Poll of the Day > May end up becoming a vegetarian...

(+) Yeah! (+)

Because its cheaper
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plenty of cheap meat also
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Healthier anyways
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Lots of benefits to not eating animal products, or at least eating less of them

Im trying to do the same, Im so used to eating meat though
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Kigalas posted...

Healthier anyways

not as tasty though
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If I can lose my belly, I wouldn't mind becoming a vegetarian.
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Krazy_Kirby posted...

Kigalas posted...

Healthier anyways

not as tasty though

Exactly. Nothing will compare
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mastermix3000 posted...

Krazy_Kirby posted...

Kigalas posted...

Healthier anyways

not as tasty though

Exactly. Nothing will compare

Nah. Learn to cook vegetarian. Your tastebuds adapt to a more natural diet that's not so loaded with fat and salt. You can actually taste the delicious flavors of all the plants you eat. It's pretty great

If you don't know how to cook well transition slowly.
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It is so cheap to eat veg though. That's what got my boyfriend on board. He really likes my cooking and I cook only vegan in the house. As a courtesy I make him lunches with lunch meat though it honestly makes me gag a bit at the smell and greasy feel. And I used to loooooooove that sandwich meat.

https://imgur.com/kCWxc70

44 dollars. Add a couple pounds of lentils, beans, rice, and pasta, and you've got so many meals at the ready for 50 dollars. Out of that I made a few batches of roasted vegetables, marinara sauce from scratch, pico de gallo, several stir fry dishes, salads, veggie burritos, and many snacks of fruit

That fed 2 people really well for over a week
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Kigalas posted...

Healthier anyways

Actually it's considered more difficult for any creature to digest vegetation as opposed to meat. Why do you think most herbivores have chambered / multiple stomachs? It's difficult and unnatural for a human being to go their life without eating meat. Even deer may take a bite of meat every once and a while to balance their nutritional intake, the same way wolves might eat a berry or two for the enzymes in them.
This is why vegans piss me off -- animals eat other animaks, it's nature, denying it is like saying that you are above nature, which is arrogant and defies the spiritual respect for nature that vegans claim to follow.

If you're choosing to stop eating meat because it's cheaper then I hope you're happy spending money on supplements and/or a fuck-ton of peas and spinach to fill the protein gap.
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Do it!

Been veg for a couple years now and it's great.
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mastermix3000 posted...

Because its cheaper

Depends on what you're having. Beans, rice, etc, are dirt cheap but fruit can be expensive. And there are cheap meat options.

Kigalas posted...

Healthier anyways

Not necessarily. Especially since carbs tend to be a larger issue.
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I've thought about it, the biggest problem I've had is a few points:

1. I really like savory foods, and while I can happily eat mushrooms, my gf can't stand the texture so I can't make dishes for both of us :(
Also mushrooms aren't nearly as varied as meats, so I can't experiment as well with them.

2. Meat's honestly just too easy to make tasty. It's already packed full of salt and fat, and cooking it doesn't require a lot of messing around with it to get it right.

3. Going to a restaurant means I have to extra picky about what I eat. I'm already picky enough when I go to restaurants I don't want to just get a salad (which absolutely suck) or whatever singular vegetarian meal they actually put thought and effort into.
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Flappers posted...

This is why vegans piss me off -- animals eat other animaks, it's nature, denying it is like saying that you are above nature, which is arrogant and defies the spiritual respect for nature that vegans claim to follow.

There's nothing natural or respectful about how animal products are produced in society today. Not participating in that torture is a bit more respectful imo

Nor is there anything natural about our current society and how we live

Humans have placed ourselves in a position where we no longer need to consume meat or animal products to be healthy or enjoy our diets. There's so much food out there.

There have been vegetarian societies throughout history without issue. There are currently hundreds of millions of vegetarians alive and doing well. Don't get mad that people choose to cause less suffering in this world.
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I'm unofficially vegetarian. I no longer buy meat, but I'll eat it if served to me
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shadowsword87 posted...

Also mushrooms aren't nearly as varied as meats, so I can't experiment as well with them.

There's a dozen different mushrooms at one grocery I go to, all unique in flavor and texture. Mushrooms have more variety than meat imo

shadowsword87 posted...

Meat's honestly just too easy to make tasty. It's already packed full of salt and fat, and cooking it doesn't require a lot of messing around with it to get it right.

Meat is usually the thing that takes the longest to prepare and cook safely. Cooking veg means even less cook time. Meat shouldn't already be packed with salt unless it's processed and if so eww

The worst you can say about this is you need to put some effort into being a good cook and can't be lazy as fuck with packaged processed food. I love cooking and it has upped my game to a new level. It was an awesome challenge

shadowsword87 posted...

