How to Becoming a Vegetarian ?

How to Becoming a
Vegetarian ?
Haytham Al Fiqi

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Copyright © 2016 Haytham Al Fiqi
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ISBN-10:1532704275
ISBN-13:978-1532704277

Haytham Al Fiqi
DEDICATION
The vegetarian culture is one that fosters a certain "snootiness"
because of our insistence on pure foods. It is also easy to get a
superior attitude because vegetarian living is clearly a
superior way to live from a health perspective and because so
often our reasons for becoming a vegetarian is grounded in
moral, ethical or religious values. And this is all well and
good as long as you are functioning within the vegetarian
community exclusively.

1- Be a Good House Guest and a Good Vegetarian
When you are learning the ropes of your new lifestyle of being a
vegetarian, every aspect of life will be affected. From work to home
life to eating out, you have to have a strategy for how to maintain your
vegetarian discipline and still enjoy these different situations of life that
are important to you. One of the situations we all find ourselves in,
albeit perhaps infrequently, is when you are a house guest of a friend or
relative. In that situation, you are going to find yourself under the
hospitality perhaps of a person who is not a vegetarian. So you have to
find a way to keep your diet healthy and proper and still be a good
house guest.
While your desire to live a life free of the eating of meat and perhaps a
meat byproducts like eggs and milk is not a eating disability, it is an
eating limitation. If you had a food allergy, perhaps to shell fish and
you were going to stay as a house guest with someone, you would not
feel any guilt letting them know your problem. If you can put your
vegetarian lifestyle in that context and prepare for your visit
accordingly, there doesn’t have to be any "stigma" or guilt or problems
bringing up your dietary needs with your host.
Your host, after all, naturally wants you to enjoy your stay in their
home. Anyone who is hosting has a natural instinct to make your stay
comfortable and perfect. You can capitalize on that instinct and be
polite about the desire your host has to make your stay go well but
working with your host to let him or her know about your vegetarian
diet and how it might impact food planning.

Haytham Al Fiqi
When you get the invitation to come for a stay, that is the time to
discuss what you can and cannot eat in your vegetarian discipline. If
you just avoid meat and not dairy and meat byproducts, it is very likely
your host or hostess can prepare their regular meals but also put
together a small main dish that fits your diet needs. And you can enjoy
the vegetable side dishes all you want so by working with your hosts,
you can easily integrate how you eat into their meal planning and not
disrupt the visit.
But also be aware that there are items that your host may not supply
that you may wish to bring with you or go get after your arrival. If you
need soy milk because cows milk is not part of your diet regimen, by all
means bring that in so your hosts are aware you are taking care of your
own needs. Just let them know what you are providing for yourself
and if the communication goes well, you can be accommodated and
your hosts will be grateful that you did not see it as their job to provide
for every aspect of your vegetarian program.
The other side of being a good house guest and not letting your
vegetarian way of life be a problem is to be both open about your
discipline and not judgmental or "preachy" to others about the fact that
they have not made the same diet decisions you have made. In fact,
you might even offer to prepare an entirely vegetarian meal for the host
family and your own one night just to demonstrate to them just how
delightful and tasty meat free eating can be. You may be surprised just
how interested and fascinated your friends and family are about your
diet and why you are a vegetarian. And by being friendly, open, loving
and easy to talk to, you make the visit more interesting, fun and warm
and you may even be able to educate your hosts and maybe your own
family about why your vegetarian way of life is a good one.

2- But What if Your Sweetheart Loves Meat?
The vegetarian culture is one that fosters a certain "snootiness" because
of our insistence on pure foods. It is also easy to get a superior attitude
because vegetarian living is clearly a superior way to live from a health
perspective and because so often our reasons for becoming a
vegetarian is grounded in moral, ethical or religious values. And this is
all well and good as long as you are functioning within the vegetarian
community exclusively.
But what if your sweetheart is a meat eater? If the one you are dating,
engaged to or even married to is not a vegetarian, that can lead to some
pretty delicate moments. The last thing the vegetarian movement is
about is hostility. So we have to have some guidelines on how to live
in peace and harmony if your romantic partner has not joined you in
your the vegetarian lifestyle.
Of course, one resolution is for your sweetheart to become a
vegetarian with you. You could go with the argument of, "well if you
loved me you would give up meat." But forcing someone to join the
vegetarian community out of guilt is a terrible reason to make that
change of life. Your sweetheart will just resent giving up a food he or
she loves and will probably cheat and eat meat when not around you.
That kind of tension, resentment and deception is no grounds for a
long term love affair.

Haytham Al Fiqi
A better way is to come to terms with your differences, find ways to
live with them and then see if down the road, your sweetheart might
convert of his own free will. The first step, as is true of any conflict in
an intimate relationship, is to talk about your differences openly. Sit
down and talk about where each of you is on this issue. Agree to
disagree. But also agree to find compromises and not to hold the other
in contempt or to mock the other for the life choices he or she has
made. By reaching a loving agreement, each of you can allow the other
to be who he or she is and the romance can continue as the dietary
dispute is resolved peacefully.
Together you can look for restaurants that offer both vegetarian dishes
and meat dishes so each of you can get what you want. Now you don’t
have to go to a restaurant that shouts in its advertising "We Serve
Vegetarians!" All a good restaurant needs is a few good menu entries
that are meatless and you can find what you want while your
sweetheart enjoys a meat dish. Most good restaurants offer a tempting
salad offering that you can customize so any meat, bacon bits, boiled
eggs or even cheese are left out. By working together to build a good
list of restaurants both of you can enjoy, you have a compromise for
date nights that will last a long time.
Finding ways for both of you to enjoy your diet of choice is a good
long term step. But your loved one may have a misconception that
vegetarian food can't taste good. So make a deal that he or she might
try it one night. Then you can put your best foot forward by preparing
a sumptuous vegetarian meal that nobody can resist. But be aware that
if you do try to make such a deal, you might have to agree to let your
sweetheart try to convert you back to the meat eating world with a
sumptuous home made meat based meal. If that is not ok with you,
don’t make the deal.

Above all, don’t mock or look upon your sweetheart's choice of diet
with distain or disgust. Don’t make the "eww" face each time your
date has a hamburger or a hot dog. Come to the point that you can
live with meat eaters and not feel repulsed when others eat the foods
you don’t approve of. After all, you would not your date to make the
"eww" face when you had a tofu burger or a big plate of steaming
vegetables instead of meat. So treat each other with respect and love.
Over time that approach will result in the best long term love affair and
maybe even see you come to a time when he or she sees the light and
joins you in the joys of vegetarianism.

Haytham Al Fiqi
3- Getting Restaurants in on the Act
Its one thing to move into a vegetarian discipline when it comes to
preparing your meals at home. But things get more complicated when
you go out to eat because you must be prepared to order appropriately
at a restaurant so you get good foods but foods that are in line with
your vegetarian way of life.
The first order of business that should rank high on your priorities
early in your vegetarian career is to find and try all of the vegetarian
restaurants in town. This list will come in handy when enjoying some
social time with like minded vegetarians or to eat on the run or from
work. Also these will be the kinds of restaurants where you can learn
what kinds of recipes to look for and what you like in a vegetarian
order.
But you won't take all your meals with other vegetarians. If you are like
most of us, you share your life with friends, loved ones and coworkers
who are not part of the vegetarian lifestyle. So learning to find good
vegetarian alternatives in all of the restaurants is one of the skills you
will become adept at the longer you remain a vegetarian which is
hopefully for life. One trick is that if you have a vote in the kind of
restaurant to choose, go for Chinese or Italian. Chinese restaurants
often have some great meatless offerings already on their menu so you
can order vegetarian and not even raise anyone suspicions.

Similarly because you find so many dishes in an Italian restaurant that
are pasta only, you can order a veggie pizza or just pasta with a nice
sauce or maybe some broccoli and enjoy a fine dinner that is totally in
step with your vegetarian rules. Any restaurant that already has a good
selection of meatless dishes that are not set apart as vegetarian are a
good choice because you can dine with your non-vegetarian friends and
family members and not call attention to the differences between you
and them. And since most restaurants have a good salad menu, that is
always a fall back in any restaurant situation.
If your vegetarian regimen is vegan so you must also avoid milk, eggs,
cheese or anything cooked in chicken or meat stock, you will have to
kick your vigilance up a notch. The good news is that the vegetarian
movement has become so large and wide spread that many restaurants
want to accommodate their vegetarian customers.
By letting your waiter know of your diet restrictions, he or she can
guide you to the items on the menu that fit your requirements. It is not
uncommon to see the manager or chef of the restaurant come to the
table to help you make a choice. Restaurants are in the business of
satisfying customers so they want to make sure you are happy with
their menu offerings. And by enlisting the aid of your restaurant staff
in a cooperative and friendly way, you send a positive message to your
dining companions that you can live a vegetarian lifestyle and still be a
happy member of the community in which you live.
Most of us have a short list of restaurants that we frequent often. But
every restaurant you go to wants to be on that short list and make you
a valued customer. So network with your vegetarian friends and do
your homework up front to find out which restaurants do well at
accommodating the lifestyle of their vegetarian or vegan customers.
Then develop your strategy for handling any situation where you find
yourself eating out so you can come out of that experience with a good
meal that fits your lifestyle and not miss out on the great social times
that we associate with the eating out experience.

