Vegetarianism and living

[aditya]

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Yes, you were not only implying but firmly stating that I am waiting for "the next white man's scientific discovery" to make a positive change in my life, in one of your previous postings (see above). May be you forgot what you wrote.

Perhaps, I should not have used the word non-sense in describing some of the things in scriptures, it is too strong a word. All I was saying is that vedas and other scriptures contain a lot of relevant information as well as information which may not be relevant to modern times. I do not know if i can call it unscientific.

Let us take Atharva-Veda , it contains a lot of verses for charms, rites and prayers. There are specific charms, and rituals to rid the mind of disease and demons. For example there is a charm against Jaundice. Do you really suggest someone invoke this charm , instead of going to a doctor.

You are right, I do seem to have conveyed that impression.

I can understand your point of view. My issue is that while we may not accept, or adopt, everything from the Vedas, for whatever reasons - because it clashes with our particular modern life-style, or it appears antiquated, and we no longer think it is ‘cool’ or necessary - we must also be careful not to reject everything in it as unscientific. Just because one thinks it’s irrelevant to oneself, does not mean it is unscientific. Also, for that matter, there is nothing wrong, or shameful, in being proud or appreciative of our heritage, and the wisdom contained in the vedas, even if we don’t personally adhere to all the teachings, practices, and recommendations. It is important equally - and you will agree no doubt that it is a scientific approach - to understand something thoroughly before dismissing it as nonsense or unscientific. That was what I was trying to get at. But, it seems like now we both agree that calling it ‘nonsense’ or dismissing it as ‘unscientific’ might have been extreme. So, I’ll say no more on that…

About the statements on sambar, no you are not being a pain in the tushy!. I would not call eating sambar and rice as unhealthy at all, but eating only these two might be nutrinionally inadequate. Unhealthy is different from inadequate nutrition. True, dhal contains a lot of nutrients, but the quantity found in sambar is not much. I do not want to go into the details, but an average person needs around 50-70 grams (depending on lifestyle and age ) of high quality complete proteins ( as opposed to incomplete proteins ) daily. And also dhal is not a complete protein, and so some other proteins are needed to supplement it, like curd or even the small amount of protein found in rice of wheat. Soy is a legume that has complete proteins. It is a good option. I am not suggesting it because it is popular in Japan and West. I like it because it has nutrients that my body wants. No harm in adopting foods from abroad if they are good.
I have spent a lot of time looking into various foods as I have been trying different foods for practicing for marathon. I have a good idea of various constituents of the different types of foods. If you want more information on any food, please feel free to ask me.!
Yes the indian spices are good and have a lot of beneficial properties.

Your well wishes for completing the marathon are very much appreciated!. This is my second marathon, but I just plan to complete it , not really looking for a 1st or 2nd spot.

As for the above point, I too don’t think, and did not say, that eating rice and sambhar alone makes a nutritionally complete and wholesome diet. I simply meant that sambhar is also a healthy dish. Albeit traditional, it can also be substituted now and then for the ordinary dhal that you mentioned. The meals in south India, or at least in TN, traditionally comprised three courses, or minimum three courses: sambhar and rice, followed by rasam and rice, and curd and rice at the end, with various types of curry, Kootu, pickles, papads, parupu usli, and lentil powders, as accompaniments or relishes. Thus, the intake of protein, amino acids, minerals and vitamins in a meal was from variety of sources. Each meal was complete and wholesome, from nutritional point of view. I do agree that if one no longer has these traditional three-course elaborate meals (which is more often the case nowadays), they will have to modify their dietary habits, by substituting other kinds of food – soya, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.

So, now that we understand each other (I hope), I shall refrain from further comments on this issue too. However, I’m all ears if you’d like to periodically throw in more information on your dietary practices, your experimentation with specific diets, and your trials and tribulations, as a runner, in the world of food. I’ll thrown in something too, as and when I come across something of interest…

 

[aditya]

The True History and religion of India: A Concise Encyclopedia of Authentic Hinduism, written by Swami Prakashanand Saraswati, is an interesting book You can find information on it in the following address, in case you are interested in procuring a copy.

http://www.thetruehistoryandthereligionofindia.org/

The book gives insight into the history of Hinduism and its practices, from a perspective that differs from those found in many other works, mostly written by western Indologists (Max Mueller, William Jones, etc.). In the book, Swami Prakashananda addresses the interpolations that were deliberately introduced in the vedic texts on number of issues, by various rulers in different time periods before the British, and then by the British.

