Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Not Vegetarian, But...

For over twenty-five years I was a vegetarian, no fish, a real vegetarian.

The first signs were when I was pregnant with our third. Meat and poultry didn't attract me. I preferred fish. Then at the end of the pregnancy, my blood pressure went up. Then when she was a year old I was stung by a bee and my arm blew up. The doctor told me to get off of animal products. After a while I resumed eggs and dairy, but I stayed off of fish, beef and poultry for over twenty-five years.

It drove my family crazy. At least, I was the cook and could control what I ate, at least most of the time.

I was in perfect health, just got fatter after a certain age, but that happens to lots of people.

Then a few years ago, after a very stressful time subbing in junior high, I began feeling hungry. And then I resumed my fish, beef, poultry eating as if I had never been a vegetarian. A few weeks later, I had a routine physical and the doctor said that my B12 was dangerously low. He said that if I hadn't already gone carnivorous, he would have prescribed B12 shots. Instead I took the under the tongue vitamin pills.

Since then, I haven't needed them. My B12 is high. And suddenly, recently, I no longer feel very attracted to all the meat. Again I prefer fish.

So, I'm in the midst of changing my eating, yet again. I've mellowed out since my vegetarian days and I have no desire to drive everyone crazy the way I used to. It's not a principle. Of course, I must find a way of getting off the new weight which has crept on this winter, when I hardly got to the pool and have been suffering from "knees." I have to be more careful about what I do, or my knees hurt.

7 comments:

Leora said...

I would never have guessed that you were a vegetarian!

I've tried to be a vegetarian in the past, but I get hungry.

Anonymous said...

...could it be that you are pregnant again?

Batya said...

Leora, my kids kept insisting that since I have O blood I shouldn't be vegetarian.

One thing I do think is important is to eat when (and what) you're hungry (for), not to make people happy.

a, really? considering that #3 is going on 32...

Anonymous said...

im tirtzah ein zo agadah...

Batya said...

Huh?
And what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

Anonymous said...

Just because your youngest is 32 does not preclude pregnancy. Im tirtzah...

Batya said...

Let's just cut this rediculous argument off.
The answer is no.