Fasting ++

 One month yields 12 lbs . It is said autophagy gets triggered after 17-18 hrs in some bodies i dont have a clue on this but one thing is certain - it ll reduce all ur cholesterol,  weight ll drop noticeably you ll feel energized and hunger wont be a problem in a month! I m right now at 17-18 hrs my autophagy maybe further away but thats not my aim.  Fasting is not a Fad , it is exactly how our ancestors lived millions of years ago and our body is programmed for that - most days they wont have food and maybe sneak a berry, plant or two here and there.  A feast happened if they hunted a small to medium animal and that was a rarity.  Hence being non veg should be a rarity and fasting should be the norm.  What is my fasting window ? - its 6PM to 12PM next day a good 18 hrs approx.  This means most days i make do with a heavy nutritious , balanced lunch high on protein, vits, fats and carbs in that order. A light evening dinner is best to round of the day.  You would be surprised how much you will value every ounce of food once you start fasting - no phones, TV distraction.  Food becomes full focus when consuming this way. 

Fruits are a tad overrated. They want you to eat hence mostly sugar , agreed has some vitamins, Fiber (great for gut microbiome) in it but not comparable to what most veggies give you.  Water is an elixir this should be the go to drink for fasting and by practice it can make even heart burns, acidity go away.  The first month is the toughest but with persistence its possible. Try it out you will feel re energized! Next my experiment continues to see if OMAD a week is possible and also if the lifestyle changes incorporated over 3-6 months has any effect on the A1c, Reddit / Quora has many miracle stories - but there is only one way to know :) 

Stories 2 jaya!

 Utalagar to janameyjayan talks parikshit story.

Vaisampayar vyasas disciple sarpa satru yagya.

Dakshin dakshagi two large serpents set free by asthigan of ex naga tribe.

Jaya recited by vaisampayar to jananejeyan after yaga goes rogue. 

Jaya written by ganapathi by tusk after understanding. This becomes mahabharatha.

Indian wisdom

 Most of the scientific research takeaways are well known indian wisdom. Alas the ladt two generations were not explained 'why', our gen has the benefit of science corroborating things with an eureka moment! Take few items below-

A) indian squatting toilet helps with better stoole excretion due to optimum pressure on intestines.

B) sitting cross legged even 30mins a day can help keep ling term back /neck pain in abeyance 

C) eating home cooked meals helps to contain obesity and diseases. This confirmed with proliferation of upf.

D)indian spices like pepper curcumin hing help boost immunity nd keep carcinogens at bay. Great example - rasam!

E) probiotics rich food like idly , batter, yogurt , buttermilk boost good gut bacteria.

F) sleeping early nd rising with sun boosts insulin , melatonin secretion and aligns with circadian rhythm.

G) fasting as a way of life is both spiritual and body cleanser - ekadasi sivaratri has very real meaning.

Fasting takeaways

 First few days are hard but persevere and keep disciplined. 3 meals is ok 2 is best and a feeding window of not more than 8 hrs.

I m right now experimenting 9 am to 5 pm (approx) its pretty scientific as it covers dawn to dusk as well - giving insulin enough time to digest and growth hormone/melatonin enough hours to do its recovery.

Exercises is ok in both fasting or eating window as long as its 2 hrs gap from feed.

Realize there are immediate benefits like positivity, more energy to do work, feel lighter and fitter. Also weight loss is a slow but sure burn look out for those lbs every week. This i find most sustainable and eventually once its a habit you can regulate calorie intake and sleep too which complete the circadian rhythm. All the best!

Upf and fasting

 Three things to enable living well and longer i gather are 

Intermittent fasting - try the time restricted feeding approach of Dr.pal, stick to whatever suits you for minimum 66 days and it becomes a habit. Good addiction! Sleep is also key 7 hours is recommeded everyday. With an infant i most definitely cannot get this but light end of tunnel!

Once when to eat is done, how becomes a big question. Upf i.e ultra processed food is the single biggest villain today - know all about it by googling or reading the excellent ultra processed people by dr.chris.

Plant based diet entirely even eliminating animal food sources like milk , eggs etc takes this to next level increasing telomerase enzyme the one that reverses aging. I m not able to get here yet but one step at a time. Recommend this book ' how not to die' though slightly biased on veganism lotta good points.

Stories are imp

 Its very imp to narrate stories orally to kids esp from indian heritage they are filled with rich takeaways few eg:

Arjuna as palghuni marrying chitrangda and bearing a son babruvahana - ultimately gets too attached with son for 3 yrs , however he keeps his uber focus on hastinapuram mission intact and is able to let go. This is a great education on sense of purpose, life is full of splits, losses and how not to lose oneself on attachments , relations.

Karna vs arjuna the swarna hill challenge. How arjuna learns to get lasting fame with public you have to do real service. Also story teaches giving away wealth is not just an easy activity you need conviction plus determine whos worthy to get it.

Story of saguni - seems saguni won at end of kuruksjetra as the entire revenge saga, war was all he wanted to decimate kuru clan. This was due to bheeshma cleansing his own gandhara clan mercilessly. Revenge is never ending!

Strategy of krishna - how ashwatama was taken out of kurukshetra war how jeyadratha was defeated, karna's weaknesses exploited, dronas assasination, y arjuna chose krishna. 

Lakshmana shows real sibling affection - accomanying brother theoughhout and serving him first.

For inspiration - look at stories narrated excellently by bharathy bhaskar and thiru G gnanasambadam.

Back in the saddle

 After a long hiatus,  trying wellness methodically again .

Never give break to wellness it should be way of life. Running in winter is a pleasurable pain that i am addicted to.

Sleep is imp so trying to walk the talk on gadgets, must admit its tough - but  treating phone nothing beyond alarm clock.(is haaaard)

Finish eating by dusk and keep discipline in 13-14 hr fasting window. 

Read everyday even if 1-2 % progress.

Mental, social and emotional well-being should not be ignored too,  its a core part of wellness.  This is the place more conscious effort is needed.

Shoot small

 With resolutions and changes we mostly fail coz we shoot for too much too soon.

Keep it simple and small and importantly whats achievable. Few examples

1. Eat everything you like but not in the quantities you CAN

2. Working out everyday without fail half hour or 15k steps

3. Sleep score of 80

4. Spending no mobile time till 9 pm 

Etc etc . Small things matter .

Book review : The tipping point

 

4 out of 5 stars

Good examples backed with data and research. Gladwell has this unique way of getting you to buy the idea with multiple examples . How epidemics are created and how to make them sticky is the key takeaway. More notes below

https://www.goodreads.com/notes/6001566-the-tipping-point/62644857-kaarthikeyan-subramanian?ref=abp

Book Review : Almanack of Naval Ravikant

 Review

Very forthright account and tidbits of a successful enterpreneur , guru . If you want to know how their minds work and mantra for success there are some good anecdotes here. 

4 out of 5 - helped me reiterate things on prioritization, choices in life, importance of letting go , hard work / smart work etc. 

Loved his book recommendations list many of which entered my Goodreads to read list :)

https://www.goodreads.com/notes/55148500-the-almanack-of-naval-ravikant/62644857-kaarthikeyan-subramanian?ref=bsop