I think Lisa was the very first person who ever commented on this blog back when it was on Blogspot. We’ve followed each other ever since and emailed each other about our various passions, and now we’re swapping guest posts.
Lisa blogs as EcoYogini about….yup, you’ve got it, yoga and the environment. This girl goes out of her way to make everything in her life as eco-friendly as she possibly can and I’m constantly amazed by her committment to what she believes. I am priveleged to have her guest blogging here today on my two passions, Yoga and Food.
Enjoy the post and check out her site for some of the best eco hints and tips on the web!
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Yoga and Food… when I first began to practice I would have laughed at the thought that there was a connection, let alone a heated debate (among some!). Add a bit of ‘Eco’ in there and the confusion and decisions become increasingly difficult.
After a lot of thought (and a lot of reading) I have decided that what we eat, beyond whether it is nutritious and in a healthy manner, is a personal choice. I do understand that many individuals (many yogis) choose to be Vegan or Vegetarian for personal and moral reasons, which I think is amazing, however there is this sense of morality and guilt that is attached to our modern ways of eating. Especially the Western world. Our culture craves guidance on eating, with body image, self esteem and attaching intrinsic attributes to food (‘rewards’ or ‘punishments’ using food).
I leave the debate alone as to whether yoga and meat go together; because I truly believe it is our culture’s appropriation of food=moral values.
At the same time, I thought I’d share a bit my choices with food and yoga… and how I worked through my beliefs… being all ‘eco’ and stuff (as much as I can!).
The reality, is that meat and most ‘Big Ag(riculture)’ are HUGE burdens on our planet. Meat production in those ginormous CAFO (Concentration Agriculture Feeding Organizations) requires 10 to 20 percent more energy to produce compared to edible grains, is responsible for 18% of the worlds greenhouse gasses, have cause growth hormones to leak into our Canadian rivers and lakes and use up one fifth of the worlds land for grazing (Ecoholic, 2006).
Sadly, buying free-range, local, grass fed beef is extremely difficult and VERY expensive, so even responsible meat eating becomes unrealistic (for myself).
The alternative; eating only veggies, fruits and grains, isn’t as straightforward. In order to assure the proper amount of nutrients, vegetarians and especially vegans need to eat responsibly. It involves planning and research to know where you can get protein, iron, calcium… and assure a nutrient rich diet. (Rachel here – this is so true, early experiments with veganism left me iron deficient because I hadn’t researched well enough). Whenever I hear discussions or read articles about the wonders of vegetarianism, I am always struck by how very ‘non-local’ and non-seasonal it would be for myself.
This is a major issue for the way I have chosen to prioritize my food. It is very important, for myself, to eat within my region’s abilities. I don’t think that I have the right to eat a banana, which has never grown in Nova Scotia, just because I am wealthy enough to have it shipped across the ocean for my convenience. We rarely buy exotic fruits or non-local produce in our household. Which, if you know a bit about Nova Scotia, Canada, means that there isn’t a whole lot of variety year round for fruits, vegetables and grains. Our fruits include apples year round, frozen blueberries and sometimes strawberries in the winter and pears, peaches, plums with other berries in the summer. Mostly.
Another consideration with our locavore attempts (attempts, since we are far from perfect), is the actual distance and carbon spewed out when fruits and vegetables are shipped from other countries. Add packaging, pesticides sprayed excessively for growth and bugs, worker conditions and soil erosion… and eating non local produce just wasn’t worth it anymore.
Finally, my ultimate reason for not going vegetarian or vegan? Tofu. And it has nothing to do with taste or flavour, I have had fantastic tofu while I lived in Montreal. Nope, it’s the soy. Soy is one of THE crops for Monsanto, the pesticide and seed company that controls 95% of all seeds in America. Monsanto is also responsible for RoundUp, the pesticide used on GMO soy monocultures. Unless your tofu is certified organic, it was grown in soil eroding monocultures, with GMO seeds, pesticides that are causing an increasing (scary!) ‘deadzone’ of inhospitable waters off the Atlantic coast and supporting a business-model of control over our food production.
