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?
