Most people are not aware that there are well over 50 toxic chemicals found in the average home in the US. Toxins that can, over time, raise havoc with your body! It’s no wonder why more and more people are beginning to suffer from asthma, hormonal problems, headaches, depression and frequent illnesses, fatigue, etc. Many of the most commonly used cleaning products in kitchens and bathrooms throughout America contain harmful toxins that are stored in the fatty tissues of your brain via inhalation and skin absorption during usage.
It’s not only the cleaning products found in most homes that are dangerous; it’s also cleaning products for your body (so called, “body care products”) that are potentially harmful. Shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays, hair colorings, body washes, deodorants, shaving lotions and after-shaves, make up, mouth washes and the list goes on…
So it cannot be stressed enough, the importance of checking the labels on all the products used for your home and your body. Educate yourself and avoid any products with words that you don’t know or understand especially if there is a warning label on it.
Most of the suspected products’ labels bear a “signal word,” such as Danger, Warning or Caution, providing some indication of a product’s toxicity. Products labeled Danger or Poison are typically the most hazardous and should be avoided; those containing a Warning label are moderately hazardous, and formulas listing a Caution label are considered slightly toxic. It’s always best to remain on the safe side and only choose products that are nontoxic enough that they don’t require any of the signal words above on their label. Keep in mind that the signal word is often found in a phrase that describes the nature of the threat to your health, such as “may cause skin irritation,” “flammable,” “vapors harmful,” or “may cause burns on contact.”
A good “rule of thumb” is to ask yourself, “would I put this in my mouth or am I willing to taste it”, if not, then don’t on on your body. Studies have shown it can take as little as 26 seconds for whatever you put on your body to be absorbed through your skin and into your bloodstream.
These ingredients in cleaning and “body care” products vary in the type and intensity of the threat to our health that they pose. Some will cause acute, and/or immediate, hazards such as skin or respiratory irritation, watery eyes, even chemical burns, while others are associated with chronic or long-term (accumulating) effects such as cancer.
Among the most dangerous cleaning products known are corrosives, like drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and acidic toilet bowl cleaners. These corrosive chemicals can cause severe burns on eyes, skin and, if ingested (God forbid), on the throat and esophagus. Next in line are products that list active ingredients of chlorine or ammonia, which individually can cause respiratory and skin irritation; and they will create highly toxic fumes if accidentally mixed together.
More common chemicals that you should be aware of, and consider avoiding include:
Alcohol – Alcohol is mostly found in mouthwashes, creams, moisturizers, lubricants and many commercial hair and skin products. Alcohol derivatives by themselves can severely impact your skin. Alcohol has a drying effect to the skin, and has even been linked to mouth and throat cancers.
There are alternatives alcohols that are actually safe for your skin and health. They are known as fatty alcohols, such as:
• Cetyl Alcohol – Derived from coconuts.
• Stearyl Alcohol – Also derived from coconut oil.
• Cetearyl Alcohol – Derived from natural oils.
Aluminum – Aluminum is found in many commercial skin deodorant and antiperspirants. Its compounds have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory disorders and breast cancer. When used as an aerosol spray, it can cause almost immediate brain damage, because it’s readily absorbed through your nasal/sinus passages into your brain.
Butane/Propane – Butane and Propane are colorless and odorless gases that are used in many over-the-counter cosmetic and personal products. Formulations of various cleansing products, shaving creams and hair conditioners often include these compressed gases.
In extreme doses, oxygen deficiency can occur, which can lead to asphyxiation. Butane and Propane are known to be toxic for the environment and dangerously flammable.
Diethanolamine (DEA) – Diethanolamine is a carcinogenic substance used as a “wetting agent” and added to confer a creamy texture and foaming action to most lotions, creams, shampoos and cosmetics, making them more easily absorbed by your skin. It becomes extremely toxic when mixed with other ingredients in certain products, causing a bad carcinogen reaction that is likely responsible for stomach, liver and bladder cancers.
Artificial Flavorings and Colorings – There is a kaleidoscope of colored dyes available to create any color combination meant to make any household or edible product more appealing. These artificial flavorings and colorings are found in nearly everything, from toothpastes and mouthwashes to flavored cough syrups and children’s medicines.
These harmful dyes cause changes at the cellular level, which are carcinogenic, and highly suspect of causing cancer. Children consuming such products often become hyperactive.
It’s best to completely avoid these artificial ingredients in foods and other products for health reasons; not only are they are toxic, they lack nutritional value.
Propylene Glycol – Propylene Glycol is actually a form of anti-freeze for many household products. It is found in processed foods, pet food, laundry detergents, floor wax, paints, deodorants, shaving creams/gels, shampoos and conditioners.
Purchasing a bottle of Propylene Glycol has its own a warning label that says “Avoid contact with skin.” Even at low levels of concentration, this solvent has found to inhibit skin cell growth, cause skin irritations, inflammations, certain types of dermatitis along with liver and kidney damage.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is found in most detergents, stain removers, carpet cleaners, dish soaps, shampoos, bubble baths and toothpastes.