Going to a restaurant means I have to extra picky about what I eat. I'm already picky enough when I go to restaurants I don't want to just get a salad (which absolutely suck) or whatever singular vegetarian meal they actually put thought and effort into.

Even the shittiest restaurants have options other than salad these days. And depending where you live, many restaurants have extensive vegetarian menus. There's over a hundred vegetarian friendly places in my city. 3 new vegan restaurants opened this year. So many choices.
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Doctor Foxx posted...

There's a dozen different mushrooms at one grocery I go to, all unique in flavor and texture. Mushrooms have more variety than meat imo

Ya, there are tons of different mushrooms... ... just not at many stores.

I like the taste of mushrooms, but don't like the texture - so I cook mine Duxelle style
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Lokarin posted...

Ya, there are tons of different mushrooms... ... just not at many stores.

Most places here have white and brown button, as well as portobello, shiitake, and king oyster. Each of those has a preferred application. I love those king oyster mushrooms

In my small town there were usually only 3 varieties, but how many varieties of dead animals do people eat? mostly the same 3 plus aquatic things
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Vegans shouldn't own pets. Owning, rescuing, adopting, etc are all of a selfish motive. Quit playing white savior. Cats contribute to massive losses in bird populations, and humans have evolved beyond the needs to own dogs.

Pets should be phased out. All cats sterilized and the same with all dogs.
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KnoxKorner posted...

Vegans shouldn't own pets. Owning, rescuing, adopting, etc are all of a selfish motive. Quit playing white savior. Cats contribute to massive losses in bird populations, and humans have evolved beyond the needs to own dogs.

Pets should be phased out. All cats sterilized and the same with all dogs.

Saltwater Aquarium pets are taken from tide pools where they would die anyways, they're great pets too and growing your own coral is cool
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Doctor Foxx posted...

In my small town there were usually only 3 varieties, but how many varieties of dead animals do people eat? mostly the same 3 plus aquatic things

Foxx, you know I love all the cooking stuff you explain and take it all to heart, but that was some shit you just said, and you know it. Different cuts and different parts make all of the difference in meat in terms of tenderness and application and you know it.

Doctor Foxx posted...

There's a dozen different mushrooms at one grocery I go to, all unique in flavor and texture. Mushrooms have more variety than meat imo

There's a lot more in terms of raw number of different mushrooms, but not in terms of applications/tastes. Also, still can't feed my gf them so it's kinda sad :(

Doctor Foxx posted...

Meat is usually the thing that takes the longest to prepare and cook safely.

Not for carrots and potatoes, which are most of the veggies I eat. Plus I dice everything so it rarely takes forever.

Doctor Foxx posted...

Even the s***tiest restaurants have options other than salad these days. And depending where you live, many restaurants have extensive vegetarian menus. There's over a hundred vegetarian friendly places in my city. 3 new vegan restaurants opened this year. So many choices.

Doing some basic googling, yeah they absolutely exist in my area as well.
Fair enough, I will keep an eye out on that.

Also, the argument of "this shit is harder to cook, it will teach you some stuff" is possibly the best argument I've dealt with. I may see if I can survive for a week/month with vegetarian-only stuff as a weird personal trial.
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https://imgur.com/bNOJfkI
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shadowsword87 posted...

Also, the argument of "this shit is harder to cook, it will teach you some stuff" is possibly the best argument I've dealt with. I may see if I can survive for a week/month with vegetarian-only stuff as a weird personal trial.

Do it! Your tastebuds will adjust and you'll enjoy veggies a lot more. And your increased cooking knowledge will help you out regardless of your diet. I don't trust a cook that can't make at least one beautiful vegetarian dish now. I think they rely on lazy tactics

shadowsword87 posted...

Not for carrots and potatoes, which are most of the veggies I eat. Plus I dice everything so it rarely takes forever.

Here's the secret to eating vegan quickly: get a pressure cooker. You can have a a huge batch of unsoaked lentils cooked perfectly in under 30 minutes. Or a pot full of potatoes and carrots done in 20 without needing to cut them. It's so fast.

I suggest these for any cooks. It's just especially easy for plant based eating.

shadowsword87 posted...

Foxx, you know I love all the cooking stuff you explain and take it all to heart, but that was some shit you just said, and you know it. Different cuts and different parts make all of the difference in meat in terms of tenderness and application and you know it.

I do know it. Doesn't change that what makes up the meat has very little variety in the typical diet. You can do the same with soy, wheat, and other plants. The variety of applications for cooking and what you end up with is there.

shadowsword87 posted...

