JAINA Convention 2005 07 JCNC

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 60

JAINA
가
2005
By conserva
tive estimates, 70% of diseases
are
diet-related. Adding lifestyle factors such
as exposure to pollutants
and
variations in
exercise,
estimates run as high as 95%
54
܀܀
95%. Daily ailments that society has learned to accept, such as backaches, headaches, colds, cough, and fatigue are directly correlated to our diet and the incorporation, or lack, of raw-plant food. Even nutritionist, doctors, and scientists are starting to take note. Every week modern science verifies something new about the healing properties of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds. Arugula for its antioxidant properties, cucumber to cleanse the kidney, hemp seeds for omega 3, green vegetable juice for ulcers; the list goes on and on. It is far from coincidence that the most healing food on the planet is raw-plant food.
To understand why raw-plant food is so powerful, one must understand what happens to food when it is cooked. When food is exposed to temperatures above 115 F, the minerals, enzymes and vitamins are slowly denatured, proteins begin to coagulate and heated fats turn carcinogenic. Raw-plant food, compared to processed and cooked counterparts, is richer in absorbable minerals, enzymes and vitamins because it has not been denatured by heat. Although cooking is a very useful tool, its heavy incorporation into our modern diet has caused a backlash of disease from our bodies. One hundred years ago, however, the average amount of calories an individual consumed was significantly lower. This allowed the body to have ample time to process food and detoxify faster even though the majority of individuals were cooking their food. There were also fewer hormones, pesticides and processed oils being used which caused less adverse reaction and allergies. Individuals, who survived primarily on a diet of all cooked foods, including many monks, were able to retain excellent health because the amount of food they were consuming was so small. By practicing caloric restriction, they effectively kept their body light and clean.
The return back to a diet abundant in raw-plant food not only has health benefits, but environmental and spiritual ones as well. Karma is the supreme law of the universe and the energy an individual puts out always returns. The waste produced by packing; the deforestation produced by consuming dairy; the pollution produced by processing plants; the pesticides from high-tech farming are all slowly returning home. There was once a time when humanity used to throw things "away" and now away has gone away. Spiritually, over-consumption, food cravings and indulgence move us away from aparigraha (simplicity) and saiyam (restraint). Foods that radiate low vibrating energy also take their toll on mental states as well. They can cause individuals to be more aggressive, inconsiderate, upset and depressed.
When most individuals think about incorporating raw-plant food into their diet, even vegetarians, they have a hard time seeing how raw-foods could be sustaining enough for an entire meal. They can't imagine eating anything other than carrots, broccoli, and celery with dip. So what does one cat? The beauty about raw-plant food is that incorporating it into your current diet can be as simple or as complex as you would like. You can pick up an apple, banana, or melon or, for heartier dishes, there
Extending Jain Heritage in Western Environment