Goals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Goals - Essay Example I also aspire to become a successful individual by earning due recognition as an expert in the field in which I'm passionate. And in order to prepare myself for a successful career ahead I have set for myself, some goals which I intend to achieve in due course. 1. Lose 15 pounds of Weight: Today's life is full of activity, tense moments, stressful working, competitive environment etc. which calls for a physique fit enough to take long hours of working together with a host of other activities. I have the fortune of growing in a jolly good environment which helped me gaining a few pounds more. Though I am fit enough to work for hours together, but I sincerely feel that I need to control my body weight so that in the years ahead the backbone doesn't have to bear excessive load. I plan to lose about 15 pounds of my body weight within the next one year, which will help me in finding the professional look. In the corporate world, physical appearance also matters, but for a young female it becomes an added advantage if she could maintain the balancing act. I am aware that even to lose the weight I need to consult dieticians and experts, so that I could do it in a manner acceptable to my body and I could sustain the slim and trim look for a long p eriod ahead. 2. To be 'Well Read' and Read Critically: Internet and IT are the buzzwords today.

Japanese Dining Etiquette Essay Example for Free

Japanese Dining Etiquette Essay Remembering your correct manners is very important in Japan, especially concerning the area of dining etiquettes. This applies especially to foreigners, who should try to remember at least the most basic rules†¦ In Japanese meals, it is customary to say ‘itadakimasu’ (‘I gratefully receive’) before your meal, and ‘gochisama deshita’ (‘thank you for the meal’) after you have finished. These traditional phrases are to show your appreciation for the meal, especially when someone cooks for you. The best way to start your meal is with a sip of soup. Then you should eat a little bit of each dish, in a ‘rotation’, until you finish all the dishes at about the same time. Do NOT complete one dish of food before moving onto the next. Remember that if you are eating from communal dishes, it is considered an important etiquette to pick up the food using the opposite end of your chopsticks, or serving chopsticks if any are provided. Do not start drinking until everyone at the table is served, and do not pour any drinks for yourself. This should only be done by others, and naturally, it is also your responsibility to periodically check your friends’ cups and fill them up if they are empty, too. NEVER stick chopsticks into rice standing up, as this is how rice is offered to the dead. If you haven’t already heard, it is perfectly acceptable to slurp your noodles in Japan, as people say it tastes better, and it also shows you are enjoying your meal. Remember that it is considered very rude to burp, blow your nose at the table, and talk about unappetizing topics. Lastly, remember to finish every little grain of rice in your bowl or plate, as rice is considered very precious. Also this shows the chef you appreciate his/her food very much. It is also considered polite to return all plates and dishes back to their original positions, and to place chopsticks back in their paper slips or holders. Bibliography http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2005.html http://www.suite101.com/content/eating-japanese-dos-and-donts-a31496 http://www.japanesefood101.com/index.php/category/dining-etiquette/.

Ancient Celtic Mythology: A Vision of Gods and Goddesses :: Religion

Ancient Celtic Mythology: A Vision of Gods and Goddesses Upon investigating the supernatural reality that the Celts endured, it is necessary to somewhat overlook the myths to see what lies behind them. It is essential to find when and from where the myths originated and how true the storytellers, or narrators, really are. The Celtic gods and goddesses, in such an early mythological time defined as a period when beings lived or events happened such as one no longer sees in our days (Sjoestedt 1994: 2), require much analysis. A diverse collection of documents, literature and archaeology pave the way to our understanding of the ancient mythology of the Celts. However, these traces lack a sense of closure, leaving the investigation into the nature of these gods and goddesses raw and incomplete. The evidence of the Celtic deities exists in various forms, but the information that we have collected leaves unanswered questions. For instance, in analysing the recorded documents left behind by the Greeks and Romans, we are called to cast some doubt on how closely the Celtic religious rites paralleled those of their classical neighbours. We survey recorded religious practices with apprehension, as we are not truly sure that the Celts too worshipped family gods and a mass of deities who covered all aspects of life.1 How do we know that we are not just reading materials reflecting the Graeco-Roman myths? Is it not plausible that these Greek and Roman writers installed some bias, leaning towards their mythological ideas, within their testimony? The speculation surrounding all of the varied pieces of evidence is just. From the abundance of evidence, though, we can be sure that the Celts believed in a multiplicity of deities. It is apparent that the existence of gods and goddesses in Celtic society was quite a serious affair and an everyday business. However, when focusing on the exact nature of such gods and goddesses, it seems only fair to attempt to construct an overview of the character of each deity. Reconstructing the evidence might be too hopeful because the conclusions would come from mere ignorance and be partially based on what we still do not know. From here we can only address the different types of evidence that piece together the very nature of the Celtic gods and goddesses, but the mixed and slightly unreliable evidence is certainly not easy to sort. The literary evidence for the existence of deities in Celtic religion is one source that reveals the character of the individual gods and goddesses.

