Conclusions
So, you keep wondering: “What should I eat?”
The answer is — you have to find out for yourself.
All people are very different and the approach toward nutrition must be designed individually. The choice of food is determined by both internal and external conditioning. Internal conditions include a current level of spiritual development, energy requirements of the body, metabolism, a belief system, and an overall attitude toward life and its value. External conditions include factors such as ethnic and cultural background, geographical location, personal financial state and the economic situation in the country.
The only ultimate truth about nutrition is that you shouldn’t be dogmatic about anything. Some vegans are more aggressive than meat-eaters. Some meat-eaters are too ignorant to open up for alternatives. Be humble. On this path, one can never stop learning.
I’ve shared with you my thoughts on some aspects of nutrition I found worth mentioning and I will share with you my diet too. I follow the Japanese diet — seafood, grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. I believe that all good dietary practices have already been invented we just have to resurface them and combine them in a way that works for us.
Japanese people are among the top long-livers on the planet and without a doubt, their diet is one of the reasons that stand behind their longevity.
I approach nutrition as a chemist. First of all, I want my food to improve my cognitive function so I eat fish to supply myelin for my brain. Myelin is a substance that surrounds the axon of a neuron forming a fatty myelin sheath — some sort of insulating layer whose primary functions are to protect the nerve and secure the speed of conduction of electrical signals. Healthy myelin production is essential for the adequate functioning of the central nervous system — the brain and the spinal cord. Myelinogenesis is absolutely dependent on the synthesis of cholesterol in the brain and requires regular intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids making fish an excellent dietary choice.
Furthermore, fish doesn’t have a lot of connective tissue so your body doesn’t spend a lot of energy to break it down. You know how fast fish gets cooked in comparison to other types of meat. Easy digestion also makes fish a superior source of animal protein, especially for post-workout recovery. In addition, fish can be eaten raw so all valuable nutrients enter the body without undergoing thermal destruction.
Fresh fruits and vegetables secure the required minerals, vitamins and fiber that ensures movement of the food inside intestines and serves as a food for symbiotic bacteria. Grains and legumes are great sources of both carbohydrates and plant protein.
I was a meat-eater, I went vegan, I tried being a fruitarian, and I practiced fasting. Every time I tried something new, I was closely observing how my body responded. The things that I described in the Nutrition subchapter are the results of a series of experiments on myself that brought me to my current diet. I do not preach the way I eat. What works great for me will not necessarily give the same results for you. I learned something, I keep learning, and I wish you do the same.
At some point in life, you have a moment of realization — what others choose to put in their stomachs is absolutely irrelevant to your personal wellbeing. This is when you acquire the power to forbid external factors such as environment, cultural background, or familial dietary habits from conditioning you into making choices that may have a detrimental effect on the quality of your life. The only thing that matters is the question: “What is the role of the food in my journey of becoming a better human being?”
Study nutrition, study physiology. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find what works exclusively for you. Make conscious choices and take full responsibility for what gets inside your body because, at the end of the day, your wellness is the consequence of your approach to your diet. Remember that the way you treat your body can be the highest form of self-love or the highest form of self-punishment. Love yourself. Be healthy. Be mindful.
Thank you for reading my book “Meditations of the Millennial”.
If you want to support me on my mission, please, share this book with someone you love. Maybe they will find what they seek on its pages.
