AN APPLE A DAY - DAY 104 - LEARNING A LESSON FROM SOME MONKS

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE:

So in my quest to maintain my body as a healthy temple for God’s Holy Spirit to live within me; I set out to discover what seems to be working for others who are in similar pursuit.  

One day I stumbled across some articles about the Orthodox monks living at Mount Athos.  In this small section of Greece, prayers have been offered up continually for more than one thousand years!  Can you imagine?  Perhaps that fact alone is the reason that these Monks have exceptional health and live long disease-free lives.  If that is what has caused their good fortune and developed their apparent extremely good health, I’m sure the rest of us may find immitating that avenue to be a bit impossible!  Prayers might have been offered up on the plot of ground where I live for over a thousand years too (for all I know, though doubtful) but it is that “continuously” part that wipes out the hope of my little plot of ground ever being so holy that it aids God in healing people.  I’m sure that isn’t true where I live. There have been long lapses of time between the many prayers we have humbly offered!

Hopefully, we can find some other reason (due to God’s mercy) that these people seem to live such long lives and maintain such healthy bodies!   What is there in their daily lifestyle; besides their constant devotion to Christ that makes them fare so well?

Some people think it is the tea they consume.  That is a local custom.  I'll discuss this part of the story in another article.

Some people think it is the wine the consume.  That is produced and grown locally and it is also a custom familiar to their community and the surrounding areas.  I'll take that up in another article also.  We will simply take a look at the whole picture of the devoted lives of these men first.

To begin with; we cannot pass that constant devotion to Christ off so easily.  That may actually be the whole sum of the equation.  The first and most important part of maintaining a healthy body is to maintain a healthy soul.  If we constantly practice the presence of God in our days and direct our minds toward Him, we will begin to find the first key toward maintaining life from within.

Life is how our body survives.  Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life."  God is The Creator and the true source of all life.  If our minds stay focused on returning to God just as the needle of a compass constantly returns to the north; God will stay the pole star of our inward being and we will achieve the first step in maintaining whole health.  These monks have the first step and the first priority of life in order.  That is the main thing.  Nothing else that affects their health and well being could come to fruition without that first step.  

We know from reading the holy scriptures that David observed this practice of the presence of God almost every day of his life.  These monks and David knew the secret of using this vital first step, and we can read evidence of this in the holy scriptures from Psalm 16:8-9;  “I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely.”  

These monks who keep the LORD set constantly before them in their daily routines have flesh that dwells securely.  Knowing and believing that God is right beside you always will solve a lot of temptations that bring on bad health.  Consulting Him with every decision of your day as He walks with you would make this even stronger.  Hence it is easy to see that the first step to good health is practicing the presence of God all the time.  These monks are very serious about carrying this practice out, and I have no doubt that without it; nothing else they do that is healthy would be the same. 

Now that we have considered the most important thing they do; what else do we know these monks do that creates such good health in their physical bodies?  

Let’s look at their diet first.  

What we put into our bodies is important.  Long ago I learned a lot about computer programming.  One of the first phrases we had to commit to memory was "garbage in equals garbage out."  It is the same with our bodies.  How we eat determines how we live.  These men alternate their diets between moderate eating, days of partial fasts and feasting.  Every other day they alternate between using olive oil for cooking and eating and not using olive oil for cooking and eating.  They leave off the olive oil when they are on a fast day.  They consistently eat lots of plant proteins.

  

In observing the meals at Athos scientists have noticed they eat simple meals at regular intervals.  They eat two meals a day.  The first meal lasts ten minutes and the second meal lasts ten minutes.  This would certainly keep you from overeating!  If you only eat at the table and you must leave in ten minutes, you do not have time to overeat!  These two meals apparently occur consistently at the same time every day, every time; once in the morning and once in the evening.  There is no meat, except that fish is sometimes served on feast days; and there is no dinner table conversation either.  The only sound during their meals is a monk reading a meditative passage from the holy scriptures while they eat.  I suppose if you only have ten minutes to enjoy your food twice a day; you probably do not want that time to be interrupted by conversation.  I know I would not want it, and I normally LOVE to chat with others. 

By following this pattern of eating, these monks have maintained exceptional health and longevity.  It is suspected that this diet plays a big part of that accomplishment.  Very few men have developed cancer or heart disease or diabetes.  Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson's disease do not even exist here.  You do not hear any of the usual chronic complaints normally experienced by most people who do physical labor day-in and day-out.  No aches and pains or headaches!  No digestive problems!

Many observers have compared the meal preparations for the Monks to the Mediterranean Diet where you eat mostly fruit and vegetables, use herbs instead of salt for seasoning; avoid red meats and use fish and lean poultry, use olive oil instead of butter, and drink moderately using only red wines.  Much of the Mount Athos food is the same.  