There's a lot more in terms of raw number of different mushrooms, but not in terms of applications/tastes. Also, still can't feed my gf them so it's kinda sad :(

That is sad mushrooms are the best
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Lokarin posted...

Saltwater Aquarium pets are taken from tide pools where they would die anyways.

Not allowing nature to take its course and removing vital parts of a ecosystem.
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Some folk care way too much about what others eat or don't eat.
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KnoxKorner posted...

Vegans shouldn't own pets. Owning, rescuing, adopting, etc are all of a selfish motive. Quit playing white savior. Cats contribute to massive losses in bird populations, and humans have evolved beyond the needs to own dogs.

Pets should be phased out. All cats sterilized and the same with all dogs.

My cats are sterilized and stay indoors. They would have all potentially been put down (two would have, the other not as much). I raised one from a feral kitten.

The only destruction they have is their meat based diet. I'm not going to force them to eat plants.

I feel conflict about keeping pets in the home for sure. They may have never had any life without that intervention. It's do the least harm. Not everyone is perfect.
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Flappers posted...

This is why vegans piss me off -- animals eat other animaks, it's nature, denying it is like saying that you are above nature, which is arrogant and defies the spiritual respect for nature that vegans claim to follow.

There's nothing natural or respectful about how animal products are produced in society today. Not participating in that torture is a bit more respectful imo

Nor is there anything natural about our current society and how we live

Humans have placed ourselves in a position where we no longer need to consume meat or animal products to be healthy or enjoy our diets. There's so much food out there.

There have been vegetarian societies throughout history without issue. There are currently hundreds of millions of vegetarians alive and doing well. Don't get mad that people choose to cause less suffering in this world.

no. i would get zero enjoyment from a vegetarian diet
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Do it! Your tastebuds will adjust and you'll enjoy veggies a lot more. And your increased cooking knowledge will help you out regardless of your diet. I don't trust a cook that can't make at least one beautiful vegetarian dish now. I think they rely on lazy tactics

Yeah all right I will do it for a week. I will need to get some quick and dirty recipes for making meals because I'm lazy as f*** when I make food normally.
This isn't going to be a "oh, I guess I will do it next week". I want to plan this out and be careful because I can't fall back on fast food.

Also, I'm going to ignore any health benefit reasons.
Not the best way of looking at things, but damn it I want my vegetable oil and cheese.
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I haven't actually gone vegetarian but I do tend to avoid red meat now for health reasons. The occasional In-N-Out or a nice steak for a special dinner with friends is my only real time I'll eat red meat. In some places I actually would choose a tofu dishes but the issue with tofu is that it has to be done right to be good. Tofu for the most part take on whatever flavour it is cooked with but some places do not do that properly.
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Theres something called exercise too.
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I do eat meat sometimes but the level that some people get threatened by people who dont is both baffling and hilarious
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Krazy_Kirby posted...

no. i would get zero enjoyment from a vegetarian diet

What a terribly boring palate that only meat brings enjoyment. Out of all the things of wonderful things you can enjoy... Hopefully you don't become one of countless millions that develop meat allergies. It'll be more common as climate change brings the Lonestar tick to more areas.

InfestedAdam posted...

I haven't actually gone vegetarian but I do tend to avoid red meat now for health reasons. The occasional In-N-Out or a nice steak for a special dinner with friends is my only real time I'll eat red meat. In some places I actually would choose a tofu dishes but the issue with tofu is that it has to be done right to be good. Tofu for the most part take on whatever flavour it is cooked with but some places do not do that properly.

The places that do though most places that have decent vegetarian menus can nail tofu. Tofu done right is so freaking good.

shadowsword87 posted...

Doctor Foxx posted...

Do it! Your tastebuds will adjust and you'll enjoy veggies a lot more. And your increased cooking knowledge will help you out regardless of your diet. I don't trust a cook that can't make at least one beautiful vegetarian dish now. I think they rely on lazy tactics

Yeah all right I will do it for a week. I will need to get some quick and dirty recipes for making meals because I'm lazy as f*** when I make food normally.
This isn't going to be a "oh, I guess I will do it next week". I want to plan this out and be careful because I can't fall back on fast food.

Also, I'm going to ignore any health benefit reasons.
Not the best way of looking at things, but damn it I want my vegetable oil and cheese.

I highly suggest the Thug Kitchen 101 book for easy vegan cooking that anyone can manage. Most meals take under 30 minutes and are easy to follow.
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Mead posted...

I do eat meat sometimes but the level that some people get threatened by people who dont is both baffling and hilarious

Right?
How dare people do something that is probably better for you!
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solid_kush posted...

