Monday, March 21, 2011

If there's no wagon, you can't fall off

 
My friend Rebecca (of Beccarama) wrote on her blog about eating a steak. What made this event post-worthy and interesting was that Rebecca is a vegetarian and the post was entitled "falling off the vegetarian wagon”.  Rebecca tells the story of how she initially decided to became vegetarian.  She refers to an article she read about the environmental cost of eating meat. She mentions that meat eating didn’t seem to align itself with other behaviors she engaged in such as sipping from a Sigg bottle and recycling. “This coupled with the disgusting stories coming out about factory farming, hormones, antibiotics and all the rest made it not too difficult to cut down on meat.” While Rebecca says, “cut down” she didn’t eat less meat she ate no beef, poultry or pork for years. Fish remained and therefore she went by the term pescetarian.

I agree with many of Rebecca’s reasons for eating less meat. I don’t eat meat frequently nor do I eat a large portion when I do. I wonder whether eating some grass-fed steak every so often should lead to feelings of guilt or imply you’re less concerned about the environment.  I worry about the various eating camps people place themselves in. I have a friend who is a self-described “fish eating vegan” and another who’s “mostly raw.”  I have a wheat allergy but I never describe myself as “wheat free” or “gluten free” unless asked. I guess I could describe my eating as “Wheat free, pescetarian with occasional grass-fed meat” but that’s just ridiculous.

There are some exceptions that require an absolute and also a label. For those with food allergies it needs to be clear that no wiggle room is tolerated. Although with more people self-diagnosing their allergies even  “allergic” is taken less seriously. Religion also dictates many food rules. However, there are those who “keep a kosher house” but are less strict outside the house. Some Christians don’t observe the food guidelines over Lent. Unless medically dictated there seems to be some leniency.

Aside from the lack of flexibility, I feel there’s something competitive in these food labels. It’s as though vegetarian gets the bronze medal, vegan the silver and raw vegan ooh the gold for sure. Isn’t this odd? Does removing foods from your diet make you a better or  “cleaner” eater or maybe a better person? In my office I see clients who are vegan, others gluten-free or dairy-free. I rarely try to convert someone but rather try to achieve the healthiest food plan regardless of the constraints. Yet others are more exclusive. I’ve had bloggers tell me “I only read vegan blogs.” That’s fine but I feel they’re missing out on some great vegan or vegetable recipes found on other sites.

Excluding something from your diet doesn’t make your remaining food healthy. French fries are vegan and many gluten-free products are nutritionally void. A healthy diet, if that’s what we’re after, can take many forms. If we see eating as a Venn diagram there are many areas in which Rebecca and I or vegans and carnivores overlap. Most of us believe a healthy diet should be vegetable-heavy, that we should cook more or at least know where our food comes from, we should eat less packaged food and sugar and drink alcohol (oh wait, ok I’ll revoke that last one, wishful thinking). As for the wagon, it saddens me to think that someone like Rebecca who enjoys food and makes conscious choices for herself and her family is walking around feeling as though she is “off” or “fell”, wagon or otherwise. Speaking of that wagon, how do you picture it? When choosing a photo I realized I conjure up an image ala Little House in the Prairie or the horse-drawn carriage we once took a ride on in Colorado. I guess it doesn’t matter since I’m advocating going wagon-less.
Do you label your eating? Why do you think these labels are used? Are they necessary?



21 comments:

  1. Great post! Only recently have I tried to STOP labeling myself. It proved problematic overseas, I found myself finally saying, "I'm alergic" just to make my own life easier - no one understood why any person (me) in her right mind would abstain from milk. It's good for you! Haha. Now that I am home I can go back to my real life and to eating what I know works for me without the anxiety that comes from trying to fit a mold.

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  2. I agree! I think labels just lead to guilt...guilt if you "fall off" and guilt that aren't living by a particular label and maybe should be. There are valid health reasons to become vegan, vegetarian, grain-free, dairy-free, etc. But there are also valid reasons why sticking to such strict rules can deprive you of a balanced, healthy diet. Thanks for another great post.

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  3. I label my allergies but it doesn't seem to help me when eating at a friend's house - a lot of them don't understand what contains gluten and what doesn't.

    I love your posts -- they always make me think. thank you for that!

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  4. This is a great post. I think a lot of people prefer to call themselves “seagen” than to explain that they are on a diet heavy on vegetables, fruits, grains, and fish. Same with people that may deem themselves “gluten-free” in order to avoid having to explain why they have been steering clear of refined carbs. In that way, I do think these labels are okay, because if someone is purposely watching their intake of certain food groups, whatever the reason may be, labels like these seem to be more “accepted” without much explanation. With all that said, it is important that anyone choosing to limit or eliminate food groups is careful to include the missing nutrients in other food sources that fit their “label” constraints.

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  5. I love this post Lauren! I think one of the reasons labels come in handy is when dealing with other people - especially if you're eating at their home. It's a lot easier to say you're a vegan or vegetarian or whatever when someone asks so you know that there will be something for you to eat when you arrive. That's why I always eat before a potluck because I never leave choices up to other people! But I agree, having any guilt around food is never a good thing and putting yourself on and off a wagon usually leads to guilt in some way. So, here's to a guilt-free, healthy relationship to food with whole foods, and organic products first in line.

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  6. It's funny a few of you mentioned using labels so others (hosts/restaurants) understand and they still do not. For allergies I think it's important to know how to say what you are in the language where you travel. I'm wondering if "I don't eat meat" or for dairy "I cannot drink milk or eat cheese" wouldn't work as well as "dairy free".

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  7. If a label has to be put on food habits, I prefer flexitarian -- I try to eat healthy, whole foods, but overall I'm flexible. Some foods are deal-breakers -- I can't have ginger (food intolerance) -- but really I try to eat the best of what's available.

