One day I was watching two young sheep playing at a petting zoo with my nephew, and I realized how similar they were to my three cats when they play. I just felt so sad and guilty that I vowed never to eat meat again- red or white. That worked pretty well. Only a few times since that day have I ever encountered an issue with not eating meat. Of course there are times when I’ll be dining out and I’ll see someone nearby eating a steak and it smells so good that I’m tempted to order the same, but that doesn’t happen much anymore. I remember when I first went fully vegetarian I was invited to a wedding and had already RSVP’d for the stuffed pork. I totally forgot about it until I was seated at my table and the waiter brought it out and sat it in front of me. I was at that point famished and wasn’t sure how to proceed. Everyone at my table was eating their dinner and staring at me funny as I ate around the main course. Finally, I gave the meat to a man at my table that wanted seconds, and just resolved to save the room for champagne and cake. I think it was a much better trade off!

EM: Absolutely! So, what are some of the biggest challenges you face as a vegetarian today?

AC: Well, the clichés are definitely true about finding alternative sources of protein when you give up meat. I am not a vegan, so this has been a little bit easier, but there are definitely some dairy products that I’ve heard aren’t cruelty free. For instance, I know at some point cow stomachs were used in the making of cheese and butter. I don’t think this is still necessary, but I avoid both because I don’t know which products are cruelty free. There are also lots of hormones pumped into milk cows, and from the sounds of things they live a pretty miserable life, and its hard to think you’re contributing to that. That being said, I do occasionally eat dairy products, but I try to stick to soy for the most part. I also sometimes eat eggs, but it’s very rare. Eggs from what I understand are usually unfertilized and therefore don’t kill any chickens, so I can justify that a little bit more, but when I do have eggs they’re always free-range and organic.

I also from time to time have had to contend with the stigma of the animal lover that some animal rights groups have sort of inadvertently earned for us. I love animals, but I’m not out there throwing red paint on ladies in furs- though to be fair, I think that’s sort of fantastic that people do that. But I would never do it myself, and I certainly don’t look down on my meat-eating, animal-product-wearing friends. I try not to buy leather products or anything like that, but I won’t castigate friends who do, and I have on occasion bought sneakers with some leather in them. It’s very difficult to find vegan footwear that functions as well as its non-vegan counterparts.

EM: As someone who has been a vegetarian for years, what sorts of products do you recommend for people who are trying to go vegetarian, or even for other vegetarians?

AC:  There’s actually quite a bit out there nowadays- especially with the internet. I’ve found that most baking recipes can be adapted to be a bit more vegetarian/vegan friendly, so that’s never been an issue. As far as dinners go, it’s not just pasta and salads- don’t be afraid to experiment! Many other cultures are vegetarian by nature, so you can learn a lot from sampling different cuisines from around the world. Indian and Middle Eastern food is very vegetarian friendly, as is a lot of East Asian cuisine, like Japanese and Thai. I also love some of the pre-made veggie-burger type foods. Morningstar Farms makes excellent ‘Chik Nuggets’ which in my opinion are actually better tasting than real chicken nuggets. I also like the Amy’s Organic line. For desserts, I haven’t met a soy ice cream I didn’t like, and my favorite is sorbet, which contains no dairy anyways, so you can buy major-market brands without worry.

Now, if you’re trying to give up meat, my advice is, if you can’t just do it all in one go, to try replacing meals each week with something vegetarian. It definitely gets easier as you time passes. If you currently eat a lot of red meat (which is classified as pork, beef and lamb) you may want to start smaller and add in more poultry and fish and go from there. I think you’d be surprised at how much is out there that doesn’t contain meat. You may also want to try shopping around a natural foods supermarket for ideas. Mainstream supermarkets don’t really cater to a meat-free crowd, but stores like Whole Foods have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Just take baby steps, and be patient.

EM: Good advice, Ann. Last question- are you at all concerned about GM foods and inorganic produce, and if so, do you have any tips for consumers concerning the dangers of pesticides in these types of food?

