Breaking any long fast has a science to it ensuring that some of the fasting benefits are not immediately compromised. Like in everything else, traditions and nature give answers and solutions. Here’s adopting wisdom from two ancient practices. One is for breaking Ekadashi fast and the second for breaking Ramadan fast. So, after a 20 hour water only fast, I have this made for breaking fast. A tablespoon of yogurt mixed with sliced Amla (gooseberry) and crushed red cheera (spinach) Have 3 dates along with it. It’s 3 and not 2 or 4, as told by a colleague when I was working in Kuwait. Odd number of dates are taken for breaking fast.
A chance shift from using willpower to sustain an intermittent fasting schedule of 20.4 to planning and preparation is working well. It also helps in being crudely creative like designing this breakfast emoji. Now I plan what to have for breakfast and lunch, the two meals I have in the day. Make them to be taken at the desired time. Bonuses are a circadian clock, better quality food and conquering the sweet tooth (I don’t know how, it just happened). Bullseye 🎯 🍳
I just read that planning and preparation along with habits and rituals are good to sustain intermittent fasting than willpower. Incorporating circadian rhythm to the fasting schedule is a good way. In there, a method to break the fast is ideal. Dates are considered ideal while breaking fast during Ramadan time. Dates are with high glycemic index. Ekadashi fast is broken with a raitha made of Amla, leaves of Agathi (hummingbird plant) and curd. But Agathi should not be consumed for not more than twice in a month. Here I am substituting Agathi with Red Cheera (spinach) which has no such restrictions. And to make it traditional I used a stone grinder. Probably this is a good way to break the fast.
With a fasting lifestyle of mostly 20 hours in a day, I am very close to the full day fasting norm of Ekadashi. It’s then a good way for me to do one day fast twice a month aligned to it’s timing for any additional benefits.
As such my first Ekadashi fast is done starting at 6am on June 6, ending now at 7.05 am on June 7.
This is what my wife prepared as breakfast to break the fast.
She knows my favourite is Puttu and it’s accompanied by an egg, Kerala style fish curry, chicken roast, steamed kerala banana, chia pudding and coffee. some walnuts and dried cranberries roasted in ghee are added.
It’s not everyday that Puttu gets so many accompaniments, though.
What is common in religion, nature, science, astrology, traditional wisdom, health and medicine – Fasting
Intermittent Fasting is not a fad, it has everything natural, spiritual, scientific and good in it. By definition it’s eating only during a certain period in the day and fasting during the other bigger period.
Actually it is something more. It’s best done observing a rhythm, code and clock known commonly as Circadian. That’s circadian rhythm, circadian code and circadian clock.
Ancient wisdom advocated the practice which is followed one way or other by all religions – Christian, Islam, Hindu, Jewish, Jain- all. Verifications have been scientific, astrological and statistical.
Adopting it as a lifestyle, thus makes immense sense.
Depression, sleeplessness, weight gain, lack of energy and worry are concerns of wellness coaches to address during these pandemic enforced lockdown times.
Two Nobel Prize winning subjects, interestingly awarded in consecutive years of 2016 and 2017 in medicine or physiology, provide some solutions to the problems mentioned above.
The prizes are for autophagy, the crux of intermittent fasting and circadian rhythm.
Interestingly both are complimentary, and time restricted eating which is intermittent fasting with concepts of circadian rhythm have solutions for the pandemic related issues.
It’s simple to follow. Restrict food to within 12 or less hours, preferably during daylight time and do things accordingly to the circadian clock.
A typical model looks like this. Have food only between 7 am and 7 pm. Exercise in the morning and or in the evening, preferably on empty stomach. Go to bed around 10 pm and go for 7 to 8 hours sleep. Of course drink water all the time, when awake.
Others are to try and get maximum natural light during day time, avoid light during nighttime as far as possible, abstain from watching television or texting on phone from 10 pm to 6 am.
Give the body a routine. Eat, exercise and sleep at the same time practically everyday.
For more details, join our small intermittent fasting group which now combines the benefits of fasting and circadian wisdom.
I have evolved in a mini evolution. As the theory says, all species are related and gradually change over time.
The only thing I am willing to let go is my hair. For the others, there should be a reverse evolution.
Intermittent Fasting by itself denotes age reversal as one of the benefits. Autophagy is then the icing to it, as fasting activates Autophagy.
That’s what many are trying. And along came the Nobel Prize winning idea of ‘Autophagy’. A Greek word for self eating, it talks about cell repair and replacement with healthy ones.
The second wave is too serious for us in India and even in Kerala where we’re getting into the official lockdown starting today.
Last year we were caught unawares in Bangalore, going there for a couple of weeks, but staying on for 10 months due to travel restrictions etc.
Life turned upside down, almost everything got adapted and we thought that was the end of the pandemic. But not so. This time it’s heartbreaking, lack of oxygen is man made and slow vaccination due to negligence. The only consolation is that my state Kerala is supplying excess oxygen elsewhere.
Homes are now identified as primary source of virus spread. If so, it’s individual responsibility to stop it. That’s by protecting others as different from staying away from others.
One of the many ways in doing that is with self discipline. And one area in that includes wellness. Lead a healthy life and the immunity and resistance protect others around us too.
My agenda for six packs is back. Home routine includes yoga, walking and anabolic high intensity interval training. All ably supported with extended intermittent fasting.
And be a mentor to those wanting to start the best wellness program, intermittent fasting.
When I did 36 hours of continuous fasting as part of intermittent fasting, a friend asked if I see any benefit and my answer sounded ‘There goes, but for the grace of God, me’. That comparison makes any pain quite joyous.
If I take a stock on this birthday, I have a few things! To start with I am now a bank customer from a banker. That’s after working in 6 banks in 11 locations spanning 5 countries.
Sportsman never retires, my main activity is around Masters Swimming where the super ambitious target is a medal in the world championship.
En route, is the wellness program. Intermittent Fasting is a lifestyle. It’s a little beyond that, I am mentoring a group towards the lifestyle.
Other things which would make me busier than in my previous years include plantingtrees, becoming an ardent nature lover, restorer of traditional dishes and cooking, continue working towards a six pack, target autophagy on a daily basis to reverse ageing.
Above all, a loving husband, proud father, super grandfather, a good friend to all including the growing circle of social media friends.
The single candle symbolising ‘the number ONE’ is not on a cake but something very special and loving. This is the traditional Kerala steamed bread pudding. The white icing is rare and unique of whipped egg white with lime juice and sugar.
I have adopted intermittent fasting as lifestyle with target of 19 hours fasting and eating window of 5 hours. And I have been achieving 20 hours on average with occasional one meal a day.
Yesterday was Good Friday and I started the day with fasting from 3.15 pm on Thursday. That’s when I realised that one of the disciplines I learned from my mother was observing one meal a day on Good Friday.
I can’t be called very religious, but I follow some good things that I was trained through the childhood. Eating once only on Good Friday is one of them which was observed with some difficulty with occasional deviations.
It’s a shame then that I don’t find it difficult or forced by custom to do intermittent fasting and one meal a day.
So I decided to do some penance on Good Friday and extended fasting to 36 hours for the first time in life.
I did good, had only one black coffee on the 25th hour. Felt energetic and did 200 meters more than usual in the swimming pool.
The only thing noted was the 36 hours was to end at 3.15 am today. Sleep was affected and I raided the kitchen at about 3.50 am. Autophagy must have worked for about 20 hours and some of the damaged cells would have been repaired and age reversed to that extend etc etc.
Now I can look at a 3 day fast, say once in 6 months which would reset my metabolism positively.
