Misao Okawa took a long time to become famous. Maybe she had a bad press agent, for she didn’t make any headlines till she was well over a century in age. On March 5, 2014 she turned 116, and became the world’s oldest person.
Her secret for longevity, as reported in the Huffington Post is: “Eat and sleep and you will live a long time.” Also: “You have to learn to relax,” she said. In the busy modern world that we live in, it may be hard to get the eight hours of sleep per night that she recommends, or to eat three large meals a day, as she does. Relaxing? Well, I’ll cover that in another blog post.
As for food, I think that many of us can make better choices. Food is not a matter of ‘one diet fits all’. There are numerous reasons why we eat what we eat. Unfortunately, not all of our food choices are good for us. I choose my food not just for nutrition (though that’s important), but for a few other reasons. Consider this list when you make up your shopping list:
First of course, is nutritious
food
Second,it might be your food budget
Third, how your food choices affect the environment
Fourth, how your diet affects other living beings.
Fifth: how suitable your diet is for your mental balance and for your peace of mind.
Second,it might be your food budget
Third, how your food choices affect the environment
Fourth, how your diet affects other living beings.
Fifth: how suitable your diet is for your mental balance and for your peace of mind.
The first two factors are familiar to
most of us. But the other three, even if they do seem a bit ‘out there’ to you,
are actually quite down-to-earth considerations.Altogether, this menu of
conscious, healthy living will be good for you, for the environment and for
society.And the foods you’ll use are generally easily
available.
In this blog post, I’ll deal with just nutrition and budget. From 40 years’ experience and research, I’ve found that a plant-based (vegetarian) diet is best for complete wellbeing. I spend less on buying food, my food has more complete nutrition (that my body can easily absorb) and since I made the switch, I take virtually no sick time from work (or from holidays either!).
In my book, Meditation: Searching for the Real You I describe some of the history of vegetarianism, and many of the reasons and benefits of such a diet.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics* :“…Vegetarian(ism is) associated with improved health outcomes including lower levels of obesity, a reduced risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure. Also, vegetarians tend to consume a lower proportion of calories from fat and fewer overall calories, and more fiber, potassium and vitamin C than non-vegetarians. These characteristics, plus lifestyle factors, may contribute to the health benefits among vegetarians.”
Also, the American Dietetic Association sees a vegetarian diet as: “Nutritionally adequate, and providing healthful benefits in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.”
There are many examples of people who have significantly improved their health after taking up a vegetarian diet. We’ll discuss such examples another time.
As for cost benefits, I’ve found that I can enjoy a great and healthy diet for less money than my non-vegetarian friends. But cost isn’t only about my pocketbook. According to Dr. Neal Barnard, et al, writing in Preventive Medicine in 1995: “The total direct medical costs in the USA attributable to meat consumption were estimated to be $30-60 billion a year, based upon the higher prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity and food-borne illness among omnivores compared with vegetarians.”
While that was about 20 years ago, I suspect the story is still similar, not only in the USA.
While going completely meat-free may not sound like an appealing or easy option to meat-lovers, being mindful of where food comes from and eating consciously is important: keep a predominantly vegetable-based dietand consume organic meat wherever possible. Conscious choices about your diet can have a great positive impact on your life and the life and wellbeing of many others.
Namaste,
Dada Jyotirupananda
In this blog post, I’ll deal with just nutrition and budget. From 40 years’ experience and research, I’ve found that a plant-based (vegetarian) diet is best for complete wellbeing. I spend less on buying food, my food has more complete nutrition (that my body can easily absorb) and since I made the switch, I take virtually no sick time from work (or from holidays either!).
In my book, Meditation: Searching for the Real You I describe some of the history of vegetarianism, and many of the reasons and benefits of such a diet.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics* :“…Vegetarian(ism is) associated with improved health outcomes including lower levels of obesity, a reduced risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure. Also, vegetarians tend to consume a lower proportion of calories from fat and fewer overall calories, and more fiber, potassium and vitamin C than non-vegetarians. These characteristics, plus lifestyle factors, may contribute to the health benefits among vegetarians.”
Also, the American Dietetic Association sees a vegetarian diet as: “Nutritionally adequate, and providing healthful benefits in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.”
There are many examples of people who have significantly improved their health after taking up a vegetarian diet. We’ll discuss such examples another time.
As for cost benefits, I’ve found that I can enjoy a great and healthy diet for less money than my non-vegetarian friends. But cost isn’t only about my pocketbook. According to Dr. Neal Barnard, et al, writing in Preventive Medicine in 1995: “The total direct medical costs in the USA attributable to meat consumption were estimated to be $30-60 billion a year, based upon the higher prevalence of hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, gallstones, obesity and food-borne illness among omnivores compared with vegetarians.”
While that was about 20 years ago, I suspect the story is still similar, not only in the USA.
While going completely meat-free may not sound like an appealing or easy option to meat-lovers, being mindful of where food comes from and eating consciously is important: keep a predominantly vegetable-based dietand consume organic meat wherever possible. Conscious choices about your diet can have a great positive impact on your life and the life and wellbeing of many others.
Namaste,
Dada Jyotirupananda
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