Yeah, I plan to read some more Taoist books as time goes by. I read Tao Te Ching and Chang's books. Yeah, it is getting there that is difficult for me with a long history of consuming addicting modern food. So, I have been teaching myself how to prepare and cook a lot of food. I have given up on any recipes involving long cooking times in the oven since that is how more toxins form and practicing stir frying a lot with some great sauces like organic fermented rice Mirin and fermented soy sauce. I also have started trying to take the time to put my veges and such in boiling water for about 1 minute to get off contaminated byproducts, natural or otherwise. I also have spent a long time looking for sweeteners without to much sugar and am going to try Monk Fruit extract. I can't quite give up using some modern sauces since I like the way they enhance flavor.
I don't plan to give up meat, but I try to cut it back to maybe under 8 ounces daily in my stir fry. I think there is enough evidence that meat is needed in a diet. However, maybe if vegetarians would cut out grains and soak all legumes the vegetarian route may be the healthier option. I feel Taoists and vegetarians try to spiritualize it to often. I get Taoist texts explain the importance of being vegetarian, however they also may have not had the ability to study organisms at a microscopic level. We see now with microscopes the truly complex structure of the amount of organisms we destroy through breathing in air. Could it also not be said that for us to only define life by the forms we can see and experience an egotistical view, which we are not supposed to cultivate? If some evidence suggests that a little meat, just a little mind you is beneficial could we not eat it in our pursuit of balancing our health? In a way to refuse to eat a little meat to maintain our health is degrading to the life forms we destroy but can not see a daily basis. Although, I also admit being a vegetarian may be better for health if grains are avoided and legumes used in moderation. When Taoists cling to tightly to ancient texts of how spirituality is tied to abstaining from all meat without considering the changes our understanding of the universe brings through even modern science is it still Taoist?
The thing I still find most interesting in modern nutrition is about grains and the Taoist Bigu practice. When grains are heated some natural substances are formed into Acrylamide. Acrylamide is one of the most damaging carcinogens known to science. Grains are the highest sources of acrylamide. The EPA even makes acrylamide dumping illegeal. Even the FDA is beginning to acknowledge some of the dangers of it. Grains also have the highest levels of phythates, which leech some of the most important nutrients from our bodies. Although phythates are found in many natural foods. Although, soaking grains and legumes for over about 8 hours decreases phythates a lot.
The thing I find amazing is that the Taoist Bigu states that the grain worm demons consume the body from inside out as they report to heaven. However, what does cancer do? It literally and figuratively consumes the body from the inside out when it attacks new cells. I find it interesting that much taoist nutrition now includes large amounts of legumes and grains. I have a hypothesis that due to Mao Zedong's cultural revolution damage in recent history has caused Taoisim in China to not be aware of some of its older health practices such as Bigu.
Edited by newbjpt13, 18 January 2013 - 01:40 AM.
