Semester Ga Owarida!

Final Reflection

The opportunity to immediately and consistently dive into topics of my own choosing and interest has really made this course into something personally special. For instance, taking on the Rogerian argument on the topic of diet, something I’ve always considered but hadn’t seriously looked into, has shown me the value of taking a serious look into the evidence supporting one’s opposition in an argument. Having uncovered the argument and science behind a meat-eating basis of diet, I can now sympathize with the concern towards vegetarians, and have since stated plainly that on matters of nutrition, true vegetarians and vegans in particular invariably fall short on their nutrition (B vitamins, Calcium, Iron, etc.) if they do not supplement. Here I learned that it’s actually quite simple to make an argument based on claims regarding science (i.e., nutritional requirements), but very difficult to do so while trying to consider the ethical consequence of one’s actions regarding consumption and industry farming practices. Overall, I’m quite proud of these, the Rogerian, Posistion, and (final) visual essays, because I’ve been able to get to what I really wanted to in addressing nutrition – mindful eating. It’s great and common knowledge that it’s one’s heart and care towards others that makes them a good person, not what is on their plate, yet with a mindful eating practice, one’s plate becomes a part of one’s caring and considerate mindful practice.

Further, messing around with Buddhism and the Dharma Bums in various settings (identification, visual essay) has given me some considerable insight on, in essence, the way to be. Paired with my Eastern Philosophy course, the work I’ve done here has shown me that, while it’s very difficult to argue on matters of religion/belief/philosophy, on account of there really being no completely right answers, it still can be done in order to establish one’s position. I liked most the stringing together of various aspects of the different schools of Buddhism in order to find my best fit lies outside of any solidified institution – the sweet Western refuge of the Dharma Bum! In these earlier essays, I was really having a difficult time sticking to one or the other controversy, and had a particularly difficult time bringing in the special and temporal context (answering the Who and Where) for the older schools of Buddhism and for the Dharma Bums (though the later may explain itself. In general, these Buddhist essays required a Ton of background, and thus left little room to really deliberate on the discussions I would have liked to touch on, though getting the background information solid and on paper did really teach me some of the more intricate specifics!

Ultimately, I’ve really had the opportunity to challenge my writing process this semester. Since my freshmen year, my drafting process has transformed dramatically. For larger essays, I used to hand-write my first draft of every essay, trying to cover as many bases as possible while still reading and into the material. This process, while effective, took up a considerable amount of time – essentially an afternoon. After becoming increasingly busy into my Sophomore year, I’ve found that I really have had to balance the quality of essays with the time it takes to write and effective essay – to deliver a worthwhile, reflective argument. Thus, I’ve began a drafting process that follows drafting during and after reading and doing research, checking back to the prompt more frequently and laying out bare ‘skeletons’ outlines before really getting into my research. I’m not sure if this is the best option for drafting my essays, but I’ve gratefully cultivated more adaptive ability this semester. I’ve really been challenged to deliver an argument that simultaneously informs, persuades, and connects to my audience.

Selected Blogs:
Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian Diet Wins it All!
Credible Edible Research?
Ze Drafting Process!

Hope you have a great Winter Break!

Ze Drafting Process!

The Drafting Process: LOV diet Position Paper

Introduction

Draft: “Americans today face numerous issue in achieving optimal nutrition. In 2014, as reported by the Huffington Post, Americans ate more meat per capita (276 lbs) than every country aside from Luxemburg, a small (less than 1000 square miles) European country between Belgium and Germany known for its extravagant meat-market-culture.”

Final: “The practice and implementation of vegetarian-geared diets are on the rise in America. Among the many reasons people chose to become vegetarians are the pursuit of better health (especially as people get older) and rising awareness and concern for the treatment of animals in America.”

In completely changing the introductory sentences of this essay between my draft and final production, I wanted to shake-up the tone from the urgent and factual of the draft towards the more casual and informative of the final. By doing this, my aim is to increase the clarity of my introduction while more closely portraying the positive perspective intended in this essay. Specifically my aim traveled away from an attack on meat as animal flesh toward a focus on the viability of an alternative, the LOV diet.
Further, in introducing my final draft, I included: “The lacto-ovo-vegetarian (‘lacto’ or lactose representing the dairy food group – ‘ovo’ or ovum representing eggs) diet is the most popular option among vegetarians” in order to provide quick, nice background information as advised by my peers during review. This clarification of the introduction overall has served to make the subject matter more concise in purpose while improving the overall focus of the essay from the beginning on.

Body

Regarding the nutritional aspect of my research, not much information has been changed or even rearranged because I have presented the research in a similar fashion to my Rogerian argument. Although the information is different, writing this section of my Persuasive Essay was quite familiar, and I was able to sight information I had previously become comfortable and relatively. In essence, I feel that this series of essay has really helped with my research and writing skills, for I’ve never truly seen my own capability to convey research in an effective way until this year.

By the time I had finished my latest draft, I was still undecided on the value of really delving into egg and dairy nutritional research. The platform by which I would have made a brief discourse on nutritionally rich dairy products would have looked something like this:

• Introduce: X% of people in America are lactose intolerant, thus it is important to discuss supplements to
• Background: People only recently evolved to eat dairy products, only species to consume milk throughout life
• Why it matters: Certain groups especially susceptible to being lactose intolerant
• Research: Other options, supplements, deviating from the diet
• Discourse: transition to sustainability or mindfulness

Although, by not speaking for dairy, I have missed out on the chance to cover the available options for lactose intolerant individuals interested in the LOV diet, I feel that I have skillfully avoided overdoing the nutritional aspect of this essay. From this point, however, my essay was not effectively planned, since I had spent most of my time ensuring the quality of my nutritional research while waiting for feedback on where my paper should really go. From the peer review I knew that focusing on the benefits of the LOV diet over arguing the downfalls of other diets would best serve my argument that diet is not only a good way to as far as nutrition, sustainability, and mindfulness, but that it’s already taken the first steps toward social adaptation.

