Proteins… the word of the week. Where were we going to find more proteins at a cheaper price and in the volume we needed? A source that benefited both of our blood types, while providing a good amount of DHAs and EPAs? This is where the 90 days of raw organic vegan-ness was not so black and white anymore.
Cameron and I started this adventure on the basis of trying to reduce our meat intake, having notably healthier eating habits and, for me especially, losing weight. After week five it appeared that all of these goals had been met. Like most challenges put before us, new ones will always arise along the way. To solve our dilemma of not having enough proteins and DHA/EPAs Cameron decided to introduce wild caught fish into his diet and I decided that I would add fish oil supplements back into mine.
Wild-caught fish provides much needed DHA/EPA’s and omegas for Cameron.
Fish oil is now part of my, otherwise still vegan, diet. New challenges. New rules.
I can tell you that this was not an easy decision for either of us, especially since we were documenting each step along the way. In the vegan world it seems there is this great stigma against those who consume the slightest hint of any animal product. The idea of taking even a small fish oil supplement felt like a mortal sin in the great church of veganism. This lead me into thinking, “Well sh*t, no wonder everyone isn’t jumping on this vegan bandwagon. Who would want to when they are practically branded with a scarlet letter of not being 100% vegan or an animal killer to top it off?” As I came to this conclusion, Cameron came to his own:
“This 90 day organic raw vegan adventure is an experiment in the spirit of building a good life… our good life. Clearly we threw the rules out when we decided to embark on this little mission. And as we have gone along, reading and researching, we have (strangely enough) found a few new rules eager to step in and take the place of the old ones. This, to me, is silly. Out of one box and into another? No Thank You! I made the decision to add animal protein back into my diet during week 7 in the form of wild caught fish. I am consuming an amount comparable to a deck of playing cards 3-5 days a week. This decision came when I noticed my problem solving skills were a bit off. As a daily journaler, it is easy for me to see trends in my mental clarity. Based on the Live Right 4 Your Type concept, it is highly beneficial for me to consume animal protein considering my individual blood type. Lukas on the other hand is not the same blood type as me and has not noticed the same impact to his mental clarity. Thank goodness I have no moral attachment to killing and eating animals, though I personally draw the line at industrialized farming when sentient beings are involved. I don’t approve of the miserable conditions and lack of quality of life they are offered in exchange for being my food, nor of the health risks associated with over-processed non-organic animal products (based on my most recent understandings). That is why I have decided to consume my protein from wild animals — and some fish are still caught from the wild. Whole Foods does a great job labeling the wild caught varieties versus those that have been farmed. I also took a gander at this web site that rates the mercury levels found in wild fish so you don’t overdo high mercury varieties. Lukas introduced me to a web site which tells me about current fish populations and over-fishing risks. Because fish can be eaten raw (and I enjoy that) I will continue to hold up my raw part of the bargain — though I didn’t have that idea until after eating cooked fish for a few days. That’s where I sit — at the moment — in my ever changing and completely free-to-grow life. I realize there are people who will disagree with my decision. One of my best friends is a very passionate vegan and I know she will disagree with this latest development. But disagreeing with my decisions is nothing new. Fortunately I’ve learned to welcome it. Being open to a healthy robust debate has been an extraordinary advantage throughout many of my adventures in building my good life. Everybody wins when people share experiences from their journeys, even if they took unexpected turns.”
Raw sashimi. Still raw, not so vegan.
On a brighter side, the morning after Cameron’s fish consumption he was, well, Cameron again. His mood and character were just as they had been weeks before; happy, vital, active and able to problem solve in a short period of time. This was enough reasoning for me to accept his decision to add a small amount of fish into his diet.
As I continue this diet and live my life it is my understanding that when a person becomes radically extreme about any one idea, whether it be diet, lifestyle, or belief, we teeter on the edge of improper balance. Every person has a different genetic make-up, of which science has just begun to scratch the surface. It would be unfair for me to judge anyone by what they choose to eat. Vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, omnivores and carnivores — we all need to live happily together, without judgement.
On a happy note — home grown sprouts! These little guys are delicious.
