We are what we eat.

The old adage “you are what you eat” has become very trendy these days. More or so for ecological reasons, or religious reasons or health reasons. If the saying is true then am I a beast if I eat meat? Well a lot of studies have showed that meat eaters are prone to a more aggressive behaviors, related to the adrenaline contained in the meat which is secreted when the animal is killed. I have personally witnessed the slaughtering of pigs, chicken and cows. The ritual is very impressive and left me shocked to the bones. The fear and panic that I have witness in those moments lead me to reflect: when I eat a piece a chicken or a juicy steak am I actually absorbing those animals last feelings of terror? There are many theories on the subject and many beliefs, for my part I strongly believe that indeed we do absorb some sense of terror or whatever else you might want to call it .
Overall I would categorize myself as a former average meat eater, I could go a week with out feeling the need to eat meat. But as I started the 200hr yoga teacher training, I heard that cutting on meat would help me be more flexible. I started progressively removing meat products from my diet, I kept the open mind that if ever I were to be invited to the famous US prime rib restaurant Lawry’s I would indulge in the best cut ever. I did not pressure myself into changing my eating habits I simply made the choice to first reduce then remove meat from my diet. Just as I did the same with coffee. I admit that this one was much harder and I really was gentle on myself. It took me approximately 5 month to remove my coffee intakes. I still love the smell of freshly brewed coffee and I will rush to take a big sniff but bizarrely as I tried last time to take a sip, the taste would not be the same and I did not enjoy it so much as before. So nowadays I simply indulge in taking big sniff of the warm scent of brewed coffee.
Just as caffein screws your mind by getting hyper, so does eating meat. Many researches have shown how being a vegetarian is better for the mental, the physical, psychological, moral or environment. Celebrities and notorious people are vegetarians and all commonly agrees that being a vegetarian made them feel good within themselves. Personally, it’s been almost 9 month, and I can say that I am feeling the benefits of it. I don’t miss meat for now. I am not saying that all should be vegetarian or stop drinking coffee. No these are personal choices that should be taken with no pressure from nobody or system, otherwise it will be just waisted time. Just like everything else in life we should follow our own flow and be patient with ourself, be attentive to our own body because he tells us a lot.
Becoming a vegetarian to save the environment is noble but not everybody is sensitive to these causes. Instead becoming a vegetarian for more selfish reasons that concern only oneself then maybe in small steps we will move forward to a better world. Why worry about the outside mess when within ourselves we still need cleansing and clearing. But not to worry, though the old adage does have some truth, after eating so much lettuce or veggies, one does not become a lettuce and one’s mind does not become a giant cabbage… Albert Einstein can illustrate that one does not become stupid by being a vegetarian.
Charity starts with ourselves, peace starts within ourselves, love starts within ourselves. It all starts with one.
“Vegetarian food leaves a deep impression on our nature. If the whole world adopts vegetarianism, it can change the destiny of humankind.”
-Albert Einstein