A Fresh Look At Diets

The word “diet” is associated with food and nutrition and by extension body weight, appearance, and health. But there is more to the idea of diet that warrants consideration.

Think of diet as anything you consume, anything you feed yourself or are fed by others. Expanding this line of thought, there exists the diet of ideas, information, relationships, and how time is spent. Consider also a diet of values, virtues, and activities. Is there anything that the concept of a diet cannot be applied to? 

Where does this take us? Let’s return to the fundamental notion of consumption and this leads to the reality of choice. We can choose our diet; we can choose what we take in and this affects who we become. Having chosen, then let’s ask ourselves these questions: “Do I feel truly nourished or have I merely temporarily satisfied a craving?” “Have I built new muscle to engage life or have I added useless fat?” “Have I replaced impulse with healthy discipline?” And, lastly, “Have I consumed something beneficial or have I been consumed by something harmful?”

So let’s put ourselves on a diet of right thinking and right actions that can lead to a healthy body, mind, and soul.