Engaging the Enemy” by Peter C. Wagner

This book has a number of contributing authors many of them well known for their television evangelism. The main theme of the book is that Satan and demons are real, they can be identified and these demons have the power to control localities. The demons can be controlled by aggressive prayers to take back the localities for God by ‘strategic level spiritual intercession' and ‘power evangelism'. The book urges Christians to use the power of prayer to take over the control of localities from the evil forces.In their enthusiasm the authors, however feel justified to distort the actual message of the Bible. The Bible does not instruct us to create the spiritual warfare ministries. Some of the Television Evangelist who coauthor this book are well known for calling up ‘prayer warriors' in full page advertisement where the evangelist appear in full combat fatigue ready to â€Å"bind† Satan in spiritual warfare. The authors write enthusiastically, preach powerfully and in their desire to influence people to their cause, have little respect for the accuracy of the message they attribute to the Bible.Most of the chapters appear to be unbalanced by the enthusiasm of the writers with the soul purpose of convincing the uninformed. The only chapter with considered arguments and balanced approach appears to be Chapter 18 contributed by Prof. Michael Green. The evangelism preached in the book and by power evangelists is a mixture of mysticism and anti-intellectualism that is closer to the Eastern world view. List strengths of book The power evangelism does leave one with a feeling of enthusiasm for religionList weaknesses of book The main weakness of the book is that in the authors' enthusiasm to identify and overcome some of the evil spirit the authors appear to be willing to distort the Bible and attribute to the Book what it does not say. The schemes and propositions are presented as Biblical doctrines when they are not and â€Å"Bible verses are pulled out of context and forced into a preconceived framework†. Quote sentence or paragraph that best reflects the author’s thesisâ€Å"Pentecostal theologians have made the helpful suggestion of distinguishing the logos word of God from the rhema word of God†¦. The rhema is regarded as a more immediate word from God which we do not find in the 66 books of the Bible† (pp. 15-16) The Reason I chose the above quotation? The quote reflects the theme of the book where the authors feel entitled to twist the message of the Book or even invent their own theology. Bibliography Wagner, C. Peter, Engaging the Enemy, Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1991, 206 pages.

