Showing posts with label empathy. Show all posts

Empathetic Eating - Is WFPB Right for Empaths

For the majority of my life I have had a connection with the energy of both humans and animals alike. I have been able to "feel" the pain of those around me and even been able to sense what is going to happen before it happens.  As a child as I would eat meat I would feel pain in my body and soul.  I couldn't touch raw meat and had to wear gloves to work with it in the kitchen.  When I would cut a piece of meat my brain would flash images of me cutting my own hands and fingers while the blade sliced through the meat.



I always thought there was something wrong with me.  As I matured in witchcraft I watched those around me who practiced.  I watched their magic and their lives. I took note of what their skin looked like, what their hands looked like and what their aura looked like.  I slowly began to think that perhaps there was much more happening here that meets the eye.

For the majority of my life I have been obese. Recently I changed over to a Whole Food Plant Based Lifestyle (WFPB). You can read about my journey here.  As I switched over to a plant based diet I found that my senses were changing. I am now able to focus on things I could not before.

Photo Credit - Elijah Olson


I completed my Holistic Wellness Coach Certification and completed an International Yogi Certification.  I'm currently working on a Mediation Coach Certification.  All things that were always just outside my ability to focus on in order to complete.  I am amazed at the way the fog has lifted off my brain and now I no longer require a stack of sticky notes to remind me of things.  I no longer write down every single thing in order to remember it.  My mind is now here in the present with my body and working to achieve my goals as I lay them out as opposed to the broken, struggled life I was experiencing before.

I quickly began researching what empathetic people tend to eat and I found some pretty interesting information around it.  I'm sure there are just as many on the other side, so please understand I am not knocking the abilities of those who do not follow a WFPB lifestyle. I am simply showing what I and others like me have found by switching.   I'll be adding a few links at the end for you to review.

As my body began to change, my mind began to clear. The further away I was from the clutter of TV news and media the better I felt.  The more I removed animal products from my diet the happier I felt. I know longer had the hurt of the cows crying for their calves or the images of the slaughterhouses in my mind.  They drifted away like a bad dream.  My mind raced back to a class I took years ago that referenced the fact that all things are related. The table came from the earth, because it came from a tree, just as I came from the earth.  All things are related.

I made a mad dash to my science literature to find out what early man ate. If we think about this logically, do we really believe that early man ate a pound of bacon every morning? Anyone who has ever hunted understands that if they get one large deer they make that one animal last for their family for the season. They never loaded their plates with  more than they could use.  They all joined together and ate as one.  Looking at life today we can see how much we have changed. We can see just how far we have removed ourselves from the natural world.

I think the word Vegan has become a dirty word. I think that people associate PETA (who I detest) with veganism.  They also don't understand how much the meat and dairy industry pay in lobby money to our government to endorse their products. We forget that if we look at our bodies and the bodies of those animals that we eat today, we can see harm we're doing.  I'm not huge on showing images of baby cows being pulled from their mothers or the screams these mother cows make in the days and weeks that follow calling out for their missing young.  I can't share those.  All I can do is use my words to try to show the emotion that is involved in that milk.

If I walk across a cemetery, I can feel the energy there. If I walk into a room, or shake someone's hand, I can feel the energy they present. Why is it that big of a leap to feel the energy of the suffering of that mother in each glass of cow's milk? People think, Oh, milk and butter, they don't hurt anyone.  You just milk the cow, the cow lives. Yeah, that cow lives.  But the baby she had to feed that milk to is taken away from her immediately.  Males are tossed into small boxes to become veal and females are put back into the factory to continue to produce milk.  If a person wants milk we should be drinking human milk.  Cow's milk is made to nourish baby cows. They need more fat and calories because they're bigger. There is really no reason for a weaned person to consume milk. We are convinced that we need this through all the money coming in from the dairy industry.

As part of my Yogi certification, part of my assignments were to study the differing types of Yoga.  The first yama of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra is Ahimsa.  The word ahimsa literally means not to injure or show cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever. Ahimsa is, however, more than just lack of violence as adapted in yoga. Ahimsa can be practiced as vegetarianism or veganism. In my case, while not feeling completely comfortable with the the baggage that appears to follow the word Vegan, I opt for the WFPB label instead.  To me, this cross connection with my Yogi certification, the Holistic Wellness Coach Certification led me directly to this place I am today.

I know that not everyone is going to agree here.  I mean we have been convinced by the powers that be, that Milk, Does a Body Good, after all.  We have be asked, Where are you getting your protein? There are burger joints on every corner, certainly our government wouldn't allow money to influence their opinions on what is and is not healthy.

