Be Strong and Healthy

[Gem]

Originally Posted by JustBe

It definitely can be a very complicated process for many. I think even with new knowedge and awareness of what is better for your health, the challenges for a focused and more consistent balanced turnaround (lasting and integrated) can still challenge many. I have observed in myself that the deeper my own mind body healing goes through each shift, emotionally and spiritually, the more effortless the physical has been. The physical body awareness less invaded by barriers of a self conditioned or in resistance to itself. Even the whole sensory changes within myself through those processors have supported a willingness to try and enjoy new foods. More colour, more crunch, more flavours. One thing I noticed as someone who very rarely has sugar, my taste buds and body naturally seek fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and healthy snacks to satisfy my hunger and points of what might be determined as craving points, for someone struggling to move beyond their unhealthy cravings. The field of body awareness is certainly an avenue of work that can support others more holistically, especially someone like yourself who is mind/body aware and more lead to understand the deeper conditioned nature of others.

I wasn't brought up with advertising and all our vege stuff came from the market where villagers sold organic garden food, so we just ate meat/fish and veges + dessert. My parents used to allow one soft drink a week on Friday when we all went to the local club, and they didn't let us eat bags of lollies, maybe just one or two occasionally - so I never developed 'cravings' for food. The way I ate as a youth was just real food. When I grew up I came to Australia and lived here and there, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Cairns and got involved with spiritually minded people who had weird ideas about food and their story was my diet was unhealthy and disease causing and, well you know the vegan dogma, and I started to believe it, so I have done the vegetarian thing, the vegan thing, done fruit cleanses etc having no idea about nutrition and just following 'spiritual eating' - which is crazy - but not knowing better, I drank the Kool Aide. I was brainwashed by all that and was vegan/vegitarian for years, but I always worked manual jobs and ate massive amounts of a lot of different food, and often had the munchies from all the weed I smoked teehee. I didn't become weak or unhealthy, so it was fine.



When I became a musician full time, the hard physical work was over, so my appetite went down, and even though I felt fine for a long time on a pure veg diet, I also felt fine smoking tobacco as well, because the human body is tough and it takes a very long time for problems to develop, and after 15 years with a low calorie, nutritionally deficient, sedentary life I became worn down, weak and literally depressed.


Eventually, I decided to do something about it so I joined a gym and started reading up on nutrition for muscle building and ended up eating the same kind of diet as my family ate when I was a kid, which has the full nutrient profile that makes you healthy and strong.


All I'm saying to readers is don't drink the Kool Aid. Drop the grand delusions of 'divine veganism' narratives, silly cleanses and detoxes, fruit miracles and all that vacuous frivolity, and think about nutrition realistically: enough calories including adequate protein, tons of different colours to complete the micronutrient profile, and maybe a supplement or two to finish off.

[Sapphirez]

Originally Posted by Gem

All I'm saying to readers is don't drink the Kool Aid. Drop the grand delusions of 'divine veganism' narratives, silly cleanses and detoxes, fruit miracles and all that vacuous frivolity, and think about nutrition realistically.

of course you can't promote "silly cleanses and detoxes" because by default you recommend a diet high in foods that toxify the body.. where do you think that toxicity really goes?? the body is designed to rid itself of it, yes, but it can only do so to a degree until you start seeing disease conditions like cancer, arthritis, alzheimer's and pretty much any other disease or disorder that mainstream medicine is unable to treat by poisoning people further. it all comes down to the lymphatic system at the forefront with the body's systems in totality. but it is the main one that cleanses us, and when it can't anymore because we keep throwing foreign acidic things at it, maybe it's time to stop feeding it those things that cause the acidic environment which literally eats us alive from the inside out. sometimes the body needs a break from food, or purer cleaner foods, like miraculous fruit.. to help recharge, regenerate, and restart it. Supporting the body to be the practically perfect system it is would be the best way to think about nutrition realistically.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Sapphirez

of course you can't promote "silly cleanses and detoxes" because by default you recommend a diet high in foods that toxify the body..

I advocate getting complete nutrition from whole food sources.

where do you think that toxicity really goes??

Most of cellular metabolic waste exits the body via breath and urine, but some is perspired as well.

the body is designed to rid itself of it, yes, but it can only do so to a degree until you start seeing disease conditions like cancer, arthritis, alzheimer's and pretty much any other disease or disorder that mainstream medicine is unable to treat by poisoning people further. it all comes down to the lymphatic system at the forefront with the body's systems in totality. but it is the main one that cleanses us, and when it can't anymore because we keep throwing foreign acidic things at it, maybe it's time to stop feeding it those things that cause the acidic environment which literally eats us alive from the inside out.

The concern with 'acidic diets' is a high content of high sugar processed foods and excessive consumption of animal products without much fresh vege produce. This not what I advocate.

sometimes the body needs a break from food, or purer cleaner foods, like miraculous fruit.. to help recharge, regenerate, and restart it. Supporting the body to be the practically perfect system it is would be the best way to think about nutrition realistically.