I’m a child anorexic Essay

In 2006 the BBC made a documentary called ‘I’m a child anorexic’ (appendix 1) it focuses on â€Å"Rhodes Farm† – a treatment clinic in north London that specialises in children suffering from anorexia nervosa from girls as young as 12 years old. The programme follows the girls’ highs and lows at the clinic – the initial tantrums as they struggle to eat the foods they fear most, their interactions with staff, the friendships they make, their family dealings and then the tears of sadness when they finally have to leave. The documentary focuses primarily on the struggle of 2 young girls in particular, 12-year-old Natasha and 13-year-old Naomi. I have chosen this clip because as well as educating about anorexia in young girls, it does a brilliant job of illustrating different types of relationships the girls have with the people surrounding them during this difficult time. It portrays variances in communication between them and their families, carers and peers. It also reveals how the young girls are feeling during their time at the clinic and demonstrates examples of how they are made to feel isolated and different. Wherever you are and however you may be nobody likes to feel isolated and alone; being part of a community has a positive impact on your life. A sense of loneliness leads to feelings of sadness and anxiety, which consequently can complicate health problems. In health care settings in particular it is important that individuals feel a sense of belonging among other things. For this reason if progress is to be made by the girls at Rhodes Farm then is important that their care follows the ‘relationship-centred’ framework. This framework has been developed so that all participants (staff included) experience a sense of: security, belonging, continuity, purpose, achievement and significance (Nolan et al. 2006). Whilst this framework was designed with a focus on older people, the six senses have wider applicability to other clinical areas to. The concept is that if all these senses are met, then the care you are giving and receiving is at its highest possible level. Throughout the clip there are arious scenes that demonstrate how happy the girls are to have one another. It is extremely important, in their fragile states that they are not going through this journey alone and the fact that there are other girls of similar ages going through the same thing means that the girls can all relate to one another. This is important because it makes them conscious that they are not the only ones that are suffering with this illness. By establishing these close friendships the girls are achieving a sense of belonging within the clinic. Having others that are going through the same as them also gives them the security to know they are not alone, which helps to ease sadness and pain. It is through communication that we build these friendships. Effective mutual communication is of paramount importance. Research shows that in order to make a difference to children’s lives healthcare practitioners must be able to relate to the children, support them in making decisions, listen to them, and involve them. â€Å"Good communication between healthcare professionals and patients is essential† (Nice 2012). There are numerous scenes in the clip where Dr Dee Dawson founder of Rhodes Farm (referred to as Dr D throughout) is seen talking directly to the girls, both individually and in group situations; and in my opinion she does not always demonstrate good communication or meet all the senses from the framework I have mentioned earlier. It can be very difficult to judge what a child understands or knows (NHS), and this is apparent when Dr D is talking to Naomi about her personal progress at the clinic. Dr D presumes that Naomi is aware about the calorific content of water, and by repeating her question and raising the tone and volume of her voice she appears to patronise Naomi quite significantly. This represents a distinct lack of empathy on Dr D’s part. Additionally what that caught my attention in this scene was how the majority of what Dr D has to say focuses on the negative aspects of Naomi’s journey; such as failing all her weekends away and how they feel she is keen to stay on, instead of picking up on the more positive aspects such as the meals she has eaten and the weight she may have gained. You also see in this scene that because of the emotional and cognitive impacts that the illness has on Naomi, alongside the pressure from Dr D, she really struggles to verbalise her feelings. This is validated when Naomi breaks down in tears. One of the key qualities central to therapeutic communication is the ability to truly ‘attend’ to the other person. This has been referred to as giving ‘free attention (Egan 1990). Heron (1975) described this as, â€Å"a subtle and intense activity of being present for the client. â€Å"Talking is the main ingredient in medical care and it is the fundamental instrument by which the doctor-patient relationship is crafted and by which therapeutic goals are achieved† (Rotter and Hall 1992). In the clip, there is a scene that shows Naomi being made to drink water, as punishment for her behaviour. What is interesting about this scene is the difference in communication and in the relationship between the carer and Naomi comp ared with that of Dr D. The carer uses a more healing style when talking to her, using more positive phrases such as, â€Å"you can do it,† and generally being more encouraging. She points out to Naomi what has already achieved in order to support her with what she has remaining. Carers are taught the basic principles of motivational interviewing (Miller and Rollnick, 1991). When people are hostile or hesitant to change the principles of this approach should be used. This approach can be summarised in the phrase ‘less is more’. Less serves as an acronym for the fundamental principles of this approach: listen, empathy not sympathy and sharing, af? rmation and support. Whitaker et al. 2005) Chitty and Black (2007, p. 218) explain that communication is the exchange of information, thoughts and ideas through verbal and non-verbal communication at the same time. They explain that verbal communication consists of entirely speech whereas non-verbal communication consists of gestures, postures, facial expressions, tone and level of volume. Children in particular once they have grown out of infancy, are acute observers of body language and the mood of ot hers. In the scene where Dr D is standing at the front of the room talking to the