Intermittent fasting is effective. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

I love intermittent fasts. I have found them to be physically healing, emotionally cleansing, and spiritually uplifting. As the body experiences a shift in its attachment to food, the mind and heart experience something similar in relation to their attachments to ideas, feelings, people, and experiences.​
Intermittent fasting refers to eating plans and dietary protocols that cycle between periods of fasting (no food or some food) and periods of non-fasting. There are a variety of intermittent fasting diets, along with several types of intermittent diet meal plans.

The benefits of intermittent fasting include lowering insulin levels, reducing inflammation, improving brain health, possible weight loss, and helping you feel more hopeful and prayerful. Overall, Intermittent fasting has shown promising results in broad trials involving mice and a few limited human trials.

To learn more about intermittent fasting, check out my other article about the benefits, trends, spirituality, and dangers.

“Fasting Is The First Principle Of Medicine;
Fast And See The Strength Of The Spirit Reveal Itself.”
~ Rumi

Intermittent Fasting Diets

In general, intermittent fasting includes fasting one to two days per week or on alternating days. During these days, you eat either no food at all or 25 percent of your regular caloric intake.
On reduced calorie days, men consume 500 to 600 calories, while women consume 400 to 500 calories. Rather than strictly focusing on male vs. female intake, you might consider your body type, regular diet, and personal preferences before committing to a specific number of calories.

On non-fasting days, the most successful intermittent fasters eat normally and never binge. Some of the more courageous fasters eat only during limited windows throughout each day and might reduce their carbs. For all fasts, it’s important to stay hydrated, which includes drinking water and non-caloric, non-alcoholic beverages like unsweetened coffee and tea.

Here are a few types of intermittent fasting diet plans to consider:

Simple And Painless Fast

The most cautious fast consists of no food restrictions, fasting one day per week, with only one meal on that day, and with a calorie intake at the 25 percent level (400 to 600 calories). On the other six days, eat normally.

5/2 Moderate Fast

The 5/2 fast consists of no food restrictions for two days per week, while reducing calorie intake to 25 percent, between 500 to 600 calories. On the other five days, you would eat normally.

Consistent Fasting

One of the most aggressive ways to intermittent fast is to adhere to your usual diet from 8am to 3pm, with fasting during the remaining hours of the day. On some days you might want a cheeseburger at 8pm, but you can’t have one.

Alternate-Day Fast

This intermittent fast might be one of the most difficult. Eating normally on one day and then fasting on the next day. To get the most benefit, you would continue this cycle somewhere between 8 and 16 weeks. Each fasting day can include 500 to 600 calories or no calories at all. In either case, be sure to drink plenty of water.

Alternate-day fasting can help you lose weight, and help lower your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Dr. Krista Varady created a version of this diet which she calls, “The Every Other Day Diet.” While restrictive, this diet tends to hold people’s attention longer than most. The length of time that seems to produce the most benefits is 12 weeks, which is also the number of weeks that most human trials aim to achieve.

6/1 Fast

The 6/1 Fast is a simple fast where you eat nothing for one 24 hour period each week, starting with any meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner). During this time, doctors recommend that you drink plenty of water. Low-sugared coffee, tea, and other non-caloric and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted.

Keto Derivative

A form of The Keto Diet includes an aspect of intermittent fasting that some people find helpful and effective. During every meal, eat your vegetables first and then eat your protein, with meals to be completed between 11am to 6pm, with intermittent fasting hours from 6pm to 11am. Refrain from heavy carbs like bread, pasta, and rice. Keep in mind that drastic reductions in carbs can make you feel a little foggy.

The Master Cleanse: Lemon Juice & Cayenne Pepper Fast

This popular fasting practice has been around since the 1940s, created by the controversial Stanley Burroughs. Stanley wrote The Master Cleanser in the 1940s but the 1970s revision inspired a popular cleanse movement, which continues to this day. Fans of this cleanse include Beyoncé, Jared Leto, Denzel Washington, and Angelina Jolie.

The Master Cleanse consists of drinking only water mixed with a half-teaspoon of lemon juice and a hint of cayenne pepper 5 to 8 times per day, for 5 to 10 days. While this fast is not recommended for everyone, and it’s not a cure-all or intermittent fast, you might consider this idea when creating your own hybrid intermittent fast/diet. One hybrid idea might be to drink this formula from 3pm to 8am and eat two calorie-restricted meals during the hours of 8am to 3pm.