On the issue of vegetarianism, he states that interpolations were introduced that suggested that meat eating was acceptable, and recommended from a religious point of view, primarily to accommodate the various ruler’s personal food preferences and habits. There are several pages and sections in the book devoted to the issue, with references to verses from the various texts such as Manu Smriti, Poorv Mimansa, etc., . I have quoted verbatim some passages from the book, enough to give an idea (I have tried to ensure that the quotes are verbatim, but may have inadvertently missed out a word here and there).

On the interpolations in the scriptures in general, he says: (pg. 334)

There are three kinds of fabrications: (a) altering only few words of verse to change its meaning, (b) creating new verse of the desired meaning, (c) creating full new section of a chapter to elaborate the killing and meat eating episodes.

On why and how these interpolations on meat eating came about: (pg. 330-336)

…We have to look into the history before the advent of Guatama Buddh when there were chatriya kings who ruled various parts of India. Those non-vegetarian worldly and ambitious kings, presuming to receive heavenly luxuries, had started to do animal sacrifices in the name of yagya. It’s the nature of kaliyug that once a wrong and unholy transition starts in the world, it grows like bush fire. The same thing happened with this tradition and all the kings and the landlords, big or small, excessively started doing animal sacrifices and the poor brahmans, in the greed of getting money, supervised and conducted such yagyas.

There is a greater probability that during that time, the powerful kings, to religiously justify their wrong deeds of killing and eating the animals, made the brahman scholars create such verses and chapters that should exactly match the literary style of the scriptures and added them in the Smritis, Grihya sutras and Dharm Sutras, etc., as they were the main religious books related to the ritual performances. Statements of meat eating in shradh and offering it to god and offering meat to guests as compulsory act was also added in the Smritis etc., wherever there was chapter on shradh. During that period Gautama Buddh came and taught the lesson of compassion on all the beings…

….There was a big change in the history of India when the Han and Shak tribes began to invade and started settling in North India...There is a greater possibility that during that period also lot of similar interpolations concerning the animal killing and meat eating would have been done in the Smritis and the Sutras and subsequently the interpolations of offering meat in shradh to brahmanas and the gods would have also been added in the Puranas…

…impious interpolations in Smritis and Sutras, etc were not the work of one single period, they must have been done during the span of thousands of years and under the instructions of the ruling kings of that time, because the wordings themselves give a smell of perverted sovereignty…

Swami Prakashananda cites verses from the various texts, to demonstrate the inconsistencies in their recommendations, and suggests that these inconsistencies are as result of delibrate tampering with the original texts.

In the later sections, he details the role of the British indologists in promoting the interpolated verses to their great advantage, in order to destroy Hindu religion and culture.

…They knew that Hindus adore their sages, saints and acharyas. They are vegetarian and have great regard for the cow. Thus, with one blow, they tried to crumble the faith of the Hindus in their Vedic Sages. They vigorously promoted such ideas which showed that Vedic brahmans not only ate meat but they loved to eat meat as a must. In this way they imposed their personal characteristics upon Hindu Sages.

The Greek gods and goddesses were pleased with animal sacrifices, Roman gods were of the same kind, God of the Bible loved to demand frequent animal sacrifices from each and every house. Thus, because such things were in their own religion, the English people tried to abuse the Vedic yagyas and the Vedic religion in a similar way... (pg. 338)

 

[aditya]

Cancer-reducing properties of turmeric have already been noted. Now, here's one more reason to consume and enjoy southern India's famous sambhar, rasam, curries, and kootus.

Curry may keep elderly minds sharp ​

A diet containing curry may help protect the aging brain, according a study of elderly Asians in which increased curry consumption was associated with better cognitive performance on standard tests.

Curcumin, found in the curry spice turmeric, possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

It's known that long-term users of anti-inflammatory drugs have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, although these agents can have harmful effects in the stomach, liver and kidney, limiting their use in the elderly.

