Rosalee Brown
LENT STARTS on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Christians observe this period of penitence and spiritual self-examination all over the world. It symbolises the 40 days and nights Jesus Christ spent in the wilderness in fasting and prayer and preparation for the task of going to the cross and then to his resurrection.
Many Christians give up a habit that is unwholesome for this period and many of these habits relate to food. Some persons even give up a meal each day for that period and donate the value of that meal in dollar terms to a needy cause. The period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday is not always 40 days, as it is said the Sundays are not counted since they are for worship and rejoicing. The period this year numbers 48 days and is a long period to test your will-power in a way that can reap positive results.
For persons who normally observe the Lenten period or plan to try this year, and are having difficulty adhering to changes in unhealthy food habits, why don't you try to give up one of those problem foods for the period?
POSSIBLE BENEFITS TO GAIN FROM GIVING UP SOME FOODS:
Added sugar - giving up added sugar would cut your calories and unwanted energy by a big margin and at the end of 48 days you would certainly see results. When I refer to added sugar, I am not counting fruits and sweet vegetables (in moderation), but all other processed foods with any sort of sugar added.
Sweet drinks - this is the newest way for gaining excess calories nowadays. We love to make drinks and the manufacturers have made it easy for us by making them available, economical and laden with sugar. These drinks include high-fructose corn syrup, which is used in most commercial drinks and other processed foods and studies have shown that the increased trend in obesity in America is associated with the increased use of high fruit corn syrup in the food industry. It is a less expensive sweetener than glucose!
Fried foods and added fat in meal preparation and foods - fat is your most concentrated source of energy and occurs naturally in many foods. It enhances flavour and texture, as well as the padding on your bodies and around your organs. Excess means overweight and obesity and other health-related problems.
Pastries, between and after meal sweets - most persons like some type of sweet stuff sometimes, since they are delectable and irresistible and most times laden with fats and sugars. If you are mighty enough to give up this one, you will be giving up a lot of unwanted calories.
Seconds and thirds - this is another area which can yield a lot of dividends. Portion what you should really have, eat slowly, savour the food, don't be in a mad rush, give your brain time to register what you have eaten before rushing for that second dumpling, chicken leg, et cetera. Most times you are not hungry, just enjoying the food, so slow it down.
Excess starchy food for some vegetables - serve half the rice or other 'food' you would normally have and increase your vegetables. Vegetables have less calories portion for portion when compared to the starchy 'food', and will give you added fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Now think about it and just choose one area and stick to your guns for Lent. At the end of this period, check your weight and measurement and self-control. Tell me how you did.
Rosalee Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