AC: Oh definitely I’m concerned! The scariest thing about GM foods is that as of yet we still have no sound evidence as to what these foods actually do to the body. They just haven’t been around long enough. There are studies that suggest they can cause a whole host of nasty ailments, especially in young children. As someone looking to have my own kids someday soon, this sort of thing is at the forefront of my mind. The scariest thing is, even at natural food markets and farm stands you still can’t be certain if the produce is GM or not. Often times the store doesn’t even know. Unless it specifically says “certified organic” you can still get inorganic produce at a store like Whole Foods. That’s why you definitely need to pay attention to labels when you shop. I recently went out to breakfast and without thinking ordered a smoothie. I was halfway done when I realized I had no idea if the ingredients were organic or not. I mean, the occasional slipup like that probably won’t do you too much harm, but if you go to a restaurant frequently and consistently order the same dishes with fruit and vegetables as part of the ingredients, definitely check with your wait staff or call the restaurant’s management when you’re not dining there. If they can’t say with absolute certainty the fruit and vegetables the restaurant uses are organic, chances are they aren’t. In some cases, the restaurant may be willing to offer organic selections if customers demand it, so if you mention it to them they might agree to start buying organic produce. If you have friends or neighbors who also dine there, it can’t hurt to ask them to call or write and also request the restaurant switch to organic produce.

My best advice is, if you’re concerned about organic produce definitely try to grow your own at home. I have an organic garden grown with organic and heirloom seeds, and try to use only green manure for fertilization. Gardening gives me time to clear my head, but it also gives me peace of mind that what I’m eating is safe and healthy, and I don’t have to think twice about what’s going into my body.

Jake Shapiro, Vegetarian 26 years

EM:  Unlike a lot of us here at Vegetarian Life, Jake, you’ve been a vegetarian your whole life. Do you know any of the motivations your parents had in raising you that way?

JS: Well, for starters, my parents were sort of new-agey type hippies. They were raised in the Midwest and ate more than their fair share of red meat products growing up. When they were in college in the 1970’s, they were very influenced by the non-violence movements of the time and wanted to get back to more natural roots. When my brother and I were finally born, they had both been vegetarians for years, and didn’t want us to ever have to “give up” meat. My mom tells me it was easier for her to quit than it was for my dad, but when she was pregnant with my older brother she relapsed a few times and ate cheeseburgers, which she felt tremendously guilty about.

EM: What about you? Do you share your parents’ ideals? Have you ever tried or wanted to try meat?

JS: Oh sure- I mean, I am somewhat of a hippie myself, admittedly. I understand the reasons behind eating vegetarian, and I embrace them, but yes, to answer your question, I definitely have been tempted to try meat on occasion- especially as a kid. Growing up many of my friends would have cookouts or my little league team would have a big barbecue at the end of each season. Back then it was a bit harder to find vegetarian fare at regular supermarkets, and I don’t think most of the moms were really thinking of my dietary needs when they made their shopping lists, but I did okay for the most part. I did once by accident eat baked beans with bacon in them, but that was an honest mistake. Another time I did try a slice of pepperoni pizza at a birthday party when I was around 8. I actually really liked it, but if my mom were to find out I’d have been in so much trouble. I spent weeks completely paranoid to invite friends over because I was sure any one of them was going slip up and tell my mom what happened, but they never did.  If you’re reading this, sorry mom!

EM: Aw! I’m sure your mom wouldn’t take it personally! So tell us- are you vegan or vegetarian, and how do you get protein and calcium into your diet?

JS: I’m not vegan- I do eat dairy products, which helps with the protein. I also eat a lot of soy and tofu products, which are also great sources of protein. My mom actually is vegan now, but she waited until I’d left the house, because it can be very restricting, especially when you live in a small town that doesn’t really have a big vegetarian population. Today you can find all sorts of organic and natural food markets that carry a ton of vegan-friendly products, but when I was a kid growing up in northwest Michigan, there wasn’t much out there. Today I would say that most of my protein comes from cheese in the form of sun-dried tomato and goat cheese pizza, which I make myself.

EM: Wow, you make your own pizza? That’s awesome.  Do you have a hard time finding places to dine out at that serve vegetarian fare?

JS: Not really- I go to most restaurants. Worst case scenario, I order pasta or pizza or something like that. I have rarely been forced to eat ‘just a salad’ or anything, and my friends are pretty accommodating, so if they know there really aren’t any vegetarian selections at a particular restaurant, they’ll try to accommodate me and go somewhere else. My mom, on the other hand, is impossible to go anywhere with. It’s really hard to find vegan dishes when she visits, so we end up staying in a lot, or going to the same place a few times in one week, which gets old. I feel badly for her, but hopefully as veganism gets more popular, more restaurants will expand their menus a bit.

