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Americans look to Jesus for diet
By Michelle Roberts

Five loaves, two fish and a goblet of red wine could be on the menu for Americans if a new diet takes off.

Don Colbert, a Florida doctor, believes asking yourself "What would Jesus eat?" is the best way to stay fit, slim and trim. In his book, which gets its title from this question, he explores some of the Old Testament dietary laws and looks at foods mentioned in the Bible. He says: "If you truly want to follow Jesus in every area of your life you cannot ignore your eating habits.

"The health of Americans is going down and it is largely down to our bad food choices.

"We have an obesity epidemic. People eat when they are stressed and eat on the run and everyone is super-sizing their meals.

"A lot of people have no desire to change their foods. Instead, they just go on medication to control their symptoms of obesity-related disease. But it shouldn't be this way.

"By getting them to look at the biblical side it allows them to slow down and make the correct choice about their diet and lifestyle," he said.

So what did Jesus eat?

At the last supper, Jesus is said to have eaten bread and drunk wine.

Luke 24:42 says: "And they gave him [Jesus] a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them."

While Luke 10:8 says: "Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you," which would seem to suggest that Jesus was not encouraging fussiness about food.

Dr Colbert said: "Jesus ate primarily natural foods in their natural states - lots of vegetables, especially beans and lentils.

"He would have eaten wheat bread, a lot of fruit, drunk a lot of water and also red wine.

"And he would only eat meat on special occasions, maybe once a month, just like the parable of the prodigal son who ate fatted calf."

Mediterranean diet

Eric Eve, a tutor in theology and a New Testament scholar at Oxford University, said: "The staple diet of a Mediterranean peasant in Jesus' day would have been bread.

"Round Lake Tiberias - the Sea of Galilee - fish would also have been significant, though for peasants perhaps only in small quantities to provide a relish for the bread.

"Grapes and olives were also grown in Galilee, but more as cash crops for the wine and oil trade than for peasant consumption."

He said food was probably scarce. "Many of them probably went hungry much of the time, or achieved only bare subsistence."

But he said: "I can't imagine many modern Americans taking enthusiastically to all the features of a "biblical" diet.

Biblical dietary laws

"For example Leviticus 11:22 says 'Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind.'"

Dr Colbert said: "He did not eat meats that were an abomination.

"He followed the Levitical laws. He would not have eaten pigs and rabbits or fish that did not have scales, such as crabs and shrimps.

"These foods are higher in arachidonic acid, which is an inflammatory fatty acid, as well as saturated fat that predisposes us to disease.

"So, again, it is best if we eat these animals, which were forbidden in the Old Testament, only very rarely and in smaller amounts, I tell my patients."

Gift from God

Dr Colbert said it was also the manner in which people ate in biblical times that was important.

"They would eat for hours and take their time. The disciples would be lounging around and conversing while dining, not eating fast food on the go like we do."

Reverend Dr Gordon Gatward, director of the Arthur Rank Centre, part of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, said: "Some of the stricter religious people have accused Jesus of being a wine bibber and a glutton because Jesus did like parties.

"But what is interesting is that with both Christian and Jewish faiths, the focal celebration and worship surrounds a meal. We say grace before a meal because food is a gift from God.

"But it is about more than just the physical diet. It is also about the spiritual diet. The Christian faith takes a holistic view."

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Top Five Fitness Myths
SOURCE: http://www.associatedcontent.com/

As a fitness instructor, I encounter a lot of questions from people this time of year about how to shape up quickly and safely. I figured I'd debunk a few of the fitness myths I encounter most frequently so people can make some informed decisions about their game plans for the new year.

1. Doing crunches will give you a flat stomach

Repeat after me: "Spot treatment is for laundry." Period. If you have a lot of fat on your thighs, doing squats won't make them look like David Beckham's. You have to burn the outer layer of fat off to reveal any sort of muscle tone at all. The most efficient way to do this is by various exercises for caloric burn. The calories you burn will translate to the fat you had disappearing slowly, revealing the gorgeous gams you always knew you had, which squats alone could never give you. In fact, doing squats or crunches alone can make your fat look more prominent, since you'll be building the muscle up underneath the fat and pushing it out further. However, there is a reason this myth persists: building the muscles in your own problem area will make the muscles themselves more well-defined. This muscle build will raise your base metabolism and burn calories more efficiently than if you just do cardio alone. Add some cardio (to burn massive numbers of calories--and kill off that pesky outer layer of fat) and you'll really see the results you were looking for quickly.

