Where Did Fasting Come From?:Part 2:Day 206

Evolution Three – Week Four


Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Hello Folks,


In my last post I talked a little bit about the definition of fasting and what the benefits of fasting might be, but now I want to get into where fasting came from.


You can check out my first article called Fasting And All Of The Facets Part 1: Day 205 by CLICKING HERE.

Here are my reflections on fasting:

• It may not have been a choice for our ancestors, no food means fasting must happen
• Because of forced fasting due to lack of food, it became a ritual during certain seasons; perhaps when food sources were low due to weather changes during the season
• Our ancestors noticed that when they were sick they lost their appetite and healed from the ailment much faster
• Our ancestors noticed some spiritual experiences resulting from long periods of fasting and decided it had spiritual value
• Our ancestors saw that if they fasted to make a statement about some injustice people responded with honoring their requests

The Top Five Reasons For Fasting Historically:



Spiritual Practice:



"Fasting will bring spiritual rebirth to those of you who cleanse and purify your bodies. The light of the world will illuminate within you when you fast and purify yourself. What the eyes are for the outer world, fasts are for the inner." ~Mahatma Gandhi, 1869 - 1948


Healing purposes:


"Historical records tell us that fasting has been used for health recovery for thousands of years. Hippocrates, Socrates, and Plato all recommended fasting for health recovery." ~by Dr. Ben Kim (CLICK HERE for more)



Chinese medicine recommends fasting for better health



Political:



Hunger strikes are a common way for non-violent protesters to get what they want or make a statement



Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi both adopted this practice with success.



Weight loss:



Fasting for weight loss is extremely common, but there is a fine line between starving yourself and cleansing yourself. Some of those who take it to extremes find themselves anorexic.



Religious practice:



Any religion you look at whether it is Christianity, Buddhism, Judism, Hinduism, Jainism, Muslim...etc. ..have fasting as part of some religious practice



"When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to others to be fasting, but to your Father, who is in the secret place; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly."--Jesus Christ, c. 8-4 B.C.-29? A.D.



"She or he who does good of her or his own accord shall be rewarded, but to fast is better for you, if you but knew it."--Mohammed, 570?-632 A.D.



"The biggest problem facing the world today is not people dying in the streets of Calcutta, and not inflation, but spiritual deprivation. . .this feeling of emptiness associated with feeling separate from God, and from all our sisters and brothers on planet Earth."--Mother Teresa, 1979 Nobel Peace laureate



"The Buddha's spiritual awakening is directly related to fasting, but from the reverse. That is to say, only after the Buddha stopped fasting did he realize his mahabodhi, or great awakening." found in Urban Darmha...CLICK HERE



I am personally a big advocate for fasting. I used to fast seasonally, whereby I would do a 3-7 day fast in the fall and the spring. I would either do the lemonade fast or a water only fast or carrot juice only or juice only fast.



My favorite fast so far was the carrot juice only fast.



As some of you may know I have been trying Brad Pilons intermittant fasting that he explains in his 90 page book called Eat Stop Eat. He suggests fasting once or twice a week for 24 hours drinking only water.



Check out this clip with Gandhi...






Until next time…



Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up



Dakota



Today’s Mantra:



Fasting is important, more important perhaps, than many of us have supposed,... when exercised with a pure heart and a right motive, fasting may provide us with a key to unlock doors where other keys have failed; a window opening up new horizons in the unseen world; a spiritual weapon of God's provision, mighty, to the pulling down of strongholds.


- Arthur Wallis

Fasting And All Of The Facets Part 1: Day 205

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Evolution Three – Week Four

Hello Folks,

Since I am following the Eat Stop Eat program by Brad Pilon I thought I would address a few questions or thoughts around fasting...

What does it mean to fast?

• Abstain or "firmly withhold from food"
• Done as spiritual, health or political practice
• Drink only water for a period of time
• Body stores used to sustain body during fast
• Differing from starving the body, in that, body reserves are not depleted causing tissue to be used for energy
• Done willingly
• Could last for long stretches or short stints
• Complete fast includes abstaining from liquid and food
• Medically speaking 8 - 12 hours without food is fasting
• Break from digestion

How can we heal from fasting?

