The Jain 1998 07

Author(s): Amrit Godhia, Pradip Mehta, Pravin Mehta
Publisher: UK Jain Samaj Europe

Page 73

10th anniversary praúshtha mahotsava
24
with much diluted hydrochloric acid in their gastric juices important role in maintaining the mind in a sound and large salivary glands. Their teeth are small and condition, and in restraining the passions. Western dull, with flat molars, whereas meat-eating animals have medical scientists and nutritionists, when discussing diet, large front teeth (for tearing meat) and no flat molars. Show concern mainly for physical health. They have The anatomy and physiology of humans facilitate the hardly researched the effect of diet on mental health, digestion of plant products. Their salivary glands assist which is necessary to achieve the objectives of human pre-digestion, dilute hydrochloric acid aids digestion, life. and the large intestinal tracts churn and absorb. It was only through necessity that humans began eating meat,
A diet containing meat, fish, chicken, eggs and which later became habitual, but humans cannot eat
alcohol, if chosen carefully, provides fine physical raw meat, as do carnivores, as their digestive system is
health, but it produces passions, which are damaging ideally suited to vegetarian food.
to mental health and hinder spiritual progress. Many
studies have revealed that due to the myth that a large Types of Vegetarians
amount of proteins are required for energy and
strength, the western diet contains excessive amounts The word 'vegetarian is derived from the Latin word
of meat and eggs. The body cannot utilise these extra 'vegetare', which means 'to enliven'. Vegetarians in
proteins and the excess is converted into nitrogen waste general do not eat meat, fish, poultry or eggs.
that burdens the kidneys. Meat has a high concentration Partial vegetarians may eat fish and chicken, but of saturated fat. Eggs are rich in cholesterol. High levels do not eat red meat such as beef, pork and lamb.
of saturated fat and cholesterol are considered as major
risk factors in heart disease and strokes. A meat diet Lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat dairy products and eggs may be low in dietary fibres, lack of which causes in addition to a vegetarian diet.
diseases to the gastro-intestinal tract. A large number
of potentially harmful chemicals are found in meat. Lacto-vegetarians take milk and milk products, but
Factory-farmed animals are fed hormones, not eggs. Most Indian vegetarians belong to this
tranquillisers, antibiotics and many of the 2,700 drugs group. Jains are lacto-vegetarians, but many devout
used in agriculture, some of which remain in the meat. Jains do not eat root vegetables.
Certain meat products may also contain harmful Vegans and Frutarians live on fruit, grains,
bacteria and poisons as in BSE, and may be diseased. vegetables, but no milk or other dairy products.
Certain preservatives are also potentially harmful. Non
vegetarian food requires greater care in production and Vegetarian Diet and Health
preservation compared to vegetarian food, but in spite
of all possible precautions being imperative to produce Plants have the ability to use the energy from sunlight,
more food to feed the growing population as efficiently carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, water and
as possible on the land available. minerals from the soil to make complex compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins and fat. When a human
About four-fifths of the world's agricultural land or an animal dies, its body, whether buried or cremated, is used for feeding animals and only one-fifth for directly disintegrates into the earth. Plants use the disintegrated feeding humans. Most of the fertile land devoted to material to make the complex food compounds, which cattle, which eat cereals, root and green crops, and are, in turn, consumed by animals or humans, and are various grains; if substituted with for crops suitable for thus recycled. The dead plants also have similar cycle. humans would yield far better economic results. Humans and animals derive their nourishment by Statistics from the Ministry of Food, Government of consuming plants or other animals, but ultimately it is India in Indian Agriculture in brief (1966) showed that the plants that supply their nourishment.
plant food, excluding vegetables, fruits and sugar,
provides on average 15.8 times more calories and 11.5 A balanced diet is required for both physical and
times more proteins when compared with animal foods, mental health. It should contain sufficient ingredients,
per acre of land (Wynne-Tyson 1979: pp. 18-20). About which produce energy for the necessary functions of
sixteen pounds of grains and soya beans, required to the body, to maintain the body tissues and to cater for
produce one pound of meat contains 21 times more the demands of growth, and repair of tissues after an
calories, eight times more proteins and three times accident, illness or reproduction. Diet plays an
The best discipline, may be the only discipline that really works is self-discipline.
- Water Kiechel.
Jain Education Interational 2010_03
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710_Le Baby