Skip to content

Members Login

Apps

Find a Teacher

Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new window
Mindfulness Association
Being Present | Responding with Compassion | Seeing Deeply
Mindfulness AssociationMindfulness Association
  • Mindfulness Courses
    • Courses
      • Level 1 – Being Present
      • Level 2 – Compassion
      • Level 3 – Insight
      • Mindfulness – for Life
      • Mindful Acceptance the Doorway to Compassion
      • Ongoing CoursesMissed a weekend? Make it up here!
    • Mindfulness Teacher Training
      • Teaching – Level 1
      • Teaching – Level 2 (MBLC)
      • Teaching – Level 2 – (MBLC-YA) Teens
      • Teaching – Level 3 (CBLC)
      • Teacher Training Package
      • Mindfulness Teacher Continuing Professional Development
        • Online CPD – Teaching Mindfulness Online
        • Mindfulness Based Inclusion Training
        • Teaching Compassion Enquiry Skills CPD
      • Supervision for Mindfulness Teachers
    • Online Practice Days & Retreats
      • Tonglen: The Practice of Compassion January Practice Day
      • Mindfulness Course Taster & Taking In The Good February Practice Day
      • Belonging: March Practice Day
      • FREE Online Members Retreat Weekend
      • Mindfulness for Life Summer Retreat
    • Online CoursesA Taste of Mindfulness, Compassion & Insight
      • Introduction to Mindfulness
      • Introduction to Compassion Course
      • Introduction to Insight
      • Level 1 Mindfulness – Online
      • Level 2 Compassion Online
      • Level 3 Insight – Online
      • Mindful Acceptance the Doorway to Compassion
      • CPD Enquiry Skills for Teaching Compassion
      • Online CPD – Teaching Mindfulness on Line
      • MBLC Teacher CPD One Day Workshop – Teaching Mindfulness Online
      • Engaged Mindfulness
    • MSc Studies in Mindfulness
    • MSc Mindfulness & Compassion
    • Retreats
      • FREE Online Members Retreat Weekend
      • Mindfulness for Life Summer Retreat
      • From Mindfulness to Buddhism Retreat
  • Words & Blogs
    • Heather’s Musings
    • Kristine’s Wonder Words
    • Weekly Challenge
    • Sits and Teachings
    • Mindfulness Research
    • Mindfulness Recommended Reading
  • Membership
  • Why Mindfulness?
  • About Us
    • Mindfulness Association Tutors
    • Mindfulness Association Training Venues
  • News & Events
  • Mindfulness Courses
    • Courses
      • Level 1 – Being Present
      • Level 2 – Compassion
      • Level 3 – Insight
      • Mindfulness – for Life
      • Mindful Acceptance the Doorway to Compassion
      • Ongoing CoursesMissed a weekend? Make it up here!
    • Mindfulness Teacher Training
      • Teaching – Level 1
      • Teaching – Level 2 (MBLC)
      • Teaching – Level 2 – (MBLC-YA) Teens
      • Teaching – Level 3 (CBLC)
      • Teacher Training Package
      • Mindfulness Teacher Continuing Professional Development
        • Online CPD – Teaching Mindfulness Online
        • Mindfulness Based Inclusion Training
        • Teaching Compassion Enquiry Skills CPD
      • Supervision for Mindfulness Teachers
    • Online Practice Days & Retreats
      • Tonglen: The Practice of Compassion January Practice Day
      • Mindfulness Course Taster & Taking In The Good February Practice Day
      • Belonging: March Practice Day
      • FREE Online Members Retreat Weekend
      • Mindfulness for Life Summer Retreat
    • Online CoursesA Taste of Mindfulness, Compassion & Insight
      • Introduction to Mindfulness
      • Introduction to Compassion Course
      • Introduction to Insight
      • Level 1 Mindfulness – Online
      • Level 2 Compassion Online
      • Level 3 Insight – Online
      • Mindful Acceptance the Doorway to Compassion
      • CPD Enquiry Skills for Teaching Compassion
      • Online CPD – Teaching Mindfulness on Line
      • MBLC Teacher CPD One Day Workshop – Teaching Mindfulness Online
      • Engaged Mindfulness
    • MSc Studies in Mindfulness
    • MSc Mindfulness & Compassion
    • Retreats
      • FREE Online Members Retreat Weekend
      • Mindfulness for Life Summer Retreat
      • From Mindfulness to Buddhism Retreat
  • Words & Blogs
    • Heather’s Musings
    • Kristine’s Wonder Words
    • Weekly Challenge
    • Sits and Teachings
    • Mindfulness Research
    • Mindfulness Recommended Reading
  • Membership
  • Why Mindfulness?
  • About Us
    • Mindfulness Association Tutors
    • Mindfulness Association Training Venues
  • News & Events

Follow the Evidence

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Heather's Musings
  3. Follow the Evidence
Jun302020
Heather's MusingsFollow the Evidence

I have been questioned by some colleagues and criticised by some readers of my blog about promoting a vegan diet on the retreat I am leading this week and in my blog. When I was discussing this with colleagues last week, the view I arrived at was that within the Mindfulness Association ‘Compassion is at the heart of everything we do’. So what does compassion mean? Well the definition of compassion that we use in our training is a ‘sensitivity to the suffering of ourselves and others, with a deep desire to relieve that suffering’, which is attributed to the Dalai Lama.

 

Then what causes us to suffer? Poor health, lack of vitality, hopelessness in the face of the impending climate crisis? So, I look to the scientific evidence to explore the causes of suffering and how to relieve that suffering. What I am advocating, as a lifestyle change, to move towards more of a plant based diet, is a scientifically evidenced way of increasing our health and vitality and making a personal contribution to help address the climate crisis. If it relieves suffering, of ourselves and the planet – it is compassion in action!

