The bible talks quite a bit about what to eat. In Genesis, (1:29) we learn about the garden of Eden and are advised to eat the plants and herbs, nd the fruit of the trees and bushes; "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be your food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground - everything that hs the breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food." Then the fall happened and there were thorns, thistles, chaos and meat eating.
People have all different faiths, but the common threads are kindness, compassion and our maker pointing us to a plant-based diet, to live kindly and in harmony.
The very first thing I want to do is turn you on to this book by Dr Rabbi Gabriel Cousens, who has lectured throughout my latest Hippocrates Health Institute training. The book is Conscious Eating, by Gabriel Cousens. For ease, I have included a link, so just click on the coloured ink to get more info or purchase. Hearing his lectures has been one of the things I greatly look forward to in my Hipp studies. I find him engaging, charming, approachable, enlightening, coming from a place of great kindness and so educational. I was vegetarian for several years in my youth and began 2015 getting back to that and now being primarily vegan.
You can eat junk food and still be vegan. The point of eating this way, other than being kind to animals and the planet that is far over-taxed, is to get the nutritional, the vitamin, enzyme and mineral deficit most of us have mitigated. We want to be filled up with things that bring us abundant health and resilience.
In my studies this week, it suddenly hit me how deep this goes and it was right after another lecture from Gabriel noting Genesis as a baseline for how we are directed to eat. Today we live in a very polluted world. Back when the bible was writ, everything had just been newly formed, pristine. We Humans hadn't had any time yet to screw it all up with greed, corruption, factory farming, with Monsanto and Big Farma and Big Business controlling the Government that We The People voted in to take care of US. Go back in your mind to the beginning, envision everything pure, newly minted. Think just how powerful a statement this is, to be told by our maker to eat a plant-based diet!
This week I had someone exclaim 'I am NOT subsisting on twigs and berries! I must have nutrition and protein!' So I want to talk about this. Other than the fact Gods original plan was that we dine in this manner (and who else would know better than God?) the fact is that today's food supply is treacherous. Wheat is vastly weakened, no longer the 'Staff of Life'. Our farm animals are over-crowded and living miserable lives in miserable conditions. What do you think that does to the milk, the cheese, the meat? Who wants to eat unhappiness? I don't. And I learned recently that many processed snack foods contain opiates to further addict us to the product!
Ownership to take control of your lifestyle, your menu, falls upon you. The way the world runs today, the focus is on profit above all else. The FDA, the USDA, do not care one jot about the public at large. The government doesn't care if you live or die, just please pay your taxes first. ☺
We are continuously being controlled and conditioned to live fast, eat fast, look for the quick fix and over-work ourselves to an earlier grave and be just too busy to think about all of this too much. I got laid off last February as a Project Manager where I was in a great time famine. Suddenly I have time to think about things more. And so I share.
In creating juices for a small seminar on juicing, someone asked 'Are you going to create a juice and bottle it? This could be a great product and business opportunity for you!' I explained that, while there are bottled juices out there and that, yes, they are convenient, the issue is that 1) product that sits for anything longer than 15 minutes oxidises and loses vast nutrition. 2) Unless you have another access point, the grocery store shelves are stocked with product that has been pasteurised, which uses high heat to neuter all natural enzymes and vitamins. This is why so many products are labeled with 'Added Vitamins'.
If you are just starting out, start small. Read my blog posts, because I have done the research on best practices for sprouting, making nut milks, there are some recipes and, after my latest school work is completed, I will be adding a lot more content! What helped me is books like this one. I have several vegan books (and you can find some groovy recipes online too) that helped me figure out what to make now that I am not eating meat and what do I use to replace such things as milk or cheese or butter.
Begin by taking baby steps. And I am here if you need help with this, it's what I do as a consultant. In a pinch, of course you can buy the already prepared stuff at the store, but let me tell you, the difference between making your own nut milk (almond, Brazil) are lightyears tastier and healthier than anything you buy pre-made.
Because we've been conditioned to 'fast' food, fast ways, know that there is a process of re-learning and acceptance of some pre-planning as well as time consumption needed for this lifestyle. For example, I grow my own greens in the spring/summer. It takes me extra time to work my garden.
If you forgo a garden, but want to sprout, the products I recommend will absolutely save you time, but there will still be a bit of time and preparation involved to soak your seeds the night before, to check water levels and harvest. I find all this calming and meditative now. And I am now in a groove with all of it. At first, like anything you are new too, it took extra time as I tried to figure all of it out. This is exactly what hit me on the idea to be a Plant-Based Lifestyle Consultant. I believe a lot of folks need a 2 hour session with me to not only perhaps learn about why sprouts are vital to this diet, but how to set up their kitchens for success and time savings.
It's a new year. Your body has carried you all this way. Give yourself the gift of love, respect, abundant health and resilience!
Peace.
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