Antioxidants, such as vitamin E, have been shown to protect neurons in lab experiments but have had limited success in alleviating cognitive decline in patients with mild-to-moderate dementia.

In their study, Dr. Tze-Pin Ng from National University of Singapore and colleagues compared scores on the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) for three categories of regular curry consumption in 1,010 nondemented Asians who were between 60 and 93 years old in 2003.

Most of the study subjects consumed curry at least occasionally (once every 6 months), 43 percent ate curry at least often or very often (between monthly and daily) while 16 percent said they never or rarely ate curry.

After taking into account factors that could impact test results, they found that people who consumed curry "occasionally" and "often or very often" had significantly better MMSE scores than did those who "never or rarely" consumed curry.

"Even with the low and moderate levels of curry consumption reported by the respondents, better cognitive performance was observed," Ng and colleagues report.]

These results, they note, provide "the first epidemiologic evidence supporting a link between curry consumption and cognitive performance that has been suggested by a large volume of earlier experimental evidence."

Curry is used widely by people in India and "interestingly," the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease among India's elderly ranks is fourfold less than that seen in the United States.

"In view of its efficacy and remarkably low toxicity," curry shows promise for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease, the researchers conclude.

SOURCE: American Journal of Epidemiology, November 1, 2006.

 

[aditya]

The complete version of the article details the plight of each type of animal. http://www.hsus.org/farm/resources/research/welfare/welfare_overview.html

An HSUS Report: The Welfare of Animals in the Meat, Egg, and Dairy Industries​

Abstract Each year in the United States, 10 billion land animals are raised and killed for meat, eggs, and milk.(1,2) Statistically, farm animals comprise 98 percent of all animals in the country with whom we interact directly,(3) and that staggering percentage does not even include the estimated 10 billion aquatic animals killed for human consumption. Indeed, the numbers of animals killed by trappers and hunters; in classrooms, research laboratories, and animal shelters; and on fur farms; and those animals raised as companions or used for entertainment by circuses and zoos, collectively make up only 2 percent of the animals in some established relationship with humans.(4)

These farm animals—sentient, complex, and capable of feeling pain and frustration, joy and excitement—are viewed by industrialized agriculture as mere meat-, egg-, and milk-producing machines, and their welfare suffers immensely as factory farm profit outweighs their well-being. Yet, despite the routine abuses they endure, no federal law protects animals from cruelty on the farm, and the majority of states exempt customary agricultural practices—no matter how abusive—from the scope of their animal cruelty statutes. The welfare of farm animals often loses out to the economic interests of factory farmers who can make larger profits by intensively confining animals and breeding them for rapid growth with little regard for the amount of suffering the animals endure.(5)

The Cows
Every year in the United States, approximately 35 million cattle are raised for beef,(53) 9 million cows for milk,(54) and 1 million calves for veal.(55)

Most beef cattle are castrated, de-horned, and branded,(56) painful procedures performed without any anesthesia.(57) For seven months, calves graze on the range(58) before they are transported to feedlots,(59) where they are fattened on unnatural diets. Within six months, they reach market weight of 1,200 pounds(60) and are trucked to slaughter. As with other animals to be killed for food, cattle are not given any food, water, or protection from the elements during the journey.

Dairy cows endure annual cycles of artificial insemination, mechanized milking for 10 out of 12 months(61) (including 7 months of their 9-month pregnancies), and giving birth. The cows are routinely given hormones to get the highest milk yield possible. According to Dr. John Webster, "The amount of work done by the [dairy] cow in peak lactation is immense. To achieve a comparable high work rate a human would have to jog for about 6 hours a day, every day."(62) This rigorous cycle overburdens the cows, who are considered "productive" for only two years(63) and are slaughtered when four years old.(64)

A byproduct of the dairy industry is a calf per year per cow. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture fact sheet, "Male dairy calves are used in the veal industry. Dairy cows must give birth to continue producing milk, but male dairy calves are of little or no value to the dairy farmer."(65) As a result, within their first few days of life, the calves are taken from their mothers.(66,67) Females will likely join the dairy line, while some males are sold to veal farmers. Indeed, the veal industry would not exist without the dairy industry. Calves raised for veal are intensively confined and tethered by the neck in individual stalls so small they can't turn around during their entire 16- to 18-week lives before slaughter.(68) Veal crates are widely known for their inherent cruelty. As with conventional battery cages and gestation crates, veal crates are being phased out in Europe, yet are still in use in the United States.