girls as a group I noticed that body language is evident from her and the girls. I also noted that she shows very little empathy or support towards them. In this scene the girls are sat at a lower level, they therefore need to look up to her as if she is more important than them. In doing this she is distancing herself from the girls. In their fragile conditions they already see her as the authoritative figure, and this positioning clarifies that further. You can see in the girl’s facial expressions that they lack interest in what she has to say; their faces appear jaded. There is little eye contact made between the doctor and the girls as the majority of them have their heads down; some have their faces in their hands, other are picking their nails. These are common signs of disinterest and anxiety. The language that Dr D uses here is derogatory and I imagine makes the girls feel even more alienated. She emphasises this by categorising them, using phrases such as, â€Å"you people† and referring to non-anorexic people as â€Å"normal people†. It is highlighted in studies how important it is to transfer warm, af? rming and respectful methods of communication however as seen in this clip Dr D seems neither warm nor affirming. I do not feel that she is seen to be being respectful of their low self-esteem and I do not see any example of her making an effort to be heartfelt or affectionate. To be able to identify and accommodate to the particular conversational practices of different social groups, you must have what Hymes calls ‘communicative competence’ (Hymes, 1972. This is a term used to describe a speaker’s potential for communicating effectively. Proficiency must be shown across a wide range of social, interpersonal and cultural contexts. This skill is a prerequisite for Dr D when communicating with these young girls and I would have thought that as the doctor who set up the clinic and therefore presumably has a keen interest in young people with this illness, that she would practice this theory in or der to engage with the girls more and make them feel more at home and comfortable. Studies show that an adult’s values and attitudes effect children close to them quite substantially, therefore it is vitally important that adults develop the insights; self-awareness and skills that are needed to guide the child, especially within a setting such as Rhodes Farm. From the day they are born children start to develop a sense of who they are. One of the main factors that contribute to their identities is relationships; this can be with family members, other adults and children, friends and other figures such as members of their community. As well as being a standard of ethical practice, finding out what children and young people are feeling, hoping, thinking, and fearing in regards to their treatment, as well as decision making which affects them directly is now a statuary requirement. (Department of Health 2002) Family are important in any environment where young children are involved as they create a balance between change and stability. In early 1960s when Bowlby and Robertson established that there were negative consequences to he well-being of a child that is hospitalised and recognition of the family as a unit increased (cited by Alsop-Shields and Mohay 2001). The concept of family-centred care (FCC) has become much more frequently used to describe a practice that identifies the family as the fundamental source of support. It also considers the deliberate involvement of the family essential to promote the health of all family members (Franck and Callery 2004, Shields et al. 2006). The classic view of parent – adolescent relationships is one of conflict, Anderson and Clarke (1982) opposed this view. In the scene where Natasha is about to go out for a meal with her father for the first time since being at the clinic, she is talking to the camera about how hard it is has been for her to spend time without seeing her family. In a situation where Natasha was not sick or separated from her family for a long amount of time, her feelings and reactions on this subject may not be the same. When the parents arrive at Rhodes Farm to see the girls, the girls run out to hug them. Research suggests that children of a young age rely on the support of their families. Through hugging the girls the parents show them love, affection and support. To feel secure, attention to the essential physiological and psychological needs need to be met and part of this can be done through hugging. In the clip when Natasha is alone with her father, I noticed that one of first thing that Natasha’s father tells her is how great she is looking. Giving children messages of love, approval, encouragement and above all respect, allows them to develop a positive sense of who they are. Sick children in particular need to feel this; it can be one of the factors that contribute towards a faster recovery. These messages give them the confidence to voice their own feelings, views and opinions and aid them in making their own choices when appropriate. In Natasha’s case this support her father is showing her could have a direct influence on the way she perceives herself and therefore speed up her recovery. As Faulkner (1998) stated: â€Å"To be able to communicate effectively with others is at the heart of all patient care. † All the relationships seen in this clip have an immediate and vast impact on the girls. Dr D demonstrates how not relating to the girls makes it hard for her to gain their attention and presumably respect. When she talks to them as a group they have little interest in what she has to say, when she has one of the girls on her own the girl struggles to verbalise her feelings, resulting in tears. The relationships between the girls are what keep them motivated and happy. Without these friendships I imagine that the girls would feel so much more isolated and less inspired to get better. The carer’s positive attitude and encouraging words are also key factors in making the girls feel safe giving them a sense of achievement and making them feel secure in these particular surrounding, The relationships between the father and daughter also gives the girl a sense of security as well as continuity. He is supporting her and showing love, which will give her the confidence she needs to get well. Within any type of relationship, especially within a care setting, it is imperative that the senses of belonging and security are met. Once these have been met, a trust is in place that makes communication much easier.

