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Monday, April 14, 2008

Thoughts on vegetarianism and vegans:

I've done a bit of reading about vegetarianism and veganism lately, and I must admit that I'm more than a bit curious about it. I have no interest in the ethical concerns regarding the farming of edible fauna. The way I see it, we're built to be omnivorous as evidenced in a number of ways. If I were interested in the ethics of cattle farming, I would instead be more inclined towards entomophagy than any of the various flavors of vegetarianism. No, my concern is that I'm no longer in my 20s, I'm overweight by more than 30 lbs., my cholesterol (especially my LDL) is high, my triglycerides are high, and I'm developing a burning desire to not die of heart disease at a young age like I've seen too many people do. At this point, if I do take the plunge, I would probably lean more towards lacto-ovo vegetarianism because of its reduced need for artificial supplements, more specifically, the issue of vitamins B12 and D, and calcium. Also, I'm concerned about Omega-3 fatty acids, and would like more information on plant sources of DHA and EPA, which I currently consume in the form of fish oil tablets. Frankly, any input would be welcome.

Also, I fell off the caffeinated beverage wagon recently in the form of two Pepsi's. In my defense, it was in response to sleep deprivation of a particularly nasty sort, and those boosts kept me functioning that day. I've been determined since then, though, and I have not gotten another Pepsi since. It could've been worse. I could've gotten a Vault soda, but that tastes like rancid piss.

As a musical special, I'm posting a video of a mash-up for the first time ever. I wish I could claim credit for creating it, but I can't. The two songs are "Loser" by Beck and "Into Dust" by Mazzy Star. Damn, I wish I could've seen Mazzy Star live.

7 comments:

Candace said...

I can't help ya - I don't keep up with the DHA and Omega-3 stuff (maybe I should.) But, I've been thinking about going lacto-ovo, too. I'm sure it would be healthier, for one thing, plus I AM concerned about the way our fauna are treated. There's no reason for an animal to suffer. I haven't eaten veal in decades. To follow that sentiment consistently, I'm aware that I shouldn't be eating anything that has a face. So, I have to admit when I'm piously declining veal parmigiana and ordering meatballs, I'm just a hypocrite. (There's no way I'm eating bugs. Ew.)

I've heard we should worry more about the triglyceride levels than cholesterol. What does the doc say about lowering that?

BTW, what's wrong with caffeine?

Good luck with going vegetarian, if that's what you decide to do. I'm thinking about it.

Candace said...

I forgot to mention one other reason I'm thinking about vegetarianism - we're using vast amounts of grain to feed the beasts, plus we're filling them with hormones and god-knows-what, not to mention the dangerous diseases like mad cow, etc.

Mandelbrot's Chaos said...

Well, caffeine is a stimulant, and stimulants aren't great for blood pressure. Also, I just don't like the thought of being dependent on a chemical in case I can no longer afford it, as I've experienced evacuating from hurricanes.

I would eat bugs. They're a major protein source for at least half of the world's population, and I'm sure they're tasty.

1138 said...

I went to a modified version decades ago.
Originally I dropped all red meat, got some red meat my mistake in a meal became ill and modified my diet to live with the rest of the world.
Now I eat one serving of red meat once a week in recognition that I'm biologically an omnivore and cannot deny nature.
So no not a vegan.
I eat degenerate dino's (birds)
I eat fish
I eat eggs (very few)
I eat dairy, but no milk, no ice cream and I prefer non bovine cheese.
And once a week I eat non pork red meat(I never eat pork).

Mandelbrot's Chaos said...

1138, that sounds very sensible, and somewhat easier than quitting meat altogether. Thanks for your input.

Snave said...

I don't know what rancid piss tastes like, but I don't care for Vault either. I have my 2 cups of coffee every morning, and once in a while I have a Diet Pepsi at work or with a junk food meal. What I am finding as I get older is that I am much more sensitive to caffeine; during the mornings I get speedy and giddy, and if I drink it in the afternoon, like you I end up having trouble sleeping at night. I think it is getting to be time to gradually wean myself off the stuff.

Mandelbrot's Chaos said...

Well, you could always do what I did to break myself of caffeine: Wait until you're already sick and feeling like pounded shit so you don't notice the caffeine withdrawal when you go cold turkey. While I didn't enjoy the stomach flu I used to do just that last year, at least I got some good out of it.