The Great Diet Debate

So, I've been a vegetarian for years now, but couldn't imagine giving up dairy. Then a funny thing happened that changed my mind.

My husband and I watched "Food Inc." on PBS about six weeks ago. We were both grossed out. The next day, I read an Op Ed on the NYC chef who made cheese out of his wife's stored breast milk. I was pretty grossed out when I read about it the first time.

I do wish I could remember who wrote the editorial on it. Essentially, she said that, yeah, that's pretty gross, but so is drinking the breast milk of cows and goats. That comment caused a light bulk to go off over my head, just like in the comic books.

I immediately went to Borders and purchased Alicia Silverstone's book "The Kind Diet." Read it through and through. Damn you, Alicia Silverstone and Op Ed woman! I have not touched cheese since.

It's been difficult to find things to eat, but I have found them. While I was a good cook before, my culinary skills have vastly improved, since I can't just throw cheese sauce on something to make it taste better. My family is also benefitting, since I am sneaking "better for you" items into their food and forcing my vegetarian son to eat more healthy (I did it before, too, but was not anal retentive about butter, cheese and salt until now).

The benefit: I am losing weight without counting calories or "points." I would be doing much better, in fact, had I not been sidelined by a sprained ankle a month ago, when I tripped on a baseball cleat. I still can't put a ton of pressure on it. Still, someday I will be able to exercise again. Someday. Then, I can put my gym membership to good use. In the meantime, baby lifting is my main exercise du jour.

I didn't really think the movie had that much inluence on my husband, who already hardly eats meat thanks to my vegetarian influence. Last night, though, he admitted that he hasn't touched a hamburger since he saw that movie. That's a big deal for him. He told me that right after I mentioned that his skin was glowing.

So here we are, trying our best to do the right thing for our health and our fellow creatures and our planet. I sure hope it catches on.