Give A Man A Fish

If you decide to become a vegetarian, I implore you to include fish in your diet or, at least, dairy and eggs. Should these exceptions prove unacceptable to you, then please learn all you can about protein—alternate sources, that is. Protein deficiency can cause severe health problems, and many people tend to transform themselves too quickly thinking only of the health benefits. Someone I care about did this exact thing, and she ended up putting her health at risk.

Ideally before any major dietary change, you should consult a nutritionist or a healthy practitioner as well as doing your own research. When my parents discovered they both had cancer, I became more concerned with nutrition. I have begun my own campaign to learn about what we eat and how that effects us. Personally, I prefer to be a pescetarian (pesco-vegetarian). A pescetarian's diet includes fish, mollusks, and crustaceans in addition to fruits, vegetables, plants, legumes, nuts, and grains. It may or may not include eggs and dairy. To be clear, I am advocating neither for  nor against vegetarianism. My main focus is the importance of protein. It helps us grow, heal and monitor our blood sugar.

One of my favorite examples of vegetarianism is the story of Bill Pearl. He is a legendary bodybuilder, who for twenty years had the "perfect" physique. During his fifty year career, he morphed from a meat eater to a lacto-ovo vegetarian. At seventy-nine, Bill Pearl is still teaching people about health and nutrition. He maintains a 30-40-30 diet (30% protein-40%carbs-30%fat). Percentages are part of his teachings. It says that out of 100% of your diet devote a third of it to protein.

In the future, for your own health, I ask that you think before you eat. Whether you are a vegan, a vegetarian or a carnivore, I hope you will watch your percentages. And, finally, strive not for the "perfect" body, but for "perfect" health.

The Complexity of Depression

Here is an exert from Dr. Weil's blog post of October 2, 2009.

"Depression can be devastating. Its worst form, major depressive disorder, is marked by all-encompassing low mood, thoughts of worthlessness, isolation, and loss of interest or pleasure in most or all activities. But this clinical description misses the deep, experiential horror of the condition; the suffocating sense of despair that can make life seem too arduous to bear.

Here's something else we can say confidently about depression: it is complex. The cause is often a mix of factors including genetic brain abnormalities, sunlight deprivation, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and social issues including homelessness and poverty. Also, cause and effect can be hard to tease apart -- is social isolation a cause or an effect of depression?" Continue...

Depression's characteristics are prevalent throughout our lives whether from our own experience or through someone's for whom we care. It is often happening to them without our knowledge of it. I believe Dr. Weil's insights along with our constantly renewed understanding of it will help us manage and overcome it.


Additional Reading: You can also follow up with an article from the BBC and Dr. Weil's new post from today, "Integrative Mental Health: A New Model For Depression Relief".  If you are unfamiliar with him, I highly remcommend you read more about him through his books or his website www.drweil.com.

Grace to you and Peace.

Namaste,

Simon