By Juliana Di Leonardo
In a world where food options are plentiful, it wouldn't come as a surprise that so many people choose to avoid listening to their gut. New menu items are being created or reinvented to attract foodies everywhere so they can indulge in the complexities of edible art. As sustenance becomes more of a hobby than a need to preserve life, the yearn to indulge themselves dampens the connection between mind and body.
Too often I hear individuals converse about food intolerance which is an important dialogue to have but while some eliminate certain foods, many others will knowingly eat things such as dairy, gluten, caffeine, salicylates, amines, FODMAPS, or sulfites that will ultimately make them unwell. It is surprising how many people will choose to enjoy a fleeting moment of explosive flavor during a night out just to end up experiencing gut-wrenching regret for hours or even days later. A food intolerance, unlike a food allergy, is typically not going to kill someone but can make life unbearable. Symptoms that occur, usually show up in the digestive system, skin, and respiratory system.
Dairy for example, according to the Physicians Committee of Responsible Medicine, “Infants and children produce enzymes that break down lactose, the sugar found in breast milk and cow’s milk, but as we grow up, many of us lose this capacity. Lactose intolerance is common, affecting about 95 percent of Asian Americans, 74 percent of Native Americans, 70 percent of African Americans, 53 percent of Mexican Americans, and 15 percent of Caucasians. Symptoms include upset stomach, diarrhea, and gas.”
As we begin a new year, many people reflect upon their eating and fitness habits, leading them to make resolutions that can benefit their lives in positive ways, but instead of being influenced by the next fad diet, the goal this year might be better served as a kindness towards oneself. When kindness begins on our plate, we not only choose to be kind to others but also to ourselves. Sometimes treating yourself to a meal might seem to be an acceptable decision but if the ingredients no longer serve you then it can be more harmful than good.
For this week’s Anuvrat, I encourage you to practice Ahimsa by listening to your body and how it responds to the different foods we choose to use as fuel. Cut out dairy, rethink root vegetables, or simply stop eating animal products altogether. Listening to your gut is healthy for mind, body, and soul.
| This past week, Humane Long Island was featured on Fox 5 New York in a rare in-studio, live interview. In the past month, we've also been featured in the New York Post, Long Island Press, and Dan’s Papers in the Hamptons. These articles highlighted some of our wildest exotic animal rescues across New York City and Long Island, including a wallaby exploited for photographs on the Coney Island boardwalk and a South American ostrich hoarded in a Bellmore basement and surrounded by venomous reptiles. The Post recounted my role in stopping law enforcement from killing Barney the bull, the famed bovine who roamed Long Island for two months before being rescued and brought to a sanctuary in 2021, and saving 3 more bulls alongside more than 100 animals from an unlicensed slaughterhouse last year. While many of these animals have already been transferred to spacious sanctuaries where they are living more natural lives, dozens more are currently recovering at our Riverhead sanctuary after we saved them from slaughterhouses, animal hoarders, and other cruelties in just the past few weeks. On this Saturday, August 2nd, you can meet some of these rescues yourself at Humane Long Island’s Summer Gala. --- John Di Leonardo, founding director, Humane Long Island |
(Juliana Di Leonardo is the Vice President of Humane Long Island. She is a yoga and ballroom dance instructor, model, and artist. Her advocacy for animals exploited by the fashion industry was credited in the 2021 documentary “The Face of Fashion is Fear” and recognized by PETA with a Hero for Coyotes award)