    Following your suggestion in an earlier post, I made the most glorious grass-fed organic steaks this weekend using the Cooking Light recipe for pan-seared steaks. Without question, the best steak I've ever made at home, and I'd put it up against any restaurant steak as well. Steak, pan-seared asparagus w/ a blood orange gastrique and kale chips... Thanks for the awesome suggestion, and thankfully everyone who came over was flexitarian as well!

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  8. If you have a true food allergy, intolerance or religious/ethical reason for not eating something, I think food labels are appropriate. I sometimes think, however, people use food labels to be trendy and follow the latest fad diet. I also think it can be used to support one's restrictive eating practices/possible disordered eating. Whenever a client comes in with a label, I agree I don't try to talk them out of it, but I do like to know when and why they acquired this label.

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  9. I have cut way down on my meat consumption (chicken, beef, pork, etc) eating it maybe once a month. I still don't put a label on myself. I know people can get very controversial with this topic so I try to avoid giving myself a label.

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  10. I don't label myself, other than being an omnivore. I eat some days vegetarian, some not. I try gluten free stuff and vegan things because I can and I really enjoy some of the food (which is the point for me).

    I don't believe in wearing a badge like how I eat might be better than others.

    I eat meat, but I buy it locally. I think the important thing is to know where your food is coming from (including all those fruits and veggies) and how it is raised/grown than whether you stick to some eating 'style.'

    I read all kinds of blogs, from weight loss to vegan to gluten free to paleo to a bakery blog. It gives me a lot of education and makes me think about what I am eating and, more importantly, why.

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  11. I absolutely love this post. I was actually thinking about this the other day. I always get asked if Im vegetarian. Nope..I just eat mainly plant based diet and throw in the rest of the stuff in moderation. I dont categorize myself as anything. I sometimes think people like a trend or a label. I grew up a vegan actually back when it wasnt "cool". My mom has been a vegan for health reason ever since I can remember and I think thats ok. But its not for me. I think everyone would benefit from eating a heavily plant based diet but there is no need to be strict with a food group one way or another.

    Oh man! sorry i coudl go on and on! lol...In my honest opinion I just think conscious eating is the best way to go. But you always have to do what works best for your body. There is no falling off the wagon. Its jsut another day!

    Hope the rain isnt too bad for ya!! have a fantastic day!!

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  12. Love it! =) I have a little post that i've been working on about my eating choices and how they've changed over the years -- loved hearing about Rebecca's journey as well. I've had a huge history with labels but recently have been tossing the "wagon" aside to pursue a little bit of old fashioned healthy eating. label free. with minimal "rules" =)

    xoXOxo
    Jenn @ Peas & Crayons

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  13. Great post as always, Lauren.

    I don't label myself - actually, not too long ago I wrote about the three reasons why:

    http://www.amyanndanger.com/2010/09/nutrition-labeling/

    As a person who has eaten for weight loss and weight management, I have found that any type of strong dietary restriction just didn't work for me: it made me loathe food and eating - which is obviously dangerous beyond the scope of this statement. Once I embraced almost all foods as having a place in my life at one point or another, I was able to find a wellness that kept me healthy and happy and does to this day.

    Are there things I won't eat? Sure. Is it ideological? No. I never advertise the fact that I don't eat red meat or pork - and I only talk about it if I'm asked.

    Duke Ellington once said about music, "If it sounds good, it is good." For me, the same goes for food: "If it tastes good, it is good" but I don't think Duke Ellington meant for us to drown ourselves out with one song or one album... just like we shouldn't over indulge in any one food or one food group while still appreciating a guilt-free life for occasionally enjoying something that simply tastes good. :)

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  14. Thanks Amy, I will read your post. It's interesting that we haven't heard from anyone giving reasons why they do label themselves. I was expecting more of a "split" decision.

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  15. Wow, so well put. If there is not wagon, really, can you still fall off?

    I was raw/vegan for almost a year and I was as strict with myself and the lifestyle as they come. I wouldn't even touch a veggie that was sauteed. What?! I now see how rigid I was and how much great (and still healthy) cooked foods I missed out on or how narrow-minded I was. It was silly, thinking back now.

    Moderation forever will be the key. Whether you chose to opt out of eating something or not, moderation is best.

    Anyway, great thought-provoking post!

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  16. This was a very interesting post. My in-laws are Jewish (so are we, but less so, I guess), and they keep Kosher in their kitchen, but not outside their home, or even in their den and other rooms in the house (really). It's bizarre. I've always thought it was very strange - they really don't keep Kosher, they just choose to eat Kosher foods some of the time, as I guess we all do but for most of us it's by coincidence rather than by design. I don't see how it's different than a vegetarian who just doesn't eat meat at home but will gladly do so in a restaurant. To their credit, they fully admit it's a tradition that they embrace and that's why they do it - not out of a religious urge.

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  17. A balanced diet is a healthy diet for me. :-))

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  18. Great post! You pretty much put what I was thinking onto e-paper, ha. I think being aware of what you're eating, including the ethical, environmental and health reasons behind it is much more important than strictly labeling yourself. If someone chooses to be vegan, great! And if someone else chooses to eat a plant-based diet with some grass fed beef here and there, then that's good too. The important thing is that it works for you.

    That being said, it's much easier for me to describe myself as a vegetarian at a restaurant for example then to explain my food preferences. So I guess labels are convenient in some cases, but don't tell the whole story.

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  19. gosh i have a hard time labeling my eating.......i tend to eat mostly vegetarian but then will eat chicken, fish and sometimes meat when i am craving it.

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  20. Really well written. Wagon-less living?? Is it possible?

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