The analogy of a jazz performance can be likened to studying the language of English. There are so many aspects to speaking correct English that most of us will never get it right every time.
And it's tragic that people often pay attention to some dumb rules that really don't mean anything when it comes to meeting the true purpose of communication: being able to convey a message that is directly in line with what the other person needs.
Let's face it: there's no perfect way of speaking English. Most of the greatest writers and speakers have felt this way oftentimes, and it's no different with health either… no different at all!
There is no correct diet to follow, and just as Benjamin Bloom (a force to be reckoned with in the field of educational psychology) considered his taxonomy to be a work-in-progress, the diets proposed are merely a work in progress that shouldn't be followed with a dogmatic approach at all.
The 80 10 10 Diet
Most health experts have suggested that a proper diet and exercise is important for those who wish to focus on taking care of themselves in a much better fashion than normal.
While the food pyramid is one of the best guides to creating an excellent diet plan for yourself (yes, you can customize a food plan for yourself at this link), there are specific diets such as Atkins, Pritikin, the Zone and South Beach that have been found to be successful during this time.
Yet another diet known as the 80 10 10 diet, which is a low fat raw vegan diet, was conceptualized and brought into existence by Douglas N. Graham, who was an athlete who turned vegan during this time in 1978.
Right off the bat, you would know that this diet is going to be tough one to follow (it is a strict one) as celebrities such as Martina Navratilova and Demi Moore have consulted Dr. Graham for his expertise.
The principle of this diet is: 80 percent carbohydrates, 10 percent protein and 10 percent fat. In general, uncooked vegetables and fruits form the basis of this diet.
In some cases, the doctor has insisted that one type of fruit be eaten in large quantities along with raw nuts, seeds, coconuts apart from the regular portion of fruits and vegetables.
In particular, foods like rice, potatoes and bread are avoided (even though they are used in other popular vegan diets) since they have preservatives added to them, and which, according to most experts, can reduce the nutritional quality of the meal. Of course, animal and processed foods are a NO-NO in regards to this diet!
Why this diet is so interesting is because in being an athlete himself, he also understand the importance of sunlight, adequate sleep, emotional balance and most of all, exercise. This is something that most other diets don't seemed to be so concerned with…
Pros and Cons of the 80 10 10 diet
Perhaps the all-important pro in favor of this diet is that several people who have tried it has noticed substantial improvements but since it is a restrictive diet (being only fruits and vegetables), it can leave your plate empty at social occasions if not tempt you to "cheat".
In Closing
Life is a jazz performance… and so are many things such as education, diet, health among other things that we accept to be the truth in such dogmatic fashion. Trust me, challenge your greatest assumptions as Life is, for all practical purposes, a serious work-in-progress…