Cattle suffer the same mistreatment as pigs during both their transport and slaughter.

Conclusion
There are no federal animal welfare laws regulating the treatment of the billions of animals raised for meat, eggs, and milk, while they're on the farm. Further, while all 50 states have cruelty statutes, most explicitly exempt common farming practices, no matter how abusive. As a result, farm animals suffer immensely as, within much of animal agribusiness, the welfare of the animals is severely compromised by customary factory farming practices, as the economic interests of the producer often conflict with—and generally take priority over—the animals' well-being.

 

[aditya]

It is ironic that while more and more Indians are taking up to non-veg foods, because it is 'cool' to do so, westerners are increasingly turning to vegetarianism.

[URL]http://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2006/11/2.shtml#2

Vegetarian Journal Poll: Americans 2.3 Percent Vegetarian​

UNITED STATES, October 31, 2006: Almost everybody seems to have a relative or a friend who is vegetarian. Even large corporations have become greatly interested in vegetarian and cruelty-free items. For example, Colgate recently purchased control of Tom's of Main for $100 million. Silk and its parent company White Wave were bought by Dean Foods, the largest U.S. processor of dairy foods. Though a high number of Americans are interested in natural foods, how many adults are actually vegetarian? To find out, the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) hired Harris Interactive to conduct a national poll. In this year's poll, 2.3 percent of adults aged 18 years or older say they never eat meat, fish, or fowl and, thus, are vegetarian. Furthermore 6.7 percent of the total say they never eat meat. Nine percent of females say they don't eat meat, which makes them almost twice as likely as males at 5 percent to abstain from eating meat. However, the percentage of vegetarians is almost evenly split between genders with 3 percent of women and 2 percent of men being vegetarian. Approximately 1.4 percent of the total population is vegan, meaning that their diets do not contain meat, fish, poultry, dairy or eggs. The U.S. 2000 census found that there are approximately 205 million non-institutionalized adults aged 18 years or older in the United States. Based on 2.3 percent being vegetarian, the VRG calculates there are approximately 4.7 million adult vegetarians in the U.S. Since there are more people in 2006, the number of vegetarians would be somewhat higher. For a further breakdown of the poll, see URL above

[/URL]www.vrg.org

 

[aditya]

Indians can't stomach everything Western​

MUMBAI: Wine is apparently fine for the heart, but what about the traditional gut?

At a time when Indians, especially those living in the metros, are aping Western lifestyles and diets, this wine quiz was served at the just concluded XIth World Congress on Clinical Nutrition held in the city to stir some delectable debate. The take-home message was simple: not everything Western would suit the Indian gut.

"The query is about the traditional gut and modern foods," said Canada-based Dr Tapan Basu, executive director of the International College of Nutrition.

The expert theory holds that nutrition and genes play a vital role in disease-development patterns. If your nutrition is inappropriate, you are at a greater risk of getting certain diseases. As an extension to the theory, the scientists wondered if the Indian palate would indeed benefit from the French habit of sipping red or white wine during meals.

"Indians are traditionally not wine drinkers. So we can't scientifically say that it will do good to our hearts, like it does for the French," said Dr Surya Acharya of Alberta, Canada. "Do Indians produce the enzymes required for the purpose? It is not known."

Incidentally, it is still not conclusively known what contributes to the 'French paradox'— the fact that the French have the lowest rate of heart diseases in Europe. The jury is still out on whether it is the diet or alcohol that contributes greatly to the paradox.

Digestion does follow a genetic route, or so Acharya seemed to suggest. "While visiting a canola farm in California, I asked a scientist why the Americans didn't try mustard oil, which seems to have great health benefits for Indians," recalled Acharya.

The American explanation was simple: mustard oil could be dangerous for them as they had never been exposed to it, while Indians had consuming the same for centuries. The 'traditional gut and modern food' debate holds significance for the average Mumbaikar, who gets little time to exercise after travelling for hours from home to work and back.

