Why one meal a day?

[Terasi]

For a layperson with job, would it be wise to try not to eat lunch?
If some times in order to socialise, we have to eat lunch with other people, would the irregularity harm the stomach (especially a stomach with history of ulcer)?

[Ben]

Hi Terasi

(especially a stomach with history of ulcer)?

Get treatment for it. It was recently discovered that stomach ulcers were not caused by stress, but because of bacteria. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv ... mach_ulcer
kind regards

Ben

[Ben]

Maybe the bacteria like the stressed one more Metta-meditation to the bacterias helps.

I remember watching a documentary profile on the australian guy who made the discovery and eventually received the nobel prize for science/medicine for it. He said that the testing methodology ruled out stress as a contributing factor.

Metta-meditation to the bacterias helps.

Yes, maybe.
Anyway,its time to get back on topic.

[timmbuktwo]

For a layperson with job, would it be wise to try not to eat lunch?
If some times in order to socialise, we have to eat lunch with other people, would the irregularity harm the stomach (especially a stomach with history of ulcer)?

If you were to "skip" one meal, lunch should not be the one . If you were to miss 2 , lunch should not be the one. Socializing and eating do not have to be equal , au-contraire they can be beneficial as opposites . Ulcer is from an unhealthy system (body-more specific digestive system) , skipping one or two meals (that are seen as normal in modern society) and eating proper foods at the other(s) will quickly solve that problem . Bacteria is in all of us, and is a must for us to be alive, killing it as many scientists propose is in fact doing same to ourselves. Again if some need "links/proof" of this it can be acquired with relative ease through google searches .

Best of health to you and good luck with your own healing, kindly pass on lunch only as your last meal or in time of fasting .

_______

Hanzze , bacteria does enjoy a stressful system , well said, and it can thrive in a healthy relaxed system as well, each will reap that which they sow. Bacteria is there to start life and as well to finish it.

[alan]

Eat healthful food every 3 hours or so. Exercise. Do Yoga. Get good sleep.
Not really difficult, is it?

[lojong1]

yes

[timmbuktwo]

yes

which part are you having difficulty with?

[metta_noob]

is there another thread that explains why no eating after mid-day when you're observing the 8 precepts? I've always wanted to figure out the real reason why midday.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

The Pāli says just "eating at the wrong time" (vikāla bojjhanā).
If making a rule then you need a limit. Since there were no clocks in the Buddha's time, between dawn (first light) and midday was easily observable.

Should any bhikkhu chew or consume staple or non-staple food at the wrong time, it is to be confessed.

Plenty more food for thought at the above link, and some helpful standards applicable for lay people observing the eight precepts, e.g. you can take juice, honey, or sweet drinks at any time, but not milk.

[metta_noob]

Thank you for the link bhante. Unfortunately, I haven't found the reason for the rule there. I'm sure there's a good reason for it and I guess it'll be an itch that won't go away.

I've been to the local temple and observed danas. The lay people would very enthusiastically offer lots of food to the monks (to accumulate merits, I guess) and many times I'm amazed at the volume of food they consume in one sitting. At the local temple, the monks have morning and lunch dana ie 2 meals. I've noticed that most of the monks are not exactly slim and trim. And some monks have told me that diabetes is a common problem. Hence my curiosity about the reason for the rule. I understand about moderation and eating for sustenance but I always wondered if the rule might inadvertently encourage a "stockpiling" eating pattern.

Btw, one chinese monk explained that the Buddha forbade eating after midday because their alms rounds were in the mornings and the excess food unconsumed would go bad later in the day because there was no refrigeration then. He said that there was a case where a monk ate the left over food later in the day and fell ill. Hence the rule. Sounds logical but is that the real reason for the rule? Or even the only reason for the rule?

[David N. Snyder]

The Buddha praised moderation in eating (Sn.707) and encouraged this in his monks and nuns. To this end and for reasons of health, he made a rule that they should not eat after noon.

‘I do not eat in the evening and thus I am free from illness and affliction and enjoy health, strength and ease’
(M.I,473).

