Social Cause Diet Stories

What does dieting have to do with social causes?

A growing body of research shows that people who volunteer regularly, just one to two hours a week, have lower rates of depression, greater functional ability when they get older, and lower mortality rates than those who do not volunteer. A steady "diet" of giving seems to be as important to our mental and physical health as proper nutrition and regular exercise!

The sacrificial giving of one’s time and talents is no longer reserved for the independently wealthy. We now know that it is an important part of maintaining optimal health for all of us. Medically speaking, an infection-fighting antibody apparently kicks in when a person is engaged in serving others. But there’s more to it than that. There are mysterious, spiritual blessings that can’t be seen or measured but that undoubtedly enhance our quality of life. The Social Cause Diet is about feeding our soul through acts of service, and the numerous blessings that come from it.

Funny how there are over 400 diet books published a year in the United States, yet obesity is at an all-time high and eating disorders are on the rise. Perhaps the weight issues of our country aren’t due so much to eating as they are to a poor focus. Rather than directing our attention to grander pursuits, we simply buy another diet book. But diet books have one major flaw: they make the dieter the focal point, endorsing the ideology that “it’s all about me.” True well-being, on the other hand, is achieved when we feel connected to something beyond ourselves. Rather than another program for losing more weight, maybe we need a plan for losing more of ourselves. We could all use guidance for getting the attention off of our obsessions and appetites and onto things that are beyond our personal existence.

Volume One of The Social Cause Diet consists of firsthand accounts by people who, knowingly or unknowingly, are on the Social Cause Diet. They have incorporated acts of service into their lifestyle and have discovered that it really is more blessed to give than to receive.

Read these engaging stories and see what acts of service appeal to you. Be sure to take the simple personality test in the back of the book to help you identify your "service strengths." To serve others is rewarding, but to serve in alignment with your strengths and interests is pure joy!

There is no reason to be skeptical of the Social Cause Diet. It has been tried and tested. It is not a passing fad. In all honesty, it will cost you something. It may be difficult and uncomfortable. Yet the benefits are well worth it. And unlike those diets that leave you hungry, this one will fill you up.