As we are progressing in our fast, the education here at Buchinger-Wilhelmi has shifted from “how to fast” to “how to eat” in preparation for returning home! My wife and I now have been to 4 cooking demonstrations so far. Those here at the end of their fasts get to partake in eating what was made during the demonstrations. The rest of us just watch!
The funny thing is that it’s actually not hard to resist when there’s only one rule, and it’s simple – just don’t eat.
Even our doctor said that people at the clinic who are eating often go into the town (Überlingen) and get easily tempted by the ice cream shops or bakeries. Once you’re eating, somehow it becomes more difficult to moderate it. Calorie counting, portion control, and selecting what to eat can be much harder than following one simple rule.
This is why the clinic focuses so much on education about nutrition, most of which is common sense. Plant-based diets are preferred. When eating meat, use high quality proteins. Use high quality oils. Avoid processed foods. Stay organic when possible. You know the drill.
An interesting amount of education also goes into food’s effect on the gut bacteria. If you haven’t checked out my previous blog article on gut bacteria, I encourage you to take a look.
The clinic also provides a set of recipes and meal planning designed to supply complete proteins and to keep portions under control. The recipes are simple, catered to those who don’t have a lot of time in the kitchen. In the one hour demo (whose results are pictured!), the food included (from left to right):
- Fruit Sorbet
- Kohlrabi (turnip cabbage) and apple salad
- Goat cheese balls
- Cucumber soup with lemon balm
- Courgette (zucchini) Lasagne
- Rice salad
I can’t tell you if they were any good, but people told me they were! One more week of fasting to go!
Results from morning nurse visits on Days 12-15
- Blood pressure: 112/75, 120/78, 130/71, 98/70
- Blood sugar: 96, 102, 96, 104
- Weight: 66.6 kg (146.5 lbs), 66.3 kg (145.9 lbs), 65.6 kg (144.3 lbs), 65.7 kg (144.5 lbs)
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