2. Always stretch before you exercise

Never let anyone tell you stretching isn't important. I know there are studies out there saying that even stretching after exercise won't guard you against injury and isn't integral to working out. Whenever I read these studies, the image of body builders on Muscle Beach always leaps to mind: all those huge guys consistently stymied by the act of reaching below their knees. Maybe they're not technically injured, but who wants to live only in a standing position? Obviously, keeping your muscles pliable, while building their strength, is important. That said, trying to do this before you warm up those muscles is at best ineffective and at worst injurious. Stretching cold muscles can cause them to snap back in reaction, thereby making you stiffer. Stretching them too far when cold could actually tear them. Instead, warm up, do your exercises, then stretch afterwards. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds right at the point where it feels intense but not uncomfortable, and I promise you'll never need help putting on your shoes in the morning.

3. Work every muscle every day to see results quickly

I see people making this mistake every day. They come in on Monday and do some bicep curls and lunges, come back Tuesday and do the same, and so on and so on. They go to a Pilates class on Monday, then do crunches Tuesday. They take a full-body weight class on Monday, then come back and work on weight machines Tuesday. Granted, they're burning calories, and they're getting into the gym daily, which is great. However, your muscles need rest if they are to get stronger, and they need at least a day. If you don't give your muscles a 24-48 hours to recover, you'll not only not see results as quickly as you were hoping, you'll never see them. For best (and quickest) results, you should either do a daily dose of cardio and weights, focusing on different muscle groups on alternate days; or you should alternate a big day of weights with a big day of cardio.

4. If you're sweating a lot, you're working harder

The amount you sweat has virtually nothing to do with how hard you're working. The average person's reaction to heat and stress varies according to their own bodies, as well as their own fitness level. Just because you feel like you lost 10 pounds of water in an hour doesn't necessarily mean you burned any more calories than the person who still hasn't broken a sweat. The real way to tell if you're working efficiently is by your heart rate. A heart rate monitor might be the best single purchase you can make in your quest for fitness in 2007. Which leads us to number 5:

5. You should work as hard as you possibly can to burn the most calories

This one is so counter-intuitive, a lot of trainers and fitness instructors still make this mistake. The truth is, if you're working your absolute hardest, you're actually not burning any fat at all. If you want the physical reason, I can tell you that, after your heart rate goes up above about 95% of its maximum rate, you start burning sugars (like the bagel you had for breakfast) for the quick energy you need for the sprint your body perceives to be ahead. If you just want some quick and dirty ways to tell if you're burning fat, though, without a kinesiology/physiology degree in the process, here are a few quick tests. First of all, make sure you're breathing; once your body goes anaerobic (i.e. working without any oxygen input), you go straight to burning sugar instead of fat. Secondly, you should make sure that, while you're working out, you could always say your name if asked, but couldn't necessarily rattle off your grocery list for the week. For the most accurate check, you should check your gym for a 10-second pulse rate chart (they're usually in the aerobic room, or close to the cardio machines). Check your pulse rate while you're still moving for 10 seconds, then find your target range on the chart. You should be between the two numbers by your age. If you are lower, work harder. But, if you're higher, take an active rest break. Start walking and taking deep breaths. If you're way over your maximum heart rate number and are starting to feel faint, take a divided inhale break: inhale deeply through your nose, but only to about half of your lung capacity; hold it for a few seconds; inhale the rest of the way; hold it for a few seconds; then exhale through your mouth very slowly for about 10 seconds. That simple exercise will drop your heart rate immediately into a safe range, at which point you should continue to breathe deeply and actively rest until you feel recovered enough to continue. But do continue, safely, and enjoy!

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Sifting Through the Myths and Finding Diet Truths
SOURCE: http://www.associatedcontent.com/

For the past several months, I've been frustrated with the lies and myths of diets out there. I decided to commit much of my spare time to finding a diet that represents a completely healthy, perfect or close to it, but still tasty program.

When I found that there was no such program that really covered all ground, I despaired; each diet I looked at had an emphasis on one aspect, and forgot something that crippled the diet for long-term use.

I found several diet truths, however, from time spent pouring over studies that the USDA, FDA, and other organizations hid very well.

Many of them found that dietary things we've been told our whole lives are completely falsified.