Cortar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples

Cortar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples The Spanish verb  cortar  means to cut or to cut off. It  is a regular  -ar  verb, so to conjugate cortar use the same pattern as other -ar  verbs, like  ayudar  and cenar.  The tables below include  cortar conjugations in the present, past and future indicative, the present and past subjunctive, the imperative, and other verb forms like the past and present participles. Using the Verb Cortar In Spanish, cortar  can be used like the verbs to cut or to cut off in English. For example,  Voy a cortar el papel  (I am going to cut the paper), or  Tengo que cortar un pedazo de carne  (I have to cut off a piece of meat). A more informal use of  cortar  is to talk about breaking up a relationship. For example,  Pedro y Ana cortaron la semana pasada  (Pedro and Ana broke up last week). In addition,  cortar  can be used when referring to ending a conversation, especially on the phone. For example,  Yo cortà © la llamada porque llevbamos mucho tiempo hablando  (I ended the call because we had been talking for a long time). Other verbs that have meanings similar to cortar are partir (tu cut, break apart, or divide) and picar (to chop). Cortar Present Indicative Yo corto I cut Yo corto un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortas You cut T cortas un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella corta You/he/she cuts Ella corta el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortamos We cut Nosotros cortamos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortis You cut Vosotros cortis pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortan You/they cut Ellos cortan las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Preterite  Indicative The preterite  tense can be translated as the simple past in English. It is used to talk about completed actions  in the past. Yo cort I cut Yo cort un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortaste You cut T cortaste un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella cort You/he/she cut Ella cort el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortamos We cut Nosotros cortamos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortasteis You cut Vosotros cortasteis pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaron You/they cut Ellos cortaron las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Imperfect  Indicative The imperfect tense can be translated to English as was cutting or used to cut. It is used to talk about ongoing or habitual actions in the past.   Yo cortaba I used to cut Yo cortaba un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortabas You used to cut T cortabas un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella cortaba You/he/she used to cut Ella cortaba el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortbamos We used to cut Nosotros cortbamos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortabais You used to cut Vosotros cortabais pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaban You/they used to cut Ellos cortaban las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Future  Indicative Yo cortar I will cut Yo cortar un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortars You will cut T cortars un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella cortar You/he/she will cut Ella cortar el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortaremos We will cut Nosotros cortaremos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortaris You will cut Vosotros cortaris pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortarn You/they will cut Ellos cortarn las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Periphrastic Future  Indicative The periphrastic future is formed by three components: the present tense conjugation of the  verb  ir  (to go), the preposition  a  and the infinitive of the verb.   Yo voy a cortar I am going to cut Yo voy a cortar un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T vas a cortar You are going to cut T vas a cortar un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella va a cortar You/he/she is going to cut Ella va a cortar el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros vamos a cortar We are going to cut Nosotros vamos a cortar el csped del jardn. Vosotros vais a cortar You are going to cut Vosotros vais a cortar pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas van a cortar You/they are going to cut Ellos van a cortar las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar  Present Progressive/Gerund Form The present participle (gerundio  in Spanish) is used to form progressive forms such as the present progressive. To conjugate progressive tenses  you need an auxiliary verb, which in this case is the verb  estar. Present Progressive of Cortar   est cortando  Is cutting Ella est cortando el cordà ³n umbilical del bebà ©. Cortar Past Participle The past participle can be used as an adjective, or to form compound tenses such as the present perfect. Compound tenses include the verb  haber  as an auxiliary verb. Present Perfect of Cortar ha cortado  Has cut Ella ha cortado el cordà ³n umbilical del bebà ©. Cortar Conditional  Indicative The conditional tense is used to talk about possibilities or hypothetical situations, and is translated to English as would verb.   Yo cortara I would cut Yo cortara un pedazo de papel con tijeras si fuera necesario. T cortaras You would cut T cortaras un trozo de queso para el almuerzo, pero ya se acab. Usted/l/ella cortara You/he/she would cut Ella cortara el cordn umbilical del beb si el doctor se lo permitiera. Nosotros cortaramos We would cut Nosotros cortaramos el csped del jardn, pero no tenemos cortadora. Vosotros cortarais You would cut Vosotros cortarais pelo en el saln de belleza si hubiera espacio. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaran You/they would cut Ellos cortaran las flores para hacer un arreglo, pero es prohibido. Cortar Present Subjunctive Que yo corte That I cut La maestra pide que yo corte un pedazo de papel con tijeras. Que t cortes That you cut La nia quiere que t cortes un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Que usted/l/ella corte That you/he/she cut El mdico permite que ella corte el cordn umbilical del beb. Que nosotros cortemos That we cut Mam quiere que nosotros cortemos el csped del jardn. Que vosotros cortis That you cut La estilista recomienda que vosotros cortis pelo en el saln de belleza. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas corten That you/they cut La florista quiere que ellos corten las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Imperfect  Subjunctive There are two options for conjugating the imperfect subjunctive (which is also called the past subjunctive). Both options are correct. Option 1 Que yo cortara That I cut La maestra peda que yo cortara un pedazo de papel con tijeras. Que t cortaras That you cut La nia quera que t cortaras un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Que usted/l/ella cortara That you/he/she cut El mdico permita que ella cortara el cordn umbilical del beb. Que nosotros cortramos That we cut Mam quera que nosotros cortramos el csped del jardn. Que vosotros cortarais That you cut La estilista recomendaba que vosotros cortarais pelo en el saln de belleza. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaran That you/they cut La florista quera que ellos cortaran las flores para hacer un arreglo. Option 2 Que yo cortase That I cut La maestra peda que yo cortase un pedazo de papel con tijeras. Que t cortases That you cut La nia quera que t cortases un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Que usted/l/ella cortase That you/he/she cut El mdico permita que ella cortase el cordn umbilical del beb. Que nosotros cortsemos That we cut Mam quera que nosotros cortsemos el csped del jardn. Que vosotros cortaseis That you cut La estilista recomendaba que vosotros cortaseis pelo en el saln de belleza. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas cortasen That you/they cut La florista quera que ellos cortasen las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Imperative   The imperative mood is used to give direct orders or commands. The tables below show the positive and negative commands. Positive Commands T corta Cut! Corta un trozo de queso para el almuerzo! Usted corte Cut! Corte el cordn umbilical del beb! Nosotros cortemos Lets cut! Cortemos el csped del jardn! Vosotros cortad Cut! Cortad pelo en el saln de belleza! Ustedes corten Cut! Corten las flores para hacer un arreglo! Negative Commands T no cortes Dont cut! No cortes un trozo de queso para el almuerzo! Usted no corte Dont cut! No corte el cordn umbilical del beb! Nosotros no cortemos Lets not cut! No cortemos el csped del jardn! Vosotros no cortis Dont cut! No cortis pelo en el saln de belleza! Ustedes no corten Dont cut! No corten las flores para hacer un arreglo!

