Words of the wise about Fasting

“The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages may be preserved by quotation!”

Mahatma Gandhi first turned to fasting to lose weight, but also because he’d been inspired by memorable quotations of noteworthy human beings words and experiences.

Just like Buddha, Christ, Muhammad or others among our species’ greatest teachers and thinkers who’ve done this marvelous self-improvement technique before us, including all three Fathers of Western Medicine—Hippocrates, Galen and Paracelsus.

The myriad benefits of prolonged, scientific fasting occur on three levels–physiologically, psychologically and spiritually.

Dalai Lama notes that: “True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one’s own self being fully realized.”

Siddhartha Gautama, at 36, fasted 49 days under that now-famous tree in Bodhgaya, India, achieving Enlightenment, or the Awakened state, during the process. “Buddha” is Sanskrit for “Awake”–a state free from all obstructions to knowledge and to disturbing emotions. .

“Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity. Enter again into yourself.”–Saint Augustine

“Fasting is an effective and safe method of detoxifying the body. . .a technique that wise men have used for centuries to heal the sick. Fast regularly and help the body heal itself and stay well. Give all of your organs a rest. Fasting can help reverse the aging process, and if we use it correctly, we will live longer, happier lives.”–James Balch, M.D. (“Prescription For Natural Healing”)

“The ideal technique for successful fasting is the use of fresh, raw fruit and vegetable juices. On such a diet, the full spectrum of nutrients is supplied in an easily assimilated form, so the digestive tract is able to remain essentially at rest.”–Rudolph Ballentine, M.D. (“Diet & Nutrition”; established holistic medical clinics in Chicago, New York, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis and Honesdale, PA, and author of Radical Healing.

Fasting possesses great power. If practiced with the right intention, it makes man a friend of God. The demons are aware of that.
– Tertullian

Happy Fasting 🙂

 

Snacking at the wrong time

While snacking isn’t a bad thing, new research is showing when you snack may have a bearing on how much weight you lose. Particularly, researchers at the Fred Huntchinson Cancer Research Center have found mid-morning snacks may be detrimental to weight loss.

The Study

Published in the December issue of the American Dietetic Association, the study assessed the eating behaviors of 123 postmenopausal women who were overweight or obese. While those who ate a mid-morning snack after eating a healthy breakfast lost 7 percent of their body weight, those who skipped a snack until after lunch, lost 11 percent.  Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and member of the Hutchinson Center’s Public Health Sciences Division and director of its Prevention Center, had this to say about the results: “We think this finding may not relate necessarily to the time of day one snacks, but rather to the short interval between breakfast and lunch. Mid-morning snacking therefore might be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy true hunger.”

Screen Time Blurs Mealtime

A separate study found that participants who played games on the computer while eating lunch ate twice as many post-lunch snacks as did undistracted eaters.  This makes the case for eating mindfully. Even if you’re unable to leave work to eat, don’t sit at your computer screen. If at home, turn off the television and eat at your dining table. Your stomach and brain will thank you for it.  The study also found computer players had less memory of what they ate at lunch, and felt less full following the meal.  

Snacks with Too Many Calories

Weight loss efforts may also be hampered by eating too much at snack time. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which provides information on the health and nutritional status of Americans, found that Americans’ snacking now accounts for the equivalent of a 4th meal or around 580 calories a day. Tiernan suggests incorporating snacks that are no more than 200 calories per serving. A good rule of thumb is to have a snack that’s only about 10 percent of your total daily caloric intake. If you eat a bigger snack, consider cutting calories from the meal before and after that snack. 

The Best Snacks

Tiernan’s study also found those who had afternoon snacks ate more fruits and vegetables than those who skipped a snack between lunch and dinner. To bridge the gap between meals, eat fibrous and protein-rich foods to stay satiated. Tiernan suggests “low-fat yogurt, string cheese, or a small handful of nuts; non-starchy vegetables; fresh fruits; whole-grain crackers; and non-calorie beverages such as water, coffee and tea.”

Bottom Line

Functional snacks stave off hunger when there is a significant amount of time between meals. Snacking for any other reason may hinder your weight loss goals. Tiernan adds, “Our study suggests that snacking may actually help with weight loss if not done too close to another meal.” Posit snacks at the midpoint of your longest stretch between meals. Turn off the TV, smartphone, or computer, and leave room for your next meal.

Your thoughts…

Do you schedule your snacks and if so, when do you have them each day?

 

Lose weight in summers

Some ideas for the best foods that will help you in losing weight during the summers.

The  easiest way to reduce calories from your summer diet, experts say, is to load up on nature’s bounty. Produce is at its peak in summer. Delicious fruits and vegetables abound at farmers’ markets and in your local grocery. Besides being low in calories, produce is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

 Summer,s Best Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups

 Cold soups are very good low-calorie dishes.  Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are a great way to start a meal.

“Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal,” says Moores, a St. Paul-based nutrition consultant.

 Summer,s Best Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon

Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it’s hot outside?

“Half of the watermelon comes from water. …It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet,” says Moores.

Summer’s Best Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies

For registered dietitian Dawn Jackson, a plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have. She recommends keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge. You can use them to make dishes like:

1. Grilled vegetable and goat cheese salads
2. Grilled vegetable pitas
3. Grilled vegetable, ricotta, and fresh herb pasta                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         As a bonus, you can forget about portion control when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, Moores says                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        “Go for it, because it is hard to do much damage to your waistline with these super-nutritious edibles,” says Moores                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Happy Summers 🙂

 

Alternative Medicine

Richard Dawkins has stated that “there is no alternative medicine. There is only medicine that works and medicine that doesn’t work.”

Alternative Medicines 

Alternative medicine is non-conventional medicine” Critics assert that the terms “complementary” and “alternative medicine” are euphemisms meant to give an impression of medical authority. But they may be wrong! Examples of non conventional medicine include:

naturopathy,

chiropractic medicine,

herbalism,

Ayurveda,

meditation,

homeopathy,

acupuncture,

nutritional-based therapies, in addition to a range of other practices.

Holistic therapies and their effects!

One of the main advantages of holistic therapies is that they have few side effects when used correctly.

If a reputable practitioner is chosen, and guidelines are adhered to, the worst that typically happens is that when lifestyle is changed, and fresh nutrients are provided, the body begins to eliminate toxins that may have accumulated in the cells over a lifetime.

Often this results in what is known in alternative medicine circles as a “healing crisis.” This comes about when the cells eliminate poisons into the blood stream all at the same time, throwing the system into a state of toxic overload until it can clear the “backlog.” Symptoms such as nausea, headaches, or sensitivities to noise and other stimulations may be experienced.

The answer to most otherwise healthy patients is often just to lie quietly in a darkened room and take herbal teas. However, in the case of someone who has a serious illness, such as arthritis, colitis, diabetes, or cancer, (the list is much longer than this), it is strongly advised that they seek the help of a qualified practitioner. Therapists can help patients achieve detoxification in a way that causes the least stress to their bodies.

Homeopathy: Are there any side effects?

Basically there are no known side effects of homeopathic medicines but a homeopathic aggravation sometimes occurs during initial treatment with homeopathic remedies. This means that symptoms can temporarily worsen during the process of healing. Although this is usually mild, the aggravation can sometimes be severe. Homeopaths see aggravation as a positive sign that the remedy is a good match for the patient’s symptoms. The healing crisis, which happens when the patient is undergoing treatment for layers of symptoms, may also cause the patient to feel worse before feeling better. Some patients can experience emotional disturbances like weeping or depression, if suppressed emotional problems led to the illness in the first place.

Homeopathic medicines are so diluted that sometimes no trace of the original substance can be detected. These medicines are therefore considered non-toxic and generally free of harmful side effects.

Naturopathy: Interference with prescription drugs!
Although naturopathic remedies are from natural sources and pose much less risk than traditional drugs do, there are some side effects with the use of some. One problem they can pose is the interaction with prescription medicines. It is important for a patient to inform his or her allopathic physician about any natural remedies or herbs prescribed by a naturopath.

It is also important to note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers medicinal herbs as dietary supplements, not drugs, and so are not subject to the same regulations as drugs are. Because they come from natural sources, the active ingredients may not always be in the same concentration from bottle to bottle, since plants naturally vary. To guard against using too little or too much of a natural remedy, use herbs and supplements recommended by a naturopath or those produced by well-respected companies.

Meditation refers to any of a family of practices in which the practitioner trains his or her mind or self-induces a mode of consciousness in order to realize some benefit.

Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of needles in the body. Its proponents variously claim that it relieves pain, treats infertility, treats disease, prevents disease, promotes general health, or can be used for therapeutic purposes.

Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage“friction of kneading”, or from Arabic massa meaning “to touch, feel or handle” or from Latin massa meaning “mass, dough”, Greek verb μάσσω (massō) “to handle, touch, to work with the hands, to knead dough”. In distinction the ancient Greek word for massage was anatripsis,^[and the Latin was frictio.

Massage involves acting on and manipulating the body with pressure – structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving – tension, motion, or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Target tissues may includemuscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, skin, joints, or other connective tissue, as well as lymphatic vessels, or organs of the gastrointestinal system. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. There are over eighty different recognized massage modalities The most cited reasons for introducing massage as therapy have been client demand and perceived clinical effectiveness.

Yoga (Sanskrit, Pāli, yóga)

Refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines that originated in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Within Hinduism, it refers to one of the six orthodox (āstika) schools of Hindu philosophy, and to the goal towards which that school directs its practices. In Jainism, yoga is the sum total of all activities — mental, verbal and physical.