There are tons of articles and studies that have been conducted that inform us of the negative or positive influence food has on our mood and overall well-being. Over the past 30+ years I have been experimenting with food both as a vegetarian and non-vegetarian and I wanted to share my feelings about this. Bear in mind that I am more concerned about how food impacts our moods and whether it has any negative impact to those we interact with.
I am currently a non-vegetarian and my diet consists of poultry and fish. I do eat a considerable amount of vegetables that includes salads and green vegetables. You may be thinking how someone can be promoting non-violence with others when he is not promoting non-violence with animals. Let me start with the fact that I am a non-vegetarian for health reasons that meshes well with my active lifestyle.
In prior experiences, I did become vegetarian for spiritual reasons but have also discovered that you can still be non-vegetarian, be at peace, practice ahimsa towards others, and be spiritual. I believe in responsibly eating meat products, where possible, that don’t involve factory farming and allow animals to freely roam. I believe in organic meat products that are free of antibiotics. I consume wild fish where possible. I also believe in consumption of organic vegetables and fruits at a significant level.
This blog’s focus is not non-violence towards animals, but non-violence towards others and building inner peace within ourselves. My interest is breaking barriers between humans and providing ideas that can bring us closer together. Some of the greatest individuals contributing to peace between individuals were non-vegetarians such as Dr. Martin Luther King. Some of the greatest spiritual minds were non-vegetarian such as Swami Vivekananda. The Dalia Lama is non-vegetarian. In the future, I may switch to being a vegetarian if it just feels right, but for now I have chosen the path to be a non-vegetarian.
The principles of eating meat or not eating meat are a matter of personal preference and I am indifferent to this. All I will say is that one needs to look at how they feel when they consume certain food items. Let your emotions drive how you feel and what you want to eat based on your needs and lifestyle. Here are some of my findings as it relates to my body and emotions about experimenting with each diet:
Finding 1: In either a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet, there was no influence in my mood in terms of driving anger or aggression toward another. In each dietary preference, over a 12+ year period, I would get frustrated, angry, and anxious for a variety of reasons but I can’t say there is strong link attributable to one diet preference driving my emotions. What this means is that in my case it was likely environmental conditions (i.e., friends, family, job, quality of life) that played a higher role in driving my negative emotions than a specific diet.
Finding 2: The quality of the food product, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian, strongly mattered. If meat or vegetable was stale, not only did it not taste good but it didn’t accommodate my body well. These food items caused gas, indigestion, as well as vomiting. The fresher the meat or vegetable was and the sooner I consumed it, the better it was for my body. I also live a lifestyle where I don’t keep leftovers more than one day which works better for me.
Finding 3. The shift from a vegetarian to a non-vegetarian diet has provided me with higher levels of energy throughout the day. Not sure exactly why, but my lower energy levels could have been attributable to the types and quantities of vegetarian foods I was consuming. Regardless, my current diet where I have added more meat has given me more energy and strength. Overall, it has a very positive effect on my body and as mentioned earlier, the meat hasn’t influence my mind in a negative way.
Finding 4: In either a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet, the role caffeine played was not significant. I have experimented with going months without coffee, tea and sodas as well as going months consuming up to 2 cups a day. Caffeine has had a fluctuating impact to my body. In some cases a combination of sodas and teas creates acid reflux that makes me feel agitated and nervous. My anxiety also grows. Some of the months without caffeine has made me sleep better and severely reduced my stomach reflux. I am generally at more ease. To wake up in the morning I would generally have water or herbal teas. One other thing that helped is that I get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Any less and I would need my cup of masala chai. Currently, I have been experimenting with masala chai using cinnamon and ginger. Both of these are great for cleaning the stomach and I have been able to consume it without acid reflux. Another product that is great for colon cleansing is hot water with lemon.
Finding 5: In either a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet, consuming food products high in carbohydrates contributed to more weight gain. Following a semi-paleo diet higher in poultry, fish and vegetables with significantly reduced carbohydrates has had a considerable impact in maintaining my weight and body. This coupled with some carbohydrates in the form of black beans and yogurt has also helped. I have noticed that when I was vegetarian I would eat cereals, grains and oats knowing there were vegetarian but in hindsight these probably contributed to my weight gain.
Several of you will read this and disagree with the findings. To some it will make sense. Keep in mind that good quality food is essential. The quality of what you eat, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian will make an impact on how you feel.
These findings are based on my personal experiment. It’s what worked for me. Will leave it to you to experiment and see what works for you. Eat in moderation. Create a positive cooking environment. Use the power of good food to create good for all.