Wednesday ~ Week 3
“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”
~ François de La Rochefoucauld
Good morning lovely!
Thank you to those of you who were able to come to our zoom room yesterday. It was a really lovely conversation and very much felt like a sisterhood ~ I appreciate you all.
Let's start with some sweet nourishing deep breaths, side stretches and gentle neck movement. Twirl your wrists and ankles, wiggle your fingers, massage your hands ~ and try to bring more awareness to your physical self. Try inhaling and exhaling through your nose. Elongate your spine, relax your shoulders, soften your jaw, brow, hands... feel your feet grounded upon the earth. If thoughts come, let them. Welcome some gentle humming, omming or bee breaths as you activate your vagus nerve and quiet your entire being. You are safe, you are loved.
I mentioned yesterday that I was going to discuss in more depth the art of embracing daily disciplines, but I'm saving that for tomorrow. Instead for today we will further the conversation around secondary food... the what, the when, the how....
We are going to keep our focus on plant based diversity: cruciferous veggies, fermented foods, mushrooms, leafy greens, root veggies, squashes, seeds, nuts, avocados, seaweed, herbs, spices, as well as healthy fat, hydration, healthy protein .... and also we will pay a little more attention to the various ways you are preparing these foods: raw, steamed, sauteed, grilled… by so doing, not only are we introducing more diversity in flavor, but also, by exploring different ways of preparing food, we discover what works (and doesn't) individually. Some foods are more digestible when cooked, some nutrients become more bioavailable when chewed, some foods taste better when roasted (steamed, stewed etc). This also feeds into the various different ways plants grow, AND very much touches on how, when (and with whom) we eat. So definitely check out this google doc.
As an extension of this, I wanted to touch a little bit on the subject of Intermittent Fasting, IF (also known as Time Restricted Eating, TRE). The terms are interchangeable, it depends on your preferred wording choice. I personally use the term IF as I don't prefer language that refers to restriction.Thus far we have been looking at closing the kitchen after dinner, waiting an hour after waking to break the fast. We have established that the time in between lsat meal and first is the fasting period, during which water and unsweetened herbal tea is permitted to maintain the fast. However, milk and/or sweetener in tea would break the fast, as would "just one square of chocolate" or any kind of snacking.* If you have been staying true to that, and giving yourself a true 12+ overnight fast, you have already essentially been intermittent fasting.
(*Perhaps this sounds obvious to you, but I've spoken with several folks who told me they practice intermittent fasting because they have an early dinner and a late breakfast, but they didn't count the little TV snack later in the evening, nor the milky sweet coffee in the morning. This isn't to pass judgement around those things at all ~ but it's not fasting).IF or TRE really just builds upon this idea by extending those fasting periods. For (some) healthy folks, this practice helps curb cravings, establish mindful boundaries, and supports both metabolic health and cellular healing. Setting one's self a window in which to eat can, for some people, take away the need for "willpower". By designing a personal boundary that you set for yourself really creates mindfulness around late night snacking (which in turn can lead to better sleep amongst other benefits).
For those who are curious, evolving to a longer fasting window (such as 16:8** ~ 16 hours fast/8 hour eating window) offers your body a chance to tap into overnight *autophagy, which is a deeper cellular “cleansing” process that can be deeply rejuvenating.
** autophagy (aut-off-a-jee) = "self eating" - I like to picture a Pacman situation, cleaning up the stuff we don't need.
* it is currently believed that 16-18+ hours of fasting is ideal for deep autophagy to take place. But studies are still underway, it is possible this number differs for men and women.
Some tips to induce autophagy in an overnight fast:
In your last meal of the day, include some good healthy fat and do not eat sugar. Drink the majority of your liquids in the first ten hours of the day (rather than in the evening).
Include organic green tea, organic coffee, ginger tea, turmeric as well as adaptogens like maca, ashwaganda and a wide variety of mushrooms in your diet.
Chew well (activate true digestion in the mouth). Proteins are better to be eaten earlier in the day.
Exercise helps, especially in your fasting window.Reduce or eliminate sugar and white-carbohydrates from your diet.
You can read more about autophagy here For now, simply try adding a little extra time to your fasting window and see how you feel ~ go easy, and let your body adjust gradually. This is about creating a sustainable lifestyle, not testing endurance. More notes and lots of videos etc., right here on my google doc. Or perhaps it's something you'd like to try a few days a week, as you get used to it and see how you feel.
Keep in mind, IF is not for everyone, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18 years old, have a history of disordered eating, or have cancer.
I highly recommend Dr. Mindy Peltz’s book, "Fast Like a Girl" to explore a cycle-friendly fasting approach, no matter where you are in your menstruating life. (Dr. Peltz also has many helpful videos on YouTube).
I will love you and leave you to think about all of the above: the what, the how, the when (and with whom) of secondary food. See what makes sense for you within the context of your family and your lifestyle. Just remember that some things take a little while for the benefits to show up ~ so try to explore with a sense of calm curiosity.
“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” ~ Ayurvedic proverb
See you back here on the morrow...
With much love, love + love,
Sacha xxx
Further food for thought:
Optional bonus extras can be found under Daily Chapters: Week 3. There are lots of articles, videos, podcasts; yoga & movement videos; google docs; and morning routines.
The website will be open to you for one month after class closes.
Bonus Stuff can be found under week 3, daily chapters
Nourish Your Body
Nourish Your Mind
Nourish Your Heart
Nourish Your Soul
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All content contained within Sacha Jones Holistic Living Cleanse & Nourish is copyrighted and is the sole property of Sacha Jones and Sacha Jones Holistic Living and may not be copied or borrowed without consent of the owner.
See this google doc to learn more about bio-individuality and food prep.
