STAY AWAY FROM MEAT!

10 REASONS WHY IT'S 
GOOD TO STOP EATING BEEF

http://www.boldsky.com - Excessive consumption of red meat can cause certain health effects. Beef is not an exemption. Though it can provide many nutrients, health experts recommend minimising the consumption of beef or is possible, staying away from it altogether. Read on to know why eating beef could be bad for health: (1) It Hardens Your Blood Vessels - This applies to all red meats. Carnitine, which is a compound that is present in red meat may clog arteries. 
(2) May Cause Infections - E.Coli is a microorganism that may cause kidney failure, cramps in the stomach or even dehydration. (3) Hormones - The hormones present in red meat may increase the risk of suffering breast cancer in women. (4) Bacteria - As beef sellers want more profits, they started using certain drugs on cattle to make them grow faster and bulkier. This makes the meat cause certain side effects in humans including bacterial infections.

(5) Affects Immunity and cause Inflammation - Your immunity may react to certain substances present in red meat. (6) May Cause Cancer - Processed meat increase the risk of cancer due to certain additives and flavours added to processed beef and this makes it more dangerous. (7) May Cause Diabetes - Too much of beef consumption may also lead to type 2 diabetes and the risk factor increases by 45%.  (8) Alzheimer's - Red meat consumption in excess may cause accumulation of iron and this might indirectly lead to the risk of suffering Alzheimer's disease. 
(9) Cardiovascular Issues - Eating too much of beef is linked to cardiovascular diseases because the bacteria in the gut breaking down certain substances in beef and releasing certain harmful compounds. (10) Obesity - It goes without saying that too much of meat on your plate can easily obesity. It is tough to burn all the calories and fat when you are on a beef diet.

This article was written by Praveen Kumar from boldsky.com. He wisely wonders "Does it make any sense to eat artery-clogging meat? When you plan your diet with low calorie foods, why eat fattening meat on the other side? Beef pushes your waistline further and invites a host of health issues like arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart issues and osteoporosis." Also, he adds, "any animal product comes with a set of minus points. It comes with hormones, antibiotics, bacteria and toxins too." While research found that both red meat and processed meats contained similar amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol - both a contributing factor for heart disease and stroke - processed meats had on average four times higher levels of salt and other preservatives, according to lead author of the study Renata Micha, research fellow in the department of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health. Despite all these, many people still claim about meat protein benefits, so the debate over the pros and cons of vegetarianism will continue forever, as different people have different needs and differing views on health and nutrition. However, our spiritual teachers have taught us that the fundamental principle of vegetarianism is essentially not to be violent. To eat meat is necessary to kill, therefore we must abstain from eating meat, for not participating in violence against other living creatures. If we are part of the food chain that is based on the act of killing, we will receive as a reaction to be born as animals in order to be killed. Srila Prabhupada has very clearly explained that we had animal bodies in past lives, and if we do not reach perfection in this opportunity which has been given us this human life, we will return to these lower forms. So please, do not eat meat. We should not participate in the killing of animals and therefore we can avoid both the suffering of our younger brothers and the harmful effects on our health and our future destiny. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Eating of cow flesh or the flesh of any other animal, the motivation behind slaughter, is detrimental to the health of human beings. [...] Meat bearing animals suffer from dozens of diseases and parasites caused through unnatural living and exploitation such as forced feeding, which causes fatty degeneration of organs, endocrine complications through castration diseases including contagious abortion, foot and mouth diseases, fevers, catarrhal conditions, cancer tumours, tuberculosis, mastitis, liver flukes causing ducts to be filled with septic matter (only the liver is condemned, not the carcass), etc; their blood and tissues are impregnated with preventive vaccines. Poultry is often impregnated with oestrogens, which are carcinogens. Animal fats contain cholesterol which is now thought to cause coronary diseases of the heart.