• Reducing amount of energy needed to digest gives body more energy for healing purposes
• Gives body break from toxic processed food
• Immune system can deal with healing when not used to deal with toxic food
• Cleanses entire digestive system naturally
• Excellent for curing digestive disorders
• Helps metabolism, which may be normally dealing with too much food
• Helps prevent chances of getting cancer, diabetes, insulin resistance, immune dissorders and cardiovascular disease
• Increases life span and slows down aging
• Fasting more than 30 days risky

This information was found in Wikipedia, The Nation and Raw Food Explained

I have done all kinds of fasts over the years. My first fast was the Master Cleanse or Lemonade Diet. I did it for eight days.

I exercised the entire time I was doing the cleanse with no problem. It is a very simple program with generally good results.

Here were my results...


The Up Side:

• Lost 8 pounds (could be some water weight or muscle too)
• Skin very soft and clear
• Eye's clearer
• Felt really good/ energized
• Made me want to do it again

The Down Side:

• Difficult without support
• Teeth feel gritty entire time
• Lemonade gets old fast
• Fantasized way too much about food
• Hard to come off with out eating some junk
• Had acid reflux when I ate a little peanut butter after fast

Recommendations for fasting:

• Make sure you are the kind of person who can deal with it
• Plan a come off diet when you are done fasting
• Be prepared to watch things come out of your body that you didn't think were there
• Be careful not to overeat when you return to your regular diet
• Better to do intermittant fasting than long fasts, easier on the body

Here is a video by the fasting expert Brad Pilon:









Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: Don't turn fasting into a chore, it should be simple and easy


~Brad Pilon

Spiral Vortexes, Exercise For The Soul, And Five Tibetan Rites: Day 204

Evolution Three – Week Four


Monday, September 21, 2009

Hello Folks,



One of my favorite topics is how to incorporate spiritual practice with exercise. I found this interesting form of Yoga that is called the Five Tibetan Rites. It is made of a series of exercises that are pretty yoga like. The exercises are supposedly over 2500 years old. In the book The Eye of Revelation, by Peter Kelder, he claims to have met a colonal who told him about his travels and learning of the Five Tibetan Rites.



The book is a 32 page book mostly based on conversations he had with the colonal.



To look at a few pages from the book CLICK HERE



The Rites are considered a form of yoga similar to ones you might find in India. The Tibetans emphasized a continuous sequence of movements similar to Taoist Tai Chi, but starkly different from the yogic static postures of today.



There is some question as to whether Tibetans consider them as being authentic Tibetan practices.



Kelder claims that the colonal met some lamas who had said they found the fountain of youth in the Five Tibetan Rites.



The lamas believe there are seven spinning psychic vortexes in the body. When we get older, the vortexes spin less, which results in poor health.



When anyone does the Five Rites every day their vortexes can be restored, which results in very positive outcomes.



It is thought that the Five Rites might be from the Kum Nye system.



Doing the Five Rites for ten minutes every day can improve eyesight, memory, restore natural hair color from grey, hair growth and more.



Some other benefits include:

• Reduces double chin

• Belly becomes slender

• Strengthen arms

• Energetic

• Increased muscle tone

The following is what researchers say the five Tibetans do for the body:

• Stimulate the reticular activating system of the brain.

• Balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain, which means you think more clearly. (You should definitely do the Tibetans before an exam or an important presentation!)

• Balance the body's hormonal system.

• Strengthen bones, as the exercises are weight-bearing.

• Improve the body's immune system.

• Build muscle strength.

• Reduce body-fat percentage.

• Boost metabolism.

• Align and strengthen the spine, plus make it more supple.

• Lighten menopausal symptoms.

• Lessen premenstrual symptoms.

• Help relieve the discomfort of arthritis and other aches and pains.

These benefits almost sound exactly like what Taoist Tai Chi can do for the body...only it takes one hundred and eight moves instead of five. Hmmm.



Here is a long 13 minute video on the Five Tibetan Rites. I think this particular video has an emphasis on breath, form and timing. It is very well done. It looks easier than yoga; for those of you that don’t care as much for yoga as a form of exercise. Who says slow movement isn’t exercise.