A quick meal prepared without care for its calorific value or harm quotient is the order in most houses across Mumbai. A bite at a fast-food outlet usually passes off for lunch or dinner.

"Mumbaikars are at a stage where we know grandma's recipes with their balance of fat and carbohydrates are the best, but we don't pursue them," said endocrinologist Dr Shashank Joshi, editor of JAPI (Journal of the Association of Physicians of India) who organised the meet.

The result of such habits is an increase in lifestyle diseases, such as heart problems, hypertension and diabetes. "Mumbaiites have to realise that they are genetically more predisposed to heart diseases and a small change in their dietary habits could delay the onset of such diseases," said Basu. "Ten years back, China was similar to India in lifestyle-disease patterns, but such is the growing awareness in China that one can see groups of people exercising outside malls every morning."

In contrast, Indians seem unaware that a simple calculation like the waist-to-hip ratio can be a good pointer of the risk a person faces of developing heart diseases.

"If the ratio is less than one, you are fine. If not, you need to work on dietary modifications and lifestyle changes," advised Basu.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/..._Western_/articleshow/msid-533547,curpg-2.cms

 

[aditya]

Dr.N.Gopalakrishnan & IISH:"In quest of our Heritage"​

Author: Manjula Ramakrishnan
Publication: Haindava Keralam
Date: November 19, 2006

He is a senior scientist working in CSIR, Trivandrum and Honorary Director for Indian Institute of Scientific Heritage. He has amassed a host of academic qualifications that ranges from Masters in pharmaceutical chemistry, industrial sociology and journalism, all the way up to a D Lit in Sanskrit. He has earned these accolades for studying Indian Scientific Heritage, for this is his area of passion.

Meet Dr N Gopalakrishnan, who travels the hither to yon of the world spreading the message that there is a distinct link between Indian heritage and science and there are indisputable scientific explanations to what we practise as our heritage.

"Working as a senior scientist and also having studied the Indian scientific heritage in-depth, I wanted to contribute something original to the society. After nearly two decades of research I found that there is very deep scientific knowledge that existed in Indian heritage. My mission is to bring this back with the help of ultra modern science and instruments and ensure this is accepted by the more modern Indians world over, some of whom are losing touch with their own roots and heritage.

"The overwhelming response that I have received in this love's labour from the audience globally, constantly motivates me to probe and find out further about this mesmerising subject and also to spread the message far and wide," says Dr Gopalakrishnan.

Explaining with a small example he says, the most sensitive part of the body is the forehead. "A section of Indians apply sandalwood paste on the forehead as it cools and activates the brain. The red vermilion applied on the forehead by married women again absorbs and radiates mild UV rays. The most sensitive skin area in an entire body is that of the ear, particularly the area behind the ear and when people tuck 'Thulasi' leaves behind the ears it enhances blood circulation.

"Sitting on a plank or mat while praying is being practised by several religions and this is because squatting on the ground should not diffuse the bioelectrical radiation and this happens when the body is in contact with the floor. It has been scientifically established that the cadaver when cremated is reduced to a mere 58 grammes of ash -- however obese the person might have been during his lifetime -- all that is left of him is this and such findings often have a bearing on the psychology of an individual prompting him to lead a sin free life.

Thus every act of Indian heritage has strong scientific connotation," declares the scientist. The Surya Namaskaram or the salutation to the sun that is considered spiritual also involves the use of 186 movable joints of the body that work in perfect harmony with one another. It is also a remarkable combination of seven yogas and hence this salutation is considered scientifically as the king of exercises..

"Indian heritage has very deep biological, psychological, scientific and spiritual meaning. When practised it leads to social, family and national integration. And travelling within the borders of India and outside it, I was alarmed at the level of ignorance of people about their own heritage. At the same time what was uplifting was their extreme level of interest to know more. I often have as part of my audience, people from various walks of life, from many ethnic groups and what is the core concept of my speech is that I address them not to exhibit my knowledge, but to ensure I talk in a manner that they are able to comprehend, such that their interest does not waver or wane and thus my purpose is achieved.