This is another type of solvent and is a cheap sort of foaming agent which, over time, builds-up in your heart, lungs, liver and brain. It can also cause cataracts and lead to abnormal eye development in children especially those under the age of six.
Additionally, it’s commonly used as a cleaning agent in the automotive industry. Car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers are some common examples. SLS breaks doen grease, attacking all greasy surfaces and it is highly corrosive.
Recommended whenever possible and practical…
Try to use safe, simple household ingredients like pure soap, water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax; when aided by a little “elbow grease” and a coarse scrubbing sponge anyone can take on most household cleaning chores. Plus, they can save you lots of money that would ordinarily be wasted on unnecessary, specialized and toxic cleaners!
There are two major types of Diabetes:. Type 1 Diabetes, (aka juvenile Diabetes or insulin-dependent Diabetes), is a disorder of the body’s immune system where there is no production of insulin, and Type 2 is where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
The practice of yoga is effective as a preventive measure and also to treat Type 2 Diabetes, where the causes are attributed to life style and stress.
Type 2 Diabetes is rapidly becoming one of the most common, debilitating, diseases in the United States. Type 2 accounts for 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of Diabetes.
Diabetes is now responsible for the deaths of more than 350,000 Americans every year, and it slowly destroys the bodies of those who survive. For 90 percent of the roughly 14 million people who are develop Type II diabetes, the onset will have begun in the prime of their lives. Diabetes is known to cause complications such as blindness, kidney failure, stroke, heart disease, hypertension and circulatory disorders (often leading to amputation of toes, feet and legs) and ultimately may cause premature death.
As the development of this chronic disease becomes more common, more and more Diabetics are turning to complementary and/or alternative therapies, such as yoga practice, to treat the disorder. And for those who have developed Diabetes (especially type 2), yoga is definitely worth trying. Although there isn’t one particular asana (pose) that will work as a magical cure, there are quite a few that will stabilize digestion, assimilation and absorption of foods, and assist in the proper elimination of wastes and toxins from the body.
Caution, before embarking on a mission to begin a regular Yoga practice it’s always best to find a certified yoga instructor and have an initial consultation with them regarding your condition, because there are some asanas that can be counterproductive (even harmful) for people with diabetes – e.g.; poses that involve crossing the legs may constrict blood flow to the lower legs, ankles and feet. For someone with diabetes a personalized protocol is often necessary since each Diabetic is unique and their physical requirements must be treated on an individual basis.
The doctors in the US are among the best in the world when it comes to treating trauma, and curing and preventing various infectious diseases. But, ironically, chronic diseases like Diabetes have them stumped. They try their best, although they are able to keep Diabetics alive with insulin and/or other prescription anti-diabetic medications. Unfortunately, long-term use of these medicines will create complications of their own. Maybe it’s time to consider a natural, non-drug way to not only to reverse diabetes, but also to prevent its future occurrence.
Diabetics all know (or at least they should) that daily exercise helps control blood sugar and improves circulation (poor circulation is a major complication of diabetes). Although the how this actually works is not completely clear, but nonetheless, exercise does reduce the amount of insulin required to maintain normal blood sugar levels. For some of the most fortunate adult onset diabetics, proper diet and exercise may be all that’s required to regulate and maintain normal blood sugar, but for the vast majority, either oral medication or insulin injection is necessary to keep them alive. Then there are those who are able to control blood sugar with diet and exercise but as they age, they also begin to require prescription meds.
The practice of therapeutic yoga asana is effective not only as a preventive measure but can also be used to treat Type 2 Diabetes, where it has been shown that the primary causes are attributed to life style, eating habits and stress. There are certain asanas that have a remedial effect upon various organs and glands throughout the body. Those particular poses that benefit the pancreas and its functional components are of the utmost interest to diabetics (and pre-diabetics). By learning the correct application of these asanas one can reverse diabetes.
Most suitable are the backward bending postures such as…
These postures stimulate the pancreas, as they exercise the erector spinae (deep muscle in the back), latissimus dorsi (broadest muscle in the back), obliques (side abdominals), deep intertransversarii (pairs of small muscles on each side f the spine and the posterior abdominal wall. Also, most of these postures cause the internal viscera (organs) to stretch, which brings stimulation to the pancreas and other glands and organs that otherwise receive no tend to lay dormant.
Other postures to consider are…
*Dandayamana-Bibbaktapada Pashimotthanasana (Standing Separate Leg stretching Pose).
*Ardha Kurmasana (Half Tortoise Pose).
*Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose).
*Janushirasana with Pashimotthanasana (Head-to-Knee with Stretching Pose).
These will provide stimulation and rejuvenation to the cells of the pancreas and other endocrine glands via compression. Compression of these glands, followed by release and relaxation, causes an increased volume of highly oxygenated blood to reach them, down to a cellular level, bringing nourishment that rejuvenates any and all atrophied cells.