I do believe that it is wonderful if a yogi can live a healthy lifestyle while being vegan or vegetarian. I also feel that my choices regarding my situation are equally valid and healthy for our planet. Each individual should look at their lives, love their bodies and make the choices that are right for their situation. By accepting and learning from each other, we all can grow and connect, instead of practicing a sense of narrow righteousness.
So do I eat meat? Yep, chicken mostly. Do I feel guilty? Nope. 
Many Blessings and Many thanks to Rachel for asking me to speak my thoughts on such a complex topic. Rachel is a fabulous example of how practicing compassion and kindness allows for us all to learn from each other. As I have learned from her fantastic Vegan and Vegetarian recipes, which I will definitely have to try out soon (with local produce around our corner-spring!).
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Remember to check out Lisa on her blog, twitter and facebook accounts!
Thank you Lisa for your wonderful post.
So readers, what are your thoughts? “What are your food principles?”
Haha! This is fun, commenting on your respective guest posts on each of your blogs.
One of the best things I did with the business management diploma I did many years back now, was a project looking at the impact of GMO foods, and especially soy on the environment and on our food supply (from a business perspective). Hey, who’s to say you can’t be creative with your assignments in a business course? So I’m with you there. Also, there’s conflicting information out there (just Google it) about how soy consumption interferes with hormone production. So personally, I’d rather avoid it as much as possible in all my foods!
I eat some meat too – mostly ocean fish (in moderation) and organic chicken. Never really could get into the red meats too much.
I always try to buy my fruit and veg from small local providers, markets and/or farmers markets. In the past I have used an organic delivery service for the convenience, but also because I could be sure the food was organic and seasonal.
I’m far from perfect and I seem to have the “a little bit from column A, a little from column B” approach..
haha YAY! Thanks so much for the kind words Rachel and the opportunity to guest post
svasti- yep the soy-hormone connection is a bit wonky. so interesting you were able to do some research on the GMO connection- it’s fun to take opportunities to be creative with our ‘day jobs’.
I’m a vegetarian who tries not to eat much dairy for multiple reasons. I agree that, like anything in yoga, you must be conscious of what is right for your body. There is no “perfect” way to eat. I think this post says it all.
Nice post!
I usually don’t comment on such things because of my huge emotional involvement in the issues. But, I feel comfortable giving my two cents among friends with the faith that they will forgive me
I hate industrial agriculture. But, I also hate attacks on cattle ranchers implying that they are horrible stewards of the land and at fault for environmental turmoil. It really makes my blood boil. Why? Because my dad is a rancher and I look at the ranch and his stewardship of the land and I see the ULTIMATE environmentalist. Balancing grazing, food production, and health of the land.
I certainly don’t begrudge anyone for choosing to not eat red meat. I agree with Lisa in this post that it is a personal choice.
I can’t imagine not growing up on a ranch and knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown. Plus, all of the other stuff that comes with growing up on a ranch such as work ethic, learning to run and repair machinery, riding horses everyday, and laboring outside everyday.
It is such a gut punch to me every time I read about how “bad” grazing is. Or about how “bad” cattle are. Or about how “evil” my dad is for owning land and caring immensely for it.
I very much believe in awareness of food and safe food production and I don’t necessarily see every farmer and rancher as the problem. I see them as the solution. But, they can only be the solution if they are still in business.
Rant over!
Such a heavy topic in the yogic world! It is one that I have gone back and forth on for years until I found my happy healthy balance. It is truly a very personal choice; and I respect everyone for their decisions. I do wish more people would take the time to educate themselves on their eating habits. Not just meat eaters; but vegans and vegetarians. I’ve met many people who decided to go vegan/veggie because of others influences and they did not educate themselves and therefore set themselves up for many issues.
It goes both ways you know, just be aware.
During my teacher training this has come up a lot; the trainees are pretty much 1/2 and 1/2. Half veggies/vegans (including myself) and 1/2 omnivores.
But being able to have an open, honest and respectful conversation on such topics is very yogic! You never know…I always seem to learn something new when I take the time to listen.
Loved the post~~
Babs: oh for sure! There are many generalizations and after reading Omnivore’s Dilemma and learning more about sustainable farms such as Joel Salatin’s (and your dad’s!) I am more aware that there are many ‘right’ ways cattle farming can be done. Which is why I’m pretty careful about specifying CAFO as opposed to responsible farmers like your dad. I am also very much a circle of life person, not to be flippant, but in a very serious way. I am not against eating animals because they are animals… I think so many of us are completely separate from where our food comes from that we misconstrue so much.
there has to be a balance. at least, i hope for a balance.
