Works Cited

"Bible Verses About Vegetarian." BIBLE VERSES ABOUT VEGETARIAN. King James Bible Online, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014. http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Bible-Verses-About-Vegetarian/.

                  

Kam, Katherine. "Cravings: Why They Strike, How to Curb Them." Jonny Bowden. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014. <http://jonnybowden.com/curb-cravings/>.

I've been fasting for 3 years Revised

         Well...kind of.  Fasting from meat and dairy anyway.  Which several claim is a not only healthier, but also the more Godly path to take. 





              For religious groups such as Seventh Day Adventists, the plain and simple reason is to honor God by staying healthy (they are, however, vegetarian as opposed to vegan).  But for others, the reason is much less clear cut.  Where does this reason come from though?
         A commonly cited example in this case is the book of Daniel.  Daniel, the guy who was thrown in with the lions and yet remained unharmed when he was brought out the next day (Daniel 6).  There is another, often forgotten part of the story though.  Prior to Daniel's experience with the lions, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, took Daniel and several of his friends captive during a siege on Jerusalem.  As Daniel was now in the care of the king, he was offered food similar to the king's for sustenance.  Due to religious observances, Daniel refused to eat any of the meat or wine offered to him, and instead requested to be fed only "vegetables to eat and water to drink" (Daniel 1:12).
           He then proposed a challenge to the steward in charge of him and the other Jewish youth that had been captured.  The challenge was to allow Daniel and his friends to eat only vegetables and water for ten days, and for the other youths to eat the king's food for ten days.  Once that time was up, they would see who was in better health and was therefore eating the better food.  The conclusion here, seeing as it's used as an argument for veganism, is obvious.  Daniel and his companions were in better condition, and thus the diet of all the youths was changed to match theirs.
           Modern day vegans will point to the improved health of Daniel as evidence that being vegan is clearly the  healthier option, as well as one that is approved of by God (seeing as Daniel adopted this diet in order to please Him).  Verses such as Genesis 1:30, Isaiah 11:7, and Romans 14:3 among others encourage this view point in followers desiring to abstain from meat.




Genesis 1:30- "And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so."




 The argument here is that this verse was spoken before the Fall.  In being so, it is said that it represents God's vision for the perfect world He had created, one where all things consumed plants as opposed to each other.




Isaiah 11:7- "And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox."




This verse is referring to the how the world will exist post Second Coming.  As this is often viewed as a perfect and polished world, for it to be said that an iconic carnivore like a lion will eat vegetation rather than meat suggests this is/was God's original vision for His creation.  Cynically, symbolism is heavy here, and so this verse does not necessarily have a literal meaning in the way some wish that it to did.




Romans 14:3- Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.




Alright, in total candid honesty, this is sort of a "get-off-my-back" verse.  In many circles, not eating meat can almost be viewed as a sort of offense to God.  "What, His creation isn't good enough for you?", or  "His word on its acceptability didn't convince you?" are not out of the realm of possibility when it comes to things people might say.  The verse above suggests that it really doesn't matter what you eat, which can confirm and at the same time render vegans' argument useless.
 


            In the end, my conclusion is that while the Bible certainly doesn't condemn veganism, it doesn't endorse it either.  It's a personal choice between you and God, one that should be decided based on your interpretation of these verses and others, as well as what you feel led to do.  If nothing else, I hope you at least enjoyed the little Biblical history lesson.

