Eat For Your Health And Spirituality
October 11, 2009 by Akemi
Physicality and spirituality are one. Quantum physics finally found it. On the sub-atomic quantum level, matter and energy are one. They are interchangeable, and they are both at the same time.
I’m no scientist, but I can see it, as so many others have before the scientific discovery — science is only catching up and still has a long way to fully comprehend this connection.
So we can improve our physical health with spiritual awareness or sharpen our awareness with physical behavior changes. Physical behavior as mundane and everyday as eating. (Photo credit)
My quest for the best way to eat
I’ve been interested in foods all my life. Coming from an old-fashioned family in the old world, I knew foods were not just about numbers such as calorie but also about family and cultural connection, appreciation for nature and others’ labors, and even more importantly, about one’s own sense of love and nurture of their being.
What has confused me is the actual HOW.
Are there better ways to eat? For instance, is vegetarianism better for our health and spirituality than carnivorism? I got strong responses to that post. One commenter insisted on the health benefit of eating meat and how vegetarianism didn’t work for her. I respect her experience and opinion. I’d say, however, if you are eating meat, please choose humanely raised and slaughtered meat (most meat on the market is not). There is even a book called The Compassionate Carnivore
I’ve also been reading about and experimenting with raw foods (raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds) because I think it may have a lot to do with developing lightbody. The sun grows plants. Animals eat plants. So I wondered if eating closer to the sun may help in the transition.
Now I’m still learning, but I’d like to share some of my experiences in my quest for the ultimate eating habit.
My background
A lot of things have happened since I had the Ascension soul shift in January this year, including changes in my eating preference. Before I discuss my recent adventures and learning, I want to talk where I was before this.
I was eating some meat. A lot less than typical Americans eat, however. I probably ate average of 3 ounces (85 gram) a day, typically in soups, stir fries, omelet, etc. And I chose organic meat whenever I could, and most of the meat was poultry.
I would have been happier to eat fish, but when I was living in Ohio and Tennessee, fresh fish was hard to find even at specialty market, so I learned to steer away from it.
I also ate eggs and dairy (fermented dairy like cheese and yoghurt) regularly.
And I had fair amount of sugary foods. I have sweet tooth, I admit. And having coffee with biscotti or pastry was a way to relax for me.
I never had sodas. And I don’t remember when was the last time I had any alcoholic drinks. Being so small (5’1”), alcohol works really fast on me, and I never really liked it. Of course, no drugs.
I woke up to find myself vegetarian
One day in January, I found that I just couldn’t eat meat any longer. The idea felt bad, and on the few occasions I (my ego) made myself eat meat, I got sick. Pretty soon, eggs and dairies dropped off my shopping list as well.
I was curious what I could safely eat from here on, so I looked around the bookstores and the internet. It wasn’t long before I found the concept of eating raw. I made some attempts to eat this way — at first, it was hard because it triggered my sugar craving. Something was very intriguing about eating raw, however, so I kept trying. . .
I increased my raw rate in the last few months. I also quit caffeine. This started as a simple experiment. I read both positive and negative opinions about caffeine, so I thought I just see it for myself. “Let’s get off caffeine for a while to see how I feel.” I got a horrible headache in the first several days of no coffee, no tea, no chocolate. That made me think. If I have withdrawal symptoms like this, maybe caffeine is no good. So I never went back.
The pitfalls in discussing eating habit
I think we often get caught up in discussing eating habit because we focus so much on the WHAT. Like: is meat okay to eat or not? Is plant-based foods better than animal-based? This is an easy way to be confused with judgment calls.
My feeling is that, the timing we eat, the amount we eat, and the manner and attitude we eat all matters just as much as the kind of foods we eat. Further, there are related issues like how we eliminate waste (elimination is as important as assimilation), how we breathe (we cannot assimilate foods without oxygen. In a sense, breathing is more fundamental than eating — we eat only a few times a day, but we never stop breathing), and how we use our body (exercise and more). Discussing only about what to eat is a big mistake.
Quantum Eating by Tonya Zavasta
I found a book titled Quantum Eating: The Ultimate Elixir of Youth
Tonya Zavasta supports caloric restriction diet (CR). Caloric restriction diet is not a new idea — there are many lab studies which show how eating less contributes to the longevity and wellness of the animals. She also insists on eating in the morning and dry fasting from 2 pm to the next day’s breakfast.