Theres something called exercise too.

You can't eat exercise
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To be clear: meat will go out of style when factory grown meat becomes cheap to produce.

What we're doing to animals is immoral and future people will look down on us.
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Lokarin posted...

solid_kush posted...

Theres something called exercise too.

You can't eat exercise

Comment award 2018.
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shadowsword87 posted...

To be clear: meat will go out of style when factory grown meat becomes cheap to produce.

What we're doing to animals is immoral and future people will look down on us.

I believe this as well and after I realized the horrors of my participation I stopped eating the fruits of that industry
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solid_kush posted...

Theres something called exercise too.

Aye but self-control on how much/what we eat goes a long way too, doesn't it? It's a simple equation of calories in, calories out but the older one gets, I think the better it is to just be mindful of how much/what ones eat.

I still exercise, occasionally, but its more to stay fit than to lose weight. To lose weight I need to be more mindful of how much/what I eat. Jogging 6-8 miles are my longer jog sessions but that's only good for maybe 600-700 calories at most and only if I pushed myself.
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shadowsword87 posted...

To be clear: meat will go out of style when factory grown meat becomes cheap to produce.

Uh, what? Are you talking factory farms or lab meat? In the former, any reductions in cost of production would passed along as profits to shareholders. In the latter, sure, eventually lab meat (or a meat substitute) will eventually undercut factory farms. However, it's going to hit roadblocks that'll make the anti-GMO movement look tame by comparison. The EU will likely outright ban it and the naturalist movement will do everything in its power to kill it here. While we might be able to mass-produce meat in a lab within the next few decades, I don't expect that it'll see widespread acceptance within the next hundred years.

shadowsword87 posted...

What we're doing to animals is immoral and future people will look down on us.

The speculative "wrong side of history" argument is generally humorous. Morality is a moving needle and predictions -- even if they come to pass -- aren't particularly meaningful to the moment. People should focus more on living in accordance to their values, not in regards how they think future generations might feel. I mean, who knows? The future might be filled with cannibals who mock us for our sensitivities!

shadowsword87 posted...

Mead posted...

I do eat meat sometimes but the level that some people get threatened by people who dont is both baffling and hilarious

Right?
How dare people do something that is probably better for you!

Again, it seems unlikely that it actually is. While there are probably benefits in eating less meat (although part of that also comes down to the way the meat itself is prepared), cutting it out entirely can have negative health impacts as well.
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Zeus posted...

Again, it seems unlikely that it actually is. While there are probably benefits in eating less meat (although part of that also comes down to the way the meat itself is prepared), cutting it out entirely can have negative health impacts as well.

This may have been correct decades ago. The science is clear. In order to treat and manage many diet related health conditions, doctors recommend avoiding as many animal products as possible. The more strictly plant based the better. The more Animal products you have the less effective the diet benefits are. Not to mention the cancer risk for many animal products

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15702597/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4991921/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/
Meat is beneficial over plant proteins for general health only rarely. If ever.
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I have tofu once. It was pretty good. But I'll stick with what I normally eat...

Lokarin posted...

solid_kush posted...

Theres something called exercise too.

You can't eat exercise

You aren't trying hard enough...
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Hopefully you don't become one of countless millions that develop meat allergies. It'll be more common as climate change brings the Lonestar tick to more areas.

I sure hope not. I'd pretty much die if that happens. But at least it's only meat. I guess animal by products like eggs, cheese, and milk will have to do for a small amount of time while I get my affairs in order...
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not going to develop a meat allergy, lol...
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Krazy_Kirby posted...

not going to develop a meat allergy, lol...

It's much more common to develop in adulthood than you think. And will only become more and more common as ticks spread

None of my 3 friends that developed their meat allergies expected it to happen, weird how that works

LinkPizza posted...

Doctor Foxx posted...

Hopefully you don't become one of countless millions that develop meat allergies. It'll be more common as climate change brings the Lonestar tick to more areas.

I sure hope not. I'd pretty much die if that happens. But at least it's only meat. I guess animal by products like eggs, cheese, and milk will have to do for a small amount of time while I get my affairs in order...

Who said it was only meat? Usually the allergy is to any of specific proteins found in the animal. That includes their fluids and reproductive cells like milk or eggs. Chicken allergies happen as well and yeah eggs also set that off.
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Who said it was only meat? Usually the allergy is to any of specific proteins found in the animal. That includes their fluids and reproductive cells like milk or eggs. Chicken allergies happen as well and yeah eggs also set that off.