Haytham Al Fiqi
4- How to Not Miss Meat
Even if your reasons for turning toward a vegetarian lifestyle are moral,
ethical or religious, it is common to miss the taste of meat especially
when you first start your walk as a vegetarian. The first rule to enforce
is not to feel guilty about that. Just loving meat doesn’t make you a
bad thing. After all, most of us are raised eating pork, chicken, beef
and other meats and if our parents did not have scruples about meat
consumption, you have that as part of your upbringing.
The good news is there are lots of substitutes for meat and wonderful
recipes you can use so you can eliminate meat from your diet and not
feel like you are "going without". The added benefit is that vegetarian
eating is much healthier for your body than a diet where meat is a
common ingredient. Meat carries such a higher incidence of calories
and fats that are harder for your body to digest and assimilate that you
are doing your body a big favor switching to a meatless lifestyle.
One way to still enjoy some of the aspects of meat but eliminate the
actual animal part is to go with meat substitutes in traditional meat
meals. Many restaurants serve veggie burgers where you get the good
taste and familiar meal that we all like about hamburgers but you are
still staying totally vegetarian. By shopping at markets and groceries
that are supportive of the vegetarian lifestyle, you can often find other
traditional meat meals prepared entirely without actual meat to help
you get past missing that source of protein.

A staple of vegetarian diet planning is Tofu. Tofu is made from Soya
beans so it is totally natural and a good fit to your vegetarian meal
planning. But it is full of proteins and it is a very flexible ingredient for
vegetarian recipes because it reflects the flavors of other foods and
herbs and it works well in dishes that use sauces so it can almost be
mistaken for a meat dish.
As you set about building your library of vegetarian recipes that are
designed to take meat out of the equation, you will often find Tofu as
one of the ingredients. That is because it works so well in lots of
different recipes and responds well to grilling, baking or any other
preparation method. Just be sure you take the time to dry your Tofu
by putting it on a towel and removing the excess moisture before using
it.
If your commitment to vegetarian living also meals the elimination of
animal products such as milk and cheese, soy milk has become
increasingly popular in the last few years with vegetarians and meat
eaters alike because if its health and diet benefits. Not only is it
delicious to drink as a beverage, it can replace milk in recipes just as
successfully.
To eliminate animal based cheese from your diet, you might try a
product called Tofutti. They offer many varieties of vegan chesses
including cheddar and mozzarella so you can enjoy that flavor with a
clear conscience. You can even find good substitutes for yogurt that is
made from tofu or soy milk so you don’t have to cut popular tastes
from your diet entirely.
Tofu is such a great meat substitute and an outstanding nutritional
source that you can even use it in traditional egg dishes such as quiches,
custard, omelets or any other meals that would emphasize an egg taste.
If you mix pureed tofu with your recipe, you could virtually serve an
egg dish even to a meat lover and they would not be able to tell that
you had them eating vegetarian.

Haytham Al Fiqi
As you continue to explore vegetarian cooking, there are a number of
other meat replacements that do well in various cooking contexts.
Tempah comes from a soy bean that has been fermented. Tempah
works well once you braise it in a sauce for about an hour. Once
prepared it can be fried in flower and served with a sauce for flavor and
be very satisfying.
One of the big projects of making the change to a vegetarian lifestyle is
learning ways to substitute healthy alternatives such as we have
discussed to take meat and meat products out of your diet. It will take
some learning but that learning can be fun as you reinvent cooking and
shopping to fit your new passion for vegetarian eating.

5- Is It Time for an Intervention?
"Guess what mom and dad, I'm a vegetarian!"
If those words would strike terror in your heart if it came from your
child, this article is for you. While we all are aware that vegetarians
walk amongst us, when someone we love becomes a vegetarian, its easy
to fear they have fallen in with some strange eastern cult and that we
should start looking into organizing an intervention before they go off
the deep end and go to South America to disappear forever into a
commune or follow some cult leader to doom because.
But before mom goes into hysterics or dad puts the kid in a padded
room, lets have a reasonable discussion about what it means when your
loved one becomes a vegetarian and what you can do to make sure they
are safe and still the same person you always have known and loved.
And the heart of being able to cope with the conversion of a child or a
loved one to vegetarianism is knowledge and understanding.
The truth is you have not lost your child to a cult or to another religion
if they become a vegetarian. In fact, you can still take them to church
and they can be the same religion they always were and also be a
devout vegetarian at the same time. That is because their decision to
not eat meat is primarily a dietary decision and it doesn’t have to mean
anything severe or odd about the one you love.
More and more normal and healthy people you already know have
made the move to a vegetarian lifestyle and it doesn’t change who they
are. There are primarily three reasons the one you love may have
decided to become a vegetarian or a vegan.

Haytham Al Fiqi
1. For health reasons. Eliminating meat from your diet is good for
you and it is an outstanding way to diet. If your loved one just
wants to eat more healthy, there is no reason to organize an
intervention to put a stop to that.
2. For ethical reasons because your loved one is upset about the cruel
and unethical treatment of animals who are raised for slaughter to
provide the meat industry with food to feed us. Even if you
disagree with this ethical position, eliminating meat from the diet is
not a radical thing to do. It is just a different lifestyle and a healthy
one at that.
3. for spiritual reasons. Most religions encourage some form of
fasting or limitation of excess in eating. Perhaps your loved one is
going through a time of greater religious devotion and not eating
meat helps with times of contemplation and prayer. Anyone would
see that as a good thing to be encouraged and supported.
Notice before the list we used the word "vegan". Don’t be afraid of
that word. If your child calls from college to say, "Guess what mom
and dad, I'm a vegan", that just means your child has become a
vegetarian but is following a culture of vegetarianism that is more
extreme than others.
Instead of overreacting and putting your loved one into an
intervention, the best response to learning he or she has become a
vegetarian is to learn more about it and encourage the move. Your
loved one can be a life long vegetarian and have nothing bad come of
it. If fact, he or she will live better and longer because of the decision.
Do some reading about what it means to live a vegetarian lifestyle and
be supportive in how you prepare meals or in what restaurants you
chose when spending time with your loved one.
Then be open to hear why your friend or family member made this
change in their life. Will they try to "convert" you to become a
vegetarian also. Perhaps. But by engaging in an open discussion of
what it means to be a vegetarian, you can express support for your
loved one without becoming a vegetarian yourself. And when you
make their decision normal and approved of as part of your family life,
it can enrich your loved ones life and yours too. Because becoming a
vegetarian is a very healthy step for anyone.

6- It’s a Diet AND a Community
Becoming a vegetarian is about a lot more than just changing what you
eat. That said, there is no question that making the transition to
vegetarian eating is one of the most positive things you can do for your
body from a diet perspective. It will take some adjustments to make
sure your vegetarian diet includes items that provide replacements for
the proteins and vitamins that will no longer be part of your food
intake when you stop eating meat. But there is an abundance of help in
the vegetarian community that can help you tailor your diet to meet all
your vitamin and nutritional needs and taste good too.
The community aspect of the vegetarian lifestyle is one of the things
that sets your decision to become a vegetarian apart from any other
"diet" decision you could have made. That is because vegetarianism is
about more than just diet, it is about community and it is about
lifestyle. Its good for you to be aware that as you begin to explore your
new life as a vegetarian, you are by far not alone and there is an entire
subculture all around you that can be of help in what you are trying to
do.
It is appropriate to call the community of vegetarians a subculture
because, like any culture, there are various levels and "tribes" of
vegetarians usually organized around the motivation for being a
vegetarian in the first place. Naturally, we know that many people start
living a vegetarian lifestyle because of the health benefits. But even
without a lot of teaching or group activities to reinforce it, this one
change to your diet is very likely going to change lots of aspects of your
life that you might not ordinarily associate with diet.

Haytham Al Fiqi
There is a purity and a naturalness to the vegetarian way of life that
generates health from the inside out. Not long after you have gone
completely vegetarian and you no longer are eating meat of any kind
you will notice your sleep is deeper, you are more alert during the day
and your digestion and elimination systems are far more effective and
untroublesome. It is well known that the physical body and that side
of you known as the soul are linking so as you purify your body, you
will find your ability to focus on spiritual or intellectual things more
powerful as well.
When you find your life changing for the better in such unexpected
ways, you will have joined millions who have discovered the "hidden
benefits" of a vegetarian life. And that huge subculture is one of the
most encouraging and nurturing cultures in the world. As you strive to
perfect your vegetarian program, you don’t have to work on it alone.
By simply reaching out to the large vegetarian population locally, you
will find encouragement, help, advice and support to help you "make
it" through the transition from a life of eating meat to the purer

7- approach to diet that is what being a vegetarian is all
about.
The vegetarian community and culture is a rich one where you can
enhance your new lifestyle with an amazing library of reading material,
with an constantly expanding supply or recipes and with a address
book full of phone numbers of new friends and groups who meet
regularly to be together in their quest for a better physical, mental and
spiritual life through vegetarianism. It will be a natural thing to seek
out new friendships in these communities. And you should feel free to
explore and enjoy them fully. These cultures will help you, encourage
you and make your commitment to a vegetarian diet a lifelong one.
Life Without Meat
Becoming a vegetarian is about a lot more than just a change to your
diet. It is a lifestyle choice that influences many aspects of your life
separate from just what you put into your body for food. This is why
the path from when you first considered taking on the life of a
vegetarian to when you are finally ready to make that transition may be
several weeks or months. The journey to that moment when you are
ready must not be rushed. Because not only is it a physical journey
toward a physical change of diet, it is a spiritual, ethical and emotional
journey as well.