Vedic Knowledge Online - “Hidden Price of Meat”
“Modern Civilization is Centered Around Animal Killing”
http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz
http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/bhaktiyoga/change.htm#2

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

EATING FISH IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS TODAY

WHY EATING FISH IS EVEN MORE
DANGEROUS THAN YOU THOUGHT

www.mindbodygreen.com - Bad news for seafood lovers: fish isn't quite as healthy as we've been led to believe. If you eat fish regularly, chances are you're getting too much mercury and too few omega-3s. That's the conclusion of a report released months ago from the Environmental Working Group. While US Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to eat up to 12 ounces of a seafood (about three servings) a week, the EWG has discovered that this may be dangerously high for some people.
EWG’s analysis of mercury and omega-3 concentrations in seafood finds that 10 of the most popular seafoods in the American market would pose an unacceptable mercury risk to an average-weight pregnant woman who ate amount recommended by the government each week.

Since safe mercury levels are based on body weight, lighter women are at greater risk from mercury in seafood. And for folks eating fish because they're hoping to get their omega-3 fats, which have been shown to lower cardiac risks, and boost infant brain development, there's more grim news. 
The EWG concluded that many people won't benefit as much as they hope, because 8 of the 10 most popular types of seafood, including shrimp and catfish, rank low for healthy omega-3 fats. EWG investigated mercury contamination and beneficial omega-3 levels in seafood in order to identify species that offer the greatest health benefit and lowest mercury risk.

Fish has always been associated with a healthy diet. It’s low in calories and rich in beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids. However,  due to pollution and other environmental factors, some fish contain unhealthy amounts of mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl), and parasites, eating fish is not so healthy as it was thought. Eating fish from the rivers and oceans is not safe ... but, what about the farm-bred fish?  There are many bad news for the one who loves eating farm-bred fish because they have also been found to have high concentrations of antibiotics and pesticides. In AnitaStayHealthy's blog, we read: "Farmed salmon may have at least 10 times the amount of cancer causing organic pollutants compared to the wild variety – This can most likely be attributed to the feeds that are used on farm raised fish. If you knew what went into the feeds of farm raised fish you would be horrified. Apparently, chicken feces is one of the main ingredients that go into farm fish feed. Not only that, the transfer of pig and duck waste to fish farms is also a very common practice." It has been demostrated that pesticides in our food supply can cause cancer and other health risks, yet pesticides are often covering all of the fruits and vegetables that we eat, unless we buy organic or grow our own, and it is also very well known that mercury in fish causes developmental problems in babies, and also heart, kidney and brain problems in adults. Therefore, we must adopt a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle and become aware of what we eat to protect our health and stop the unnecessary killing of animals and the innumerable sufferings to which our small brothers are subjected on farms where they are bred, which are real concentration camps, of torture, misery and martyrdom. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Pure and wholesome vegetarian foods are what is needed for our own refinement, health, strength, and happiness; while other kinds of food cause pain, suffering and disease.  Furthermore, we can see that the process of preparing and eating food is also a part of the Vedic system for making spiritual advancement. As the Vedic literature explains, what we eat is an important factor in the process of purifying ourselves and remaining free from accumulating bad karma. It actually is not so difficult to be vegetarian, and it gives one a much higher taste in eating and in one’s spiritual realizations. The level of our consciousness is also determined not only by what we think and do, but also by the vibrational level of what we put into our bodies as food. The more natural and peaceful the food, the more healthy and peaceful will be our consciousness.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Vegetarianism: Recommended in Vedic Scripture”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/vegetarianism_recommended_in_Vedic_scripture.htm.

 

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

AVOID MASS-PRODUCED, ARSENIC-LACED CHICKEN

FDA ADMITS SUPERMARKET
CHICKENS TEST POSITIVE FOR ARSENIC

- If you eat chicken raised commercially in the United States, you are most likely consuming arsenic. A study by Environmental Health Perspectives has found that a growth-promoting drug called roxarsone, which also treats parasites in the birds’ intestines and gives the meat a pink color, accumulates in the breast meat of broiler chickens. Roxarsone, manufactured by Pfizer, is an organic form of arsenic. Its use was approved by the FDA even though arsenic is a known carcinogen.
After a study by the Food and Drug Administration found elevated levels of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in the livers of roxarsone-treated chicken in 2011, Pfizer voluntarily pulled the drug off the U.S. market. But the FDA has not acted to ban it, and it is still sold overseas.