Advocating for the Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian Diet

Americans today face numerous issue in achieving optimal nutrition. In 2018, as reported by the Huffington Post, Americans ate more meat per capita (276 lbs) than every country aside from Luxemburg, a small (less than 1000 square miles) European country between Belgium and Germany known for its extravagant meat-market-culture. Meat consumption in America is a huge problem because, however, it’s not red meat that is the problem, but processed meat. Processed meat consumption, as observed in a National Center for Biotechnology Information 2010 meta-analysis, was associated with a 42% increase in risk for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), the number-one cause of death in the world, and a 19% increase in risk for diabetes. While a vegetarian diet has been shown to correlate positively with better health, the argument against the true vegetarian diet is that it is misses out completely on good protein, good Iron, and the vitamin B12. Additionally, the vegetarian population in America maintains a significantly lower rate in child and adult obesity and high blood pressure as well as colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers in comparison to the general meat-eating populous (Brown.edu). Thus, the optimal vegetarian diet in terms of nutritional need is the latco-ovo-vegetarian diet, which satisfies all nutrient deficits above listed. A lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is a diet geared mainly towards eating plants while embracing the consumption of milk, eggs, cheese, and other such dairy products. Although many people find all of their health and wellness requirements satisfied in a meat-eating diet, research suggests that a vegetarian-geared diet is an excellent means to benefit individual health and mindfulness. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is among the best options for human nutrition on the grounds that, while emphasizing scrutiny of diet away from consuming animal flesh, the diet maintains healthy levels of Iron, B12, and protein necessary for quality nutrition that other vegetarian/vegan diets lack.

 

Opposition + Thesis

While the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet poses many key benefits to health by adhering to healthier diet options, many argue that it cannot be universally applied.While it is important to acknowledge that evolutionarily speaking, humans are omnivores, and should thus maintain the omnivorous diet that ‘best suits’ the body, today’s technology (supplements) and information (standardized nutrition) allows for new, healthier trends in diet. The argument against universal application of the LOV diet maintains that the diet excludes the many people who are lactose intolerant and/or have specific root-vegetable allergies, etc.. Thus, it must be made clear that the movement towards advocating for the LOV diet is not the same as enforcing it on people against their will; this diet is nutritionally superior to most diets while maintaining a wide range of possibilities for meals with a general tendency to exclude meat, especially processed meat. One example of the benefit of the LOV diet is as follows: it cannot be said that red meat is inherently bad to eat, though it can be said eating meat at all (including red meat) greatly increases the chance of consuming processed meats in consumers who are not particularly aware of or strict towards their own diets. Therefore, shifting America’s attitude toward embracing the Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian diet will greatly benefit nutrition and mindfulness of all consumers, especially for new and future consumers – the youth of America.

Address Nutrition

Among the main concerns for those against a vegetarian-based diet is that vegetarianism allegedly neglects the basic nutritional needs for healthy living. While it is true that vegetarians who consume no animal products and do not supplement their nutrition will undoubtedly suffer from bone-density loss due to Calcium deficiency, developmental disorders and abnormalities due to protein and Vitamin D deficiency, various forms of anemia from Iron and Vitamin B12 deficiency, and malnutrition from an overall unbalanced diet. The LOV diet, with its exceptions for dairy products, covers all deficits of the solely vegetarian diet without the need to supplement. In a multi-tiered assessment of college-age females and males, athletes and non-athletes, Brown University Health explains that the nutritional requirement for the Female Athlete, Male non-Athlete group’s daily requirements are as follows:

• 9-15 servings of the Breads & Grains group (equal to 1 slice a bread per serving),
• 3+ servings of the Vegetable group (equal to 3+ cups of raw/leafy vegetables, or 2¼+ cups of tomato juice),
• 3-5 servings of the Fruit group (equal to 12-20 oz. of whole fruit juice or 45 grapes),
• 3+* servings of the Dairy group (equal to 24+ oz. of milk/yogurt),                                  *it is noted here that “most college students need ~1000 mg per day of calcium.”
• 2 servings of the Protein group (equal to 6 oz. of meat/poultry/fish, or ~2eggs, or 4 cups of tofu).

Further, Brown recommends that 20%-35% of all calories consumed be from fats/lipids, though Brown does not touch on specific calorie counts because recommended calories must be more individually scrutinized (Brown.edu, 2014). From this analysis, one recognizes no advocating for or against any specific diet aside from a satisfaction of these stated criteria; however, many meat-eating advocates claim that, based on scientific findings, vegetable, nut, and bean based protein does not actually satisfy one’s protein needs because they contain different amino acids and thus are essentially waste in the human body. This information, however, is outdated. The American Dietetic Association, as cited by Brown, elicits intentionally that “it is NOT necessary to combine specific [animal flesh-based foods] within a meal in order to ‘complete’ the amino acids profile of the proteins found in plant foods” (Brown.edu, 2014), (Eatright.org, 2012). Regarding the LOV diet, this means that meat-alternatives are completely acceptable as real alternative sources of protein that does not require supplementation or sacrifice to health. Brown goes on to list completely viable, non-meat sources including beans, low-fat dairy products, peas, nuts, seeds, whole grains, eggs, and so on (Brown, 2014). Proteins/amino acids, however are not the only nutrient reported missing on the vegetarian roster. While it is true that plant-based sources of protein possess little to no easily absorbed amount of nutrient-essentials including Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Iron, or Calcium, the LOV diet’s inclusion of eggs and other dairy products completely satisfies the requirement of these otherwise missed nutrients.

Address the Egg and Diary

At this time, it is necessary to at least mention the views/concerns of those who refuse to consume any animal products. In the vegetarian-vegan community, consumption of eggs is viewed in controversy on the ethical grounds that hens are not treated humanely at any point of their lives. The Humane-Network, Compassion Over Killing (COK), has observed (and recorded) firsthand accounts of “cage-free” egg providers that starve hens to increase egg-laying rates, do not provide any source of veterinary care whatsoever, lock hens indoors for their entire lives, and dispose of hens after no more than two years (a fraction of their 10-15 year life-span) to be processed into soup flavoring, pet food, and other such low-end products (cok.net, 2014). COK has found similar production-profit ambitions to hold value over humane treatment of animals in the vast majority of American Agriculture on both large and small scale farms. It is on these and other abuse-related grounds that vegans refuse to consume or take any part in a number of industries/products with the goal to lessen the suffering of all sentient beings. To those who do their research and commit to their goals, may the Om ring and the soul smile to confer goodness- such devotion to the lessoning of cruelty in one’s fellow being is truly admirable. Thank you.