Thank you all for the wonderful discussion, you’re very right it is an emotional issue, and I’m so glad we can chat about it in an open and honest way
That’s why I love our group of bloggy friends and I dared to write this post for Rachel!
“Finally, my ultimate reason for not going vegetarian or vegan? Tofu. And it has nothing to do with taste or flavour, I have had fantastic tofu while I lived in Montreal. Nope, it’s the soy. Soy is one of THE crops for Monsanto, the pesticide and seed company that controls 95% of all seeds in America.”
- Yes! Thank you for mentioning this scandalous little tidbit. I gave up soy this year and started incorporating poultry into my diet for this very reason.
Great article! I’ve been learning more about food the past couple of months. I’ve definitely cut down on eating meat compared to what I used to. We used to have chicken a few times a week, once in a while we’d have hamburger in our chili and tacos. I honestly don’t even enjoy chicken as much as I used to. I don’t know if I’m just tired of it, or if what I’ve learned has turned me off. Now, I’d be happy with having meat once a week or less. I have learned about quinoa and chick peas though, and I am tempted to make an organic tofu stir fry someday soon. I’ve tried a few new veggie meals that have turned out yummy! Next week I want to try a black bean nachos recipe that I found. (Pita bread for the nachos.)
This is such a heated topic, and I appreciate that you’ve taken it on. I have a post planned about Jonathan Safran Foer’s new (well, now not so new, since it’s taken me forever to write my post) book called Eating Animals. I’ve read many books on the subject, starting with Diet for a New America, and I’ve been vegetarian for about ten years now. I’ve always been reluctant to talk with others about my food choices because I don’t want them to think I’m judging them. At the same time, I think we all need to be educated about what the agricultural industry has become. I’m not as opposed to eating meat or fish as I am to how the industry works – it’s truly unconscionable to me what these big corporations get away with.
Anyway, I’ll leave it at that and write my own post for the rest. I just wanted to let you know that I think writing about this topic is brave, and I respect it very much.
Just to clarify, I was a vegetarian for almost 20 years, and some might say that it’s rather controversial, but it was my long-term teacher who eventually made me see the another side of the story. The reasons behind that are too long to go into here!
I became a vegetarian because my friends did (we were teenagers), but then I realised that my body felt so much better and so I stayed a vego. Of course, I now know that a major change in diet like that can give your digestion a rest and that always makes a person feel better.
Anyway, I was very happy a a vego for a long time. After about five years, I re-introduced fish and that’s mostly been a part of my diet ever since. At various times I’ve cut out dairy. It’s always good to take a rest occasionally from the things our culture has OD-ed on in general, for the sake of our digestive tract!
Certainly, it’s important to understand the environmental issues around eating meat, how animals are managed and how meat is produced. But that doesn’t mean one can’t eat meat in a responsible manner.
I also agree that vegetarianism or not is a personal choice, and I don’t believe that yoga schools or teachers should be preaching vegetarianism any more than I believe any one should preach their religious views to others.
Just a few more thoughts… this is a very good discussion!
As a vegan and yogini, I’m delighted to see this post, Lisa! I always love reading your take on things. And of course I’m happy to explore Rachel’s blog–I also have scoliosis (S-shaped) and am working on evening out/strengthening my back through yoga.
I am vegan for many reasons–ethical, environmental, and spiritual. For me, it is an opportunity to practice ahimsa every time I eat. I write about it on my blog, so I won’t get up on my soapbox here! However, it’s not fair to lay the blame for Monsanto and soy monoculture at the feet of tofu-eaters. In the United States, the vast majority of soy and other monoculture crops (like corn) is grown to feed livestock. I don’t have any numbers, but it’s safe to say that only a very tiny portion of Monsanto soy ends up as tofu or other soy-based food products. It’s Big Ag keeping Monsanto in business, not vegans or vegetarians. Additionally, Monsanto receives hefty government subsidies, which come from taxes. Like it or not, if you live in the U.S. and have ethical concerns about the way food is produced here, you’re helping to pay for it. While there’s not a lot I can do about how my tax money is distributed, I can opt out of the corrupt, monopolized system by going vegan. (Happy, healthy, soy-free vegans abound as well!)
