and I haven't decided what I am going to do about my diet after the baby comes. People keep asking if I am going to return to being a pescetarian or if the baby is going to be one. A friend at work said I should continue eating meat, so that my cooking would stay interesting. A vegan friend at work hopes I go back on the straight path. Saturday night we saw the Kenyon crew , and they were loud proponents of me eating meat, but one of the guys quickly added the caveat, Oh! if it doesn't get you sick.
Although I didn't eat meat in my teens, I did briefly eat meat in my twenties. I stopped again because my body never adjusted to my gallbladder surgery. I would get phantom gallbladder attacks, accompanied by feeling sick after most meals. No matter what I did, I continued to get sick eating a variety of foods. Six years ago, I went pescetarian, and I felt much better. In fact, it was miraculous how quickly my body turned around. I did not get sick once in six years. However, once I became pregnant, the only thing that would end my morning sickness was turkey sausage or grilled chicken, and thus the downward spiral began. The sweetheart that she is, it appears that sharing food with the baby aids my general digestion, because I haven't had a gallbladder fake-attack since.
I still believe that eating meat is cruel, and unnecessary. You can make wonderful meals and be fulfilled without it. At times, I struggle with the identity of someone who doesn't eat meat, and the political connotations on both sides of the spectrum. To vegetarians and vegans, my fish eating is horrific; my culinary efforts don't count. I hate the preachiness associated with the vegetarian movement; I believe in making your own consumption decisions. On the other hand, I have a problematic relationship with meat. The industry is a drain on the environment, the conditions for workers and animals are horrific, and I can't reconcile the fact that a life is killed for my consumption.
I also don't believe in absolutes, and living in moderation is essential to happiness, especially in the culinary world. So, we shall see if I will continue to be a strict pescetarian, and if that doesn't happen, do I need to change the name of the blog?
It's definitely going to be a hard decision, but it is your decision. I agree: many vegetarians can come of as preachy and pretentious. I have tried not to ever impose my views on others, but with a child, it is a little different. I have been confronted by a lot of friends and family members, questioning my decision to raise my son as a vegetarian. If he chooses to eat meat later in life, then so be it- I can only teach him why our family does not eat meat. But in my house, I will not cook or serve meat. I also have really attempted to cut down on our dairy consumption as well. The only one who gets meat in this house is the dog :)
ReplyDeleteI have found a few great books about raising children without meat- Vegetarian Baby and Child by Petra Jackson, and Feeding Baby Green by Alan Greene. Keep me posted. I would still read your website, even if you decided to eat meat (you have some great vegetarian recipes) :)