--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we realize that something as primal…" description: "\"When we realize that something as primal as the food that we choose to eat each day makes such an important difference in addressing both global warmin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/dean-ornish-2921_choices_when-we-realize-that-something-as-primal_2317563.png" --- # When we realize that something as primal as the food that… ![“When we realize that something as primal as the food that we choose to eat each day makes such an important difference in addressing both global warming and personal health, it empowers us and imbues these choices with meaning. If it's meaningful, then it's sustainable - and a meaningful life is a…” quote by Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/dean-ornish-2921_choices_when-we-realize-that-something-as-primal_2317563.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/dean-ornish-2921_choices_when-we-realize-that-something-as-primal_2317563.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c80/dean-ornish-2921_choices_when-we-realize-that-something-as-primal_2317563.png) > “When we realize that something as primal as the food that we choose to eat each day makes such an important difference in addressing both global warming and personal health, it empowers us and imbues these choices with meaning. If it's meaningful, then it's sustainable - and a meaningful life is a longer life.” [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Food choices affect both climate and health, giving them purpose; meaningful choices lead to sustainable, longer lives. **In simple terms:** Food impacts health and climate, giving meaning to choices. Key Takeaway Make food choices that benefit health and planet. Themes environment health purpose Mood inspirational hopeful Type motivational practical When to use this quote - diet planning - climate activism - personal wellness Key Concepts sustainability behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What small dietary change can you start today? - How does linking health to climate motivate you? A Different Perspective Changing habits can be socially and culturally challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Global warming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/global-warming/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Longer life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longer-life/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [Meaningful life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful-life/) [Personal health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-health/) ## Related quotes > [City farming is not only possible, it is the very definition of the kind of meaningful, sustainable innovation we will need to meet the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-van-houten/city-farming-is-not-only-possible-it-is-the-very-definition-of-the/) [Frans van Houten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-van-houten/) > [I am a strong champion of personal health and social care budgets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-kendall/i-am-a-strong-champion-of-personal-health-and-social-care-budgets/) [Liz Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-kendall/) > [If we can make the correct diagnosis, the healing can begin. 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More and more, decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/people-and-organizations-other-than-doctors-increasingly-are-assuming/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) > [Our current draconian laws prohibiting the use of marijuana by responsible adults are doubly flawed. Not only does such prohibition violate fundamental freedoms but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-strossen/our-current-draconian-laws-prohibiting-the-use-of-marijuana-by/) Nadine Strossen > [“Isn't the information about your ability enough to digest right now?" " The info is digested , Michael. As a matter of fact, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myra-mcentire/isn-t-the-information-about-your-ability-enough-to-digest-right-now/) [Myra McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myra-mcentire/) > [Your own personal health is your own personal choice, all the way down the line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-etheridge/your-own-personal-health-is-your-own-personal-choice-all-the-way-down/) [Melissa Etheridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-etheridge/) > [We can take more time and interest, and give more attention to our personal health than a hired professional can. We have learned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-saul/we-can-take-more-time-and-interest-and-give-more-attention-to-our/) [Andrew Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-saul/) ## More by Dean Ornish > [People don't dislike change, they dislike being changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/people-don-t-dislike-change-they-dislike-being-changed/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Think about it: Heart disease and diabetes, which account for more deaths in the U.S. and worldwide than everything else combined, are completely preventable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/think-about-it-heart-disease-and-diabetes-which-account-for-more/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [There's a tendency to dismiss anything having to do with love and intimacy in medicine because it's hard to measure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/there-s-a-tendency-to-dismiss-anything-having-to-do-with-love-and/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [No one has all the answers, so whatever a woman who has the BRCA mutation chooses to do requires courage and an element of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/no-one-has-all-the-answers-so-whatever-a-woman-who-has-the-brca/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [The power of the Internet is also its limitation - it provides access to large amounts of information without providing guidance on how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/the-power-of-the-internet-is-also-its-limitation-it-provides-access/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Anything that takes you out of the context of being separate is healing. 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Allowing someone to slice your chest open and graft your leg veins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/eating-a-vegetarian-diet-walking-exercising-everyday-and-meditating/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [An educated patient is empowered; thus, more likely to become healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/an-educated-patient-is-empowered-thus-more-likely-to-become-healthy/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Real power is not given to us or even created; real power is realized. It comes from realizing an inner sense of peace, self-worth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/real-power-is-not-given-to-us-or-even-created-real-power-is-realized/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [In a global economy, the Bush doctrine of unilateralism - going it alone - has been disastrous. It's becoming increasingly clear that we're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/in-a-global-economy-the-bush-doctrine-of-unilateralism-going-it-alone/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) > [Getting through the day becomes more important than living a long life when you have no one else to live for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ornish/getting-through-the-day-becomes-more-important-than-living-a-long/) [Dean Ornish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) [Explore all 145 Dean Ornish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ornish/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we realize that something as primal as the food that we choose to eat each day makes such an important difference in addressing both global warming and personal health, it empowers us and imbues these choices with meaning. 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