Observations

This blog began as a way for me to chronicle becoming vegetarian. Not knowing what to expect, or for that matter even how long it might last, I experienced each new day as a child might: in a state of wide-eyed discovery, excited by new experiences, cuisines and flavors. Now, nearly seven months later my "experiment" has become a second nature way of life. Discoveries continue, however, and experiences and observations continue to excite.

What follows are my observations after seven months of eschewing all meat, including chicken, fish and shell fish, with consumption of dairy and eggs very limited:

• Less joint pain. MUCH less! The chronic inflammation in my knees has completely disappeared.
• Happier, more peaceful outlook. Sounds weird, I know, but my moods seem to be steadier. I even experienced less SAD this winter despite long bouts of rain and gray skies.
• Less hot flashes, increased libido. Yippee.
  
• Curling hair - I kid you not! - with much less graying. Sounds ridiculous, but I swear to you within the last six months my stick straight hair has gotten progressively more wavy, what I'd now call nearly curly, and noticeably less gray. This is huge, people. I have been coloring my hair so long I have no clue what it would be in it's natural state anymore. What I do know is that for the last few years my roots have been coming in WHITE. Rather than dark roots sending me to the salon, it was a silver beanie. Even my hairdresser has noticed the lack of roots lately. Hmmmm. And the curls! My trademark straight bob no longer works for me, I got tired of struggling against the curls.
• Weight gain. Sad but true. I have put on, despite efforts not to, about 6 or 7 pounds, which works out to about a pound a month. The good news is the pound a month actually glommed on more or less at once early on and hasn't continued accruing. The bad news is I find it nearly impossible to budge it and am working instead not to add to it. Sigh.

All in all, what began as an experiment has been, for me, such a fun and positive awakening, I can't imagine ever going back to my old way of eating. Sometimes I think I should learn to include at least shrimp, so going out to dinner, etc., would be easier - mostly for my dining companions. I tell myself I can have anything I want, therefore removing labels and expectations I feel I have to live up to. It isn't a matter of CAN'T eat meat, it is choosing not to. My decision to adopt a vegetarian diet had more to do with tastes changing than health, ethical or lifestyle reasons, though the side effects have impacted my physical, mental and spiritual health in positive, sometimes surprising ways.

At 54 I have experienced enough of life's little ironies to adopt the mantra, "Never say never".

For the foreseeable future I remain ... happily vegetarian.

Love,
Cleo