For most, the choice to make a completely vegan commitment is undesirable due to their personal preference for taste and cooking (and prices!), unwillingness to strictly limit their consumption, and the culture/traditions in which they live. Unfertilized eggs stand in the middle of the debate, since nutritionally speaking eggs essentially replace meat, ethically speaking eggs are not (yet) thinking, breathing, suffering beings, and realistically speaking eggs are, quite simply, a very hard food to avoid/replace in innumerable recipes worldwide. Regarding the nutritional benefits of eggs, an article of the Nutrition and Food Science journal titled, The nutritional properties and health benefits of eggs, eggs are not only a rich source of vitamin D and vitamin B12, but are also not as bad or risky a food as past research has suggested (Ruxton et.al., 2010). Extrapolate on this information.

Dairy Provides X as well as X! The problem with dairy, however, is that it make the people poo. People ain’t evolved completely to digest dairy, indeed we’re the only mammal to drink milk after we’re infants. There are options, good ones too, that serve the vegetarian-vegan community even more! Dairy production accounts for X% of agricultural lands, including eggs, and agricultural lands account for 30% of wheat consumption (which cows really shouldn’t be eating) as well as 16% of CO2 emission (cars are at ~12% CO2 emissions).

 

Address Lactose Intolerance

• X% of people in America are lactose intolerant
• People only recently evolved to eat dairy products, only species to consume milk throughout life
• Certain groups especially susceptible to being lactose intolerant
• Other options, supplements, deviating from the diet
• Diary and egg count for X% of agricultural lands, meat consumption accounts for X%

Address Sustainability

Vegetarian Diets: A Way towards a Sustainable Society
– “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”         -Albert Einstein
<<http://search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/1019324513?pq-origsite=summon>&gt;.

• Environmental impact of animals specifically for meat consumption, not ethics
• Huge factor in climate change and overall sustainability
• Easily implemented with the right attitude

Mindfulness

Restriction of meat, fish, and poultry in omnivores improves mood: A pilot randomized controlled trial
– “These data suggest that individuals who eliminate meat, fish, and poultry may cope better with mental stress than omnivores.”
<<http://search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/926193178?pq-origsite=summon>&gt;.

• What it means to consider each bite. Appreciation!
• Mindfulness in life and health – Dalai Lama quote in addressing flavor now and the future.

Conclusion

            Ultimately, there is no one-perfect diet for the world, as there is no one perfect anything to be applied to all people and all situations. What is offered by the Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet is a very viable option for many people who have been wanting to approach vegetarianism but are not willing to cut meat cold-turkey. The main concerns in advocating for the movement away from heavy meat consumption is that, frankly, we eat too much, and the things we eat too much are especially bad for us. A given person can neglect a healthy vegetarian diet just as easily as a healthy red-meat consuming diet and become just as unhealthy, just as fast, so the point here is to increase mindfulness toward food by restricting open consumption of what is available. In the end, if there is a considerable shift away from the acceptance of eating processed, mass-produces meat products, then production of processed meat will decline, and with the nature of correlation, so will heart disease and obesity. The LOV diet is a great option for beginning vegetarians, but is ultimately a nutritionally sound diet that can provide many people the nutrition they need to lead healthy lives.

Specific Challenge, Yeah!

Works Cited (and not finished)

Restriction of meat, fish, and poultry in omnivores improves mood: A pilot randomized controlled trial
– “These data suggest that individuals who eliminate meat, fish, and poultry may cope better with mental stress than omnivores.”
<<http://search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/926193178?pq-origsite=summon>&gt;.

Vegetarian Diets: A Way towards a Sustainable Society
– “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”         -Albert Einstein
<<http://search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/1019324513?pq-origsite=summon>&gt;.

The nutritional properties and health benefits of EGGS
– “Findings – Eggs are a rich source of protein and several essential nutrients, particularly vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline. Emerging evidence suggests that eating eggs is associated with satiety, weight management and better diet quality.”
<http://search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/357259635?pq-origsite=summon>.

HUFFINGTON POST CITE
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/world-meat-consumption_n_1475760.html>.

Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
– “Consumption of processed meats, but not red meats, is associated with higher incidence of CHD and diabetes.”
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2885952/>.

Brown University
N.A.. “Do vegetarians get proper nutrients?.” Being a Vegetarian. Brown University, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/nutrition_&_eating_concerns/being_a_vegetarian.php>.

Compassion Over Killing
<<http://cok.net/>&gt;.

Credible Edible Research?

The most critical component in creating a well-researched argument is the body of sources used to deliver the argument. Any argument can be made on random assumption and hearsay science, so it takes (optimally) credible, accountable, unbiased, relevant, specialized, and current sources to really deliver a solid argument. For instance, it’s much easier to accept a report done by a Harvard Professor over that of an elementary school student, even if the information is the same; it is also easier to accept said report if it was done by a professor last year rather than if it was published in the 70’s.
I want to deliver a good research-based argument, so in looking at the sweet goodness of a vegetarian-geared diet, I want to make sure that my sources are impeccable! I’ve chosen one online source and one scientific-journal to launch my research in the right direction – a Brown University Sports Nutrition webpage and an article of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition respectively.
Upon analyzing Brown University’s webpage, I found very much relevance in the nutritional information provided – since I’m arguing for the nutritional excellence of the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, I’ll need to know what any given person needs as far as the food groups and associated nutrients are concerned, thus having this source is an excellent reference to make several main points. My confidence in this source comes largely from the fact that Brown University is a highly acclaimed and accredited university, that the information is consistent with and pulled directly from the U.S Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and that the information is presented with no bias (the facts are stated plainly and with a slight degree of humanity and concern). What most impresses me with this webpage is the specialization involved in Brown’s research and presentation (e.g., a number of tables regarding multi-tiered nutritional requirements and serving sizes). Having these tables is going to help as a quick reference as well as a cross-referencing-point, allowing me to assess the credibility of other sources from Brown’s research as well as my own investigation. Overall, Brown University has done the general academic body a solid, and I’ll definitely be using the information provided here to support my argument.
As for the article “Development of a Vegetarian Food Guide” of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, how much more relevant, specialized, and overall excellent would this source be for solidifying the argument supporting a vegetarian-geared diet? The stance here, again, is established with concern (“dietary patters of many vegetarians may not be healthy”, Haddad), removing much of the bias and focusing on the facts. Additionally, upon reviewing the works cited and references made within the article, I found more than 30 sources of information listed, greatly increasing the reliability of the article’s information, especially since the sources listed were some goodies! However, I had missed a critical point in insuring the quality of this source. This edition of a Veggie Food Guide is, unfortunately, over 20 years old, and thus an unacceptable source. Bah humbug!

Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian Diet Wins it All!

            After really taking the concerns of my good friends, specifically regarding the nutritional risks of a strictly vegetarian diet, I am ready to thoroughly prove the argument that a mindful, vegetarian-geared diet is the best option for improving nutrition and food-awareness at large. From the research done in the Rogerian Argument, “The Vegetarian Diet: Mindful Pursuit or Nutritional Crisis”, I encountered a pretty immense body of research linking the tendencies of a vegetarian diet to anemia. Anemia, being a blood-hemoglobin condition, had never stricken me as such a large concern until looking at the figures (i.e. ~52% of Indian women suffer from Anemia). The research focusing on India gave me a lot of insight regarding what a vegetarian diet means traditionally, while also laying out the stage for why many people become vegetarian (and also why their nutrition may be neglected). This will be the main platform of argument in my next essay supporting the switch to maintaining nutritional awareness, and I will be basing my research off of Brown University and VRG.org’s look at nutritional requirements of all people and the specific options available to vegetarians.

Regarding my argument made on difference in cost, I did not want to extrapolate too deeply into researching the topic (Carrs cost), because the argument was presented (by my roommate) without considering nutritional value vs. food quantity (essentially just filling your stomach and calling it ‘good’ there). I would instead like to approach the topic in my argument supporting lacto-ovo-vegetarianism by looking at complimentary dishes/recipes, though, from the last paper, I can see how price comparison reach a level of ambiguity, so I’m still contending on whether this argument will be worthwhile. In this way, my view has changed about how I might implement the research done on nutrition between these two papers into my real-life because, in the end, I am a modest-living college student working two jobs and still eating ramen; and sometimes when I have the money to make a beautifully coordinated shopping run, I simply don’t have the time to make the run. A challenge it’ll be to make this work into actual fruition!

The biggest impact my research had on the counter-argument to my belief that veggies are the goodness of source was two-fold. Sam made an argument, which I didn’t include in my paper, that vegetables, like animals, also react to negative stimulus (from fire to loud music to even bad thoughts), using the words of many vegetarians against them: “I don’t eat meat because I refuse to eat anything that can feel pain.” What is pain? What is true sentience? These questions are not ones I really want to get into for this paper, because the research for Sam’s argument is there, and it’s even been made with water. Ultimately, the largest concrete impact made on me by this research is the true power of the lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, because after researching the true need for B12 and Iron, I’m glad to report dairy products can satisfy what the veggies cannot, and that supplements can guarantee that all of one’s bases are covered.

The Vegetarian Diet: A Rogerian Argument

Cole Murphy

University of Alaska, Anchorage

Nixon, ENG 214

The Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract

In this paper, the argument that a vegetarian diet is not nutritionally sound is explored through research as well as through the personal narrative of a discussion from which the arguments made reflect the arguments are supported and challenged, namely, the omnivorous diet as an evolutionary adaptation (claiming that eating meat is natural), the necessity of nutrients including Iron and B12 that are often overlooked in a vegetarian diet (claiming that neglecting essential vitamins is dangerous), and the high cost of maintaining a healthy diet that conforms to vegetarian/vegan ethics (claiming that a vegetarian diet is not realistic). Research done regarding the evolution and adaptation of an omnivorous diet looks primarily at studies done by Lund University and by archaeologist Manuel Dominguez-Rodrigo, each focusing on the early consequence of Iron and B12 related deficiency in developing infants’ bone samples as well as the benefits for humanity in adopting an early omnivorous diet. Research done regarding nutrient deficiencies examines studies done in India by the University of Western Australia and the University of New South Wales, which reveals the positive correlation between vegetarian diets and anemia. These two main points defend the argument that the vegetarian diet is linked to damage to human health, however the final point and brief commentary throughout the paper introduce the counterargument that being mindful towards diet, whether one eats meat or is vegetarian, is better facilitated with a vegetarian-geared, nutritionally aware dietary practice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year I decided to cut beef, pork, lamb, and other large meats out of my diet altogether. Then, my reasons were completely ethical, having just seen films including Meet Your Meat(2002), Food Inc(2008)., and GMO OMG(2013). These films showcase facts regarding the actual resources necessary for and environmental consequences of having tasty stake at the dinner table, the terrible reality behind much of the mass-farming industry and associated corporations’ animal-handling practices, and the general level of my own ignorance regarding my own awareness of what I’ve been eating all my life respectively. After watching these admittedly biased films, I felt that it was morally wrong to partake by any means in the unacceptable treatment of farm animals, especially cows, pigs, and chicken. Today I still wrestle with the moral legitimacy behind consuming eggs from hens whom will never see the sun or set foot on the ground (cage-free egg brand for the win!) Ethics, however, did not originally keep me from eating red meat at family meals and gorging on bacon during the Epic Meal Time craze. Although I struggled at first with really committing to the diet, I was finally able to validate my pursuit after an experience I had last Thanksgiving. In September of 2013, I decided to go a month without any meat aside from eggs and fish. Towards the end of the month, I felt a new sort of clarity throughout my body; I felt as if my stomach was lighter, my head more focused, and I really started to vibe with the veggies. Then the Thanksgiving turkey, ham, bacon, and beef-gravy hit, and I experienced a stomach flip of shmorgishborg proportion. From that point, I became a Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian, or a vegetarian who includes eggs and dairy products into their diet, the most common form of vegetarianism, though I live with an aspiring chef, my roommate Taseen, and I won’t deny him the occasional outside perspective on a sizzling teriyaki steak-bite.

The Vegetarian Diet: Mindful Pursuit or Nutritional Crisis

Earlier this year, my roommate Sam, having just reorganized our kitchen and food-stuff purchases, made an investment in over $150 of quality frozen meats. Together in the kitchen, my Sam, our friend Steve (whom is a professional chef from Detroit), and I were talking about the recipes we could finally start really working with into our freshly stocked kitchen. The conversation screeched to a halt, however, when I took a step out of the culinary closet and told Sam and Steve that I am gearing my diet towards being a vegetarian. Sam promptly questioned the diet, arguing that humans are designed by nature to be omnivorous, and that our historic diet is what made us intelligent. In agreement, Steve began thoroughly listing the essential proteins and nutrients (i.e. B12, Vitamin D, Iron and Calcium) that the vegetarian diet neglects and why they are important. Additionally, both concerned friends agreed that being a vegetarian in college is not cost-effective, and in the end is ‘not even worth it’.

