…Forward and Beyond

When I commit to something, actually anything, I commit. I don’t just dip my toe into the water, I cannonball in with a huge splash! So when I became a vegetarian, it extended not only to what I ate, but ingredients in the products I used. No meat, poultry, or fish. No lecithin, gelatin, or glycerin. I subscribed to Vegetarian Times, volunteered with the Portland Vegetarians while living in Oregon, and supported Farm Sanctuary. For more than 21 years, I shared my knowledge, experiences, and recipes with others who were interested.

In time, family and friends became more relaxed with my choice and sharing meals with me. The question of what I would or could eat was usually solved by offering me salads and pasta. These were easy go-tos when I first started out on my lacto-ovo vegetarian path. One person who was especially happy to figure out what to serve me was my mother-in-law, Ella. Once she discovered Costco sold frozen vegetarian lasagna, she stockpiled cartons! Every…single…time we had plans for dinner, she popped one into the oven. Anyone who attended a Braverman get together between 1991 and Ella’s passing in 2011, can attest to this!

After a few years, I became more at ease, too. Maybe even a little complacent. I no longer worried about what I’d eat at someone’s house or restaurant. Asking about ingredients and how foods were prepared became second nature. Whenever new foods, usually prepackaged or frozen, hit the market, I only had to see the words “meat-free” or “vegetarian” and I’d give it a try. Tempeh, seitan, and tofu were staples in my kitchen. They became easier to find in grocery stores and they were a snap to cook. So convenient! When not noshing on alternative meat products, pasta was at the top of my lunch and dinner lists.

There really was no need to reevaluate what I was putting into my mouth, as my annual checkups were fine, and I was still very active. But over the two decades of being a vegetarian, my blood work numbers though good, were inching upwards, and I had gained about eight pounds. It wasn’t until that fateful day in early May of 2012, when I had my bike accident that I became laser focused on my overall health. Which of course, included my diet. Breaking my clavicle and pelvis meant three long days in the hospital and seven more days in a rehab facility. It gave me plenty of time to think about…well, everything.

Six weeks after Physical Therapy, I was back on my feet. Two weeks later, I met JN, a certified personal trainer with a background in nutrition. She helped me regain my strength and re-educated me on food.

From my journal: July 2, 2012, Newbury Park, California

“JN had a lot of info for me on my diet. Glad to be working with her.”

Keeping a food log let me see in black and white what I was actually consuming each day. It turns out I ate a lot more carbs than protein. JN said more protein would be beneficial to my healing, but even after doubling the grams I ate, she assured me it wasn’t enough. She then asked me to read the labels on the meat substitutes in my weekly food rotation. I was shocked to find out that the actual amount of protein was low and there were also other ingredients in them that I didn’t need. When she suggested that I, at least eat fish, I wanted to quit working with her. I was struggling with my commitment to being a vegetarian, while realizing my diet wasn’t as good-for-me as I always thought it to be. I wanted to be healthier, but I didn’t want to say good-bye to my vegetarian lifestyle. Could I do both?

This month-long struggle ended when I ate my first piece of salmon. 

From my journal: August 3, 2012, Newbury Park, California

“Cried during dinner…it means I am no longer a vegetarian. I still care about animals and the planet…but right now I have to fully heal and get well.”

Within a month I had added chicken and turkey to my diet, then pork and beef. The result? A six-pound weight loss, more energy, and clearer thinking.  

From my journal: September 15, 2012, Newbury Park, California

“I haven’t been hungry since eating fish, poultry, and meat….I feel fuller longer, more awake, alert…more alive.”

Once I changed my diet, I changed my thinking, too. Still wanting to support animals and the environment, I researched other ways to help. Choosing grass-fed pasture raised meats, buying seafood farmed using sustainable fishing practices, and shopping for organic veg and fruit in season at local farmer’s markets were all easy to do. Today, I am still conscience of the household products I buy and I donate to several animal and environmental-based non-profits. We grow a pesticide-free garden each season and I eat more plant food than meat.

Although my vegetarian path ended over a decade ago, it was essential for my current health and well-being. It has led me both forward and beyond. Forward with what I know now, and beyond what I knew then.