Whoa! Now that’s a challenge big enough to embrace. ^_^
I’m glad I read this book because, even though I read a few articles on calorie restriction diet, I never read about someone who has been practicing it for many years. She says her caloric intake is less than her caloric output. And from the tone of her writing, I guess her weight is stable. So she is getting energy from somewhere other than foods — light / prana.
(What I don’t understand is why she doesn’t move forward to become a breatharian. She knows digestion is taxing to our body. She can already assimilate energy from non-food source. It would be a logical next step to reduce the food intake further to ultimately go 100% on light.)
She also maintains the body that has been on raw foods for a long time is significantly different. For instance, she says her white blood count is low. Not because she has leukemia but because her body is so cleansed that there is little reason her immune system need to build so many white bloods.
Is there an ultimate way to boost your health and spirituality?
So. Do I have a recommendation on how to eat your way to health and spirituality? No for two reasons. One, because each of us is unique. What works for me or for some authority may not work for you. Two, because I think the search and the learning in it is just as important for your growth as the practice of your ultimate eating.
Having said this, I can share my current eating plan. Remember, this is something in progress — I might change my plan, and I may deviate from my plan. So this is strictly for your reference and amusement only. And again, I’m not saying this is the ultimate way to eat.
How I eat now
Breakfast
Green smoothie (say, one banana, some blueberries, one cup of kale and cilantro mix)
Mid morning snack
Quarter cup of sprouted pumpkin seeds
Maybe some more fruits, like an apple.
Lunch
Green soup (say, a small avocado, a small zucchini, one cup spinach, some dried sea vegetable, salt, cayenne)
Raw crackers or Manna bread (sprouted grain bread)
Mid afternoon snack
I might have a Larabar or another smoothie (maybe fruit smothie)
Dinner (Yes, I’m still eating dinner at this time)
Salad (a big handful of salad mix, a small tomato, lemon tahini dressing)
A glass of hemp protein mix
Lunch is the largest meal. Even when I was eating the old way, I found that, if I eat substantial lunch, I don’t eat much later and felt better.
Thoughts on nutrition
I’m taking hemp protein mix to supplement my protein intake. When hemp? Because I’m not interested in whey (milk protein) and I don’t hear good things about soy. I admit I cringed and resisted the idea at first — hemp? Are you telling me to drink drug? But no, the hemp sold as food or supplement has no chemical that alters your mood and perception.
Some say hemp is a complete protein. I checked it here, and it turns out hemp lacks the essential amino acid lysine, just like most grains and nuts protein. So this is where pumpkin seeds come into. (Other good plant sources of lysine are beans, buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth. The last three are treated like grains, but they are really grass seeds, like pumpkin seeds. Eating amaranth raw is supposed to be no good.)
The above menu provides 40 gram of protein, which is just what I need. Nutritional Data has a tool to find out your personal nutrition requirement. My plan also fills most of the bill of my other nutritional requirements (including calorie, so this is not CR), but I’m taking supplements of multi, calcium, and iron / vitamin B12 to be sure. I choose supplements that is made of foods. For instance, most calcium supplements are ground limestone. I don’t like the idea of eating rocks, so I choose supplement that utilizes a certain kind of algae.
Let your body make the final decision on food and nutrition
However, I don’t believe in the idea of absolute nutritional requirements we must follow. I think all these requirements are guidelines, and we are best to check with our own body to decide what and how much we eat. Because nobody knows exactly what happens when foods enter YOUR body. Each of us has different metabolism.
For me, I was suffering from cranker-sore like dry lips before I started taking lysine rich foods. So this tells me something was lacking in my diet, and Nutritional Data website was a great resource to find the right foods for this essential amino acid.
I steer away from sugar for the same reason, because my body doesn’t seem to respond well. When I eat sweets, I feel dried up later. And it’s a weird thirst that water doesn’t seem to quell. (My last blood test said I have nothing to worry about diabetes.) When I don’t eat sugar, I feel fine.
Change of my taste
I might also add that my taste is changing. Cooked foods just don’t taste so good when I do eat them occasionally. Even dehydrated “raw” bars don’t taste so good — an apple tastes a lot better. So I’m into simple, primitive style raw foods, not gourmet raw foods. (What an irony — I used to be an accomplished cook.)
Going forward, I might try fasting, maybe next spring. Spring is the most natural season to detox. I want to bring changes gradually although my body seems to be doing its own thing at its pace.