By using therapeutic yoga asana as a treatment the normal functioning of the pancreas and other glands of the endocrinal system are restored. When these glands begin to function properly, the individual is on their way to being cured of the diabetic disorders and their health is gradually restored to an optimal level. Perhaps a natural cure for Diabetes isn’t too much to hope for! After all, Diabetes is an age-old disease that has been treated successfully in the Eastern part of the world by methods we here in the West are just beginning to try, let alone understand. It may seem amazing to Diabetic sufferers, but therapeutic yoga asana has been shown to control diabetes for Type 1 Diabetics when insulin levels have been reduced significantly, to control diabetes for Type 2 Diabetics even after any external medication has been eliminated, and to prevent and heal the damage from the complications caused by diabetes, utilizing the body’s own healing power.
Although Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) can be debilitating, people who suffer from it report, first and foremost, that they experience profound fatigue that no amount of sleep or rest can relieve. It causes an assortment of non-specific symptoms including weakness, impaired memory, and fatigue (for no apparent reason), often accompanied by loss of concentration, varied muscle pains, headaches, sore throat, insomnia and apathy. The list of symptoms is also sometimes diagnosed as fibromyalgia because it’s often difficult to distinguish between fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Researchers and specialists are still trying to determine the differences. Some experts believe they are two completely separate illnesses sharing many similar symptoms and others feel they are different aspects of the same disorder. To complicate matters even further, a significant number of people with fibromyalgia also have CFS and vise versa.
Possibly the simplest explanation of the difference between fibromyalgia and CFS is that with the former, pain is the most predominant symptom, while with CFS, extreme fatigue is the most predominant.
Doctors often think people with this mysterious disorder are lazy, or have some form of hypochondria, but that doesn’t help relieve the symptoms of extreme tiredness and low energy. Most doctors do agree however that CFS sufferers need to move away from a sedentary lifestyle and they generally prescribe different types of exercise. The problem here is that those with CFS have little motive to engage most traditional exercise regimes, and some are downright resistant to giving them a try, due to the discomfort they experience. Subsequently their lowered physical status often results in mental sluggishness, further complicating things.
The science of yoga may be able to offer a cure, or at least substantial relief for those with CFS, filling the gap where conventional medicine falls short. Yoga tends to address the root of the problem, instead of exhausting the body further, as traditional exercise techniques might. Yoga restores the energy in the body that is necessary for it to heal itself. Yoga does this primarily through gentle, restorative asana, pranayama, and meditation for effective relaxation, all of which, when combined, provide a much needed balance of stimuli and rest.
Doctors, scientists and many other researchers don’t really know why yoga helps people with CFS, but some yoga students and instructors believe they do and they cite the following reasons…
Yoga helps without causing pain. Research shows that yoga can help people with CFS recover their strength. Yoga’s gentle, restorative asanas increase blood circulation and oxygenation which are key to healing, and this is done without hurting the body and/or aggravating the condition. Whereas more rigorous forms of exercise trigger a worsening of CFS symptoms by raising blood pressure and creating excessive lactic acid.
Yoga balances the mind and body. Most often, people with CFS have lost touch with their mental and physical connections to natural human rhythms. They either tend to move too fast, or do too much and their bodies have run down and they find themselves mentally depleted. Yoga shows them a slower, more natural pace. It becomes a discipline of peace with themselves and a non-obsessive daily practice. Rather than a discipline of “more and more,” it can be a discipline of “less and less.” leading composed self-acceptance.
Yoga will energize. All those with CFS struggle with the feeling of exhaustion, and yoga helps restore vital energy to their fatigued body, signaling the parasympathetic nervous system to start calming things down.
When dealing with CFS the thought of any movement at all might seem excruciating, but gentle, restorative asana can help direct energy into parts of the body that are lacking life force. Begin by using bolsters and pillows, yoga blocks and any supports you deem helpful to guide you through the asanas. This will make you practice feel more like nurturing than the abrupt movement associated with “exercise” that will drain the body. Balasana (Happy Baby Pose), Shavasana (Corpse Pose), and Viparit Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose) are wonderful asanas to start with if you don’t feel like moving at all. Over time, and as you start to feel improvement, you can slowly add more challenging asanas, but always practice them in small doses to prevent overly fatiguing an already tired body and mind.
Note: Forward bend poses soothe the nervous system by allowing energy to flow into the spinal column while increasing blood flow and oxygenation to the heart, head and muscles. Remember, a gentle approach (supported when necessary) is the most effective when practicing the following asanas.
Two simple, gentle forward bend asanas known to help relieve CFS symptoms.
1. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) promotes blood flow to the head, neck, and heart.
2. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) soothes the nervous system, gradually increases blood flow to the brain, and releases the tension of the respiratory muscles of the neck, trunk and shoulders.
Additionally, lying over cross-bolsters in varying positions helps to stimulate the nervous system in a subdued way and increases blood circulation to the adrenals, thyroid, and kidneys, which are a storehouse of energy.
With the science of yoga, dedicated practice, and self-love, CFS can turn from an unpleasant daily experience to slowly vanishing thing of the past.
Let’s start with what irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) actually is and what causes it?
Contrary to common opinion IBS is not a disease; it is a group of symptoms that occur together. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, meaning it is a problem caused by changes in how the GI tract works. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort, often reported as cramping, along with diarrhea, constipation, or both. In the past, IBS was called colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, nervous colon, and spastic bowel. The name was changed to reflect the understanding that the disorder has both physical and mental causes and is not a product of a person’s imagination.
