Fasting: getting stronger in body and soul

Lent has begun. Some will observe it for religious reasons, for others this time is also an opportunity to start eating in a new way, with a minimum of meat, or even become a vegetarian. But is this right?

Seven weeks from bread to water?

A Russian is by nature a meat eater: sausage for breakfast, cutlet for lunch, chop for dinner - there is much more meat on our menu than the body needs. How much do you need? On average – 120–180 grams per day. How often should meat appear on the table? In principle, daily, but 3 times a week will be quite enough. If we divide our daily set of products into four parts, one should be animal (meat, fish and dairy), three should be plant (vegetables, fruits, nuts, mushrooms, cereals, cereals).

When fasting is not strict, nutrition may well follow this pattern - meat is easily replaced with fish and, for example, cottage cheese. Nutritionists only welcome such a restriction - they generally consider Orthodox fasts, although they are intended primarily for the soul, to be much more beneficial for the body than any diet.

With strict fasting it is more difficult - you can only eat plant foods, therefore, if you have chronic diseases (any, even if you personally do not see their connection with nutrition!), you should discuss your readiness to fast with your doctor. For example, a sudden switch to vegetables, fruits and legumes can provoke an exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases - spring is already a dangerous time for ulcers and gastritis sufferers. It is not at all necessary that the doctor wags his finger and categorically forbids even thinking about fasting: he will most likely just tell you how best to organize nutrition during fasting in order to live these seven weeks without health problems. Such information will always be useful.

Fasting, by the way, concerns not only the quality, but also the quantity of food. It does not mean that you have to subsist on bread and water for the entire seven weeks, nor that you can eat non-meat and non-dairy foods to your heart's content. The most reasonable thing is to stick to the usual 4-5 meals a day, without stuffing yourself, but also without pretending to be a bird for which even a grain is enough. And most importantly – cook, cook and cook some more. Fasting is not a reason to switch to canned food and semi-finished products: firstly, because almost all such dishes contain something that is forbidden to those who are fasting, and secondly, by freeing yourself from the need to cook and spending several weeks eating, you can pay for it with your health. Instead of strengthening it and acquiring good eating habits.

Vegetarian lunch - no hassle

Whether to give up meat forever when the fasting period ends is a personal matter for everyone. You just need to clearly understand: meat for humans is not extra food, not ballast, but a source of nutrients necessary for the body. Let's see which ones in more detail.

Amino acids. Any medical reference book will tell you that animal products are a source of essential amino acids. What are these substances and why are they so valuable? Amino acids are necessary for our body for protein metabolism, which occurs constantly. Lack of protein is the main trump card in the hands of opponents of vegetarianism. Some of the amino acids are called essential because our body cannot synthesize them. They must be supplied with protein foods. Only this food is the kind that vegetarians refuse: offal, egg yolks, whole milk - they contain all the essential amino acids. Their proteins are called complete; among plant products, the same can only be said about soy, yeast and some types of nuts. Most plant foods contain only some of the essential amino acids.

Iron. Forget the old stories about apples, spinach and beans - they may have a lot of iron, but it is best absorbed from meat (6 percent versus 20). And dairy won’t help here - milk, by the way, impairs the absorption of iron. That is why nutritionists do not recommend giving up all meat completely and irrevocably - iron deficiency anemia can develop, and with it chronic fatigue, lethargy, increased fatigue, problems with appetite, hair, skin... In general, it is better to allow yourself a piece of something low-fat from time to time.

Vitamins B12 and PP. Whatever you want, some B vitamins, in particular B12, can only be obtained from meat products. And there’s no other way - it’s simply not found in plants! And the body really needs vitamin B12, primarily the reproductive organs, the immune system and the bone marrow. Without meat, seafood and eggs, problems will probably arise with vitamin PP, which the body will inform the vegetarian owner through peeling skin, insomnia, and intestinal dysfunction.