Effects on my health and spirituality
In a sense, my body is guiding my awareness in what to eat and how much. Now the question is “Is this way of eating helping me in my health and spirituality?”
Health, yes. I didn’t have any serious diagnosis before, but I had minor annoyances. For instance, I use to wake up every night to go to bathroom. This seldom happens these days — I sleep through until morning. (I guess you may be wondering about my age. I’m 48. The picture on the sidebar is from four years ago. I’m sorry it’s dated — I will see if I can get new photos taken soon.)
I also had dry eye. My eye doctor told me to use moisturizing eye drops several times a day. I don’t need it these days. I also feel well rested and relaxed, but this may be not just about my eating but also my quieter environment after I moved a month ago.
The effect on my spirituality is harder to measure. I do feel more peaceful and loving in a stable way.
Resources
If you are interested in learning more about vegetarian / vegan / raw foods, here are some great websites:
Meatless Monday How about going vegetarian just one day a week? It’s a gentle start.
Crazy Sexy Life By the author of Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips
Evolving Wellness Evita has a solid science background and often discusses vegetarian benefits.
In The Raw Fun and informative blog on eating raw.
Choosing Raw Another great blog on eating raw.
What do you think about eating – physicality and spirituality? Please share your thoughts in the comment. Thank you.
Related posts:
Hi Akemi
Boy your site is just fantastic and the array of topics you write about, when it is not spirituality it is healthy eating – how awesome!
Okay so first thing I want to mention before I forget is the hemp, check out this link and read through what they have to say:
http://www.healing-source.com/about_HempHearts_b.htm#NUTRIENTS
I am not sure why NutritionData claims that it is not complete – my guess is b/c the info is for hemp protein which is processed not the seed itself? I don’t know but I eat hemp from this company in the actual unprocessed seeds that I gave you the link to and have read in various other sources that it is a complete protein. Plus … on a spiritual side, Neale Donald Walsch even mentioned it in Conversations with God – that it is like the “food for the future” – among being an amazing & hidden resource for clothes, paper and so much more!
Anyway I am thrilled to hear about your great health! And I love when you said the ideas about our own unique individuality.
While some people will defend meat and dairy till they are blue in the face and while others laugh at the raw food movement, I think that only speaks about their level of compassion and open mindedness.
Like you, I know what works for me, and I respect that it will not be the same for everyone else. However, being so absorbed into the research on health from a spiritual and scientific perspective there is no doubt to me that a plant-based diet that is based on wholesome, natural foods is beneficial to us all today. And while some of our genetics may be a little more prone to this or that – generally speaking everything is possible because in the end it is our mind that controls what kind of health we get, what we eat and how we feel…. (I recommend for everyone to read Bruce Lipton’s “The Biology of Belief”)
And I have to say, even though I have been vegetarian for 2 years, vegan for 1, for the past 6 months I have been getting a very strong call from my higher self to turn more and more towards raw living foods and it is amazing how I feel when I eat them indeed. While I may or may not go 100% raw ever, I know that even 75% has amazing benefits for us all and that is what I try to stick to today (without counting).
And as for the future, who knows what it may hold. I do sense like you that more and more of us will be putting more emphasis on attaining energy in other ways, which are actually more natural to our spirits
Hi Evita,
Regarding the hemp. I’ve read over and over that hemp is complete protein. But when I entered the amino acid component #s on the hemp protein I bought, the Nutritional Data returned the amino acid score of less than 100. (The link in the post leads to my custom entry of the item) The website you sent me shows very detailed info about hemp’s fat component, but not about amino acid score.
Does your package of hemp have amino acid breakdown? If so, I suggest you make your custom entry at Nutritional Data like I did. I think this is a great tool to analyze the nutrition.
I like where you ended up on this, that each of us is unique. I admit I was reluctant when I read the title of your post, because I have seen some VERY heated debates re: vegetarianism on various Buddhist forums I have participated in over the years, and just didn’t want to go there again. Over the years I have also experimented with lots of different foods. In my 20s I was vegetarian for almost 3 years, and then felt a shift, that I needed some meat. I eat very little but do eat some. I think paying mindful attention to our bodies, and re-evaluating it over time as our bodies and life situations change, is the main point for me. And then of course there are the ethical considerations also. But mindfulness is the main thing. For example, I kept feeling like I should give up caffeine, because of health sources I read about it, but I never actually felt like the caffeine I drank (2 cups of coffee a day) was an issue for me, I was just doing it because of what I read. Then last week I read this summary of the benefits of coffee, many of which I did not know about, and realized I was just projecting all these bad things onto it. That for me, since I didn’t experience the jittery sense others felt from it, it just wasn’t an issue, and there might even be other things in coffee that my own system actually needed. Ditto for dairy, which I love, and also thought I should give up because of reading about it. But I seem to be a real dairy person.
