Nourishing, plant based meals that provide lots of nutrients, combined with regular intermittent and occasional water fasting- put all of this together- and you'll get a diet that can be very rewarding for your body and your overall well being. The very first step towards this diet is to become familiar with preparing yourself a proper, filling, plant based meal. I see it as the very base, intermittent fasting is standing upon. The connection between a proper, wholesome diet and intermittent fasting is very deep, and, yet, it can be simplified to one sentence: If you find a way to give your body what it needs, it won't crave food all the time- so you'll probably practice intermittent fasting, while not finding yourself constantly hungry, lurking for food and snacking whatever comes your way.
Two days ago, I was staying in a hotel with poor food options for vegans. The only thing we could find for breakfast were bread with jam and cereals with plant based milk. A few hours after, when my body digested all that "quick sugar", I felt very hungry, tired and didn't have any life energy. Of course, that's not always the case, as food is not the only source of life energy I rely on. When I am well rested, nourished and connected, most of my energy comes from the less material sources. The food we eat is just one source that provides us with the energy our bodies needs to function properly- and it's a very material source, suitable for this dense dimension we live in. But, the more conscious, the more kind, the more spiritual we are- the lighter our food becomes and the more fluid are the sources of life energy that we depend on. We can find ourselves nourished with light plant based meals, fruits, lots of raw food and leafy greens- but also with spring water, sunlight and through the connection with the earth. Anyway, I was physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted, and in that condition, I didn't give myself a proper meal. As a huge amount of high glycemic food entered my body, easily digestible sugar kicked in and gave me a lot of energy, but, in a blink of an eye- all this energy vanished, leaving me with fatigue. If you don't have a satisfying meal - soon enough you'll find yourself hungry and you'll want to eat again. If you don't pay attention to eating properly, not only you won't have enough energy and be able to practice fasting, but you'll constantly try to fill that hunger, that emptiness inside of you, while not giving your body what it really needs.
But, what does it mean to give yourself a proper meal?
Our body needs a variety of micro and macronutrients.
The ideal vegan plate consists of: 27% plant based protein sources (legumes, tempeh, tofu, seitan), carbohydrates: 23% fruits, 23% vegetables, 23% grains and 4% healthy fats: nuts & seeds (that also provide a great deal of protein). If we want to meet our calcium needs (while, for some reason, don't feel like drinking calcium rich plant based milk, that could meet at least a half of our daily needs), we need to ensure that one quarter of all of the stated above is rich in calcium. Beside calcium, a body also needs a great deal of other micronutrients, such as vitamins : A, B, C, D, E, K, but also zinc, iron, selenium, chromium, cobalt, coper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, and so on... Please, be aware that is wise to obtain vitamin D through sunlight, B 12 through supplementation and DHA omega 3 through algae oil.
So, if we want to feed ourselves properly, we are asked to approach our eating habits with a greater consciousness, that have to be supported with some proper, scientific based, dietitian knowledge. You don't have to be a nutritionist to know the basis, you just need to be yourself- a conscious human being, wanting to provide its body everything it needs.
What are my everyday dietary habits and how do I manage?
Intermittent fasting is an inevitable part of my everyday life. I eat two times a day, in the period from 1-2 pm to 9 pm and mostly have only wonderful, filling brunch and a home- cooked dinner. Sometimes I have three meals- cause I take juice prior to the brunch, and on the other days I simply skip brunch, have only fresh veggie/fruit juice and do not eat anything else until the dinner. I don't snack in between, but I am filled with energy and never hungry during the day. Intermittent fasting is very important cause our body doesn't have to digest something all the time, and that gives it the proper time to rest, recover and heal. Using different words, if you don't have to clean your house all the time, you can actually relax and enjoy in it. Because of this, I ensure that the meals I get to enjoy are wholesome, stuffed with nutrients and that they provide my body everything it needs.
Here is a very simple and quick, but wholesome and filling meal idea: tofu scramble with onions, mushrooms and tomatoes, topped with fresh basil; store-bought "Ikea" vegan sausage (I often use my home made sausages, but I do sometimes buy these type of products); integral bread; fresh greens with pine nuts, drizzled with lemon juice; fresh carrots; tahini based sauce. And of course, you can always ask me for the recipe! :)
Very often, my brunch also includes a bowl of oats, enriched with fruits, nuts and flax seeds. I also turn to my "morning elixir", as I call it- a combination of home made water kefir with lemon, maca & spirulina powder.
If you feel like you could try this diet by following my footsteps, it's important that you stuff your meals with lots of different ingredients. The more variety, the more colours on your plate- the merrier. And do give yourself all the time you need to make a transition, while staying kind and loving to yourself and always trying to listen what your body really needs, having in mind that what's suitable for somebody else, maybe won't work that well for you.
After making a switch to this type of diet you'll probably (I never tend to use an absolute language- we're all different) feel empowered, while having more clarity and more energy to face our everyday life. You'll find out that after having a proper meal, intermited fasting won't be something hard, but rather something that will come to you naturally, and out of pure love.
(I will write more about both intermittent and water fasting, as I recognize these as a very important subjects on their own.!)
If you are facing some challenges while transitioning to a wholesome, plant-based diet or want to know more about the following subjects, always feel free to contact me and I'll do my best to mentor you on your journey. We can even work on the individual plan that will meet all your needs. I don't like to put a price on my services to allow you to express your gratitude, by giving an affordable donation. By doing so, you'll support this page, me and my further service in this material realm. My mission to make this knowledge available to all of you, and I am deeply motivated by the ideal of freeing ourselves from this unnatural, money- centered system. Thank you!
As always...
Love, and nothing but Love!
Akasha
P.S. My blog has been selected by the Feedspot's panelist as one of Top 100 Vegan Blogs on the web. I am thankful to this beautiful souls for including Words And Foods That Awaken on their list, and also want to encourage you guys to check out this inspirational list! Also, be sure to pay a visit to Feedspot's web space, as it provide us with the great opportunity to connect , exchange and get to know each other!
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