re: diet

[Guest guest]

Hi OneLove,

 

just to add to my comments about vegetarianism...

 

Ayurveda considers the amashaya to "hearth" of the body, and while it

may be difficult to correlate this exactly with a physiological organ,

I personally think that it is the stomach proper. If you would recall

your physiology you will remember that the stomach is an organ

exclusively devoted to the digestion of protein, through the secretion

of HCl and pepsin, which both act to denature and partially digest

animal proteins. We can see that the stomach however also plays an

important regulatory role in digestion, such as in the secretion of the

hormone gastrin, which promotes the secretion of the gastric juices,

contracts the lower esophageal sphincter (preventing heartburn),

ensures proper GIT motility, and relaxes the pyloric sphincter as well

as the ileocecal valve that unites the small intestine with the colon.

The stomach also secretes the hormones cholecystokinnin and secretin,

which also play important regulatory roles in digestion. Thus

maintaining good stomach function is absolutely key to good digestive

health, as has been stated by the acharyas of Ayurveda since time

immemorial.

 

As I stated, the stomach exists solely to digest protein, and when

animal proteins are consumed on a regular basis (without mixing with

alkaline carbos), it provides the chemical stimulus that ensures good

digestion. When proteins are vegetable-based, there is a smaller

amount of HCl and pepsin secreted, and an alteration in hormonal

stimulus. Decreased HCl secretion also promotes a decrease in the

production of intrinsic factor (needed for red blood cell development,

and hence an increased tendency to anemia), and in the primary

mechanisms of host resistance, such as the destruction of bacteria,

viruses, fungi, parasites etc. ingested in the food. Overall, we can

see that a vegetarian diet actually down-regulates digestive function

(decreases agni) and increases susceptibility to GIT infection. This

of course has obvious implications for digestive health, and the

potency of agni and the metabolic subsets that its guides in the body

(as well as agni-like mental factors like confidence and will-power).

Further to this, some vegetable-based proteins like legumes contain

phytic acid, that acts as an antinutrient by chelating minerals, and

lectins, which actively promote GIT inflammation. It isn't for any

reason that legumes are generally stated to increase Vata because of

their dry, light and cold properties - one can ameliorate this to some

degree by using herbs like Ginger etc., but the overall influence of

legumes is catabolic, and thus better for cleansing in states of excess

(i.e. Kapha). One can easily see that they are actually

contraindicated in dry, light or cold conditions (i.e. Vata mostly, but

also Pitta), and will tend to promote this state as well.

 

Lastly, the vegetarian diet is necessarily a high carbohydrate diet,

and given the very important correlation between such diets and the

dynamics of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia (i.e. metabolic

syndrome X), we know it to be one that tends to facilitate

cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and cancer. I often use the

waist to hip ratio as a kind indication of overall metabolic health,

and vegetarians have a difficult time maintaining a healthy ratio, and

tend to be a little pudgy around the middle, even if they are skinny

elsewhere. We now know that even small alterations in the waist:hip

ratio are linked with CVD, diabetes, and cancer, almost in an

exponential fashion. One strategy for vegetarians then is to decrease

the total caloric intake and increase exercise to get rid of those love

handles (which represent stored carbs as fat), but the problem is that

a high carb diet tends to promote hypoglycemia, which facilitates a

greater tendency to snack, which increases the total caloric intake.

Further, if this strategy is used, then the problem is that because a

vegetarian diet is less dense in terms of nutrients (esp. protein), one

risks nutritional deficiencies if one cuts calories - its a catch 22.

The criteria is different of course if you are a yogi or yogini,

because the path is one of non-attachment; but for the rest of us

schmucks it tends to create problems with metabolism and digestive

health, which inhibits our ability to cope with the every day stressors

of maya.

 

best wishes...

Caldecott

phyto

http://www.wrc.net/phyto