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Health, Healing & Overcoming Difficulties

in Explore > Themes

At some point in our lives, we all suffer from illnesses of the body or the mind and we face tests and difficulties. This collection highlights resources dedicated to physical and spiritual health and well-being, healing, resilience and overcoming challenges.

A Baha’i-inspired Diet

May 6, 2011, in Articles > Baha'i Life, by

 

Image by pedestrianrex (Flickr)

Healing the body with food

There is nothing in the Baha’i Writings to specify whether Baha’is should eat their food cooked or raw; exercise or not exercise; use specific therapies or not; nor is it forbidden to eat meat.But that’s not to say there is nothing about health or nutrition in the Writings. On the contrary, there’s actually a lot said – so much so that when I decided to write this post I was overwhelmed by its vastness. Having always been interested in nutrition, I decided that would be a good place to start.

Setting the scene

The practice of medicine dates back to ancient times when plants were used as healing agents. Many sciences (including medicine) were revolutionised in the 19th century when the creative impulse of a new Revelation surged. Ground-breaking research was undertaken worldwide leading to a better understanding of disease pathology, public health, and infectious disease prevention. The first brain surgery occurred around the turn of the century and the idea of conducting ‘blind experiments’ was first suggested in the late 1800s. In 1928 Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist and pharmacologist discovered the first penicillin antibiotic.

At the same time these advancements in medicine were being made, Abdu’l-Baha told us that it is preferable to treat disease through diet.Even earlier, the Bab had said that the people of Baha should develop the science of medicine to such a high degree that illnesses can be treated by means of food.

The tendency among us is to feel that the Bab and ‘Abdu’l-Baha spoke of a distant future when humanity will be more advanced; but it has to start somewhere, and believe it or not, humanity is off to a great start!

Food and Disease Prevention

Every year more than 35 million people die as a result of chronic lifestyle diseases. The World Health Organisation says that there are three common, modifiable risk factors that underlie all of the major chronic diseases: an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and tobacco use. They further state that if these risk factors were eliminated, at least 80% of all heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes would be prevented; and over 40% of cancer would be prevented.

But what if you are already afflicted by disease?

Treating Disease with Food

Fortunately, we already know of ways of treating disease with food. From heart disease to diabetes, multiple sclerosis to cancer – your diet can and does affect the quality of your life, as well as the final outcome. How does this work?

‘Abdu’l-Baha explains that the body is made up of many substances, each contributing to a careful equilibrium. So long as they remain in their due proportion, there will be no cause for disease. If however, there is a disturbance in the balance of these elements, disease will ensue.

He goes on to explain that the physician must examine their patient carefully to identify what constituents are lacking or in excess, then wisely prescribe a food or diet that will remedy the imbalance.

Often it is imagined that the imbalances that cause disease occur as result of our genes or the outside environment – something out of our control. No doubt, to some extent that is true. However one cannot ignore the fact that just as the micro or milligrams of a drug compound can affect the body, so too can the many tons of food we shovel into our mouths year after year.

Why haven’t I heard of this before?

There are many reasons, one being that nutrition and dietetics is not always taught extensively in medical school. There is also little money in a therapy that doesn’t require someone to buy any pills, shakes, DVDs or exercise equipment.

Then there are many health professionals who believe people are not willing to make the necessary modifications to their diet to effect real change in their health (see The Huffington Post article What your Doctor isn’t telling you could save your life published in February this year).

How can I find out more?

As Baha’is we know that if we get sick we should not only seek medical treatment, but also seek out the best that we can afford. Therefore, I suggest you ask your doctor about the possibility of treating your particular ailments through dietary changes. If you are not satisfied with the response, why not seek out a second opinion? Investigate if there is a doctor in your region who is successfully treating patients with your particular ailment(s) with food, then see what they have to say.

Some medical physicians renowned for their work in the field of preventative medicine and treating disease through diet include (but are not limited to): Dr. John McDougall, Dr Neal Barnard, Dr. C.B. Esselstyn and the late Dr. Roy. L. Swank. You may also find the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine website of interest.

Success stories

It’s always nice to have a few success stories to get motivated. There are over 75 success stories here from people who have successfully treated migraines, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, obesity and many more ailments using Dr John McDougall’s program (which is based on a whole food vegetarian diet). There are also more MS-based stories on the Swank MS Foundation website.

For more information on cancer and diet, check out the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research website. I would also highly recommend reading The China Study by Dr. T.C. Campbell.

A Final note

A lot of the findings on diet and disease will require you to make major changes in your diet. Some people can do this successfully in one go, but many people (myself included) will need to work on this every day making small progress along the way. Whatever personality you are, what’s probably most important is that you don’t give up – after all, nothing worth doing is easy.

Posted by

Corinne

Corinne

Discussion 13 Comments

Great well researched information here!

Louise

Louise (May 5, 2011 at 1:08 PM)

Thanks Louise! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂

Corinne

Corinne (May 5, 2011 at 10:39 PM)

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african mango plus review (September 9, 2011 at 7:07 PM)

I saw some Writings by Baha’u’llah about diet that seemed to be similar to food combining. I do not how to find these Writings again. Does anyone know about this, I am keen to study it. All help appreciated!:’

Jenifer

Jenifer (September 9, 2013 at 1:19 PM)

Great post Corinne! Thank you for writing about this topic. (I was googling Baha’i apps, and saw this post. I’m a Baha’i and a holistic nutritionist. I work with clients to overcome health challenges through a plant-strong intake, and also have read extensively from the authors you mention, the Forks Over Knives DVD is what I show my clients. In fact, Rip Esselstyn (the fireman in FOK) and author of The Engine 2 Diet wrote the foreword for my second book called: Real-Life Vegan Foundation Diet. Here are some more success stories for anyone interested – http://victoria-laine.com/success/

Keep up the great work on your blog!