Haytham Al Fiqi
Life without meat will mean a new approach to meal preparation that
means new recipes and new ways to shop for the foods you need. This
becomes additionally complex if you are living with those who have
not made the choice to become vegetarians. If you are charged with
meal preparation, that means two menus per night. If someone else is
the primary cook of the house, that means you will need some
accommodation so you can have a vegetarian meal while others are
eating meat. That is going to take some relationship building and some
tolerance by you and by the meat lovers in your home so everybody
can dine in peace.
Being a vegetarian in a world of meat eaters may be one of the biggest
adjustments you may have to make. But be prepared for some cravings
for meat as well. At first, it might be wise to ease into vegetarianism so
you still get some protein from meat while your body gets used to a
lowered intake of that food group. This is also important because it
will take a few weeks or longer to find a diet that has adequate
substitutes for the nutrients and vitamins you are taking out of your
body because of your new diet. By leaving meat in your eating
schedule for a short time, you are less prone to feel run down or
endure vitamin deficiencies during the transition to a full vegetarian
eating regimen.
Many times a vegetarian lifestyle is part of a larger change of life which
may also incorporate yoga, meditation or other spiritual activities. If
your sole reason for becoming a vegetarian is related to health, this may
not be as much of an issue. But if you are feeling drawn to a vegetarian
life without meat because of ethical, moral or spiritual reasons, your
desire to embrace vegetarianism is no doubt part of a larger spiritual
quest or renewal that you are going though. This is healthy and the
more you fully embrace your new interest in this side of your
personality and soul, the more your desire to be a vegetarian will fit a
total change of life.

But one of the most delightful surprises you will enjoy when you
embrace the lifestyle of a vegetarian will be the number of others who
will join you in your quest for a cleaner and more spiritual way to treat
your body. The vegetarian community is a large one and it will
welcome you warmly with community, support and all the help they
can provide. But even from the community of those who are not
vegetarians, you will often find friends and loved ones very supportive
of the change of life you are going through and they will seek to help
you all they can.

Haytham Al Fiqi
8- Little Secrets Vegetarians Know
Most people who don’t know anything about the vegetarian lifestyle
think that is must be pure drudgery being a vegetarian and giving up
meat. That is a misconception because even though meat is not a part
of a vegetarian diet, it isn't about what you are going without, it is what
is in your diet and in your life that makes a vegetarian lifestyle work so
well. If you actually interviewed a vegetarian, the last thing they would
say is that they are all about not eating meat. Instead they are about
living in healthy way in a way that is at peace with the environment and
with their own bodies.
The body of knowledge about vegetarians that most people don’t know
is pretty astounding. Most people do understand the basic three
reasons someone becomes a vegetarian which are health, animal rights
and spiritual or moral reasons. But there are a number of side benefits
and little secrets only vegetarians know that if they became
popularized, the flood of converts to vegetarianism would be
overwhelming. Some of those little secrets include…
. Vegetarians are not depressed as much as others because they
know some secrets to overcoming depression naturally.
. Vegetarians do not struggle with weight issues as much as others.
. Vegetarians are better informed about nutrition and know how to
make the most of what they eat.
. Vegetarians sleep better, are more energetic and need less sleep
than meat eaters.
. Vegetarians have a much reduced incidence of cancer, heart disease
and digestive disorders.
. Vegetarians live longer than meat eaters.

One secret vegetarians know that gets almost no press is the power of
walnuts. There is a little known chemical in walnuts called serotonin
that is a powerful antidepressant. Now you can get your doctor to
prescribe an artificial anti depressant which can cost you a lot of money
and put you at risk for chemical dependency. Or you can make a nice
hot cup of tea with walnut as part of the mix. About half a walnut shell
mixed in with your regular tea brew fills the drink with serotonin.
Taken regularly, you will feel the effects of a chemical pick me up that
can combat depression very effectively.
Another little secret of vegetarians runs against the normal rules of
dieting to get the full value of nutrients you might expect from eating a
salad. Diet theory would have you use no salad dressing or at very least
a zero fat or low fat salad dressing. Vegetarians who are more in touch
with the effects of foods in their bodies know that the real value of
eating salad are the natural nutrients in leafy vegetables called
carotenoids. But science has shown us that the best way to pull
cerotenoids from green vegetables is to use a higher fat salad dressing.
So enjoy that fatty dressing because your vegetarian lifestyle will deliver
plenty of weight loss value to you even with this small indulgence that
can do you so much good.
Speaking of tea, green tea is often a staple of a vegetarians diet because
of the little health secrets buried in this amazing drink. Green tea has
powers to help your digestive system, help combat depression and to
accelerate weight loss that ancient cultures like the Chinese and India
have known for centuries. Vegetarians have caught up on this secret of
health knowledge ahead of us so its time well learned from their
wisdom.
These are just a few of the wisdom of the ancients that have been
rediscovered by the modern vegetarian "craze". But it really isn't a
craze because once you start living a healthy life cashing in on these
many benefits a vegetarian lifestyle will give you, you will never want to
go back.

Haytham Al Fiqi
9- Living With Meat Eaters
Sometimes the biggest obstacle you face when you make a decision to
become a vegetarian is not adapting to your new diet. It could be that
an even bigger challenge is how to deal with your relationship with
friends, family and coworkers as you make your new devotion to a
vegetarian lifestyle known to them. So it’s a good idea to think through
the issues you may encounter so you can smoothly integrate your new
passion for vegetarian living with your lifestyle in general.
When someone who is not a vegetarian learns of your decision, their
first reaction may be shock and confusion. You may remember when
you first learned of the vegetarian way of life, there are a lot of
misperceptions that becoming a vegetarian means you are converting
to a strange religion and that you are no longer the same person you
used to be. You may see that reaction in the eyes of your family,
friends or coworkers and mixed in with a concern that you have "gone
off the deep end" is a worry that you will no longer be able to enjoy
meals with them or, worst case, you will become pushy that they too
join you in your new diet and belief system.
The best way to make sure your relationships with others is not
adversely changed by your new lifestyle is to think out how you will tell
others and how to manage their reactions. Much of how you craft the
way you present your feelings about becoming a vegetarian will reflect
your reasons for adopting this new lifestyle. If you are interested in
vegetarian eating primarily for diet purposes, its natural we all have our
own diet preferences.

A diet driven vegetarian regime is something that should not cause any
uneasiness in those you are close with. The key then is to present your
decision to become a vegetarian so they know it is primarily a health
and diet choice. If they know that there are not large ethical or
religious issues in your decision, that will take much of the "stigma" of
becoming a vegetarian out of your time together, even during meal
time.
Your openness about your diet decisions will be very important to the
ones in your life who buy the food and prepare it. If you can find
recipes that can be integrated with the meat eaters recipes so the cook
(even if that is you) doesn’t have to prepare two full meals, that takes a
lot of the overhead out of living in a house of meat lovers and still
maintaining your vegetarian standards.
If your reasons for becoming a vegetarian are ethical or religious, then
the more you foster open communication will make all the difference.
First of all, decide where you stand on being with others who do not
share your views. After all, deciding to become a vegetarian out of
your desire for ethical treatment of animals is a noble cause. But we all
have to deal with the fact that not everybody shares our views. So if
you are avoiding meat for that reason and a close friend or relative
orders the steak at a restaurant, it really is more your responsibility to
deal with that than it is for the meat lover.
Naturally you want to share your ethical or religious values with those
you are close to. But you cannot do that if you make them
uncomfortable or make them feel like that want to distance themselves
from you. So be patient. First help them accept your new lifestyle.
Then as they come to accept this part of you and they relax knowing
you that you accept them in the same way you want to be accepted,
they can express curiosity and you can share your feelings and values.
That is the best way to share your feelings and to help others
understand what being a vegetarian is all about. And who knows, you
might even win some converts is you use an open and patient approach
to showing others how you feel.

Haytham Al Fiqi
10- Low Fuss Vegetarian Cooking
"I can't become a vegetarian because I don't have the time to work up
complicated vegetarian meals."
That is a common misconception about what it means to life the
lifestyle of a vegetarian. Oh yes, it is possible to become a fanatic
about exotic vegetarian meals or to become so extreme about limiting
not only meat but anything but vegetables from your diet that meal
planning and preparation has to become the only other thing in your
life other than work, school or taking care of your family. But as is true
in any area of life, there are the extremes and the fanatics and then
there is how the rest of us live.
Most vegetarians are not full time devotees to their desire to live meat
free. So these hard working friends and coworkers of yours who have
"gone vegetarian" have found ways to prepare good wholesome meals
with little fuss so they can work a healthy diet into an already busy
lifestyle. We can learn a lot from how they do it so we don't let the
alleged "fuss" of being vegetarian stop us from enjoying all the benefits
this lifestyle can bring.
In truth, vegetarian eating should by its very nature be easier than
preparing meals with meats because few of us eat raw meat but most of
us can eat raw vegetables and enjoy them. So with some well thought
out grocery shopping, you can keep the basics on hand so the
vegetarians in your household can come home and put together a fast
vegetarian meal with very little difficulty.