In an age pre-dating the Paleolithic Era in the ancient human history, the bio-behavioral shift from a tree-dwelling, vegetarian diet, to the plains-running omnivorous diet is among the largest changes ever in early human anatomy and behavior.  One major factor of this change is the addition of nutritiously rich meat into the diets of young children. Research done by Lund University makes clear the fact that infants around the age of 2 could be weaned off of their mothers, whereas the regular weaning age extended to as far as 5-6 years of age (Rivero, 2012). The main body of evidence regarding a meat-eating diet speeding the process of breast-feeding/weaning (and thus increasing birthing rates) is a series of comparisons made with other omnivorous mammalian species in infant neurological developmental periods as compared by Elia Psouni, a developmental psychologist at Lund, with assistance from an evolutionary geneticist (Axel Janke) and a neurophysiologist (Martin Garwicz). Their model looked at more than 60 omnivorous (with diet of at least 20% meat) mammalian species in early development (including humans), with the null hypothesis that there is no correlation between the time of early brain development and the weaning phase of infant mammals introduced to meat. In the case of humans, the time (in years of age) it took infants to reach critical brain developmental points decreased in proportion to the time at which infants are weaned, thus leading to the conclusion that eating meat has increased human intelligence on an evolutionary standpoint (Rivero, 2012). Thus, the research shows that, in fact, with statistical significance, there is a positive correlation between critical stages in brain development and the time of weaning in all animals tested. These results clearly show that eating meat was a key development towards both increasing brain functioning in early humans and decreasing the breast-feeding commitment (in years spent breastfeeding a single child) necessary of mothers toward their young, which in turn increased social complexity and increased population growth, a huge step in the late proliferation and advancement of the human race.

Further research regarding the omnivorous past of all human ancestors done by archaeologist Manuel Dominguez-Rodrigo explains that a 1.5 million-year-old skull sample of a young child revealed that human brain development depended on the high-energy high-nutritional value of meat (Choi, 2012). In this instance, Dominguez-Rodrigo examined the oldest known sample of tissue (the child’s skull) affected by anemia. In short, anemia is a consequence of numerous nutritional deficiencies that the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) defines generally as a “condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells… [or when] red blood cells don’t contain enough hemoglobin [an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen through bloodstream].” Anemia is relevant here because it is among the most prevalent nutritional conditions afflicting vegetarians worldwide and throughout time. This prehistoric case of anemia, specifically linked to a lack of B12, relaying that 1.5 million years ago, humans had come to depend on a regular consumption of meat, and that the child (or its mother) was B12 deficient. Concluding his research, Dominguez-Rodrigo stated reflectively that it might “sound awful to vegetarians, but meat made us human” (Dominguez-Rodrigo as cited by Choi, 2012). Today humans depend on most of the same nutrients we adapted to in our historically omnivorous diet, thus a vegetarian diet does not make sense evolutionarily or nutritionally, and is in fact a dietary risk in its own right.

Considering this evidence, the only means by which I could retort Sam’s argument was by relaying the ethical matter at hand; although modern humans arose from an original culture that regularly consumed animal flesh, people today have the free-will and information-tools to lead perfectly healthy lives without the regular consumption of meat (i.e. supplements, access to any food item worldwide, or easily accessible nutritional alternatives). On the matter of ethics, however, vegetarianism points to one of humanity’s longest enduring challenges: Malnutrition.

Ultimately, malnutrition is among the most prevalent issues in today and throughout history, and vegetarians are very much at risk for key deficiencies in associated with malnutrition. India, for instance, is the most prevalently vegetarian country in the world, where 31%-42% (considering standard deviation of samples) of the population is vegetarian (The Hindu, Aug. 2006). Research done in 2012 published in the International Scholarly Research Network (ISRN) Public Health suggests that there is a correlation between vegetarianism in Indian women and the increased likelihood to suffer from bone-density loss (calcium-deficiency), pre-natal developmental disorders and abnormalities (protein and Vitamin D deficiency), and anemia (Iron and B12 Deficiency). The research looked primarily at iron-deficiency anemia (via hemoglobin levels) as reported by the Indian National Family and Health Survey 2005/06 of 81,301 Indian women of all states and social classes ages 15-49. In analyzing the varied data, researchers Anu Rammohan and Niyi Awofeso (University of Western Australia) and Marie-Claire Robitaille (University of New South Wales) looked at sample categories including personal education, husband’s education, number of children, BMI, Caste, wealth levels, and water supply. This data was then cross-referenced with data of the same samples categorized instead by diet-related variables (e.g., never eating meat vs. eating meat daily). The data analysis revealed that, in addition to higher education status, social status, and socioeconomic status, the “daily consumption of meat, fish, and eggs was associated with lower odds of being moderately or severely aneamicsic” (Awofeso et al., 2012). This conclusion, having taken specific social differences India into consideration, heralds a serious caution to vegetarians in any country to carefully monitor their nutrition.

The focus of this research on anemia in India is critical in analyzing the prevalent nutritional short-comings of the vegetarian diet because Iron-deficiency anemia is the largest nutritional condition in the vegan and vegetarian community. In the 5^th edition of Simply Vegan, Reed Mangels, PhD, and Debra Wasserman, PhD, extrapolate on Iron as it relates to human digestion. Mangels and Wasserman write that the nutrient Iron is observed and absorbed under two classifications: Heme Iron, which is 40% of the iron found in most types of animal flesh and is easy to absorb during digestion, and Non-heme Iron, which makes up the other 60% of Iron in meat and 100% of the Iron in vegetables and is not easily absorbed during digestion (rvg.org, Iron in the Vegan Diet). Furthermore, Calcium, Protein, and Vitamin D are more easily acquired in a vegetarian diet than are Iron and B12. In our lengthy kitchen conversation, Sam contemplated the realistic approach of implementing regular supplements into his diet to replace his own missed-out essentials, but his counterpart was not entirely convinced. Steve, a professional chef by industry standards, primarily emphasized the vegetarian diet’s distinct lack of the vitamin B12, stating that B12 is something I should take seriously, as it is often disregarded in the vegetarian diet. Indeed, without supplements, animal products are the only natural source of the vitamin B12.

