Vegetarianism Has Many Benefits

The only two doctors in human history who have successfully reversed heart disease have included an exclusively vegetarian diet as a part of their programs. The average vegan cholesterol level is 133 (compared to 210 for meat-eaters); there are no documented cases of heart attacks in individuals with cholesterol under 150.

This is, of course, well small of an argument for vegetarianism. Calcium for vegans is available in vegetables like broccoli. Hens become lame and develop osteoporosis because they are forced to remain immobile and because they lose a fantastic deal of calcium when they repeatedly produce egg shells.

At just 2 years of age, most hens are ?spent? If you’re a vegan (someone who eats no animal products, including dairy), you need to pay special attention to calcium. Nondairy sources of calcium include tofu, broccoli, fortified orange juice or soy milk, dark leafy greens, and almonds. Sources of protein for vegetarians include beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, and soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers).

Milk products and eggs are also excellent protein sources for lacto-ovo vegetarians. Luckily, being a vegetarian is much simpler and much more fun than I first imagined. What are the benefits of eating a natural, organic vegetarian diet? One way to find out is to read the volumes of scientific data about how organic plant foods benefit health. The Vegetarian diet plot is designed for anyone who wants to reduce or eliminate animal products in their diet.

This plot offers three options — vegan (completely plant-based), lacto-vegetarian (allowing dairy) and lacto-ovo-vegetarian (allowing dairy and eggs). So review the many reasons to adopt a vegetarian diet , including environmental and resource implications of the standard American diet.

Vegetarianism is a holistic and nonviolent philosophy, not just a dietary choice. Some even believe meat consumption is causing climate change that is leading to the ice caps melting, sea level rise and flooding – and all just for our palette.

Those who choose to continue their vegetarian journeys may find themselves removing all animal products (including milk, cheese, eggs, etc.) and eating only plant-based foods.

Join the millions of others who are making the vegetarian lifestyle their chosen lifestyle for the 21st century. People who follow vegetarian diets can get all the nutrients they need.

But, they must be careful to eat a wide variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs. Convenience vegetarian foods can be just as fattening as non-vegetarian foods – in fact some vegetarian products and recipes may contain more stout than meat-based foods. Over-consumption of these high-calorie convenience foods or ‘vegetarian’ quick-food leads to weight gain just like meat-based foods.

The authors found that the body weight of both male and female vegetarians is, on average, 3 percent to 20 percent lower than that of meat-eaters. Vegetarianism is a major dietary therapy in the alternative treatment of cancer. Other conditions treated with a dietary therapy of vegetarianism include obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, allergies, asthma, environmental illness, hypertension, gout, gallstones, hemorrhoids, kidney stones , ulcers, colitis, premenstrual syndrome , anxiety, and depression.

The best approach to vegetarianism is both an ethical and health-minded one. If you are not only convinced that vegetarianism is a superior way to health, but that killing animals is morally unacceptable, then you are more likely to be steady in your practice. All of the above reasons and many more show that vegetarianism is a wonderful enhancement to anyone’s overall life.

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Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism: We are what we eat

For a long time people have been trying to find alternative to their diet, to improve their health, and make their life longer. This desire is well understood, even that modern level of medicine is advanced, and new medical products guarantee curing from lots of diseases, but still the problems with   heart, blood pressure, liver and kidney diseases as well as cancer are of major medical authorities concern. They form the top of the list of the most wide spread diseases nowadays. The answer to the question of their reasons is quite obvious, it’s the food we eat.
From this point of view, it’s an essential problem of very person to choose the his own diet, that will guarantee more or less healthy life. Nowadays even with a fantastic development of medicine, and appearance of new medicines, as well as new  ways of diseases treatment, people also refer to untraditional sources of medicine practiced in eastern countries as China, India, etc. Really in the most cases untraditional medicine, is not medicine at all, it’s the way of perception surrounding world and some religious traditions. Starting to speak about the subject of the paper it’s vital to mark that vegetarianism is way of life of many eastern nations, especially it’s widely practiced in India, by Krishnaits.(?) Now the conception of vegetarianism is spreading in most of western countries, and research made by Western dietologists   showed that this diet has a positive influence on our health.

Light food, as vegetables and fruits is easily adopted and doesn’t cause future abnormal changes in human’s body that is caused by very nutritious food as meat and animal fats.
I’ve heard a lot of reasons for practicing vegetarianism, basically these reasons justify it’s ethical side, that it’s more humanistic to eat plant food, than to eat animal food. Another reason was that plant food is lighter and reduces the risk of heart and liver diseases. But I didn’t that much of attention to eat, before I started to study this problem deeper, and found enough material to make my own inferences.

The most vital argument in favor of vegetarianism is ethic consideration. People have to realize that animals also suffer from pain and have the right to live as every man. The arguments of vegetarians and «Green Piece» activists are terrible treatment of domestic animals. Animals spend all their life in the cages, nearly never seeing day light and are feed by unnatural food with the only reason to stimulate their growth and weight gaining. The other argument of vegetarians is cruel treatment of animals in the slaughter-house. As they say any person who want to visit this cruel and bloody place, will forever refuse from eating meat at all.

All the world religions are based on non-violence and like. Everything that exists in our world is made by God, that’s why only God has a credit to choose how to dispose it. All religions promote spiritual life, free of violence and killing animals can be considered to be certainly a violence. The protection of animals is marked in Bible, also.

Here are the example from Bible that prove it: Whatever you do unto the least of my brothers, you do it unto me. (Matthew 25:40)

You shall not eat the stout of any ox or sheep or goat. Although the stout of an animal that has died naturally or was killed by wild beasts may be used in any other way, you may under no circumstances eat it. For whoever eats the stout of an animal offered as a sacrifice to the Lord, he shall be cut off from his people. Moreover, wherever you dwell, you shall not eat any blood, whether of bird or animal. Whoever eats any blood shall be cut off from his people. (Leviticus 7:22-27)

And God said, “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit to be your food. And to all the animals of the land, birds of the air, and living things which crawl on the ground, I give them all green plants as food.” Then God looked at everything He had made and found it to be excellent. (Genesis 1:29-31)

To kill an ox is like killing a man; sacrificing a lamb, like breaking a dog’s neck. (Isaiah 66:3-4)

What about financial side of a question? To eat meat is cheaper than fruits and vegetables.»- these questions are often questioned by people. But lets refer to the facts, the USA government publicaated the following information: over 30% of grains, grown in the country is fed to the domestic animals. The production of 1 pound of meat requires from 16 to 40 pounds of grain. Interpreting this facts it’s well understood that it’s a waste of money. A person, eating a steak is depriving the opportunity of 50 persons to  have a plate of some kind of porridge. And at the same time the statistics says that every minute 85 people die of hunger on the planet earth.

In undeveloped countries an average person eats 450 pounds of grain a year, and at the same time the diet of average European or American consists of 4500 pounds of grain, 90% of which are spent on feeding domestic animals.

All these facts give a reason to choose that eating of animal food in such a global frame artificially make the problem of starvation in undeveloped world.

Nowadays a global community produces enough food and goods, even more then it’s needed to feed the entire population of the planet, but they are  spent not reasonably.

The research made by Harvard dietologists shows that if to reduce meat production only on 10%, it will free enough grain to feed nearly 60 million people.

In 1842 the founders of British vegetarian society introdude a new word «vegetarian». It origins from the latin word «vegetus», that means strong, healthy and cheerful. At the begining «vegetarian» meant harmonic ( from the philosophical and ethic point of view) way of life, not just fruit and vegetables diet. Vegetarianism, by the words of «Green Piece» activists is an vital decidition on the way to a more pleased and healthier society.

Fantastic philosophers as Pythagores, Socrates, Plato,  Leonardo da Vinci, Newton, Voltaire, Franklin, Tolstoy, Show and others were convinced vegetarians. For many politicians, artists, actors and show men the refuse from eating meat is a normal thing.

Man’s organism is not able to adopt all the cholesterine and animal fats that contain in the animal food. Storing in the cells of blood vessels, it doesn’t give an opportunity for normal blood circulation that later turns into high blood pressure, insults, heart problems.

