Nutrition Lessons From Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday in the Christian calendar, This solemn day of reflection and prayer beings the forty day period of Lent. For most , such as the Catholics and Greek Orthodox , it means days of fasting and giving up certain foods. To be honest it 's a great way of paring down one's daily diet to a healthy one.

Usually Catholics abstain from meat  today and some abstain from eating meat on Lenten Fridays as they once did before the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960s. It's a good way of weaning away from being a full on carnivore. Doing it cold turkey is not always the best. That usually results in meat eating frenzy similar to a great white going through a school of tuna. Having a day away from chicken , beef or pork is a chance to discover different vegetable dishes., The observant are allowed to have seafood and this is a good time to explore tilapia and salmon as substitutes. Some Catholics also give up a favorite food such as cake or ice cream for the forty days,Again this is a good way to wean off all the unhealthy stuff and look into healthier snacks such as fruit and yogurt.

The Greek Orthodox are the strictest with two hundred fast days  in the year. The fasts are varied but it's basically giving up all meat, sugar, dairy and even olive oil. It is truly a cleansing diet with the body being purged of all fats , sugars and even chemicals,Breads are allowed as are tofu and beans..Seafood is allowed but it has limitations too. Only shellfish, octopus and squid can be eaten. There is a week long period where dairy is allowed so there can be milk, ice cream and cheeses as well as yogurts.Any fast is a good one because it introduces you to different vegetables and ways in which to prepare them. It 's a time to try steamed veggies or various t bean dishes like chili. The more you avoid addictive sugars and fats the less likely you'll be craving them later on.

The Lenten period is a time for prayer and reflection along with fasting. This may be the beginning of healthy eating. Abstain from all those sinful foods and not only will your faith be stronger but your body will be too.