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THe Way of Health
Energetic Healing
for Peace, for Health, for Prosperity
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Peaceful Healthy Eating
by Dave Roberts
(Recipes at bottom)
Most
vegetarians are people who have understood that to contribute towards a more
peaceful society we must first solve the problem of violence in our own hearts.
So it's not surprising that thousands of people from all walks of life
have become vegetarian. Some famous
vegetarians include Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Albert
Einstein. Contemporary vegetarians include Orlando Bloom, Charlize
Theron, Pamela Anderson, Shania Twain, Paul McCartney and Alicia Silverspoon.
These are only examples of a few from many hundreds of well known personalities.
Can
a vegetarian diet improve or restore health? Can it prevent certain diseases?
Advocates of vegetarianism have said yes for many years, although they didn't
have much support from modern science until recently. Now, medical researchers
have discovered evidence of a link between meat-eating and such killers as heart
disease and cancer, so they're giving vegetarianism another look.
Since
the 1960s, scientists have suspected that a meat-based diet is somehow related
to the development of arteriosclerosis and heart disease. As early as 1961, the
Journal of the American Medical Association said: "Ninety to ninety-seven
percent of heart disease can be prevented by a vegetarian diet." Since that
time, several well-organized studies have scientifically shown that after
tobacco and alcohol, the consumption of meat is the greatest single cause of
mortality in Western Europe, the United States, Australia, and other affluent
areas of the world.
The
human body is unable to deal with excessive amounts of animal fat and
cholesterol. A poll of 214 scientists doing research on arteriosclerosis in 23
countries showed almost total agreement that there is a link between diet, serum
cholesterol levels, and heart disease. When a person eats more cholesterol than
the body needs the excess cholesterol gradually becomes a problem. It
accumulates on the inner walls of the arteries, constricts the flow of blood to
the heart, and can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.
On
the other hand, scientists at the University of Milan have shown that vegetable
protein may act to keep cholesterol levels low. One such a report in the British
medical journal The Lancet, concluded that people with the type of high
cholesterol associated with heart disease "may benefit from a diet in which
protein comes only from vegetables."
What
about cancer? Research over the past twenty years strongly suggests a link
between meat eating and cancer of the colon, rectum, uterus, and breast.
These types of cancer are rare among those who eat little or no meat,
such as those born in Japan and India, but they are prevalent in most other
places in the world.
Why
do meat eaters seem more prone to these diseases? One reason given by biologists
and nutritionists is that man's intestinal tract is simply not suited for
digesting meat. Flesh-eating animals have short intestinal tracts (three times
the length of the animal's body), to pass rapidly decaying toxin-producing meat
out of the body quickly. Since plant foods decay more slowly than meat,
plant-eaters have intestines at least six times the length of the body. Man has
the long intestinal tract of an herbivore. So if he eats meat, toxins may
overload the kidneys and lead to disease and even cancer.
And
then there are the chemicals added to meat. As soon as an animal is slaughtered
its flesh begins to putrefy, and after several days it turns a sickly
gray-green. The meat industry masks this discoloration by adding nitrites,
nitrates, and other preservatives to give the meat a bright red color. But
research has now shown many of these preservatives to be carcinogenic. The
problem is then made worse by the massive amounts of chemicals fed to livestock.
The animals are kept alive and fattened by continuous
The
Protein Myth
Weren't
human beings designed to be meat-eaters? Don't
we need animal protein?
The
answer to both these questions seems to be no. Although some historians and
anthropologists say that man is historically omnivorous, our anatomical
equipment - teeth, jaws, and digestive system favors a fleshless diet. The
American Dietetic Association notes that "most of mankind for most of human
history has lived on vegetarian or near-vegetarian diets until the invention of
refrigerated boxcars, trucks and the common home refrigerator.”
As
for the protein question, Dr. Paavo Airola, a leading authority on nutrition and
natural biology, has this to say: "The official daily recommendation for
protein has gone down from the 150 grams recommended twenty years ago to only 45
grams today. Why? Because reliable worldwide research has shown that we do not
need so much protein and that the actual daily need is only 35 to 45 grams. Protein
consumed in excess of the actual daily need is not only wasted, but actually
causes serious harm to the body. In order to obtain 45 grams of protein a day
from your diet you do not have to eat meat; you can get it from a vegetarian
diet of a variety of grains, lentils, nuts, vegetables, and fruits."
Economics
Meat
actually feeds few at the expense of many. For the sake of producing meat, grain
that could feed millions of people actually feeds livestock instead. According
to information compiled by the United States Department of Agriculture, over
ninety percent of all the grain produced in America goes to feed livestock that
wind up on dinner tables. Yet the process of using grain to produce meat is
incredibly wasteful. Figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that
for every sixteen pounds of grain fed to cattle, we get back only one pound of
meat. And to grow one pound of
wheat requires only sixty pounds of water, whereas production of one pound of
meat requires anywhere from 2,500 to 6,000 pounds of water.
Another
price we pay for meat eating is degradation of the environment. The heavily
contaminated runoff and sewage form slaughterhouses and feedlots are major
sources of ground and water pollution. It is fast becoming apparent that the
fresh water resources of this planet are not only becoming contaminated but also
depleted, and the meat industry is particularly wasteful.
In 1973 the New York Post uncovered a shocking misuse of water.
One large chicken slaughtering plant in the United States was using one
hundred million gallons of water daily, and amount that could supply a city of
twenty-five thousand people.
Recently
there also was a news item that declared that the methane gases emitted by dairy
cows in California's Central San Joaquin Valley is contributing to the overall bad air pollution,
which actually exceeds the automobile exhaust, creating the worst air pollution
in the entire nation.
