Im 11, and I want to become vegetarian, but parents wouldn't approve?!
Im 11, and I want to become vegetarian, but parents wouldn't approve?
Ive kinda been secretly vegetarin since last november/october, and my parents have started to kind of catch on. They now force me to eat meat. Its disgusting. What advice would you give? Ive been secretly veggie cuz i knew they wouldnt approve. And now that they kinda sorta know, its even harder. help!
Answers:
ii have never eaten non veg in my entire life as we belong to Jain religion which is the oldest religion on earth which is more than 10000 years old most all Jains are 100% vegetarian here is the list of proetin which will help you :-
Proteins: Body's protein needs can be provided by either animal or plant sources. Mixed protein diet obtained from various plant sources is better than animal protein and is recommended in diabetes, renal diseases and liver diseases. Mixed protein diet from different plant sources has been the pattern of diet in India for all vegetarians.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods; like cereals, grains, fresh and dry fruits, legumes, vegetable, greens, nuts etc. plant carbohydrates include' large amounts of starches, sugar and fibers which are important for gut functions. The body is better suited to a high carbohydrate diet than a low carbohydrate diet. In fact 55% of the food intake should be carbohydrate. All animal products do not contain carbohydrate which is essential for body.
Fat: Plant fats differ from animal fats in two different ways 1) they are cholesterol free 2) they generally contain more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fats. Plant fats usually have higher polyunsaturated fat value than animal fats.
A diet which is low in cholesterol and which contains fat of a high PIS value is associated with a lower incident of coronary health disease.
Vitamins and Minerals: plant foods are rich in many vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is obtained by exposure of skin to sun light and this is not a problem in India.
Calcium: The vegetarians can meet their needs for calcium from dairy products. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Dark green vegetables are good sources of Riboflavin as are legumes and whole grain cereal.
Iron: The problem of iron deficiency is relatively common but vitamin C significantly enhances absorption of iron hence it is advisable for vegetarians to include with each meal a food high in vitamin C which as lime, citrus fruits or juices.
Zinc: Zinc is found in large number of plant foods.
Fiber: Fiber is found only in vegetarian food like whole grain cereals, legumes, greens, fruits, vegetable etc.
Thus in vegetarian foods all requirement of nutrition for body growth and maintenance is fulfilled. One can have a complete and balanced diet provided we take enough food which is as close to nature as possible in maintaining sturdy and disease free body. It is equally helpful in curing many diseases.
ADVANTAGES OF VEGETARIAN DIET:
More & more evidence is surfacing that directly links a prolonged non- vegetarian diet to diseases as cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma just to name a few.
1. LOGEVITY: Vegetarian can expect to live 4-10 years longer then the non-vegetarians.
" Source: Seventh day Adventists study
2. LESS HEART DISEASE: Because of low fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content of the vegetarian diet the risk of heart disease is lowered. High blood cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.
3. LESS CANCER: Up to 40% of all cancers are diet related. Cancer death rates have been associated with obesity and high fat / low fiber diet. Vitamin A & C are thought to be protective against colon cancer. Low fat diets protect against prostrate and breast cancer. Indoles, lignans, isoflavones, protease inhibitors which are present in plant foods and shown to be potent anti carcinogens.
4. LESS BOWEL DISEASE: Diverticular disease and appendicitis occur more frequently with low fiber intake as in meat diet.
5. LEES OBESITY & LESS INCIDENCE OF DIABETES: It is easier to plan a low fat diet for a vegetarian then for a meat eater. The fiber in plant food dilutes the energy & provides a satisfying meal without all the calories. Diabetes over the age of 40 seems to be related to obesity.