The Warrior Diet

This intermittent fasting diet has some passionate followers. It involves fasting during the day and then eating a huge meal at night.​

Popularized by fitness expert Ori Hofmekler, the dieter consumes small portions of raw fruits and raw vegetables during the day, then eats a high-calorie meal before 8pm. In short, you fast all day (limited to fresh fruits and vegetables), and then you have a power-feast in the evening, finishing your banquet within a 4-hour eating window.​

There are several challenges with this type of fasting. Depending on your body and metabolism, eating in the evening can extinguish the benefits of intermittent fasting. It might:

• Negatively impact your sleeping and dreaming patterns
• Alter hormone function
• Increase inflammation
• Impair blood sugar regulation
• Create weight gain
• Elevate triglycerides and cholesterol

Circadian Rhythm Or 16/8 Fasting

When it comes to losing weight, there are healthy and unhealthy paths. The Circadian Rhythm or 16/8 Fasting is when you eat solely during an 8-10 hour window each day. The rest of the time you refrain from meals and caloric beverages, but you can drink non-caloric, non-alcoholic drinks, including low-sugar coffee and tea.
Intermittent Meal Plan Example
For this example, we’ll focus on the 5/2 Intermittent Fast, which consists of two fasting days per week, each allowing 25 percent of your regular caloric intake (400 to 600 calories). When doing this fast, consider having an eating window from 8am to 6pm. In addition to possibly losing additional weight, you’ll have more food options if you avoid pieces of bread, rice, and pasta during your fast.
When fasting with limited calories, a hidden gem is hemp seeds. My favorite brand is Manitoba Harvest. Their Hemp Hearts are delicious and provide more protein than meat.

Here Is An Example Of An Under-600 Calorie Meal Schedule:

Breakfast: 250 Calories

• 1/4 cup of oatmeal
• 8 oz Green smoothie with apples, spinach, and kale
• One hard-boiled egg or a one-egg Tex-Mex scramble with a pinch of tomatoes, onion, garlic, and salsa

Lunch/Dinner – 300 Calories (Pick One)

• One small baked potato with one tablespoon of sour cream
• 2 cups roasted vegetables with two tablespoons of hemp seeds
• 1/2 avocado on toast with one tablespoon of crushed peanuts or sesame seeds
• Chicken, Vegetable and Bean soup with 3 oz of chicken, 1/4 cup of red beans, 1/2 cup of chopped veggies. You can swap the chicken for 3 oz of beef or buffalo, a moderate portion of tofu or 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds.

Between Meals – Under 60 calories (limited to one of these items, once per day)

• 2 cups of cooked microwave popcorn
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• Three whole-grain pretzel sticks
• 14 almonds
• One apple (baked)
• 1/4 cup low-sugar ice cream
• 1/4-1/2 banana

Anytime

• Water with 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and a tiny sprinkle of cayenne pepper. This drink is my favorite, especially during the fasting hours of 6 pm and 8 am or 6 pm and 11 am.

Intermittent Fasting Benefits

While intermittent fasting is not a cure-all, and the data is based mainly on scientific trials focused on mice, many people agree that intermittent fasting does wonders.
Many say that it can:

• Ease depression and increase vitality
• Improve memory
• Reduce inflammation and weight gain
• Remove damaged brain cells and generates new ones
• Help reduce attachment to emotional and psychological luggage.
• Improve your experience when praying and meditating

In general, even a little fasting here and there is shown to have positive effects. If you have gut issues or adrenal fatigue, proceed with caution. To be safe, ask your doctor or certified nutritionist before you begin fasting.
In all fasting, be careful about “starvation mode,” when your body starts to conserve energy by reducing the number of calories it burns. Starvation mode is something to avoid. It can cause your body to stop losing weight, and it will most often make you depressed, angry, lost, confused, or worse. It might also have other negative effects.

Just in case, notify a few friends before you fast. Texting a friend is quick and easy, “Hey, I’m fasting. If I die, I buried a treasure under a tree. The map is in my fridge. It’s all yours!”

Intermittent Fasting Benefits. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

I began intermittent fasting when I was 15. At that time, I fasted because it cleared my mind and put me in a more meditative and prayerful state. Fasting might make you feel a little foggy or spacey, but for me, fasting helps me become more peaceful. Meanwhile, it does a great job of rebooting the system.

“All The Vitality And All The Energy I Have,
Come To Me Because My Body Is Purified By Fasting.”
~ Mohandas Gandhi

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting refers to eating plans and dietary protocols that cycle between periods of fasting (no food or some food) and periods of non-fasting. There are a variety of intermittent fasting diets, along with several types of intermittent diet meal plans.

The benefits of intermittent fasting include lowering insulin levels, reducing inflammation, improving brain health, and helping you feel more hopeful and prayerful. Intermittent fasting is showing promising results.
There is also the benefit of weight loss, one of the more popular reasons why people do intermittent fasts. While some intermittent fasts are helping a wide variety of healthy humans (and many mischiefs of lab rats) to burn fat and lose weight, intermittent fasts can have adverse effects, too. To be safe, ask your doctor or certified nutritionist for the go-ahead.​

The overall consensus about intermittent fasting is that it improves health and mental clarity, but it doesn’t consistently result in weight loss, or more weight loss compared to diets that restrict calorie and carb intake.
I’ve tried all types of intermittent fasting. Sometimes I lose weight and feel better, and sometimes I don’t experience anything beyond improved clarity and peacefulness.