EM: Only time will tell, as they say. Okay, Jake- any parting wisdom for people considering a switch over to a vegetarian lifestyle out there?

JS: Sure, wow. What a big responsibility! Well, I guess my advice is to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons- don’t do it because someone is making you do it, or because you think you’ll earn someone’s approval. I didn’t get the choice, but honestly, I don’t have any regrets about how I was raised. The only thing I feel bad about is that I felt so guilty as a kid for trying meat those two times. You shouldn’t feel as though what you’re doing is disappointing someone else. But then it also works the other way- don’t let anyone make you feel guilty about choosing a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. I did have occasions as a child where friends’ parents wouldn’t ‘get’ why I couldn’t eat meat, and would put it on my plate anyways. It’s really hard when you’re a kid to say no to an adult- especially when you’re taught to be polite and you’re really hungry, but I would sometimes resort to cutting up the meat and shuffling it around my plate so  it looked like I’d eaten and they wouldn’t be angry or offended. Still, it never should have happened that way in the first place!

Back to Top

Lakshmi Sharma, 24

Elizabeth M: Today we’re talking with Lakshmi Sharma, a lifelong vegetarian who does not eat meat for religious purposes. Hi Lakshmi! Can you tell our readers a little more about the reasons behind your vegetarianism?

Lakshmi Sharma: Hello, Elizabeth. Of course. Well, as you may have guessed by my name I am Indian. I was born in the United States, but my parents were born and raised in Hyderabad, India. They were raised Hindu, which is a religion that usually shuns the consumption of red meat, but there are many Hindu’s who also do not eat meat of any kind. The reason behind this is a concept called “ahimsa” which is a policy of nonviolence towards any animal, from the smallest and most seemingly insignificant to the most advanced, like humans. The consumption of meat is said to be harmful to the body and spirit because it violates ahimsa. It also ties in directly to the concept of Karma, of which I am a firm believer. Karma affects everyone involved in the death of an animal, from the farmer who raises and kills it to the person who consumes it. I know people who have laughed off Karma, only to be left with some serious trauma afterwards. As a first generation American, I don’t follow Hinduism as strictly as my parents, but Karma is definitely one aspect I’m very careful to respect.

EM: Wow, sounds pretty powerful. So how do you work being a Hindu into your American life? And how does the concept of Ahimsa affect how you eat in American society?

LS: Well, that’s a good question! I am not all that religious besides the dietary aspects of Hinduism. I am spiritual, and I keep religious texts and statues in my apartment should the urge to pray ever strike me, but I do not pray regularly or anything like that. I would say religion is a small part of my life, but the principles of Karma and Ahimsa are more like ways of life to me. It’s different than, say, Christianity, where you go to religious services and celebrate holidays. We do have Diwali in the winter, which is the festival of lights, but that’s about all I celebrate, and if I miss it, which I did a lot at college, it wasn’t like missing Christmas might be for my Christian friends.

As far as my diet goes, I am not too close to my parents home that I can eat my mother’s traditional Indian cooking. I have found several Indian/vegetarian restaurants near my home in Seattle, but for the most part if I dine out it is at places that have American vegetarian cuisine. I also shop at stores like Whole Foods, that have some of the traditional Middle Eastern foods available for takeout. For instance, I love falafel and hummus, which are vegetarian. There are also lots of Chinese restaurants that have tofu dishes near where I live, and they’re nice places to visit when I’m in the mood for something different. Mostly I eat a pretty bland diet, because I cook horribly and I just don’t have the time or money to make big meals.

EM: What are some of your favorite vegetarian Indian dishes?
LS: There are so many to choose from! I would have to say my favorite food is cheese kurkure, which is essentially a fried cheese ball. It’s really good. I also like a salad called Kheere ka Raita, which is a cucumber and yogurt salad that is really easy (and inexpensive!) to make. For main dishes, my favorite is anything with curry.  My mom makes an amazing Vagan Bateta nu Shak, which is a potato and eggplant curry dish. And of course it has to be served with naan- which is my favorite thing probably on earth!

EM: I love naan, too! So growing up, were you mainly raised on traditional Indian cooking, or did you have a lot of American foods as well?