All of their food is fresh and unprocessed.  Most everything is grown right on their own soil by their very own hands.  They do not count calories; they simply eat normal portions at set times.  These healthy men also have the regular practice of fasting where they drastically lower their calorie intake in order to clear their minds.  It would seem logical that even though they are "clearing their minds" by fasting; they are also allowing their food longer periods of time to digest between meals.  Perhaps this plays into the achievement of better health.  There may be something to this specific pattern of eating once in the morning and once in the evening.  I've decided to find out for myself.

The minds of these humble monks may also remain clear for other reasons.  They have no wives or children; hence they also experience very low complications from relationships.  This, coupled with the same uncomplicated and structured schedule every day, would probably eliminate a lot of stress.  Stress factors heavily into how our cells renew and maintain health. This fact of leading a life mostly filled with solitude (even being quiet around others) might also, on the other hand, eliminate a lot of joy too.  We who maintain normal relationships in normal family settings should take note and try to maintain healthy relationship skills instead of bad relational practices that bring on stress.  There ARE relationships to deal with here; don't get the wrong picture.  These monks have learned to live in community with harmony.  They have mastered the traits of humility and of putting others before themselves.  They honor the summary Jesus gave us of keeping the commandmentss by loving God and loving others.  We should be doing the same within our families as well as within our surrounding communities.  People living in peace and harmony eliminates stress.  Yet another secret step to good health.

So the scientists of the world were fascinated as they studied the exercise routines of these men.  They do no formal exercise routines, but they are very active all day long with lots of physical labor such as picking fruit from the gardens, clearing brush and hauling building materials through the mountains via mules.  They walk everywhere they go.  They do not use cars.  Often they are walking up steep mountains.  Those studying them had trouble keeping up with their pace.  They work as long as there is daylight and do not have TVs or radios or newspapers to entertain themselves in the evenings.  Except for meal times, sleeping and praying, they are on their feet and moving all day long.  That would certainly keep you in shape and help burn off any extra calories lingering around the waist.  It is always healthier not to be sedentary.  Those of us confined to a desk for our professions must work hard at keeping a balance in this area.      

The "no diseases" factor is very strong with this fortunate group of men, and the length of their life span is on average said to be at least ten years more than others living in Greece.  They are all slim and trim and healthy looking and this has caused many to take notice and try to imitate whatever it is they are doing right.  

Some well-known authors of nutrition, who have been partial to writing about the Mediterranean Diet, took note of these amazing monks and devised and published a whole new diet plan based on their diets.  They call their diet book The Mount Athos Diet.  I am speaking of Lottie Storey, Richard Storey and Sue Todd.  They have incorporated the same form of fasting that the monks use into the diet plan they devised.   Basically they follow a pattern where you eat moderately for three days, fast for 3 days and feast for one day each week.  You can arrange your days in any way you wish to fit your own lifestyle.  These are not the first to write about the eating habits of the monks, and they are also not the only people to come up with new healthy eating plans based on the eating patterns of these men. 
   

In the previously mentioned diet plan, they lay out the way you eat as being as important as the food you ingest.  It makes sense to me.  On the fast days you stick to what is essentially a low-fat vegan diet.  On these three days you eat no dairy, no meat, no fish, no eggs, no chips, fried foods or pastries, no prepared snack foods, no sweets, chocolate or confectionery foods, no sugar or sugary drinks, no alcohol, no oils, fats, mayonnaise or fatty salad dressings. 

You can have a good portion of vegetables, fruits, herbal teas, spices, herbs and peppers.  You may have very moderate amounts of pasta, bread, seeds, nuts and honey,  I haven't read the book yet, and I am wondering if they encourage soups on these days too.  I suspect they do.

On the 3 moderate days you must maintain moderate portions but you may add bread (wholemeal), potatoes, avocados, fruit juice, olives and olive oil, honey, Greek yogurt, skimmed milk, cheese, small amounts of butter, eggs, seafood, chicken, alcohol (preferably just limited amounts of red wine), dried fruits and salt.

On a feast day you may indulge in whatever you want as long as you don’t go overboard and consume too much of everything.   You basically have 3 moderate days, 3 fast days and one feast day each week.  

Hmmmmm…..so how can I incorporate some of these things into my life to make it healthier?

I’ll start by breaking down and simplifying this diet just a bit.  I’ll just say for three days a week I will eat only fruits and vegetables and for three days a week I will add fish or chicken and dairy products to those fruits and vegetables.  I will use olive oil for cooking and flavoring in place of butter or any other oils, and I will keep my portions within reason.  One day a week I will feast on whatever I want; within reason. 

