chicken versus tofu oh my!

I buy organic, biodynamic straight from the farm veggies once a week, prepare 95% of my own food the old fashioned way, and do not eat dairy except for yogurt, so people are surprised to find that I eat meat...


I do love animals, and believe me, I was a vegetarian as well as vegan for a very long time. But I believe that food is personal for everyone and should be treated as such. I found that My body is sensitive to soy and wheat, which cuts out a lot of the great protein entrees for vegan meals. Also, when I spent a summer in Spain, the family that I lived with cooked for me, and was very worried about me when I would not eat the meat. So, over time I began eating a little meat every night. I noticed that by the end of the summer my hair had grown quite a bit (it never reached very long while I was a vegetarian although I was always trying to grow it). This indicated to me that although I took very good care of my body and nourished it as well as I knew how, I was lacking certain vitamins found in meat that were making my hair grow. Hence now I eat meat (mostly wild salmon) a few times a week, but of of course only wild, organic or free range.

I do like for all of my food to be organic, but the most important is the meat. Animals have emotions just like we do, which affect hormones as well as their overall being. Animals that are treated well and eat the things that they would chose in nature are much healthier, and have a better balance of enzymes, hormones etc. in the meat. The most important reason to chose meat that is free range is because the Earth is our home and all of its creatures are our family. We should love and take care of its creatures and respect them when it is time to eat. The native americans do this very well. They pray before and after a hunt. Although we may not all know the farmers that raised our meat, if it is possible, it would be best. The csa (community sponsored agriculture) where I pick up my vegetables knows other farmers in the area who sometimes come with their chicken or sausage. Farmers markets are great places to buy meat because it gives us a chance to meet the farmers, and get a sense that the animals that we eat are respected and treated well.


I am not advocating meat, I am hoping that for those of us that chose meat, we go the extra mile and respect the animals that gave up their lives for us.