"A few months back when I visited 17 universities in the USA and another seven universities in Canada, I found youngsters willing to sit for close to five hours to listen and grasp the nuances of our Indian scientific heritage. As long as I could link our various practices to science, it appealed to their contemporary thinking and what they had been rebelling against is authority flaunted by seniors saying, 'this is what has been practiced by generations. Don't question it, just learn to abide by it,' and blind acceptance is something they are not ready for."

The fact that he has been successful with spreading scientific Indian heritage is evident from the fact that various demographics respond to him in different ways. The youngsters ask a variety of probing questions, refuse to accept unless fully convinced, make notes diligently, "and if I am able to create an impression in their youthful, vibrant minds, I can draw strength from such modest success," says Dr Gopalakrishnan.

"When I am lecturing, I ensure that at no point am I caught droning on endlessly unmindful of audience participation or response. I always keep three people sitting in various corners of the auditorium as my reference point. I note with care, changes in their facial expressions, just one yawn will quickly make me introduce a joke, somebody glancing at their watch will prompt me to narrate an event from real life and thus as much as my audience has learnt from me, each lecture demonstration is a learning experience for me too," he smiles.

He derives strength from the fact that every single practice of our Indian heritage can be scientifically explained leading to information dissemination in the wavelength of the present day generation. And this is also precisely why students -- both Indian and non-Indian -- from Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge have invited him year after year to address them.

In 18 years of lecturing, Dr Gopalakrishnan has given over 5,500 lectures. He is still a student for he would like to acquire an academic degree once every five years, studying something new and facing the viva voce, for this is an experience that keeps the brain constantly in alert mode.

Besides it is important for a teacher to be continuously learning in order to impart the best to the taught he observes. "My message to Indians around the world is that unmindful of your political, religious or other leaning, learn about India, for it is your country. Even if you wish to criticise India, first learn comprehensively about it in order to help you highlight its flaws. Do not criticise with superficial knowledge. My studies have reaffirmed my faith in people and none can be categorised as bad" "Every individual is a manifestation of the divine.

"With the right approach, hard to dispute logic and sound reasoning, up to 60 per cent of negatives in any individual can be corrected. And when I say this I do not want to sound like a sanyasin for I am at all times a scientist. I want to fulfill my promise to Indian President Dr Abdul Kalam that by Aug.15, 2007, when India will celebrate the 60th anniversary -- Shashtiapthipoorthy -- as it is called, at least 100 million people would have got my message of Indian scientific heritage. This target is my constant motivation, as I move from one lecture demonstration to another, looking at the eager faces in front of me, thirsty for knowledge and hungry to know more about their own heritage"

URL: http://www.haindavakeralam.org/PageModule.aspx?PageID=2367&SKIN=1705

 

[Silicon Valley-an]

So absolutely true. Our diet is definitely a function of our racial heritage and what suits us might not suit other races and vice versa. For example, it is a well known fact that 70% of the human population cannot digest milk when people reach adult years. The races that cannot digest milk at all are those of African heritage,Dravidian and the Mongoloid races. Even among Caucasians the percentage of those who can digest milk is only 70-80%. Yet Milk has acquired a sacred status going into almost every dish in the West in one way or the other.

I myself am both lactose intolerant as well as allergic to milk protein. This means that whenever I go into a Western style restaurant, there is very little I can eat safely because almost everything has either milk or cheese or butter in it. So I avoid these as much as I can. The Indian restaurants are not much better.

The only restaurants in which Milk does not even enter the kitchen are Chinese and Thai restaurants because of their racial inablity to digest milk. Amazingly, though I am Indian, Chinese and Thai vegetarian restaurants are the safest restaurant choices for me.

Even in the South those of the pure Dravidian stock do not have much of milk products in their diet. Milk tend to be more popular in the North which has a higher percentage of Caucasian blood as well as Brahmins in the South who have a higher Caucasian content. Even among these it has been shown - as I have experienced it myself, that symptoms of Asthma are considerably reduced in Asthmatics if they eliminate Milk consumption.

With this high incidence of Milk intolerance, it is irrational that milk still holds such amn exalted status in all our lives. Here is an example where it is obvious that tradition can be wrong. A good vegetarian replacement for milk would be Tofu whiich has both the protein as well as the calcium that we derive from Milk.