I too will take my meals at the same time every day (I don’t know why, but that is what the monks do, and they are being successful!  I suspect it has a lot to do with aiding good digestion.)  I’ll limit the time to linger at the table to no longer than 30 minutes. (I'm used to an hour now.)   I’ll leave out the sugar every day, and unlike the monks I am going to chose to leave off bread with leaven and starches every day too.  I have found this works better for me. They do eat bread, potatoes, rice and pasta, but I am not going to do that, even on moderate days.  

I think there is a lot to be said for limiting the meals on 3 days a week and keeping the meals down to two a day.   It allows you more time to actually digest less food.  I think the plan to eat only twice a day is wise, but it will take some getting used to!   This flies in the face of the current trends to eat small healthy meals continuously spaced out all day long.  Though that would keep your metabolism working all the time; it also would not allow enough time for digested food to clear your system before consuming again.  I think we've missed the boat here; and I'm opting to go with the monks.  I've tried the little healthy meals all day long with absolutely no results.  I will have to start cooking breakfast again on the week days, because that early morning meal seems to be important since there will be no meal in the middle of the day.  No pain - no gain!

My breakfast time will be 6 a.m. and my dinner time will be 6:30 p.m.  That just works with my lifestyle.  I'm not sure when the monks eat, I only know it is once in the morning and once in the evening.  This will be close enough.  I will take a hot tea to drink during lunch break at work.  I'll use some of the Altos recipes.  I'll sip on water all day at my desk.  That will help me to make it through skipping that meal in the middle of the day.  I'll also use that time to take a quick walk around the building, adding it into my two walks I already am taking in the mornings and in the afternoons.  That will fill my time with more physical activity and keep me distracted from the fact that my stomach is trained to eat in the middle of the day.  It will be nowhere near the physical activity that these monks get; but at least it will be MORE than I am used to doing now.   The skipping lunch part will be hard until my body becomes accustomed to it.  I’m sure  that reducing my calorie intake this way will help a lot.   The added exercise will make that go even further.

I’ll alternate the 3 days without meat with the three days of meat.   I'll only eat lean chicken and fish with no red meats.   I’ll make Saturdays my feast day.  I’ll eat anything I want on that day, even red meat and sugar, but only two meals with reasonable portions.  I MIGHT allow a snack on Saturdays too, if I skip desserts on each of the meals. 

So here goes folks; the start of my new diet plan that has been inspired by some very godly men from Greece!  I hope it works for me as well as it worked for them.  Please pray for my success.  If you want to join me, I will be praying for you too.  This diet and lifestyle change is as much for health reasons as for simply losing weight.  I’ve lost a little weight already by not eating fast foods or pre-packaged foods, and leaving off the starches and the sugars.  I’m hoping this takes me further toward more success.  

If you decide to do this with me – I would love to hear of your results.  My main goal is simply to have a healthy body.  I'm not trying to be a supermodel.  I don't worry about growing old, I simply want to wear my age like a crown.  I want my physical abilities to line up with whatever spiritual tasks God sends my way; and this means not having to worry about chronic health problems, and having enough energy and vitality to endure whatever God puts before me to do for the day.  

Not a bad idea, huh?  Well, this new diet plan is simply a trial I'm trying.  I'll give it six months and see it if affects me the way it has affected those healthy monks.  If it does, I'll keep the plan going on.    I have no idea how the outcome will be and I’m basing everything I’m doing on the facts I’ve learned from reading about the Monks at Athos.   This is MY VERSION of the diet.  Nothing scientific about it, not a medical recommendation, just sharing with you what I’m trying to do to get healthy in my own life.   I have no clue what the real outcome will be; God's will be done.

In pondering all of these facts about food and eating patterns, it occurs to me that I want to learn much more of the nutritional value of each of the fruits and vegetables I’m going to be using on this diet.  I've already discussed the value of eating apples in another article of this blog; and I know there are other foods that are great for good, nutritional eating.  I think variety will make a huge difference in sticking to this eating plan.  Stay tuned next Friday to learn more about my findings on some of the nutritional food choices I want to prepare with this diet.  I'll try to divide them up between moderate days, fast days and feast days.  I'll also be sharing some recipes to go along with these new choices of food.  If you have recipes that would relate to this diet plan – I would love to hear from you. 

The whole main focus of all of this is to stay tuned in to the presence of God and His will for me as I go through my days and as I go through my life.  Keeping my body physically fit, such as Esther and Daniel and his friends did when they were living in a culture that did otherwise, is just one part of this lifestyle.  There are a lot more pieces to this puzzle, but this is a good start.  I only wish I had known thirty years ago what I am lerning today.  Life is a process though.  

Each week I want to share a  scripture that I have found inspiring on this journey of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  I’ll leave you now with this one from 3 John 1:2:  “Dear friend, I pray you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”