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How important is a healthy diet for spirituality?

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Author Topic: How important is a healthy diet for spirituality?  (Read 230 times)
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guest88
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« on: Jan 29, 2017 10:17 pm »

At one point in my life, I was an all in vegetarian. I've strayed from that path since... I do believe I've more experience with life and worldly affairs then before... Surely I am less naive now... I think... ?

I enjoy certain alcohol... I am also one that enjoys a nice barbecue with friends.When I am offered meat I do not turn it away...

I feel I can maintain this lifestyle and still meditate. I do think I am missing out on some "abilities" I used to have. After reading through this section, I see how dedicated I once was to achieving this altered state...

I don't know how important it is to always experience these subtleties though, sometimes they can be a greater distraction from what's important...

So... I will be returning to increased efforts to meditate... Yet I still eat and drink what I want... Balanced in my opinion... But I wonder, how detrimental is it to my spirituality? Or, is it even necessary to go vegetarian? Or to quit drinking alcohol?
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mccoy
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« Reply #1 on: Jan 30, 2017 01:46 pm »

Crocodile,
re. alcohol: the CDCA reccomendations are 2 drinks max per day for adult males, and such a quantity (which is the equivalent of 2 glasses of wine per day) is also the max amount suggested by physicians I know and to whom I asked an opinion.
More than that, you may be in for liver disorders, metabolic disorders, cancer and else. So, the rule is that there is no problem in occasional use but regular use should be within those amounts.

Quote
A standard drink is equal to 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in

12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).
8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).
5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).
1.5-ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).

Pls read the relevant CDC page:

https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm

I myself enjoy  half a glass of good wine once in a while (usually when eating with my brother in law who brings the bottle), but when I don't drink it I do not miss it.

re. spiritual life and alcohol: probably, the above threshold is the safe threshold for brain impairment as well. I have no scientific explanation for it, but wine is the classic substance which blunts spiritual perceptions. Again, if you are able to moderate yourself within the above limits, then I believe the effect is all but negligible. The real danger here is that you have a karmic propensity to alcohol dependence and, without realizing it, you become addict to booze. No such danger, you're safe but should respect the bodily chemical tolerance to ethanol.

Re. diet: my reasoned opinion is that it's of the greatest importance. By eating properly you decrease the likelyhood of disease, and disease is not conducive to meditation at all. Also, longevity and healthspan may have their importance in allowing us more time to perfect our spiritual practices.

Any practical suggestion with diet you should need, I'm currently studying the subject, I find it is not necessary to go to extremes to have a reasonably healthy diet. Meat should be eaten with soem precautions and together with many vegetables. Barbecued meat may be dangerous if you have a genetic polymorphism which doesn't make you metabolize heterociclic ammines. Red and processed meats are officially cancerogenic to the human being. Fish is better off (watch out for mercury, though, the smaller the fish, the better!).
« Last Edit: Jan 30, 2017 01:49 pm by mccoy » Report Spam   Logged
guest88
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« Reply #2 on: Jan 30, 2017 08:39 pm »

Hi Mccoy,

Thank you for the reply.  Smiley Not to sidetrack much but I also feel it important to regulate your daily caffeine intake(it's very easy to develop a caffeine addiction).

It's interesting to see how health and spirituality coalesce with one another. There are those who've brought such profound wisdom to this world yet upon closer inspection of their lifestyle we see they were heavily dependent on drugs like alcohol, weed or LSD. I personally don't want that and know the negative and longer lasting side effects they come with. Yes in the moment one may feel profound Love and less attached to their ego but I've always been cautioned not to use these things as a crutch.

Alcoholism runs in my family. We like to collect wine and drink socially and our tolerance is higher then the average Joe. I ask the question, as I do enjoy many worldly matters. Traveling the world to sample alcohol and explore wineries, delving an interest in the history and craft behind the subject. I get joy from this, I am joyed by Food in its many varieties as well... I love going out to nice restaurants where a chefs Passion is displayed in an artistic manner. I think Food is a universal language- like music. It's become a hobby of mine and sometimes I struggle with myself wondering if my interest are ever pulling me away from living more of a spiritual and compassionate lifestyle.

I think it's like you said... It's not necessary to go to extremes for a healthy diet. Moderation or balance being the key. I'm sure this applies to spiritual growth as well. As a young person I would go to an extreme in whatever direction desired. I suppose it takes some a lifetime or more to get it down just right. Perhaps the factor here is recognizing we all have a a unique path to travel even if our deepest, truest desire is one and the same.

Cheers!

   
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mccoy
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« Reply #3 on: Feb 04, 2017 11:46 pm »

My wife is caffeine-addict. However, as long as you don't suffer of hypertension it doesn't pose a great danger to health (nowhere like alcohol or drugs), although my wife is often afflicted by nervousness and develops headaches without her daily dose of caffeine (the brain receptors crave it). The ergogenic properties are lost if coffee is taken habitually (more than one or two cups a day), but I wonder whether it keeps overstimulating the nervous system.
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« Reply #4 on: Feb 04, 2017 11:52 pm »

Re. wine: usually those who appreciate wine the most drink small quantities of it. By sticking to the CDC threshold of 2 glasses of wine daily, you may even enjoy it better, since a large quantity often blunts the taste. Probably, during meals you can occasionally drink more without great harm, but I would be very, very careful, problems are liver and cancer and more and you may be tempted to drive after drinking and that's the most dangerous of all...
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