The study was conducted prior to Pfizer’s removing the drug, but the results have just been released. After roxarsone was pulled by Pfizer, chicken producers replaced it with nitarsone, another organic arsenic, indicating the results of the study are still relevant. The study’s authors analyzed chicken breast meat samples which came from 82 stores in 10 U.S. metropolitan areas. According to the study, cooked conventional chicken meat contained the highest amount of iAs. Cooked organic chicken meat had the lowest. Organic chicken most likely ingested arsenic through the water supply, the study’s authors suggested. 
A risk analysis performed by the study’s authors estimated that, based on the amount of chicken consumed over the average 70-year lifespan, there will be approximately 124 more cancers per year in the U.S. if arsenic-related drugs aren’t pulled from the market.

The first advice we can give all of you it that if you consume chicken, it is best to find locally raised, free-range organic chicken rather than that mass-produced by the large chicken producers. Three of four arsenic drugs used in animal feed have been banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Yes, that's right - that means that up until now, arsenic was used in animal feed. The drugs - roxarsone, carbarsone and arsanilic acid - were added to feed for chicken, turkeys and pigs to prevent disease and promote growth and a "healthy" pink hue. However, recent studies showed levels of arsenic in chicken are on the rise. It has been proved that the drugs added to feed animals along with all the germs and parasites found in meat weaken the immune system and are the source of many diseases. What we eat is very important for our health. More recently, medical research has found that a properly balanced vegetarian diet may, in fact, be the healthiest diet. Apart from considerations regarding health, most importantly, we must understand that if you want to eat meat an animal must be killed, and is an act of cruelty to kill innocent beings just to satisfy our tongue. Living compassionate, living cruelty-free is possible. Make the decision today and say NO to meat on your plate. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The government and the food industry are trying to divert attention from the escalating problem of meat contamination by telling the consumer it is his own fault that these incidents happen. It is very obvious that they want to avoid hefty lawsuits, and bad-mouthing of the meat industry. They insist that dangerous bacterial outbreaks occur because the consumer does not cook the family's meat long enough. It is now considered a crime to serve a rare hamburger. Even if you have not committed this “crime,” any infection will be attributed to not washing your hands every time you touch a raw chicken or to letting the chicken touch your kitchen counter or any other food. ...Yet, with all the research proving that meat-consumption harms and kills millions of people each year, meat continues to be sold in all grocery stores.

Association for Promotion of
Vegetarian Life and Indian Culture
"Eating Meat Kills People"
Sri Sri Nitai Gauracandra mandir - Karlovac - Croatia
http://avadhuta.hr/index-eng.php
http://avadhuta.hr/yatra_news/795/eating-meat-kills-people

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

WHAT IS FOUND IN YOUR MEAT

FOOD POISONING:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

http://edition.cnn.com - Despite food safety measures, the threat of foodborne illness remains in meat and produce - and some types of illness are on the rise. About 48 million people contract some form of food poisoning each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Salmonella remained the top cause of foodborne illness last year, according to the CDC's 2012 report card on food poisoning. However, the overall instance of Salmonella was unchanged from the 2006-08 data, the agency said.
The report card is based on reports from 10 U.S. regions, representing about 15% of the country. The second most common cause of illness was Campylobacter, which increased 14% over the 2006-08 data, the CDC said.

Campylobacter lives on live chickens and can taint meat during slaughter; it can also be found in raw, unpasteurized milk. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an online reporting tool for those who think they might have a foodborne illness. “We applaud (Center for Science in the Public Interest) CSPI's ongoing efforts to educate consumers about food safety,” Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, the USDA's undersecretary for food safety, said in a statement.
“While we have made progress in making food safer - including cutting E. coli O157-related illnesses in half - we still have work to do. As Salmonella rates continue to stagnate, we look forward to CSPI's support, and the support of other groups committed to food safety, of our efforts to reduce this dangerous foodborne pathogen, including modernization of the poultry inspection system.”