Oh. Then I guess I would just have to die... Nothing more I can do...
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Hopefully you don't become one of countless millions that develop meat allergies. It'll be more common as climate change brings the Lonestar tick to more areas.

Millions of people have peanut allergies, too. Allergies are not unique to meat.
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Golden Road posted...

Doctor Foxx posted...

Hopefully you don't become one of countless millions that develop meat allergies. It'll be more common as climate change brings the Lonestar tick to more areas.

Millions of people have peanut allergies, too. Allergies are not unique to meat.

They're not unique, no. Yet some people say they would kill themselves instead of doing without meat and I've never heard anyone say that about peanuts

Seems like a nasty addiction

Nut allergies are not spread by ticks or other parasites iirc
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Golden Road posted...

Doctor Foxx posted...

Hopefully you don't become one of countless millions that develop meat allergies. It'll be more common as climate change brings the Lonestar tick to more areas.

Millions of people have peanut allergies, too. Allergies are not unique to meat.

They're not unique, no. Yet some people say they would kill themselves instead of doing without meat and I've never heard anyone say that about peanuts

Seems like a nasty addiction

Nut allergies are not spread by ticks or other parasites iirc

Yeah. but it's usually a lot easier to avoid peanuts. Not to mention most of the people allergic to peanuts have been living like that for their whole lives. To have someone get bit by an arachnid and suddenly can't eat a good portion of their diet and lose the ability to eat what thy like and have to learn to live a whole new way can really mess some people up. Personally, I wouldn't kill myself, but I would still pretty much die. I couldn't live without certain foods in my life. I'd be depressed because I couldn't eat breakfast happily, which is my favorite meal. I would lose my favorite food, which is cheese. And most of my recipes, with or without meat, contain cheese. And cooking with my family wouldn't be as fun since I couldn't cook the foods I use to with them. Well, I probably could, but I wouldn't be able to eat any. And it's hard to cook when I can't tell what it's needs more of. So, life would just generally start to suck. And I'd be miserable all the time. And I would start being grumpy and would probably not want to be around people for however long I have left... Plus, I would just be craving everything I couldn't eat. Because when I don't have something for a while, I don't just stop liking it. I just start craving it. Also, not sure about my palate changing. I already like certain fruits and veggies. So, I don't think my taste would change except for craving everything I can't eat...
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LinkPizza posted...

Yeah. but it's usually a lot easier to avoid peanuts

Is it? Maybe when other people keep it a nut free place. But that's the thing.

It's very easy to avoid meat--nutritionally and otherwise--in places that don't consume meat so excessively.

LinkPizza posted...

To have someone get bit by an arachnid and suddenly can't eat a good portion of their diet and lose the ability to eat what thy like and have to learn to live a whole new way can really mess some people up.

When people have a heart attack they have to do the same thing and more, or they die. People have to and successfully discontinue eating meat all the time. If meat is the bulk of your diet that will be a reality sooner than later.

LinkPizza posted...

Also, not sure about my palate changing.

It's like quitting smoking. Your palate does change when it is not dealing with something so overpowering.

You won't know unless you try it out. People adapt. If meat and cheese are all that's sustaining you in life, or even as much of a Lynch pin as you say, you might want to branch out a bit
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Doctor Foxx posted...

Is it? Maybe when other people keep it a nut free place. But that's the thing.It's very easy to avoid meat--nutritionally and otherwise--in places that don't consume meat so excessively.

Lots of places have areas where they cook without things likes peanuts and shellfish. Some are now doing areas where they cook without meat, especially places that are becoming vegetarian and vegan friendly. But I think it's still relatively new to most places.

Doctor Foxx posted...

When people have a heart attack they have to do the same thing and more, or they die. People have to and successfully discontinue eating meat all the time. If meat is the bulk of your diet that will be a reality sooner than later.

It's possible. But now always. It depends on your diet. Just because I like meat and animal byproduct doesn't mean it actually makes up all of my diet. Just a good portions. But it doesn't always mean that I'll definitely have a heart attack. And at the point where I have to change my diet or die, I'd probably die, tbh...

Doctor Foxx posted...

It's like quitting smoking. Your palate does change when it is not dealing with something so overpowering. You won't know unless you try it out. People adapt. If meat and cheese are all that's sustaining you in life, or even as much of a Lynch pin as you say, you might want to branch out a bit

But it seems like it would take a while. I have cut out pretty much most of the normal foods I consume multiple times in my life. Like when I went to Australia for a little over a month. Or when I started basic training. Basic training was 2 months, plus all the months for tech school was about 10 months or so. Whenever during that 10 months I got to eat something I hadn't had in a while, I was craving it rather than not wanting it...
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