a global initiative to encourage people
to cut down meat consumption in the first month of the year,
I elaborate here how plant based diets
come in diversified forms.
This is especially necessarily
when there are more commoners being new to plant based living
but confused about it...
eg.
~can vegetarian drink milk?
~why some vegetarians are taking eggs?
~I didn't know vegan doesn't take honey
~isn't seafood vegetarian too?
The above questions are not silly,
neither they reflect any ignorance.
In broad sight,
diet is truly the manifestation of one's mind and will.
While we appreciate,
there are no two minds being exactly the same,
so shall we anticipate,
no two different person's dietetic practice would be exactly the same.
Hence the confusing differences among the vegetarian/vegan community.
A community may share similar philosophies/principles of living/diet,
however, the members of that community,
would still vary in their eventual practices,
due to differential personal approaches and external factors.
In general, most people agree that we should:
.do less harm to animals,
.take good care of our own health
and
.be more eco-friendly.
Therefore, it's not difficult to observe that
common people do not exclusively eat meat for long term.
This is considered an omnivorous diet
which is the most prominent dietetic culture nowadays.
With an omnivorous diet,
although very weak,
we still see the manifestation of good will for overall wellbeing on Earth.
This is also the most convenient way to do less harm to others,
but of course the impact is obviously of the least too.
There are people who feel stronger about
animals' welfare, personal wellness and environmental conservation.
They would then take that omnivorous regimen to a stricter level,
by adopting more meatless meals in a stipulated period of time
(e.g. once per week, twice a month etc)
These people may claim that they are part-time vegetarians,
as they do impose some restriction/inconvenience on themselves
to practice meatless living periodically,
-- although they would still take animal products like eggs, dairy and honey.
As the story goes on,
we would anticipate there would also be people
having even stronger feelings and willings
to bring bigger impact to the world,
by incurring even stricter regimens,
undertaking greater inconvenience,
and choosing to declare that they are
full time vegetarians and vegans of different "variants".
These variable forms of vegetarian/vegan diet that they choose,
whether
. ovo-lacto-vegetarian,
. ovo-vegetarian,
. lacto-vegetarian,
. honey-vegetarian,
. strict vegan,
many a time are subject to conditioning factors
like
~family culture,
~accessibility of veg at work place,
~nature of occupation,
~ability to cook by themselves etc.
This is how the plant based community could be so dynamically diversified.
While some vegans may think,
we all could do even better by giving up egg, dairy and honey,
this dynamism of plant based living, at variable intensities and impact,
should still be celebrated.
-- for every individual is doing one's best part to do less harm.
Furthering from veganism,
(a dietetic regimen which avoid all animal-derived ingredients)
depending on even stronger feeling and willingness
for the betterment of humanity and religious/spiritual cultivation,
one may also impose other restrictions on
cooked foods (ie going raw), tubers, mushrooms, garlic, onions, nightshades crops,
or even going beyond dietetic restrictions,
refusing garments and tools made from animal parts.
I tabulate below the myriad degrees of plant based living,
for clarity
and also to emphasize that
we are all of no difference,
whether we choose the convenient way out to go omnivorous, part time veg,
or full time vegan,
as long as the very blessings for Mother Earth, Animals and Our Personal Wellbeing,
are constantly within our mind :)
Finally, may I invite you to pledge for at least one vegan meal in this January here at:
(and get a free vegan recipe book, Malaysian style, after pledging ^.^)
Many blessings to Mother Earth, Animals and Wellbeing!
Sincerely,
Kee Yew