It probably is a good idea to take a fast occasionally, but the main thing is sustainable life long healthy eating.


I would imagine that a fruit only protocol would lead to very high sugar intake. When we regard carbohydrate intake, including sugars, we look at two factors: Glycemic index (the rate of sugar absorption) and glycemic load (total amount of carbohydrate uptake). I would imagine getting enough energy from fruit alone would require buckets of the stuff (fruit is quite low in calories, generally) and the glycemic load would be very high, which could present unacceptable risks to some individuals. Generally speaking, a reasonably short fruit fast may be harmless and even mildly beneficial to a lot of people (particularly for people who otherwise eat poorly), but an extended period on that protocol would be deleterious to well-being. If individuals do undertake such a protocol, then not for too long, and after it has ended, start eating in way that you can sustain lifelong complete nutrition from whole food.



People who want to undertake a dietary approach to health conditions, do so with a medically/dietitian supervised fasting or dietary protocol. There is conclusive evidence that these methods are successful in a significant percentage of cases, but the adverse effects have to be considered within a 'risk to benefit' framework.

[Gem]

The actuality is, 25-30% of individuals in the West are overweight based on Body Mass Index (BMI). People can be within normal range of BMI and have excessive fat because of sedentary lifestyles/poor nutrition resulting in very low muscle percentages - we call this group 'skinny fat'. Other people who train or have physically demanding jobs that give them lots of muscle can be over BMI yet have low body fat percentage. However, I would say 'skinny fat' profile is more common because we don't work as physically as we used to in the past. This means the 25-30% is actually an underestimate and the actual statistics in terms of fatness are even more alarming. This statistic correlates with illness rates due to excessive body fat, inadequate muscle mass, and poor nutrition. What irony when when our population is both fat and undernourished!

We have to understand that changes in body weight are completely determined by how much energy (calories) the body retains and how much energy the body expends. It is amazing that I watch entire lecture series on diets and weight loss and obesity and they don't even mention that calorie balance, which is the sole basis of body weight changes. I have heard some say it isn't the calories; it's the hormones... and then they rave on about insulin for the next hour in a most convincing way. Actually, hormones are integral to nutrient partitioning, but when they work to store fat, that fat is still the calories which the body has retained and not expended!!! Changes in body weight are entirely due calories in vs. calories out because calories are energy and energy is equivalent to mass. Thus, body-weight comes down, one way or another, to calories.


I just made this post to lay out the bottom line because I'm trying to say things which are true so readers act in accordance with reality. Then such actions will manifest in real-world results.

[inavalan]

Originally Posted by Gem

The actuality is, 25-30% of individuals in the West are overweight based on Body Mass Index (BMI). People can be within normal range of BMI and have excessive fat because of sedentary lifestyles/poor nutrition resulting in very low muscle percentages - we call this group 'skinny fat'. Other people who train or have physically demanding jobs that give them lots of muscle can be over BMI yet have low body fat percentage. However, I would say 'skinny fat' profile is more common because we don't work as physically as we used to in the past. This means the 25-30% is actually an underestimate and the actual statistics in terms of fatness are even more alarming. This statistic correlates with illness rates due to excessive body fat, inadequate muscle mass, and poor nutrition. What irony when when our population is both fat and undernourished!

We have to understand that changes in body weight are completely determined by how much energy (calories) the body retains and how much energy the body expends. It is amazing that I watch entire lecture series on diets and weight loss and obesity and they don't even mention that calorie balance, which is the sole basis of body weight changes. I have heard some say it isn't the calories; it's the hormones... and then they rave on about insulin for the next hour in a most convincing way. Actually, hormones are integral to nutrient partitioning, but when they work to store fat, that fat is still the calories which the body has retained and not expended!!! Changes in body weight are entirely due calories in vs. calories out because calories are energy and energy is equivalent to mass. Thus, body-weight comes down, one way or another, to calories. [1]


I just made this post to lay out the bottom line because I'm trying to say things which are true so readers act in accordance with reality. Then such actions will manifest in real-world results.

[1] Great post!

[inavalan]

People believe anything ...

https://nypost.com/2019/01/15/expert...ce-diet-craze/

... "The trend traces back to Anthony William, a Los Angeles-based health guru who calls himself the Medical Medium and the “originator of global celery juice movement.”"

... "Although he has no conventional medical training, he believes so strongly in the juice’s benefits that he’s touted it in all four of his books, as well as in several posts written for — of course — Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website. (Editorial notes stress that his articles are not “a substitute for professional medical advice.”)" ...

[Gem]

Originally Posted by inavalan

People believe anything ...

https://nypost.com/2019/01/15/expert...ce-diet-craze/

... "The trend traces back to Anthony William, a Los Angeles-based health guru who calls himself the Medical Medium and the “originator of global celery juice movement.”"