I’m sure you know this, but in Ayurvedic and other Eastern medicine systems, there are different body and soul types, each of which have different dietary needs, based on their energetic profile, and I think that really jibes with my experience…
Hi Akemi
The seeds I eat now, do not have an amino acid breakdown, but the powder I used to eat did. This talk about hemp actually inspired me to write a review on the powder I used to use that is long overdue. You can find it here:
http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/837/review-manitoba-harvest-hemp-protein-powder/
And I will try your idea and see what comes up with this product – I really like nutrition data too. But did you know that according to them a kiwi fruit is complete protein? I found that really interesting.
Now just as an FYI we need apparently 12mg/kg of body weight of lysine per day. One serving of the powder hemp protein satisfied my needs perfectly for the day, though it wouldn’t have for larger people. But the thing to keep in mind is that, that wouldn’t have made it incomplete because we do eat other things throughout the day. If one say only ate that powder (unrealistic extreme case scenario) they would be eating more of it thus getting enough of each of the amino acids.
I found this site too (scroll down a bit) there is a table that compares the A.A. amounts in hemp and other animal foods.
http://www.innvista.com/health/foods/hemp/seedprot.htm
This is also another good article. It is more “sciency” but good.
http://www.ratical.org/renewables/hempseed1.html
On the topic of proteins in general, I once read that all plants contain by weight at least 10% of them as protein and some raw foodists or vegans who only eat plant material with an emphasis on only fruits and veggies, with no focus on protein actually are fine and get enough protein b/c it is all about the variety that is key. They claim that by design mother nature provided each plant source perfectly with at least 10% of protein which a body needs and most diets recommend.
Hi Lisa,
I know a little about the traditional Chinese medicine and their way of eating according to the yin / yang and the five types and seasons. Now, according to this, I should be eating cooked vegetables. Raw foods, esp fruits, are too cooling for my system that tends to be yin. I followed the advice for many years. It was okay. But for whatever reason, raw foods seem to work for me, too. . .
Mindfulness is critical. However, there is also addiction, that tend to use any excuse to continue the habit. So this is why I experimented with the caffein by actually quitting it. Until we are free of the substance, we don’t really know what our mind is telling us.
Evita,
Oh, that is interesting. I didn’t know there is a certain required amount for each amino acid.
The problem of amino acid breakdown, like that one on some hemp protein powders, is it’s totally meaningless for non-scientists. It’s just lots of numbers. But I do understand amino acid score, that full score means balanced amino acid. (I don’t know how Nutritional Data calculates it, though. ) So I used the tool there to find it out. All I can say is protein powder maker should make the label easier to understand.
And like you always say, it’s not what the front of the package says (it can say any nice thing). It’s the ingredients and other details in the back.
About plants having 10% protein. I heard that point in the raw community, too, but Nutritional Data says something different. For example, an apples contains only 2% protein. Kiwi is a perfect protein food, but with 6% protein content, a kiwi only has 1 gram of protein. Obviously, I’m not going to eat 40 kiwis to cover my protein req, or not even half of it.
Hi Akemi,
I admire your approach to nutrition. You clearly understand the principles of balance and harmony. Also I can see that your approach is one of constant learning and growth. Not adherence to a dogmatic stance. Further you lead by your own example instead of trying to force your views upon others. Well done!
The best advice anyone can give anyone about diet is to experiment for themselves and to listen to their body. That is the true guide to what is right or wrong. Not what I think, not what you think, but what an individual’s body knows.
I’ve seen so many so called spiritual people perpetrate violence by opinion on others that it really stands out to me that if a person cannot calmly discuss a subject such as diet with another person who holds a differing point of view without becoming aggressive then what does this suggest about the nature of their spiritual development?