Rabbit Trail...*Trigger Warning* Revised

*The content of this post contains potentially triggering information concerning self-injury.  Please proceed with caution.*             While doing research for this week's post, I sort of went off on a rabbit trail.  What started out as an innocent attempt to find out more about why people eat what they do, quickly spiraled into a completely different area of human psychology.  That being, the dark subject of intentional self harm.  For most people, this is a somewhat taboo topic.  It doesn't make sense to the "normal" human mind.  Why would you ever want to hurt yourself?  The usual answer you'll get is, "I wouldn't.".  But for some people, their answer and the logic behind it is much different.
              If you're squeamish or easily triggered, please feel free to skip this paragraph.  Self harm is not pretty.  We're talking about cuts, bruises, concussions, liver/stomach problems, scratches, burns, and basically every other injury possible for a human to obtain.    The most common and most publicized is cutting.  Quite simply, cutting is just that; injuring oneself by dragging a sharp object across the skin, often resulting in blood loss or a lasting wound.  Aside from this, multiple other areas (including those listed above) exist.  The amount and severity of injury can vary from person to person, but this has more to do with pain tolerance or access to supplies rather than level of emotional distress.  Regardless of form however, all types of self-injury should be taken seriously, seeing as the intent to hurt oneself is present and therefore something is not right.




Whew, done with that.  Onto our question of the day:  Why? 




            We'll start with the most generic answer:  "It feels good".  Sort of a strange thing to say about pain, isn't it?  Yet something that goes unrealized is that with pain comes automatic relief.  In other words, when you're hurt, your brain responds by releasing endorphins, a chemical that blocks pain and panic.  In nature, this is intended to allow you to remain calm enough to care for the wound and avoid further damage.  But those who self harm have discovered a way to fool the system.  By inducing pain, they also induce endorphins, which results in a sort of "natural high". 
           Next up:  "By transferring internal pain to external, I feel more in control of the situation".  This answer can go hand in hand with eating disorders as well.  For while we do have some control over our emotions, they are a natural thing that occur in response to stimuli whether we want them to or not.  For the sake of clarity, say your dog died.  You'd had this dog your entire life and loved him/her like a child.  You wouldn't want to feel sad when they died, knowing how much time you'd had with them and what a good life they'd had, but you wouldn't be able to help it.  If you were to analyze these feeling of sadness further, you would come to realize that they were automatic and that you were not in control.  For someone who self harms, by translating that emotional turmoil into tangible pain that they are in total control of, some of the stress and sadness might be relieved.
            Then there is: "To feel something".  The first thought that came into mind when I read this was why does it have to be a painful feeling?  Why not do a flip on a trampoline, or watch a scary movie?  In response to this, I found that people supporting this logic claim that they are just too deep into that state of numbness.  They don't hardly want to move or think, let alone try to find a-pick-me-up.  As numbness is often caused by feelings of depression or despair (the brain essentially switches off when it feels overloaded), it becomes easier to pull yourself farther into the abyss rather than climb the seemingly never-ending staircase leading back to a healthy mindset.
         Lastly:  "I deserve it".  Now this, this is tough.  Out of all of the reasons, this one probably evokes the most sympathy from me personally.  I'm sure that if you're reading this you can decipher the meaning behind those three words.  This person feels so much self-hatred that they have decided to act upon it.  Often this is the only way that they will allow themselves to experience any sort of joy at all, by ensuring that they have been properly punished before they can properly enjoy themselves.  You might point at the media for having such high standards that this is the opinion that it is endorsing people to have of themselves, or you might say that circumstance is to blame (bullying, etc.).  One thing for certain though is that hurting yourself should never be the answer.  If you don't like who you are, then change.  Yes, you can.  If someone is insecure enough to take it out on you, feel sorry for them, don't listen to them.
          In closing, any sort of self injury is a very serious, yet also misunderstood, matter.  Whether scratches or stitches, hurting yourself (or others for that matter) is not the solution.  Cheesy as it may sound, you do not deserve that pain, nor do you need it.  That five seconds of relief is just that; five seconds.  But the thick skin or self confidence that you develop when you become independent of self harm will last you a life time. 



If you or someone you know is struggling with self harm, please don't hesitate to call (or pass on the number):


Self harm hotline:1-800-DONT-CUT
Suicide hotline:1-800-273-8255

I've been fasting for 3 years

Well...kind of.  Fasting from meat and dairy anyway.  Which several claim is a not only healthier, but the more Godly path to take. 