All I can say is I sit here before you, weighing less than I have ever weighed while eating normally. I have removed all medications from my diet.  I have little to no manias associated with my BiPolar 2 diagnosis. I can walk and breathe at the same time. I can feel my energy increasing both physically and spiritually. For me, this works. Elijah has stopped all his medications as well, he's lost 100 pounds just as I have.  We're spending more time on yoga and mediation. We're cooking our meals together and not rushing around trying to check things off a list.  So while naysayers may contend that "we must eat meat" "we are meat eaters" I say, just try it.  Take a month and remove the meat and see what happens?  I mean if you're right, nothing will happen.

I think something will happen though. I think you will find that you are indeed what you eat. And if you eat fear, you are fear.  If you eat terror or sorrow, you will be those. I encourage you to go through the list of info below.  Look up the Doctors I follow and judge for yourself.

While I continue this journey just like anything else I do, I'll continue to research and share my progress. I know for me this is the right way to move forward.  In harmony with the natural world and the spiritual world. I know that my choice to remove these products from my life have had a huge impact on my abilities.

Resources:

Doctors:

Joel Fuhrman M.D
John A. McDougall M.D.
Neal D. Barnard M.D.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. M.D.
Michael Greger M.D
Michael Klaper M.D.
Dean Ornish M.D.
Joel Kahn M.D.
Anthony Lim M.D., J.D.


Articles
Should the Empath Become a Vegetarian
Compassionate Eating for Highly Sensitive People
Intuitive Medicine for Empaths
Laura Bruno - What to Eat if You're an Empath


Books

https://nutritionstudies.org/plant-based-books/
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/wfpb
https://www.wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au/resources/books/

Caldwell Esselstyn
Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease

Rip Esselstyn
The Engine 2 Diet
My Beef with Meat

Colin Campbell
The China Study

Doug Lisle
The Pleasure Trap

Neal Barnard MD
Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes
Breaking the Food Seduction
21 Day Weight-loss Kick start

John McDougall MD
The Starch Solution
Dr. McDougall’s Digestive Tune-Up
The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook
Dr. McDougall’s Total Health Solution for the 21st Century
The McDougall Program: Twelve Days to Dynamic Health
The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss
The New McDougall Cookbook

DVDs

Caldwell Esselstyn
Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease

Rip Esselstyn
Forks Over Knives Presents The Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue with Rip Esselstyn

John McDougall MD
Dr. McDougall’s Total Health Solution for the 21st Century DVD

The Jeff Novick Series
Lighten Up
Calorie Density
Should I Eat That
From Oil To Nuts
Nuts & Health
Fast Food Vol 1 The Basics
Fast Food Vol 2 Burgers & Fries
Fast Food Vol 3 Shopping School

Neal Barnard MD
Tackling Diabetes DVD
Kick Start Your Health DVD

Douglas Lisle
The Continuum of Evil
Losing weight without losing your mind
The Pleasure Trap

Michael Klaper
Digestion Made Easy

More Movies/Documentaries

Forks Over Knives
Processed People
Immersions and Programs

Dr Esselstyn - 5-hour intensive counseling seminar at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute
Farms To Forks Immersions
The McDougall Program

MORE BOOKS

John Abramson MD
Overdosed America

Gilbert H. Welch MD
Should I be tested for Cancer?
Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health
Know Your Chances: Understanding Health Statistics

Nortin Hadler MD
Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America

Lists of Documentaries
https://nutriciously.com/best-vegan-documentaries/
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/10-best-food-and-health-documentaries/


YouTube:

Why do empaths over eat?



Let's Talk Nutrition






Your Vegan Brain on Empathy



Vandana Shiva on the Problem with Genetically-Modified Seeds



10 Plant Based Documentaries You should Watch



2018 - My Year in Review



Wow!  This year is gone already.  I can't believe how much I have changed from December 31st 2017. I've lost 22 pounds this year and reconnected with learning to eat again. I volunteered for the New Mexico State Park system. Which included picking up trash, cleaning campsites and even a few days at the Visitor's Center helping folks get ready to camp.  Today I look back on a few things that I have learned.  This is going to be a long one.  :)

NOTE: These contain generalizations with the idea that you are intelligent enough that no statement can be ALL or EVERYONE. 


1. People are generally self centered.

Why do I think this?  Look around you. We are in a political world where people are OK with kids being put in camps.  They are OK with the rights of LGBTQI and People of Color being suppressed. Even a President I have the utmost regards for took money from lobbyist groups and made decisions that were not necessarily in the best interest of some/all of these groups. I am self centered. While I do what I can to help those around me by sharing information and even providing financial assistance if necessary, ultimately my focus is my family first. Survival is the most important thing. With that, we must also remember that we create bonds across communities and should work to strengthen those bonds whenever we can. It may go outside your comfort zone.  We have to stand up for equality and fairness at all times. So this year, I plan to take the extra step to not only care for me and mine but also add a branch out there to help others a little more. Speak up when I see injustice and can do so safely. Call out racism. Call out homophobia and trans-phobia. Speak up when I see injustice. At some point, we must make it as uncomfortable as possible for hatred to exist. Those with voices of privilege I call on you to do that.