At the same time the vegetable protein helps to reduce the cholestrine level in the blood.
Well-known Swedish scientist Carl Linney stated: « the comparative analysis of human’s and animals anatomy shows and proves, that natural and the most useful food for a man is food based on vegetarian diet.»

As many biologist say the digestion system of a human is  well adopted to meat diet. Carnivorous animals have a high concentration of hydrochloric acid in their stomach, vital for meat digestion. The level of hydrochloric acid concentration is 6-10 times less than those of carnivorous animals, so meat won’t be digested appropriately any way.

Meat that is not able to be removed from human’s organism promotes the appliance and development of toxins, makes worse kidney and liver functions  and promotes the development of diseases, cancer included. By the way, the nations that live in far North of Russia, Canada, Greenland and Alaska are likely to die at the age of 40-50, because of poor food diet, basically meat and fish.
Also by the words off some scientists there is a sort of relationship between people who eat meat and their emotional and mental activity. To be more specific the meat diet can promote the appearance of violence bents.

As Dr. J. Robert Hatherill, a research scientist and faculty member of the Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, says the influence of meat is more bright on the mental activity and apperance oif violance in the teenage age than the influence of mass media. The reason of that is in the chemicals containing in meat as heavy metals and pesticides widelty used in agriculture. His research shows that the influence of  chemical containing in meat is very obvious on the biological level and the outcomes of meat eating can course even more serious diseases than those united with functions of human organs, meat usage can cause mental and brain illnesses.

Studies made in 1980th showed that the level of violence that rapidly grew in the age group of teenagers was influenced mostly by the chemicals contained in food. Scientists also marked that ability of childish organism to absorb toxins, pesticides is on 50-60% higher than those of adults.
Another example to prove this statement is the article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, titled “Chemical Levels and Delinquent Behavior,” that shows the link between chemicals and toxins contained in food with body and mental behavior issues such as aggression and attention disorder. The further research showed that prisoners accused in violence crimes had a higher level of chemicals, antibiotics, and pesticides in blood than those prisoners accused in non violence.

The growing level of crimes can not just be seen as a result of  mass media influence and decline of  social morality. More and more physicians, biologists and psychiatrists agree that the social roots of violence are found in the diet. The fantastic demand of food increased the usage of pesticides, steroids, antibiotics and toxins to accelerate the growth of animals, at the same time making a hurt to the health of common people.

Vegetarians insist on the health and more over moral benefits of food we eat. Indian medicine insists on food purity , because it influences the moral health. As they clarify it the person who allows violence on the animals and uses the products of violence: eats meats, is more likely be become aggressive and commit violence himself, as well as he iss more likely to become less kind and sensitive. Developing  this concept they argue that every calorie, every mineral and vitamin have a distinct influence on physical and mental functions of the human body. The human’s brain is the most effective part of a human body, that is very sensitive to incorrect nutrition and presence of chemicals in food. As they continue, the dead food which is really meat contains a lot toxins caused by the biological and chemical processes that follow the death and as the result their influence abnormal mental issues. A person who is eats meat is more likely to become intellectually erratic and irresolute, as well as have difficulties between distinguishing evil and excellent, truth and lie.
As the vegetarians observe themselves, the family life of vegetarian families is more harmonic, with less problems that are usual and typical to people having traditional diet. Children who are brought up by vegetarian parents and who eat mostly vegetable food are less exposed to violence, because they absurd the principles of harmony and peace with food. As the result, they are not likely to do violence in future, like to kill animals in order to satisfy their physical needs in food. And so they are not likely to commit violence against other people.

Because food is the only source of body’s chemical and biochemical processes that keep it living and well functioning, it also influences on our consciousness and emotions as integrated part of a n organism. A fantastic amount of chemicals in the animal food introduces along with negative emotions the dread of death which is typical for butchered creatures. The dread of death and other emotions are contained in the form of hormones and other biologically active junctions in meat and generally are not ruined by temperature. Because of these reasons vegetarians have more psychologically stable character and can manage their emotional life, which is not so typical for those who eat meat.

To show more evidence of food influence on our physical and mental activity it’s appropriate to use the description of the experiment made by Harvard scientists in 1998. They tested four groups of rats, that were given different diets, in order to differentiate their behavior in groups caused by difference in food. Those of rats who were fed by natural food and water didn’t exhibit any kind of abnormal issues, they remained attentive and active. Those who were also fed by hotdogs showed the issues of violence, and aggression. The 3rd group of rats had a diet based on vegetable products but transformed with the usage of chemicals as preservatives like cereal and fruit punch behaved nervously, and showed hyperactivity. The 4th group that was fed by doughnuts and soda acted certainly different. They were not behaving as a social group, were restless, had problems with sleep, etc. And the conclusion made by the scientists was following : 75% of our behavior problems are easily solved if we practice vegetable diet.

The evidence in favor of vegetarianism, also clarifies as we see the problems of modern society, as stress, hatred, aggressiveness and other abnormal issues of our mental activity, on the hand with health problems. Basically information got, and analyzed while studying the subject of  vegetarianism, has overturned some of my beliefs and attitudes towards modern problem. Now I know quite well the saying» Wee are what we eat». The information I’ve studied did really made me reckon about my own diet. About some health issues I feel and reckon that I’ll be never that young, cheerful and healthy as I’m now, if I don’t change some of my eating habits. It’s widely known that one can not really reduce the penetration of toxins and pesticides into one’s body, because of their extremely wide usage. But what can we do is to refuse from eating and drinking chemically and biologically modified food and basically if not refuse from meat then minimize it’s usage. The information about the treatment of animals and influence of  meat on our mental activity is a excellent thing to reckon about, and change the attitude towards a lot of things in our lie, not only attitude to animals but to those who surround us, to be more kind and nervous about people who surround us, as well as to reckon about our future and the future of our children and the ways we can do to make it better and improve their life, so that they’ll live in harmony with the surrounding world and harmony with themselves, not thinking about violence. And to start it we have to start with the essential and first coming thing with their diet and food habits.

Weight Loss Shown to be a “side-effect” of Vegetarianism

Well-balanced vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including children, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly and competitive athletes. In most cases, vegetarian diets are beneficial in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, renal disease and dementia, as well as diverticular disease, gallstones and rheumatoid arthritis. Low carbohydrate diets are a small term attempt to solve a long term problem. Few people can maintain the usual low carbohydrate weight loss diets indefinitely.

Hence, we conclude that low protein diets are not necessary in chronic renal failure. I’m not going to overload you with a tome of scientific evidence about why low-carb diets are terrible for us. Although vegetarian diets are higher in total iron content than nonvegetarian diets, iron stores are lower in vegetarians because the iron from plant foods is more poorly absorbed. The clinical importance of this, if any, is unclear because iron deficiency anemia rates are similar in vegetarians and nonvegetarians.

Vegetarian diets are also high in fiber. Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables, and grains not broken down by your body. Vegetarian diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate when carefully plotted. Consuming adequate amounts of iron and calcium is especially vital. Vegetarian diets are based on grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds and nuts, with the elimination of meat, fish or fowl from the diet. Variations exist within vegetarian diets, where some include dairy products and eggs.

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Vegetarian diets are somewhat more common among adolescents with eating disorders than in the general adolescent population; therefore, dietetics professionals should be aware of young clients who greatly limit food choices and who exhibit symptoms of eating disorders. But, recent data suggest that adopting a vegetarian diet does not lead to eating disorders. Vegetarian diets are rapidly gaining in popularity. They can reduce the risk of many common diseases, promote weight loss, and help the environment. Vegetarian diets are generally low in calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B-12 and calories. The key to a healthy vegetarian diet is to make sure the diet provides enough calories and includes a wide variety of foods.

Vegetarian diets are healthy alternatives to meat-based diets. When properly plotted, plant food diets provide all the nutritional components needed for a healthy adult lifestyle. Vegetarian diets are much higher in fiber, which is completely absent in animal products. Finally, vegetarian diets are much richer in phytochemicals, plant nutrient-chemicals that may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and many other problems. Vegetarian diets are lower in saturated fats, cholesterol, and animal protein. They’re also high in folate, anti-oxidant vitamins like C and E, carotenoids, and phytochemicals.

