The Raw Plant Foods Diet :: Volume of Food

We never regret of having eaten too little.

— Thomas Jefferson

I saw few die of hunger; of eating, 100,000.

— Benjamin Franklin

Poor Richard’s Almanac

You will eat not to satisfy your palate but your hunger. A self-indulgent man lives to eat; a self-restrained man eats to live.

— Mahatma Gandhi

To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy.

— Hippocrates

(speaking on the topic of

food and medicine)

We've all felt that uncomfortable feeling when we've eaten too much at a meal. While feeling full can be satisfying, going beyond that is uncomfortable.

I've found I feel best when I eat small meals. I theorize that's so because the body's energy needed to digest it is less, and more energy is available for its other functions.

I would rather eat small meals more often than large meals more seldom. This seems agreeable to the body. Some weight loss authorities state this is vital to keeping the metabolism at a high level throughout the day, rather than creating the peaks and valleys from fewer meals.

On July 14, 2009, I read an interesting article by raw food author and advocate Matt Monarch (www.rawspirit.org). I've copied it here in part, with his permission.

The following information is for education only and is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat illness. It is valuable to seek the advice of an alternative health care professional before making any changes.

I feel that some of the key elements for Longevity are: to eat small amounts of food consistently, while making sure to get the nutrients required by the human body and keeping up with releasing the detoxification and waste from the body. There are of course also many other important factors in longevity such as emotional health, clean air quality, deep breathing, etc.

When you practice eating small amounts of food CONSISTENTLY, I feel that many of the other longevity factors tend to automatically fall into place. For many months on end, I practiced systematically under-eating (eating small amounts of food, consistently). I have never felt better in my life than when I did this. Having "hunger" pangs in the stomach nearly around the clock became almost like an addiction for me, because of how good I felt.

Automatically, my body started breathing deeper during this time and my lungs started expanding. It felt like my body was pushing harder to get food (prana/energy) from the air. My emotional health felt like the BEST it has ever been. My mind was sharp as a pin and I have never felt so intensely connected to the Universe. I automatically and continually went into meditation, as it felt so easy with this flowing spiritual bliss I was experiencing.

I feel that there is nothing compared to eating small amounts of food, for longevity... And... as I said, when you do this, it seems like many other key factors for longevity fall into place.

His point on hunger pangs almost being like an addiction is much how I have felt at times. It somehow felt like a good thing was occurring when I was hungry. Many find this point humorous or disagreeable, as hunger is very unpleasant and almost alarming to them. Clearly, from a natural point of view, hunger is the body's way of saying it needs food. I do eat when hungry--I prefer to eat only when I've reached hunger.

So, how small is a small meal? There's no specified amount that applies here. I just eat enough to keep me going for awhile and without feeling heavy in the stomach. I once heard a dieting concept of "leave lightness." I think that communicates well. Different bodies and different activity levels dictate varying needs. A telephone lineman climbing telephone poles will likely need more than an executive at a desk. It's up to each of us to find the balance that works for our lives.

It is always advisable that one observe what his body is telling him, and keep his own counsel on his health decisions. Some bodies will be ready to start eating small amounts of food, some may not. A state of detoxification may ensue, during which various, usually minor, discomforts are felt. These may include headaches, diarrhea, weakness, and others, and these discomforts typically last a short period of time. Changing to a healthier, lower-volume diet can spur detoxification. It's good to clean the body, but the choice to continue during detoxification is personal.

Like most people, I like to eat, and a small meal ensures I'll have another eating experience soon. That makes me smile.