• Article Author: Cheng Tay
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Food and Religion

Food and religion have always been closely related. Many different religions have their own rituals around food and drink and each has its own ideas of what is good to eat and what should be forbidden for different reasons. So what lessons can we can from food and religion from the past and present for better health today, regardless of what you believe in? Those seeking a better level of fitness, a healthier body and even a way to better influence the world around them can all take lessons from different religions and the types of diets involved. Fasting is a common occurrence for many in their relationship between food and religion. Whatever your health or fitness goals, fasting occasionally can do the body a world of good and help you cleanse. Refraining from eating pork applies to more than just Muslims and there connections between food and religion. There are a number of misconceptions for the reasons pork is prohibited from being eaten in some religions, however there are definitely some good common sense arguments for avoiding it. Pork has definitely been shown to carry more diseases and poses more health risks than other types of meat including being prone to carrying worms which can burrow into the body. On top of that pork is actually high in saturated fat and clearly not the best choice for those looking to stay trim. Buddhism has a strong tendancy towards vegetarianism and vegan dieting. Meat is not banned or forbidden to consume as a Buddhist, though many followers stick to vegetarian diets. More than a belief that meat has some bad connotation in their religion it is a desire not to do harm to the environment or to living things. Buddhist do not even really believe in farming so that they do not destroy other living plants. In fact this has lead nuns and monks in the past to solely feed themselves on the free food or alms given to them by others so that they have no direct part in harming any form of life, no matter how small. Then you have strict Baptists who do not believe in consuming tobacco or alcohol in any way. This even applies to cooking wine or liqueurs in sweets and desserts in order to stay true to their religion. As in Buddhism this is in order to maintain clarity of mind, but clearly means better over all health as well. So next time you are looking for some ideas for staying healthier, take a look at food and religion and you may just find some new ways to improve your diet.