Ok. If people are going to "Juice diet", you have to understand what you are doing. Don't become fanciful over imaginary hype that renders the false hope of 'all good', but rather, become realistic about the symbolic balance of good/bad. Dietitians will rarely suggest such a practice, but if you have your heart set on it, you have the fundamental right of self-determination, so a professional will make sure you have the full and complete information so that make informed decisions (rather that believing in diet guru fantasy). Because a professional has a legal duty of care, they will will inform you of a dietary protocol which is most likely to meet your goal, and that will not be a celery juice diet - but ultimately, individuals' prerogative is king.


That said, I know people will base their decisions on instagram likes and celebrity endorsement, and not on the sound wisdom of someone with factual knowledge, because people are are emotionally motivated rather than rationally - and they don't want to lose the hope and excitement thay have fostered, false though it may be, to factual rigour. Hence, the "so wonderful" light of social media testimonial is far more powerful than what actually works. Thus, the herd is mislead into the desert, rather than toward water. The only way these doomed hopeful can retain their mirage-like directions is to render the actual oasis as 'mainstream'.

... "Although he has no conventional medical training, he believes so strongly in the juice’s benefits that he’s touted it in all four of his books, as well as in several posts written for — of course — Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website. (Editorial notes stress that his articles are not “a substitute for professional medical advice.”)" ...

Yes, as your article showed, a random individual's social media #juice is newsworthy, probably because it has several thousand 'likes' and comments. Celebrity is a huge influence due to the same 'like' mentality, but the reality is, Paltrow has personal trainers and dietitians she abides by.



Paltrow's 'cleanses' are supervised by an qualified professional (Dr Alejandro Junger), so be like Gwyneth: get properly qualified exercise and diet advice, and if you do decide to 'cleanse', 'detox' or 'water fast', do so under dietitian/medical supervision.

PS. I do NOT endorse Alejandro (quite the contrary).

[Gem]

I did a bit of background on Dr. Alejandro, who, as far as I can tell, mainly pushes a 'cleanse'. As such, he does NOT promote nutrition. Nutrition is what you eat from now on - for the rest of your life.


I watched Alejandro's videos detailing his 3 week cleansing program, which is drinking 2 shakes a day and having 1 meal. The shakes contain protein powder in addition to fruits, leafy greens, healthy fats, and coconut or almond milk, which is good food blended up. Of course he recommends 'Clean Protein Powder' which he sells for $68 for 28 serves, each serve containing only 12g of plant protein - which is about 1/2 the quantity in other brands of veg protein powder that sell for well under 1/2 the cost and have about 35 serves. IOW Alejandro is ripping people off for low quality, overpriced, underdosed supplements. This a strong indicator that he's preaching quackery.



He goes on to prescribe a meal-plan thus: Meal 1: shake+probiotics+'supplements': Meal 2: Clan diet meal (which he prescribes)+supplements: Meal 3: Shake+supplements. Of course he sells you said probiotics and supplements, and if the protein powder is anything to go by, those supplements are way overpriced and underdosed. By now I'm thinking the whole thing is a scam, right?


The 1 additional meal, which also food, but not blended, is a great meal with some animal protein + veg fats like nuts and coloured fruit/vege. The shakes are also great meals merely blended into a shake, so the nutrition here basically is on par, but there are no dietitians who advocate a protocol that necessitates supplements, and said dietitians will not enter the conflict of interest of pushing their own shonky product on their vulnerable clientelle.


In short, anyone who promotes a protocol which relies on supplements is merely promoting a nutritionally deficient protocol in order to sell the supplements - and therein lies the scam. (Supplements are incorporated if necessary after a real food protocol is sustainably established - except in the case of vegans where b12 is a given)


However, as far as 'cleanses' go - this one basically includes 3 nutritious meals a day, 2 of which are are put through a blender. Because all packaged food is restricted, it is all single ingredient whole food. Because meal frequency is restricted and the meals are of a low calorie density, the protocol ensures a caloric deficit.



This means the protocol is moderate consumption of whole food including lots of vegetable produce, and that's why his clientelle experience positive results over the three week duration. It's not because there is cleansing miracle afoot. People simply eliminate 'junk food' and replace it with fresh, nutrient dense alternatives. Calling that a cleanse merely implies you stick to it for three weeks and then go back to your old mischief - and that is why it doesn't work.


After you go back to a 'standard diet' for about 6 months, you start to feel a little off and put on a few kilos, so you go back on the 'cleanse' and get shafted all over again.


A cleanse that actually works is a nutritious diet of whole foods including plenty of vege produce - which you maintain for the rest of your godforsaken life! That is the one and only way to success, my friends.

[Gem]

BREAKING NEWS:


Trump caters to the Clemson Tigers with "Big Macs, French fries, Filet-O-Fish and pizza" as a tribute to "great American food".

[Gem]

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