Chicken and ground beef top a list of “risky meat” published by the CSPI. Researchers from this group examined data from foodborne illness outbreaks over a 12-year period and found between 1998 and 2010, meat and poultry products were linked to “at least 1,714 outbreaks involving 33,372 illnesses.” Actually, these figures are just the tip of the iceberg, as many people do not seek medical attention for food poisoning and these cases are not reported. It is also alarming the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are found in chicken, pork and beef sold in supermarkets, which, when ingested by people, drastically reduces the number of options available to the physician to treat humans beings if you are sick. We must understand that fill our plate with the flesh and blood of our little brothers and sisters, the animals, is something that brings horrible reactions for both consumer health and for the planet's ecological situation. We must stop killing innocent animals and give an opportunity to the environment, by eating only healthy, organic food which has been produced with respect to animals and Mother Nature. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

In “Modern Meat,” Frontline speaks with numerous scientists and industry observers who raise serious concerns about today’s meat production system.  With large numbers of animals being raised together in huge feedlots covered with feces, they say, it’s easy for bacteria to spread from one animal to another.  “Cows tend to produce feces [and] feces is primarily bacteria,” says Glen Morris, a microbiologist at the University of Maryland and a former USDA official.  When those bacteria are spread around, there’s ample opportunity for bacteria to be spread from one cow to the next.  “In the larger feedlots,” he adds, “there’s a greater chance for the passage of microorganisms back and forth.  All of that contributes to the spread of microorganisms like E. Coli.” ... The consequences of bacterial contamination can be deadly.

Dr Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“The Dangers of Meat”
“Modern Meat: A PBS Frontline Documentary”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/the_dangers_of_meat.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/vegetarian_recipes_and_resources.htm

 

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

MULTINATIONAL EATERY CHAINS IN INDIA

TWEAKING JUNK FOOD 

FOR INDIA'S VEGETARIANS

www.afaqs.com - A McD outlet in Vaishno Devi, a veg-only KFC outlet in Gujarat, a Snickers bar for vegetarians. International brands will do just about anything to find their way into Indian hearts. Restaurateurs often say "Patrons don't eat what you serve. You serve them what they want to eat." This whole "tweak or perish" maxim is something those in the food business have come to swear by. As an eatery or foreign franchise owner, if you don't alter your menu as per the local palate, you may as well get ready to shut shop. 
This rule becomes even more sacrosanct in the Indian context, where a large part of the population is vegetarian.

While chocolate brand Snickers recently launched its fully vegetarian bar in India, several multinational quick service chains such as McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Dominos and Pizza Hut have been busy adding vegetarian dishes to their menus and opening "exclusive vegetarian" outlets. Today, a larger part of the revenue for these chains comes from their vegetarian menus. 
Interestingly, vegetarian dishes form barely 10-15 per cent of their menus, catering to just 3 per cent of the US population. The Indian scenario, on the other hand, is completely opposite; between 30-40 per cent of the country's total population is vegetarian. The writing on the wall is clear: if you have to sell food products in India, then it has to be done the Indian way.

When multinational eatery chains entered India nearly two decades ago, quickly adapted themselves to suit Indian tastes in order to increase its vegetarian portfolio and consequently, their revenues. Although they foster a materialistic aim, this is good because the effect is that millions of animals are not needlessly slaughtered. Many people around the world are becoming vegetarians and this is the result of the efforts of Srila Prabhupada and other Gurus who have came to Western countries to spread India's ancient message of love and compassion towards all the living beings. However, Hinduism has still much more to give: it is good to be a vegetarian, but the next step is offer our meals to God before taking them. It is customary for Hindus to offer their daily food to God as an expression of devotion to Him. Then God acts in reciprocation to the devotees' love by bestowing them Divine blessing and in that way ordinary food (bhoga) becomes the mercy of the Lord (prasadam) which is very auspicious and sacred, healthy for the body and purifier of our hearts. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

What distinguishes Vedic cooking from other types of cooking is the cook’s spiritual consciousness, his awareness that he is preparing an offering for God. In most religious systems, people ask God to give them their daily bread, but the devotee of Krishna offers the daily bread to God as an expression of love for Him. And God reciprocates. In the Bhagavad-gita, one of the Vedic scriptures, Lord Krishna says that He accepts a vegetarian offering, be it no more than a leaf or a fruit, or a glass of water, if it is presented with devotion, and out of His inconceivable mercy He spiritualizes the offering by personally tasting it. What was ordinary food then becomes krishna-prasada, the mercy of Lord Krishna. And what would have been ordinary eating becomes worship, a loving exchange with the Lord.