In a 2004 Annual Review of Nutrition journal article titled “Vitamin B12 Deficiency as a Worldwide Problem” researchers A. Robert and S. Stabler present the numerous dangers associated deficiency of the vitamin B12. Robert and Stabler begin by defining biological B12, or Cobalamin, as a nutrient that is “bound to enzymes in food and must be released by the action of gastric enzymes and acid prior to being bound by a protein synthesized by gastric parietal cells (Robert, Stabler, par.4). From digestion and initial absorption into the bloodstream, B12 is carried to bone marrow, where it, along with Iron, aids in the synthesis of hemoglobin, the main bio-chemical device in getting air into and carbon dioxide out of every each cell throughout the body. Regarding vegetarians specifically, Robert and Stabler observed the worldwide rise in a condition called hyperhomocysteinemia to positively correlate with Pernicious anemia, the main form of anemia in most instances of B12 deficiency due to lack of consuming animal products.

Without a doubt, Steve’s assertions were backed by recent scientific research, and thus warrant a serious topic that vegetarians and vegans cannot ignore safely. The follow-up argument that Sam made, unfortunately, did not deliver the same proof. Financially aware, Sam explained his belief that keeping up with nutrition in my situation specifically could prove especially difficult. As a full-time college student, watching my spending is a critical matter of staying afloat, especially living off campus and away from my parents. To satisfy my nutritional requirements as prescribed by the Brown University Sports Nutrition webpage, I would have to eat 9-15 servings of breads/grains, 3+ servings from vegetables, 3-5 servings from fruit, 3+ servings from dairy (while ensuring that I reach a daily intake of at least 1000mg of calcium), 6oz+ of protein/meat, and mind that 20-35% of all calories consumed come from fats and lipids. This is indeed a costly optimal diet, adding up to a rough minimum of $30 daily including the alternatives that must be made for vegetarians without considering quality, organic ingredients. However, these nutritional requirements are also intended for those who eat meat, and hold very similar consumer prices in comparison to a vegetarian’s optimal grocery purchases. Nonetheless, Sam’s argument does hold true for many vegans, who often purchase products made specifically for vegan consumers. Prices are generally higher for vegan products to meet these same nutritional demands. Vegans, unlike Lacto-ovo-vegetarians, must also take supplements to have any B12 in their diet. Ultimately, an individual who is more focused on satisfying the requirements of a completely balanced diet will end up paying more for his/her food, pointing to the fact that the more attention one places on healthy nutrition, the more healthy one will be.

In the end, nutritionally aware people, whether meat-eating or otherwise, make very similar choices regarding how to best balance their diets. Ingredient awareness and the ability to supplement key nutrients provide individuals with the opportunity to fine-tune their diets, though in the modern day, this is an often unpracticed and unavailable option for many people. In relation to vegetarians, people whom eat meat are proportionately more nutrient-deficient in Vitamin C and in fiber. Without the resources or time to develop and practice a healthy diet, countless men, women, and children face malnutrition every day, even in 1^st-world countries.

Although the majority of people find all of their health and wellness requirements satisfied in a meat-eating diet, research suggests that a vegetarian-geared diet is an excellent means to benefit individual health and mindfulness because it involves the nutritional awareness of the food we eat and of the food we need to eat. Thus, I argue that having a diet geared towards mindfulness, diet tracking, and the practice of lacto-ovo-vegetarianism is among the healthiest and overall most beneficial choices in diet a human can make.

I would like to invite meat-eaters to take a 1-2 weeks off of one of the following: pork, beef, or chicken, and see how it impacts their lives. Many of us have no restriction on our diets, and don’t really give food a second thought, but when we set certain rules or standards for ourselves, we begin to grow a larger body of mindfulness regarding the food we eat. Through my experience, I’ve decided that food ought to really taste better when one considers where it came from and how it ended up on the dinner table, and that eating with your mind in the food is half of the joy of eating.

Works Cited

N.A. “What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?.” – NHLBI, NIH. NIH, 26 Mar. 2014. Web. 28 Oct.     2014. < http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ida/>.

Rammohan, A., Awafeso, N. M-C, Robitaille. “Addressing Femaile Iron-Deficiency Anaemia in     India: Is Vegetarianism the Major Obstacle?” ISRN Public Health. Hindawi Publishing    Corporation, 1 Sept. 2014. Web. 1 Nov. 2014            <http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2012/765476/>.

Stabler, S.P., and R.H. Allen. “Vitamin B12 Deficiency As A Worldwide Problem.” Annual Review of Nutrition 24.1 (2004): 299-326. Proquest.com Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/204129670/3BD4F37            D6D84C8BPQ/1?accountid=14473>.

Yadav, Yogendra, and Kumar, Sanjay. “The Food Habits of a Nation.” The Food Habits of a      Nation. The Hindu, 14 Aug. 2006. Web. 31 Oct. 2014.            <http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article3089973.ece>.
Choi, Charles. “Eating Meat Made Us Human, Suggests New Skull Fossil.” LiveScience.    TechMedia Network, 3 Oct. 2012. Web. 1 Nov. 2014.            <http://www.livescience.com/23671-eating-meat-made-us-human.html>.
Rivero, Eduardo. “Meat Eating behind Evolutionary Success of Humankind, Global Population      Spread, Study Suggests.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 Apr. 2012. Web. 1 Nov. 2014.            <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120420105539.htm>.

Building on that Veggy Counter Argument

The Vegetarian Diet: Mindful Pursuit or Nutritional Foley

Check bb outline + cite: (lastname, year, pg)

            Last year I decided to cut beef, pork, lamb, and other large meats out of my diet altogether. Then, my reasons were completely ethical, having seen films like Meet Your Meat(2002), Food Inc(2008)., and GMO OMG(2013), I felt that it was morally wrong to accept the treatment of farm animals, especially cows and pigs. Today I still wrestle with the moral legitimacy behind consuming eggs from hens whom will never see the sun or set foot on the ground (cage-free egg brand for the win!) Ethics, however, did not keep me from eating red meat at family meals and gorging on bacon with the Epic Meal Time craze. This continued to be a rather conflicting issue within me, unable to forget the abused animals I’ve seen on the TV screen, but I was finally able to validate and to commit to how I feel after an experience I had last Thanksgiving. In September of 2013, I decided to try going a month without any meat aside from eggs, (at this point I had been eating turkey, fish, and the occasional steak-bite and bacon bit) and towards the end of the month, I felt a new sort of clarity throughout my body; in some ways I felt like my blood was flowing easier, my stomach lighter, and head more focused, and I really started to vibe with the vegetables.