Intermittent Fasting Diet

In general, intermittent fasting includes fasting one to two days per week, where during those days you eat either no food at all or 25% of your caloric intake. Most people who commit to intermittent fasts reduce caloric intake to 25% of their regular diets, either periodically or on alternating days. On reduced calorie days, men consume 500 to 600 calories, while women’s caloric intake is 400 to 500.​
On non-fasting days, the most successful intermittent fasters eat normally and never binge. Some of the more courageous fasters eat only during limited windows throughout each day and might reduce their carbs. For all fasts, it’s important to stay hydrated, which includes drinking water and non-caloric, non-alcoholic beverages like unsweetened coffee and tea.

You can learn more about a wide variety of intermittent fasts, along with their meal plans and suggested eating schedules here.

Metabolic expert Dr. Deborah Wexler, Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Center said, “There is evidence to suggest that the circadian rhythm fasting approach, where meals are restricted to an 8-10 hour period of the daytime, is effective.”

There is substantial scientific evidence suggesting that circadian rhythm fasting, when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, can be a particularly useful approach to weight loss, especially for people at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Fast With No Binge

While the idea of fasting for a day and then binging on fat and sugar might sound appetizing, it’s terrible for the body. It’s important to note that when you choose to do an intermittent fast, make sure you are eating normally on the non-fasting days. Studies show that people who binge after fasting can cause their health more harm than good.

“If Thou Wouldst Preserve A Sound Body, Use Fasting And Walking; If A Healthful Soul, Fasting And Praying; Walking Exercises The Body, Praying Exercises The Soul, Fasting Cleanses Both.”
~ Francis Quarles

Spiritual Fasting

When the body is cleansed, the spirit is uplifted. The two go hand-in-hand. Fasting allows our souls to be less attached to our bodies and minds. It improves our vibration and helps us feel more connected to ourselves and others.

Almost every spiritual and religious tradition in the world mentions fasting as an essential activity for spiritual growth. It’s found 87 times in the Bible. Socrates and Plato fasted so they could purify their minds and spirits in pursuit of the truth.

Native Americans fast either in private or during public rituals. Indian fasts generally include abstinence from food and water, and they often enhance spiritual visions. In addition to a clearer state of mind and heart, fasts are also a way to rid the body and spirit of toxins accrued when interacting with society and the everyday world.

Kundalini Yogis encourage regular fasting because it allows the spirit to traverse the chakras and connect with the eternal consciousness. This allows energy to flow through the body without hindrance. When done in conjunction with Kundalini yoga, intermittent fasting can also improve the immune system.

When doing vision quests in the wilderness and other rituals, I’ve found it vital to fast the majority of the time. The idea here is to put my spirit in a state of wakefulness so that I can connect with my spirit guides and be more in tune with my surroundings.

During my first vision quest, I was so in tune and connected, I was able to attract peaceful bears, mountain lions, wild turkeys, and other animals to my sleeping/ritual sites. I felt genuinely peaceful, which inspired the animals to feel the same.​
One early morning, I must have been profoundly awake and aware because a big black bear encouraged me to wrestle with him. He was so loving and playful. I attribute these amazing experiences partly to fasting.
Feeling bright and awake allows our spirits to connect to several dimensions and to vibrate at higher frequencies. This, in turn, improves our health and relationships.

Intermittent Fasting Benefits

If you’d like to lower your risk for disease, intermittent fasting can improve the health of your brain, lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and it can reduce the chance of obesity. Some studies show that intermittent fasting can reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes, while other studies show that your metabolic health can be put at risk, increasing the risk of diabetes.

Alternative medical doctors, who are trained in both eastern and western medicine might be able to understand your specific needs so they can prescribe the type of fast to give you the benefits you’re seeking, while also preventing you from hurting yourself.​

While intermittent fasting is not a cure-all, and the data is based mainly on scientific trials focused on mice, many agree that intermittent fasting does wonders.​

Many say it can:

• Ease depression
• Improve memory
• Increase vitality
• Reduce inflammation
• Reduce your weight or slow weight gain
• Reduce the growth speed of cancer
• Protect your neurons
• Remove damaged brain cells and generate new ones
• Help reduce attachment to emotional and psychological luggage.
• Improve your experience when praying and meditating

In general, even a little fasting here and there is shown to have positive effects. If you have gut issues or adrenal fatigue, proceed with caution.