It has a spiritual quality that is undeniable, too.












Does it make you want go out and get a yoga matt and try it?



Until next time…



Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up



Dakota



Today’s Mantra:



This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples: no need for complicated philosphy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple: the philosophy is kindness."



~Dalai Lama

Arnel Ricafranca's Motivating Videos: Day 203

Evolution Three – week Three

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Hello Folks,

You have to check out this four minute workout by Arnel Ricafranca. He recently had his youtube channel blocked. He has his own website and was really bummed when his youtube videos got blocked. Since the incident he has been posting new youtube videos almost every day.

I think the quality of his videos are much better now than they were before, although I wonder if he will get booted again because of music copyright...we shall see... here are a couple of his videos..

This is the four minute video...





This guy uploaded 34 videos in 2weeks...if that isn't motivation I don't know what is....I think this is how he makes a living...or he has a lot of free time on his hands..

Here is a video posted by Arnel that has only been on-line for 2 weeks and has already had 20000 views---He also has a social network called ARNEL.TV...CLICK HERE to check out Arnel.TV







Until next time…

Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up

Dakota

Today’s Mantra: Sometimes the worst mistakes become the best inventions

Exercise vs. Diet: Day 202

Evolution Three – week Three

Saturday, September 19, 2009

I think pretty soon I will be shifting gears and posting my pics once a week and not every day.



Here is a clip I like. I Don' have much time today so I will keep it short again. This is a talk done by Brad Pilon who wrote the book EatStopEat...

I think he is talking about the middle way with both exercise and diet. It is no doubt that most of us eat more calories than necessary...but sometimes more is less....right...we eat more because a lot of foods today that aren't filling tend to have more calories, like cake. He has a good point about striking a balance with food and exercise and not over doing either one of those things.



I would argue that he talks a lot about food and not so much about calories. We could definitely eat more food if we eat healthy food and stay away from high calorie food.



Or if we want to eat high calorie food, eat smaller portions...



so the basic idea is...

• eat more quantities of healthy food

• eat smaller portions of higher calorie (unhealthy) food

Exercise: bike 30 minutes, turbulance training, ankle stretches (it never ends)



Menu: Protein and veggies







Until next time…



Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up



Dakota



Today’s Mantra: We are the ones we have been waiting for.



~Barak Obama

Quick Note: Days 200 and 201

Evolution Three – week Three


Friday, September 18, 2009

Hello Folks,



It has been a long week. I am going to post my pics from yesterday and today and call it a night. And I will leave you with a quote...







Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.



James R. Cook









Exercise: bike 30 minutes, turbulance training



Menu: Protein and veggies







Until next time…



Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up



Dakota



Today’s Mantra:
My advice is to go into something and stay with it until you like it. You can't like it until you obtain expertise in that work. And once you are an expert, it's a pleasure.






Milton Garland

Why Do Athlete's Gain Weight When They Are No Longer Competing?: Day 199

Evolution Three – week Three

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hello Folks,



When I was a kid growing up I used to love to watch the Olympics, especially gymnastics. Back then there was one athlete that really stood out, Mary Lou Retton. She was a powerhouse; she was all muscle and power and it showed in her routines.



Mary Lou Rettons Bio:



Born January 24, 1968 in Fairmont, West Virginia.

• Inspired by Nadia Comaneci she took up gymnastics

• Coached by Bela and Marta Karolyi (coached Comaneci)

• First female gymnast from US to win the all-around Olympic title.

• Won five metals at the 1984 Olypmics
  
• She has a skill named after her on the uneven bars called "The Retton Flip”
  

• In 1997, Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
  

• She was the first female to appear on a Wheaties box
  

• Married with four daughters

• Currently she is a personal trainer and has her own website called http://www.marylouretton.com/ and http://www.marylousweigh.com/.

Here is an a few questions from an interveiw with Mary Lou Retton on Chron: Health and Medicine.



Petite women know they have to watch their weight more closely than their taller counterparts, and Mary Lou Retton is no different. She became America's sweetheart back in 1984 when she stood on the Olympic podium to accept five medals and flashed her wide, bright smile. America still loves Retton, who is married to a Houston real estate developer and mom to four busy daughters. By trade she's now a motivational speaker and travels weekly to inspire others to achieve their best. She also is launching a diet and exercise program this month called Mary Lou's Weigh (find it at marylousweigh.com). The plan comes with a reinvented scale — a "platform" that doesn't tell you what you weigh, but informs you how much you've gained or lost.



