Three years without meat

Broccoli, beans, and kale growing
in a straw bale in our garden.

Three years ago this month, after I noticed a correlation between meat consumption and an increase in joint pain, I became a vegetarian. The extreme pain disappeared pretty quickly. And I have not been prevented from getting out of bed in the morning by major stiffness in my legs. I'm not saying that all my arthritis-related pain is gone but eliminating meat has made a world of difference.

It has, however, been a bit of a journey learning how to live without meat and fish. A few observations:

1. I've not once given any serious thought to going back to eating meat. Even if someone figured out a meat that would not affect my joints I no longer have taste for it. I have lost all desire for meat.
   
2. Fortunately, I have always enjoyed the plant-based foods. So the transition hasn't been hard.
   
3. The taste is in the preparation. As one person put it, “I realized I didn’t like the meat I was eating. I liked the way it was prepared.”
   
4. I have discovered lentils and quinoa. They are wonderful!
   
5. Most every restaurant has something I can eat.
   
6. I've been able to get a veggie burger at a Burger King anywhere I travel.
   
7. Surprise! Denny's has the best veggie burgers.
   
8. The hardest part about eating vegetarian is the feeling that you're making things difficult for a host who wants to feed you.
   
9. It's not easy having to explain that you don't eat meat -- especially in a cross-cultural setting.
   
10. Some meat-eaters are hell-bent on interpreting my diet as some kind of an attack on their dietary preferences. I don't quite get that.
    
11. Don't expect to lose weight on a plant-based diet.

Eliminating meat three years ago was a good decision for me -- certainly no regrets.