Namaste!
I have to say that as a Canadian living overseas I’ve watched the rise of the “buy local” movement with interest. I think a lot of it ties into the rise of nationalist and regionalist sentiment that automatically accompanies economic recession.
As someone who lives in the third world however, I am a staunch supporter of fair trade!! Millions of families’ livelihoods depend on export goods and I think it’s super important for Western consumers to support ethical trade.
In East Timor, where I live, organic coffee is the country’s only export crop, and about 40% of families in this country (Asia’s poorest) depend almost solely on coffee for their annual income. So if people in the West stop buying coffee because it’s not ‘local’, it would have a devastating impact on people’s lives here.
We in the West have in great part created this dependency over hundreds of years of colonialism, both social and economic. For me, using my purchasing power to support ethical trade initiatives is a huge part of paying that back.
At the end of the day, we’re all one world, we’re all one people. Anyway that’s my 2 cents on one part of this excellent discussion!!
Very interesting discussion, and more interesting and cordial than those on the same topic that I’ve seen elsewhere.
I too was a vegetarian at different times in my life, for periods of 5 years or more. The first time was when I started collete, and I think it was partly a “gut” thing- felt weird about eating meat- and also because my mother, bless her, could not cook a piece of meat that didn’t have the consistency of leather and bland taste. Another reason was cost, and yet another, a statement of my independence and adulthood.
I gradually, without thinking about it, added meat back into my diet, then went off it, then back on again. Over all these years, I have figured out that I am more healthy and stronger when I include a goodly amount of protein in my diet, and some of that is meat. I am fortunate to live in an area where there are a number of organic, humane farms nearby and only eat local grass-fed beef and pastured chicken. I find no inconsistency at all with doing this, and being a Western practitioner of yoga. I am not a Buddhist, or religious at all, actually, do not study Sanskrit, and do not feel any guilt about my Western ways. Except, perhaps, our overconsumption in all areas, not just food. So I try to counter that, and to buy and eat mindfully, and support local businesses. Local food is fresher, uses less fuel to transport, and helps my neighbors to earn a living. I am a supporter of fair trade, but not “free” trade- I don’t even know whether that exists. And after seeing so many of our jobs go overseas, I purchase goods made in my counry (USA) whenever at ALL possible, even if I have to pay more. When that is not an option, I’ll try to buy from Canada or elsewhere in America. Lots of reasons, part of them for sure being the relatively lower environmental footprint as opposed to shipping heavy goods long distances.
One thing that I always find interesting, if not understanable, in carnivore/omnivore/veg discussions is that often people will qualify their eating habits by saying that if they do eat meat it’s “usually chicken”, or even, “I don’t eat meat, but I eat chicken”. Although mass producers such as Tyson treat them otherwise, chickens are animals, and by eating them, one is eating meat, period. Nothing to be ashamed of but that’s what it is. And factory farmed chickens are treated as poorly as factory farmed cattle. The choice of where the meat comes from and how it is grown is far more important, to me, than whether the meat is “red”. (Besides, from a nutrition standpoint, grass fed beef has a wonderful fatty acid profile).
Thanks for the chance to share my two and a half cents.
Great post! And an interesting time for me to read it as I have been thinking about vegetarianism and yoga lately.
I come to the topic from a slightly different perspective. I respect those who practice ahimsa through their food choices, and I can see a lot of reasons why anyone would want to go vegetarian or vegan. For me, I have some key food intolerances and allergies that would make it a health nightmare! I can’t eat gluten and I’m violently allergic to all soy derivatives (except the flour, for some reason), leaving me very little to sustain myself on healthily. It’s possible, I am sure, but my health is one of my top priorities and I wouldn’t want to risk losing the balance I’ve so far been able to create.
As a result, I am looking harder at my food choices and trying to be more eco-friendly.
I live in a relatively good farming region compared to other states and I am very interested in learning more about my local farms and their sustainability practices. Already I try to eat local, and I’m in the process of establishing my own small vegetable/salad garden. The more I look into this, the more I notice things I can do that will help.