By: Jennifer lee
I refer to the column A Year of Veging Out (Life!, Jan 6) by Stephanie Yap.
Like Ms. Yap, I am concerned about animal welfare, but I loved meat and hated vegetables too much. In the past years, I made a number of failed attempts to go on a vegetarian diet by cutting off meat consumption completely. Everything felt wrong then. I felt hungry after meals and deprived of meal options. I felt like a drug addict undergoing rehabilitation, but I have come to realize these are mainly psychological effects of a bodily change.
I took a different approach last year, by cutting out one type of meat from my diet at a time, at a pace I could manage.
I started boycotting cruel an unsustainable dishes including foie gras, shark’s fin and blue-fin tuna. Next, I cut off beef and pork. Chicken was next to go. I went on pescatarian diet for a few months before I embraced the vegetarian lifestyle.
The new diet has changed me physically, emotionally and mentally. I stopped feeling guilty about what I eat. My tummy deflated, my bowel and menstrual systems regulated themselves, and my complexion took a turn for the better.
The growing attention surrounding factory farming and unsustainable seafood has brought more people on the route to responsible eating.
As Chinese New Year approaches, it would also be respectable if companies and individuals can take into consideration the removal of controversial dishes such asfoie gras and shark’s fin from their lo hei menus.
PS. If every one of us inspired ONE person to go meatless imagine the difference we could make in ten years time. I am going to collect inspirational vegetarian/vegan stories to share with everyone. If you think your story will inspire others, please share with me by sending it to info@veglov.com. I will post your stories on this www.veglov.com blog. I believe everyone has his/her own story, I think it must be great when we can share our stories and inspire others. Let’s make the world a better place. ~ Xiao Kang.
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