Jainism and Animal Issues 1997

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 31

Jainism and Animal Issues
I was disgusted and felt deceived that I had gone this far in life without knowing how my actions were contributing to this compassionless process. There was no denying that what I was seeing and hearing about was an inhumane, profit-making business and not the free-roaming cows and chickens I had envisioned. Yet still, I didn't want to believe it was like this everywhere. I tried to make myself believe that what I saw was an extreme case and this was not the norm. After all, they had to be pleasant to the animals or they wouldn't be able to get milk or eggs from them, right? Wrong. I was trying to find excuses so I wouldn't have a guilty conscience.
The next time I went out with my friends and ordered a double scoop of cookies ice cream, I had lump of guilt sitting in my stomach. I decided I could no longer justify living by my desires rather than my principles and I was on my way to eliminating dairy products and eggs from my diet. After investigating the nutritional issues involved, learned that there is no mineral, vitamin, or nutrient, that could not be obtained from a pure vegetarian diet. By eliminating all animal products from my diet, I began a very low fat and cholesterol-free diet. Only animal products contain cholesterol, and they also are high in saturated fat unlike beans, grains, vegetables, and fruits. What originated as an issue of compassion, turned into an issue of common sense. Why would humans need to drink the milk of another animal? A mother produces milk to nourish her baby until the baby can eat other foods. After infancy, humans have no dietary requiremerit for milk. However, the mcat and dairy industries have done a good job of advertising to make us believe that their products are essential. They also were the ones who provided the food groups charts in grade school.
Okay, so I can get all my nutritional requirements without cating any dairy products, but I'll be missing out on so much, right? I soon realized that was not so. Everything from lasagna to ice cream can be made without dairy products! We've all just become so used to putting milk, eggs, and cheese in our foods that we don't know how we would make meals without them. However, it really is not difficult. It is just a matter of modifying habits. There are many cookbooks available which use no dairy or eggs, even Indian
cookbooks. Altering my perceptions of food was an essential part of becoming vegan (a person who consumes no meat, dairy, or eggs). Pizza, burritos, lasagna, can all taste excellent without cheese. I just needed to change my perception of what this food was "supposed to be."
Being able to make all these wonderful foods without dairy or eggs at home is great, but what about when I go out to cat? For years many of us, as vegetarians, have been asking the waiter/server to make modifications to something on the menu. The same goes for being vegan. "Hold the cheese and sour cream on that vegetable chimichanga." "No eggs in that fried rice, please." I learned to ask for other toppings and sauces, making my dinner taste great and cruelty-free. It was a great feeling to enjoy my food with a clear conscience.
I'll admit that trying to find a vegan dessert at a restaurant is usually pretty difficult since they are typically pre-made. But that just means we wait until we get home to eat my favorite flavor of Tofutti (vegan ice cream), which has chocolate-covered almonds in vanilla ice cream. Mmmmm... Cookies, cakes, pies...you name it and we can make it vegan. Believe me, vegans are not deprived.
I was surprised at how quickly I lost cravings for cheese, milk, etc. I thought I would be sacrificing a lot when I decided to be vegan, but I have not felt that way in the three years I have been vegan. I think completely cutting something out of your diet makes you lose your taste for it. That was my experience.
There are many books, magazines, and videos available which address the cruelties of the dairy and egg industries, the health aspects of veganism, and vegan cooking in further detail. There are also many longtime vegans around if you have any questions. Explore for yourself, the issues I discussed here. Challenge yourself to question your choices and you may realize how well the vegan lifestyle fits into the Jain philosophy of Ahimsa. The only way things change for the better in this world is when we push for it. Here's one opportunity....
Monali Shah
The Jain Food Pyramid Ahimsak and Healthy Diet - What is a Serving Size? DRY BEANS - 2-3 servings/day - Dry beans are the best sources of PROTEINS. Being
free from cholesterol, they are even better than meat and dairy products! 1/2 cup
of cooked dry beans or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter count as one serving. FRUITS - 34 servings/day - Avoid fruits and vegetables that have many seeds, because
each sced represents a potential life. Minimize violence. One serving is 1 medium apple, banana or orange, or 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit, or 3/4 cup
of fruit juice. VEGETABLES - 45 servings/day - Avoid roots, because they necessitate uprooting
(destruction) of plants. Also, watch out for worms inside the layered vegetables. One serving is 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables, or 1/2 cup of other vegetables (cooked
or chopped raw), or 3/4 cup of vegetable juice. GRAINS - 6-11 servings/day - Eat only whole grain foods for more fiber and complete
nutrition. One serving is 1 slice of bread, 1 oz. of ready-to-eat cereal, '/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta, or 1 medium rotli.
Eat pesticide free -- shop ORGANIC.
And.... Eat early in the day.
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