The Difference Between a Vegan and a Vegetarian

The Difference Between a Vegan and a Vegetarian Vegans are vegetarians, but vegetarians are not necessarily vegans. If that seems a bit confusing, it is. Many people are confused about the difference between these two ways of eating. Though most of us dont like being labeled, the labels vegetarian and vegan can actually be helpful because they allow like-minded people to find one another. What Is a Vegetarian? A vegetarian is someone who doesnt eat meat. If they dont eat meat for health  reasons, they are referred to as a nutritional vegetarian. Those who avoid meat in deference to  the environment or the animals  are called ethical vegetarians. A vegetarian diet is sometimes called a meatless or meat-free diet. Vegetarians do not eat animal flesh, period. While some people may use the terms pesco-vegetarian to refer to someone who still eats fish, or pollo-vegetarian to refer to someone who eats still chicken, in fact, fish and chicken eaters are not vegetarians. Similarly, someone who chooses to eat vegetarian some of the time, but eats meat at other times is not a vegetarian.   Anyone who doesnt eat meat is considered vegetarian, which makes vegetarians a large and inclusive group. Included in the larger group of vegetarians are vegans, lacto-vegetarians, ovo-vegetarians, and lacto-ovo vegetarians.   What Is a Vegan? Vegans are vegetarians who do not consume animal products,  including meat, fish, fowl, eggs, dairy, or gelatin. Many vegans also avoid honey.   Instead of meat and animal products, vegans stick to eating grains, beans, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and  seeds. While the diet may seem severely restricted compared to the standard American diet, vegan options are surprisingly wide-ranging. A look at  vegan gourmet foods  should convince just about anyone that a vegan diet can be delicious and filling. Any recipe calling for meat can be made vegan with the use of  seitan, tofu, portobello mushrooms, and other vegetable-based foods with a meaty texture. Diet, Lifestyle, and Philosophy Veganism is more than a diet. While the word vegan may refer to a cookie or a restaurant and mean only that there are no animal products present, the word has come to mean something different when referring to a person. A person who is vegan is generally understood to be someone who abstains from animal products for animal rights reasons. A vegan may also be concerned about the environment and their own health, but the main reason for their veganism is their belief in animal rights. Veganism is a lifestyle and a philosophy that recognizes that animals have a right to be free of human use and exploitation. Veganism is an ethical stance. Because veganism is about recognizing the rights of animals, its not just about food. Vegans also avoid silk, wool, leather, and suede in their clothing. Vegans also boycott companies that test products on animals and do not buy cosmetics or personal care products that contain lanolin, carmine, honey, or other animal products. Zoos, rodeos, greyhound and horse racing, and circuses with animals are also out, because of the oppression of the animals. There are some people who follow a diet free (or almost free) of animal products for health reasons, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton. In these cases, the person is usually said to be following a plant-based diet. Some also use the term strict vegetarian to describe someone who does not eat animal products but may use animal products in other parts of their life, but this term is problematic because it implies that lacto-ovo vegetarians are not strict vegetarians.