2. Self Care is mandatory. 

I originally had three different entries that pointed to this same idea. Be it a corporation you work for or simply dealing with your family, you cannot pour from an empty cup. We hear all the time, "Oh take time for yourself" or "Treat yourself"; But how many of us actually do that? After completing my certification as a Holistic Wellness Coach, I discovered very quickly that I was not taking care of myself. I was rushing around, trying to get everything done. Oh sure, my boss was thrilled, my project partners love me. They all say things like, "You follow up so quickly" or "Renee is always on time and present".  I was. For them. I would work when I was not feeling well. I would log in 2 hours early and stay 2 hours late. I would accept every project that someone asked of me in both my professional and personal life. I would take on groups to manage on Facebook or Pages to build all in an effort to help others while completely depleting my own personal energy reserves. The last part of 2018 I finally managed to find some peace within myself and give myself permission to just veg on the couch and do nothing.  At anytime, I can start my day over. I can say "You know what, I'm done with this now and I need a break."  Taking time for yourself is important. I started a new page that has nothing to do with anything other than sharing photos I like. I love that page. It doesn't have the highest following or share edgy political stuff.  I'm probably never going to be featured as some best new page.  But I really love it.  (Peace, Love & Bohemian)

Take time for yourself.  Trust me, there are enough people out there ready to run you down.  Don't be one of them.



3.  Empathy is more than not sharing images on Facebook. 

I see so many people talk about being empathic and how they can't see animals being hurt on Facebook.  Then I watch these same people sharing their dinners.  As I finished my classes on wellness and began studying nutrition I learned very quickly that we as humans do not need meat to live.  And when I say studying, I mean reading articles and abstracts from NIH (National Institute of Health) and attending lectures that were presented by the leaders in health and nutrition such as Joel Furhman M.D., Colin T. Campbell PhD., Dean Ornish M.D., John McDougall M.D.  I learned how much our food industry has been impacted by big business and how the businesses that are feeding you are the same ones who give you medication when you get sick.  They are then treating you in the hospitals and offering you supplements that try to replace what they are taking out of the food.  They tell you to eat process meat which is a class one carcinogen. Meaning it causes cancer.  Just this morning I saw a share of one of my empathic witchy friends, who loves everyone, who says don't share pics of tortured animals, yet posted an image of their meat containing meal.  If you can get energy from a rock or a tree, if you can feel the presence of those who have passed away, if you can call upon the spirits of those haunting a space and help them move on, you cannot also not feel the pain and suffering of those animals being killed for food.  You cannot "not" feel the sadness of the dairy cow whose baby is pulled from her just hours after birth. You cannot "not" feel the pain and suffering.  I'm sure this is going to piss some people off, but that's just how I feel about it. If you stop for a moment and do some research on factory farming practices, you'll know what "free range" and "cage free" mean and how horribly food animals are treated. This is something I am newly discovering and will be looking into learning more about in the future. I challenge you to learn about it as well.  Don't come to defend your position without doing some hard research on factory farming, animal welfare and health and wellness in human beings.


4. Its never too late to start over. 

Finally, it is never too late to start over. I have said this for years, but only gave others permission to do this. I have to give myself permission to say, "I don't know." I have to give myself permission to say, "No, I don't like that" or "No, I don't want to do that." You don't have to have a reason to just say, "Its been a rough day, I'm starting over."  Then do it.  Just start your day over again putting all the negative behind you and moving forward. When people post negative on your page, when people get mad when you tell them to cheer up. Just stop, shake it off and move on.  I'm going to spend time trying to focus on this. I'm not going to carry the negative with me. Create a jar if you have to. Write it down, drop it in the jar and leave it there. 


So that's it. That's my year.  Eli and I have started a new venture called Real Rations. It is a place to help share the information we have found related to health and nutrition.  There are forums and blog posts, recipes, food plans - All free.  We just want to help others do what we did. Together we lost 200 pounds. I can't believe it really.  But here we are. I invite you to head over - check out the page and maybe try adding a few more veggies to your diet.   Thank you so much for your comments and feedback over this last year on this blog.  I will be doing another huge book giveaway around my birthday in February as a thank you to all of you.

Wishing you a glorious 2019!
Sosanna