Many vegetarian families take a weekend afternoon and go to the store
together to stock up on things they know they will turn to for meals
throughout the week. By making sure you keep wholesome breads,
fresh fruit and vegetables and cereals around all the time, your family
can grab a quick breakfast of toast and cereal which will serve them
well all day long. That night, anyone in the family can combine fresh
vegetables and lettuce or spinach into a salad quickly and dine like a
gourmet in a matter of moments. Remember to keep the little extras
that make a salad special on hand such as nuts, shredded carrots,
cheese if your diet permits it and a good variety of low fat salad
dressings so you always have a salad to fall back on for a quick and easy
evening meal.
The crock pot is the savior of many a working family and the same is
true for vegetarians. Few vegetables do not go together well in a soup
or a stew. So with a little planning, you can put together a delicious
blend of vegetables, beans and spices in the crock pot in the morning
and have a steamy and delicious meal waiting for you when you walk in
the door after work. And with a couple cups of water, you create a rich
and nutritious stock that goes well with the meal or can be used
afterwards as the base for rice or another dish and that carries all the
nutrients of the original crock pot soup with it with each new meal.
The microwave oven can also do a lot to help your vegetarian cooking
be easy to do. With a little low fat cooking spray, you can sauté onions,
peppers, potatoes, garlic and many other ingredients that can come out
of the crock pot ready to be used in a simple dinner recipe. A fall back
for easy dinner cooking is to prepare a good sized bowl of freshly
warmed or sautéed vegetables and combine that with two cups of
brown rice cooked in vegetable broth (from a previous soup) and a can
of low far soup. The result is a fast stew that will be gobbled up by
your family.
There is no reason to avoid the vegetarian lifestyle because you are a
busy family. If anything by embracing vegetarianism, you are
embracing a more simple way of life that works very well with an active
work and family life. And you will be eating healthier as well which
benefits everyone along the way.

Haytham Al Fiqi
11- Soup Skills of Vegetarians
If anything could be considered the heart of great vegetarian cooking it
would be the soup. Because soup gives the cook so much freedom to
combine various vegetables and herbs, the variety of tastes and
consistencies is virtually endless. And because soups capture almost all
of the nutrients of the cooking process in the soups stock, it is a dish
that meets the highest of nutritional standards will being delicious,
hearty and satisfying at the same time.
Another great thing about basing your vegetarian diet plan on soups
and stews is that it fits so well with a busy modern lifestyle. Just
because you are a vegetarian, you still are busy with work, family and
social responsibilities. But with a big crock pot, you can put together a
soup for the family that is just as good as if you had labored over it for
hours. And when everyone has had their fill of soup, there is no waste
because every drop of the excess can be refrigerated for another meal
later or frozen be on hand down the road. All of these aspects of soups
fill perfectly with the vegetarian way of life.
Creativity should become the guiding principle of your soup planning
particularly if you are going to make soups every week for your
vegetarian family. Naturally you will have your favorite recopies that
everybody will clamor for each week. But every so often, start with a
basic soup stock and then get creative from there. You can use as a
foundation for y our soup the basics of onions, garlic and the base
vegetables such as carrots or celery. But many vegetables will serve
well as "surprise guests" in your soup of the week that will not show up
every week. Such vegetables as potatoes, cabbage, peppers, cucumbers,
watermelon, tomatoes and many more can add tremendous variety to
your soup tastes and keep the soup concept constantly new and fresh
as a staple of your vegetarian family meal planning.

One cooking skill you should invest some time in to become a top
notch vegetarian soup cook is to know your spices. A soup can get
pretty bland even with the best of ingredients but the wise and clever
use of spices can make a soup come alive with flavor. Each soup
ingredient interacts with spices differently. And you can change the
very nature of a soup with nothing more than the addition of a few
spices. With the addition of cumin and chili powder, a routine tomato
soup becomes vegetarian chili. With the addition of Mexican spices, a
run of the mill bean soup becomes vegetarian taco soup that can be as
spicy as you want it to be. So learn to experiment with spices and get
to know what kind of personality different spices like oregano, thyme,
rosemary, lemon extract, cilantro and parsley can add to your soup.
Soups are also a wonderful way to blend in lots of different ingredients
that your family might not otherwise eat. And since a big priority in
vegetarian meal planning is to assure that your family gets the proper
nutrition from each meal, you can add beans, rice, tofu and other
staples from the vegetarian pantry to expand the nutritional value of
your soup so it not only is delicious, it is filling and very healthy as well.
It is possible that at times your family may grow tired of soup after
soup. So you might want to experiment with thickening the soup so
that by the end of the preparation process, you have a stew that is just
as good as soup but has much less liquid broth to present to your
hungry vegetarians. Many cooks use cornstarch or flour to turn the
broth into more of a paste before serving. Another clever device is to
use instant potatoes that are sold in packages of flakes. By sprinkling a
package into your soup, the flakes will soak up the soup and add that
rich potato flavor to your stew.
Have fun with your soup creations and always be on the lookout for
new and interesting soup recipes. The vegetarian web sites and blogs
are a constant source of new innovations on the standard soup idea.
But by being creative and vigilant in keeping your soups always new
and fun, you can use the basic concept as the cornerstone of your
vegetarian cooking for many years.

Haytham Al Fiqi
12- The Good of Vegetarianism
Sometimes the only thing really holding you back from making the big
step of becoming a vegetarian is to come to a firm grasp of what good
you will get from it. Too often we see eating right and cutting meat
from our diet as a drudgery and something we "should do" but we
don’t want to. But becoming a vegetarian is a big life change and one
that you should make with every intent of remaining a vegetarian for
life. The only way to make that kind of life change "stick" is to have
some concrete and desirable positive outcomes that you will realize
from the change. If there is "something in it for you" besides being
seen as a good person because you "should" do it, you will embrace
the change more enthusiastically.
One big advantage that a vegetarian lifestyle can bring you is that it is a
lot less fuss to life as a vegetarian and it is far less expensive. It doesn’t
take a very extensive trip to the grocery store to realize that even a
small slab of steak or a pound of hamburger is far more expensive than
a head of cabbage or a bunch of carrots. Your food costs can plummet
if you simplify your life and eat only meatless dishes. And your food
will last longer in storage.
One advantage that many new converts to vegetarianism notice but
that don’t get much coverage is how much better their digestive
systems will work without the heavy load that meat places on your
insides. Not only will you digest your food more easily, you will not
feel that "heavy and sluggish" sensation and you will sleep better and
even have better sex. That is because the negative impact of animal
muscle on your intestines will disappear. You will also notice it in your
lower intestines and your elimination. In every way, the functioning of
your internal mechanisms will be much smoother when you only give it
meatless meals to live on.

The health benefits are probably the motivation that convinces most
people to adopt a meat free diet. The simple fact is that science has
proven that humans are not natural meat eaters. Yes we can live on
meat but our systems are not well suited to digest the heavy food that
meat represents in your digestive system.
Many of the most chronic national health problems can be traced to
meat consumption. Everything from obesity to cancer to heart disease
to aging seems to be linked to the consumption of meat. Because meat
is so much more difficult on our internal systems to digest, utilize and
eliminate, the impact on your insides is devastating. Vegetarians do not
suffer with as high an incidence of colon cancer, heart disease or
obesity.
As many high priced weight loss programs as there are, there may be
no more effective one and one that can be done for virtually no cost is
to just stop eating meat. You rarely meet a fat vegetarian because there
is just not very much in a nonfat meal to become fat. Vegetables
quickly convert to energy, deliver vitamins to your systems and the
remnant leave your system without difficulty so your metabolism will
naturally speed up so you lose weight.
The moral, ethical and spiritual reasons for becoming a vegetarian are
also well known. Many religions call for a diet of no meat and frequent
fasting. A vegetarian diet gives you much greater control over your
appetite so you can observe religious disciplines that call for physical
denial for a short time and get all of the spiritual good from them.
Besides the spiritual values, more and more people are becoming aware
that eating meat is unethical or immoral. It is not "kooky" or crazy to
see that the raising of animals for us to kill and eat seems barbaric for
an evolved culture such as ours. It is easy to find horror stories of the
gruesome ways that animals are slaughtered to become our food. To
become part of the solution rather part of the problem is appealing to
many people who have a conscience. And vegetarianism is part of the
solution that if all of us embraced vegetarianism, it would be a better
world for everyone.

Haytham Al Fiqi
13- The "How" of Vegetarianism
Sometimes the real obstacle of making that big change in your life to
becoming a vegetarian is not the "why" of making this big change in
your lifestyle but the how. Its not hard to find good reasons to
eliminate meat from your diet. There are moral reasons, spiritual
reasons and above all health reasons that make the change a perfect fit
for where you are in life right now.
But what really stops a lot of people from making this very positive
change in their personal lives is not knowing exactly how to make the
transition. So its a good idea to think through what it will mean to
become a vegetarian so we can remove the mystery from what you are
about to do.
There is no sugar coating the fact that a significant change in diet such
as you will experience switching to a vegetarian lifestyle is going to take
some getting used to. It is also going to call for some self discipline on
your part to make the transition. Yes, you will be more healthy and
probably feel better ethically when you can honestly tell the world, "I
am a vegetarian". But the transition can be a challenge.
That is why one of the big steps in making the change is to be well in
touch with your priorities and reasons for becoming a vegetarian. This
is the most important in the first weeks of your new lifestyle as you get
used to the diet and the health effects on your system. And since most
vegetarian diets go through an adjustment period as you assure you are
going to get enough protein and vitamins, you will have a lot of new
sensations and things going on inside that will take some patience to
get through.

