Criticism Towards the Belly

Criticism Towards the Belly

I have never been an overweight person, but my belly has made me aware of its existence from time to time, except during my adolescence. It reminds me of every moment I let go of control and loosen the reins of my life, by extending its head towards me. Sometimes, when putting on a pair of pants that I always wear, or when sitting comfortably on a chair, it takes pleasure to annoy me.

In essence, the belly is a symbol for me. It doesn't symbolize very good things. Every gram of fat in that belly reminds me of a bite I ate unnecessarily, the inactive hours spent lazily, and scolds me for it. For this reason, unfortunately, I cannot view the belly as a symbol of beauty, maturity, and wealth, as in some African or Eastern cultures. It gives me the feeling that I am stealing from their throats while so many hungry people exist in the world.

As humanity, we have entered a new era, where our lives are shorter compared to the previous generation, and the main reason for this is satiety rather than hunger. Those who have been to the United States have noticed how dire the situation is. On one hand, people who cannot walk due to obesity are shopping like crazy with their electric cars in shopping malls, and on the other hand, dozens of homeless people lying on the sidewalk asking for money as you exit the same shopping mall. The gap, the abyss, is so huge that these two groups seem to me like two separate species.

However, when we look at ancient cultures, especially teachings that aim for self-knowledge and enlightenment, we see how important it is to reduce eating, not to eat more than necessary. For example, Sufis, taking Hz. Muhammad as an example, emphasized that rising from the table half hungry would open and refresh the mind and heart, increase attention and focus on goals, beautify worship, and the opposite would cut our connection with the divine, impoverish us by leading us to failure, and indulge the ego, hindering enlightenment. The Sufi Abu Talib al-Makki devotes a considerable space to this in his famous work "Kutub al-Qulub." He explains in detail the virtues of hunger and how it will support us on the path of enlightenment, advising to take the middle path as the best way. In other words, fasting for a day and eating the next. I'm sure this sounds familiar to those familiar with diets and dietitians. This method, known as intermittent fasting, has found its place in various disciplines from modern medicine to Ayurveda. It is used in cancer treatment, as it helps to prevent cancer cells to multiply, it can help regulate blood sugar, lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. There is also evidence that it may help prevent the recurrence of cancer. Not to mention, intermittent fasting is used in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, improving brain functions. This is called autophagy. During intermittent fasting, the body begins to use fats instead of glucose as an energy source. This leads to a series of hormonal changes that stimulate autophagy in cells. Autophagy helps maintain the health and function of cells by cleaning up damaged or dysfunctional cell parts. Therefore, intermittent fasting can be an effective way to promote cell renewal and support overall health.

Moreover, if we look neuroscientifically at ourselves, we see that humans have evolved to walk and fast for long periods. So, what kind of life routine have we created for ourselves? In our small apartments, at the screens of our tablets, sitting with the remote control in our right hand and a packet of chips in our left hand, the refrigerator is within arm's reach. I occasionally talk about spiritual intelligence SI in front of crowds. This intelligence can be briefly defined as the ability to explore one's inner world, understand the values that give meaning to life, and act in accordance with these values for the benefit of oneself and the whole. This intelligence is an umbrella type that includes various intelligences such as IQ, EQ, and PQ aka the physical intelligence. We often treat PQ, physical intelligence, as if it were a stepchild. Our physical intelligence is that annoying voice telling us, "Enough, shut down the computer, go outside and move your body!" We usually postpone its warnings by saying, "Let me finish watching this, I'll definitely go out." So, what does this lead to? Studies have shown that neglecting physical intelligence in this way leads to the decline of its siblings, IQ and EQ. Eating less means trying to develop this intelligence and allowing it to make us a better version of ourselves.

So, how much does the wild capitalist order that has dominated the world since the Industrial Revolution want this? Not at all, of course. Imagine, they want docile, lazy, easily manipulable, ignorant, and obese people. They aim for us to fatten mentally as well as physically and want us to wait in line like a fat lamb ready to be slaughtered. For this reason, there is sugar in everything we eat, they want the prevalence of GMOs, and they want foods that satiate but do not nourish. A minority declares itself the elite, consuming organic foods while advocating for GMO seeds, cancer-causing agricultural chemicals, and engaging in industrial fishing practices that deplete the oceans within the corridors of parliaments.

Now, we see the current state of our world. Due to wild production and industrialization, we have destroyed the planet, and we have not been able to do a good job for the sake of future generations. Now we complain about why the Z generation does not work properly. They don't work in your job because they have more important goals than filling their pockets, such as creating a meaningful life, making the planet a livable and fair place, and discovering their purpose. If you cannot offer them this meaning and purpose, they will leave.

Instead of waiting for someone to change things for us, let's start with ourselves, with the smallest and most accessible step. By trying to eat less but higher quality, we can contribute to our personal awakening. This will create the ripple effect, much like the stone thrown into a stagnant pond. Even today, we can slowly see these movements and their effects.

#SpiritualIntelligence #Health #Sustainability #ConsciousLiving #ImpactInvestment #MindfulLiving