Socrates once said:
The unexamined life is not worth living
Have we ever truly examined the food on our plates? Do we know whether what we eat is leading our body and mind toward health — or toward illness? Have we ever taken the time to understand the nature of our food, and whether it truly benefits our physical and mental well-being?
In the past, I judged food only by how sour, spicy, crunchy, or tasty it was. I didn’t realize that behind those flavours were hidden dangers — too much sugar, salt, oil, and fat. Over time, these can bring serious health problems.
A high-salt diet raises blood pressure and puts stress on the heart; A high-fat diet increases cholesterol and causes arteries to harden; A high-sugar diet leads to blood sugar spikes and increases the risk of diabetes — and diabetes is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease.
When I was in high school, I ate too much meat, and my blood became so thick that the nurse couldn’t even draw it during a checkup. Looking back, I realize I still had so many dreams and goals waiting to be achieved. If I had fallen seriously ill, all those dreams would have turned into nothing. Worse still, I would have become a burden to my parents. When one person in a family develops cancer, it often ends in tragedy — with pain and loss for everyone.
Have we ever thought about what pigs eat? They eat people’s leftovers and waste. Then humans eat the pigs. So, what are we really putting into our bodies?
If the body were a car, then food would be its fuel. If we keep using poor-quality fuel, the car’s engine will eventually break down. In the same way, eating unhealthy food for too long will damage our energy, our movement, and even our ability to think clearly.
I once met a man who specialised in tea. He ate very simply — almost no meat, no fried food, no smoking or drinking, and no perfume. He told me, “These things dull my sense of smell and taste, and that affects how I judge tea.” That made me wonder — if certain foods can weaken our sense of smell and taste, could they also affect our touch, hearing, and brain?
Einstein once said that humans have developed only about 5% of their brain’s potential. If oily and heavy foods dull our senses, might they also slow down the development of the other 95% of our mind?
The concept of an accident-triangle in industrial safety, originally by Herbert William Heinrich (1931), suggests that for every one major injury accident, there are about 29 minor injury accidents and ~300 no-injury accidents / near misses.
Later expansions (by Frank E. Bird Jr. and others) give ratios such as ~1 major accident : 10 minor injuries : 30 property damage accidents : 600 no-injury/near misses.
Isn’t it similar to our diet? Behind every serious disease there are many small problems and warning signs — often hidden in the meals we eat every day.
Eating pure, plant-based food is a way to better protect our health.
Every bite we take is closely connected to our future happiness and well-being. A pure diet lifestyle is not only a diet — it is a choice to care for our body, our mind, and our life.
