Spiritual diet

[Kyman]

What works for you?

[Shanti]

Hi Kyman,
This was discussed here.. Maybe you'd like to check it out
What is your daily food plan?
I am sure others will give you great replies too.. me.. ummm.. rather not discuss my diet.. not very spiritual..
-Shweta

[Kyman]

"I am sure others will give you great replies too.. me.. ummm.. rather not discuss my diet.. not very spiritual.."

Well, thank goodness I'm not alone.  

I'm at a turning point, basically from growing up eating everything without much thought, well not everything, I'm so picky.

[Shanti]

Phew!!! that's a relief...
At least I am not alone.. I dont like junk food any more.. prefer lighter foods.. but no where close to the spiritual diet followed by the others in that thread...

PS: Sorry..The above link did not work.. I fixed it now..

[bipinjoshi]

For me it is fruiterian diet consisting of fruits, cow milk and ghee (home made). But of course everybody has own flavor and body constitution. I wrote about it on my blog some time back if you are interested you may read it at http://www.bipinjoshi.com/displaythread.aspx?forumid=13&threadid=237

[Yoda]

I've been getting off the standard American diet starting in May.  Recently, I got my wife to read 'The China Study' and it worked so far... we are all becoming vegans.  I'm 70% fruit, 30% rice, beans, salad dressing.  Taking b12s as insurance.  Doing a fruit fast right now.  

The China Study, written by an actual diet research scientist, makes the point that reducing the fat and protein in one's diet will increase blood circulation in short order.  Conversely, a study was just published that just a peice of carrot cake and a milkshake can measurably reduce blood circulation due to build up of plaque.  

The Chinese believe that blood flow and chi flow are closely related and I believe that cleaning up the diet is beneficial to both health and practice.

[Yoda]

Here's the study I mentioned:

http://lowfatcooking.about.com/b/a/257648.htm

[sadhak]

Hi Shweta,

I wouldn't mull over diets overmuch... after I began Yoga, I developed a sudden craving for chocolates (plus delicious the way the French pronounce it...mmmmm)

[Chiron]

No meat, no fish, no chicken.
Basically no food that was acquired through the suffering of other sentient beings.

"How can a bhikshu, who hopes to become a deliverer of others, himself be living on the flesh of other sentient beings?"
http://www.anzwers.org/free/pureland/vegetarism.html

I believe Buddha Shakyamuni said that the Holy Ones eat once a day, human beings eat twice a day, animals eat three times a day and the hungry spirits eat four times a day (this concerns the next rebirth..).  I'm down to two times a day now, sometimes I manage to eat only once, but it is hard for I have not yet beaten the desire and my body isn't efficient and purified enough.

[sushman]

I become a vegetarian for the same reason. But eating plants have started bothering me as well as I hear that Plants have feeling as well and have a soul too (just like us). Does Plants really have souls ?. Pls share your thoughts.

[Chiron]

Trees do I think.  I have read a Djataka where it talked about the soul of a tree, and how it would feel pain when it was cut down..

But I think we should find balance in everything.  If we stop eating meat and plants, what is left?  As long as we are in human form, some sin is unavoidable.. hopefully in the end the righteous deeds we do far outweigh any faults.

[Scott]

I make homemade rye brioche into french toast with free range eggs, bourbon vanilla extract, organic milk, raw sugar cane from malawi and locally produced maple syrup.  Yummmmmm.

[Frank-in-SanDiego]

Hari Om
~~~~~~~

Great subject that we talked about in the past... I have little to offer here, but thought to contribute a few items for your consideration.
Food  as we have discussed is more then the nutrients we take in our body.   Some call food ‘ahara’  which means what is brought near. So, food fits the bill for sure, as does reading, friends and social gatherings, TV, etc etc. all come near to us. So, one may want to consider all intake for ones health.

From an ayurvedic perspective ( ayur is life or longevity and ved is knowledge) there are a few things I have read that are simple (some from Deepak Chopra) that I liked and that I can be better at myself:
-   Use food to fill the emptiness in your stomach, not in your heart.
-   If the meal is not delicious ( for you) it may not be nourishing. That is , the senses are intelligent and can coach you to what you may need for nutrition. A main principle of Ayur-ved ‘ food is medicine, medicine is food’
-   Consider the six tastes and have variety to your meals  . There’s sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. These associate with influences within your body. If you have the opportunity to find out your constitution (Pitta, Kapha, Vatta), it would be good. Then choosing the tastes to bring balance to ones body becomes a bit easier.  [ I am Pitta/Vatta]
site:  http://www.dhanvantri.com/Consultation.htm
-   Herbs and spices can add to the diversity of your taste intake – in the USA we think  that only salt and pepper as herbs and spices. There’s a full range as you folks know ( fennel, turmeric, ginger, dill, anise, clove, cumin, cassia buds, etc to name a few)
-   Eat,-rest- eat to get to the ‘satisfied’ level – find your satisfaction level and avoid over-stuffing.  This has been hard for me, as I grew up in an Italian family and if you did not (over) eat, the chief ( mom) took it as the food was not good!
-   Favor ‘simple’ and in season
-   Last so  I do not bore you, is from the Upanishads – they say ‘food is Brahman, Brahman is food’  to suggest,  respect for the food and an offering to Him.

[AYPforum]

Moderator note: Topic moved for better placement