Q: You could be doing anything right now. Why a weight-loss program?



A: I'm a motivational speaker; that's what I do. I can encourage and be your personal trainer. I want people to just think that tomorrow is a new day and they shouldn't be afraid to start. I can help.



Q: What do — an Olympic athlete — say to inspire people who may not do any exercise at all?



A: Whenever you have a pinnacle moment, the Gold Medal moment, there's a story of what it took to get there. I left my family at 14 and had a body type that was not supposed to be a gymnast. A gymnast was supposed to be thin and graceful. I was muscular and strong and no one had seen that. I was not extraordinary. But I had a dream, and I worked my tail off. Anyone can do that.



Q: But when you were training and competing it was different, right?



A: I had to be a certain number — between 92 and 94 pounds — because the less you weigh, the easier the sport is. I had doctors and trainers telling me what to eat. I always made it, but it was tough.



Q: What changed after all that?



A: I was in college at UT, a normal kid. Gosh, you eat fast food and pizza at midnight.



Q: So you gained the "Freshman 15?"



A: Yes, it was fun until I saw pictures of myself. I knew I wasn't happy with myself.



Q: What did you do about it?



A: I needed to get back on track. Not because a coach or trainer said to, but I did it for me. It was a huge moment for me and it felt good. So I did what we all know works. I cut out the junk food and started working out.



A: I focus on cardio, 30 to 45 minutes on the elliptical machine. I also lift light weights with high repetitions. I have to exercise in the morning or it doesn't get done.



Q: What do you do for stress relief?



A: Exercise. That's my time. I read and listen to my iPod. It's alone time, really. I love my kids, but it's chaotic.



Q: What advice to you give other women your age?



A: I urge women to get health screenings, get a mammogram. My mother-in-law is battling breast cancer now and it's awful. I had my first colonoscopy this year. I want a good quality of life when I'm old, and I want to set a good example for my daughters now.



diane.cowen@chron.com



For full interview CLICK HERE



Thoughts on Mary Lou Retton:







Mary Lou Retton was one of the few female athlete's in gymnastics that was not only talented but also very physically strong. She managed to use her physical strength to her advantage in a sport where women were much thinner and more petite.



As a female athlete who started seriously competing early in her life, where she practiced for hours and hours every day from a very young age; she more than likely never had to worry too much about her weight. Though, she was in a sport where she was told to keep her weight down, I suspect that with all of those hours of exercise she was burning quite a few calories per day.



Also, she was muscular, which made her even more of a fat buring furnace than other girls her age.



So why did she gain weight after she stopped competing? There are many factors to consider....

• When she stopped exercising or exercised less her muscles began to atrophy, which made her less of a fat burning furnace

• She was away in college where there was no one to tell her what to eat

• She probably ate the same amount of calories that she used to eat when she was competing; meaning she did not adjust her diet to her new lifestyle

• Her body wasn't telling her when she was full because it was used to the level of energy it required to maintain her exercise levels

• She exercised less and burned less calories

• Being a woman she naturally had more fat cells than men

Here are a few interesting facts about fat cells and muscles and how they work...

• Fat cells are called a dipocytes and multiply in number when you are a baby and during puberty

• After you become adults the only time you produce new fat cells is during pregnancy

• When you gain weight, fat cells fill up with more lipids and become larger

• Fat cell numbers can't be decreased, but fat cell size can

• Muscle does not turn into fat, less muscle means easier to gain weight

• Muscles increase metabolism

• 1 pound of muscle extra burns 20 or more calories per day

• Training 4 to 5 days per week intensely increases calorie burn by 400 calories per workout

• To avoid weight gain, monitor diet and maintain strength training program

Here is a clip of her during her Olympic years: (She is a little powerhouse)





Until next time…



Think, Believe, Act, Adjust, Never Give up



Dakota



Today’s Mantra: As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given.



~ Mary Lou Retton