LS: I guess I’d have to say it was a good mix of both. My mom made a lot of traditional Indian dinners, but for lunches and breakfast we ate a lot of American foods. I still love Cream of Wheat and have that every morning with fruit, and for school lunches my sister and I would sometimes eat the side dishes available for hot lunch, or we’d just have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We tried bringing Indian leftovers a few times, but my friends would tease me about it because the smell was so strong at times, and often it wasn’t really something you could eat cold, and there was no microwave available. Ultimately it was more about not wanting to be the one kid with the weird food, you know?

EM: Completely understandable! Luckily now many schools offer more vegetarian options for elementary school children who maybe didn’t have as many options as middle and high school students have had in the past. So Lakshmi- last question:  as someone whose been there, what advice do you have for anyone who wants to raise their kids vegetarian from birth?

LS: Oh wow, well, that’s definitely a good question! Well, the first thing I would recommend is to just go ahead and do it- just start feeding your baby vegetarian only, and they’ll never have to worry about ‘quitting’ meat products. That will work in your advantage, I’d say. The thing that my parents had to deal with most often with my sister and me is the whole ‘but why?’ line of questioning I’d put them through. We may have never had meat before, but that didn’t stop us from wanting to try it. You know how kids are- whatever you tell them they can’t have they only want more. I remember going to birthday parties at McDonald’s for classmates, and my mom wouldn’t even let me go until after the food had been served and the cake was being distributed. I was so upset, but what was I going to eat otherwise? Fries? I understand why she did it- she knew I’d be so swayed by temptation that I probably would not have fared well and given in. Still, it was hard for me. In times like that,  I would recommend parents either discuss it in advance with the parents throwing the party- say something like “Lakshmi cannot eat meat. Can you make sure she only has French fries and a milk shake or something like that?”  or, just pack your child something you know he or she will eat. Of course no kid really wants to eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwich while everyone else gets fast food, but if you can’t be there and don’t like the alternatives available, what choice do you have besides skipping the party altogether (which I definitely don’t recommend!). Usually I did much better at pizza parties and the like, because there were almost always kids who only wanted cheese pizza, and most places let you order by the slice. In fact, if your kids like pizza and are going to a cookout or another place that has junk food, get them a pizza to bring- other kids might want some, too, and they won’t feel like such an outsider.

EM: Great advice, Lakshmi! Do you plan on raising your kids Hindu/vegetarian someday?

LS:  Well it depends on who I end up with, and what his religious and moral beliefs are, but personally, I enjoy the lifestyle, and would be happy to raise my kids similar to my own upbringing.

Back to Top

Douglas Wallace, 34

Elizabeth M.: Today we’re talking with Doug Wallace, a self-converted vegetarian who stopped eating meat at the age of 12. Doug, what prompted you to stop eating meat, and how did that go over with your family?

Douglas Wallace:  Honestly? I stopped to impress a girl. I know, I know, but I thought I was in love- or as in love as a 12 year old boy could be. Her name was Amy, and she was a vegetarian, and she had so many pets. I just wanted her to like me, so I lied and told her I was a vegetarian, too. Of course, I didn’t expect it to work so well, and we started “dating” but pretty soon I learned I had to keep up appearances or she’d find me out and dump me! So I started telling my parents I was a vegetarian, and stopped eating the meat they served with dinner for fear that my brothers would sell me out to her if she ever came over.  My mom thought it was cute, but my dad was really annoyed with me for a long time. I think he thought I was being less of a man to change for a girl, and he was worried I was emasculating myself. He eventually got n iover it, though, but even now he thinks I’m a little strange.

EM: Wow! So how long did this relationship last that you’re still a vegetarian today?

DW: (laughs) Not that long in the grand scheme of things! We dated for maybe 8 months in the 7th grade, but at that point all her friends found out I was a vegetarian and thought I was sensitive, so I just ran with it. I also started reading information Amy had given me about why meat is bad and what they do to animals at slaughterhouses, so I pretty much lost interest in it after that anyways. It just seemed so cruel and gross. Her parents were really fond of trying to convert me to the animal rights world, too. They would tell me about stuff they’d seen in PETA films and even what manufacturers put in food like sausages and fast food burgers. It’s beyond disgusting.

EM: Truly! So you mentioned your dad till thinks you’re “a little strange” even today. How do you deal with that?

