Many people always like the Buddhists, among other things because of their friendly look and smile on their face all day long. Today we take a look at Buddha's Diet along with his lifestyle, both at the good aspects of their habits, but also at the possible drawbacks of this way of life.
A bit of history
Buddhism was founded in the 6th century BC in eastern India.
The founder, Siddhartha Gautama, became the Buddha (the Enlightened One), who would later follow hundreds of thousands of people around the world to eliminate suffering from their lives.
Lifestyle
The Buddhist way of life is outlined by various ethical precepts.
The difference between a prescription and a mandate is that the latter is mandatory and the former is recommended.
These regulations are:
- You will not take life.
- You do not take what is not given to you (you do not steal).
- You will not have sexual misconduct.
- You are not lying.
- You are not ingesting toxins that numb the mind.
What is the Buddhist Diet?
There are a few different schools of Buddhism, and each approach their diet a little bit differently. However, the main features are ...
Vegetarian
The Buddhist diet is lacto-vegetarian.
That is, they include dairy products and derivatives, but they do not take other products of animal origin.
This is pursuing the fulfillment of the first precept (you do not take life away). Although there are Buddhist schools that are more flexible and eat animals as long as the animal is not slaughtered exclusively for humans.
Refrain from alcohol
They completely exclude the intake of alcohol and other toxic substances because they “cloud the mind” and can lead to non-compliance with other regulations.
We love a glass of vino or a cocktail (or two) as much as anyone else, but the truth is that alcohol isn't the best news for your health - so without alcohol, as some Buddhists do, is actually very good.
One reason, of course, is that alcohol is packed with calories. Drinking a lot can easily lead to weight gain, so if weight loss your goal, minimizing your alcohol consumption will be an important tactic.
What may not surprise you is that alcohol consumption is also linked to a range of conditions, including colon cancer, breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and mental health problems. They're pretty serious things, so if you can live without it (or at least be more frugal), your health will thank you very much for it.
Fasting and meditation
Lately everyone has been talking about intermittent fasting, but Buddhists have been doing it for 2,500 years without anyone telling them what autophagy is.
The reason is not that they plan to get into a tight suit or lose that 2% excess body fat. No, Buddha's Diet consists of fasting for self-control and willpower which is of course a very nice motivation.
In addition, they limit food intake to only the hours of the sun, which, given recent evidence, may be beneficial for maintaining our healthy biorhythms.
Other uses
Buddhism cannot be understood without talking about meditation, compassion or empathy.
These customs are so intrinsic to the Buddhist school and have also shown the scientific community that they have many health benefits:
- Better concentration
- Increased subjective sense of well-being
- Stress reduction
Now let's talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the Buddhist way of life.
Benefits of Buddha's Diet
Vegetable diet
It's a healthy diet when properly considered, and has been shown to reduce the cases of multiple chronic diseases (including cardiovascular disease, killer number 1).
The absorption of abundant polyphenols, antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals along with a non-excessive energy intake make it an interesting choice in the West.
It is a diet that completely eliminates alcohol and is often recommended in nutritional advice.
Intermittent Fasting
As mentioned, Buddhists are masters of intermittent fasting and take advantage (without perhaps knowing it) of all its benefits.
It is striking how some form of fasting practice has been incorporated into all traditions.
The Buddhist way of life also includes other non-diet related practices beneficial to health, such as meditation.
Limitations of the Buddhist Diet
Unfortunately, nothing is quite perfect. In this case too, there are some drawbacks:
Nutrient deficiencies
Certain vegan or vegetarian populations are known to have lower levels of essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D, zinc or omega-3, all of which are present in good proportions in foods of animal origin.
Yes, with good planning (and addition) this can of course be corrected, but unfortunately these correct planning and adjustments do not always happen.
Protein consumption
As with any vegetarian diet, without proper planning, it can be difficult to get an adequate amount of protein to prevent (or treat) sarcopenia.
Healthy aging involves maintaining a quantitative and qualitative healthy muscle mass.
Lack of strength training
When mentioning Buddhism or its lifestyle, it rarely involves exercise.
Of course, climbing stairs at the monastery can be of added value, but strength exercises between the meditation session would be even better.
Finally about Buddha's Diet
The Buddhist diet is a fairly sensible diet, much of which should be achievable in the long run. For the most laid-back Buddhists, diet, alcohol consumption, and eating patterns are a personal choice, but it doesn't hurt to learn a few lessons from the traditional Buddhist diet if you're trying to improve your health.
It is also good to learn a lot from the Buddhist community, and not just about their diet. Their attitude to life, their respect for others and, most importantly, their good control and prevention of health problems stress, are tools that are needed more than ever in the West.
Sources include BodyAndSoul (link), Coveteur (link), HSNStore (link)
