The Vegan Lifestyle

The swine flu scare is now all around. I thought it will not thrive in the Philippines because of the hot temperature of summer. I was wrong; it is here now, and has already taken a victim.

It started here in the Philippines with the students from La Salle and Ateneo being infected with the virus. They could have taken it from their friends or relatives who have recently traveled to countries with swine flu pandemic.

The swine scare is not in Manila alone. It is now all over the country. It is scattered in some provinces of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Everyone is scared that he could be infected by swine flu any moment.

Here at home, we are taking extra precaution. As much as possible, if not very necessary, we avoid going out to public places where more people converge. Swine flu is air borne, and we can easily catch it in places congested with people. There is no way of knowing who has it, until you got it.

We also basked under the heat of the sun. Sunlight is beneficial to our body. It is not only good for proper blood circulation, and for the detoxification of our body, but it has antiseptic and germicidal effects to kill bacteria, virus and other germs.

Eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C is good too. The nutrients in fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables can boost our immune system to fight against bacteria, virus and other pathogens that may harm our body.

Drinking enough clean water and other liquids is also good to counteract the onslaught of any disease. All organs of our body need water to function properly. So drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of clean water everyday.

Have enough rest too. Have at least 6 to 8 hours sleep every night. This will strengthens your immune system to combat all diseases and energize your tired body for the next day. Do not worry about swine flu. Your fear and stress will only weaken your immune system, and expose you more to swine flu.

Rest is very important to man. Rest is essential to good health. Without rest, fatigue results, and diseases follow.  Lack of adequate rest causes sickness.

There is healing power in rest. When we are sick, the first thing we do is lie down and rest. The key to a successful remedy from diseases is the restorative power of rest.

Rest is not exclusive in sleep. You can rest by changing activity from a tedious or monotonous ones. Going out and exercising outside, and taking deep breaths under the shades of trees can give rest to the mind and body. Look at the green foliage of plants and trees around you – they give rest to tired eyes. Look at the trees, the birds, the flowers – they all give rest to a weary mind. Think about God and all the blessings he has given you daily – a genuine sense of rest and relaxation will come over you.

All parts of our body need rest. Even the hardest-working organ, the heart, rests after each beat. Also the lungs, rest after each breath. And the stomach needs thirty to sixty minutes rest after each meal.

Rest must be preceded by exercise or any activity, and rest at night is easier and comfortable when done with empty stomach. We can also rest at the middle of the day. Fifteen minutes nap is equivalent to 45 minutes or more at night. This kind of rest not only keeps you active throughout the remainder of the day,but lengthens your life span as well.

Do not sleeping pills. They drastically alter sleeping cycles, and suppress the very important REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This is the dream part of sleep. Suppressing REM is very harmful to the body. During this stage of sleep, the heartbeat becomes irregular, and brain waves are similar in the waling state.

Sleep is divided into stages. In the presleep stage, the  alpha brain waves are prominent. Stage 1 begins as the pulse slow down, and the muscles relax. After 5 to 10 minutes, stage 2 begins, where the brain waves become larger, and the eyes roll from side to side. Twenty minutes later, stage 3 is entered, and the brain waves becomes slow and larger. Muscles are relaxed, and breathing is slow and even. Then stage 4 or delta sleep enters and generally last for 20 minutes, after which the REM sleep starts. After 10 minutes, the sleeper returns to stage 2, 3, and then delta sleep  in a cycle lasting about 90 minutes. Then REM sleep starts again. In a night sleep, there is more delta sleep earlier in the night, and more REM sleep toward the morning.

Sleepers who do not get their REM sleep awaken irritable and tired. They become aggressive, restless, angry, depresses and pathetic.ep, REM sleep, empty stomach

A vegan lifestyle is the best and most healthful in life. A vegan lifestyle is a life free from ailments, diseases, and sufferings. A vegan lifestyle is a life of zest, joy and happiness. A vegan lifestyle is a life of peace, full of hope of a brighter tomorrow and fully assured of God’s daily providence.

A vegan lifestyle is indeed the most ideal life for us all. Would you like to know and follow this vegan lifestyle?

What is a vegan lifestyle?

A vegan lifestyle is, first and foremost, a life lived according to will of God. God created us all, and we only borrowed our lives from him. As owner of our lives, God deserves our respect and love.

What is the will of God?

In 3 John verse 2, it says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” God wills that we all be healthy. And how can we be healthy?

To be healthy, we need to follow a vegan lifestyle. In the beginning, God provided us our original diet consisting of fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables. God originally designed us as vegetarians. We were not created like the carnivorous animals that thrive on animal flesh.

After the Great Flood, when Earth’s vegetation was destroyed, men started to eat flesh meats. Diseases appeared on the surface of the Earth; afflictions and sufferings followed. Men became wicked, and iniquities abounded. Moral values degraded, and men gradually lost their spirituality.

In our modern time, millions are dying everyday because of diseases, accidents, and brutality that are being done under the sun. This is the curse of the law that God forewarned which will happen to men if they continue violating his law.

Is the law a curse? No! The law is holy and honorable. The law did not bring in the curse, but men’s transgression of the law has brought the curse upon them.

What shall we do to be spared of this curse of the law?

(more…)

Fasting is good for the health. Many health benefits can be derived from fasting. Fasting cleanses the body  of toxins,   and allows the digestive system to rest.

I had had proven that fasting is good for health. The longest fasting I had was three days. Whenever I fast, I do not take anything except water;  no juice, no coffee or any drink except water.

When I started fasting, I noticed my stomach became hot. I thought fasting should be done without water, so I did not drink anything on the first day. I was forced to  drink water on the second day to relieve the heat inside my stomach.

Fasting is good for health.Though quite hard to do at first, but if you are eager to fast, and proceed whatever the feeling, you will notice as the day goes by that you become accustomed to it. I had that feeling on the second day of my fast. It became bearable on the second day, and easier as the days went by.

On the third day everything returned to normal, and the general weakness  due to hunger disappeared. My strength was restored, and there was a feeling of wellness, and a desire to continue the fast for a week. But there was an apprehension on my mind as to what will happen to me if I proceed to fast for a week or more, as it was the first time I fasted. So I stopped my fast after completing the third day, and came out from it gradually.

It is important to come out from fasting gradually. Liquid and juices should be taken after the fast for the digestive system to adjust accordingly. On the second day after the fast, solid food can be taken but lightly and in small quantities. It is better to take fruits and nuts. But avoid meats, for these are heavy proteins that are hard to digest. Give the body enough time to adjust gradually before taking other solid foods.

Fasting is good for the health. I noticed after the fast that my health improved. No more constipation, and my headaches disappeared, and I was able to sleep well at night. My  foods taste delicious and palatable, and I became stronger each day after the fast. This could be probably because of the taste buds being cleansed during the fast and the digestive system being able to easily assimilate and absorb the nutrients from the foods I took. And the best benefit I derived from fasting was the sharpness of memory and the keenness of mind. It was very easy to study my academic subjects after my fast, and I got high marks in my math subjects. All of these are proofs that fasting is good for health.

You can fast also by skipping your meals in a day. You can skip your dinner, and sleep without taking anything but liquid or fruit juice. Indeed fasting is very good for health. This is very good for the body. You will reap lots of health benefits from it. Or you can fast once a week or once a month, whichever is comfortable to. You can do it during weekends when you do not report to work and just stay at home. You can start fasting during weekends by skipping your lunch or dinner whichever is comfortable for you, and prove it yourself that fasting is good for health.