Saturated fat is good for us. Cholesterol is good for us. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats contribute to heart disease and cancer. Breads will not get you lean. Milk does not do a body good. Skim milk is even worse. Three square meals a day is not the best way to eat. Breakfast cereals are not a good way to start the morning. Fruit and vegetable juice is not as beneficial as we'd like to think. Many antioxidants simply do not work in the human body the way they do in a test tube.

As for these dietary truths, they are absolute. They are little-recognized, but they have passed the tests of time, science, and human evolution.

I can practically see the expression on your face as you wrap your mind around the things I just said. I must be crazy.

The facts:

Saturated fat is necessary for the immune system. It contributes greatly to the absorption of protein and essential fatty acids (Omega-3s and Omega-6s) into the body. Saturated fat has inherent antibiotic, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties--this could be why indigenous tropical islanders who eat diets ridden with parasites that would kill most people also consume large quantities of coconut oil--which is 92% saturated fat.

Red meat is not as bad for as as certain individuals would like us to believe. As a matter of fact, present in red meat is a certain enzyme or chemical called the Wulzen Factor that prevents such degenerative joint and bone issues as arthritis. This enzyme cooks out, though, so you won't find this extremely beneficial Wulzen Factor in your average steak. If you want to find it, order it medium-rare or rare. The more bloody the better, I always say. Also, red meat often contains generous amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol.

We should consume cholesterol. It is vital for sexual and neurological development. This is, in part, why it is so prevalent in breastmilk. Nature does not make these kinds of mistakes.

Dietary cholesterol is beneficial, but does not affect serum (blood) cholesterol unless you have a severe metabolic condition.

Cholesterol is also an extremely potent antioxidant within the body. Some schools of thought are that this is the reason that serum cholesterol increases with age--it is the body trying to prevent itself from oxidizing.

Don't eat a lot of grains, breads, pastas, and things like that. They have been linked (and this is actually widely available information, albeit apparently little-known.) to arthritis, diabetes, metabolic syndrome X, and many other degenerative and all-too-common afflictions in today's society.

Instead, get your carbohydrates from fruits. Fruits and mankind, in terms of evolution, have strode hand-and-hand for thousands of years. We're made for each other. Fruits are naturally mankind's energy source of choice. Fruit and meat have been staples of the human diet for even longer than we've been homo sapiens.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, especially pineapple (good source of bromelain, which is good for your joints), pomegranate (extremely potent antioxidant properties), olives (good source of antioxidants), berries (good source of energy and contain natural aspirin), and avocado (good source of healthy fats).

As for drink, drink water and green tea. If you drink juice, get it with the pulp--juice is naturally high on the GI (glycemic index) scale, so the pulp will help offer some fiber to help prevent an insulin rush. Generally, though, avoid juice. It is a nice treat, though.

One should eat their meals in one of two ways: 6-8 meals daily, every 2-3 hours, or 1 meal a day.

The 6-8 meals a day school of thought teaches that this method of eating makes the body stop worrying about storing fat, and keeps the metabolism going. One argument against this method is that it does not give the body much time at all between meals to purify itself before eating more food that might contain toxins. 2000 years ago, this method of eating would've worked very, very well, because chemical toxins were practically nonexistent. Today, however, they are rampant.

I recommend eating 1 large meal a day. For this method, one eats little more than 20% of their daily caloric intake via fruits during the day, whenever they feel like it, though preferably well-spaced-out. At the end of the day, the dieter eats one large meal, consisting of the rest of their 80% caloric intake, and plenty of meat, fruit, and vegetables. The thinking behind this is that after a while of 'starvation', the body learns to utilize protein much more efficiently, and the metabolism become super-charged, so that when food finally is taken in, it is utilized, burned, and you are satisfied and happy but not overly fully within about an hour of eating your large meal.

I encourage you to continue seeking dietary truth--to borrow a phrase from the X Files, "The truth is out there."

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Diet beliefs on drinks that can make you fat
By Mitch Felipe
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—Water is still the best drink for dieters. However, not all can embrace a soda-free lifestyle.

Dieters look for low-calorie alternatives that still satisfy their taste buds. In the end, they realize they are gaining instead of losing weight, given the following beliefs on drinks.