DW: That’s not so terrible anymore, honestly. Now that I’ve been able to prove myself in other areas of my life, such as by winning some awards in high school and college for the wrestling team, and by being a successful architect, I think he thinks I turned out okay. But yeah, as a kid he would get really angry at me when mealtime came around and I refused to eat whatever meat my mother had prepared. He said I was being disrespectful and called me things like ‘a punk’. But you have to also know that he was part of the Vietnam generation- guys who saw a lot more than they ever should have, and as a result were often a lot tougher on their families than they might have otherwise been. My mom was a good peacekeeper, though, so she’d try to make stuff that I could eat without the meat being such a focus, like au gratin potatoes or rice pilaf or cream of mushroom soup. She’d sometimes make chicken casserole but fish out the pieces of chicken for me so I didn’t have to “waste” it and annoy my dad. The worst was when we went out to eat, though-he’d start in on me about how we had to go to special restaurants because I had to eat “girl food” or something like that. We ate at the Ponderosa a lot, and after I went vegetarian, that became hell for me. There were always sides I could eat, but my dad just harassed me so much over it I literally dreaded going. Again, though, now we’re cool.

EM: So do you dine with your parents anymore? How do they deal with your eating habits now that you’re a grown man?

DW: Honestly, it still gives me hives thinking about it sometimes. That’s probably why I moved so far away from my parents when I finished college. We get along great long distance, and of course there are no awkward dining experiences- or very few, anyways. When they come to visit me, I usually take them out somewhere that has plenty of both vegetarian and meat option. My dad really likes Indian, so sometimes we go to an Indian restaurant nearby that makes some great veggie entrees. The nice thing about that is he has no idea what I’ve ordered, so he doesn’t really know to complain. He always gets the chicken curry- extra hot.

EM: And what about your personal life today? Do you find your eschewing of meat products still makes you popular with the ladies?

DW: Well, not always. I mean, you can see me- I’m a clean guy- I’d say I’m a man’s man- not too metrosexual, but not a lumberjack by any means, but some women hear ‘vegetarian’ and they automatically label you as a “dirty hippie” and dismiss you right there. I assure you; I drink plenty of major-label beer, enjoy sports and buy stuff made of products not found in nature. Not that there’s anything wrong with being on the greener end of the spectrum. I’m just not quite there yet. But then, in some cases I do have better luck with the ladies because of my lifestyle choices. I don’t strictly date only vegetarians or anything, either. I mean, it’s a personal choice- and a lot of women I’ve dated have successfully given up meat because of my motivation. Some don’t bother, and that’s fine too- I just am who I am, and hope whoever I date knows she can be who she is.

Back to Top

Jessica Bakely, 23

Elizabeth M.: Jessica Bakely is 23 years old and has been a vegetarian since she was 18. Thanks for talking to us, Jessica. What made you decide to give up meat?

Jessica Bakely: Well, eating meat didn’t really bother me until my then-boyfriend Joel bought me a pet pig for my birthday. It was totally off the cuff- I was not expecting it at all, and he totally surprised me. I fell in love with the pig probably harder than with my ex, which is probably why he and I aren’t together but the pig (named MacGyver) and I still are. Anyways, as soon as I got the pig I stopped eating pig products, and one night while googling for more info on pigs I found a PETA video about the treatment of animals in meat farms, like chickens, pigs, cows and the like. After that it was easy to give up meat, and it actually led me to give up using animal products for any reason- including fur, leather and dairy.

EM: So does this mean you are a vegan now?

JB: Absolutely.  I consume no animal products whatsoever. I just feel so guilty- and if you saw MacGyver, you’d understand why! He’s really a great pet, but he’s actually more like family!

EM: So what is it like living with a pot bellied pig? Does he live in your apartment with you? Tell me more…

JB: Oh he’s great! He lives in my apartment, which is actually a small house that I share with my current boyfriend and his two cats. All the animals get along really well, surprisingly. I was worried at first that the cats would try to eat him or antagonize him, but they’re very mellow, chill, little cats and just let him be a pig without getting in his way. If anything, he bothers them- I think he wants to play, but cats usually don’t go for that sort of thing. He’s a very social creature- he sleeps in a dog bed in our bedroom, and he follows me throughout the house when he’s home. Sometimes I’ll be online or doing something and not looking down and all of a sudden I’ll feel this wet nose on my leg and hear him making his little snorting noises to get my attention. Usually he just wants to be snuggled for a bit.

