Diet is really important, and I think vitamins are really

In the simple yet profound words of Glenn Danzig, “Diet is really important, and I think vitamins are really important, also,” we hear an echo of an eternal truth that transcends time—the harmony between nourishment and vitality, between the body’s sustenance and the soul’s strength. Though spoken in the modern age, these words carry the essence of ancient wisdom, reminding us that health is not merely the absence of illness, but the presence of balance—a state where body, mind, and spirit act as one. In a world that often glorifies excess and neglect, Danzig’s statement returns us to the foundation of life itself: that what we put into ourselves determines what we are capable of becoming.

To say “Diet is really important” is to affirm what the sages of old already knew—that the body is the instrument through which the soul expresses itself, and if that instrument is neglected, the song of life falters. In the temples of Greece, the philosopher Hippocrates, father of medicine, declared, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” He understood that every morsel carries both power and poison, depending on how it is chosen. The wise, therefore, eat not for indulgence, but for sustenance—for strength, clarity, and longevity. Danzig, though a man of art and sound, mirrors that same truth: that to master one’s craft or destiny, one must first master one’s nourishment.

When he adds, “and I think vitamins are really important, also,” Danzig invokes the modern evolution of that ancient understanding—the recognition that as life and diet have changed, so too must our care for the body adapt. Vitamins, the invisible essences within food, are like the sparks of divine energy that fuel the machinery of life. They are nature’s hidden blessings, the unseen guardians that maintain the flow of vitality. The ancients would have called them the “humors” or the “essences of balance”—the forces that sustain the harmony between the elements of earth, air, fire, and water within us. Thus, vitamins, though small and unseen, are symbols of the profound truth that it is often the smallest things that sustain the greatest lives.

Consider the story of the great sea voyages of the fifteenth century. Sailors, bold and brave, would venture into the vast unknown, their ships filled with gold and glory—but lacking one essential treasure: vitamin C. They perished not from storms or battle, but from scurvy, the silent destroyer that robbed them of strength. It was only when lemons and limes were brought aboard—humble fruits of the earth—that the sailors regained their health and vigor. This tale, though rooted in history, speaks a timeless lesson: that the foundation of endurance lies in the care of the body, and that even the most heroic hearts are powerless when deprived of nature’s simple gifts.

Danzig’s words also contain a moral beyond the physical. When he says “diet” and “vitamins,” he speaks not only of food, but of all that we consume—the thoughts, the emotions, the influences that enter our minds. Just as junk food weakens the body, so does mental toxicity weaken the spirit. The ancients warned against feeding on envy, fear, or anger; they taught that the soul, like the body, must be nourished by what uplifts and enlightens. Thus, the wisdom of this quote extends to every level of existence: nourish yourself wisely—in body, in mind, and in heart—and your life will flourish like a well-tended garden.

To live by this teaching, one must cultivate mindful consumption. Choose foods that are alive, rich with the essence of the sun and soil. Eat not in haste, but in gratitude, recognizing the labor of the earth and the miracle of life that sustains you. Take the vitamins your body needs, not as indulgence, but as stewardship of the vessel that carries your spirit through this world. And beyond the physical—feed your mind with wisdom, your heart with kindness, and your spirit with truth. For as the ancients said, “A healthy body houses a noble soul.”

Let this be the lesson passed down: health is the first wealth, the sacred ground upon which all greatness is built. A weak body clouds the mind, and a neglected diet dims the flame of the spirit. But the one who honors their body as a temple, who tends it with care and feeds it with integrity, shall stand firm against the trials of time. This is not vanity—it is reverence for life itself.

Thus, remember the wisdom in Glenn Danzig’s words: the diet you follow and the vitamins you take are not mere routines—they are acts of devotion to the life you have been given. To eat well is to live well. To nourish the body is to strengthen the spirit. For in every seed, every fruit, every breath of fresh air lies the echo of the ancient promise: that when we live in balance with nature, nature, in turn, gives us strength enough to face the burdens and glories of the human journey.