Parvati Magazine December 2014/January 2015: Consequence/Beginnings | Page 28

NUTRITION

THE CONSEQUENCE
of Conscious Consumption

B

uddha said, “My actions are my only true belongings: I cannot escape their consequences. My actions are the ground on which I stand.”

When people use the word consequence it usually implies an action or inaction with a negative outcome. Most of our actions involve getting something we want or think, we need.
Based on the fact that that we are bombarded with messages to buy, buy, buy for almost
fifteen hours every day, we are not a culture that acts like we spend much time considering the consequences of our actions.
Where Do You Buy Your Food
Most of us don’t spend much time considering the impact of our food purchasing choices,
but if more of us did, the beneficial consequences could be transformational. A 2007 Cornell University Study showed the average person makes around fifteen food related decisions a day. On a basic level we’re focused on finding foods to satisfy our hunger that are
fast and easy to get. We don’t give much thought to the broader consequences of the
food we eat.
What if we began shifting to the positive outcomes within our reach by making some small
changes to way we shop for and think about food?
Where you source your food is probably one of the most important places to begin making
a shift toward conscious consumption. You can begin generating positive consequences
by considering the impact of what you are buying on not only your own health, but also on