|
The Transition to a Vegetarian Lifestyle
by Christine Garzia B.Psy (Hons)
Christine manages Public Relations for the Vegetarian Society of Malta.
Being a vegetarian means challenging society’s mainstream eating patterns, and this is no simple feat. The transition from a non-vegetarian diet to a vegetarian one is highly individual; whereas some people decide and change their lifestyle immediately after taking the decision, others opt for a gradual and longer transition, which might take weeks, months or even years. There is no right or wrong way to do it: the individual should decide for him or herself whichever way he or she feels comfortable. Every step towards vegetarianism, however big or small, should be considered an achievement, because different individuals adapt to change to a different pace. Becoming a vegetarian is, in the majority of cases, a matter of personal choice, and thus, such a major change to one’s lifestyle should be carried out in the best manner possible i.e. one which suits the individual’s needs. It is important that the individual is comfortable with his or her choice and not feel pressured into it.
What is extremely important is that before changing one’s diet and lifestyle, one should read and gather as much information as possible. With regards to researching information, nowadays there are several sources, such as books, magazines, journals, leaflets and especially the internet. With such a lot of information available, the reader has to pay attention to the type of information s/he obtains, and should especially take care to differentiate between opinion pieces and results from research studies.
While opinion pieces are made up of an individual’s thoughts and opinions, research studies provide us with facts about the subject. However, with regards to the latter, one also has to analyze carefully; not all research studies are carried in a valid and reliable manner, some have methodologies which are flawed. Thus, to play it safe, one should rely as much as possible on information from studies published in scientific journals, which are checked and peer reviewed before being published; thus the information is more reliable. Another point I want to emphasize is that sometimes certain research studies contradict one another; this does not mean that they are not valid. This happens quite a lot in research and may be due because of such factors such as different methodologies and different research designs being employed, apart from other factors. However, this doesn’t mean that the studies are not legitimate; it means that further research should be done to reach a reliable conclusion, since the results may be inconclusive. A last concluding comment on research studies is to take note of who sponsors the particular study; vegetarian studies sponsored by the meat or dairy industries might hold a certain bias, as might after all studies carried out by vegetarian and animal welfare organizations. An organization’s agenda might certainly influence the way a study is carried out and consequently the interpretation of the results.
With regards to opinion pieces, they can still provide the individual with lots of practical information and especially with tips from others who have passed through the same experience. As such they can be extremely useful in providing both the person considering vegetarianism as an option and the person who is already vegetarian. Opinion pieces thus provide a good platform for promoting and disseminating information and also serve as a stage for healthy discussions regarding different issues, where the exchange of ideas takes place and individuals have the opportunity to learn from one another. Opinion pieces should not be underestimated for the potential knowledge and ideas they can provide.
To conclude, my point is that with such an information overload, especially on the web, one has to be careful about the information one will rely on while making the transition to a vegetarian diet, especially with regards to health. There are arguments and counter-arguments, so one should analyse the information available and make an informed decision on the different points of views advanced.
|