Anxiety may be primarily a mental health issue, but it is much more than that, anxiety and associated stress has a very real effect on your body chemistry. The stress from IBS changes your hormone production, alters your immune system, and for many, it upsets their digestive tract, which in turn causes more anxiety and stress; a vicious cycle that needs to be broken.
So it should come as little surprise that anxiety is now being recognized as a contributing factor to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a chronic condition. The symptoms of which include; bloating, gastrointestinal discomforts, erratic bowel movements, chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation.
IBS is diagnosed when symptoms such as bloating, gastrointestinal discomforts, erratic bowel movements, chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation are present without a medical cause, and while scientists believe that there are likely a number of factors that go into IBS, most gastroenterologists agree that anxiety and stress are major contributors to its development.
Yoga to the rescue
For those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, yoga helps greatly to alleviate symptoms and keep stress in check. We all, at one time or another, have eaten something that “just doesn’t quite sit right.” But for the more than 30 million adults in the United States who suffer from IBS (two-thirds of whom are women) those awful symptoms are an ongoing struggle, not a temporary discomfort.
Of course, there are times when a particular food or an allergy triggers an episode, but generally no one factor can held responsible. IBS has frequently been dismissed as psychosomatic, but recently it has been redefined as “a disorder with variable symptoms having possible neurological, immunological, or psycho-emotional roots,” to quote Gary Kraftsow, the founder and wellness instructor of American Viniyoga Institute and author of Yoga for Transformation.
Because there is no known organic cause (or cure) for IBS, treatment generally focuses on symptom relief. Medications such as antidiarrheals, antispasmodics, or tricyclic antidepressants have been found to be helpful when symptoms become overwhelming. Yet research studies have shown that lifestyle modifications can be an effective drug-free method of dealing with the symptoms and easing the pain. A Mayo Clinic study in the reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (February, 1998) showed that exercise, diet, and stress management reduced IBS symptoms.
This is reason many experts recommend regular stress reduction exercise like yoga as a more effective way to prevent recurrences over the long run. “With IBS the goal is to reduce symptoms and restore efficient functioning to the system,” says Kraftsow. “And certain yoga postures may be restorative no matter where on the spectrum your symptoms lie.”
Abdominal breathing in particular has proven to be helpful in IBS sufferers and deep inhalations and exhalations may benefit those who tend to breathe shallowly when stressed or those who swallow air while eating and/or talking, which traps air in the stomach.
Most IBS sufferers often battle irregular bowel habits that are painful and unpredictable. During one of these flare-ups, Kraftsow recommends engaging postures that provide a soothing effect, suggesting forward bends and simple abdominal twists like Jathara Parivrtti (abdominal twist) and Apanasana (knees-to-chest pose); both of which may work to help soothe a hyperactive bowel or stimulate a sluggish one.
For those who suffer irregularity and constipation, digestion can be stimulated by working the abdominal area a bit more strongly with Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) or Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose); simple move into the postures with the stomach remaining held in after an exhalation.
Although yoga is one effective way to combat IBS, when symptoms recur, experts recommend a care plan that incorporates a diet that eliminates “aggravating foods” (especially fatty meats and dairy) and includes plenty of nutritionally balanced foods as well as probiotics (The best foods for IBS health are those that are gentle on the digestive system and encourage “smooth passage” through the intestines)…as Kraftsow says, “treatment that respects the whole person.”
Summary: In particular, yoga is an excellent (and enjoyable!) way to manage IBS and relieve it’s symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea etc. Yoga also helps stabilize the digestive process. Yoga is also tremendously beneficial for preventing or minimizing menstrual cramping, which often aggravates IBS.
For those people with IBS, yoga is perhaps the most helpful for its ability to reduce the stress, anxiety, and pain of this chronic illness. Regular practice will indisputably improve your physical and mental fitness, promoting relaxation, and giving you a sense of control over your overall health and well-being. As with other stress management techniques, the more you practice, the greater your improvement will be.
Nooch is slang for “good tasting nutritional yeast”, a yeast that is deactivated (meaning it has no fermenting ability). It is produced by culturing pure strains of yeast with a mixture of sugarcane and beet molasses, it’s then dried, and packaged as flakes, both large and small. Despite this process, there are no glucose or gluten concerns and it cannot cause or contribute to Candida yeast infections. So, nutritional yeast flakes are generally considered okay for those on yeast free diets.
One of the things that many strict plant-based vegetarians and vegans report having a hard time giving up is cheese, and the main reason nooch is so popular with many of them is due to its “cheesy” flavor. Since both B12 and dairy are ruled out once you commit to an entirely plant-based diet, you can see why something that offers the best of both worlds is so enticing. Furthermore, nobody needs cheese to survive, but everyone does need vitamin B12 and it is the only vitamin that is not recognized as being reliably supplied from a varied whole food, plant-based die.
Because nutritional yeast is a type of fungus, similar to mushrooms but not like Candida, it won’t produce its vitamin B12 on its own, it requires bacteria to create it.