So be sure of your motivations and go back to that "mantra" of why
you decided to make this change in your life in the first place. And like
any great goal, if you truly believe in what you are doing, you will push
through the rough patches because you want to live right and enjoy the
benefits of eating and living in a way that is harmonious with the
environment and with your own bodily needs.
Sometimes the reason we hold back from taking the plunge on
becoming vegetarians comes from a fear that is grounded in lack of
information. So the obvious solution is to learn all you can about your
diet and what to expect as you begin living the life of a vegetarian. The
top priority in your new education program is how to create a diet that
meets your nutritional needs as well as provides you with sufficient
variety to be satisfying without the presence of meat. The good news is
that there are a huge variety of web sites and books you can use to
learn how to supplements your diet so you get what you need
nutritionally to begin your life as a vegetarian.
A big decision to make and one you should think through before you
start your path to the life of a vegetarian is how you will make the
transition. You may be enthusiastic and want to go "cold turkey" or a
very harsh vegetarian regimen. But is not advised as it will increase the
chances you will experience more severe reactions to cutting out so
much of your diet. Remember your body is used to a certain level of
eating. So make changes slowly one at a time and ease into your new
vegetarian lifestyle.
If there is any question about whether a vegetarian diet is right for you,
seek medical advice before starting to make such a big change to what
you eat each day. Your doctor can help you make sure you are getting
enough vitamins for ongoing health and that you are planning meals
that give you sufficient protein and nutrients so your active lifestyle is
not hurt by your new eating discipline.
By begin smart, consulting with your doctor and being aware of your
nutritional and vitamin needs as you start to change your diet and
lifestyle, you will gently ease into a vegetarian life. And as you do so,
you can celebrate that you are not just moving away from a bad diet
but moving toward one you will enjoy and one that will benefit your
health for a long time to come.

Haytham Al Fiqi
14- The Lifestyle of a Vegetarian
One of the biggest injustices that the vegetarian movement has
endured is that in popular culture, the image of a vegetarian is that of a
fanatic hippy or cult member who is "off the deep end" and cannot
think about anything else besides "saving a cow" and pushing
vegetarianism on everyone he meets. The truth is that the lifestyle of a
vegetarian is not that different than everyone else in the culture. In
fact, the odds are that somewhere in your social circle at work, school,
church or in your family and friends network, you already know several
people who are quietly enjoying the lifestyle of a vegetarian. So to help
us get over the negative stereotypes to understand how a vegetarian
actually lives, lets examine what is different about a vegetarians life.
The most significant difference in how a vegetarian lives is obvious
because it is in how he or she eats. You will not find any meat in a
vegetarian's kitchen. Now this doesn’t mean that a vegetarian cannot
live in a family and be at peace with meat eaters. If the home has one
vegetarian but others who are not, you will be able to tell from the
presence of soy and perhaps more fruit and fresh vegetables in the
refrigerator. But the idea that vegetarians cannot be around meat
eaters is false. If anything vegetarians are peace loving and can live
their lifestyle around others who are not of their belief system very
well.

Grocery shopping with a vegetarian is an eye opening experience and
one that is quite different in more ways than you would suspect. Being
a vegetarian isn't just about what you don't eat in that you don't eat
meat. It is also about a completely different approach to diet and
foods. So you will not see a vegetarian buying food in the same way
most people do. There will be much more time spent in the fresh
produce section of the grocery store. The checkout basket of a
vegetarian will give him or her away every time because it will be
overflowing with fresh foods.
But shopping for food with a vegetarian means shopping in other
places than the local grocery store. It means buying grains and beans in
bulk at a warehouse store because that is one way that a vegetarian
maintains health by replacing the protein and other nutrients that the
rest of the world gets from meat and replacing it with proteins from
beans and other natural foods. It also means shopping in farmer's
markets and even shopping in a vegetarian specialty store for some
high nutrition meat substitutes like tofu.
The vegetarian movement is in harmony with many of the earth first
movements such as the organic movement and the green movement.
So a vegetarian kitchen will have more organic foods on hand to
reduce the presence of harmful pesticides and other substances in the
diet. Also vegetarianism affects the lifestyle beyond just the
refrigerator and the pantry. You will not find leather clothing in a
vegetarian's closet and you wont find fur there either. That is became
for the most part vegetarians are sensitive to animal rights and they
don't want to see the skin of animals used in their clothing.
The house of a vegetarian will also be a recycling house to do all that is
possible to cut down on waste and to be earth friendly. Along with
recycling bottles and cans as you might expect, a vegetarian recycles a
lot right at home. A recycling home will often have a compost pile in
the yard for food waste and it will also support a good sized garden to
use that compost to grow at home organic foods to supplement a
healthy diet.

Haytham Al Fiqi
For obvious reasons, a vegetarian will have vegetarian friends and
belong to social groups and attend functions that support the
vegetarian lifestyle. Eating out with a vegetarian will mean going to
more ethnic food restaurants and you will see a lot of creativity in how
to order foods in a restaurant. But contrary to popular opinion,
vegetarian eating is more flavorful and diverse than the normal diet.
Just spending a day with a vegetarian will reveal to you a more
harmonious lifestyle that is sensitive to the environment and at peace
with itself. It is a healthy and happy lifestyle and one that should be
attractive to all of us.

15- The Passion and the Hobby of Vegetarianism
It is going to take some effort to make the transition to a meat free
lifestyle and to be able to proudly say "I am a vegetarian." But instead
of feeling intimidated by that prospect, what is called for is for you to
not only make living healthy and without meat your passion in life,
make it your hobby.
The distinction between a passion and a hobby is important. Your
passion in life is what drives you to learn all you can about your new
lifestyle of vegetarianism. When you first make the transition or are
preparing for the transition, it is natural to become obsessed with not
only the reasons for becoming a vegetarian but the lifestyle you will
enjoy when you finish making the change. You should allow yourself
to let being a vegetarian a true passion of yours.
Its also easy to let your vegetarian lifestyle be a passion when you start
to spend time with "die hard" vegetarians. Their enthusiasm is
contagious and their devotion to what they are doing is apparent. Not
only are the health reasons for making this change enough to make a
zealot out of any of us, the ethics of not eating animals and the
morality and even religious rationales for eliminating meat from your
system can make your vegetarian lifestyle as important to you as love of
family and devotion to God.

Haytham Al Fiqi
Now everybody who becomes a vegetarian gets to the zealot stage.
But it is a lifestyle that is so full of rich culture and the fun of exploring
that culture as well as learning to cook and eat the vegetarian way can
become something that you want to think about all the time. When
you get to that stage that you are living and breathing vegetarianism
and that you are actually having a lot of fun learning about your new
culture and lifestyle, then you will have gained the momentum to make
the leap into a vegetarian life that will carry you to success.
A hobby is like a passion and many of us get very passionate about our
hobbies. But along with allowing your new meat free life to be your
passion, make it a hobby. The difference is that over time you can
sustain your devotion to a hobby but at a more steady and measured
pace. Think of other hobbies like model building or bowling.
Devotees genuinely enjoy the time they spend in their hobby. And for
the most part that hobby is something they probably will be involved in
for life. But it isn't all they live and breathe. It is part of life not all of
life.
Over time, your vegetarian lifestyle will move from a passion to a
hobby. But it should be such a integral part of your life that it can be a
great hobby and one you go back to weekly if not daily to enjoy
partaking in your lifestyle. There is a lot of diversity in the vegetarian
lifestyle that will keep you fascinated for months and years. Between
the shopping for great ingredients for your next dish to the cooking,
preparing, presentation and dining experience to the quest for the next
great recipe to the time you spend with other vegetarians, it really is a
lifestyle as well as a diet choice. So let it be a great hobby as well as
your passion in life because the life of vegetarianism will make such a
huge contribution to your quality of life that it will be worth your
devotion to it.

16- The Rules of Being a Vegetarian
Becoming a vegetarian is not like joining a club or enlisting in an army.
There is a lot of freedom and leverage to how "deep" you go into the
vegetarian lifestyle and how intense and limiting you make your diet.
So while there really are no "rules" for becoming a vegetarian, there are
some scales of severity to be aware of so you know where you wish to
enter the vegetarian world and how much you want to limit your diet.
And there are some guidelines for how to be successful in your quest
for a healthier and more ethical way of life.
The first thing to be aware of is that the extremes of vegetarian diets
have a lot of variety to them. You can considered a vegetarian by
eliminating only beef, chicken and animal meats from your diet. This
approach to vegetarianism is the easiest place to start because you can
still get your protein from eating fish, cheese, eggs and other dairy
products so you don’t feel so deprived at first. Then if you are
successful in eliminating animal meats, you can then consider going
further into the vegetarian lifestyle.
Its good to be educated about the varieties of vegetarianism because
you may be talking to an enthusiast in the lifestyle that is of a "camp"
that is not right for you. The cultures or genres of vegetarianism
include…
. Lacto vegetarianism - this is a nice next step from just eliminating
animal meats from your diet because you add eggs and dairy to
your list of things to avoid. Many people who are interested in
vegetarianism for ethical reasons because of their desire not to
cause suffering to animals like this approach because eating eggs
and dairy encourages those industries to continue to victimize
chickens and cows.