Vegetarian diets are packed with all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that growing children need. And meatless diets have many vital health advantages: Vegetarians delight in a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Vegetarian diets are not always the best in terms of health and weight control.” Basically, while a vegetarian diet may be better, it doesn’t guarantee a healthy and waist-friendly life, agrees Salge Blake. Vegetarian diets are classified in various ways: The LACTO-OVO-VEGETARIAN avoids meat, poultry and fish. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, eggs and dairy products can be nutritionally adequate by following .

Weight loss isn’t just about looking better. If you’re one of the nearly 130 million U.S. Weight loss simply does not address the long term reasons why we gain weight. Weight loss only erases the evidence of persistent issues to weight control such as aging, processed food, metabolism hurt, eating behavior and the fact we all spend long periods of time ‘out of it’ with respect to weight loss and fitness. Weight loss occurs since most of the calories and nutrients are routed into the colon where they are not absorbed.

Vegetarianism is an ancient custom. It has long existed among certain Hindu and Buddhist sects that consider all animal life sacred, and it was advocated zealously by numerous philosophers and writers of ancient Greece and Rome. Vegetarianism is in fact one of the greatest gifts of Hinduism to the world. Meat eating is the cause of many diseases.

Vegetarianism is not a doctrine but a way of life as well as an outlook on the whole of life. It is based on an unflinching faith in the unity of life. Vegetarianism is a healthy option and vegetarian diets can be perfectly healthy eating plans but care should be taken to ensure optimum nutrition. So, whether following an ovo-lacto or other type of vegetarian food plot, or vegan diet, for a healthy body and weight make it a balanced eating plot and take regular exercise. Vegetarianism is a diet where a person does not eat meat, and veganism, is a lifestyle lived without the use of any animal by-products, including eating eggs or dairy products, and wearing leather or wool. Contrary to well loved belief, vegetarianism and veganism can both be made into healthy lifestyle choices by making sure a person gets the right amount of nutrients from other foods.

Vegetarianism is “in”, in case you were wondering. Demographic survey data reported in 1995 stated that 50% of college-age women and 32% of college-age men say vegetarianism is hip, cool, in . Vegetarianism is beneficial for the Earth, for animals, and for people, too. It s an individual choice, but it can be a fantastic one. Vegetarianism is expected practice among Jains, who hold that it is incorrect to kill or harm any living being. Jain traditions respect ahimsa (nonviolence), aparigraha (non-acquision), asteya (respect for other s rights) and satya (truth).

Vegetarianism is a major dietary therapy for the alternative treatment of cancer. Other conditions treated with a dietary therapy of vegetarianism include obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, allergies, asthma, environmental illness, hypertension, gout, gallstones, hemorrhoids, kidney stones, ulcers, colitis, premenstrual syndrome, anxiety, and depression. Vegetarianism isn’t quite so hard as veganism, and it’s very excellent for your health. Give it a try! Vegetarianism is supported by the principle of bal tashchit , or the avoidance of wasting or destroying something of value. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a meaning for this principle if it does not apply to the incredible waste of grain crops and land and water resources involved in the industrial-scale production of meat.

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Good Health and Vegetarianism

Many studies prove Illness is a consequence of incorrect diet, and nervous and mental tensions caused by selfishness, pride and ever-spreading materialism; whereas vegetarianism is the solution to the world’s serious hunger problems. When Latin American countries – like Argentina – realise this, they will grow wheat, barley, millet and other cereals and soya in their vast territories not yet under cultivation.

In the United States , vegetarianism is usually synonymous with ovo-lacto vegetarianism; and will sometimes be assumed to tolerate some meat, for instance, chicken (or “at least” fish).

Vegetarianism is a major dietary therapy in the alternative treatment of cancer. Other conditions treated with a dietary therapy of vegetarianism include obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, allergies, asthma, environmental illness, hypertension, gout, gallstones, hemorrhoids, kidney stones , ulcers, colitis, premenstrual syndrome , anxiety, and depression. Even stricter form of vegetarianism is fruitarianism. Fruitarianism excludes all food but the fallen botanic fruits of plants.

Vegetarianism is a excellent thought for anyone, whether young or ancient, healthy or sick. Reasons supporting vegetarianism are inarguable since becoming a vegetarian is scientifically proven to improve one’s lifestyle in several different ways. And there are interpretations of religious scriptures which support this, saying that vegetarianism is a very high ideal. Most of us have a pretty excellent thought of what vegetarianism is-no meat with or without also eschewing animal derivatives such as eggs or dairy products. Beyond this simple definition, vegetarianism is mostly a self-identified appellation that varies from person to person.

Current recommendations are that vegetarians eat a wide variety of foods during the course of a day. Eggs and dairy products are excellent sources of protein, but also try nuts, peanut butter, tofu, beans, seeds, soy milk, grains, cereals, and vegetables to get all the protein your body needs. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians will eat eggs and dairy products; lacto-vegetarians will eat dairy products but not eggs; and pesco-vegetarians will eat fish as well as dairy products. Vegans abstain from all foods of animal origin. In contrast, we believe that studies relating to the dietary patterns of vegetarian populations who delight in optimal health are valuable and valid sources of information, and can be used in developing a model of healthful eating.

Although it is much disputed and not always well loved, vegetarianism is a very positive and productive dietary plot. Eating vegetarian is considered by many to be very healthy.

Some studies, along with anecdotal evidence that has been gathered, indicate that a mostly raw food vegetarian diet is helpful in breaking the cycle of suffering of several maladies.

On the other hand, plant-based vegetarian diets can deliver excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, another class of essential fatty acids found in vegetable oils made from corn, soybeans and grape seeds, whole-grain breads and cereals. Omega-3’s and omega-6’s are both “excellent” fats but a high omega-6/omega-3 ratio promotes inflammation and other imbalances that can lead to disease. People who follow vegetarian diets can get all the nutrients they need. But, they must be careful to eat a wide variety of foods to meet their nutritional needs.

Studies conclude that a vegetarian diet contains sufficient protein and is high in carbs and low in stout, making it ideal for athletic performance. One of the top considerations for any athlete that starts a vegetarian lifestyle is to be cognizant of vitamins and minerals, especially B12.

The most common types of vegetarian diets are vegan, lacto, ovo, and lacto-ovo. The vegan, the strictest type of vegetarian, does not eat any animal products. Obesity On average, people who follow vegetarian diets are leaner than meat eaters, and people who switch to a vegetarian diet commonly lose weight. Only 15 percent of vegetarian Seventh-day Adventists are overweight, as against 30 to 40 percent of meat-eating Adventists and 40 percent of the average American population. The influences of these aspects of vegetarian diets are the subject of the new field of nutritional ecology that is concerned with sustainable life styles and human development.

Vegetarian diets are also high in fiber. Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables, and grains not broken down by your body. Vegetarian diets are lower in saturated fats, cholesterol, and animal protein. They’re also high in folate, anti-oxidant vitamins like C and E, carotenoids, and phytochemicals. Although vegetarian diets are higher in total iron content than nonvegetarian diets, iron stores are lower in vegetarians because the iron from plant foods is more poorly absorbed. The clinical importance of this, if any, is unclear because iron deficiency anemia rates are similar in vegetarians and nonvegetarians.

Semi-vegetarian diets are diets that primarily consist of vegetarian foods, but make exceptions for some non-vegetarian foods. These diets may be followed by those who choose to reduce the amount of animal flesh consumed, or sometimes as a way of transitioning to a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian diets are classified in various ways: The LACTO-OVO-VEGETARIAN avoids meat, poultry and fish. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, eggs and dairy products can be nutritionally adequate by following . Researchers have also suggested that the health benefits of vegetarian diets are due, at least in part, to other healthy lifestyle choices that often accompany vegatarianism, such as increased physical activity and not smoking.