However, Ghee has none of the substrances that cause either lactose intolerance or milk protein allergy and is safe for individuals for whom these cause problems but the cholestrol in ghee would then need to be considered.

However Milk is a valuable source of vitamin B-12 which is usually obtainable only from Animal sources of food. It appears that vegans who neither consume milk nor eggs nor meat need to take this as dietary a supplement.

For those who are willing to consider eggs, eating egg whites only is a great way to obtain both vitamin B-12 as well as the most perfect protein available in nature with a very low level of cholestrol. Egg yolks are best avoided due to their high cholestrol.

Conclusion: race does play a role in dietary choices and each person must listen to his body as well as findings of his own heritage AS WELL AS SCIENCE before choosing what diet suits him.

SV

 

[Vaylan]

Milk is also a great source of calcium, a must for preventing osteoporosis.

One drawback of vegetarian Indian diets is the low protein intake. Protein is necessary for balanced meals which otherwise would be lop-sided in fat and carb content.

You can either take Egg whites, Soy, or try Whey protein. Whey protein is an excellent supplement and is soluble in water and milk. If combined with weight training, systematic protein intake will noticeably increase muscle mass and keep a healthy metabolic rate.

 

[silverfox]

Hi Vaylan

I AM BACK! GUYS! After going AWOL for a month, I finally got my broadband connection here in Chennai (after placing so many calls!).

I beg to differ with you on the benefits of cow's milk. Research has shown that many of mankind's afflictions point to milk. To begin with, a cow's milk is intended for its calf; not humanbeings! It contains certain proteins (due to 4-stomachs) which are not at all suitable for human's consumption.

I do recommend soy milk, which also contains quite a bit of calcium. As regards protein, as vegetarians, the plant-protein is not as good as a animal-based protein. Tofu maybe a good source of protein.

 

[Vaylan]

Hi Silverfox sir - long time no see!

How are things in Singara :lol: Chennai ?

About milk, there are diverging schools of thought , each able to show research that backs their point of view.

A moderate amount of milk has been recommended by Harvard School of Public Health

Drawbacks of milk if any have not been shown to be conclusive or comprehensive ( translation - no one can prove that excessive milk is bad or that milk is totally bad even in small amounts )

One must also keep in mind that the Hindu way of life has been predominantly pastoral/rural since ancient times and even the Hindu value systems revolve around venerating the Cow , ( Kamadhenu, Nandini, etc ) . There is a good reason to believe this Cow-veneration has its origins as a religio-social construct based on exalting the prevailing way of life.

Also, I would expect milk in India to be even better from a health point because of a relative lack of industrial methods involving growth hormones and controlled feeds.

That's it for the milk, what's going on with you sir ? PLanning to come back or do you like Chennai too much ?:wave:

 

[silverfox]

Dear Vaylan :
Good to hear from you. Yes, Chennai is great; the weather is very pleasant and I see very many good things. However, there are other aspects which leave lot to be desired. The connection of broadband is one. The interesting thing is that they keep telling you that they would be at my place.... every day! They never could be honest in saying that due to some problems or the other, they couldn't make it or some such thing. The guy who came and took the order tells me that he had handed over the matter to the installer and that he had done his job! He claimed to be an "officer sales" .. these Indians love to have an "officer" title! He started talking in English and so I followed. After a few minutes, he admitted that he couldn't understand my accent and switched to Tamil!!

They showed up only after I stormed AirTel's office and demanded to see the General Manager. Of course, they wouldn't let me speak to him. At least three guys came at different times into the conference room where they had seated me and asked me what the problem was. Anyway, that evening, the installer showed up and installed the modem!
I am also brave enough (and foolish enough) to drive here. Having driven in all kinds of weather in the US for 35 years, it is quite a challenge to drive on the wrong side of the road (it depends on who you ask!!). The driving isn't that much difficult once you figure out the psyche of the cyclist, the pedestrian who darts in and around you, the ever-present auto rickshaws, motor cyclists and what have you!
I am planning to be back in April.
Best wishes to all my tamilbrahmins.com friends.