Haytham Al Fiqi
. Lacto-ovo vegetarianism is the formal name for the very basic kind
of vegetarianism we started our discussion with where you can
continue to enjoy diary and egg products. Most vegetarians can be
comfortable with this approach because you get many of the health
benefits from eliminating animal meat from your diet and you are
doing something to help the animal rights cause without going
extreme
. Ovo-vegetarianism is another variety of vegetarians that eliminates
meat and dairy but allows you to have eggs as a staple of your diet
to continue to get protein from your morning omelet. Its another
compromise but a nice step to a next step if you want to move on
to more restrictive diets as you get used to each step along the way
. Veganism is not a religion but it is the most restrictive form of
vegetarianism because you eliminate meat, all dairy and even honey
and become a pure vegetarian. For many this is too extreme or
maybe a goal for the future.
If you were to attend a class on "how to become a vegetarian", the
rules for being successful would be the same most of the time. Those
rules call for you to resist the urge to get radical about your diet and to
start day one at the Vegan level after eating meat for most of your life.
The impact on your body can be extreme and you do not give yourself
time to learn how to eat in a healthy way to replace the nutrients and
vitamins in meat with natural vegetarian substitutes.
It is highly advised you take it slow and ease into your vegetarian
program. If you are too extreme, vitamin deficiencies can leave you
open to disease. And if you get sick from a too aggressive approach to
vegetarianism, you may give up and miss out on the many benefits the
vegetarian lifestyle has for you. And that would be a tremendous
tragedy.

17- The Social Vegetarian
Whenever you make a major change in your lifestyle, having a strong
support group around you is crucial. And the decision to become a
vegetarian is definitely a major change of lifestyle. So one of the best
ways you can ensure your success in making this transition is to build a
strong support structure around you for support, friendship and advice.
This does not mean you are not going to continue to maintain your
existing friendships and relationships.
But our friendship network is always going to reflect our values. And
when you make the change to a vegetarian way of life, your values to
reflect the new priorities in your life. So you will want to be able to
spend time with people who not only understand your reasons for
becoming a vegetarian but know the ins and out of the lifestyle you are
learning. So making it an ambition to find new friendships in the
vegetarian community makes good sense.
The vegetarian movement is closely tied to the "green" and organic
movements so you can find "haunts" around town where these kinds
of people gather. Natural food stores or even clothing stores that
focus on organic materials will also have a clientele that are no doubt
vegetarian. Vegetarianism is also popular on college campuses and in
the bohemian parts of society so you may find a good resource of new
friends in those café's and coffee houses. And these populations will
provide you with very colorful and fascinating people as to build a
support group around as well.

Haytham Al Fiqi
While you are visiting these local "hang outs" where the vegetarian
community shops or dines, keep an eye on the public bulletin boards
or other announcement resources. There you will find lecture series,
clubs, vegetarian cooking classes and schools and other social events
where the vegetarian community will gather. Any costs associated with
being involved with these kinds of organizations and taking classes that
further your knowledge of the vegetarian lifestyle will pay off. Not
only will you learn a lot, you will come out of such events with plenty
of new friends you can use to build your new vegetarian social world
around.
The larger vegetarian world is a rich source of information for you
about your new lifestyle. By subscribing to newsletters and researching
vegetarian issues at the library or your local public library, you are going
to be drawn to the local vegetarian subculture as well. By being
proactive in finding new social contacts, your support group will grow
quickly.
The internet is another rich source of new friendships and vegetarian
social contacts that you can explore entirely online but might open up
new contacts for you locally as well. Message boards, newsletters,
email lists and chat rooms that are devoted to the vegetarian lifestyle.
These online sources will also point you to local events and new groups
forming up based on the vegetarian way of life. But you can take the
initiative and build an online community that you then sponsor social
gatherings. By having your new vegetarian friends over to share
recipes, enjoy a dinner and talk about vegetarian, green and healthy
living issues, you not only make new friends that understand you, you
are making the vegetarian community stronger for the next person who
might come along after you who will also need the support and
friendship of you and others in your local setting to encourage their big
step into this lifestyle.

18- The Teenage Vegetarian
Because the younger generation is often more in touch with world
culture than adults, teenagers are in general more attuned to the
environmental movement, to issues involving organic farming and with
the reasons for becoming a vegetarian. So as more and more
teenagers experiment with vegetarianism, the better informed they are
about what it really means to live meat free, the better. Then even if
they do not continue their lifestyle as a vegetarian, their experience was
an educational one and they will be well informed should be chose to
continue as a vegetarian in later life.
For parents of teenagers who wish to explore the vegetarian lifestyle,
there are more reasons to celebrate than worry. There are numerous
health benefits to developing a vegetarian diet and if their new passion
reduces the amount of fast food and junk food they eat, that's a good
thing. You will naturally worry if your teenager is getting enough
protein if they forgo the eating of meat. By helping them learn about a
well rounded vegan or vegetarian diet, they can derive all of their
nutritional needs from natural foods and realize the many benefits of a
vegetarian life along the way.
A basic level of knowledge your teen should become educated about
early on is the various scales of severity that they can "go for" in their
move into a vegetarian lifestyle. Many times a teenager just wants to be
able to stake the claim to being a vegetarian. In that case, simply giving
up meat may be sufficient. It is possible to design a program like that
and still enjoy cheese, eggs, fish and diary and the transition to such a
diet is not as extreme.

Haytham Al Fiqi
Another word of caution that your teen may take to heart if they seek
adult counsel about trying a vegetarian lifestyle is the difficulty of
making the transition. Teenagers are naturally impulsive and extreme
so they may just "go vegetarian" in one day so they can go to school
and lay claim to the title. But they can still have that reward and plan
to ease into a vegetarian discipline and avoid the problems that an
extreme change of diet can cause, especially for active teen bodies. For
example, even if the new teen vegetarian just excludes meat from one
meal, that still counts as starting their path toward a meat free life. And
if that is not sufficient for your youngster, just cutting meat out of
lunch and dinner may be enough.
One of the biggest concerns that you should help your teen be ware of
is their vitamin needs in any new diet program. While a switch to a
total vegetable diet will have many positive influences, you should
make sure they are getting enough protein and other essential vitamins
that they used to get from meat in their diet. Calcium, B12, zinc and
iron are all essential vitamins especially to young people that must be
found elsewhere if they decide to stop eating meat. You can help your
teenager enjoy a successful exploration of the vegetarian lifestyle and
not face health risks by just being aware of their vitamin needs and
making sure they get those vitamins in pill form until their food
replacement program gets them way they need.
It’s a tricky walk to guide a teenager through an interest in a vegetarian
life because it is possible that many of the new foods they will have to
get used to may not have the right tastes which will tempt them to give
up the program. While as a parent you can have an influence over
making their home life vegetarian diet a success, you may need to help
them understand that their choices are limited when eating out so they
are prepared to make the sacrifice for the sake of staying within their
vegetarian guidelines.
Even though teenagers are compulsive and extreme, deep down they
do not want to get sick or eat the wrong things. It’s a balancing act to
allow they to try things like becoming a vegetarian and for us as parents
to both do all we can to make it a good experience but also to bring the
wisdom they count on their elders for so they can explore the
vegetarian lifestyle fully and then walk away form it if they wish and
have learned a little bit about vegetarians along the way.

19- The Vegetarian Mom to Be
Whether you are already a vegetarian and have learned you were
pregnant or you are adopting the vegetarian lifestyle along with your
pregnancy, its important to be aware of the special needs of your body
and the body of that infant inside you so you supplement your diet
appropriately for a healthy pregnancy.
For obvious reasons, calcium is one of the biggest concerns for your
diet if you are taking meat out of your meal planning. If you have not
already eliminated milk and cheese from your diet but are at the level of
vegetarian meal planning of just eliminating meat, it might be wise to
leave those other items in your diet for the course of your pregnancy so
you have a natural and abundant source of calcium and protein in those
diary products. But there are other sources of calcium you can draw on
from your diet including tofu, broccoli, green leafy vegetables and
others.
Next to Calcium, Vitamin D is a big need for the development of your
pregnancy. Rather than resort to pills, there is a natural source of
plenty of vitamin D - sunlight. By getting about twenty minutes of
good sunshine each day, you will natural absorb the vitamin D you
need. But be sure you go out in a weak sunlight without sun block so
you get the good of your time outdoors but don’t get a sunburn. If you
cannot get direct sunlight one day due to weather or other hindrances,
you can get some Vitamin D from cereals and milk if that is allowed in
your diet.