“The Hare Krishna Book
of Vegetarian Cooking”
by Sripad Adiraja Dasa (1989)
http://www.amazon.com/Hare-Krishna-Book-Vegetarian-Cooking/dp/0902677071
http://food.krishna.com/cookbook/hare-krishna-book-vegetarian-cooking
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91216.The_Hare_Krishna_Book_of_Vegetarian_Cooking_Adiraja_Dasa

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

VEGETARIANS TO BE OFFERED CHEAPER LIFE INSURANCE

UK VEGETARIANS TO GET 
CHEAPER LIFE INSURANCE

www.dailymail.co.uk - In the UK, vegetarians are to be offered cheaper life insurance because, it is claimed, they are healthier and less likely to die early. The AFI insurance agency has devised the Vegetarian Term Life policy to reward non meat-eaters with lower premiums. The company claims that the wider industry has failed to catch up with the reality that vegetarians are a better insurance risk. They are, it says, less likely to suffer from the sort of serious or chronic illnesses that shorten lives.
According to the Vegetarian Society, the risk of some cancers is reduced by up to 40 per cent and of heart disease by 30 per cent.

The chance of developing kidney and gall stones is also lower, it says, while the threat of diet-related diabetes and high blood pressure is minimised. The prospect of getting the human form of Mad Cow Disease becomes much more remote, it is argued, while there is also less danger of food poisoning. The new policy, underwritten by the Liverpool Victoria Life Company, offers a 25 per cent reduction on monthly premiums in the first year only.
But AFI - which stands for Animal Friends Insurance - is arguing for the entire industry to deliver long-term discounts to vegetarians. They gave the example of a 45-year-old female non-smoker. She would pay US$16.48 a month for a $150,458 policy over 15 years with the company's vegetarian policy, compared to an average figure of $24.66 and a top rate of $27.68.

An insurance company in the UK has developed a special policy to reward vegetarians with lower premiums. It is definitely good news and it is very encouraging that vegetarians receive a financial reward - reducing the cost of premiums - by the fact of not consuming meat. However, the best reward for those who do not participate in acts of violence against animals and can maintain a meat-free diet is to get to understand what is compassion towards our younger brothers and develop love for all living entities. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

“The animals are my friends, I don't eat up my friends.” G.B. Shaw.
If we are the children of the same Mother Earth, Mother Nature and of the Supreme Lord, then how can we deny our smaller siblings, the little animals, their right to live just as we claim it for ourselves. We are all maintained by the Creator, thru Mother Earth. We should feel gratitude for her and manifest compassion for those that need our help. That will provide us with happiness and peace. While we put meat and blood on our plates we won't be able to find peace in our lives. The Biblical principle is that who kills with a sword will die by a sword. It is the clear law of karma. Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you. We should learn how to feel. To love. We will be loved this way also and we will feel happy.

Casa de la Sabiduría - House of Wisdom :
“Services - Health”
“Peace and Vegetarianism”
http://www.houseofwisdom.org/english/
http://www.houseofwisdom.org/english/advices_health_peace1.htm

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS BECOME POPULAR

GOING VEGAN GETTING
EASIER, MORE POPULAR

www.foxnews.com - Actress Alicia Silverstone added a dose of star power to the vegan cause more recently with “The Kind Diet,” a No. 1 best-seller. Vegan diets also have been touted by other celebrities, including Emily Deschanel in “Bones” and Lea Michele of “Glee.” Veganism has been buoyed by the same health-conscious wave that has drawn Americans in unprecedented numbers to low-fat, vegetarian and organic foods. The idea of eating lower on the food chain is especially attractive to environmentally conscious consumers, since large-scale meat production is a major source of greenhouse gases.
Veganism also provides a safe harbor for the growing number of people concerned about where their supermarket meat comes from. 