Earlier this year, my roommates, having reorganized our kitchen and food-stuff purchases, made an investment in over $150 of quality frozen meats. Together in the kitchen, my roommate Sam, our friend Steve (whom is a professional chef from Detroit), and I were talking about the recipes we could finally start really working with in the kitchen. The conversation screeched to a halt, however, when I took a step out of the culinary closet and told Sam and Steve that I am gearing my diet towards becoming a vegetarian. Sam had stated plainly that my choice is a silly and probably uneducated one, making the sound argument that humans are built to be omnivorous, and that it is this fact that guided our evolution towards becoming the intelligent beings we are today. Steve, on the other hand, began listing the essential proteins and nutrients (i.e. B12, Vitamin D, Iron and Calcium) that the vegetarian diet neglects. Additionally, both concerned friends agreed that being a vegetarian in college is not cost-effective. (in the study done in India, 55% of Brahmins [members of the top caste] were vegetarian vs. the 12% of Adivasis [members of the low caste] were vegetarian).

One of the major points advocating an omnivorous diet is human evolution. It is common knowledge, acknowledging the differences between those that validate evolution and those who think otherwise, that at one time, proto-humans roamed the plains hunting animals, migrating long distances, and adapting their diets to consume almost all viable sources around them. With complex teeth, humans can serrate, pierce, mash, and otherwise pulverize foods in immense variety, helping them to take the best advantage of their environment possible. Eating meat was an integral part of the early human lifestyle; as hunting parties of able-bodied men chased large mammals, they would shout out communicative calls to organize the party for the kill. Such practices eventually led to growth and expansion of language.

Ultimately, malnutrition is among the most prevalent issues worldwide, and vegetarians are very much at risk for key deficiencies in health as well as holding unjustified (and often judgmental) moral high grounds. In India, the most prevalently vegetarian country in the world, between 31%-42% (considering standard deviation of samples) of the population is vegetarian (The Hindu, Aug. 2006).

Steve, a Culinary Extraordinaire by my standards, and a professional chef by industry standards, primarily advocatedfor the vegetarian diet’s distinct lack of the vitamin B12.

As a college student, watching my spending is a critical matter of staying afloat, especially living off campus and away from my parents.

Vegetarian or Meat-eating nutritionally aware people, in the end, make very similar choices regarding how to best balance their diets. Just because a monk chooses not to eat meat or dairy products, he has not sacrificed his essential B12, for he has the option of supplementing his food. Supplements provide all diet-conscious individuals with the opportunity to fine-tune their meals, delivering some of the best nutrition mankind has ever seen. If people continue to tell a monk/nun that he is neglecting himself by not eating meat, the monk or nun can retort simply that the people worrying for vegetarians are also neglecting themselves by trying to make the choices of another free-willed human being. Thus, having the ability to supplement and replace foods with any source of nutrient really grants us the ability to choose our diet, making the classic value of vegetarianism in Buddhism a realistic approach for those that can afford it. This is critical for all people because nutrition is a major problem, even in first-world countries like America. Oftentimes, people whom eat meat (the general mass of the public) are more nutrient-deficient in Vitamin C, in fiber, or in calcium than vegetarians, because vegetarians in general track their nutrition more carefully than the majority of meat-consuming individuals. On a personal level, people who gear their diet more toward vegetarianism have to really monitor their nutrition, a mindful practice that literally benefits the supermajority of human beings. With nutrition-awareness being practiced on a local scale, standards for nutrition will rise, and even kids will become familiar with the quality and effects of food in their bodies. Globally, this is of the utmost importance, as it is recognized that education is the most consistent route toward leading a healthy, fulfilling life for any individual.

Although the majority of people find all of their health and wellness requirements satisfied in a meat-eating diet, research suggests that a vegetarian-geared diet is an excellent means to benefit individual health and mindfulness because it involves the nutritional awareness of the food we eat and of the food we need to eat.
– vegetarians in general are more nutritionally aware
– meat products are, more often than not, processed and quite unsound for consumption
– a non-picky vegetarian diet is actually quite cost effective
– a vegetarian diet does not actively abuse animals in their lives

I would like to invite meat-eaters to take a month off of one of the following, pork, beef, or chicken, and see how it impacts their lives. Many of us have no restriction on our diets, and don’t really give food a second thought, but when we set certain rules or standards for ourselves, we begin to grow a larger body of mindfulness regarding the food we eat.

1) Balanced diet and incredibly nutritious meat, it’s what we’re built to eat!

– We need Protein

1. a) “The ADA has said that it is NOT necessary to combine specific foods within a meal in order to “complete” the amino acids profile of the proteins found in plant foods.”
2. b) “Good sources of protein include whole grains, lentils, beans, tofu, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, tempeh, eggs, and peas.”

Work Cited: N.A.. “Sports Nutrition.” Brown University Healthy Promotion. Brown University, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.

– We need Calcium, We need Vitamin D

1. a) You’re looking at osteoporosis, bone weakness for calcium, for vitamin D, it’s various forms of cancer, heart disease, and even Alzheimer’s!
2. b) TOFU! You can add in all the supplements as you’re making it! Nutrition URL: http://www.soyfoods.org/soy-products/soy-fact-sheets/tofu

Work Cited: N.A.. “Soy Fact Sheets.” Soyfoods Association of North America.  Soy Foods, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. <http://www.soyfoods.org/soy-products/soy-fact-sheets/tofu&gt;.

– We need Iron

1. a) “Iron-fortified breads and cereals, dark green vegetables (e.g. spinach and broccoli), dried fruits, prune juice, blackstrap molasses, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and soybean nuts are good plant sources of iron”
2. b) “Consuming foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits or juices, tomatoes, and green peppers helps your body absorb iron from these plant sources.”