Intermittent Fasting Science

One of the most remarkable benefits of intermittent fasting is that it has a positive effect on your mitochondrial networks, the fuel for your cells, by helping it remain fused. This undoubtedly improves energy, which can have positive effects on memory, longevity, and health challenges related to aging.
While intermittent fasting is trending, and many people are posting positive effects from their fasts, the research has mostly been conducted on mice.​

The hope is that intermittent fasting isn’t just a fad and that it has proven, lasting effects. Fasting research is on the rise. The hope is that more and more trials involving humans will be funded.

The Dangers Of Intermittent Fasting

Studies have shown that intermittent fasting if done incorrectly, can cause a person to have a net gain in weight. When you fast for a couple of days, and then binge on beer and pasta, chances are, you’ll do more harm than good.

Intermittent fasting may increase insulin levels, put pancreatic cells at risk, cause unnecessary fatigue, and add to your belly fat. A new study suggests that intermittent fasting, while often producing positive results, can harm metabolic health and cause Metabolic Syndrome.

​When we have poor metabolic health or Metabolic Syndrome, we are at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. See your doctor to ensure that you have the proper levels of blood sugar, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, and blood pressure.​
When you conclude your fast, your body might be oversensitive to the foods you eat. Be aware of your allergies and eat only whole, natural, unprocessed foods, at least for several days. Hydration is the key.
In all fasting, be careful about “starvation mode,” when your body starts to conserve energy by reducing the number of calories it burns. Starvation mode is something to avoid. It can cause your body to stop losing weight, and it will most often make you feel depressed, angry, lost, confused or worse. It might also have other negative effects.​

Just in case, notify a few friends before you fast. Texting a friend is quick and easy, “Hey, I’m fasting. If I die, you can have my toaster!”

Whether it was engineered at a clandestine lab or it naturally emerged from interactions between animals and humans, the coronavirus will be with us for some time. While it might spread more akin to a drip-feed than surge, caution (not panic) is recommended, especially for those who are elderly or health-compromised.

The official name of the 2019 novel coronavirus is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The associated disease is known as COVID-19. Hundreds of scientists have confirmed that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin. As of this writing, there is no vaccine or cure for the coronavirus.

A Few Facts About COVID-19

There are many conspiracy theories about the coronavirus, most of which are based on irrational thinking, political propaganda, fear, and racism. These theories cover a broad range of ideas, from “Bill Gates is using his man-made disease to reduce world population and to gain profit” to “it was created by Democrats to bring down Donald Trump.” Spreading this type of misinformation during a health crisis can be extremely dangerous, not to mention a waste of time. It might even prevent the weak and infected from seeking the help they need to live.

If you’re lost in the insanity weeds and would like to return to a noble and defensible reality, consider these facts:

COVID-19 is a pneumonia of unknown cause, first reported in Wuhan, China,  on Dec 31, 2019, and is now reported to be in over 100 countries. Dozens of research scientists, labs, and companies have identified the genetic sequence of the coronavirus and are working on a vaccine.

Symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, muscle pain, and feeling unusually tired with an incubation period between two and 14 days. Some cases include vomiting and diarrhea. The more extreme cases result in severe pneumonia and renal (kidney) failure, which can lead to death.

The virus can live and thrive for up to a full day on your kitchen counter, door handles, and other objects. It (so far) cannot sustain itself in the air for long. This means that unless someone spits, coughs, or sneezes in your direction, you might not be at risk. To some, the verdict is still out on this idea.

The coronavirus is an intense and deadly flu, far more dangerous than viruses from recent history, and nothing like the common cold. While preliminary reports state that COVID-19 results in five to 20 deaths per 1000 (depending on the source), the common cold does not have a mortality rate. Even if the virus ranges from one to five deaths per 1000, it’s a pandemic, which means the disease could spread to millions of people within a relatively short period.

A few weeks ago, China’s CDC reported that 2.3% of confirmed cases died, but this number could be misleading, as not all cases are reported. To date, of people age 80 and over, 14.8% have died. The fatality rate for people in their 50s is 1.3%, 0.4% for folks in their 40s, and 0.2% in people aged 10 to 39. As more data is reported and analyzed throughout the world, we will likely see a shift in these numbers.

Children tend not to die from the disease, but the elderly, and those with medical conditions like heart, lung, or kidney disease, and those who are societally disenfranchised, are far more vulnerable than other segments.

University of Nebraska’s Dr. Kevin Lawler, who’s received a bit of flack for his leaked presentation to hospitals, estimates there will be over 4.8 million total hospitalizations from the coronavirus, 96 million US cases, 480,000 deaths, and a flu season that’s 10X more severe than usual. While it’s important to understand the varying levels of potential risk, only time will tell.

Comparable flu statistics: For this flu season, which began in the fall of 2019, there have been 34 million flu diagnoses, 350,000 hospitalizations, and 20,000 deaths. Given the current trend of COVID-19, we can expect the coronavirus to exceed the flu by a factor of at least 3. Some say, when compared to the flu, COVID-19 could net 10-20X the results.