Victoria Laine

Victoria Laine (July 7, 2014 at 7:37 AM)

Yes, the Baha’i Holy Writings do give us a lot which allows us to live the Baha’i life, especially when following Baha’u’llah’s, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi’s guidance and example.

Marco Kappenberger

Marco Kappenberger (July 7, 2015 at 3:41 PM)

I am so happy I read this and Victoria’s comment. As a Baha’i and a very dedicated vegan for ethical and health reasons, I am so happy to meet other Baha’is who are vegans and working to help others understand about this compassionate lifestyle and how it fits so well into the Baha’i Writings. Thanks for writing And sharing.

Debra Wolf

Debra Wolf (August 8, 2015 at 3:35 PM)

I am vegan and like the doctors you mention here because they recommend vegan/vegetarian diets. Dr. Michael McGreger is another one. However, they are not the only physicians who are nutritionally educated. There are just as many, if not more, who recommend the popular paleo way of eating. Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Joel Fuhrman and Dr. Mercola are a few who would rather we not eat so many carbs and especially grains. The Writings tell us to seek the advice of a physician, but the Writings do not say which type of physician. Medical doctors are not the only “physicians” there are, though the medical establishment and pharmaceutical companies would like us to believe so. “Abdu’l-Baha says the eating of meat is not necessary and that the foods of the future will be fruits and grains, but so many doctors and nutrition experts tell us grains are bad for us and cause all sorts of things from brain problems to inflammation. I tend to follow the doctors whose guidance most reflects what the Writings have to say, but I have to be honest, it still makes me curious how so many people can say we have to eat at least fish if no other meat in order to be healthy and they back this with all sorts of studies. I have been experiencing elevated blood pressure and glucose on a plant based diet. Grains and potatoes are an inexpensive way to eat and be full. Vegetables and fruits in the amounts we may need to eat them (recommended 5-9 servings) can be expensive. Perhaps even though I eat plant based, I still have too much of one thing and not enough of another or too much of everything in general. I will be glad whenthere are more vegan friendly doctors out there that we can go to for help.

Lynn

Lynn (January 1, 2016 at 11:20 PM)

This is absolutely fantastic. I’ve been exploring the Baha’i Faith for the past year, and now, when asked about my religion, I find myself calling myself a Baha’i. I was raised a Christian (my father was a pastor for over 20 years, and is still a devout Christian), but gradually, through learning more, and especially upon listening to the Baha’i Blogcast (BRING IT BACK, PLEASE!), I found that everything I felt missing in other religions was in the Baha’i faith. It is the religion of all religions.

Long before this Baha’i journey, however – over 4 years ago – I became a vegan. I had changing beliefs towards nonhuman animals throughout my youth, gradually moving toward the decision to become a vegetarian. My doctor asked me, shortly after I became a vegetarian, if I were vegan, and my instinctive response – “Not yet” – shocked me. Veganism seemed to be a natural progression of compassion.

But I understand why it is not a law in the Baha’i Faith. The faith urges the unity of humankind, and this will be essential before extending (as a species) our compassion to nonhuman animals. We must be able to act compassionately to our ingroup before we are capable of extending it out to our species outgroups.

I was so worried being a vegan and a Baha’i would seem to conflict, as many other religions believe veganism to be contradicting their sacred texts. It is wonderful to know my veganism is actually putting the Faith into practice.

(Please forgive my lack of eloquence here – my positive emotions are running wild.)

Paul Bruce

Paul Bruce (January 1, 2017 at 11:08 PM)

Dear Paul,

Thank you so very much for your comment — it greatly encourages us when we hear that Baha’i Blog has been helpful and informative. We hope to share more Blogcasts in the future and we are delighted that you have enjoyed them. Thank you as well for sharing your experiences and thoughts as a vegan. We truly appreciate it!

-Sonjel

Sonjel Vreeland

Sonjel Vreeland (January 1, 2017 at 11:22 PM)

To Jenifer: You are right about the importance of food combining. Bahá’u’lláh says: “lf two diametrically opposite foods are put on the table do not mix them.”
My wife puts a lot of emphasis on food combining.
I once prepared a dish composed of millet and coriander; my stomach felt a little bit upset afterwards. On their own, both millet and coriander are very healthy. My wife informed me that together they are not digest.
Before cooking, my wife always checks all the ingredients of the meal to see if they are compatible.
Egg and tomato apparently is not a good food combination. There is a popular dish in China composed of these two ingredients. Now I abstain from this dish.
I have noticed the benefits of food combining.

Daniel Gilliéron

Daniel Gilliéron (February 2, 2021 at 2:13 AM)

Food combining has its reflection in agriculture: it is called polyculture or companion-planting and is most intensively being used by permaculture. Some plants like each other and help each other to be more productive and to have a better immune system (and a higher content of nutrients), others dislike each other and stunt each other’s growth.

Daniel Gilliéron

Daniel Gilliéron (February 2, 2021 at 2:57 AM)

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