For religious groups such as Seventh Day Adventists, the plain and simple reason is to honor God by staying healthy (they are, however, vegetarian as opposed to vegan).  But for others, the reason is much less clear cut.  Where does this reason come from though?
         A commonly cited example in this case is the book of Daniel.  Daniel, the guy who was thrown in with the lions and yet remained unharmed when he was brought out the next day (Daniel 6).  There is another, often forgotten part of the story though.  Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, took Daniel and several of his friends captive during a siege on Jerusalem.  As Daniel was now in the care of the king, he was offered similar food for sustenance.  Due to religious observances, Daniel refused to eat any of the meat or wine offered to him, and instead requested to be fed only "vegetables to eat and water to drink" (Daniel 1:12).
           He then proposed a challenge to the steward in charge of him and the other Jewish youth.  The challenge was to allow Daniel and his friends to eat only vegetables and water for ten days, and for the other youths to eat the king's food for ten days.  Once that time was up, they would see who was in better health and was therefore eating the better food.  The conclusion here, seeing as it's used as an argument for veganism, is obvious.  Daniel and his pals were in better condition, and thus the diet of all the youths was changed to match their's.
           Modern day vegans will point to the improved health of Daniel as evidence that being vegan is clearly the  healthier option, as well as one that is approved of by God.  Verses such as Genesis 1:30, Isaiah 11:7, and Romans 14:3 among others encourage this view point in followers desiring to abstain from meat.




Genesis 1:30- And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.




 The argument here is that this verse was spoken before the Fall.  In being so, it is said that it represents God's vision for the perfect world He had created, one where all things consumed plants as opposed to each other.




Isaiah 11:7- And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.




This verse is referring to the how the world will exist post Second Coming.  As this is often viewed as a perfect and polished world, for it to be said that an iconic carnivore like a lion will eat vegetation rather than meat suggests this is/was God's original vision for His creation.  Cynically, symbolism is heavy here, and so this is not necessarily a literal verse in the way some wish it to be.




Romans 14:3- Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.




Alright, in total candid honesty, this is sort of a "get-off-my-back" verse.  In many circles, not eating meat can almost be viewed as a sort of offense to God.  "What, His creation isn't good enough for you?", or  "His word on its acceptability didn't convince you?" are not out of the realm of possibility when it comes to things people might say.  The verse above suggests that it really doesn't matter what you eat, which can confirm and at the same time render vegans' argument useless.
 


            In the end, my conclusion is that while the Bible certainly doesn't condemn veganism, it doesn't endorse it either.  It's a personal choice between you and God, one that should be decided based on your interpretation of these verses and others, as well as what you feel led to do.  If nothing else, I hope you at least enjoyed the little Biblical history lesson.

Rabbit trail... *Trigger Warning*

    *The content of this post contains potentially triggering information concerning self-injury.  Please proceed with caution.*
             While doing research for this week's post, I sort of went off on a rabbit trail.  What started out as an innocent attempt to find out more about why people eat what they do, quickly spiraled into a completely different area of human psychology.  That being, the rather dark subject of intentional self harm.  For most people, this is a rather taboo topic.  It doesn't make sense to the "normal" human mind.  Why would you ever want to hurt yourself?  The usual answer you'll get is, "I wouldn't.".  But for some people, their answer and the logic behind it is much deeper.
              If you're squeamish or easily triggered, please feel free to skip this paragraph.  Self harm is not pretty.  It's not.  We're talking about cuts, bruises, concussions, liver/stomach problems, scratches, burns, and basically every other injury possible for a human to obtain.  The most common and most publicized is cutting.  Quite simply, cutting is just that; injuring oneself by dragging a sharp object across the skin, often resulting in blood loss.  Aside from this, multiple other areas exist, like those listed above.  The amount and severity of injury can vary from person to person, but this has more to do with pain tolerance or access to supplies rather than level of emotional distress.  Regardless of form however, all types of self-injury should be taken seriously, seeing as the intent to hurt oneself is present and therefore something is not right.