If the lactovegetarian and the ovo-lactovegetarian diets are plotted well, they will contain all the vitamins and minerals the body needs for excellent health. Vitamins and minerals that may be lacking in the vegan diet are vitamin B-12, vitamin D, riboflavin, calcium, zinc, and iron. On the other hand, vegetarian diets are much richer in vitamins C and E, both vital antioxidants. They are also much richer in vital minerals like magnesium and manganese, which are often lacking in Western diets. Persons consuming vegetarian and semivegetarian diets are found to have lower rates of chronic diseases such as cancers, heart disease, and diabetes.

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Vegetarianism– Is it a good idea?

Health conscious people are concerned about their diet. Information about nutritional guidelines and healthy eating is easily found; the hard part is taking what we know and putting it into practice. A growing number of Americans are turning towards vegetarianism as a path of excellent health practices. The basic principle of being a vegetarian is giving up meat and fish and then generally replacing it with more fresh fruit, vegetables, and grains. The most common form is a lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means that you eat milk (lacto) and egg (ovo) products. The more extreme options cut out one or both of these types of products. When both are restricted it is called vegan.

One factor in your choice may be money. It is right that the United States sells meat cheaper than most other places in the world, but it is still what people spend the most on in grocery stores.  

Another factor is time. If you choose to become a vegetarian you will most likely go to the supermarket more frequently because you will buy more fresh products at lower quantities to keep them from going terrible. It will also take longer to prepare fresh food than if you were to just pop a frozen chimichanga in the microwave.

The main issue but, is health. The American Dietetic Association said the following: “appropriately plotted vegetarian diets are healthful, are nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” Plotting is essential to vegetarianism. You need to reckon about the nutrients you are forgoing in taking meat out of your diet and make a plot to compensate for them. Some of the major deficiencies that can occur in vegetarianism are with iron, calcium, essential fatty acids, vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc, and protein. You need to research what foods are rich in these nutrients so can alter your diet and maintain your health. You will also need to take a multivitamin because some of these nutrients are hard to get excellent amounts of even when you do eat meat.

Many diseases have been shown to be prevented or aided by eating more fruits and vegetables. The obvious side effect of this healthy lifestyle is to reduce obesity. Some factors relating to weight are genetic but diet and exercise play the largest role in control of this disease. Another finding is that eating many fruits and vegetables helps prevent cancer. Dozens of plant foods have cancer fighting agents that could save your life someday. Other diseases affected are diabetes, strokes, and heart disease. There are surely other effects and benefits that we have not yet studied or do not fully know.

Other considerations such as culture, environmental concerns, or taste may also affect your choice but it is really a choice that is up to you. Vegetarianism is one option of healthy living, and as long as you find a excellent multivitamin and are careful with your nutritional needs, you will find it to be beneficial to your health.

Healthy Vegetarianism

A philosophy of eating, like vegetarianism, has to be understood in the context of the motivation for doing it. The reason for adopting a vegetarian or vegan way of life may be: ethical, animal welfare, environmental, health, economic, world hunger issues or religious beliefs.

In the broadest sense, a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, fowl or fish or products containing these foods. But within this broad term, there are a number of sub-groups of vegetarianism. Some of these include:

Demi-vegetarian – the only restriction is red meat
Partial vegetarian – eat fish and poultry
Octo-lacto-vegetarian – eat animal products such as egg and dairy
Lacto-vegetarian – only dairy products are eaten
Vegans – eat no animal products at all. These are the most dedicated vegetarians.

Vegans eat no animal meat or by products of animals, and avoid making use of animal derivatives (like leather shoes) and animal tested products (like cosmetics) in their lifestyle. Many people who have chosen a vegan lifestyle have done so for ethical reasons, especially the cruelty and exploitation involved in the making of animal products.

Vegetarianism -The health benefits of a plant-based diet

There is small disputing that an appropriately plotted vegetarian diet has a wide range of health benefits. Vegetarians are reported to have a lower body mass index than non-vegetarians. They experience lower rates of death from ischaemic heart disease, show lower blood cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension, type II diabetes and prostate and colon cancer. These are some of the adverse effects of animal products eaten in excess over a lifetime.

A vegetarian diet offers a variety of nutritional benefits. It is a diet low in saturated stout, cholesterol, and animal protein, whilst being higher in carbohydrates, fibre, magnesium, potassium, folate, boron and the antioxidants vitamins C and E, and cancer-preventing phytochemicals, or plant chemicals. Due to the emphasis on fresh fruits and vegetables, this diet tends to be more alkaline unlike the acidity produced by eating animal proteins. Acidity in the body causes calcium to leach from the bones to act as a buffer, thereby contributing to bone demineralisation. Poor quality animal proteins can contain hormones and antibiotics, adversely affecting our health.

Vegetarianism -Nutrient deficiencies to watch out for in a vegan/ vegetarian diet

Whilst a vegetarian based diet has many advantages, it can also contain low amounts of certain essential nutrients, if it is not sufficiently balanced:

Vitamin B12

It has been argued that vegans are no more vulnerable to vitamin B12 deficiency than meat eaters. This is because vegans have a more favourable balance of gut flora that produces sufficient B12.

Sources – Occurs naturally only in animal products. Can obtain it from dairy foods and eggs. Soil is a rich source of vitamin B12, and it is thought that lightly washed, freshly harvested vegetables were a viable source. But modern food practices and the sterile nature of food and the environment do not make this a viable source.

Required for -DNA synthesis, red blood cell production, energy production, insulation of nerve cells, homocysteine metabolism, stout burning, bone building, neurotransmitter and hormone production

Deficiencies – pernicious anaemia, can raise homocysteine levels, increasing the risk of heart disease

Vegetarian sources – fortified foods, yeast extract, fortified soya milk. Micro-algae (spirulina, chlorella and blue-green algae) is thought to be an brilliant source of B12 although there is debate as to whether it is in a bio-available form to the body.

Vitamin D

Infants, children and older adults synthesize vitamin D less efficiently

Sources – primarily comes from the action of sunlight on the skin. Normally present in animal sources – butter, eggs, oily fish, milk, liver. Also present in some fortified margarine.

Required for – bone formation – maintenance of plasma calcium levels. It is vital in the prevention of osteoporosis.

Deficiencies – rickets (in children), osteoporosis, diarrhoea, insomnia, nervousness and muscle twitches

Vegetarian sources – sunshine, supplement with a daily multivitamin

Vitamin A

Preformed vitamin A is only found in animal foods. Vegetarians rely on vitamin A from consumption and conversion of dietary beta carotene. The inclusion of 3 servings per day of yellow/ orange fruit and vegetables or dark green leafy vegetables is thought to be sufficient to meet Vitamin A requirements.

Vitamin B2

Animal meat is a excellent source of vitamin B2 and non-meat eaters might have a deficiency of this vitamin. Non meat sources of vitamin B2 include: almonds, mushrooms, asparagus, bananas, beans, broccoli, figs, kale, lentils, peas, sesame seeds, sweet potatoes, tofu, tempeh and wheat germ.

Calcium

Calcium is a mineral vital for nerve transmission and muscular contraction and healthy teeth and bones. A strict vegan diet can be deficient in this mineral, if a wide-enough range of calcium-rich greens, vegetables, nuts and beans are not consumed. Boron, a mineral which is effective in reducing calcium loss, is found mainly in fruits, vegetables and nuts. Higher intake of potassium and vitamin K amongst vegetarians is a benefit in safeguarding against bone loss.

Vegetarian sources of calcium- broccoli, collards, kale, bok choy, turnip greens, okra, nuts, seeds, pulses, fortified soya products, tofu, figs, blackstrap molasses. A number of these foods are also brilliant sources of magnesium which is needed for calcium absorption.

Iron

Haem-iron found in animal blood, especially red meat, is absorbed five times more efficiently than plant sources which contain only non-haeme iron. But, excess haem iron can act as a pro-oxidant. This possibly clarifies the link between arterial hurt and colorectal cancer seen in meat eaters.

The main inhibitor of iron absorption in a vegetarian diet, is phytates found in wheat. But, vitamin C which is typically higher in a plant based diet, consumed at the same time as iron, can help to improve absorption.