Haytham Al Fiqi
B12 can be a problem on a vegetable diet because it is not abundant
just in plants. You can get B12 from soy milk or using vitamin
enhanced cereals that will give you the levels you need. Just remember
when reading the vitamin ingredient panel on cereals that the minimum
daily requirements listed there are not for pregnant women. You will
have to dig a bit deeper to know what the actual values of B12
requirements are and how much you need to supplement your diet to
continue a healthy pregnancy. So consult with your doctor to know
exactly what to do to keep your nutrition levels up. Your doctor can
also help you modify your vegetarian diet plan to accommodate the
extra vitamin needs of a growing baby inside you.
Iron is a big requirement for women in any stage of life because of the
increased demand during menstruation. But during pregnancy, that
need is even more critical and the levels of iron your body needs are
much greater, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. Good sources
of iron include beans, molasses, seeds, leafy vegetables and nuts. Some
cereals and breads are also iron supplemented but as before, make sure
the levels are what you need nutritionally. And if you are not getting a
full compliment of iron each day, don’t be shy about turning to vitamin
supplements.
Any vegetarian diet must be balanced so you get enough protein in
your system because for most of us, meat, cheese and milk are our
primary sources of protein. But because that little one is growing
rapidly inside you, your need for protein is even more important. You
can get plenty of protein if your vegetarian meal plans are well rounded
and includes soy milk and other natural sources of protein. But be
aware of the need and organize your daily diet accordingly.
Zink is another vitamin that often gets overlooked and the need for it
in vegetarian diet supporting pregnancy is great. So put some thought
into making sure you get your Zink from whole grains and other forms
of natural foods.

You may become a bit of a nutritional expert during your pregnancy
but if you do, that’s a worthwhile area of knowledge. Early in your
pregnancy, consult your doctor about vitamin supplements to keep on
hand. While it is preferable to get your nutrition from your foods and
you want to enjoy as natural a pregnancy as possible, don’t hesitate to
turn to these supplements if the need comes up.

Haytham Al Fiqi
20- The Vegetarian Quality of Life
It is unfortunate that many people are not very understanding of why it
is difficult for people who are not exposed to the vegetarian philosophy
cannot understand why living without meat in your diet is not only a
better way to live, it is a better way to eat as well. but unless you were
born a vegetarian and raised that way, there was some point when you
went through that transition. You may be able to remember thinking
that vegetarians were nutty and when you could not imagine a meal
that did not have a meat as its core ingredient.
Society doesn’t help us evolve toward a meat free world. For one
thing, there is an entire industry devoted to keeping us hooked on
meats. While that may not be as sinister and frightening as industries
keeping us hooked on cigarettes, it does mean that these industries
must thrive on raising and selling meat so there is no "understanding"
coming from these powerful lobbies. Restaurants often are also not
helpful when 90% of their menu offerings are meat based and when
they do serve the meals, they are such large portions that their guests
naturally eat too much and the wrong things at that.
Fortunately the vegetarian way of life is becoming more common and
more understood every year. As more and more people see the value
of becoming a vegetarian and how much their quality of life will
improve, the vegetarian culture continues to grow. And as the
population moves in this direction, business will follow and we will see
more and more businesses and restaurants wanting to serve a growing
vegetarian population. When you see McDonalds offering salads and
vegetable alternatives as they have done in the last few years, you know
that the vegetarian quality of life is getting to be more well known.

Its good for those of us that can plainly see that the difference in
quality of life as a vegetarian compared to before the transition is as
different as night and day to be able to have some understanding for
our cultural bias toward meat eating. After all, civilization has been
meat based for a long time. Perhaps as far back as the caveman days,
the male urge to hunt meat for food is deeply ingrained in us as a
species. So to switch to becoming a culture that hunts for vegetables
rather than meats is going to be a difficult transition at a cultural level
and it is going to take some time.
We should take heart from other large scale changes to how culture
works because as a people, we can change. The migration away from
smoking is a great example. Just a scant 20 or so years ago, smoking
was considered a natural way of life and almost everybody smoked. As
the dangers of smoking became more evident and as the quality of life
nonsmokers enjoyed became more clear, slowly society responded.
This is not to say the change came easy. Giving up meat may be as
difficult for some as giving up cigarettes is. But we now live in a world
where public smoking is rare and the percentage of smokers to
nonsmokers in society is small. That is progress and we can use that
movement as inspiration that we too can bring society around to
understand that giving up meat as the heart of our national diet will
result in a higher quality of life for everyone.

Haytham Al Fiqi
21- Vegetarian on a Budget
In many family budgets, one of the biggest food expenses is often
meat. So in theory at least becoming a vegetarian should be an
outstanding financial maneuver. In theory, if all you ate was rice and
vegetables, you should be able to live for very little.
But theory and reality are often far apart from each other. Because the
culture of vegetarian living has developed so many high quality foods
to fill the gap left behind by a good steak or a plate of barbeque ribs,
you can spend as much or more on your vegetarian lifestyle as you did
when you were a meat eater. The high cost of living as a vegetarian is
not entire attributable to gourmet foods however.
The truth is if you are going to live in day in day out and month in
month out on a vegetarian diet, not only do you need some high quality
foods to substitute for taking a whole food group out of your diet, you
need variety. The quality is needed because its your health on the line
if you don’t get the proper nutrients. The diversity is needed because
if you get bored with the vegetarian lifestyle, you may quit and give up.
And nobody wants that.
Another reason that the cost of vegetarian eating is often higher than a
"normal" diet comes from the fact that vegetarians are still in the
minority. So prepared vegetarian foods and vegetarian only restaurants
are rare. And to be able to make a profit, these specialty stores must
charge a lot because they are specialty stores. Unfortunately, even
though we see the vegetarian community as a supportive one, if you are
going to be able to afford the vegetarian lifestyle, you are going to have
to learn to cut costs.

Cutting costs means eliminating shopping at "boutique" vegetarian
markets and no more eating out. Or at least it means cutting down on
the eating out significantly. You can buy fresh vegetables and fruits at
farmers markets or grocery stores that are just as valid as vegetarian
options as any you get as a specialty store. Using a good food
processor and other means, you can chop, dice, boil and puree just
about any kind of vegetarian meal that you might be able to imagine
getting in a restaurant. And at a much lower cost. Not only that but
the leftovers can go into a compost pile to make fertilizer for your
garden when you can grow your own vegetables next spring.
That "grower to consumer" market that often surfaces as a farmer's
market is a great way to save lots of money also because you are buying
your produce directly from the farmer and you cut the grocery store
out of the loop entirely. One way to make sure you capitalize on every
opportunity to buy inexpensive produce is to work as a community.
Get about a dozen vegetarian families working together to always be
on the lookout for a great buy. One might find a small farmer's market
or roadside stand that is selling produce far below grocery store prices.
Another might find a farmer who will basically give his food away just
to clear the field. With some coordination, you could field an army of
vegetarians to grab those bargains while they are fresh and stock
everybody's kitchen with low cost fresh produce.
These are just a few of many ways you can find to save money on your
vegetarian groceries and still have just as much quality but without as
much cost. By shopping smart and shopping for bargains, you can live
the vegetarian life and feel good about it because you are not only
healthy, you are smart.

Haytham Al Fiqi
22- Vegetarianism the Easy Way
"Make it easy on yourself."
I like that phrase. And it’s a good motto for learning a new skill or
going through a big life transition. When you decide to explore
becoming a vegetarian, it is very easy to get scared off by what appears
to be a difficult road ahead. But the truth is, there is an easy way and a
hard way to become a vegetarian. So in keeping with our motto of the
day of "make it easy on yourself", lets discuss vegetarianism the easy
way.
First of all along with learning a new way to eat, you are also giving up
something you probably have loved to eat for years. So to reduce the
difficulty in going through this transition, don’t try to accomplish the
entire transition in one day. We have a mistaken concept about
vegetarians that the conversion is instantaneous as though one day the
person was eating all the meat he or she could find and in a flash they
became a robe wearing, mantra singing vegetarian. But that is
complete myth. Most successful vegetarians found there way into the
discipline in stages and gave up meat slowly.
You might take on your vegetarian transition one meal at a time. First
give up eggs and bacon for breakfast and switch to grain cereals or
pancakes. Don’t try to give up cheese and milk at first. Select specific
items you will eliminate from specific meals and just accomplish that
for a week or so. Then once you have conquered that step, add lunch
and then much later add dinner. And don’t throw your hands up and
give up if you have a moment of weakness and have a hamburger one
day. You wont be drummed out of the vegetarian society for one
mistake in your program. Just get back with it and keep on keeping on.

Find ways to see some success by being reasonable and sensible about
how you approach your meal planning. If one of your goals for
switching to a meatless diet is to lose weight, don’t substitute sugars
and sweats for the meat. If you find yourself eating without meat but
each day you have a big bowl of fruit drowned in sugary additives, you
won't lose the weight and you might mistakenly think your program
failed you. Think about what you eat so you don’t sabotage your own
diet.
One of the things that scares a lot of people away from trying
vegetarianism is the idea of having to learn to eat exotic and expensive
new foods such as tofu, and tempeh. So make it easy on yourself and
eat the foods you know. By doing your shopping in your own grocery
store and buying more food from the produce section than the meat
section, you will be working with foods like carrots, onions, garlic,
broccoli, celery and cabbage and that familiarity will make the
transition to becoming a vegetarian easier to take. Also by shopping
where you are comfortable and eating "normal" foods, you eliminate
the sensation that you are joining some bizarre cult.
Now make it fun. Yes it can be fun to be a vegetarian. You can start
shopping at farmer's markets instead at the boring grocery store and
select very fresh produce and vegetables for your next cooking
experiment. Not only are outdoor markets more fun, you will find
them cheaper so instead of seeing your food budget go up because of
becoming a vegetarian, it goes down. Then by working as a family to
find fun vegetarian recipes and working together to make them,
everybody gets in on the act discovering how delicious vegetarian meals
can be. And when you are having fun, you may forget entirely that you
dreaded this transition. Before long, you are a vegetarian and it didn’t
hurt a bit!