Whew, done with that.  Onto our question of the day:  Why? 




            We'll start with the most generic answer:  "It feels good".  Sort of a strange thing to say about pain, isn't it?  Yet something that goes unrealized is that with pain comes automatic relief.  In other words, when you're hurt, your brain responds by releasing endorphins, a chemical that blocks pain and panic.  In nature, this is intended to allow you to remain calm enough to care for the wound and avoid further damage.  But those who self harm have discovered a way to fool the system.  By inducing pain, they also induce endorphins, which results in a sort of "high". 
           Next up:  "By transferring internal pain to external, I feel more in control of the situation".  This answer can go hand in hand with eating disorders as well.  For while we do have some control over our emotions, they are a natural thing that occur in response to stimuli whether we want them to or not.  For the sake of clarity, say your dog died.  You'd had this dog your entire life and loved him/her like a child.  You wouldn't want to feel sad when they died, knowing how much time you'd had with them and what a good life they'd had, but you wouldn't be able to help it.  If you were to analyze these feeling of sadness further, you would come to realize that they were automatic and that you were not in control.  For someone who self harms, by translating that emotional turmoil into tangible pain that they were in total control of, some of the stress and sadness might be relieved.
            Then there is: "To feel something".  The first thought that came into mind when I read this was why does it have to be a painful feeling?  Why not do a flip on a trampoline, or watch a scary movie?  In response to this, I found that people supporting this logic claim that they are just too deep into that state of numbness.  They don't hardly want to move or think, let alone try to pick themselves up.  As numbness is often caused by feelings of depression or despair (brain essentially switches off when it feels overloaded), it becomes easier to pull yourself farther into the abyss rather than climb the 2000 step staircase leading back to a healthy mindset.
         Lastly:  "I deserve it".  Now this, this is tough.  Out of all of the reasons, this one probably evokes the most sympathy from me personally.  I'm sure that if you're reading this you can decipher the meaning behind those three words.  This person feels so much self-hatred that they have decided to act upon it.  Often this is the only way that they will allow themselves to experience any sort of joy at all, by ensuring that they have been properly punished before they can properly enjoy themselves.  You might point at the media for having such high standards that this is the opinion that is endorsing people to have of themselves, or you might say that circumstance is to blame (bullying, etc.).  One thing for certain though is that this should never be the answer.  If you don't like who you are, then change.  Yes, you can.  If someone is insecure enough to take it out on you, feel sorry for them, don't listen to them.
          In closing, any sort of self injury is a very serious, yet also misunderstood, matter.  Whether scratches or stitches, hurting yourself (or others for that matter) is never the answer.  Cheesy as it may sound, you do not deserve that pain nor do you need it.  That five seconds of relief is just that; five seconds.  But the thick skin or self confidence that you develop when you become independent of self harm will last you a life time. 



If you or someone you know is struggling with self harm, please don't hesitate to call (or pass on the number):


