Loveganism - Food Sans Violence
The Yoga of Food
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food#/media/File:Foods_(cropped).jpg |
Around 2500 years ago Gautam Buddha advocated compassion and
non-violence to all life including animals. This led to a large number of
persons adopting a vegetarian life style in South Asia.
In recent times the concept has spread further, across the globe.
A traditional vegetarian diet consists of not consuming any
meat or fish. However milk and its products are consumed freely. In a
traditional vegetarian diet eggs are not consumed since these too are regarded
as a flesh food. Vegans on the other hand go further and consume no animal
product at all including milk.
Some years ago, this author proposed the concept of
Loveganism that included eliminating or at least minimizing violence to all
life, not just animal life but also plant life. Lovegan foods are foods that
conform to this principle. Since the introduction of the concept online a few
years ago, it seems that some have taken up loveganism in different parts of
the world. A fresh note summarizing the older ones would therefore be useful.
At first glance, it may seem that loveganism would lead to a
highly restricted diet but it is in fact not so. All it requires is love for
both animal as well as the green side of life. A Lovegan diet is easier and
healthier than both vegetarian and vegan since milk and eggs are part of
lovegan food provided they can be produced compassionately. In traditional farming
homes a small number of cows or hens are kept as free range pets and consuming
some of their milk or eggs does not involve cruelty to the animal. Some modern
farmers have also devised compassionate forms of larger milk dairies and
poultry farms that permit the cows or hens to roam over fenced enclosures.
As regards the plant kingdom, it may be noted that food
grains such as wheat are collected when wheat grass has completed its life
cycle and hence bread is a lovegan food as are lentils, fruits, nuts and a
whole range of vegetables that do not involve killing the entire plant.
Potatoes and peanuts may be collected after the plant dries out or begins to do
so. Vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower involve cutting the
plant and are therefore not a part of lovegan diet. Leafy vegetables are
lovegan food provided the entire plant is not plucked out but leaves are taken
selectively and periodically as new growth comes up. Plants produce leaves far
more abundantly than humans produce hair.
Therefore, a lovegan food eater has a wide range of foods to
select from and can attain a life style that is healthier than both vegetarians
and vegans. Production of meat utilizes more of the planet's resources and is therefore more expensive. By skipping that one not only saves money on food, one may also save money on medical care if one develops conditions that result from much meat consumption. For the same reason when we consume a diet without meat, we indirectly contribute to reducing burden on Mother Earth and environment.
In conclusion:
It may be mentioned that all violence can not be avoided in
life. For example, violence is at times needed to stop a violent attack on
self. Similarly violence on plants needs to be perpetuated at times for
clearing an agricultural field of weeds. However what Loveganism suggests is,
except for unavoidable necessities it is best to avoid violence leave alone
cultivate it for food. Better to cultivate love and compassion for all life
instead
When one consumes lovegan food in a spirit of gratitude to Mother Earth and Father Universe that provide this food, then it is yoga, the yoga of food for then one unites one’s consciousness in love and gratitude with all life and the consciousness of the universe
A Wise Precaution
For those contemplating a vegetarian or lovegan life style,
it may be mentioned that the human body takes time to adapt and one may suffer
in health by suddenly giving up on meat. The sensible way appears to be to cut
down the number of times in a week meat is consumed bringing it down to once a
week over several months as the first step. This would give the body time to
adjust as also an opportunity to learn about alternatives. Only when one has
become comfortable with that should one consider giving up on meat altogether.
It may be noted that taking up any system of thought in a fanatic way does not
appear to be wise in most thing, especially not food. Even after one has become
a vegetarian, if occasions arise when one is visiting, eating out or
emergencies, one should accept whatever is available or appealing in a spirit
of gratefulness. In the eventual analysis any food does good to one’s soul if
we use our life and energy in contributing good to the world.
An interested reader may find a lot more discussion on the
subject at the following link:
http://someitemshave.blogspot.in/search?q=lovegan
For more on nutrition and diary products see
http://www.yogurtinnutrition.com/milk-and-yogurt-may-increase-vitamin-b12-intake/ |
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