Critics of industrial-scale food processing like writer Michael Pollan have been gaining a wider audience in recent years. And - sign of the times - some famous guys are eating vegan now, too. Bill Clinton, known for his burger-loving ways when president, has credited his trim build at his daughter Chelsea's wedding this summer to a “plant-based diet” (though he eats a little fish sometimes). Even former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has talked up his vegan diet.
Tracye McQuirter, a vegan for 23 years and author of "By Any Greens Necessary," a vegan guide aimed at black women, said things were different until about a decade ago. "People did not know what it meant," McQuirter said, but that's changed today.

Abstaining from animal products is an ancient practice found in cultures worldwide. But veganism never got traction in meat-loving America; however, today the new tendecies are on the rise. More than half the 1,500 chefs polled by the National Restaurant Association for its new "What's Hot in 2011" list included vegan entrees as a hot trend. There is evidence of veganism making inroads beyond urban strongholds like New York City and Los Angeles. Some chain restaurants like Souplantation and Pizza Fusion even mark vegan items on their menus. For some, this is not just a change on their dietary habits, but veganism is a moral imperative.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

In its 1996 position paper on vegetarian diets, the American Dietetic Association reported that vegan and vegetarian diets can significantly reduce one’s risk of contracting heart disease, colon and lung cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and a number of other debilitating conditions. ... Vegan foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans, are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are rich in fiber and nutrients. Vegans can get all the protein they need from legumes (e.g., beans, tofu, peanuts) and grains (e.g., rice, corn, whole wheat breads and pastas); calcium from broccoli, kale, collard greens, tofu, fortified juices and soymilks; iron from chickpeas, spinach, pinto beans, and soy products; and B12 from fortified foods or supplements.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Health and Nutrition” - “Is a Vegan Diet Healthy?”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/ - http://www.stephenknapp.info/
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/frequently_asked_questions_about_veganism.htm

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

WHITE HOUSE SUPPORTS YOGA'S PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

BARACK OBAMA WHITE HOUSE EMBRACES
YOGA AMID CONSERVATIVE CONTORTIONS

http://m.economictimes.com - The White House has wholeheartedly embraced Yoga as a worthy physical activity at a time some schools in America are railing against the ancient Indian practice, saying it promotes Hinduism. The White House announced last week that President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will include a yoga garden for children and their parents who attend the traditional Easter Egg Roll festivities on Monday. "Come enjoy a session of yoga from professional instructors," the White House exhorted thousands of workaday Americans parents and their kids from across the country who will troop into the Presidential lawns, reminding participants that the event's theme is "Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!"
It is not the first time that Obama's residence has hosted a yoga garden for Easter, but this year's event was significant because of an ongoing lawsuit in California challenging the teaching of yoga in schools.

At the heart of the case is the argument by some parents that yoga is inherently religious, a contention most Americans, including the judge, seem to disagree with. Judge Meyer is reported to be a practitioner of Bikram Yoga, likening it to simple stretching exercises. The White House meanwhile is stretching every muscle and sinew to get Americans, including children, to get more concerned about the decline in the nation's overall well-being and its soaring healthcare bill. The drive is led by Michelle Obama, a health and fitness advocate, and herself a yoga enthusiast. 
"Yoga has become a universal language of spiritual exercise in the United States, crossing many lines of religion and cultures," the White House said without any reference to the ongoing controversies and lawsuit.

