Yesterday I came across a great post on Elephant Journal and it's been on my mind since. Even if you're not familiar with Sadie Nardini or Sharon Gannon, the article may resonate with you. During the course of my Holistic Health and Wellness practice, I've worked with and met healthy vegetarians, vegans and carnivores. Then there are those who choose to label their diet without taking in the idea of health at all. There's usually a situation or desire to make the change and then instead of embracing what might be new healthy alternatives, they fall into the rut of eating whatever they crave. A perfect example is a vegetarian who lives on carbs alone. I have to admit those are always my favorite clients as I certainly fell into that category years ago. As a self-proclaimed carb and sugar addict, I know full well the desire to make changes but then become completely overwhelmed with any change and instead stay with old habits.
I have absolutely nothing against any person who chooses a certain lifestyle to better him or her self, but I'm ultimately fascinated by human behavior. Why do some, if not most people feel the need to label themselves, ie. vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, etc? An obvious answer may be the innate desire to be part of a community. If you're making the switch to vegetarian or vegan diet, it's often easier and more exciting to get involved and reach out to others that have or are living the same lifestyle. I thrive off community and love groups, but have a hard time labeling myself. I will go through phases of not eating meat or dairy, but never would feel comfortable labeling myself a vegan. Maybe for me, it's the feeling of being trapped to one ideology that prevents be from making an ultimate switch. Or maybe it's just that I'm just so much more comfortable with moderation?
Amen to that!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of young people choose to label themselves because they have a need to establish their own identity through the food they eat. The food they eat is comparable to the clothes they wear and through telling others they are vegetarian, meat eaters or whatever, these people find a way to define their identity. To some of these people, a diet is a fad.
Interesting, Jill.
ReplyDeleteIs your criticism about the labels or that they don't reflect what you expect of the label? I'm a vegan (yep, I said it) and I eat vegan marshmallow sandwiches (unhealthy) but most of the time I eat super healthy. I'm also a triathlete (label) but not a good one (so should I not call myself one?) I think I see your point but really labels are simply definitions: feminist, wife, educator, runner. That's how we describe who we are.
It's really not so much a criticism of labels as it's only human nature to do so but more about those who make a declaration and then become engulfed in only that viewpoint. The elephant journal post really got me thinking. My main goal is for others to find the best in themselves whatever label one decides to identify with.
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