A Personal Experiment in Renunciation - Essay Example

The Four Day Diet Journey Day July 23, – I begin my first day of experimenting with a vegetarian diet. I am motivated to push on with the experiment by the documentary Forks over Knives. The documentary discusses a number of diseases and conditions that include diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure among others that are related to meat and meat products. The documentary has testimonies of those whose lives changed after they took on a different diet path that had no meat in it. Another motivating factor that stood out in the documentary was that the plant based diet would reduce and reverse such diseases.

I substituted with a plant-based diet inspired by Asian cuisine that is based on eastern traditions. Eastern traditions hold that food can be effectively used to attain balance and harmony within the body. On this day, I consume tofu laver soup and polenta. My craving for meet is quite evident. I struggle to refrain from eating meat and animal products which I am quite used to on the first day. I do not realise any significant change in my body save for the fact that I do not use a tooth pick to remove food particles stuck between my teeth.

Day 2: July 24, 2014 - Instead of the usual tea, sausage, pizza and chicken, I consume spoon cabbage and tofu soup noodles on the second day of the experiment. Having ordered something that I have never ordered from a restaurant in the past, my friends are quite surprised and amused by my choice of food. I have to struggle with my self-centred ego as I try to convince my friends that I have not gone crazy. I almost swear that this is the last time I am eating out with my friends during the period of my experiment.

Day 3: July 25, 2014 - I struggle to keep on with the vegetarian diet. My family members are so amused that I have to consume a diet that I am not used to as they make good servings of chicken that is clearly delicious. I am concerned about their amusement and greatly tempted to give up. I am also greatly attracted to the meal that my family members are taking..its far more tasty than what I am going to eat. I realise that my concern for external things is still high. Day 4: July 26, 2014 - I am greatly tempted to give up the exercise.

Luckily, a friend of mine on vegetarian diet encourages and convinces me to go on with the exercise. I feel like I am missing meat and may not be able to resist a bite if it is offered to me. I am getting used to the taste of the vegetarian diet gradually. I feel that my breath has gotten fresher and I am more self controlled at the end of the day as I care less about what others think of my choice to go vegetarian.Day 5: July 27, 2014 – On this day, quite surprisingly my two wisdom teeth that have been making me experience a sharp pain as they are growing are not as painful as they previously were.

A check on my weight reveals that I have lost a few pounds since I started going vegetarian and I generally feel more healthy. Although it has been difficult getting used to a vegetarian diet, I realise its benefits (fresher breath, more self control, weight loss, and better physical health) and would like to go vegetarian occasionally.