The Buddha also suggested to his disciples that they recite these words as a reflection before eating. ‘We will eat in moderation. Reflecting wisely we will not eat for fun, for amusement or for physical attractiveness but only for the maintenance and continuance of this body, for allaying the discomfort of hunger, for assisting in living the holy life and with the thought “I will end the old desires and not give rise to new ones and thus be healthy, blameless and live in comfort” ’ (M.I,273).

Taking the 8 precepts is sort of like going on a mini-retreat where there is more intensive practice. To this end, following some of the bhikkhu / bhikkhuni precpts is advisable to have better concentration, tranquility for the practice. In addition:

1. It is good for health, to consume all the food at once and walk (exercise it off later).
2. It places less of a burden on lay people who will only need to provide food for one meal, instead of many meals.
3. It allows for more time to be spent on the practice and teaching of Dhamma.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

An interesting article I encountered that reminded me of this topic...

Eating one meal per day may promote positive changes in health
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m ... n27263642/

I know from personal experience that I don't do enough physical exercise to justify the consumption of three meals each day... I suspect the same could be said for many other people whose work often has them sat in front of a computer.



Metta,
Retro.

[Deminie]

Studies of animals have led to several hypotheses concerning the cellular and molecular mechanisms whereby dietary restriction extends lifespan and protects against disease. The oxidative stress hypothesis proposes that aging and age-related diseases result from cumulative oxidative damage to proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids; by decreasing the amount of oxyradicals produced in mitochondria, dietary restriction retards aging and disease. A second hypothesis is that dietary restriction is beneficial primarily because of its effects on energy metabolism; that is, it increases insulin sensitivity. A third hypothesis, which may have a particular relation to the beneficial effects of reduced meal frequency/intermittent fasting, is that dietary restriction induces a mild cellular stress response in which cells up-regulate the expression of genes that enable them to cope with severe stress.

[cooran]

Hello Terasi,

Hope this helps (at least regarding Bhikkhus):

Alms Food
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... .html#alms

with metta
Chris

[ground]

I feel that eating has a strong impact on practice. What one eats, why one eats special sorts of food, when one eats, how much one eats, how often one eats ... very important.
Why is eating so important for practice? Because it is a "must" on an continuing basis to keep this body alive. E.g. in contrast to this sexual activity is just an option but no "must". And because eating is a "must", a recurring necessity and because the physical senses are directly involved it is so important and has a strong impact on practice IMO.


Kind regards

[manas]

I feel that eating has a strong impact on practice. What one eats, why one eats special sorts of food, when one eats, how much one eats, how often one eats ... very important.
Why is eating so important for practice? Because it is a "must" on an continuing basis to keep this body alive. E.g. in contrast to this sexual activity is just an option but no "must". And because eating is a "must", a recurring necessity and because the physical senses are directly involved it is so important and has a strong impact on practice IMO.


Kind regards

Undertaking the Eight Precepts can stir up defilements from the murky depths, i've found; it helps throw them into light. I discover that at night, I'm not really hungry as such, but rather, I want the food for emotional comfort. If I take dark grape juice and some molasses, the unease goes away. I'm really beginning to question - (excepting those engaged in daily physical labour) - do we really need three meals a day? Is this not actually a burden on our system?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Having had "one meal a day" (with only a few exceptions) since Easter, I can say that it is very possible, very realistic, and I've never felt healthier.

It is interesting though walking around at lunchtime seeing people eating their swanky lunches...

Metta,
Retro, weighing 13kg less than he did at Easter

[manas]

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

I'm wondering if just one meal a day leaves you weakened at all, though.

Generally not... and interestingly, even though I only eat at dinnertime, most days at 6pm I'm less hungry than I used to be if I'd eaten both breakfast and lunch.

Do you really only have one meal?

Yes, though there are also coffees.

May I ask, what line of work are you engaged in? I'm assuming it's not digging up roads etc...

The above smilie answers that question too... heheh.

Metta,
Retro.

[manas]

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