Bragg’s and Red Star are both popular brands that put out a B12 fortified nutritional yeast that can be found in many health food stores and in some grocers bulk sections, you can also order it online. Bob’s Red Mill also has packaged yeast products that are fortified with B12. Always check individual ingredient labels to make sure of the nutritional content.
Good nutritional yeasts are naturally fat and sodium free and will supply “the essentials for life.” The following is a brief list of what you can expect to get when you include nutritional yeast in your diet…
• A complete and digestible protein, with essential and non-essential amino acids.
• B complex vitamins.
• Macro- and micro-minerals.
• Complex carbohydrates (beta-1,3 glucan and mannan).
• Glutathione, an intracellular antioxidant.
• Phospholipids such as lecithin.
What does it look and taste like?
It looks like yellow dried flakes (it may sound a bit gross but the flaky texture looks similar to fish food). Nutritional yeast isn’t anything like the chemical and preservative filled faux cheese mixes. It’s delicious, with kind of a nutty/cheesy flavor.
How do you use it?
You can add it to just about anything and everything. You can put it in a shaker and literally sprinkle it on all your meals…soups, veggies, salads, etc. One of the most common uses is in place of parmesan cheese, and it’s a fantastic topping for popcorn.
Nutritional yeast is much more than just a condiment. You can use it in recipes for a cheesy flavor without and dairy; mashed potatoes are one good example. And, if you want to make a healthy (and tasty) vegan cheesy sauce or spread, nooch is definitely the go-to ingredient.
Recipe idea – A great vegan “cheesy” flavored dip/spread…
1 Can – 15½ oz. Great Northern, Navy or Cannellini Beans (drained)
Part 3 of this series continues with “Some unexpected benefits of eating a plant-based diet.”
First,
A lot of people who claim to be vegetarian eat more than simple plant-based foods and a little research will show that there are many different types of vegetarian diets and the four most common ones are:
1.Vegan – Strictly plant based: No animal flesh, no eggs, and no dairy products are allowed.
2.Lacto-vegetarian – Mostly plant-based: No animal flesh or eggs, but dairy products are OK.
3.Lacto-ovo-vegetarian – Partly plant-based: No animal flesh but dairy products and eggs are OK.
4.Pescatarian – Questionably whether vegetarian (The Vegetarian Society, does not recognize pescatarians as true vegetarians): Pescatarians eat no animal flesh except seafood; dairy products and eggs are optional.
The rest of the text in this article (and the preceding two articles) applies to veganism or a strict plant-based diet as opposed to the “vegetarian” types (2, 3, & 4) mentioned above.
Research
In an analysis published in 2009 in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers noted that plant-based diets are associated with:
• Lower levels of triglycerides
• Lower concentrations of inflammatory markers such as C-reative protein (CRP)
• Lower blood pressure
• Decreased body weight and body mass index (BMI)
• Decreased risk of premature death from any cause, including heart disease
• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Better blood sugar control in patients with diabetes
The heart benefits of eating more plant foods are well-established by large-scale studies such as the “Nurses’ Health Study” and the “Health Professionals Follow-up Study.” These studies show that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables have a 20% reduced risk of heart disease and a 27% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, especially stroke.
The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada say that plant-based diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Vegans also have substantially lower rates of the following health problems:
• Heart disease
• Blood cholesterol levels
• Blood pressure
• Hypertension
• Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes
• Prostate cancer
• Colon cancer
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a nonprofit organization of doctors and others promoting preventive medicine, recommends a quality plant-based diet for the treatment and prevention of many health conditions.
Some of the world’s populations are known to have extraordinary long, healthy and happy lives. There are areas in the world where disease is virtually unknown, even in the oldest persons. Studies have shown that their exceptional health is largely attributed to low-calorie, plant-based, whole foods diets. Genetics are ruled out as a significant factor because when these same people are exposed to Western-style diets they quickly develop the same diseases common to Westerners.
Okay, so here are some unexpected benefits of eating a plant-based diet.
• You’ll be doing a huge favor for the environment: Most people don’t realize it, but our insatiable appetite for animal protein contributes 50% more greenhouse gases than our planes, trains, trucks, cars and ships? Needless to say, our environment benefits greatly every time someone cuts animal foods out of their diet.
• You’ll feel more connected to your higher (or spiritual) self: Not getting nearly enough fiber is one pitfall of eating the standard American diet, and that equates to sluggishness. When provided with the valuable fiber found in a plant-based diet your body is better able to cleanse itself and space is opened up within. Whenever someone upgrades to a plant-based diet, this naturally brings about a desire to connect to our source and our highest self. When we can be our truest selves then we are in the best position to share our inherent gifts with others.
• Compassion naturally arises in someone when they stop eating meat: This isn’t meant to imply that you didn’t care about animals before, but I’ll bet you didn’t know (and probably didn’t want to know) what was actually happening to the cows, pigs, and chickens before they turned up in your supermarket. Two billion animals suffer and then are killed every week just so they can show up on our dinner plates. It’s unconscionable.
