Vegetarian life during the holidays has special meaning. Christmas is a season of peace, love, and harmony. Families and friends reconnect and find comfort and happiness by being together. It’s also about respect for fellow man, appreciating and embracing one another’s differences. Take some time over the holiday season to reflect on the reasons for your choice to become vegetarian, and enforce your commitment and dedication to the vegetarian lifestyle. What reason, or reasons, helped you decide that vegetarianism was the right choice for you?
Was it Economic?
A meat-based diet can be very expensive. Fresh produce bought in season can be very affordable, and can be prepared (dried, canned, frozen) so that it can be enjoyed later in the season.
Was it Ethical?
Did you choose not to eat meat because of the meat processing techniques are incredibly cruel to animals? Do some research on the internet or the library, visit the PETA website, and you’re very likely to find more credible reasoning that affirms your choice.
Was it Environmental?
A vegetarian lifestyle is more environmentally friendly because large ranching operations cause topsoil erosion. Additionally, coyotes and other natural predators are destroyed routinely to protect herds of cows which are only slaughtered anyway later on. Commercial fishing operations also damage the ocean’s ecosystems.
Are You Vegetarian to Improve Your Health?
Eating a vegetarian diet has been shown to be a very healthy lifestyle. It has been shown to:
- Fight heart disease
- Reduce cancer risks
- Lower cholesterol
- Help lower blood sugar
- Reverse the effects of diabetes
- Lower the obesity risk
- Reduce the risk of osteoporosis, as meat consumption has been shown to promote bone loss.
And remember: just because it’s Christmas, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy many of the same wonderful holiday treats you’ve become accustomed to, as long as they are prepared with your vegetarian lifestyle in mind. Breads, cookies prepared with vegetable shortening, egg substitutes, whole grain flours and soy milk, numerous choices for vegetable dishes and salads can all be enjoyed by both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike during the holiday! So remember the reason for the season, reaffirm your reasoning for your life choice, and be proud of it, and of yourself.