If there’s anything nature teaches us, it’s the idea there are few barriers to the diversity that can peacefully coexist. Humans are not excluded from that rule.
The most important elements are a mutual understanding and respect between all parties involved.
I was able to experience this first hand in my marriage. I am a vegetarian for almost eight years and my husband, now also a vegetarian, used to call himself a proud carnivore. After we were married there was always a large dose of skepticism present when the contents of our fridge was mentioned to family and friends.
This coexistence between our two completely different diets was easy to achieve since Day One. All we had to do is to know how, and have enough will and determination to see it through.
Be Open
First of all, you need to get it all out in the open as soon as possible. Just explain the reason behind being vegetarian is your own and not a fad. My motto is, “Live and let live.” I found by embracing this, the world becomes a lot less hostile place. Any kind of compromise seems easier to accomplish.
No Judging
Second and perhaps the most important of all, if you don’t wish to receive judgmental gazes and questions when you tell someone about your diet you need to prevent yourself from doing the same thing to other people.
Mr. Gandhi nailed it. Why start a global change before you manage to bring change into your own home first? It was my example that lead to my husband’s quite unexpected change of heart.
Understand Each Others Diets
Find a middle ground. There’s nothing more important than this, in any aspect of coexistence and not just your diet. This however requires will on both sides. Because people in general are fearful and cautious about what they don’t know. Educate yourself as much as possible on each other’s diet.
It was easy for me to understand my husband’s diet, since naturally I was a carnivore once. It took some positive initiative on my husband’s side in order to learn something about my diet and I am grateful for this until this present day.
There are many things about vegetarian or even vegan diet most people never knew existed. It’s no surprise most of the numbers show how more and more people are becoming vegetarian each year, the example of my experience included.
In my opinion, meals like vegan roast and soy-rizo are the catalyst for this exodus, as well as the variety of vegetarian diet, which was until recently unknown to most people.
Adjust Your Diets To Your Lifestyles
At the beginning of my marriage, I debunked the myth about how a vegetarian diet doesn’t consist of all you need in order to stay healthy and satisfied. I’m proud of my athletic nature, which I’ve maintained, regardless of my diet.
For people whose lives consist of demanding physical activities and exhausting schedules proper supplementation is often recommended. This is why I prefer to use whey protein that enables me to train and work more effectively. It also helps me to cope successfully with life stresses and it’s proven to help boost ones immune system.
Where there’s a will there’s a way. The very best of human nature is the fact people are always able to adapt and accept even what at first is hard to understand. But don’t take my word for this, find it out for yourself.
Make some time to check out Melissa’s two previous articles: Traveling With A Baby and Toddler’s Got A Brand New Bag.
