Arianna White
Equinox Staff
At the age of fifteen, I became a vegetarian because of a bet I started with my friend in who could last longer without eating meat. My friend lasted about two weeks and I am going on about four years being meat free. Over time I have educated myself and my views on the reasons why I stay meat free and how it has impacted my life immensely. Although not eating animals and being against killing them is a huge part of it, my main reasoning for staying vegetarian is the health benefits. My friends like to call me a “fake vegan” because I also choose to not eat dairy, but still will eat eggs.
I noticed when I stopped eating meat that I felt more energized and I felt all around more healthy than before. Cutting dairy out of my diet made me feel even better and to the point where I don’t think I would ever go back to eating it. There’s a lot of false information surrounding vegetarianism including the theory that people cannot get sufficient protein without having meat in their diet; this theory is false and studies have shown that eating a vegetarian diet actually provides more protein than that of a meat eaters diet.
I also believe in the advocation of animal rights.
If I can get the same exact nutrients and protein while not eating meat, then what’s the point in killing a harmless animal just to eat it. It is not only the fact that meat industries kill the animals but also the inhumane way they kill them. This usually results in intense suffering from the time they are born up until their very early aged death.
In doing some research, I learned that human teeth are not considered carnivore teeth and that we as humans are designed to not eat meat. Humans also have a digestive track built for a herbivore diet whereas if you look at certain animals like lions they have a system built specifically to eat meat. Personally, I believe that a large percent of illnesses, diseases, and cancers come from a meat eaters diet and that the healthiest lifestyle you can live is through a meat free diet.
I am extremely happy
that Keene State College provides good dining options to be on this type of diet but there are definitely some day to day setbacks I still have. KSC offers their Vegan Valley section at the dining commons which contains all non dairy options. They also have the stir fry section (my personal favorite) where they offer tofu and vegetables, along
with the salad sections. Hoot and Scoot is probably the most non-vegetarian friendly as they usually only offer chicken tenders every single day.
I am no expert on the topic of vegetarianism and I definitely am not one to push my views on what I put into my body on other people. I do think it’s important to at least consider if the things humans eat are actually beneficial to them or if it is just so socially normal that we continue to think it’s what we need.
Arianna White
can be contacted
at awhite@kscequinox.com