While holy roller Jim Bakker promotes the unproven idea that the consumption of silver or praying to Jesus will eradicate the coronavirus, keep your eyes glued on the data and scientific facts. There is a wealth of information available on the CDC and WHO websites.

Protecting Your Health

At some point, COVID-19 might become a slight or moderate threat to you and your family. Keep in mind that only you know what is best in terms of precaution and preparedness. As such, some of these ideas could be helpful to you and those you love:

• If you’re sick, stay home for the week. If you’re feeling a little “under the weather,” consider staying home for at least one day to see if your symptoms are escalating.
• Regularly wash your hands with soap for 20+ seconds.
• Wipe your phone with a disinfectant wipe at least twice per day.
• Regularly use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. You might consider researching how to make your own with aloe vera.
• Keep a personal towel (that only you use) to dry your hands, or dry them with a paper towel or air dryer.
• Do not directly touch or rub your eyes with your hands. Do not rub your lips, wipe your mouth with your hands, pick your teeth, or pick your nose. Keep your fingers away from your face.
• Limit your time in crowded places. Consider canceling group events and parties.
• Consider traveling by car or air, instead of by train. It’s best to prioritize your transportation modalities in this order: walk/bike, car, plane, then train.
• It might be best to avoid carpools during this time.
• Working from home during time is preferable. Consider replacing some of your regular business meetings with videoconferences.

Additionally:

• For a time, consider refraining from using holy water and other sacred ritual items at churches, temples, ashrams, mosques, ceremonies, and religious events.
• If you begin to display symptoms, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or paper towel so that you can protect others from also becoming sick. Consider wearing a mask.
• If someone is coughing or sneezing, and you’re not clear on what’s happening for them, to be safe, leave the room.
• Sleep at least 8 hours per night, exercise, eat healthy meals, meditate and pray.
• Drink lots of fluids.
• Thoroughly wash vegetables before cooking or consuming.
• To give your health and immune system a boost, reduce your sugar intake.
• Frequently wipe down surfaces with disinfectant wipes.
• Avoid sharing personal items with others.
• Consider taking immune system boosters like Elderberry, Spirulina, Wheatgrass, Barley grass, and other superfoods to improve your immune system and energy, and give yourself a fighting chance.
• If you’re on any regular medication, try to source a few extra week’s supplies of prescriptions and antibiotics.
• For a time, replace handshakes, hugs, and kisses with waving, saluting, bowing, applauding, nodding the head, and winking. In general, avoid close contact with others. The safest bet is to keep a distance of at least 3 feet during this time.
• In crowded areas, consider temporarily wearing a simple N95 or N99 mask. For the sake of ensuring that hospitals have ample supply, refrain from hoarding masks.
• Create a separate, protected space for potentially sick household members.
• Keep apprised of your city’s plan to counteract the challenges surrounding the spread of disease and related emergencies.
• Don’t obsess over risks and fears; instead, focus on preparedness, preventive care, loving yourself and others, and staying healthy.
• To counterbalance potential drama and stress, find time to laugh, play, and pray with loved ones.

Prepping Your Home

When large populations become physically ill, there can be changes in local, state, and national operations. While it’s never helpful to panic, it can be advantageous to prepare (with limits). If some of these ideas are interesting to you, be thoughtful, methodical, and careful in your planning. While parts of this list might not be required at this time, if you live alone, a few of these ideas could save your life.

• Store an additional 1-month supply of food, including lots of vegetables, dried or frozen meats, meat alternatives, canned goods, and pickled eggs. Consider canning and jarring your favorite vegetables so that you never run out of nutrient-rich food.
• Consider storing 2 weeks’ worth of water, just in case something happens to your plumbing while you’re sick or in case there’s a temporary change in how local utility companies function.
• In light of a possible power outage, have a collection of candles, flashlights, and batteries on hand.
• Stock 1-2 months of nonprescription drugs and other healing supplies, including vitamins (especially vitamin C), soothing herbs and lotions, cotton swabs, rubbing/disinfectant alcohol, herbal pain relievers, essential oils, stomach remedies, and cold medicines.
• Buy an advanced first aid kit.
• Source your health records from hospitals, doctors, chiropractors, dentists, and other health professionals. If possible, keep them handy and in printable formats.
• Have a backup plan for your video, streaming, and internet services. For example, you can have a Zoom account with a backup Skype account. Add a mobile hotspot to your phone line to remedy any temporary internet outages.

In all things, seek the best for yourself and your loved ones. Care for your friends and neighbors when you are able. While there are challenges ahead, this is a great time to pray, spend time alone, work on creative projects, start a home business, love-up your family, and curl up with a favorite book. As always, it’s best to refrain from fear and panic, while ever reaching toward peacefulness, forgiveness, and love.

