The food we eat can have a dramatic impact on our wellbeing and mental health. If you’ve ever seen how a hungry child responds to a bag of cotton candy and a soda you probably realize that food does have an effect on our moods. The Buddha was outspoken about how food can produce a stable mind. While his philosophy included vegetarianism based on respect for the life of sentient beings, it was also founded on the idea that eating a plant based diet supported a calm and stable mind to aid meditation. In today’s blog I want to discuss the benefits of a wholefoods plant based diet.
For several years now veganism has been growing in popularity. If your go on Netflix or YouTube you can find several great documentary films put out on an annual basis titled Vegan, in addition to several documentaries on the health benefits of a plant based diet, such as Forks Over Knives. It seems that the public is catching up to the conscious awareness that a plant based diet is a truly superior form of nutrition that the Yogis of the East and the Buddhists of the Far East have known for thousands of years. And the greatest aspect of going veg is that it can be done affordably and deliciously.
In general produce and bulk dry wholefood goods are far less expensive than processed foods. There is a book that can even show how this healthy diet can be achieved on a tight budget. It’s titled, Plant-Based on a Budget: Delicious Vegan Recipes for Under $30 a Week, in Less Than 30 Minutes a Meal, by Toni Okamoto. So while you can eat healthy you can also eat delicious plant based foods on a budget.
Another great book, that goes into the science that a plant based diet supports physical wellness and lower the risk of diseases is The China Study, The Most Comprehensive Study Of Nutrition Ever Conducted, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II, MD. This study of nutrition was conducted over a 20 year period and found that animal protein was linked to cancer and higher rates of disease. While plant sources of protein were found not to cause any of these illnesses.
A plant based diet has shown lower rates of cancer, heart disease and diabetes as well as to support more normal levels of body weight. In addition to these wide ranging health benefits eating a plant based diet also lessen the amount of inflammation in the body. This is important because inflammation can cause mucus in the sinuses and cranial cavity. When these fluids build up they can make it harder to function with a clear head.
Now, in a previous blog titled Remaining Alert While on Sedating Medication, I shared how important it is not to self medicate with caffeine, however there is one caveat that I want to make that will help clear the sinuses and flush the bowels. In general I find this as a super way to stay focused, alert and mildly stimulated. And this is adding one to two cups max of Yerba Mate a day to the diet. Yerba Mate is a tea made from leaves of a South American tree in the holly family. It does have some caffeine so it should not be overdone. I would recommend the types that are dried without the use of smoke. My two favorites are Nativa and Guayaki San Mateo. If find that the combination of a small amount of raw turbinado sugar and honey bring out the most flavor of the tea. For ladies, Yerba Mater can also be helpful for cramps. Mate can as be helpful to reduce seasonal allergies.
In Conclusion, what we eat is very important and can support physical and mental wellness. A diet comprised of mostly processed foods, unhealthy fats and refined flour and sugar in addition to high amounts of animal products can lead to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. While a wholefoods plant based diet composed mostly of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and heart healthy oils such as olive oil, avocado oil and walnut oil provides a full spectrum of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to support wellbeing .
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Mentally Sound 