I don't eat pork or beef. I cut that out when my father passed

In the great arc of human life, there are moments of profound change that compel us to confront not only the world around us but the very core of who we are. Tony Cardenas, in his reflection on diet and health, speaks of a turning point in his life, saying, "I don't eat pork or beef. I cut that out when my father passed away about 20 years ago. I wanted to modify my diet because he passed away from diabetes. And, you know, it's very hereditary." This powerful statement speaks to the deeper truth that in moments of loss, we are often awakened to the fragility of life and the deep connection between our choices and the fate that awaits us. Through his decision to alter his diet in response to his father’s passing, Cardenas exemplifies a wisdom that resonates across the ages: the recognition that our actions today shape our tomorrow.

In the ancient world, the connection between the body and the soul was understood to be profound. The great Hippocrates, often called the father of medicine, believed that "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." In his time, the diet was seen not merely as a source of sustenance, but as a key element in maintaining both physical and spiritual health. Hippocrates taught that balance in diet and lifestyle was essential to living a long and healthy life. Like Cardenas, he understood that the choices we make in how we nourish our bodies can either heal or harm us. The idea that one must take responsibility for one’s health through careful and intentional eating is as old as time itself, and Cardenas, in his decision, draws upon this timeless wisdom.

The journey that led Cardenas to change his eating habits after the death of his father is a powerful testament to the way in which suffering can lead to profound personal transformation. The loss of a loved one is often a crucible, a moment of intense grief and reflection that forces us to reconsider the path we walk. In the case of Cardenas, his father’s death from diabetes—a disease that is deeply hereditary—sparked within him the desire to break free from the cycle of genetic fate and take control of his future. This decision echoes the wisdom of the ancient Stoics, such as Epictetus, who taught that while we cannot control the events that happen to us, we can control our responses. Cardenas, by altering his diet, took control of his future, choosing health over despair, and empowerment over helplessness.

The ancient warriors, too, understood the importance of self-discipline in the face of hardship. Spartan warriors, renowned for their strength and endurance, adhered to a strict code that governed not only their training but their diet and lifestyle. The Spartan ideal was one of mastery over the body, a belief that the body’s fortitude must be cultivated through discipline and sacrifice. The Spartans did not merely endure hardship; they embraced it, seeing in it the path to strength and virtue. Just as the Spartans modified their lives to prepare for battle, so too did Cardenas modify his diet to prepare for the battle that lay ahead—the fight for his health, the fight to transcend the fate of his father. In this, we see that the act of changing one’s habits, of reshaping one’s destiny through thoughtful action, is a form of courage that has been revered throughout the ages.

Yet, the wisdom that Cardenas shares also points to the importance of legacy—the inheritance of not just material goods but also of health and well-being. His father’s diabetes was a reminder that the choices we make today ripple through time, affecting not only our own lives but the lives of those who come after us. The hereditary nature of diseases like diabetes serves as a warning and a call to action: what we inherit, we may also pass on, unless we take steps to break the chain. The ancient Hebrews understood the concept of legacy deeply, as it was written in their sacred texts that the actions of the father would affect not only his children but his children’s children. In this way, Cardenas’ decision to change his diet was not just a personal choice—it was a commitment to create a healthier future for his family, one free from the diseases that had claimed his father.

The lesson here, then, is one of empowerment—the realization that we hold the keys to our own destinies, even in the face of genetic inheritance and circumstance. Just as the ancient wisdom of Hippocrates and the Stoics emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for one’s health, so too does Cardenas’ story remind us that the choices we make in how we eat, how we live, and how we treat our bodies shape the future. Our legacy, both physical and spiritual, is not something that is written for us in stone, but something that we can actively mold with each decision we make.

Let us take this lesson to heart in our own lives. Whether it is through our diet, our exercise, or our daily habits, we must recognize that we are not slaves to our circumstances, but masters of our own well-being. Like Cardenas, we must be willing to make changes, to confront the challenges before us, and to take control of our health and future. And in doing so, we not only honor ourselves but we honor those who came before us and those who will follow. Let us be mindful of the choices we make, knowing that the seeds we plant today will shape the future we leave behind.