Vegan-lite

 I don’t enjoy vegetarian food, but George said that food is generally overrated, so I suffer. It’s been two weeks since I became a vegan. George likes to call it,”Vegan-lite” since we still eat some dairy products. I drink less beer now. Beer doesn’t go well with veggies. That is okay…I can live without beer. It’s amazing though, I don’t crave dessert after eating tofu and vegetables. I just quickly brush my teeth to change the taste in my mouth. A few days ago, my friends invited me for lunch at an all-you-can-eat restaurant. When I saw meat, my pupils grew large and I was so happy. I grabbed a lot of meat, but somehow the smell bothered me. I have never wasted meat after I have cooked it or chosen to place it on my plate. This is out of respect for animal life. In this particular instance, I couldn’t finish the meat. I felt so guilty, but I guess my body is gradually changing.

George used to joke, “Don’t worry, ketchup will fix everything on your dish.” Our food storage shelves and the inside of the fridge have many different kinds of sauces and spices. We used to pour them on just about everything. We gradually craved a stronger taste as our tongues became numb to the subtle flavors of food. I miss those rich tastes, but I already feel a little healthier. We’re more sensitive to taste and smell and we don’t need to use those pre-made spices as much. I still cry as I try to be vegan.

When we were just married, George showed me how to prepare his lunchbox…junk, junk and junk and I laughed at him. Now, if he eats potato chips, he gets a sore throat and junk food makes him dizzy. I thought it was just a coincidence or that he worried too much. I found that eating healthier food over the course of the past year; I could really see a positive change. We started eating less meat a year ago after watching “Food, Inc.” and now we’ve “kicked it up a notch” by becoming vegans.

When I was working in the corporate world, they provided me with so much junk food. They said, “Come on, Erika, just a little bit won’t hurt you and once in a while it’s okay.” The fact is that there were too many “once in a while,” my senses grew numb. I didn’t have a guilty conscious gobbling down junk food.  When I first went shopping in the U.S., I was upset at many of the young mothers whose carts were full of boxed foods. I couldn’t understand how a mother could be so irresponsible to their child and to the environment. It didn’t take long for me to become one of them. My cart was often filled with boxed foods because I loved the convenience. I sometimes hid those boxed foods from George. It was easy to fall prey to those beautifully colored boxes and tasty ads promising that in less than two minutes you can have a healthy meal…full of chemicals and preservatives…yum. I am one of those victims, foolish enough to threaten my own health and put my money into the rich corporate executive pockets. I’m sure those executives don’t eat their own junk.

I am becoming enlightened and starting to take care of myself thanks to George. I don’t have the willpower he does, but I’m trying to be vegan.