Vegetarian sources – tofu, kidney beans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, watercress, parsley, mushrooms, dried fruits, potato skin, asparagus, beetroots, oatmeal, blackstrap molasses

Zinc

Animal protein is believed to enhance the absorption of zinc, whereas phytates (in wheat products) bind to and excretes zinc. It is thought that zinc is likely to be lower in a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarian sources – aduki beans, navy beans, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ginger root, Brazil nuts

Iodine

Studies suggest that vegans who do not consume iodise salt or sea vegetables are at risk of iodine deficiency. The fact that vegan diets are also often high in goitrogens (foods which inhibit thyroid function), such as soya products and cruciferous vegetables, suggests a possible issue in relation to thyroid insufficiency.

Vegetarian sources – kelp, sea vegetables and iodised salt

Omega 3 EFA’s

Vegetarian diets can be low in Omega 3 fatty acids and their derivative EPA and DHA, sourced directly from fish oils. It is therefore recommended that vegetarians include excellent sources of Omega 3 sources such as flaxseed, pumpkin and walnut in their diets. Zinc is one of the co-factors required for the conversion of omega 3 fatty acids to DHA and EPA. If there is a deficiency of zinc in the body, it is now possible to obtain vegan sources of DHA, derived from micro-algae.

Protein

There is absolutely no reason why a vegan diet cannot satisfy the protein needs of the body. Vegan sources of protein include beans and pulses, soya based products, nuts and seeds and grains. Some vegan foods such as quinoa are a excellent source of all eight essential amino acids. A combination of a complex carbohydrate and a plant protein (i.e. brown rice and beans) at the same meal, or eaten over the course of the day, will make a complete protein.

A well-plotted vegan or vegetarian lifestyle has many benefits and can be suitable for all stages of life. But, it is vital to ensure a balanced diet that supplies all the nutrients needed to stay healthy. Blood tests can be done to assess mineral levels if deficiencies are suspected. Excellent quality, suitable supplements can be taken to address any nutrients that may be lacking.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ashwell M et al (2004) Lamberts: The Practitioners Guide to Supplements. Second Edition. London. The Reader’s Digest Association Ltd.
Holford P (2004) New Optimum Nutrition Bible. London: Piatkus
Matten, G. (2004) BCNH: YR2 -Practitioner Certificate. Superfoods, Raw Foods, Water, Veganism & Vegetarianism, Food Combining, Macrobiotics. London: BCNH

Pregnancy and Vegetarianism: Do They Go Well Together?

Being a vegetarian while pregnant has always been a small concerning for vegetarian mothers-to-be for decades. But, evidence indicates there is nothing to dread as long as you are closely monitoring your consumption and ensuring you are getting the right nutrients for you and your baby.

A vegetarian diet during pregnancy will require:

* An extra 300 calories per day. A healthy pregnancy diet will provide all pregnant women, who are in a healthy weight range, an additional 300 calories daily. This is the added energy required to maintain and develop a healthy baby.

* Calcium is a vital nutrient required for the baby’s growing bones. All pregnant women require 4 serves of calcium daily. Vegetarian women can obtain their calcium from dairy products such as cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, cheese, tofu, almonds, sesame seeds, almonds, dried fruits, broccoli, spinach, kale, whole grain cereals, and pulses. In addition to the calcium, Vitamin D is required by the body to properly utilize the calcium. Butters, milks, and dairy products that have been fortified with Vitamin D are fantastic selections. * Protein can be found in dairy products, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Tofu, cottage cheese, milks, yogurts, cheeses, and tempeh are all brilliant sources of protein. Pregnant vegetarian women need approximately 60-70 grams of protein daily.

* Iron. Consuming enough iron can be problematic for pregnant vegetarians. While some plants contain high levels of iron, the iron is not in a form that is as easily absorbed by the human body as the iron found in meat. To counteract this issue, consuming Vitamin C at the same time as the iron containing food can help with the iron absorption. Fantastic plant sources of iron are spinach, other green vegetables, whole legumes and pulses, and dried fruit. If you feel that you may be anemic, or are feeling excessively tired or run down, you may want o get your doctor to check your iron levels for you. Some nutritionists will refer you to iron supplements for vegetarian women but check with your doctor first before starting any supplements.

* Vitamin B12 can be found in eggs, dairy, and yeast products. The baby’s cells and tissues need Vitamin B12 to help in their development. Many cereals and breads have been fortified with Vitamin B12. An brilliant source can be yeast extract spread.

Conclusion

A vegetarian pregnancy diet needs to be well balanced and thought out to provide the essential nutritional requirements for a healthy pregnancy. Your medical practitioner or nutritionist should be consulted if you have nagging doubts about the health of you and your baby while pregnant and wanting to remain a vegetarian.

Vegetarianism For Physical, Mental and Spiritual Health

A rich man is sleeping in his house. Suddenly he is awakened by the burglar alarm.

”Ach! These stupid systems never work properly!” he exclaims, rubbing his eyes and struggling to stand up. He goes downstairs and, still cursing the system, turns off the alarm. Going back to his bedroom he quickly falls asleep again.

The burglars can’t believe their excellent luck, as they take their time to carefully find and steal every available expensive item in the house.

The health situation of most people in the meat-eating nations of the world is analogous to that rich man’s condition. Usually when people experience uncomfortable symptoms and sickness, they turn to doctors and medicines to turn off the symptoms so that they can again be comfortable. Just like the rich man who believes he is safe falls back asleep, so most people, under the illusion of recovered health go back to eating the incorrect food, and resume other terrible habits. Meanwhile, the cause of the suppressed symptoms remains and gets worse. Over time the person becomes more and more sick.

The physical cause of more than 90% of human sickness is the same: too many toxins in the body. Most of these toxins are located in the stomach, intestinal system, organs and circulation system. As an example let’s look at the common cold. Here the symptoms are a running nose, fever, sore throat, sneezing, and so on. The use of medicine turns off these “problems”. Unfortunately they are alarms, not problems. They are also the means for the body to rid itself of the real problem — excess toxins. The increased flow of mucous provides a channel for toxins to flow out. The fever causes sweat, which is also a medium for elimination. At the same time the message of the sore throat and the sneezing is: “Stop eating! Drink more and more!” Because they go on eating even though they are not hungry, most people who catch colds are compelled to continue suffering for many days or even weeks at a stretch. If they were simply to quick on water or lemon water (with a small salt, not sugar), the cold nearly always fulfills its purpose and stops within one or two days.

In this case, what is the reason for the effectiveness of fasting? To answer this question we should know a most fundamental principle of our digestion system. The digestive system has two functions: 1) abstract energy from the food and immediately pass the waste matter out of the body and 2) clean itself of ancient static waste matter that has clung to the walls of the intestines and other organs for days, years, or even decades. The first function is well known to everyone. The second function is also known, but essentially ignored, by most conventional doctors. They especially neglect the fact that when the digestive system becomes clean, the body next directs its cleaning efforts at any other organs or systems which contain toxins.

The two functions of the digestion system are basically non-simultaneous. That is, whenever the body is busy in digesting newly consumed food, then no energy remains for deep cleaning activity. It is only when the stomach and intestines are more or less empty of fresh food, then those organs will automatically start cleaning themselves. The toxins causing the cold are rapidly eliminated, the symptoms stop, and the person can resume eating. Hopefully s/he is wiser due to having been sick, and is more careful to avoid over-toxifying the body.

From which foods does toxification more likely occur? Here the principle is simple to know: food which is more hard to digest is more likely to not be fully digested. When any food enters one’s mouth, digestive juices start secreting in the mouth, esophogaus, and stomach. When the food reaches the stomach, the digestive acids try to quickly break it down into small particles. Simple-to-digest food requires less acid secretion, hard-to-digest food requires more acid. The process continues as the food solids and liquids are worked upon by the liver, the kidneys, the small intestine, the large intestine and other organs. Acids, fats and other toxic substances also pass into the blood stream, polluting the circulation system and adhering to the walls of the arteries and other blood-carrying channels. Thus, the hard-to-digest foods are called acid-forming, while simple-to-digest foods are classified as alkaline. In the case of some extremely alkaline foods, such as juicy fruits, they contribute their own fruit acids which may help in the digestion of other foods. There are a few foods, like sugar, tea and onion which are not hard to digest but are classified as acidic because they contain elements which greatly disturb the equilibrium of the body. These elements are mildy poisonous.

