October lands crystal clear. The awareness of life and death has become more intimate and personal for me.
Although I have the urge to write about Ed, my husband, I am not ready. My thoughts are tangled with rage and pity, love and pain and sadness that now lounges by my side like a pet that will not go away.
I may eventually talk about Ed, but for now, I choose to entertain my mind with vegetarianism.
Yes, a topic poles apart from Ed. It deadens the inner turmoil.
Oct. 1 is Vegetarian Awareness Month. With guidance and proper balance of plant-based food, a person exercising this path of dietary selection can expect wellness.
I am not a vegetarian. I do eat meat, but most of my table choices are composed of vegetables.
Vegetarianism is the umbrella under which we know some or all of the subgroups of people who follow this concept and lifestyle. It is wise to know the types as part of this month’s advocacy.
We can start with the most familiar vegetarian: the vegan.
I know there are many jokes and conflicts relating to vegans. Today, however, let us raise the white flag of peace and briefly talk about this diet.
This is described as the most restrictive diet that bars anything that moos, squeals, buzzes, swims and crows.
Only foods coming from plants are allowed to enter the kitchen door. To drive it in, forget eggs, meat, dairy products and even honey.
Now, let us proceed to the least restrictive of this diet.
The lacto-ovo vegetarian includes dairy products like milk and cheese (ah, thank you so much!) and the like. The lacto-ovo follower includes eggs (from ovo) in their shopping basket.
The lacto-vegetarian eats dairy products but skips the eggs.
Maybe this is a diet ideal for someone who has an egg allergy. Perhaps they also want an all-plant-based menu with cheese and other dairy products on their plate.
Next is the ovo-vegetarian’s pot. Eggs figure in this diet, but no dairy products like milk and cheese.
On a happy note, the pescatarian (pesci means fish) allows fish on a vegetarian’s shopping list. Fish is a versatile ingredient, whether eaten raw as salad or as sushi, or turned into soup, stew or sandwich filling.
Semi-vegetarianism could be a good start if you really want to remove the four-footed types of meat from your skillet.
Fish and poultry are allowed in this diet. So go ahead, have your chicken and eat it too.
Oh and, please, let us not fight as to whose diet is better; to each his own choice.
I am out of here. My tears are falling again.