• You’ll be saving money: By eating an assortment of veggies, whole grains, beans and legumes as the base for your meals is actually quite cost effective. That difference makes up for the slightly higher priced organic produce, you’ll be comfortable knowing it’s an investment in your long-term health and that can mean big savings.
• Creativity is enhanced: Cleaning up your diet and switching to plant-based foods will bring about a profound change in your creative expression. Your thinking will be clearer and new and inspiring ideas will come in abundance.
• You’ll lose unwanted weight: Nearly all plant-based foods are much less caloric and very dense nutritionally, a sure “win-win” situation for weight loss. You’ll likely never feel deprived when eating this way, and quite possibly you’ll feel satisfied more quickly because your body is telling your brain it’s getting what it needs.
In summary: Contrary to popular myth, vegans have healthy bones and higher blood protein levels than omnivores. Vegans in fact average fewer nutrient deficiencies than average omnivores. But there are a couple important nutritional considerations. There are two vitamins not readily available in plants: vitamins D and B-12…Unless you live in the extreme northern (or southern) hemisphere, you can get ample vitamin D from the sun, and very little sun exposure is needed to provide your body’s needs. A natural source of vitamin B-12 can be found in nutritional yeasts. One brand of nutritional yeast, Red Star, has been tested and shown to contain active vitamin B-12. Those sensitive to other yeasts can also use it. Also recommended for vegans are algae-based long chain omega 3 fatty acids.
Part 2 of this series continues with “Reasons why you should eat plant-based diet.”
Ever since the introduction of documentaries such as “Forks Over Knives” (click on – trailer), “Vegucated” (trailer), and “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” (full documentary), American’s are being exposed to the ever growing list of benefits of eating a plant-based diet. At first the claims may seem doubtful that a plant-based diet will greatly decrease your chances of Cardiovascular disease (aka heart disease), reduce or eliminate your risk of cancer, help you to shed those unwanted pounds. Additionally, plant-based diet has been shown to be an effective solution for type II diabetics and those with osteoporosis have seen it reversed. Simply stated, a diet high in animal protein is disastrous to our health, while a plant-based (vegan) diet prevents disease and is restorative to our health. And doctors and nutritional scientists say this with peer-reviewed (the gold standard of studies) science to back them up.
People are also finding that going vegan is much more than being selective about what you are eating. When you convert to a plant-based diet you are literally saving hundreds of animals’ lives each year, you’re helping preserve our Earth’s fragile environment and you’re being kind to your body in the process. You’ll experience a fundamental philosophical shift in your mind, body and spirit, resulting in an overall transformation of yourself. It will change your life.
Now on to the reasons why you should eat plant-based diet…
•Eating plant-based foods will be a tremendous aid for you to attain, maintain or regain an optimal state of health. Undeniable medical evidence has now shown conclusively that a whole foods plant-based diet is instrumental in preventing and/or reversing a plethora of diseases and conditions, including inflammation, anxiety, depression, Lupus, MS, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and the list goes on. The China Study which surveyed over 6,500 people from over 65 countries remains the largest and most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted and proves beyond a doubt that a plant-based diet is prolonging lives. After the publication of this book, there’s not much room left for debate.
•Cancer prevention. Because Cancers originate from your body’s damaged cells, it is critical to preserve the health of those cells and in today’s world this is both a challenge and your responsibility. “The science base is very strong that fruits and vegetables are protective for all the gastrointestinal cancers and all the smoking-related cancers,” to quote Tim Byers, professor of preventive medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.
•Constipation and bowel disorders. What a worthwhile benefit a plant-based diet is for a country that spends millions on pharmaceuticals, supplements, vitamins, herbs and laxatives all so that you can loosen your stool and become regular. This condition can be prevented or reversed simply by changing your diet; when you eat a healthy plant-based diet, regularity is greatly enhanced, resulting in much lower incidence of colon cancer and other diseases of the colon.
•Compassion for animals. As stated above, each and every individual will be saving hundreds of animals from inhumane treatment and slaughter by going vegan. There is no such thing as a ‘kind slaughter’ as some in the meat industry would have you believe and this even includes those animals that graze exclusively. The documentary “Earthlings” (
This post begins a three part series discussing the advantages and benefits of a plant-based diet:
Part 1 – The philosophical and ethical reasons to eat a plant-based diet instead of consuming animal products.
Part 2 – Reasons why everyone should consider eating a plant-based diet.
Part 3 – Some unexpected benefits of eating A plant-based diet
We begin with Part 1 – As yogis, yoginis and students of yoga begin to seek liberation, they strive to perfect their actions and in so doing they quickly come to realize that every action is preceded by a thought. To perfect an action, thoughts must first be perfected. So, you might ask, what are perfect thoughts? Perfect thoughts are ones that are devoid of selfish motives; they’re free of anger, greed, hate, jealousy, etc.
Adopting a compassionate vegetarian diet is a good place to start if you truly intend to move toward a transcendental reality and have a lighter impact on the planet. Not everyone practices yoga asana (poses) every day, but everyone eats. And therefore everyone has the opportunity to practice compassion three times a day when they sit down to eat. This is one of the main reasons so many yoga practitioners and students choose make the change and become vegetarians.