Here is a list of foods categorized from most alkaline to most acid-forming. (As one reads down the list, each succeeding item is somewhat more acid-forming.):

1) Lemon water
2) Herb tea
3) Honey (a small)
4) Citric fruit juice
5) Other fruit juices
6) Vegetable juice
7) Citric fruits
8) Juicy fruits
9) Other fruits (except banana)
10) Non-starchy vegetables *
11) Buckwheat
(up to here all items are relevant for “graduated fasting”)

12) Yoghurt
13) Starchy vegetables and banana *
14) Fresh tofu
15) Nuts
16) Raw sugar
17) Whole grains
18) Beans
19) Refined grains
20) Refined sugar
21) Tea, coffee
22) Fried foods
23)Milk varies according to personal situation **

Avoid extremely acidic food: 24)mushrooms, 25)onion, 26)garlic, 27)fish, 28)meat, 29)eggs

* Non-starchy vegetables may also be considered as salad-vegetables, i.e. they may be eaten raw. Starchy vegetables, like potato, are hard to eat raw. Banana is much more starchy then most other fruits (unless it is extremely ripe, in which case its classification become more alkaline).

** Depending on the condition of one’s liver, and also on the functioning of milk-digestion enzymes, people differ in their capacity to digest milk and milk products. For some people milk is a medicine, e.g. certain patients of ulcer. For many, milk causes gas formation, and may thus be recognized as being highly acid-forming. Non-homogenised milk is much simpler to digest than homogenised milk because when fats are forcibly mixed with the rest of the milk such that separation does not occur, such globules of “whole milk” become strenuous for the liver.

Items numbered from 1 to 11 generally have a cleansing effect on the body. If a person thus restricts his diet for any length of time to those initial items, the body will undergo a gradual or radical cleansing process. The higher up on the list the restriction is made, so the quicker the cleansing will occur. In this regard, the most extreme method of cleaning the body is to neither eat nor drink anything, not even water. But such a method, though appropriate for some people for a small time, is perilous for most people.

In any case we may thus clearly know that if an individual uses simple natural means to keep the body relatively clean from toxins, and if there is a regular intake of a reasonable amount of nutrition (not too much and not too small), then there is the greatest possibility that such a person will maintain a high degree of health.

Of course many factors enter into “keeping the body relatively clean from toxins”. It is not only a matter of food and fasting. These factors include exercise, bathing, sleep, mental activity, purity of air and water, presence or absence of chemicals in the food, hormonal inbalances of the glands, and inborn genetic peculiarities. But of all these, food and fasting remain the foremost vital for most people.

Thus we come to the main statement of this article: a vegetarian diet is better than a non-vegetarian diet for our all-round health. For the moment we are looking only at the physical aspect, and later will deal with the psychic and spiritual aspects. Vegetarianism is preferable for the bodily health because it consists of items which are simpler to digest and thus much more alkaline than fish, meat and eggs.

The human body system has exactly the same food-eating and digesting characteristics as other vegetarian mammals (like cows, monkeys, deer and elephants), and really different from the meat-eating mammals (like tigers, lions, wolves, dogs and cats). These characteristics include:

1) Vegetarian mammals including man have flat rear molar teeth for grinding their food. Meat-eaters do not have flat molars, and instead have sharp front teeth for tearing food.

2) Vegetarian mammals have an intestinal tract 10 to 12 times their body length. The intestines of meat-eaters is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decaying meat can pass out quickly.

3) The stomach acid of vegetarians is 20 times less strong than that of meat-eaters.

4) Vegetarians have no claws, whereas meat-eaters have claws to catch and kill their prey.

5) Vegetarians perspire through their skin. Meat-eaters have no skin pores, and instead perspire through their tongues.

6) Vegetarian mammals require high-fiber diets (available in fruits, vegetables and whole grains) or else they eventually become constipated. Meat-eating mammals remain perfectly healthy even when their diets include very small fiber. Constipation is usually the first cause of digestion-related diseases in humans.

7) Meat-eaters can easily digest foods containing a high quantity of cholestorol and saturated stout. Vegetarians have a very limited capacity to deal with these same elements. For example laboratory experiements show that if dogs are gradually given more and more butter stout, even 250 grams every day, they show no increase in their serum cholesterol level. On the other hand, if vegetarian mammals eat much stout a fantastic strain is first placed on the liver, fatty deposits develop on the inner walls of the arteries, and gradually the heart weakens through over-work, causing heart attacks and blood clots.

It is clear that human beings are bound to face difficulties in the digestion of meat, fish and eggs. Furthermore, humans who regularly eat such heavy foods gradually experience weakening of their digestive systems such that they are unable to rapidly eliminate waste matter, and thus their bodies get less and less time to perform self-cleaning.

Regarding heart disease, the cause of more than half of the deaths in the USA, the American Medical Association states that more than 90% of all heart disease could be prevented by vegetarian diet.

The editor-in-chief of the prestigious “American Journal of Cardiology” and a foremost expert on heart disease, DrWilliam Roberts, wrote: “When we kill animals to eat them, they end up killing us because their flesh was never intended for human beings, who are naturally herbivores.”

The reader may be interested in my own experience of low-protein diets. Not only have been a strict vegetarian for the last 25 years of my life, but numerous times for months at a stretch I have also eliminated from my diet milk products, grains, beans and starchy vegetables. During those periods, which continued for as long as 9 months at a time, I ate only fruit and salad. Without any major source of protein I felt stronger and better than during any other times of my life. Indeed I would maintain such a diet always, except that I prefer to be able to eat together with other people. Also, this sort of diet is awkward or even impossible in very poor societies where the climate is cold, such as in Mongolia and Russia (where I am presently working). Thus, only due to circumstances, not due to physical need, I eat a diet containing some high protein foods. Still, I prefer that my meals predominantly consist of fruits and salad-type vegetables.

Vegetarianism: Its Role in Mental and Spiritual Development

It is common to cite the advantages that a vegetarian diet bring to a person’s physical well-being, but relatively small attention has been played to the role of the vegetarian diet in the realm of mental and spiritual development. I want to share my perspective on this issue.

1) Toxic build-up does not only affect intestines, arteries, kidneys, liver and other organs — it also is bound to affect the nervous system, which is directly related to the functions of the brain. Therefore toxicity is bound to hinder the individual’s capacity to react appropriately to all sorts of external and internal stimuli. Toxicity also must dull one’s efforts to concentrate and to contemplate.

2) Many people believe that the only exhaustion a person may experience is physical body-tiredness. Usually, but, when an individual becomes depressed or confused, by resting or sleeping he or she again feels mentally rejuvenated and clear. Due to physical struggle our bodies develop, and due to mental struggle our minds develop. When that struggle becomes excessive in quantity or duration, then the mind starts desiring to enter into the non-conscious condition during which it rests and gets energy by merging in the unconscious-mind. Poor physical health exhausts the body, destroys the effectiveness of our resting periods, and thus certainly makes an environment in which it is hard for the mind to rest, in which case the mind’s development becomes stunted.

3) Usually yogis clarify to their students that the physical and mental exercises of yoga and meditation are closely related with glandular hormonal secretions, i.e. to increasing, decreasing or balancing the activities of the glands. They therefore encourage students to be vegetarian so that they may better control their glands, and thus better control their minds. Over thousands of years of experimentation yogis found that different foods differently affect the glands, and have categorized them accordingly. (A categorized list follows later.)

4) The same yogis teach that lighter food is simpler for digestion, and thus is generally better for meditation or for any other brain work.

5) One’s ability to concentrate or meditate depends to a large extent on the mental strength derived from following one’s conscience. The evils of meat-eating include environmental destruction, harm to one’s own body, the immorality of unnecessarily killing innocent conscious animals, and helping to maintain a global economic imbalance due to the rich nations over-consumption of the expensive foods: meat, fish and eggs.

