| (Ninth in a Series) | | | | This is not to say that such a conspiracy is afoot; it |
| In his book, Mindfulness with Breathing, Buddhadasa | | | | is to say that by the statistics alone, one is justified |
| Bhikku, a rather famous Buddhist monk-at least in | | | | in wondering. |
| Theravada circles-had these very wise words to say | | | | Pleasure and Taste |
| about food: "We should eat food that is food. Do not | | | | For many the battle comes down to taste, and the |
| eat food that is 'bait.' We eat food for the proper | | | | pleasure it gives. |
| nourishment of life. We eat bait for the sake of | | | | We can go a whole day-if not a whole week, and |
| deliciousness. Bait makes us unwise and causes us to | | | | with great anticipation-looking forward to a particular |
| eat foolishly, just like the bait on the hook that snags | | | | dinner course, one which in the past has given us |
| foolish fish. We must eat the kinds of food that are | | | | great pleasure (enter your favorite food here). The |
| genuinely beneficial for the body, and we must eat in | | | | quiet voice that tries to point out that this |
| moderation." | | | | sumptuous meal, strictly speaking, is not at all good |
| That is probably the best statement on the subject | | | | for us-and that afterwards we will wake up in the |
| of "Eat to Live vs. Live to Eat" that I have come | | | | night with heartburn and a bad conscience-eventually |
| across. | | | | goes all silent, and as comes the day, we sit down to |
| In the same book, he goes on to say: "Eating bait | | | | dig in. |
| means eating for the sake of deliciousness and fun. It | | | | Short Term vs. Long Term |
| is also usually expensive. We must stop swallowing | | | | It may be that true pleasures are few and far |
| bait and learn to eat only food that is proper and | | | | between. It certainly is true that pleasure is far |
| wholesome. | | | | preferable to pain. But it is also true that long-term |
| "If you are eating bait, you will be constantly hungry | | | | pleasure, say a rejuvenated body that will allow you |
| all day and night. You will always be sneaking off to | | | | to make that twenty mile hike to the top of Mount |
| eat yet more bait. Eating bait impairs our mental | | | | so-and-so-and with it that most fantastic view and |
| abilities. The mind surrenders to the bait." | | | | feeling you've ever experienced-is far stronger, and |
| Live to Eat | | | | far preferable to the short-term pleasure of an |
| It is a sad testament to our western | | | | indulging meal. |
| culture-especially here in America-that living to eat is a | | | | But short term is much easier to confront than long |
| predominant philosophy, if not a religion. | | | | term, and that's the crux. Working toward long-term |
| Most of us, deep down, know this. We know that | | | | pleasure, and survival, takes effort, will power, and |
| fruit is better than grease-dripping French fries. We | | | | time. Even though we know the rewards outweigh |
| know that greens and rice is healthier for the body | | | | the short-term pleasure by a huge factor, we would |
| than a thick, juicy (as in bloody) steak with baked | | | | rather go with the burger in hand than the long-term |
| potatoes (and scoops of sour cream). | | | | survival in the woods. |
| Quite apart from the fact that we could feed seven | | | | Eat to Live |
| persons with the soy beans we feed the pig that | | | | It takes less effort to start the car than to walk. It |
| slaughtered will feed only one person-which is just | | | | takes less effort to turn on the television than to |
| bad economy-the human body does not run well on | | | | read a book. It takes less effort to drive to the fast |
| salty, greasy, high-cholesterol, high-calorie food. Yet | | | | food restaurant than to cook a healthy meal. |
| this is the daily menu for a majority of our citizens | | | | It takes less effort to be unhealthy than healthy. It |
| today. | | | | takes less effort not to live than live. |
| A Pact | | | | Living life to the fullest takes effort. It takes |
| In fact, this is so much the case that it makes one | | | | dedication and will power. It takes knowing what fuel |
| wonder: Could there be a secret pact between the | | | | makes your body function the best and to choose |
| Fast Food and Medical Industries? A pact that goes | | | | that fuel, no matter how much work is involved. It |
| something like this: | | | | takes sticking to that resolve every day of every |
| Medical Industry: "As long as you keep sending them | | | | week, month, year. |
| to us for expensive and very profitable treatment, | | | | Eating to live is not a short-term project; it's a |
| we will not expose how terribly bad your foods | | | | philosophy and a lifestyle that in the end brings far, |
| actually are for them." | | | | far more happiness to those who make it, than any |
| A nodding-head Fast Food Industry: "Deal." | | | | amount of bait ever can. |