From all the media hype and misinformation, and all the streams of helpful insights pouring into your social media feeds, you might simply choose to use the coronavirus as a provocation to improve one aspect of your life: your diet, your exercise regimen, your relationships, or your meditation and prayer practices. When we focus on happiness and personal improvement, we increase our vibrations and thereby improve our states of mind and health.

As humankind continues to massacre the earth and haunt its many creatures, we will see more challenges and viruses in the years ahead. Stay healthy, positive, and informed. Try to be prepared, while also loving, thriving, and living in the moment.

On a lighter note, you might enjoy this COVID-19 safety video from the Vietnam government, promoted by The World Health Organization.

For the latest and most accurate information, please visit the WHO and CDC websites. Always root for science – it’s our ally!

Wishing you health and happiness, always!

Most of us struggle when trying to limit our consumption of meat, sugar, and caffeine. We’ll whine when our alarm goes off in the morning. When we stub our toe or prick our finger, we gasp and yelp like a five-year-old. We’ll then complain about our tiny pain for the rest of the day.​ Enter The Ice Man or just “Iceman.” After surviving his wife’s suicide, Wim Hof raised his four children alone. With deep pain and sadness as his motivation, he learned to hold his breath for 10 minutes, swim naked beneath thick ice, and set world records. To date, he is the proud owner of 26.

“I Think Of The Cold As A Noble Force. It’s Just Helping Me. It’s Training Me. It’s Bringing Me Back To The Inner Nature, The Way It Was Meant To Be.”
— Wim Hof

Here’s a sampling of facts about The Iceman:

• He ran a marathon in a desert with no training or water. When he emerged victoriously, he rehydrated by drinking beer for a few hours with friends
• He’s a Yoga master
• An expert in nutrition, he has eaten just one meal a day for 38 years
• He can control his heart rate and hormonal system through breath and meditation
• He learned to speak ten languages without the use of any apps

The Iceman was born as Wim Hof on April 20, 1959, in The Netherlands. With nine siblings, one of whom is a twin, Wim had to fight hard to stand out. He also had to quickly learn to defend himself from teasing and abuse throughout his childhood.​
At age 17, digging deep within himself, Wim became an extreme sportsman. It all began with a spontaneous jump into a freezing cold canal. The Iceman was born.

The Wim Hof Method

When you’ve endured near-freezing water for just shy of an hour, run Arctic marathons in your bare feet, swam like a madman under a lake’s thick ice for what seemed like an eternity, and learned to control your sex drive, you have but one thing left to do: launch a method so others can do the same.

​The Wim Hof Breathing Method was not initially created through academic research or scientific experiments. It wasn’t established by channeling information from aliens or Gods. The science of the Wim Hof Method was born from personal experience.​

Imagine if all health, healing, and endurance modalities could be developed in this fashion: no red tape, no government approval – just cold hard facts born from focused obsession.

“I Do Not Only Endure The Cold; I Love The Cold.”
— Wim Hof

Wim Hof’s website is chock full of information about his processes and experiences, including free instructions on his unique breathing method, known to fans as the WHM (Wim Hof Method).

Here’s a brief description of the WHM:

• Sit comfortably with your back straight.
• Take 30 quickened breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through the mouth.
• After the quickened breaths, take one long, deep breath. Hold it for as long as you can.
• When you feel the need to breathe inwardly, inhale deeply. Hold this breath for 10 seconds.
• Repeat this process as many times as you’d like.

From a Kundalini perspective, this will open up your air passages and awaken your power center. You’ll immediately feel better.

In addition to his breathing method, Hof believes that repeated exposure to cold air or cold water will stimulate the immune system and improve your health. You can learn more about this on his website.

Wim Hof Method Benefits

According to Hof’s website, WHM has a long list of benefits, including but not limited to:

• Stress reduction
• Faster recovery from physical exertion
• Better sleep
• Improved sports performance
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved integration of pain
• Enhanced metabolic activity
• Increased energy
• Heightened focus and determination
• Increased willpower
• Enhanced creativity
• More focus and mental clarity
• Greater cold tolerance
• Stronger immune system
• Potential reduction of symptoms from rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, asthma, sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and several autoimmune diseases.

Wim Hof Quotes

Wim Hof is known for his inspirational talks, beliefs, and procedures. Here are a few gems that Hof has shared in recent years:

