Since I was a child, animals have been an important part of my life. I grew up on a small Polynesian island in the middle of the Pacific, without cities or much development and where the relationship with nature is part of our daily life. The island’s subtropical climate means that there is dense vegetation, especially in town where it is really common to see horses and chickens roaming around freely.
Martina De los Ríos: “What motivated me to become a vegetarian”
In my family, we always had many pets, such as dogs, cats, chickens, and little birds. In fact, I still remember their names, as they accompanied me my entire childhood and made me very happy. I especially remember Sunday walks, which always included Pancho and Giango, who were my two favorite dogs. Thanks to this experience, I have always felt a special connection with animals.
As a result of all these positive and enriching experiences, I became more conscious of the vegetarian world and I began to understand what it meant to eat animals. In fact, around the age of fourteen, I realized that it seemed very natural to think about being a vegetarian in order to minimize the suffering of animals, even if it meant changing my personal life and diet.
For about a year, I began to research more thoroughly, reading many articles, trying out a lot of different types of food and questioning many things about the meat industry, such as the realities of how an animal’s life actually is in a slaughterhouse. All of these realizations led me to feel like a hypocrite for saying how much I loved animals but then ate them for dinner.
Today, 4 years later, here I am. I’ve been a vegetarian for 48 months and I’ve never felt better, both mentally and physically. I feel healthier, stronger and better with myself because I know I’m not harming any animals given the choices I am making in regards to my diet.
When I decided to eliminate meat completely from my diet, it was not difficult. In fact, I was surprised that I did not miss it at all. Instead, I felt that it was a free choice because it really is up to each one of us. Today, I feel proud and satisfied that I am contributing my small grain of sand towards improving the world.
Many people believe that making this decision is risky and could harm one’s health, but in my case, I think I feel much better than when I started this diet. I eat healthier because I am aware of all the nutrients I need and I also have semi-annual medical check-ups that so far, have gone well! I feel stronger and have noticed an improvement in terms of how my body feels.
Due to the fact that I’ve had to try new foods, I’ve learned quite a bit about cooking. I eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits that I didn’t include in my diet before. Now, if I visit other countries I am more interested in the local gastronomy and food culture.
In conclusion, I think this choice was one of the best changes I’ve had in my life. I know this type of lifestyle is not meant for everyone; however, I always try to educate my family and friends about this subject. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of the damage the meat industry has on the environment or how animals suffer as a result of over-farming. As a society, we are slowly learning how to take care of the planet, such us by recycling, by using electrical cars, by reusing clothes and in my case, by being vegetarian.
Author: Martina De los Ríos