EM: Is he litter-box trained? And what does he eat? Is he a vegan, too?

JB: He is litter-box trained, and unfortunately he is not a vegetarian or vegan. Pigs are omnivorous, and they need a certain amount of protein from meats, so he has his own “pig chow” that we feed him. He loves a brand called “Heartland” that I just haven’t had the nerve to read the ingredients to.             I justify feeding it to him because he is an animal and thus cannot make “moral” or “immoral” decisions based on the life of other animals. To him, eating animal protein is a biological necessity. Obviously, the same is not true for me.

EM: Okay- I’ve gotten a little off topic here! Back to the question at hand: how hard was it to quit eating meat, and do you have any advice for people who are considering doing the same?

JB:  Quitting for me was pretty easy after I saw the PETA videos. Finding alternatives to what I used to eat was a bit more difficult than I would have liked it to have been. At first I just stuck with soy and tofu stuff, which got old pretty quickly, but like anything else changing your diet is a learning process- you sort of learn the tricks of the trade as you go along, and you open your eyes to new ways of doing things. I think a lot of people are like me in that they thing that vegetarians only eat tofu, so they already have a chip on their shoulder about it before they even attempt it. But there really are so many choices out there- you just have to be open to trying new things and going to new stores to find products you might not have otherwise known about. Then there are the sneaky things in life that you don’t realize can actually help you. Like for instance, did you know that the cheese on the nachos at Taco Bell isn’t really cheese- it contains no dairy. As a vegan, I can eat that with no moral conflicts whatsoever- more so if I don’t have to think about how if it’s not dairy, what is it? When you start to overanalyze food, then the problems start!

Back to Top

Henry Orton, 30

Elizabeth M: Today we’re talking with Henry Orton, a 30 year old who gave up meat about six years ago. Thanks for talking to our readers, Henry. Tell us a little about why you chose to go vegetarian.

Henry Orton: No problem, Elizabeth. For me, going vegetarian has been a matter of health. There is so much information out there about the harmful effects of animal protein on the human body, it became impossible for me to ignore. I was raised in Missouri, so trust me when I tell you, I have consumed more than my fair share of cattle. Growing up red meat was more of a dietary staple than water is in most homes. When I realized just how dangerous red meat was, I knew I had to eliminate it from my diet before it killed me.

EM: You spoke about the “harmful effects of animal protein on the human body.” Can you elaborate a bit more on these studies for our readers?

HO: Of course. Well, there are tons of studies out that show that an excess of protein can cause everything from colon cancer to prostate and ovarian cancer. A study in 2005 showed that those who eat meat have a 40% higher risk of cancer than vegetarians and vegans- and this includes vegetarians who are smokers and who may be overweight or out of shape! That’s pretty strong evidence, and pretty hard to ignore.

EM: Those are some pretty scary statistics. Any idea what specifically is in meat that is causing these alarming rates of cancer amongst non-vegetarians?

HO: Well, many believe it’s the carcinogens found in meat, which aren’t usually naturally occurring. As you may or may not know, vegetables aren’t the only “foods” that are treated with dangerous chemicals and pesticides. In fact, meats can have all kinds of horrible poisons in them which were injected initially into the live animal. Nasty stuff like antibiotics, hormones, metals, dioxins and other compounds we may never really know about. The body fat of the animal can also increase the natural occurrence of estrogen in women, which in itself also can increase the risk of certain cancers like ovarian and breast cancer.
EM: Wow that is pretty scary. So when you stop eating meat, how long does it take before the effects of prior consumption have left your body?

HO: That I honestly don’t know. But from what I’ve read, some studies say that the most dramatic differences in cancer rates occur after male subjects have had a meat-free diet for at least twenty years. That definitely means I’ve got a ways to go, but if I can do it, anyone can do it. I’m trying to get my sisters and brother to cut back also, but its not easy when meat is such a part of your life. I think most days as a kid we had meat with every meal, and red meat at least once a day. My father died young of a heart attack, and I’m sure that meat-heavy lifestyle was 100% to blame. For me now it’s a matter of staying away from meat, and then getting regular checkups to monitor the situation. I’m still considered “too young” for an annual colon cancer screening, but you’d better believe as soon as I’m old enough I’ll be going as often as I can. Cancer – but especially colon cancer- is a scary thing.

Back to Top