The conclusion of the yogis regarding the effect of foods on the mind and body is contained in the following well-known list:

SENTIENT FOODS (excellent for both body and mind): fruit, most vegetables, grains, beans, milk products, nuts, apple vinegar, honey, sugar (in small quantity)

MUTATIVE FOODS (if taken in small quantity neither harmful nor helpful): coffee, tea, caffeinated drinks (like colas), brown chocolate, kelp, brewer’s yeast, hot spices

STATIC FOODS (terrible for body or mind or both): meat, fish, eggs, onion, garlic, mushroom, mustard greens, alchohol, tobacco, narcotics and many drugs

The yogis clarify that the static foods which are harmful to the mind cause disturbance to the three lowest psycho-spiritual energy centers, called “chakras”. The main chakras are usually categorized as being seven in number, and are related to physical glands. The hormonal secretion of each of the glands affects various human emotions and instincts which are either beneficial or harmful to mental balance and development. The relationship is as follows (the list of emotions is only partial to avoid complication):

When the static foods heat up the three lowest chakras the mind’s balance and concentration is directly disturbed. As a result, both mental and spiritual progress are sharply hindered.

The yogis teach that monks and nuns should eat only sentient foods. Family people should likewise prefer sentient food, but they may consume small amounts of mutative food if they so wish. Everyone should strictly avoid static foods except when compulsorily required for medicinal purpose or in conditions where starvation would otherwise result.

Considering that onion and garlic are generally praised as body cleaners, one may wonder why they are categorized as static. These two foods are affective as cleaners because they are mildly poisonous to the body. When the body tries to quickly reject them, usually other negative elements may be simultaneously expelled. This is not a excellent method because it causes a large amount of internal heat to be made in the area of the lower glands. It is far better, rather it is positively helpful, to use lemon water or apple cider vinegar in small quantity mixed with water to clean the body. These two sentient cleaners increase alkalinity and help the over-active glands to cool down.

Very small has so far been done in physical laboratories to examine these yogic teachings. On the other hand, as previously mentioned, for thousands of years the relationship of food with mental and spiritual development has been the matter of experimentation by countless individuals working with their own bodies and minds. We may hope that such objective examination is done in the near future. It will be a fantastic service to humanity to clarify these fundamental principles. In the meantime, but, any individual may try for himself or herself, and see the results within a matter of a few weeks.

As such information cannot be objectively justified, we may refer to the large number of well-known persons who personally analyzed the relation of food with the body and mind and chose to be vegetarian. The list of such well-known people who have publicized their preference for vegetarianism is long indeed. The fact that such highly developed personalities were vegetarian is in itself a statement of the intimate relationship between a subtle diet and a subtle mind. To end this article I quote a few of these well-known people.

Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s foremost leaders in physical science, ethics, social movement and many other fields, became a vegetarian when he was 16 years ancient. From his diet Franklin understood “greater progress, from that greater clearness of head and quicker apprehension.” He called flesh-eating “unprovoked murder.”

The French philospher Jean Jacques Rousseau said that as meat-eating animals are by nature much more violent than herbivores, so the vegetarian diet generally produces more compassionate people. He even suggested that butchers not be allowed to testify in court or sit on juries.

Because the fantastic Greek mathematician Pythagoras was a vegetarian, so the vegetarian diet is sometimes called the Pythagorean system. He said, “The earth affords a lavish supply of riches, of innocent foods, and offers you banquets that involve no bloodshed or slaughter; only beats satisfy their hunger with flesh.” Pythagoras was known to even pay fishermen to throw their catch back into the ocean.

The essence of a strong mind is to follow one’s conscience, or in other words to be consistent with one’s beliefs. The poet Shelley pointed out that a meat-eater cannot have a strong mind because he is not consistent with his deeper feelings. He said, “Let the advocate of animal food force himself to a decisive experiment on its fitness, and as Plutarch recommends, tear a living lamb with his teeth and, plunging his head into its vitals, slake his thirst with the steaming blood….then, and then only, would he be consistent.”

One of the world’s greatest physicists, Albert Einstein, said, “The vegetarian manner of living, by it’s purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.”

The fantastic Renaissance painter, inventor, sculputor and poet Leonardo da Vinci wrote about meat-eaters, “He who does not value life does not deserve it.” He said that the bodies of meat-eaters are nothing other than “burial places”, graveyards for the animals they eat.

Even Adam Smith, the propounder of free-market capitalism, was a vegetarian. He said, “Grain and other vegetables, with the help of milk, cheese, and butter, or oil, where butter is not to be had, afford the most plentiful, the most wholesome, the most nourishing, and the most invigorating diet.”

The Russian author Leo Tolstoy said that by killing animals is “simply immoral,” and that by doing so “man suppresses in himself, unnecessarily, the highest spiritual capacity — that of sympathy and pity towards living creatures lilkle himself — and by violating his own feelings becomes cruel.”

Most Christians believe that their meat-eating is proper because they reckon that Jesus ate meat. Here we are faced with a trick of translation just to befool people, causing widespread misunderstanding for these 2000 years. Nowhere in the original Greek manuscripts of the Bible is there any reference to Jesus eating meat or encouraging others to eat meat. The words that have been translated as “meat” are such Greek words as “trophe, brome, and phago,” which simply mean “food” or “eating”. The Greek word for “meat or flesh” is “kreas”, which is never used in relation to Christ. Understanding this point, many of the early Christian saints were vegetarian, including St Jerome, St John Chrysostom and St Benedict. Also many early Christian fathers like Clement of Alexandria ate no meat.

Today many Buddhists including even monks and nuns are eating non-vegetarian diets. This is the height of irony when one considers that one of the main thrusts behind the first spread of Buddhism was as reaction to the widely accepted practice of animal slaughter. By and large Buddha stopped this evil by preaching the doctrine of nonviolence.

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who became a vegetarian at an early age, even though many doctors warned him that the diet would finally kill him. When he was an ancient man, he was questioned why he did not go back and show them what excellent it had done him. He answered, “I would, but they all passed away years ago.” Once someone questioned him how it was that he looked so youthful. “I don’t,” Shaw answered. “I look my age. It is the other people who look older than they are. What can you expect from people who eat corpses?” On the relationship between flesh-eating and violence, Shaw wrote:

We pray on Sundays that we may have light
To guide our footsteps on the path we tread;
We are sick of war, we don’t want to fight,
And yet we gorge ourselves upon the dead.

H.G. Wells wrote about vegetarianism becoming the only way of life in his vision of a future world in “A Modern Utopia”. He wrote, “I can still remember as a boy the rejoicings over the closing of the last slaughterhouse.”

Though the realization of Wells’ vision still looks far away, in one way any meat-eater can bring about the end of the slaughterhouse today itself. Because today every house in which flesh is eaten is just like a mini-slaughterhouse. All the humane loving creatures, be they animals, plants or humans pray that a change will come in the meat-eating humans. They pray that those meat-eaters, whose digestive systems squirm with the extreme unnaturalness of their barbaric habit, will embrace the lifestyle based on fruits, vegetables and other natural elements. And each time even one barbaric human opts for becoming civilized and shutting down his or her own personal slaughterhouse — the world rejoices.

Vegetarianism: Its Role in Mental and Spiritual Development

It is common to cite the advantages that a vegetarian diet bring to a person’s physical well-being, but relatively small attention has been played to the role of the vegetarian diet in the realm of mental and spiritual development. I want to share my perspective on this issue.

1) Toxic build-up does not only affect intestines, arteries, kidneys, liver and other organs — it also is bound to affect the nervous system, which is directly related to the functions of the brain. Therefore toxicity is bound to hinder the individual’s capacity to react appropriately to all sorts of external and internal stimuli. Toxicity also must dull one’s efforts to concentrate and to contemplate.

2) Many people believe that the only exhaustion a person may experience is physical body-tiredness. Usually, but, when an individual becomes depressed or confused, by resting or sleeping he or she again feels mentally rejuvenated and clear. Due to physical struggle our bodies develop, and due to mental struggle our minds develop. When that struggle becomes excessive in quantity or duration, then the mind starts desiring to enter into the non-conscious condition during which it rests and gets energy by merging in the unconscious-mind. Poor physical health exhausts the body, destroys the effectiveness of our resting periods, and thus certainly makes an environment in which it is hard for the mind to rest, in which case the mind’s development becomes stunted.

