Vegetarianism, kids. Say it with me now, veg-e-tar-ian-ism. That’s right, a diet that doesn’t consist of trans-fatty acidic, artery clogging meat. The overall definition of a vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, fish and poultry. That is not the same thing as a VEGAN, someone who refrains from eating or even using all animal products, including milk, cheese, other dairy products, eggs, wool, silk and leather.

Vegetarianism has become an increasingly popular fad, especially with younger people. Everyone wants to be healthy and do something that sets them apart from everyone else. If you’re aiming for that, don’t bother, but if you’re aiming to change your diet for health reasons, vegetarianism is the way to go.

“But I love chicken too much to be a vegetarian!” you may cry to yourself. Never fear! Overall there are six general types of vegetarians:

*Vegan: Someone who avoids all foods of animal origin

(including milk and cheese!)

*Ovo-Vegetarian: You eat eggs, but avoid all forms of animal flesh and milk.

*Lacto-Vegetarian: You drink milk, but avoid all animal flesh and eggs.

*Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian: You drink milk and eat eggs, but exclude all animal flesh.

*Pesco-Vegetarian: (hey, that’s me!) Eat fish and seafood, but avoid all red meat and fowl (chicken, duck, etc.)

*Semi-Partial-Vegetarian: Use some milk products, eat some eggs, poultry and fish, but mostly eats plant based foods.

(http://www.byu.edu/dining/nutrition/14vegetarianism.html)

As you can see, there’s a little something here for everyone, but what exactly do we health nuts eat? Just because you’re a vegetarian doesn’t mean all you can do is eat tofu, although that is a very popular food choice. I, personally, don’t find it very appetizing . Depending on the type of vegetarian you are, the possibilities are endless. You can eat macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, fruit salads, breads, nuts, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts (which are so good by the way), and the list goes on.

One of the biggest concerns that people have is whether or not they’re getting the proper amount of nutrients to make them function normally from day to day. Just as long as you pay attention to what you’re eating, you should be fine. This doesn’t mean that you can just “mow down” on chips and cookies all day. You should actually avoid excess amounts of protein, alcohol, salt and caffeine; these can all act as calcium “robbers.” Also make sure you eat plenty of Vitamin C rich foods such as beans, pasta, wheat germ, and broccoli. This will help to enhance your iron absorption.

There’s one other form of vegetarianism: RAW. No, I’m not trying to scare you, I’m just stating a term. That’s right kids, raw food. I’m not talking sushi with rice and a little soy sauce, I mean actual uncooked food. By the way, if you want to be technical, sushi contains cooked rice, therefore it’s not raw. People gone raw eat a vegan diet, but exclude any food that was cooked at a temperature higher than 118 degrees. An article in the November 2nd Maine Sunday Telegram talked about raw foodists and its ever-growing popularity. It stated that consumption of cooked food irritates the digestive system and causes fatigue, disease and even premature aging. Raw foodists can eat pretty much whatever they want, just as long as it’s not cooked. However, their diets typically consist of mainly leafy greens, nuts, and lots of fruits. People who have gone raw have found that they have more energy and are healthier and more fit.

Becoming a vegetarian is something other people may think is weird or pointless. In the end, the choice is yours, just as long as you do it for the right reasons. The results show it is actually healthier and better for your body to consume vegetarian-like foods more often than meat products. I’ve been a vegetarian for about a year and a half now, and I love it. It’s fun trying and creating new foods; every meal is an adventure. Not really but we can pretend, right? I became one for health reasons and have no problem with other people eating meat. To each his own. From my perspective, I do recommend at least trying a form of vegetarianism, since it won’t do anything but benefit your body in the end. Sounds like quite the deal to me. So, if you’re feeling kind of beat, and you eat a lot of meat, switch to eating grass, and your energy will lass-t. (Ha, I crack myself up.)