CONLUSION:
When activists like M.K. Gandhi, sports personalities like Martina Novratilova & Carl Lewis, beauties like Brooke Shields & Kate Winslet, physists like Edison, Albert Einstein & A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, religious leaders & mystics like Jesus & Osho can be legendaries in there respective fields taking the advantage of being vegetarian, Is'nt it more prudent on our part to switch over to vegetarianism & enjoy better quality & longevity of life.
just put r foot down and say no mom and dad i am not going to eat these poor animals and if u keep making me then u are terrible people! i am a vegitarin and thats who i am and u cant change the person i am!! i will not eat meat, eating animals is really cruel and i will just not stand for it! im not eating meat!!
I AGREE WITH KATIE
Point out to them that many great men were vegetarian. Hitler for example was a vegetarian.
well i sorta have a problem like that too. I had an eating disorder a while back, but now im better. But i want to be a vegetarian, but if i told my parents..they would think im having a problem again. So i would recomend doing research and sitting your parents down and showing them you know what you are doing, and know how to be a vegetarian without risking your health. They would probably be more able to accept your proposal.
Good luck!
I hate to inform you, but at age 11... unless you have researched and know EXACTLY what nutrients you need and what you can get them from to stay healthy, you'll have to eat meat. Your body needs certain things to grow properly at that age, and if you don't know what they are and don't eat them, you run the risk of getting ill/not developing properly.
So, if you really want to be vegetarian, sit down and talk to your parents about it. DON'T just yell and "put your foot down". Tell them how you feel and that you're willing to do the research and put a lot of effort into this. Some vegetarian alternatives may be expensive; offer to help pay every once in a while for the things you will be eating that no one else in your family will.
They are concerned that you won't get good nutrition. Prove them wrong. Eat a variety of plant based proteins. Ask to prepare one nutritionally sound meatless meal a week. Bring them articles on healthy veggie recipes and vegetarian living and don't look down on them for eating meat. Be respectful and ask them to respect your choice as long as you eat healthfully. Good luck!
We are designed to eat meat... your are 11 and your parents aren't. I think it's good to have something to believe in and all but you're 11. Quit listening to tree huggers and hippies and eat a steak... You are made for it
First write down why you want to become a vegetarian. Is it because you feel its cruel, you don't like the taste, you feel it not healthy b/c of all he antibiotics they pump in the meat these days. Do some research and present it to them so they know it's something you really feel strong about and maybe their minds will change. They can't force feed you the meat but hopefully they'll be on your side.
i have been a true vegetarian for 12 years. i have also done a lot of research on this subject.the rednecks and the brainwashed animal haters want you to believe that we have to eat meat or we will shrivel up.and they want you to think that vegetarianism requires special nutrients and planning.
i am a living example that this is all bunk. i have not been sick in 12 years. i am not skinny,weak,or pale. and all i do is avoid food with animals in it- no vitamins or doctor visits. no matter what your age,anyone will be much healthier if they are vegetarian.
look up some medical info on it and show it to your parents.
I agree with your parents 10000%.
You are too young to make yr own decision. You are still growing, your body need to consume protein, nuts are protein but it is not enough unless you are allergic to red meat or seafood.
Animals are animals! We are human being! Why people think that it is cruel to kill some animals and not cruel killing the others.
I see lots of people say it is cruel to kill goat or chicken or cow, yet they take their milk and kill mosquitoes, croaches, flies, rats.
What are the different between those animals? All of them are animals.
Unless you are Hindu's which your faith said dont eat red meat, and I will not interfere with any faith or religion, then eating meat, seafood, chicken, cheese, in a right portion, is healthy.
Mankind is the highes creature in this world, they're gifted with brain to analize, what is right and what is wrong.
Your parents, are not trying to be cruel to you, they love you so much and you are too young to rebel. Think, why you choose to be a vegetarian, trend? Peers? Or your Religion? If it is your religion, and you think yr parents are wrong then, I will not interrupt you.
But frankly speaking, in a good portion, red meat, chicken, seafood, eggs, milk, are what we need besides vegs as minerals and vitamines. We are created as an "omnivorous" , we are not insects.