This article is focused primarily on ethical vegetarians and foremost in the list of reasons they eat only plant-based food is in order to show compassion toward animals and other sentient beings which in turn benefits the entire planet. There are those who say they are vegetarians but still consume milk products, eggs, and fish. These are actually not strict vegetarians but “lacto-ovo” vegetarians (milk & eggs) and “pescatarians” (includes fish) and ethical vegetarians do not consume any dairy products, eggs, or fish because these are not plant-based and eating them causes great suffering to other beings and the planet. Vegans are ethical vegetarians who endeavor to extend their ethics to include not just what they eat but everything they use: including (but not limited to) food, clothing, medicine, fuel, and entertainment. When using the term vegetarianism in this article, keep in mind that refers to ethical vegetarianism or veganism.
Many, if not most meat eaters defend their food choices by claiming that it is natural, because in a natural, wild state animals eat one another. Whenever people bring this up as a rationale for eating meat, they need to be reminded that the animals that end up on their table aren’t those who eat one another in the wild. The animals that are exploited for food aren’t the lions, tigers, and bears of the world. We eat the passive ones, the vegan animals that, when given free choice, would never even think of eating the flesh of other animals, although sadly, they are forced to do just that on today’s factory farms where they are fed “enriched feed” containing dead, rendered animal parts.
The majority of Americans believe a plant-based (or vegan) diet is difficult to follow. But what does difficult mean when compared to suffering and eventually dying from heart disease caused by an animal diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol? Even so, many people will still choose to go through invasive bypass surgery or have a breast, colon section, or kidney removed. And/or they may opt to take powerful pharmaceutical drugs for the rest of their lives rather than change their diets – all because they mistakenly think veganism is drastic and extreme. Do these who choose to eat meat ever consider how difficult it is for the animals who suffer degrading confinement and cruel slaughter, dying for their dining convenience and the satisfaction of their appetites?
When yoga practitioners and students begin following the yamas prescribed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, they begin to realize that suffering is inevitable only to those who are unenlightened (or turn a blind eye) about the truth, which exists to connect us all. Real responsibility means realizing that our own actions bring about the situation we live in and that is reflected in the first yama “Ahimsa” (non-harming). Yoga practice has the potential to heal the one common disease that we are all suffering from; the disease of disconnection. War, destruction of the environment, extinction of species, and even domestic violence, all of these originate as a result of the disease of disconnection. Others can only be abused and exploited by those who are disconnected from them and have no idea about the potent consequences inherent in their own actions. When someone feels connected, they know it’s them, as well as other living things, who will suffer from the anguish they inflict.
Eating meat and consuming animal products is a long-standing (and generally accepted) habit in American culture. Many Western yoga practitioners will argue that they have to eat meat and that they need the protein to keep up the strength required for a physically challenging asana practice. Ironically, Sri K. Pattabhi
It’s time to give a little support to the yogis in the age old “yoga versus exercise” debate. A recent study shows 20 minutes of yoga beats out 20 minutes of aerobic exercise for overall positive effect on the brain’s cognitive abilities.
Studies conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are soon to be published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health as a peer-reviewed article titled “The Acute Effects of Yoga on Executive Function“, and will summarize their findings in regard to yoga’s effect on cognitive processes (I.e.; working memory, reasoning, problem solving, attention, planning, etc.). The study involved 30 non-yoga practicing undergraduate women who participated in 20 minutes of Hatha yoga, accompanied by meditation and deep breathing as well as 20 minutes of “aerobic activity” like running on a treadmill.
For most, worse than having to run on a treadmill for 20 minutes was the required test afterwards. Researchers had participants do cognitive testing following both the yoga practice and the aerobic exercises to measure working memory and inhibitory control (attention span). And surprisingly (or not), yoga beat the pants off aerobics, especially when it came to brain function.
Lead researcher Neha Gothe (currently a professor of kinesiology at Wayne State University) told the Daily Mail: “It appears that following yoga practice, the participants were better able to focus their mental resources, process information quickly, more accurately and also learn, hold and update pieces of information more effectively than after performing an aerobic exercise bout.” This in opposition to when the participants, in Gothe’s words, “showed no significant improvements on the working memory and inhibitory control scores” after the 20 minutes of jogging or walking on the treadmill.
Now all the scientists’ light bulbs light up because this is cause for further research and investigation. Edward McCauley, co-author of the study and director of the Exercise Psychology Lab where the research was conducted, notes: “This study is extremely timely and the results will enable yoga researchers to power and design their interventions in the future. We see similar promising findings among older adults as well. Yoga research is in its nascent stages and with its increasing popularity across the globe, researchers need to adopt rigorous systematic approaches to examine not only its cognitive but also physical health benefits across the lifespan.”
Of course this is a small (but ground-breaking) study, and there is much more to be explored about the effects of not just physical yoga poses, but the meditation and breathing components of most Western yoga practices (this would be for guys, too). So regardless, this is good news! News, that most students of yoga probably already knew? And besides, you can simply nod your head and smile the next time your runner/jogger friends talk about how amazing their “runner’s high” is and how they don’t really need to do yoga because running is their meditation. (No offense meant for runners. Yoga students love endorphins, too!)
