By Dean L. Jones
‘Fasting’ means self-denial by going without food for a period of time, whether totally or partially, where you can simply avoid certain foods or eating smaller than normal quantities. The origin of fasting as a religious practice is ambiguous, but Biblically, together the Old and New Testaments of the Bible mention 77 references to fasting.
While fasting is not a frequent subject in pulpits, publications, or even Christian conversations, there is an increasing quantity of media time given to reasons why eating too much processed sugar is not good for you. Accordingly, it would seem reasonable that more talk in Church would be devoted to abstaining from sugar.
The reasons are vast why the body does not digest added sugar well, yet the season of Lent is here and the religious factor still does not adhere to saying much about giving up sugar. Perhaps the practice of fasting is somewhat relegated only to biblical times.
While writing this article it is actually the celebration of Mardi Gras [French], also called Fat Tuesday [English] that will be followed by Ash Wednesday. People for centuries have religiously practiced eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual of the Lenten season, so there is some effort to be religious through fasting.
Catholicism is very open about Ash Wednesday being a day of strict fasting (only one full meal, and two small snacks that do not add up to a full meal), and abstinence from all meat and foods made with meat. Meat (flesh) is scripturally based, but as a living book logic raises the idea that any potentially polluted food item would want to be avoided during this important period.
Oddly enough, when you combine meat and processed sugar they extremely weaken the immune system even more than a high-meat diet or high-sugar diet alone. The biblical insistence to abstain from eating meat makes a lot more sense today for the reason that heavy meat eaters are attracted and have greater access to eating more sugary items.
Meat and sugar are opposites in many ways, but they both create an acidic environment in the body that enables bacteria and viruses to flourish. Eating too much sugar, just like meat, will also weaken the body’s kidneys, which are key organs in protecting the immune system.
Processed sugar, like processed meat, is also a breeding source for bacteria and other micro-organisms. These microorganisms will then demand more sugar as their food, consequently, eating sugar therefore produces a craving for more sugar. Eating meat increases the level of protein and fats in the body, and in order to maintain balance, the body needs to increase the level of carbohydrates, or processed sugar.
For the first time, soon the federal government will start suggesting that only 10% of calorie intake come from added sugars. Thereby advising more people to live SugarAlert!
www.SugarAlert.com
Dean Jones is an Ethics Advocate, Southland Partnership Corporation (a public benefit organization), contributing his view on certain aspects of foodstuff.