 

This week I have been delivering a compassion in action online retreat. I have been very much enjoying sharing some compassion practices and doing a lot of practice at home. The part of the day I have found particularly enjoyable is the discussion at the end of the day. We watch 30 minutes of a video around the benefits of a whole food plant based diet and then spend 30 minutes discussing it.

 

On Saturday evening we watched 30 minutes of Dr Gregor’s video ‘How Not to Die’ (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-not-to-die/) where he looks at peer reviewed scientific literature on nutrition to show how fourteen of the top fifteen diseases that kill us in the West can be halted or reversed by switching to a whole food plant based diet. And what is the one out of the fifteen causes of death in the list which cannot be halted or reversed by a whole food plant based diet? It is accidents!

 

I think many of us know that moving towards a whole food plant based diet can help with circulatory problems such as heart disease and stroke, etc. But there is growing evidence that it can also prevent certain cancers and even support recovery from some cancers. Our discussion was around how we don’t all know this information. For example, processed meat is listed as a carcinogen, equal to asbestos, by the world health organisation. Think of the outcry if a school was found to have asbestos in the roof. Meanwhile in the packed lunches and in the cafeteria ham and bacon are still being served. This is a crazy situation!

 

What is particularly relevant now is that a whole food plant based diet can reverse many of the risk factors associated with being adversely affected by the current coronavirus, such as heart disease and diabetes. Have a look at this recent video from Dr Gregor (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/modifiable-risk-factors-and-comorbidities-for-severe-covid-19-infection/).

 

As I have said above, I have been questioned by some colleagues and some readers of my blog for promoting a vegan diet on this retreat and in my blog. But let’s go back to the 1950s. What would you do if all the people you loved and cared about were smoking 20 cigarettes a day, oblivious to the detrimental effect on their health? Would you tell them or would you keep quiet? We are in the same situation now, with powerful lobbies trying to confuse the issue of what a health promoting diet is. The evidence is unequivocal. Have a look at the video documentary Vegan 2019, which we watched last night for an overview. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AYOViszK_A.)

 

I always go back to evolution when deciding on what lifestyle to lead. We are evolved to live mainly on whole plant based foods. We are not evolved to eat lots of meat and in particular we are not evolved to eat large amounts of dairy. When we add to this that moving towards a whole food plant based diet is the biggest thing we can each do, as individuals, to contribute to reducing the climate crisis, then it seems a no brainer to me. This is the topic for our video this evening (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSjE8xw_-Dg).

 

Let’s walk our talk if we care about our health and wellbeing and if we care about the planet. Is it possible to at least make a few tentative steps?

 

As it says on the page of my blog on the website. What I write in this blog does not represent the views of the Mindfulness Association. I am just hoping to help.

 

Kind Wishes

 

Heather

Latest Courses
January 2021
Jan 24 2021

Tonglen: The Practice of Compassion Online Practice Day

Online
February 2021
Being Present Online
Feb 03 2021 - Mar 17 2021

Mindfulness Level 1 – Being Present Online taught on Wednesday evenings

Online
compassion-enquiry-skills
Feb 05 - 07 2021

Developing Enquiry Skills For Teaching Compassion

Online
mindfulness-taster-and-taking-in-the-good
Feb 13 2021

Online Practice Day – Mindfulness Course Taster & Taking in the Good

Online
responding with compassion-Level-2
Feb 15 2021 - Jul 26 2021

Level 2 – Compassion Online

Online
Doorway to compassion
Feb 24 2021 - Apr 21 2021

Mindful Acceptance – the Doorway to Compassion

Online
From Mindfulness to Buddhism
Feb 28 2021

MBLC Teacher CPD One Day Workshop – Teaching Mindfulness Online

Online
March 2021
CBLC-retreat
Mar 05 - 10 2021

Level 3 Compassion CBLC Teaching Skills Retreat

Samye Ling
mindfulness-Level-1
Mar 06 - 07 2021

Foundations of Mindfulness Online Practice Weekend

Online
belonging practice day
Mar 07 2021

Online Practice Day – Belonging

Online
mindfulness teacher training
Mar 13 2021

Train to Teach – Level 1 Online

Online
SPRING-2021-MEMBERS-RETREAT-WEEKEND
Mar 19 - 21 2021

Spring Membership Weekend – Free to Members

Online
No event found!
Load More
Recent Posts
  • Dear You – Kaveri Patel
  • Contrasts
  • Walking my Talk
  • Deadline for Applications – End of January!
  • FREE Taster Session January 20th 7pm
  • Guest Blogs(7)
  • Heather's Musings(202)
  • Latest News(70)
  • Post Graduate Studies(1)
  • Uncategorized(23)
  • Weekly Challenge(294)
  • Words of Wonder(128)
  • Guest Blogs(7)
  • Heather's Musings(202)
  • Latest News(70)
  • Post Graduate Studies(1)
  • Uncategorized(23)
  • Weekly Challenge(294)
  • Words of Wonder(128)
  • Guest Blogs(7)
  • Heather's Musings(202)
  • Latest News(70)
  • Post Graduate Studies(1)
  • Uncategorized(23)
  • Weekly Challenge(294)
  • Words of Wonder(128)

Follow the Evidence

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Media
  3. Follow the Evidence

Follow the Evidence

Follow the Evidence

  • FAQ’s
  • Privacy Policy
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
  • Terms and conditions

1 Garwald Holm Cottage
Eskdalemuir
Langholm
DG13 0QN

  • © 2008 - 2020 Mindfulness Association
Sign Up for our Newsletter
Go to Top
Accept Cookies
We use cookies on our site. Please click accept or review the cookie settings Cookie settingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.