Save calories from diet sodas

If you choose diet sodas as alternative to regular sodas, do not expect instant weight loss. A study of the University of Texas Health Science Center shows that dieters who believe they are saving more calories by switching to diet sodas actually consume more calories.

The best thing to do is choose water over colored and flavored drinks. You can still have soda once in a while, but it is better if you break the habit of ordering a drink with your regular meals.

Increase daily intake of fruit juices

We need fruits for vitamins, minerals and fiber that we cannot get from other food groups. But don’t forget fruits also have calories from carbohydrates. If you exceed the amount of calories needed for the day to lose weight because of extra calories from fruit juices, you still gain weight.

If you’ve had enough fruits for the day, like five servings of assorted fruits with a total of 200-300 calories, you don’t need extra servings of fruit juice which is usually equivalent to 100-150 calories per serving. However, you can still have a glass or two of fruit juices if you haven’t had any fruit for the day. Usually, a serving of fruit is equivalent to half a glass of fruit juice.

Drink more sports drinks

Most exercisers trying to lose weight tend to consume more sports drinks than what they need since they believe doing so helps improve performance without causing weight gain.

Sports drinks should be consumed only after 60-90 minutes of continuous activities like running or basketball to replenish the electrolytes and carbohydrates needed to sustain performance. For activities less than 60 minutes, water is still the best choice.

Choose light beer

Alcohol drinkers conscious about their weight would choose light beer over the regular ones to save calories. This eating behavior still causes unintentional weight gain.

Based on recent studies, a person who consumes “light” or “low-calorie” food alternatives such as light drinks has a greater tendency to increase his consumption of snacks like nuts, chips and fried finger foods.

You might have saved 50 calories per bottle of light beer (1 regular beer = 150 calories), but if you finish five bottles during the drinking session, that’s 500 calories. If you do this once a month without workout and food modification, expect a 1.7-pound weight gain in one year. What more if you drink more than five bottles a week?

It really doesn’t make a big difference if you choose light over regular alcohol drinks. To avoid weight gain, decrease the frequency of your drinking events.


Good News About 'Bad' Foods

(CBS) Over the years, studies have come out casting some negative light on certain foods. But Dr. Sean Kenniff from the CBS affiliate in Miami, WFOR-TV, says before you cut them from your diet, consider their good qualities as well. Consumed in moderation, they can be good for you.

He talks about the following "forgiven foods" on The Saturday Early Show.

Eggs
We all know that eggs are high in cholesterol. In fact, a single egg has 213 mg of cholesterol in them, which is about 2/3 of your recommended daily level of cholesterol. But what you may not know is that newer studies indicate that they contain a substance that in laboratory animals blocked the absorption of cholesterol into your blood stream.

The key is not to prepare them in too much butter. You may consider avoiding fried eggs and instead opt for scrambled, hard boiled or poached eggs.

Salt
For years, salt has been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. But recent research indicates the link may not be as solid as once thought. The American Heart Association recommends an adult consume no more than six grams of salt a day. So it's OK to sprinkle some salt on your favorite foods.

The key is to avoid fast and processed foods, which are loaded with sodium.

Potato
With the low-carb craze sweeping the nation, the potato has become public enemy No. 1 because it has lots of carbohydrates. However, what you may not realize is that potatoes are relatively low in calories, are high in fiber, low in fat, and have no cholesterol. Studies have also chosen the Russet potato because it is high in disease fighting antioxidants.

The key, as with eggs, is to eat potatoes that aren't fried in saturated oils. Baked potatoes are probably the best, but be careful to avoid putting to much butter or sour cream on.

Peanut Butter
Peanut butter may contain lots of fat, but not all fats are bad for you. Peanut butter has mono-unsaturated, which can reduce bad cholesterol. The serving size for peanut butter is about two tablespoons. Peanut butter is also packed with Vitamin E and it makes you feel full so you don't want to eat as much.

Red Meat
Red meat has long been linked to heart disease and eating too much of it is not good. But beef is about 20 times leaner than it was a decade ago so it doesn't have as much saturated fat as it used to.

The key is when buying beef, buy lean cuts such as: flank steak, top sirloin and tenderloin.

Dark Chocolate
Research has shown that dark chocolate does a body good. It's not only good for the heart but it can improve blood flow. Dark chocolate contains lots of flavonoids, which may prevent the stiffening of blood vessels. This, however, is not an excuse to go out and eat a ton of dark chocolate. Eat it in moderation.