Self harm hotline:1-800-DONT-CUT
Suicide hotline:1-800-273-8255

              In a world where humans reign as the dominant species, other inhabitants of earth are forgotten or trod upon in our race to success.   In all honesty, it is almost sickening to be grouped with those who think that it's acceptable to torture and murder others.  Regardless of race, religion, gender, age, even species; we, earthlings, have souls.  We are alive.  We feel pain, we feel sorrow and joy, we understand what's happening around us, even if that level of understanding varies.  An adult horse has the average intelligence of a two-year-old child.  Yet it is acceptable to beat and starve a horse, whereas it would never be acceptable to do the same to a two-year-old child.  Is it because they can't speak?  They can communicate what's wrong.  The wounds and emaciated appearance in itself can translate the problem into currency we can perceive.  But because they cannot cry, because they cannot form syllables, they are quickly assumed to be incapable of intelligence worth taking notice of.
            Humans were made to eat meat.  Our stomachs can digest both plant and animal matter, and out teeth are equipped for tearing into flesh.  We are predators, just like any big cat or bear.  There is one substantial difference however.  You do not see (normally) a lion kill a gazelle after that gazelle has been trapped in a confined space for an extended period of time.  When a predator is hungry, they search out their prey, go after it, and kill it as quickly as possible.  There is minimal contact with the animal while it is living.  For years, that gazelle has run and jumped through the savannah.  Odds are they've reproduced, and we're able to raise their offspring and teach them everything they've learned in their own life.  They may never have even seen that lion before the day they died. 
          Now look at humans.  We raise copious amounts of animals, more than could ever be consumed in the areas they are being sold in, and do so in such a way that exercises as much control as possible over these other life forms.  Often times as well, these animals are killed sloppily and painfully.  Regardless of the image that people would like to associate with the patty on their plate, these animals are usually shot in the head with a stun bolt, then hung over a drain and bled to death.  The argument is that they feel no pain.  Is a little dignity too much to ask though?  Does anyone else have a problem with the thought of a living creature bleeding to death after being hung like an old sock from the ceiling?  This post is turning into an unnecessary rant, but at this point I don't want to read any more about how humane it is to shoot a metal bolt into an animal's head.  Previously, this was not the reason that I chose to be vegan.  But it makes me sad.  Food or not, death makes me sad, and so I try to stay as far away from it as possible.






I just...I can't.

Wow.

I just can't continue this tonight.  This post was going to be about the mistreatment of animals in the food industry, but after just scratching the surface, I'm already having a difficult time stomaching a lot of the information.  I will do my absolute best to finish the post and get it up by tomorrow.  I really need a break right now though.  Sorry everyone.  Have a good rest of your night.

Why do vegans crave meat?

Meat is delicious.  I'm not gonna lie, even as a vegan, I admit that I miss eating meat and I miss it quite often.  Why is this though?  The first thought that comes to most people's minds is that I'm not getting enough of the nutrients that I would normally get from eating meat.  Is that really all it is though? 

          Actually, yes, it very well could be.  When the body isn't receiving enough of a certain compound, it will trigger a craving for a certain food that your body recalls having that compound.  However, this usually isn't the reason behind a craving.  Rather, habit and emotions are.  Everyone knows what habit is; a behavior that develops after continued repetition to the point where it is performed practically subconsciously. So, when pertaining to food, eating a certain food every day at a similar time causes your body to become accustomed to receiving that food.  Thus, you crave it every day at the same time because that's just what you're used to.  It makes perfect sense then for a vegan to crave meat if that's what they've eaten for the majority of your life.  Quite simply, your body just misses it.  There's a multitude of other foods that can provide you the same nutrients, but there is never going to be a perfect replica of meat itself.  Even if it tastes good, your body can differentiate between the imposter and the real thing.
            Now then, everyone who's guilty of eating out of boredom or sadness raise their hand.  For me personally, I find myself mindlessly eating all the time.  If it's palatable and there's any room at all in my stomach, down it goes.  Why though?  Shouldn't we just automatically stop when we're full?  Or why is eating one of the first responses that pops up?  In a recent survey, it was found that 86% of Americans crave certain foods when they're happy, 74% crave these foods when they feel they deserve a reward, 52% when they're bored, and only 34% when they're sad or lonely.

            Elevation or maintenance of mood appears to be the main motivator here.  When you're happy, obviously you want to stay happy.  So in turn you would choose a food that makes you feel good, whether that's a cookie or a salad depends on the person.  Same situation when you feel as though you deserve a reward, although tendencies lean toward something that tastes good rather than is good in this scenario (it is a reward after all).

             Boredom is something that I'm sure we'd all love to never have to experience, and when we do try to eradicate as quickly as possible.  More often than not, you want to cure your boredom with something you enjoy.  Eating is something that most people enjoy, and if nothing is else is giving you the illusion of being productive and keeping your hands occupied.  In these situations, the food is usually just whatever is most convenient at the time.