• “If you can learn how to use your mind, anything is possible.”
• “In the Bhagavad Gita, they say, ‘The mind under control is your best friend, the mind wandering about is your worst enemy.’ Make it your best friend, to the point where you can rely on it. Your mind makes you strong from within. It is your wise companion. The sacrifices you make will be rewarded. Life doesn’t change, but your perception does. It’s all about what you focus on. Withdraw from the world’s influence and no longer be controlled by your emotions. If you can grab the wheel of your mind, you can steer the direction of where your life will go.”
• “Ask yourself, ‘Have I ever experienced the wonders of life?’ Meditate about it. Meditation helps your spirit bloom like a beautiful flower. The experience can be beautiful and great. Poetry is the language of the soul. So listen. Life is like a dewdrop on a grass leaf. When it slips away, it’s gone forever.”
• “We can do more than what we think. It’s a belief system that I have adopted, and it has become my motto. There is more than meets the eye, and unless you are willing to experience new things, you’ll never realize your full potential.”
• “Fear does not go away by itself. You have to confront your fear, mold it, then learn to control it in its own irrational reality. Every human being has the power to do just that. To go deep within and confront your inner being is a powerful act. Going deep and developing the will power is the only way.”
• “Once you know the way to your spiritual destiny, you can change. Once you realize that there are no limits in your mind, once you realize there are no boundaries to what is possible, you can change.”

“I Do Not Fear Death; I Fear Not To Live Fully.”
— Wim Hof

Wim Hof Diet And Philosophy

Hof states that his methods are based on three core principles: breathing, exposure to cold, and commitment. Hof says, “Together, these three pillars provide you with a means to take control over your own body and to battle stress, fatigue, and many other obstacles in life.”

While becoming The Iceman, Hof also established a dietary routine in a form similar to The Fast-5 Diet outlined by Bert Herring. The rules of this diet are simple and akin to intermittent fasting: eat within five consecutive hours, every day. Herring says that integrating intermittent fasting into a daily routine “gets appetites working like they should — reducing intake if you have excess fat and maintaining a healthy weight if you don’t.”

If you’re ready to take your life (and immune system) to the next level, you can enroll in Wim Hof’s latest video course offerings. The new course consists of 10 major themes:

• Going Deep
• Stress Control
• Energy Management
• Inflammation
• Endurance
• Longevity
• Under Pressure
• Spirituality
• Creativity
• Life Adventure

Wim Hof explains that it is each of us who harnesses the power within. He’s designed these courses so that initiates will advance themselves physically, mentally, and spiritually. Hof hopes that every participant will gain more peace, strength, and control over their energy and happiness.

Covid-19 In All Its Glory: A Shutterstock Licensed Image

The official name of the 2019 novel coronavirus is Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), resulting in a disease known as COVID-19. It’s been a wild ride for this virus, and the butt of many jokes. The mystery surrounding its origins has given birth to a variety of home-spun conspiracy theories. This includes, “All Chinese people eat bat soup,” “you can drink bleach or liquid silver to immediately kill the virus,” and “this is all media hype, the virus is no worse than the common cold.” This is what happens when good people follow misguided politicians, ideologies, and media stars, instead of cold, hard facts, and science.

There are a variety of ways you can contract COVID-19, but the most likely route is from particles in the air. You can also get it when touching someone’s hand or an object that has the virus on its surface, and then touching your face. Washing your hands several times a day, and especially after personal interactions, should be part of your preventative care plan. That said, it’s best to stay home and hibernate, wash your mail, incoming packages, and be extremely careful when engaging other people. Keep a distance of at least 6 ft.

This virus is infinitely more dangerous than the common cold (the common cold does not have a mortality rate) and probably 10-20X more dangerous than the flu. There are also signs that the virus comes in different forms, each one requiring different treatments. This is why some people have no symptoms and others experience extreme complications at the onset and eventually die. Given the mayhem, it’ll be helpful to understand how this virus could affect your body and life. Read about coronavirus here.

The 5 Phases of COVID-19

Here’s a 5-phase, fictional, personal journey that imagines what happens when the coronavirus makes its way into the human body. I sourced these feelings and experiences from a variety of first-hand accounts in Italy and China. I wrote them as first-person monologues so that you can feel into the experience and personally relate with them. I did this because, as an empath, I wasn’t feeling connected to the popular, bulleted lists that attempt to outline what patients are experiencing. While not everyone has the same journey or the same vulnerabilities, I hope these short speeches give you a few insights into what it might feel like when someone contracts COVID-19. Thanks for going along with this theatrical style. I hope it’s helpful to you.

Stage 1 – The Common Cold

“I guess it’s day two or three of not feeling so well. I have your typical runny nose, feel a bit stuffed-up, and my throat feels unusually scratchy. It sounds like a cold to me! Oh, and I’m quite congested, so I tend to cough a bit here and there. Yeah, I’ve got the usual body aches and a bit of a headache, but at least it’s not a migraine. Feeling a little warm, but not super-feverish. Since I pushed hard yesterday, I’m not going into work today. I’m going to hydrate, grab some vitamin C, and take a 3-hour nap. That should do it!”

Stage 2 – I’m 100% Recovered!
“As I said, a little C and a little nap, and I’m 100% recovered. I don’t know what all the hype is about, but I’m certain I’ve recovered. I nearly bought 150 rolls of toilet paper and a diesel generator! How silly can I be! Must’ve been the fever. I’m going to take a little walk, grab some lunch, and head back to the office a little late. I feel like I was such a wimp, but being on the mend feels great!”