The study does conclude that more research needs to be done on non-traditional, mind-body exercises like yoga (and tai chi, for example) and just how much they seep into the rest of our daily activities when out of the studio or off the mat.
“The breathing and meditative exercises aim at calming the mind and body and keeping distracting thoughts away while you focus on your body, posture or breath,” Gothe told the Telegraph. “Maybe these processes translate beyond yoga practice when you try to perform mental tasks or day-to-day activities.”
Ever wonder what makes life a joyful experience for some, while it’s a sad, often frustration filled journey for others? Is it due to their basic disposition? Is it fate or luck? Could it be Karma? These somehow seem like excuses. You are supposed to be happy, it’s your birthright – inherently you’re supposed to be full of joy and wonder. And yet for some of us, somehow, somewhere during the course of our lives, things got out of control and we are spiraled into the monotony of everyday life and find our lives filled with conflict and suffering. We are then left with the never ending pursuit of happiness, as if it exists somewhere else.
If this is indeed the case, how do we get out of this rut? How do we find our way back to that joyful and peaceful state? Well, as the old saying goes – “When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”
Here are five useful tips which you may find helpful on your journey to reclaim your birthright; fundamental, inherent happiness.
1st – Understand Your Problem:
The first thing you need to do is understand the root cause of your frustration and distress. Inquire as to why you are so restless and discontented? Why is so hard to return to your default state of happiness? Take a moment to pause and examine this very moment in your life and investigate your situation honestly and openly. If you do this, it is likely you’ll discover time is the root cause.
Whenever you think in terms of time, those very thoughts will bring the issue of “becoming,” into your psyche. Perhaps you are unhappy and bored with your life because you believed in an ideal or a goal to be achieved sometime in the near or distant future, and you think this will make you happy when you finally achieve it. This seeking tends to destroy the natural beauty of your life, just the way it is, right here and right now. It sabotages the wonder of the present moment and of a simple, ordinary life.
So by dropping all your ideals for a while, and just attending to your life exactly the way it is, will help you realize that happiness and joy are are as present as the nose on your face.
2nd – Learn to Live Your Passion:
One of the most important things to do in order to live a joyful, happy life is to discover your true passion and live it, passionately. If you are able do this, you will break free from the restricting clutches of society, and you’ll be immersed in doing what you really love without concern about the secular, materialistic world.
Your orientation will shift from result based to doing based, and the actions themselves will be the reward; then you will have something that can’t be lost and no one can take away from you. This unique “something” comes from deep within you.
If only all parents could learn this most important lesson. One of their biggest responsibilities is to help their child discover what it is that he or she loves to do and then provide them with the opportunity and the tools to do that without concern for success or even survival.
3rd – Establish a Basic Trust in Life:
Our faith and our trust in life will constantly be challenged and over time (if we allow it), our life will slowly be eroded away by endless failures and continuous problems, and we will be forced to strive rather than thrive. Without the establishment of a basic trust our life will be filled with worry and anxiety. How easily we can become obsessed with self-security and preservation, forcing us to rely on specific conditions for our happiness, rather than simply experiencing the joy of “being.” So instead of trusting in life and going with the flow, we become the products of fear and worry and as a result are unable to find true peace within.
When we dump burden of self-interest, a sense of great freedom and joy arise within spontaneously.
4th – Put a Stop to Isolation and Perpetual Self-Interest:
All our continual thinking about ourselves and our endless selfish activity isolates us even more from the “whole” of life. It’s like progressively building more and more walls around ourselves until we eventually find ourselves utterly alone, cut-off from the world; lonely miserable and unhappy. Change this approach by simply dropping your endless self-interest and choosing instead to live in a connected way. By uniting with all aspects of life you’ll come closer and closer to being “one” with the great play of life, and by connecting with awareness and intelligence, to both nature and all others, this will bring you to happiness.
5th – Start Meditating:
All the tips given above for being happy are really only a part of meditation. They are all based on living a meditative life. Mediation is a process which generally starts in time and then gradually transcends it. Meditation withdraws our consciousness from the superficiality of isolation (separateness), self-interest and limitation and offers it to the Spirit.
You can resurrect your inherent happiness with daily meditation, until it become habitual and seamless; so if you really want to be happy, if you really want to be at peace, then meditation is the way.
There are two major types of Diabetes:. Type 1 Diabetes, (aka juvenile Diabetes or insulin-dependent Diabetes), is a disorder of the body’s immune system where there is no production of insulin, and Type 2 is where the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
Doctors often think people with this mysterious disorder are lazy, or have some form of hypochondria, but that doesn’t help relieve the symptoms of extreme tiredness and low energy. Most doctors do agree however that CFS sufferers need to move away from a sedentary lifestyle and they generally prescribe different types of exercise. The problem here is that those with CFS have little motive to engage most traditional exercise regimes, and some are downright resistant to giving them a try, due to the discomfort they experience. Subsequently their lowered physical status often results in mental sluggishness, further complicating things.