       The post break-up all-I-can-do-is-eat-ice-cream stage is somewhere I'm sure a lot of us have been.  Unlike your ex, food is reliable and stable.  It tastes good, it makes you feel good, and it's something you can control when everything else seems hopeless. 
        To answer why you don't just stop eating when you're full: emotion takes over.  You ignore your stomach and your focus on your emotional well-being overrides any discomfort or biological signals.
        So in the end, yes vegans and vegetarians crave meat.  No it does not mean that they're malnourished. It basically means that their body misses it and the positive connotation that it has psychologically ("Grandma made the best meatballs...").  However, by not eating meat it doesn't mean that they enjoy self torture/denial.  Their reason for adopting a vegan lifestyle matters more to them, and so in turn takes first place above any annoying old habits (most of the time).

Veganism: a diet in which someone abstains from consuming any animal products.

Raw veganism: a diet in which someone abstains from consuming any animal products, as well as food that has been cooked at temperatures above 118 degrees Fahrenheit (47.78 degrees Celsius).

This is a rather controversial topic within the vegan community.  For those who practice this more extreme form of eating, the benefits appear to far outweigh any negative consequences. For example, the spiritual aspects of participating in this lifestyle.
             Let's start with energy.  In it's purest form, energy is essence.  The life-breath of something.  Every day we consume energy, whether it be from talking to a friend, or enduring a baby's screams on the bus.  What is happening around us is transferred into us by its effect.  You might feel sad when you hear the baby cry: that's negative energy.  You might feel happy when you're talking to your friend: that's positive energy.  Neutral energy is when the energy is devoid of emotion, whether it be meditation or even just walking barefoot on the grass.  You can feel it and get something from it, but there isn't necessarily a specific/extreme emotional response.
           After the crash course, now onto the part that has to do with food.  The idea behind eating raw food is that you are aiming to consume energy in the purest, most neutral form possible.  The easiest way for me to explain this is through an example.  Say you have a cupcake (or some food you like).  Cupcakes taste really good, right?  It makes you happy when you eat one because you like the way that your senses perceive it (touch, smell, taste, etc.).  It makes you feel good.  However, cupcakes aren't exactly good for your body.  But, the happy feeling that you get when you eat one (positive energy) overrides that concern. 
                Now, imagine what eating something that was devoid of that sort of emotional reaction would be like.  What would you be thinking about?  How colorful it is?  What sorts of nutrients it has?  How it will affect you physically?  You see, by removing that connection to food, it becomes just that; food.  Food that is used for sustenance rather than a hobby.  Food that is being consumed based on its value rather than its appeal.  Food that is neutral. 
            With this comes more emotional leg room.  By removing that bit of baggage, you now have the space to feel other sensations more fully and acutely.  Instead of an attachment to food, the sun feels warmer, the air seems crisper; life is amplified and you grow stronger because of it.
             So where does the cold veggies only come in?  Well, majority of raw fruits and vegetables are very crisp and clean in flavor/texture.  While they can be embellished, majority of the time Nature does not deliver them that way.  Basically, the more plain or clear cut (as in simple) that something is, the more neutral it is.  Of course, a little positive energy here and there never hurt.
            

 

            And that about sums up my take on it.  What begun as a very scientific analysis has quickly become exactly the opposite. 

Decisions, decisions

I can't count how many times I have attempted to begin this post.  Each time I think I've found a topic, only to begin writing and realize that it isn't at all what I want to write about.  After weeks of brain storming, I've chosen a relatively simple and common topic:
Veganism.
          It looks like "vampirism" when written like that.  Saying "being vegan" looks much nicer, but doesn't quite cover the whole topic.  I don't just want to explore being vegan, I want to look into its history, religious significance, health benefits and draw backs.  Perhaps even the psychology on why exactly people do it.  Is there a physical difference that predispositions someone to opt for a vegan diet?  Does self-esteem or self-confidence correlate at all with this decision?  I'm not even entirely sure what my reaons behind choosing this lifestyle are, so perhaps exploring others' thoughts/reasons will help me to discover something about myself as well.