3) Usually yogis clarify to their students that the physical and mental exercises of yoga and meditation are closely related with glandular hormonal secretions, i.e. to increasing, decreasing or balancing the activities of the glands. They therefore encourage students to be vegetarian so that they may better control their glands, and thus better control their minds. Over thousands of years of experimentation yogis found that different foods differently affect the glands, and have categorized them accordingly. (A categorized list follows later.)

4) The same yogis teach that lighter food is simpler for digestion, and thus is generally better for meditation or for any other brain work.

5) One’s ability to concentrate or meditate depends to a large extent on the mental strength derived from following one’s conscience. The evils of meat-eating include environmental destruction, harm to one’s own body, the immorality of unnecessarily killing innocent conscious animals, and helping to maintain a global economic imbalance due to the rich nations over-consumption of the expensive foods: meat, fish and eggs.

The conclusion of the yogis regarding the effect of foods on the mind and body is contained in the following well-known list:

SENTIENT FOODS (excellent for both body and mind): fruit, most vegetables, grains, beans, milk products, nuts, apple vinegar, honey, sugar (in small quantity)

MUTATIVE FOODS (if taken in small quantity neither harmful nor helpful): coffee, tea, caffeinated drinks (like colas), brown chocolate, kelp, brewer’s yeast, hot spices

STATIC FOODS (terrible for body or mind or both): meat, fish, eggs, onion, garlic, mushroom, mustard greens, alchohol, tobacco, narcotics and many drugs

The yogis clarify that the static foods which are harmful to the mind cause disturbance to the three lowest psycho-spiritual energy centers, called “chakras”. The main chakras are usually categorized as being seven in number, and are related to physical glands. The hormonal secretion of each of the glands affects various human emotions and instincts which are either beneficial or harmful to mental balance and development. The relationship is as follows (the list of emotions is only partial to avoid complication):

When the static foods heat up the three lowest chakras the mind’s balance and concentration is directly disturbed. As a result, both mental and spiritual progress are sharply hindered.

The yogis teach that monks and nuns should eat only sentient foods. Family people should likewise prefer sentient food, but they may consume small amounts of mutative food if they so wish. Everyone should strictly avoid static foods except when compulsorily required for medicinal purpose or in conditions where starvation would otherwise result.

Considering that onion and garlic are generally praised as body cleaners, one may wonder why they are categorized as static. These two foods are affective as cleaners because they are mildly poisonous to the body. When the body tries to quickly reject them, usually other negative elements may be simultaneously expelled. This is not a excellent method because it causes a large amount of internal heat to be made in the area of the lower glands. It is far better, rather it is positively helpful, to use lemon water or apple cider vinegar in small quantity mixed with water to clean the body. These two sentient cleaners increase alkalinity and help the over-active glands to cool down.

Very small has so far been done in physical laboratories to examine these yogic teachings. On the other hand, as previously mentioned, for thousands of years the relationship of food with mental and spiritual development has been the matter of experimentation by countless individuals working with their own bodies and minds. We may hope that such objective examination is done in the near future. It will be a fantastic service to humanity to clarify these fundamental principles. In the meantime, but, any individual may try for himself or herself, and see the results within a matter of a few weeks.

As such information cannot be objectively justified, we may refer to the large number of well-known persons who personally analyzed the relation of food with the body and mind and chose to be vegetarian. The list of such well-known people who have publicized their preference for vegetarianism is long indeed. The fact that such highly developed personalities were vegetarian is in itself a statement of the intimate relationship between a subtle diet and a subtle mind. To end this article I quote a few of these well-known people.

Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s foremost leaders in physical science, ethics, social movement and many other fields, became a vegetarian when he was 16 years ancient. From his diet Franklin understood “greater progress, from that greater clearness of head and quicker apprehension.” He called flesh-eating “unprovoked murder.”

The French philospher Jean Jacques Rousseau said that as meat-eating animals are by nature much more violent than herbivores, so the vegetarian diet generally produces more compassionate people. He even suggested that butchers not be allowed to testify in court or sit on juries.

Because the fantastic Greek mathematician Pythagoras was a vegetarian, so the vegetarian diet is sometimes called the Pythagorean system. He said, “The earth affords a lavish supply of riches, of innocent foods, and offers you banquets that involve no bloodshed or slaughter; only beats satisfy their hunger with flesh.” Pythagoras was known to even pay fishermen to throw their catch back into the ocean.

The essence of a strong mind is to follow one’s conscience, or in other words to be consistent with one’s beliefs. The poet Shelley pointed out that a meat-eater cannot have a strong mind because he is not consistent with his deeper feelings. He said, “Let the advocate of animal food force himself to a decisive experiment on its fitness, and as Plutarch recommends, tear a living lamb with his teeth and, plunging his head into its vitals, slake his thirst with the steaming blood….then, and then only, would he be consistent.”

One of the world’s greatest physicists, Albert Einstein, said, “The vegetarian manner of living, by it’s purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.”

The fantastic Renaissance painter, inventor, sculputor and poet Leonardo da Vinci wrote about meat-eaters, “He who does not value life does not deserve it.” He said that the bodies of meat-eaters are nothing other than “burial places”, graveyards for the animals they eat.

Even Adam Smith, the propounder of free-market capitalism, was a vegetarian. He said, “Grain and other vegetables, with the help of milk, cheese, and butter, or oil, where butter is not to be had, afford the most plentiful, the most wholesome, the most nourishing, and the most invigorating diet.”

The Russian author Leo Tolstoy said that by killing animals is “simply immoral,” and that by doing so “man suppresses in himself, unnecessarily, the highest spiritual capacity — that of sympathy and pity towards living creatures lilkle himself — and by violating his own feelings becomes cruel.”

Most Christians believe that their meat-eating is proper because they reckon that Jesus ate meat. Here we are faced with a trick of translation just to befool people, causing widespread misunderstanding for these 2000 years. Nowhere in the original Greek manuscripts of the Bible is there any reference to Jesus eating meat or encouraging others to eat meat. The words that have been translated as “meat” are such Greek words as “trophe, brome, and phago,” which simply mean “food” or “eating”. The Greek word for “meat or flesh” is “kreas”, which is never used in relation to Christ. Understanding this point, many of the early Christian saints were vegetarian, including St Jerome, St John Chrysostom and St Benedict. Also many early Christian fathers like Clement of Alexandria ate no meat.

Today many Buddhists including even monks and nuns are eating non-vegetarian diets. This is the height of irony when one considers that one of the main thrusts behind the first spread of Buddhism was as reaction to the widely accepted practice of animal slaughter. By and large Buddha stopped this evil by preaching the doctrine of nonviolence.

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who became a vegetarian at an early age, even though many doctors warned him that the diet would finally kill him. When he was an ancient man, he was questioned why he did not go back and show them what excellent it had done him. He answered, “I would, but they all passed away years ago.” Once someone questioned him how it was that he looked so youthful. “I don’t,” Shaw answered. “I look my age. It is the other people who look older than they are. What can you expect from people who eat corpses?” On the relationship between flesh-eating and violence, Shaw wrote:

We pray on Sundays that we may have light
To guide our footsteps on the path we tread;
We are sick of war, we don’t want to fight,
And yet we gorge ourselves upon the dead.

H.G. Wells wrote about vegetarianism becoming the only way of life in his vision of a future world in “A Modern Utopia”. He wrote, “I can still remember as a boy the rejoicings over the closing of the last slaughterhouse.”

Though the realization of Wells’ vision still looks far away, in one way any meat-eater can bring about the end of the slaughterhouse today itself. Because today every house in which flesh is eaten is just like a mini-slaughterhouse. All the humane loving creatures, be they animals, plants or humans pray that a change will come in the meat-eating humans. They pray that those meat-eaters, whose digestive systems squirm with the extreme unnaturalness of their barbaric habit, will embrace the lifestyle based on fruits, vegetables and other natural elements. And each time even one barbaric human opts for becoming civilized and shutting down his or her own personal slaughterhouse — the world rejoices.

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