Different types of vegetarians have different dietary inclusions.
When people ask me what being a vegetarian means, I tell them that being vegetarian means different things to different people.
I know “vegetarians” who eat fish ( Pesco Vegetarian )
and I know “vegetarians” who call themselves” lacto vegetarian” (a vegetarian diet including dairy) and even “vegetarian ovo-lacto” or “Ovo Lacto Vegetarian” ( a vegetarian diet including eggs and dairy) and I even know people who call themselves vegetarians who eat chicken. I’m not sure what that’s called.
Some people argue that you are not truly a vegetarian if you are not a vegan.
Some chose this lifestyle for health reasons, humane reasons and even spiritual reasons.
To me, becoming a vegetarian was a gradual process and being a vegetarian has meant different things throughout that process so I hesitate to judge other people or put labels on what they are doing.
I worry that by imposing strict guidelines, rules and regulations, we alienate a lot of people who were interested enough to give it a try and perhaps even inhibit them from doing so.
What’s important to me is that we are all doing our best to be our healthiest, kindest and environmentally soundest selves and that we continue to evolve and improve ourselves every day, whatever that may mean for each and every one of us.