Of course it is hard for you now, not only because it is actually against your nature, which is "love". Your parents love you so much, so you too love them a lot, but , at this time for one reason another you love the animals more than your parents.
I would suggest looking on the internet for information about being a vegetarian. There are many misinformed people out there that are still under the impression that you need to meat the healthy.
I would sit down with your parents and talk to them. Let them know you are aware that you need to eat a balanced diet as a vegetarian, and have researched and know the facts.
The one issue is that you are still young, and even gathering all the information you can only do so much with it. Your parents still cook your food, so they must be willing to provide you with the proper nutrients in your diet.
I would take this as an oportunity to bond with your parents through shared knowledge, and cooking. Maybe if you had you mother/father look at it that way. You could do the research together, and help your mother/father cook dinner, shop, etc.
Don't listen to people that tell you that you are meant to eat meat. There is plenty of evidence to the contrary, and many people have been living as vegetarians thier entire life. Many of these people cannot see thier life without eating meat, therfore they preject their own feelings/fears onto others.
If you are really serious than talk to your parents and a nutritionist about converting to a healthy vegetarian lifestyle.
Man, they're messed up! Tell them you have a right to be a vegetarian. Why wouldn't they want you to be vegetarian anyways? Tell them there's poop in non organic meat, and you don't want eat ****. Plus, the taste of meat is actually the waste in the meat from the animal. If that makes any sense. See, there's a certain amount of uric acid in meat, meaning the animals urine and toxins. so when you eat meat, waste is the taste.
I became vegetarian at 11 and I don't regret it at all. It is much healthier than eating meat. They can't force meat down your throat... Stand up 4 urself and the helpless animals!!! Tell them how much healthir it is and how many animals lives you are saving!!!! Good Luck!!!
xoxo,
jamie
my dad made fun of me wen i 1st announced my want to become vegetarian since he is a meat LOVER BIG TIME. wen my parents realized i was not just saying it to say sumthin my mom got me vitamins for the things i would need but would not get and my dad makes me special food wen we have bbq's or spaghetti now i am tryin for vegan-ism
Hey there! I am a vegetarian, and i happened to become one at the age of 11. My reason for becoming a vegetarian was that I didn't particularly like the taste of meat, so I just cut it out of my diet altogether. Speaking from experience, I would give you the following advice: really seriously consider the choice you are making! If i could go back to when i was your age, I probably wouldn't have become a vegetarian at all. I haven't eaten meat since, and don't plan on it anytime soon. However, if you don't eat the right foods you need at your age, you can become malnourished and underweight, which is unhealthy. I didn't eat the right kinds of foods at the time, because i didn't take my health seriously enough. And I have been underweight ever since. Have a talk with your parents or possibly a nutritionist/doctor about this. I think meat is disgusting too, but it's a life changing decision, trust me! Just don't keep it a secret from your parents, that's never the right way to go. Be open with them about what you want to do and seriously consider your options. Good luck!
I just wrote a blog about this yesterday :]
Instead of copying and pasting it, I will just give you the link to it... hope it helps.
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-vhtvuj05c...
Good luck!
I was in the same boat when I was your age. My dad literally wouldn't let me leave the table until I at least finished the meat. I was completely disgusted. The best advice I can give you is to do your research and show your parents that it's a healthy choice. Offer to make your own food and even buy vegetarian options with your allowance. If they still won't budge try talking to a guidance consoler or chaplin. If your parents don't accept your life choices it could lead to other problems. Good luck.
Well, if your parents are carnivores (for lack of a better term), point out that with you not eating meat, there's that much more for them.
Go ahead and be vegetarian, because it is something right and you are protecting the animals, no one can stop you unless you stop yourself. Explain to them why you want to take up a vegeterian diet.
I recommend you get this book "Disease-Proof Your Child" by Dr Fuhrman. This book should be required reading for every parent. It will help your family understand proper nutrition based on sound scientific advice. It also has some good recipes for children.
You may want to read this blog as well http://www.diseaseproof.com