The vegan doctors’ panel that featured Dr Will Tuttle, Dr R Saravanan, BHMS, PGDHSc, ACLM and host, Dr Rupa Shah, Speaker, was as much a free-wheeling interview as it was a discussion about ahimsa, inspiring all to adopt a sensitive attitude towards Planet Earth, our environment and the animals.
Compassion India magazine had hosted Dr Will Tuttle, author Global of bestselling book ‘World Peace Diet’ in a live e-session on 7 August 2020. Also featured on the panel discussion was DR Saravanan, Dr.R.Saravanan, BHMS, PGDHSc, ACLM. The third member of the panel was Dr Rupa Shah, MBBS, Author, Speaker & Publisher of Compassion India magazine.
Dr Will Tuttle addressed the viewers and spoke on non-violence on animals and ancient wisdom teaching. According to him, the concept of vegetarianism may have started from England, but the lifestyle was already established in India long before. In his 40 years’ career he travelled to over 50 countries and has visited every corner of the world to raise awareness of the benefits of being a vegan.
He stated, ‘Ahimsa goes with karma together’– don’t harm animals for our human benefits as they’re a part of our nature. There’s disastrous situations like current pandemic, social unrest and diseases we find all around when we overuse another living being for our selfish desires. Ancient India teaching and ideology totally contradicts what we are today.
The author gave examples about his life back from ’60s of New Zealand then and now, how the beautiful sceneries turned to dirty places in that country now because of pollution and increase in dairy products. On his visit to India to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi and other cites, he observed the love that Indian have for dairy products is much more than any other country. He briefed on how to break our cultural habits. By educating people towards the oath of veganism. Self-realization and self-education in each individual is a must in India. Dr Tuttle very beautifully explained the cultural differences India have with other countries with our good sides compared to them.
1,000 years of ancient Indian religion believes in ahimsa and compassion for all. But how other countries invasion in India created a desire and demand of using other living beings as our own property and caging them for self-use.
In the other half of the episode, Dr Sarvanan asked questions relating to health benefits of plant-based diet and impact of sustainable farming concept. Dr Will answered on how he became vegan at 22 and had problems like appendix and low vision which totally disappeared some years later after being a vegan. How strong Immune system does vegans have like his 92-year-old mother who started her vegan journey at 75 years, and she is thriving. He briefed that as you eliminate dairy products, eggs and meat out of our diet, being a vegan is not an assurance of not being sick at all, but the lifestyle does improve your foundation and relationships with other beings.
How important is it to have organic food instead of processed vegan food? He also put light on stock-agriculture idea which works in harmony with nature because of large businesses affect our eco-system and influence dairy products with the governing powers their side. He said that he never been to dentist for any infection or cavity, except cleaning while replying to a participant’s question. He motivated the startup veganers to influence others but not feel superior to them or pressurize someone to change. He stated that there’s no medical certification of gaining nutrients for human body by harming other living being. He described the change in narrative over the years on increased alternatives to food products like Ice-cream made out of rice and coconut instead of milk which tastes way better than the traditional Ice-cream. All dairy products have alternatives today that one can go for. Most diseases come from animals and their transmission to humans and therefore, there’s need to inculcate the love for animals and other living species in children’s from grass-root level.
In the last segment, he spoke on how to overcome stress, karma-effect theory. If we harm and separate animals from their family, it returns back in some or the other form to us at some point in life. Just love them and set them free that’s what they need. He gave example of how religion says, what you want to yourself try and give to others first. He appealed for vegans to not be judgmental with non-vegans as everyone has a heart of ahimsa by birth. Harming others is harming ourselves he believes. He motivated on less use of processed vegan food and directed towards organic food and food products.
During the concluding interaction with participants, Dr Tuttle suggested to not kill the pests just discourage them from harming your surroundings with use of technology. He shared his vegan diet with all viewers while answering to theirs queries and concluded the session with a beautiful piano meditation which he had composed when he was inspired with India. His rendition was deep, calming and uplifted the listeners and the session came a close.
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