Foods like fruit, especially if it’s colorful and fresh is such a good thing you can do for your body. Photo: Pexels
I think introducing the term ‘spiritual diet’ is a little silly, I don’t think all people who follow a spiritual path or have firm beliefs on something all eat the same. Of course not! However, I have noticed that a number of books about spirituality talk about what eating ‘well’ means in relation to spirituality.
It doesn’t really have something to do with what you believe in, but rather in wanting to be physically in such a position that you can get the best mental, emotional and spiritual results in this life. This is the same reason why they all say that meditation is so good: It makes your mind clear and your mental abilities stronger.
That’s why therapy is also part of a spiritual journey: It helps you take care of your self emotionally. These are all parts of going through life ‘spiritually balanced’.
Personally, I’m cautious of telling you how much of what kinds of food is best. I’m not an expert. I have read a number of books about it and really want to share this. Whether you want to eat meat or not, be vegan, vegetarian or not is still a personal choice.
Energy
The first and most important reason why we should take care of our bodies through diet is energy. People that eat well are just so much fitter, with much more energy going through their days. Processed foods make us tired, dull and heavy.
Water, juices, fruits and vegetables are known to make us feel fresh and energized. Having variety in your diet is the best thing you can do. In German there’s a saying that says the amount makes the poison. As long as you’re not going extreme, you should be fine.
‘Healthy’ is still a combination of nutrients, fibers, carbs, fats, etc. And one things’ for sure: If you have typical unhealthy diet, ergo only eating fatty, sugary or processed things, you won’t have a lot of energy. This is also linked with more weight that you’ll have to carry around.
Nutrients
Forever, there has been going on a war of whether carbs or meat or fats or sugars are unhealthy. Personally, I would say the more natural something is, and the less ingredients something has, the healthier it is. Should you ever be afraid to eat an apple because of the calories or the sugars it may contain? Of course not.
I am never afraid of eating too much fruit because of the amounts of fructose it can contain. These kinds of foods have so many fibers and nutrients that we need.
Still, it’s not enough to only eat fruit and vegetables. We do need protein, fats, etc. I have read a book (called Proteinaholic) where the author explains that nowadays almost nobody suffers from protein deficiencies, since they are also available in non-animal foods. Rather, we eat too much of it.
Addictive foods
I consider Dan Millman an expert on this topic and would really recommend his books of the peaceful warrior. He writes that we often use addictive products to get rid of energy that flows uncontrollably through our bodies or is stuck there because of blocks. Foods we love to consume to soothe us are coffee, tobacco, alcohol, refined or saturated fats and sugar. If we can, we should stay away from those.
And did you know that the food industry calculates which combination of fats and sugar we need in processed foods to give as an addictive high when we consume them?
That’s why we often can’t stay away from potato chips for example and keep eating until the whole package is gone, even though we do want to stop? That’s the kind of foods you should also stay away from 🙂
Alive vs. dead food
The protagonist in ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari’ talks about this concept. He only eats alive food. That’s natural foods that come from earth, like vegetables, fruit, rice, grains, nuts, etc. Things like meat or fish are dead foods, which have been killed in order to be able to be consumed.
There are two main spiritual reasons to not eat animal products: Firstly, the meat carries the energy of the animal. If they were anxious, sick, worried, etc. you will consume this by eating the meat. Secondly, it’s considered spiritually and ethically wrong to kill an animal for human pleasure and enjoyment.
Personally, I am a vegetarian because it makes me physically and spiritually feel better. However, I am well aware of different opinions and convictions of people.
There have been many debates whether or not it is healthy to eat meat or not and I know that there are different findings and studies on this. Eat what you think is best for you. But I invite you to look at the bigger picture and take health, ethics, morale etc. also into consideration 🙂
Add ons for a healthy diet
Now, there are so many little things one could add to one’s meal that’s natural and healthy, that gives you so much more energy throughout the day. I’m sure Robin Sharma and Dan Millman would agree with these 🙂
Such things are herbs and spices, these can easily be added while cooking. They not only make a dish more delicious but are also very good for you and improve your health and your body’s defense mechanisms. Lots of water and tea are the other thing.
It’s astonishing what a difference it makes to hydrate your body properly. Replace the sodas and the energy drinks with water! It’s a game changer. Something else that’s underrated are oils. I love olive oil best, but coconut oil for example is also very good. Try to replace butter with it, if you can 🙂
Concluding…
I’d say that the healthier your diet is, the better. We intuitively know what’s best for us. Single ingredients are better than processed things. Cooking your own meals is always a winner. Hydrating properly is good. Balancing your meals and getting enough (but not too much) of everything is a good idea.
Consume more foods that give you energy instead of draining it and you’ll feel so much better. And lastly animals products… I know about the controversy around this topic. Eating animal products or not is a personal choice.
Personally, I love being a vegetarian and I feel so good. Remember that eating an animal is always more than just about the taste. In the books I’ve read they have recommended to stay away from it as much as you can. Maybe try to form an educated opinion on this topic if you haven’t already <3 Thanks for reading 🫶
Love, Valentina
Written by Valentina – spiritual writer & founder of Valentina’s Diary
