Your diet is not only what you eat. It’s what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, the people you hang around… be mindful of the things you put into your body emotionally, spiritually, and physically. This is the Rasta way of thinking and a big part of their spiritual way of life which is very much connected to the earth, as much or more so than Native Americans, as they also largely live off the land.
The ital diet, also spelled I-tal, is a diet celebrated by members of the Rastafari movement that emphasizes eating fresh, organic, and preferably homegrown produce. The goal of the diet is to increase “life energy” or livity by eating foods that enhance it. Livity is the belief that an energy or life-force flows through all people and living things.
The diet has some universal rules, including:
Avoid chemically modified foods
Avoid foods with artificial additives
Avoid added fats and salts
No salt
No meat
No dairy
No metal or plastic cookware
No alcohol
Moderate white foods
Natural sugar
Most expressions of the Ital diet include adherence to a strict vegetarian diet. Some adherents to Ital diets are strict vegans, as they do not consider dairy to be natural for human consumption either. Many also avoid pork, shellfish, caffeine, and artificial additives.
Some Rastafarian dishes include:
Yams, plantain bananas, festival, callaloo, chocho, bean curry, garden vegetable stew, and medicinal plants.
Source Family salad dressing:
Don’t forget to exercise.
Are you looking for a simple way to boost your health and fitness, no matter your age? Let me share a story about Owen, who made an incredible transformation later in life—and you can too.
Owen didn’t start exercising until he was 70. In fact, he had never been very active before that. But at 70, he made a decision to change. He began with a modest goal: a 30-minute walk each day. Slowly, as his fitness improved, he replaced one walk at a time with strength training sessions.
Fast forward to today, and Owen is 84 years old, 35 pounds lighter, and in the best shape of his life. He now does an hour of strength training three times a week, using free weights and machines in his home gym. On top of that, he walks for 45 minutes, three times a week—at a pace that leaves him breathless.
What’s even more impressive is what Owen has achieved. He can do over 50 push-ups, no longer suffers from “awful, excruciating” back pain, and feels as energized as he did 20 years ago.
The lesson here? It’s never too late to start. You don’t have to jump into intense workouts right away. Start small, like Owen did, and gradually build up your fitness. Whether it’s walking for 30 minutes a day or slowly incorporating strength training, the key is consistency. Your body will thank you as you continue to make those small, positive changes.
Remember, the most important step is to get started. So, why not take that first walk today?