Source – Brown

1. c) “Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency and the leading cause of anemia in the world.”
2. d) “The term “anemia” usually refers to a condition in which your blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen and remove carbon dioxide (a waste product) from your body. Anemia also can occur if your red blood cells don’t contain enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.” Leads to fatigue, chest pain, eventual heart problems, developmental issues, and increased risk of infections.

Source – nhlbi

Work Cited: N.A.. “Do vegetarians get proper nutrients?.” Being a Vegetarian. Brown University, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. < http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/nutrition_&_eating_concerns/being_a_vegetarian.php&gt;.

N.A. “What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?.” – NHLBI, NIH. NIH, 26 Mar. 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. < http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ida/&gt;.
– We need B12

1. a) “Dietary vitamin B12 deficiency is a severe problem in the Indian subcontinent, Mexico, Central and South America, and selected areas in Africa. Dietary vitamin B12 deficiency is not prevalent in Asia, except in vegetarians”

1) “The prevalence of PA in the United States was estimated at 151 per 100,000”

1. b) “Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is bound to enzymes in food and must be released by the action of gastric enzymes and acid prior to being bound by a protein synthesized by gastric parietal cells… Pernicious anemia [a common cause of megaloblastic anemia worldwide similar to the rising hyperhomocysteinemia in vegetarians] [causes] characteristic abnormalities in all of the cell lines in the bone marrow.”

1) Also correlates with neurological diseases, , and can lead to many developmental disorders and disabilities.

2. c) “The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for U.S. adults was set at 2.4 ug/d by the Institute of Medicine to ensure absorption of 1 ug/d because the average absorption from food is about 50%.”

1) Table of B12 content in foods: (168 = U.S. Department of Agriculture)

To Meat or not to Meat?

The Vegetarian Diet: A Mindful Pursuit or A Nutritional Sacrifice?

Vegetarians
More effort into the food and nutrition
Suffering of sentient beings
– it’s cause we have the ability not to
Overfarming of fish, overuse of land and resources to keep up with meat demand
Eggs, tofu, and tree nuts
Heart disease and the prevalence of processed meats

Omnivores
Balanced diet and incredibly nutritious meat
– B12, iron, zinc, healthy fats and high quality protein
It’s what we’re built to eat
Eating meat is what brought us here!
– ancestors having to organize for the hunt
Bacon!

Similar
Awareness of nutrients
– in general, meat-eaters are more prone to diseases because they are also more likely to be smokers and to eat processed meats, it isn’t just that they eat meat, because anyone can be health-conscious.
Pursuit of excellent dishes
– taste and appearance!
Farmers and the organic pursuit
Matters of cost
We Tax The Environment either way!

Refuse to Stop Eating Meat: http://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-eat-meat-2013-9
Reasons to Eat Meat: http://authoritynutrition.com/7-evidence-based-health-reasons-to-eat-meat/
Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/should-humans-eat-meat-excerpt/

3 Blogs of Interest

In grading for the midterm, I would like to nominate The Rogerian Dharma, A Meditating Senator, and The Man-Made Obstacle.
はい！風の話を聞きましょう！

The Rogerian Dharma

As a Dharma Bum, a Bodhisattva, or simply someone who cares about the world, Buddhism stands as an amazing point of thought and philosophy approach to everyday life. Buddhist thought follows the example of Buddha, a historically enlightened being who rejected the orthodox ways presented before him and opted to focus on the universal truths underlying. Buddhism also focuses on seeing others (all living things) as equals, and thus treating them with respect and considerable care. In this way, Buddhism is un-orthodox (doesn’t prescribe to adhering one’s life to the interpretations of a sacred written text), is open minded (requires a practice of considering the thoughts and opinions of others without making quick judgments), and is compassionate. These and many other points have drawn me to Buddhism from the first time I heard of the Buddha as a young child. Now that I’ve looked into specific stories, teachings, and examples of the Buddha’s way, I have come to practice Buddhism as my way of life. However, as nice as it may sound, this is no simple statement to justify.
As with any other major life philosophy, Buddhism holds almost innumerable specific schools and sects of study, or as a monk might put it, there are many ways to live the Dharma. The Dharma can be translated as “The Way” as in the way to live one’s life (to reach fulfillment); “The Law” as in the law or truth underlying the simplicities and intricacies of the universe; “The Invulnerable” as in the consistently changing and adapting infinite flow of the universe; and so many other transcendent concepts. Keeping this in mind, Buddhism is at once united and divided beyond any possible surface comprehension, and there are as many disagreements in Buddhist schools as there are in different denominations of Christianity. For instance, the Theravada school in South-East Asia view that in order to become enlightened, one must live the life of a monk, meditating and begging for food, while the laypeople (or common-folk) seek the blessings and mystical protections of these more enlightened beings. In Mahayana Buddhism, the broadest Buddhist perspective, it is commonly recognized that any person can reach an enlightened perspective within their lifetimes. This differentiation in views exemplifies one of the largest divides in Buddhism: what does it take to become enlightened?
In both perspectives, reaching enlightenment entails cultivating an extensive awareness of one’s self/selves in everyday action, intent, purpose, and so on; a perspective known simply as mindfulness. Additionally, Buddhism in large views the practice of meditation as critical to reaching enlightened states of consciousness, though specific practices differ widely. Finally, an essential practice of all Buddhism is acting with compassion towards oneself and others. These truths can be said to hold the essence of what defines Buddhism, but everyday life often becomes much more complex than adhering only to these truths. The Theravada community holds a strict regard for the Buddha’s most original teachings (and I say “most original” because the Buddha never wrote anything down) while the Mahayana community understands that, like all other things, even the teachings of Buddha are impermanent and imperfect. My personal aspired Buddhist practice is that of the Vajrayana, or Tibetan Buddhist perspective, which finds relevance in both of these views simultaneously.
I vibe well with the Zen perspective that the truth can be found in any situation, one need only really look. I feel that third “fourth turning of the wheel”, a critical point yet to be reached in Buddhism (the previous three being the founding of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, the surfacing of Mahayana, and the later rise in influence of Vajrayana Buddhism) will be in the true realization of Infinite Buddhism. They say that there are many paths, all leading to one truth, but why then do people still argue on how to live life? I feel like simple language will bring forth the next age of enlightenment across Buddhism and the world.
Hail to the Om and to the Thunderbolt in the Void!