The White House (USA) has supported Yoga as a worthy physical activity and included a 'yoga garden' event - conducted by Leah Cullis, a certified yoga teacher - for children and their parents who attended the traditional Easter Egg Roll festivities. Yoga provides "simple tools - that require no props and no money and which they can go home and do it themselves - for an active lifestyle," Cullis explained. "Every day, millions of people practice yoga to improve their health and overall well-being. That's why we're encouraging everyone to take part in PALA (Presidential Active Lifestyle Award), so show your support for yoga and answer the challenge." the White House said.  Yoga practices are also meant for the holistic upliftment of mind, body and spirit.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Yoga prescribes physical, mental and spiritual disciplines which will free one from mental and physical diseases. ... Asana -”bodily postures”: This process of various exercises and bodily postures brings physical and mental steadiness as well as health and vigor.  Pranayama - “control of breath”.  Prana means life air and yama means to control.  It involves controlling the inhalation, exhalation and the retention of the air we breathe. ... By regularly practicing Yoga, Pranayana (breathing exercises) and by maintaining a natural life style in one’s eating, resting, work, etc., a person can be fully relaxed and free from tension and anxiety.  When a person maintains these practices properly, he or she will be free from heart diseases and mental anxiety. 

T.D. Singh, Ph.D. - Śrīla Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Mahārāja :
“Science and Religion - Present and Future” - “Yoga”
Bhaktivedanta Institute - http://www.scienceandscientist.org/
http://www.bhaktisvarupadamodara.com/lang1/pg002.html
http://www.krishnascience.com  -  http://www.bhaktisvarupadamodara.com/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

'MEAT OUT DAY' TODAY

20 MARCH, COME AND JOIN IN
“INTERNATIONAL MEATOUT DAY”

http://learni.st/ - Today is March 20th, or as some people call it ‘International Meatout Day’ which is an international observance helping individuals evolve to a wholesome, compassionate diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains. The purpose is to expose the public to the joys and benefits of a plant-based  diet, while promoting the availability and selection alternatives to meat and dairy in mainstream grocery stores, restaurants, and catering operations. 
Meatout has grown explosively since its inception in 1985 to become the world's largest annual grassroots diet education campaign. Thousands of caring people in all 50 U.S. states and a host of other countries welcome Spring with colorful educational events. These range from simple information tables, exhibits, and cooking demonstrations to elaborate receptions and festivals. Visitors are asked to "kick the meat habit on March 20 (first day of spring).

Several mainstream health advocacy organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and the American Heart Association, have since launched their own campaigns to promote consumption of plant-based foods. Today, people are asked to explore a wholesome, nonviolent diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Meatout reflects national trends: Mainstream health advocacy organizations and the official government publication "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" tout plant-based foods. Over 30 million Americans have explored a meat-free diet. 
One in five teens thinks vegetarianism is "cool." National beef and veal consumption have dropped by 25 and 70%, respectively. Major manufacturers and retailers are marketing meat-free and dairy-free meals. Several national fast food chains are offering veggie burgers and several major baseball parks are selling veggie dogs.

International Meatout Day is the world's largest campaign to educate people on the benefits of a plant-based diet, with no animal derived ingredients. Supporters organize many activities, such as festive events, public lectures and wholesome meat-free dinners, cooking demonstrations, food samplings, distributing pamphlets and providing dietary information. All living beings are sentient beings. That makes us alike in the way we feel pain and pleasure. When we choose to avoid meat we are promoting a less violent life for all living beings on this planet. A person with only choose to eat a diet based on plants during the period of his life, can save from a cruel death more than 6,000 animals.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Every day, several times a day, every living being, in whichever part of the world he may be, enjoys a universal ritual - eating. ... The Bhagavad Gita states that foods such as milk products, grains, fruits, and vegetables increase the duration of life and give strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction. Conversely, foods such as, meat, fish and fowl are putrid, decomposed and unclean. They cause numerous hazards to physical health. The Srimad Bhagavatam, the summum bonum of all Vedic literature, states that meat-eating is one of the four pillars of sinful life. Apart from bringing severe sinful reactions, meat-eating also dulls the human intellect thus rendering it incapable of understanding the higher dimensions of life. Therefore real spiritual life, nay real human life, can not begin unless a human being stops killing his younger brothers, innocent animals, just for the satisfaction of his tongue.

Śrīpad Chaitanya Charan das :
"Think Before You Eat"
The Spiritual Scientist - Vol 1 Issue 8
http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2011/12/think-before-you-eat/

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/