Ethics
We pray on Sundays that we may have light
To guide our footsteps on the path we tread;
We are sick of war, we don't want to fight,
And yet we gorge ourselves upon the dead
Many
people consider the ethical reasons the most important of all for becoming
vegetarian. The beginning of
ethical vegetarianism is the knowledge that other creatures have feelings, and
that their feelings are similar to ours. This knowledge encourages one to extend
personal awareness to encompass the suffering of others.
The
entire life of a captive 'food animal' is an unnatural one of artificial
breeding, vicious castration and/or hormone stimulation, feeding of an abnormal
diet for fattening purposes, and eventually long rides in intense discomfort to
the ultimate end. The holding pens, the electric prods and tail twisting, the
abject terror and fright, all these are still very much a part of the most
'modern' animal raising, shipping, and slaughtering.
The
truth of animal slaughter is not at all pleasant.
In the slaughterhouse hammer blows, electric shock, or concussion guns
first stun the animals. They are then hoisted into the air by their feet and
moved through the factories on mechanized conveyor systems. Still alive, their
throats are sliced and their flesh is cut off while they bleed to death.
Karma
The
Sanskrit word karma means "action" or more specifically, any action
that brings a reaction or in modern language “what goes around comes
around.” Although the idea of
karma is generally associated with Eastern philosophy, many people in the West
are also coming to understand that karma is a natural principle, like time or
gravity. Isaac Newton’s law of
physics states that “for every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction.” According to the law
of karma, if we cause pain and suffering to other living beings, we must endure
pain and suffering in return, both individually and collectively.
It is true, though, that vegetarians, have to kill some plants, so that could be considered violence too. The fact is that one living entity is food for another. So the problem is not how to avoid taking life altogether, which is an impossible proposal. When we breathe we are also killing millions of microorganisms. But the question is how can we cause the very least suffering to other creatures while meeting the nutritional needs of the body? The answer is following a vegetarianism diet and a spiritual life including a practical, non-violent way to peaceful, healthy living.
***************************
Tasty Non-Violent Recipes
Vegetarian Nutloaf
(Serves 4)
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
½ cup walnuts
½ cup cashews
½ cup almonds (blanched)
1 ¾ cups cooked rice
1 ½ cups grated monterrey jack cheese
1 tablespoon sage
½ tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
½ tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)
Grind nuts together. Combine ground nuts and rice. Add 1 cup grated cheese. Add spices and chopped vegetables. Add ½ cup tomato sauce. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Mold ingredients into a greased loaf pan.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and top with remaining tomato sauce and cheese. Bake for 10 more minutes. Serve hot.
1 small can tomato puree (8 ounces)
¼ cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon basil leaves
pinch of sugar
In 1-quart saucepan add ghee. When hot add black pepper and garlic powder. Quickly add tomato puree. Add ½cup water, pinch of sugar, salt, and basil leaves. Cook on medium heat for ½ hour, stirring often.
Upma - (Cream of Wheat with Vegetables – savory, Serves 4)
½ pound brussels sprouts (cut in half)
4 medium ripe tomatoes (chopped)
1 cup peas
1 zucchini (cut in ½-inch cubes)
1 cup chopped spinach
2/3 cup semolina (Cream of Wheat – 1 to 3 min brand OK)
4 tablespoon butter
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano flakes
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon black pepper
pinch of garlic powder
In skillet heat butter. Add garlic powder, chopped tomatoes, brussels sprouts, and zucchini. Cover and fry on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add peas, spinach, and spices. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove cover and gradually stir in semolina. Stir on low heat until liquid is absorbed by semolina (about 1 minute). Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Pesto Linguine
(Serves 4)
1 pound linguine noodles
2 ½ cups fresh basil leaves
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (when not available, blanched almonds may be used)
¾ cup Parmesan cheese
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
Basmati rice is a traditional Indian rice. It is imported from the East and may be purchased at all Indian grocery stores and most health food stores. White rice or brown rice may be used, but basmati rice is extra special in that it is nutritious and has a very good flavor.
1 cup basmati rice (or any other rice)
½ cup roasted cashew pieces
½ cup peas
2 tablespoons butter
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups water
Wash rice.
In a 1-quart pan put 2 tablespoons ghee, hing, and rice. Stir over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add water, turmeric, and salt. Add peas. Bring to a full boil, then cover and cook on very low heat for 18 minutes. Stir in cashew pieces.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Golden Creamy Potatoes (Serves 4)
8 medium potatoes
½ cup melted butter
2 cups sour cream
1 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground rosemary
1 teaspoon black pepper
t teaspoon paprika
In large saucepan parboil potatoes. Drain and refrigerate. When potatoes are cooled, peel and cut in ½-inch slices. Preheat oven to 400°.
In bowl combine sour cream, butter, and spices. Add potatoes to sour-cream mixture. Stir gently and place in casserole dish. Cover and bake 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Avocado Salad (Serves 4)
Spicy Dressing (recipe follows)
2 ripe avocados
2 small tomatoes
1 cup pitted black olives
1 head butterhead lettuce
Cut avocado in small pieces and tomatoes in wedges. Place in a medium bowl along with the olives. Pour the salad dressing on and mix lightly. Marinate for at least ½ hour in the refrigerator. Serve on a bed of lettuce.
Spicy Dressing
½ cup olive oil
juice of 1 ½ lemon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of black pepper
Place all the dressing ingredients in a blender, and blend on a low speed for a minute.
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