Haytham Al Fiqi
23- Vegetarians are NOT Crazy
One of the things that often holds up a lot of people from considering
a lifestyle of vegetarianism is a negative stereotype of vegetarians that is
really not at all accurate. Of course there are extremists in any
discipline and the same is true of vegetarians or vegans. Its good to dig
a bit deeper and put any preconceptions on hold that might be holding
you back from what would be a wonderful lifestyle choice.
It is true that the vegetarian way of life can be part of a larger spiritual
discipline as well. But you can get a lot of good from a life of
vegetarian eating even if it is not part of your religious or moral life. So
if you are hesitant to explore making a switch to a vegetarian diet, you
don’t have to also join a new religious or social community to get just
as much out of it as anyone.
When you begin to explore the work of vegetarian disciplines, you will
find a wide variety of types of people who enjoy the lifestyle. The
vegetarian "community" is a diverse population with cultures of people
who are at various levels of commitment to the vegetarian lifestyle.
There is not reason to have guilt or fear that if you wish to start out
slowly. In fact, starting out just easing into a vegetarian way of life is a
good way to find out where in the discipline you feel comfortable.
The first myth about becoming a vegetarian to overcome then is the
idea that as soon as you make a commitment to start cutting meat from
your diet, you will necessarily become part of some strange eastern cult
that will change your beliefs and your way of life. The huge majority of
people who make a vegetarian lifestyle their own are normal people just
like you.

It might surprise you if you found out that its very likely that many of
your neighbors and coworkers are quietly enjoying a lifestyle of
vegetarian living. And becoming a vegetarian does NOT "turn you
into" some kind of obnoxious wild eyed religious fanatic. In fact, you
can enjoy all the benefits of being a vegetarian and live happily among
others who are not following your diet choices. And you can be a
vegetarian and develop a reasonable diet that still allows you to get your
protein from cheese, fish and other traditional sources as you cut out
the more conspicuous sources of protein such as beef and chicken.
Just as it’s a good thing for you to get over the idea that becoming a
vegetarian is some kind of strange or "bizarre" idea, you should discard
quickly any fears that you will be seen as odd or peculiar when you
inform your friends and loved ones you have made this lifestyle choice.
There is no "coming out of the closet" to becoming a vegetarian. As
long as it is as natural as switching to low fat milk from whole milk to
you, it will be natural to your friends and loved ones.
The people you know well will watch your behavior closely to see if
there is any reason to worry about you in making this change. If they
detect you are going to be angry at them for not following you into
vegetarianism or that you are going to become "an evangelist" for
living without meat, then they will become nervous and avoid you,
especially at meal time.
But if your vegetarian lifestyle is a choice you can make without
disrupting the lives of others and one you can live in harmony with
others who are not vegetarians, you will demonstrate to them that it is
no problem that you just eat different things than they do and that
above all vegetarians are NOT crazy.

Haytham Al Fiqi
24- Will Vegetarianism Change the World?
We all fear change. And when we see a "movement" start to get
momentum in society, its easy to fear it is being imposed on us by
some sinister force out to ruin our way of life. That instinct to fear
change at a social level goes way back. But the truth is that society
does change and evolve and often for the better.
The anti smoking movement of the last three decades is a good
example of positive social change. When the move to eliminate
smoking from our national life first started, many people feared it was
the work of radical left wingers who wanted to take away our rights.
But as more and more discussion of the good of eliminating smoking
from peoples lives occurred, it became obvious that smoking was not
something good people should have a right to engage in any more than
getting a dread disease is a right and a natural part of culture. So
smoking has slowly been eliminated from public life and we are a
healthier people as a result.
As the move toward more healthy ways to live has continued to be part
of our cultural discussion and in the last decade or so, vegetarianism
has taken center stage. As before, many fear the natural evolution of
society away from meat consumption and toward a natural way of
eating as vegetarians is a sinister plot of the radical left to deprive us
our right to eat meat and so take away one of our freedoms.

This is far from the truth. But that doesn’t mean that vegetarianism is
not going to change the world and become more the norm than the
unusual. That is because becoming a vegetarian is a natural step for
many of us who are concerned about weight loss, long life and health.
The national obsession with weight loss and avoiding sickness is so
strong that its impossible to ignore. Part of the reason for that is that a
lot of companies are making a lot of money selling us ways to live
healthy and lose weight.
What these companies don’t want you to know is that you don’t need
pills or expensive programs. You can live a healthier life and lose
weight naturally by simply becoming a vegetarian. But as that truth
becomes more well known, the movement will pick up momentum and
more and more people will see the good in eliminating meat and meat
byproducts from their diets. If that happens the answer is yes,
vegetarianism may very well take over the world.
What should be our response to the rapidly growing social momentum
toward vegetarianism? Should we buy guns and retreat to the hills to
fight a final battle with the vegetarian zombies who want to rob us of
our lifestyle? Not at all. Putting the vegetarian movement into context
with the move to reduce the negative impacts of smoking on our lives
helps give us perspective of what to expect.
If you once smoked and have quit because it has become so socially
unacceptable to smoke, you no doubt are glad by now that you did so.
Why? Because you are more healthy, happier, more energetic and you
will live longer. That good change may have been imposed on you by
society but you benefited from the change.
If society moves more toward vegetarian living because of the common
sense of living a healthy way that is in concert with ethical treatment of
animals, organic living and living green, it will change the way we work
as a society. It is easy to look down the road to a time when eating
meat is unusual and there are more vegetarian restaurants and markets
than any other kind.

Haytham Al Fiqi
But this is not a social change to be feared. Yes, when you join the
vegetarian revolution, just as it was when you quit smoking, it may be
difficult and you may resent it. But when you have made the change,
you will find yourself healthier, happier, slimmer and living longer as a
result. And even if you hated seeing vegetarianism change the world,
in the final analysis, we all will be better people if it does.

25- Your Vegetarian Baby
Most of us have to make a transition from a meat eating diet to a
vegetarian one. And while the outcome is one you are happy about,
that transition is sometimes difficult. And once you have made the
conversion, its easy to regret the years you were a meat eater. So if you
were able to maintain a good vegetarian diet throughout pregnancy,
you are in the position to start your child off in life as a pure vegetarian
with no previous exposure to meat at all. What a wonderful gift.
Now whether you decide to breast feed is very much an individual
choice and may be driven by your ability physically. If you do go that
route, you can continue the higher vitamin levels that your pregnancy
in your diet. By keeping your diet pure and of a high vitamin content,
you are continuing to pass that good quality vegetarian diet on to your
baby each week he or she depends on you for breast milk.
Your vegetarian grocery or market will be a huge benefit to you in
finding formulas and baby foods to turn to when the time to wean the
baby comes along. Soy formulas are a great way to keep the protein
and vitamin quality high in baby's first foods and still stay away from
anything animal related. In addition to your vegetarian market, the
internet is full of great information about how to supply your baby
with great vegetarian formulas early in life. Combine that with the
advice you can get from other vegetarian mothers who have gone
down this path before you and you have great resources to draw on to
give your baby just what she needs in these first months.

Haytham Al Fiqi
You may get some advice from those who are not in touch with the
vegetarian lifestyle to put the child on cows milk as a next step from
breast milk. But be sure you hold your ground because this transition
is a critical one and your plans to raise your children in a pure
vegetarian or vegan house depend on keeping to your plans and not
going to cows milk in the little one's infancy.
Also do not allow too much iron in your babies diet. The higher iron
in your system helped your infant be born with a surplus so you can
ease off on that level of vitamin content during the first months of life.
This is why soy formula is a good choice because the vitamin content is
a good fit to what your baby needs. However do not give the baby soy
milk but stick with customized baby products for the first year. Soy
milk is not designed for newborns.
Around six months of age, you can start to give your baby vegetable
based cereals. Rice cereal is a great choice as it is the right consistency
for a little one to digest. Again, you can find good nutritious baby
foods to use for the first year in your vegetarian market or you can get
good with your food processor and create your own baby foods for her
from fresh produce. That is the best way because all of the nutrition is
there right out of the food processor.
You already have a good feel for the best combinations of foods from
your own vegetarian diet and the diet you have your children on if they
too are vegetarians so you can adapt those recipes to fit what you
prepare for baby. But don’t neglect to continue your education by
finding vegetarian based baby books about introducing all natural
foods to your child as each month goes by.
By being careful, there is no reason you cannot take your baby from
birth through toddlerhood using all natural, vegetarian recipes all the
way. The little one will develop a natural love of vegetable flavors and
he or she will be off and running on lifelong love of foods that are not
from the meat food groups at all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Al Fiqi Haytham is a Cairo born criminal lawyer who obtained his
Bachelor's Degree in Law from the University of Mansourah in 1997. His is
a correspondent and editor for the New Egypt press and is supported by
the Supreme Council of the Press. He has also published various legal
essays and has acted as an adviser to nursing staff in many different
medical facilities.

How to Becoming a Vegetarian ?

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