Having always been inclined toward fairly heavy meat (and sugar) eating, when I was 27 years old, I officially became a practicing Weirdo-Vegetarian on New Year's Day.
I did it because my then new found religiosity required I accept as "the Word of God" certain writings, some of which clearly stated that "GOD" did not want humans to eat or unnecessarily injure animals, clearly outlining what mankind's vegetarian diet should consist of and avoid.
The fact that I only found evidence of one single person in the church, one-time leader Joseph Fielding Smith, grand-nephew of Joseph Smith, who followed this Heavenly Counsel - was a shock and began a near 40 year battle and serious social/religious dilemma for me, but I determined then that I had no choice but to comply with "GOD's" directive.
After about a year and a half, returned from missionary service and newly married (she could make an acceptable fried baloney sandwich)...with the timing for personal action more appropriate, and after much soul-searching, I did.
I didn't know much about "cleansing" diets then, but was the beneficiary of one and had enough stockpiled nutrients (20 years worth of B-12 for instance though other nutrients must be replenished frequently) in my system to experience a startlingly positive reaction which only reinforced my acceptance that I was following God's way of eating, which once accepted quit being a thought on which I often focused.
I did put a lot of energy into concepting (there was little science then as "natural" pretty much meant UNPROFITABLE, until just recently) what the hard science could be to explain and control the benefits I had realized.
After "the Cleanse", however...which possibly took a few years to complete, there were no more particular benefits to be realized with one main exception.
That is the total (as possible) avoidance of "PROCESSED FOODS".
Processed is pretty much poison - hence, Factory Foods, including vegetables, meat and dairy are off the list, even at restaurants to whatever degree I can avoid or minimize potential damage I do.
I do not want to eat a factory egg.
However, aside from "benefits", there begin to be actual detriments to a vegan diet, especially in the years after my stored mineral and vitamin resources had been depleted.
After 20 years or so, it is not too acceptable to consider that your diet may be corrupt, especially if you originally developed it as a superior spiritual, natural health practice. (straight from the mouth of God)
But that's what happened.
My wife Kita made a comment about how she wondered if she would benefit from eating eggs.
I was taken by surprise and commented that though I would support her I didn't think I'd want to kiss her after she ate one.
My daughter Jamie really took me to task for that, and believe me, I did not mean that I would never kiss her again, just not while she was freshly egg-y.
Then I went to Ohio to care for my dying mother.
I wasn't gone but a few days before Kita was researching away the hours and making plans (3 years in the chewing it turns out) to get some organic, "pastured" eggs...and eat them!
I recanted my objectionable remark and after looking at some of her research, decided that I might as well give it a try too, meat being then - out of the question.
I have been very frustrated at my poor recovery from a damaged nerve I've been nursing for almost two years now, plus all my other high stress and it's effects on vitality.
So, suddenly after 29 and a half years of practicing and championing Vegetarianism, I find I am suddenly no longer Vegetarian.
What a shock!
To me it's all about good science and amazingly, "self-acceptance" as an animal with a "natural diet, suffering from man-made anomalies.
The quasi-spiritual journey of VEGETARIANISM becomes just a concern of personal ethical practice (especially toward yourself) in a sea of voodooistic, magic-Jesusism, etc.
Being "Organic/Pastured" vs. "Factory" in everything meat and dairy is even more of a hassel than being Vegan!
You can't escape trickles of factory gunk in your world but it is logical to me to consistently subsist on your species own "real" diet (we are certainly omniverous by design and natural attraction)
We did find that by avoiding processed foods, our whole family has avoided most modern medical disabilities, including carries, heart disease, etc.
What we found is that after an honest trial with sincere effort for about 25 years as mostly raw, live food oriented vegans, and nearly 30 years as vegetarians, we were not seeing the healthy evidence of our self-care while other people who were eating crap diets had more vitality and vigor than we.
To not be a Vegetarian anymore seems weird.
It happened so fast.
There was a short three-month (4 mo. for Kita) backtrack to "ovo-lacto" vegetarianism with organic, pastured products only - eggs and cultured raw milks like yogurt and kefir.
Then two weeks ago after our dog had gotten lean and rejuvenated on 4 months of raw meat, I found us home with a whole chicken (all in soups so far) for us!
And yesterday Kita bought actual cow meat, a portion of which we ate with eggs for breakfast and it went fine.
Kita and I have never eaten or prepared meat together - that is strange.
We have both developed as cooks over the last 26 years that we've been together, but we find ourselves almost picking up where we left off in meat preparation.
Thank "god" for soup,though!
And thankfully, my burger with eggs today went fine and without incident! (no bread, of course)
Pretty freaky though, and yet I realized it was a natural extension of my having let go of my man-made spiritual formulaes and finding a more functional, rational and beneficial and most importantly 100& Direct, spiritual interaction.
Magic is real, but you still have to know which button to push.
Every gizmo from our bodies to the universe have buttons that need pushing (or avoiding) - and then the magic happens!
It always works. Even Jesus taught how to do it!
But...have I seen results yet??
Yes, after a couple months on eggs and kefir, my nerve damage issues began to improve noticeably to about 30% better right now. My hair is shiny and my nose is damp. JK
Kita claims to feel much better and energized and it's true that while I had been requiring a nap after every minor activity which consumed half to two-thirds of my days, lately I haven't even wanted to nap, though I do still feel fatigued alot and tire easily.
To me this is still an experiment, but the science collected primarily by Weston-Price supports it (scientific evidence in the diet field has been, in the past quite rare), and I have to say that it's refreshing to see scientists consider human diet realistically.
For example, I assumed eggs should probably be eaten raw, but actual research has shown that cooked eggs have a digetability/Bioavailability rate of over 92% while raw eggs score only 34%.
So, fried, scrambled, boiled or baked - cooked eggs are better for you!
Just the opposite of what my prior basic rational would have predicted!
We are also 100% off starch right now, to starve out the "starch-eating", life compromising, colonies of bacteria that are ill-proportioned, or downright unwanted in our guts while supplying and nourishing beneficial bacterias.
Since we as creatures are simply colonies of assorted bacteriums, it is in our interest to foster those that "accentuate the positive...and...eliminate the negative", especially since, as Sachmo says, "that's the game of life."
Dealing with the ethics of taking life to perpetuate life really only requires simple honesty and medium intellect to know that there is always a giving up of life in substance and energy (that's why we cook on low) and to extend that to natural and surprizingly critical foodstuffs and by letting go of the hype of "spiritual" eating, it is surprizingly more of a realization than a journey... so far.
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