All the best,
Stephen
Stephen,
You have a clear mind that sees through labels. You are right, there are so called spiritual people who has nothing to do with love and light. I read people’s soul records and it was shocking at first to find so many negative souls in the so called lightworker positions, such as counselors, coaches, etc. (In a sense, it’s perfect for them. Troubled, susceptible people naturally come to see them — only to have their energy sucked up further . . .)
Just as in diet, pay attention to the energy flow. If you feel you are getting drained, leave. Or at least, step back. We cannot measure someone’s spirituality by their title.
Wow Akemi – you look much younger than 48. I have always been confused on the meat issue too. I don’t eat lots of meat and like you, I prefer fish. And I try to find meat that has been reared ethically.
Many people say that met eating is wrong – but then I read that they ate it in the Bible – even Jesus, so I’m not sure what to believe.
I find the idea of getting everything we need from the sunlight fascinating. I read a story about a guy who did that for several months – I think it was on Jenny Mannion’s blog. He lost a lot of weight – he had been severely overweight beforehand and his health improved dramatically.
Hi cath,
Well, I was 44 when I took that photo…
I suggest you trust your own inner guidance. Don’t let others (even Jesus or Dalai Lama) decide for you. You are your own authority. It’s your body and foods.
And, lol, you are starting to accept the idea of feeding on light. I remember that article on Jenny’s blog. It was about the guy who was in the movie What If? and he was doing sun gazing.
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I am interesting in everything related to cooking, and that obviously includes eating. I do understand the importance of eating right in order to stay healthy, but I don’t think that what is right for me is necessarily right for others. Each body is unique and deals with food differently, and so is each person’s mind.
Nice blog
Evita…love the Revolution Magazine WP theme.Since coming down to East Africa (mainly Nairobi, Kenya) 5 1/2 YEARS ago from Canada (was supposed to be on a 1 week business trip – lol), I’ve been eating much BETTER thanks to the plentiful & affordable NATURAL foods grown right here in this amazing region called The Great Rift Valley.
Fish is plentiful & cheap. Fruits? You should see the size of the bananas from Uganda’s volcanic soil! Papayas, mangoes, pineapples, watermelon, etc. — so affordable & FRESH…no pesticides too.
That’s why I find it difficult to return to Ottawa…haven’t left yet — my family & friends think I’ve fell off the face of the earth. lol. The food here just tastes so ALIVE. You can actually feel it. And this is what I LOVE about Africa!!! {BTW, every time I go down Maasai Lodge Rd. to visit friends, I’ll see giraffes, zebras & other wildlife hanging out…and this is just outside of Nairobi…how kool & therapeutic is that for the SOUL??}
With regards to meat & dairy, I’m thrilled at NOT having to consume said items in North America — with all of the hormones & antibiotics that’s partly responsible for poor health over THERE.
What works for me down here is LOTS of fruits & vegetables (daily), fresh milk, fish, beef (not too often), chicken, amaranth (porridge), rice, honey, natural peanut butter (only peanuts, no hydrogenated nonsense or other additives!).
In addition, I take Neem (aka Maurubaini which means 40 in Swahili because Neem cures or prevents over 40 ailments as it has antifungal, antibacterial & antiviral properties) & Stinging Nettles (both in powder form in a cup of hot water) daily. I DON’T get sick…haven’t had malaria — yet — and my immune system is super strong. These medicinal herbs are VERY CHEAP down here since they’re grown locally.
OTOH, I shake my head in dismay when I see a good chunk of the locals gorging down sodas (Coke, Fanta, Sprite, etc.) & eating refined white breads & cooking meats with unhealthy oils. Eeew. If only they knew what they NATURALLY have right HERE under the rich soil that is the Great Rift Valley. Oh well!
Whenever I get a chance, I also take Moringa Oliefera which is a SUPER FOOD you guys in the West don’t hear about. Check this out:
“Scientific research confirms that these humble leaves are a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain: SEVEN times the vitamin C in oranges, FOUR times the Calcium in milk, FOUR times the vitamin A in carrots, TWO times the protein in milk and THREE times the Potassium in bananas.” http://www.naturalnews.com/022272.html
Again, Moringa is plentiful in this region & CHEAP.
To conclude, the NATURAL foods & HERBS I mentioned above are my keys to healthy living. I feel so ALIVE & healthy. Yes, everyone’s unique & have their own solutions.
Cheers!!
- Webmaster Max
Oops, I meant Akemi…NOT Evita!! Please EDIT in the WordPress dashboard. lol!