Father forgive me for I sin everyday. As a nutritionist, one
of the sins that plagues me and my clients everyday is Gluttony. As the decades have gone by we do
less and eat more. EATING beyond the body’s need for calories to function. Food is abundant to most in the urban areas. We are truly
eating more and religion could be a way to awaken awareness among the common
man. To eat what only your metabolism requires and not your TASTE BUDS.
As Ash Wednesday passed, I was sitting in Church and asking
how can LENT be difficult! Fasting? I don’t think most of us, including me in
the modern generation FAST. We omit a FOOD – say non-veg Alcohol or something
of Desire. THIS IS EASY for 40 Days.
Suddenly a thought….in the SCIENCE of METABOLISM, fasting
actually causes you to put on weight. Father Forgive me again for I am sinning during MASS as I was
not paying attention to the priest as the whole mass is in Konkani. I only know
the word AMEN. So back to my thinking in the sermon on LENT and FOOD and
SACRIFICE.
I think the church needs to bring the message of “ MAKING
THE EFFORT –THAT unsettles YOU” – So this is my take as a nutritionist to the
Church
1.
Make exercise a VOW during 40 days. Atleast 1 hr
- 2 times a day or 10kms of walking or physical hard work. Maybe scrubbing the
floors of the church, painting an orphanage or sweeping your Neighbourhood….(
Mr PRIME MINISTER might just like all of us Christians suddenly in his SWACH
Bharat Campaign)
2. You should EAT. But EAT HEALTHY. This is
difficult…even for me as a nutritionist
a.
Eat Oats no Bread for 40 days
b.
Only Brown Rice and 1 KATORI
c.
Only Bajra, ragi or Jowar Chapattis NOT WHEAT.
d.
Use 1 Tablespoon or No –oil in your food. It
will be bland and tasteless…this is a new level of sacrifice
e.
Eat one fruit a day …mandatory…if you miss..do
50 squats the next day.
f.
Wash and Cut your own salad. As you make it
meditate on the food, who grows it and how you can be thankful for the society
that gets it to the table for you. Yes Jesus provides and a perfect moment to
pray as you prepare a thankful meal.
g.
NO FRIED FOOD…try this…instead of Avoiding meat…
h.
Absolutely no RED MEAT..only white….Fish..thats
what JESUS multiplied, so I reckon his approval would be there.
i.
No Pickles-..instead pumpkin seeds, fenugreek
seeds
j.
No Aerated Beverages..only water with lemon
squeezed into it….its purifying from a metabolic angle ( Think of lemon water
as your water ANGEL..)
k.
NO eating in front of the TV. Holy Father you
have asked families to gather around the dinning table and talk to each over a
meal. RESEARCH shows that a person eats around 15-50% more if watching TV as
the Satiety signal is not perceived due to the TV distraction. A huge sacrifice
to get everybody together and eat at the same time.
l.
Pack your own Lunch BOX to work. DO NOT EAT FROM
OUTSIDE. This effort is the most difficult and involves a daily regime of discipline
right from planning the pious meal, sourcing the ingredients, and then
preparing them.
m.
Finally do a detox of only vegetables and fruits
on a Friday. Helps cleanse the body, gut, not to forget I think the SOUL does
get tempted in DETOX…..
So this LENT, Holy Father please define to your children the
way forward to Vows taken in leading a blessed 40 days.
Ryan Fernando
Technically a Lazy Catholic, trying to be a good human
being.
FOR A FREE NUTRITION PLAN THIS LENT write to me at ryan@quanutrition.com Subject: LENT NUTRITION PLAN
P.S. I am not intending to hurt any sentiments. Please
forgive me if I touch a nerve or belief. This post is meant to give a thought
provoking idea- TO EAT WITH A PLAN..which is difficult.
P.P.S After I wrote this post I found his real message...I love it....http://time.com/3714056/pope-francis-lent-2015-fasting/
