Eat For Your Health And Spirituality

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 don’t know much about farming practices, and if this commenter or the author of this book feel good, both emotionally and physically, about eating meat, that’s fine.

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. The author, Tonya Zavasta, is a raw food advocate. What’s interesting about this book, despite her quirky writing style, is she talks a lot more than the WHAT of eating raw.

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.

Meat Eaters vs Vegetarians In Spirituality

In “Spirituality Is About Anything And Everything In Life”, I confessed I don’t believe vegetarians are more spiritual than meat eaters. I wrote that with the spirit of acceptance and love for all, including meat eaters. I have issues with self-righteous claims that something (like vegetarianism) is better and holier than others.  (Photo credit)

Well, I just finished reading Skinny Bitch, which is not really about diet and weight loss but about food safety and health, and it made me think. . .

My idea of healthy meat eating practice

Let’s say I were a chicken. I understand I am domesticated and cannot survive in the wilderness, so I accept my life on the farm. This is okay with me. As long as I can enjoy the sun and the fresh air every day. I’d like to eat the fresh greens in the field and drink clean water. I’d like to roam around when I want. Maybe I want to play in the sand with other chickens.

If I get to do this, and after, say 4 months, you come to me and say, “It’s your turn today. We raised you for this family dinner.”, I’d accept it. I hope you slaughter me in a way that doesn’t cause excessive pain. A little prayer beforehand would be nice, too. And I hope you eat all the edible parts — please don’t just eat the breast meat and throw away the rest like worthless parts. Even the bones are good for broth, you know.

This is my idea of healthy meat eating practice. Raise the animals in a healthy environment (I didn’t particularly mention “organic”, but I think you get the idea this farm of my dream is very organic and clean). Eat with gratitude, not with gluttony. Then I don’t think it’s a cruel practice — after all, I smash mosquitos and ants. We are all killers to some extent — within reasons. When it is done to nurture lives in a good conscientious way, I don’t see sin in meat eating. Skinny Bitch, however, points out something incredible . . .

Skinny Bitch surprises me

The authors, Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, did a great job in researching nutrition, health, and food industry. It’s a great read for anyone, both men and women, who cares about themselves.

Now I knew most of the info on nutrition.  I also heard about how unhealthy most animals are in the factory farms (that is, most meat sold in the market). But I thought “organic” meat was good. Maybe not as good as my dream farm, but close.

Wrong, they say. First, even the organically raised animals are slaughtered in the same slaughterhouses with conventional animals. And their description of what happens there is outrageous. I’m not sure if I want to quote — I’m afraid it may be too shocking. Well, just a little bit:

“Human” protocol calls for animals to be “stunned” before they are slaughtered. . . When done properly, using working equipment, this renders the cow (or hog) unconscious. But time is money, and slaughterhouses operate at lightening speeds, some killing one animal every three seconds. Because thousands of frightened, struggling cows are not easy to stun, it is extremely common for a “stunner” to miss his mark. . . (after a few pages, there are quotes of slaughterhouse workers admitting animal abuse. One says he has seen others take the stunner and “shove it up the hog’s ass” or “in their ears, in their eyes, down their throat”. . .

OMG. There is no priest supervising the killing and offering prayers? (I heard this was the old practice in Jewish and Islamic cultures.)

Feeding our bodies with the energy of others

In the aforementioned article, I wrote, “Eating is about feeding the body with other lives, whether they were plants or animals.” When we eat, we take in the foods’ energy. And this goes beyond nutrition as science has unveiled so far. We take in the life energy that is left in the foods.

Eating abused animals, then, is taking in the energy of abuse. And fear, anger, helplessness, and sickness of the animals. Obviously, this is no good.

Another problem in food industries and its regulations

Another issue with “organic” meat is the label of “organic”. In Chapter 9 “Have No Faith: Governmental Agencies Don’t Give A Shit About Your Health”, they maintain USDA’s stamp of approval is compromised to benefit the meat industry, which pays lots of money in the form of political contributions.

If you live in the US, read at least this chapter. It’s only 23 pages. Find out exactly how USDA, FDA, EPA, etc messes up their nation’s health. It’s an eye opener.

Meat eaters vs vegetarians

So practically, there is no way to eat healthy meat raised in humane compassionate way unless you raise your own animals. I have no intention to blame meat eaters, but at this point, I have to admit meat eaters are either cruel or ignorant.

I was an ignorant meat eater for years. Duh, no more. And you know, it’s better to correct the issue than staying ignorant. At some point, ignorance becomes no excuse. Because the social awareness is raised, thanks to people like the authors of Skinny Bitch.

Eating meat, thus supporting the meat industry, is synonymous to supporting animal cruelty, and that is not love. Plus we don’t need to keep those slaughterhouse workers doing what they do (you don’t think they enjoy doing it, right?). They can find other jobs that help them feel better about themselves. This is love, too.

Vegetarian nutrition

In the aforementioned article, I also wrote, “Eating is also about caring for our physical bodies.  While we are incarnated, the condition of the physical body affects our soul.”

As I eat more and more raw plant based foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds), I find them easier to digest. I used to have acid indigestion often, but no more. So it seems vegetarianism is a good way to nurture our body, thus more in alignment with our spiritual development in this aspect as well.

If you are concerned about the protein intake for vegetarians, check out this website. On the sidebar, there is Daily Needs Calculator, which will tell you not just the protein but all the detailed nutritional needs. In my case, my protein need is 40g a day, which is 10% of my overall caloric needs of 1600 kcal. (1 gram of protein produces 4 kcal.)

Then you can enter the food name in the Search window. I find a lot of vegetables are 10 or more percent protein. (And many, such as dark greens, are high in amino acid score). Fruits are low on protein, so as long as I don’t overeat fruits and ignore my veggies, and eat some nuts and seeds which are high in protein to achieve my caloric needs, I’m fine. Personally, I check my weight and body fat rate daily — if I’m losing lean body mass (muscles and bones), I’m in danger. Since I became a vegetarian this January, I lost a few pounds, but my body fat rate is the same or slightly lower, so I think I’m okay.

Eating is spiritual

Let me repeat “Spirituality Is About Anything And Everything In Life”. You are a spiritual being in the physical body, so you can’t not be spiritual. Everything in life affects your spirituality.  Your eating habit affects your spirituality, and certain choices align with spiritual evolution better than others.  You can’t compartmentize spirituality and insist what you eat has nothing to do with your spirituality.

Skinny Bitch also shines light on how we can create the New World of abundance. It says,

“the amount of land, food, water, and energy used to raise 10 billion animals a year for slaughter (in North America) could be used to grow food for all of the starving people in the world.”

Wow. Vegetarians (even better, vegans) solve the world’s food supply issue, improve environment, while improving our individual health. Cool.

Do you feel what you eat affects you not just physically but also emotionally, mentally, and spiritually? And if so, what actions are you taking to improve your life? Are you a meat eater and have hang-up with vegetarians? Please share in the comments.

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