Struggles here and there

Today I'd like to write about the struggle I undergo on a somewhat frequent basis--the decision whether or not to eat something that I find morally objectionable. I no longer go through this about meat--the smell repels me, and there's not much that would convince me to actually eat flesh again. However, cheese is another matter, as are eggs... they're just yummy. And ubiquitous in most recipes I see. (Side note: I have learned something about cooking. You have to be really, really good when you can't smother your creations in cheese!)

The issue is compounded by the fact that I have to (HAVE TO) eat gluten free (I have Celiac disease). I haven't had any gluten in a long, long time, but if I did, I'd get very sick, and you wouldn't want to be around me. (Also, Celiacs who eat gluten over and over can develop cancer of the stomach and other nasty things.) So, when I travel or similarly lose complete control over what I eat, I have to first make sure that my food won't make me sick. This often limits me at breakfast, for example, to fruit (if I'm lucky) and omelets. So far, I do eat eggs when away from home. I just get hungry, you know? But I don't feel completely okay about it; that's why I thought I'd blog about it.

I don't see much on the webs about struggling as a vegan. I see a lot of strong vegans and strong critics. :) I feel it's best to be honest and say, yes, it's difficult to give up things you've been eating your whole life. Yes, I miss cheese. Yes, I eat it on occasion when it's the only thing (or one of the only things) I can have at an event. But as I enjoy that creaminess (the mouth feel, right?), I think about the suffering of the cows whose milk was taken to make that cheese. And that makes it a good bit less enjoyable.

The good news, to me at least, is that humans are so adaptable. When we put our minds to it, we can get used to just about anything! And that includes cheese. Yes, even cheese. Which is why I'm hopeful that in the future I'll find ways to avoid it, even if it means getting a little too hungry for comfort, or experiencing some nostalgia here and there, or even a sense of loss. If there's anything I've learned as a vegan, it's that food is intimately connected to my memories, moods, habits, and social life. But I'm in control, after all, and I'm working on making some changes. More on that later.

Update on B-12 Issue!

Hi, there -
I just finished reading this article ("Where do you get your B-12?") and am so excited about... science!
The summary statement is that B-12 is available from plant sources, and you must simply make your own decision about whether to supplement. I've been taking B-12 a couple of times a week, but based on this information, I might not buy another bottle when mine runs out. Hooray!

Beautiful Earth Day Celebration Today

One of the great things about this little city is the community of folks who come out to support the downtown farmers' market. Today's market was an Earth Day celebration, and I wore my new "Treehugger" shirt. The little yogini and I attended a family yoga practice right there on the grass to start the afternoon. After that, she strolled with her best friend, and I bought green tomatoes (just begging to be fried!), mango pepper jelly, mint (for mojitos), and rosemary (for focaccia).

I saw something on Facebook about how every day is really Earth Day, and that pretty much sums it up for me--it's nice to have a day where everyone talks about it, but one benefit to being vegan and trying to live a "kind" life is that each choice becomes a place where your own Earth Day plays out. Do I grab my reuseable bags, even though I'm running late, or do I just use the plastic ones at the supermarket? Do I buy the gluten free bread with egg in it, or do I find time to make my own, so that I don't participate in the egg industry in any way? Some choices are tougher than others, but the good thing is that we can be conscious of each one and really think through the consequences.

Update/It's been a long time!

Holy cow! I can't believe the last time I wrote here was in July 2013! For the longest time, I wouldn't allow myself to write here until the writing I was *supposed* to be doing (for work) was done. Since things never slowed down, I never blogged. However, I'm recommitting, mainly for myself, but also in the hopes that these posts might be helpful or interesting to someone else. (I also don't want this blog to join the graveyard of previous blogs I've started...) 
My sweet husband says he probably won't write here anymore. By the way, he didn't really stick with his experiment, once it was over, although he was very succesful and enjoyed it. So, more to blog about, such as how to raise a vegetarian?/vegan? child when one parent still eats meat, for instance! See you soon!