Category: Health

Fasting for the body and the soul

Observed by Catholic , Orthodox, and Protestant Christians, (although the dates may differ) Lent is a time of spiritual reflection, contemplation, renewal, and commitment.

The practice of fasting is one of the Christian Disciplines.

people holding lit candles in the dark

What is fasting?

Simply put, fasting means to refrain from  foods and/or drinks either partially or completely, for a specified time period.  Some religions other than Christianity practice fasting.

Traditionally, Christians observed Lent (the weeks that precede Easter) by avoiding certain types of food (particularly meat, eggs, and milk products).  In some traditions, partial fasts were observed where they would eat only one meal on certain days. Another way to fast is to avoid all food for a specified time frame, usually one day.

Many who observe Lent today are not as strict, instead choosing to abstain from a particular food or particular behavior, such as television or social media during Lent.

The purpose of fasting during Lent  is to eliminate something in our life in order to redirect the time and energy toward our relationship with God.

man praying on holy bible in the morning

Medical fasting

You may be more familiar with fasting for medical reasons.

We physicians frequently ask patients to fast for 8-12 hours prior to performing certain blood tests. The meaning of the result may be different depending on how long ago the patient had eaten. This is the case when we test for diabetes (sugar or glucose) and hyperlipidemia ( cholesterol and triglyceride).

Another common time for medical fasting is prior to surgery or procedures, especially those done under general anesthesia. Many people become nauseated and may throw up or regurgitate stomach contents. If these get sucked down into the lungs it can lead to pneumonia, a serious complication of surgery. Having the stomach empty of food and liquid minimizes this risk .

There is evidence now that intermittent fasting may aid in weight loss. Dr. Monique Tello discusses intermittent fasting for the Harvard Health Blog at this link.

Intermittent fasting: Surprising update

ashes in the shape of a cross

40 days of sorrow

The 40 days of Lent are a time of grief.

This tradition begins with the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday. Ashes are put on believers’ foreheads during religious services as a sign of repentance.

The practice of putting ashes on one’s head is an ancient sign of mourning that was often done at funerals or similarly sorrowful occasions.  In this case, the ashes represent sorrow over our sins and the pain and death caused by sin.

two women sitting on a rug with open books

Whether you formally observe Lent or not, we may consider this as a time to slow down, quiet the noise in our lives, open our hearts, and listen for new inspiration for using our gifts to create new ways to serve others.

“For even the Son of Man  (Jesus ) came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45 NLT

New Living Translation (NLT)Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

40 Days of Decrease

A Different Kind of Hunger. A Different Kind of Fast. 

Last year I experienced Lent with this devotional book by Alicia Britt Chole and I recommend it to help you observe a spiritually meaningful “fast” during Lent.

(Please note this is an affiliate link, a link which will help support this blog with a commission when a purchase is made.)


What if you fasted regret? What if your friends fasted comparison? What if your generation fasted escapism? What if your community fasted spectatorship? Trigger a spiritual revolution with this daily devotional for Lent.

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New Year’s Resolutions Approved by Grandmas

I’m a stickler for definitions so I checked to see what “resolution” means. It is a “firm determination to do something” or the “act of solving a problem.”

With people living such long lives now, most of us will spend a large portion of it as grandparents, even great-grandparents. But today’s grandmothers aren’t just sitting in rocking chairs knitting.

updated December 23, 2023
checkerboard between 2 rocking chairs

Modern grandmothers do everything. They run businesses and run for office.

There have been grandmothers in Congress and on the Supreme Court.

Grandmothers run marathons, teach yoga, and compete in ballroom dancing (like me). 

Some retire from long successful careers and some start new careers.

And some grandmothers write blogs that cover a wide variety of subjects, including marriage, family, travel, cooking, fitness, retirement, faith, genealogy, crafts, gardening, books, health, DIY, and of course grandchildren.

New Year's resolutions approved by grandmas

 

 

 

 

find hidden opportunities hidden in each new day
Michael Josephson-ethics law professor– affiliate link 

 

 

 

2019 New Year’s Resolutions

Several of the other grandmother bloggers I know shared their New Year’s resolutions online. Here is what I wrote-

I’m a stickler for definitions so I checked to see what “resolution” means. It is

a “firm determination to do something” or the “act of solving a problem.”

I don’t make “New Year’s” resolutions because I think we should be making resolutions all the time; if we think of it as just a once-a-year process, we miss multiple opportunities to accomplish new things or solve problems.

I resolve to continue learning new things and improving my skills. In 2019 I will be required to recertify as a family physician, so I have a “firm determination” to pass the exam. (And I did.)

I also want to improve my ballroom dancing skills and learn new steps and routines.

I want to update old blog posts with newer information and address important medical topics that I haven’t tackled before.

I want to spend quality time with my friends and family, nurture my faith, and find new ways to give back to my community.

This bright new year is given to me to live each day with zest-William Arthur Ward
William Arthur Ward- author and pastor– affiliate link 

 

 

 

More grandmothers’ resolutions 

Here are summaries of what other grandmothers shared with a link to their blogs.

Kimberly – Passing Down the Love:

  • finalize my retirement plans,
  • move my feet a little more and
  • look for happiness in the little things.

Donna – Retirement Reflections:

        healthy diet and increased exercise.

Sylvia – Grace for a Gypsy:

      to organize and publish my family research

      fully transition my DIY blog to a grandma blog.

  • To simplify my life.

Cathy – Life of 2 Snowbirds:

      Start my healthy diet and exercise more.

Nikki – Gwin Gal Inside and Out:

to host more family get-togethers much more frequently in the coming months.

Pat – Mille Fiori Favoriti:

  • to live even more healthfully, with more exercise, and to
  • be proactive about going to exams and tests to monitor our health.

Marisa – All Our Way:

  •          I’m signing on with an agent which leaves me free to work on my blog
  •          I  want to double my page view by next year.

Christie – So What? Now What?:

 to accomplish or experience things during 2019, focusing on health, joy, learning, and relationships.

Your turn to resolve-

How about you? What do you resolve, plan, hope, or want to achieve this year? And if you are fortunate enough to have her, why not ask your grandmother what her resolutions are?

The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year, but a new you.

exploring the HEART of health all year long

Thanks for joining me to explore New Year’s resolutions and the HEART of health. Will you resolve to share this blog post and follow Watercress Words? I appreciate your support.

The graphics and photos in this post are from Lightstock.com, an affiliate that helps me fund this blog. Thank you for considering. 

Happy New Year. 

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Dr. Aletha