Stage 3 – Wait, I’ve Got The Flu
“I definitely have a fever. And these chills don’t feel so good. I’m coughing like I invented it, and my throat feels like it’s lined with gravel. My nose drips like a faucet, and my muscles ache from head to toe. Apparently, I’ve got a weak immune system. And all of a sudden, I’m increasingly short of breath. Not going to the doc’s today as I’m sure this is temporary. So much for exercise and kale! I must’ve caught this bug at that luncheon a few days ago. I got my flu shot, but somehow I’m in the 65% who don’t respond to it. This headache and diarrhea have wiped me out. I’ll bet if I rest a bit, I won’t feel so exhausted tomorrow. Hopefully, this flu has a short shelf-life.”

Stage 4 – Actually, It’s Pneumonia!
“I hate going to the doctors, but he just confirmed that I have a 104-degree fever and pneumonia. And this headache feels more like a migraine. Tests came back, but as a flu, but as the disease COVID-19. I’m freaking out. I’m coughing-up a bio lab’s level of green phlegm, and it feels like I’m storing 5 gallons of water in my chest. My chills could cool a six-pack. This is not a good day. I don’t want to eat, I’m breathing too fast, my heart hurts, and I’m sweating like a roasted pig. My sweetheart said my lips sometimes turn a little blue. That can’t be a good thing. When my grandpa had pneumonia, he said he was confused all the time, so I’m thankful to be in my mid-40s! Not much I can do but cough, sleep, and massage my chest. Gosh, I hope I’m okay. Am I okay? At this point. I have no idea.”

Stage 5 – This Is Far Worse Than Pneumonia.
“Since breathing became difficult, I lost my senses of taste and smell, and my brain now feels swollen, so the doc checked me into intensive care. Feels like I’m breathing through a clogged straw. I can barely type. Sometimes I fear for my life and start to feel a bit lost and confused. Makes me appreciate the most important parts of my day – breathing! While nobody is telling me that I’m going to die, my doc says I’m not out of the woods yet. Ugh, look at these machines around me.”

Stage 6 – A Fork In The Road
45 year old in moderately good health: “It’s day 3 in intensive care, and day 12 of me not feeling so hot. The good news is that I feel a tiny bit better today. That said, things still feel a little dicey. The doc assured me that I’m on the tail end of this awful virus and that I’ll most likely recover to 80% within a few days. He also said that I might continue to experience some lung challenges or damage, and that only time will tell. I swear to God, for a time, I felt like I was going to die. I’m grateful for science, global data, hospitals, my awesome doctors at home – and these folks right here at the hospital! GOD BLESS YOU ALL! GO, SCIENCE!”

71 yr old with prior respiratory and kidney problems: “I arrived this morning feeling nervous. With a pounding head, all this phlegm with what feels like water in my lungs, and needing to be on a machine to breathe, I’m deeply worried. Feeling anxious. Can’t sleep and I’m so foggy all the time. My doctor says my kidneys are extremely vulnerable. She also said my lungs are struggling. I’ve invited my family to be with me today so that we can make some decisions together. Seems there are some emerging therapies, but no vaccines will be available for quite some time. I’m praying, and I’m feeling gratitude for my beautiful family.”

For A Faster Recovery, Be Healthy Right Now

While the above exploration isn’t precise, I hope it gives you a better understanding of the severity and potential variances for those who contract COVID-19. In all cases, prior good health, exercise, and nutrition seem to play important parts, not only during the peaks of the challenges but also in the length of time it takes to recover.

In all pursuits, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, finding ways to be relaxed, peaceful, and loving go a long way. Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) can inspire quickened emotional and spiritual evolution. As we evolve our souls, we improve the vibrations of our bodies. With positive thoughts and intentions, we improve our states of mind. If we can also enhance our diets and exercise routines, we can put ourselves in the best possible positions for smooth journeys ahead.

Good News In The Works

A few positive byproducts of the virus include far less pollution throughout the world, a drastic reduction in fracking, an industry which is now on the verge of collapse, many plastics companies are on their last breaths, and we have more time to focus on our relationships and spirituality. And even though it could take 8-18 months to become available to the general public, there is progress toward a vaccine.

While there no antiviral drugs have definitively proven successful in treating the virus, there are many companies and thousands of scientists around the world working on a vaccine. Many of these brilliant people are also being offered company and government incentives and bonuses if they find success.

Several medications and procedures have shown promise in curbing symptoms, reducing recovery time, and improving lung conditions, like the drug favipiravir. New York is testing an old Spanish Flu procedure where the plasma of recovered patients is injected into those who have the virus. While it’s not a cure, it promises to speed-up recovery. Taking other suggested drugs have shown mixed results, like hydroxychloroquine, which resulted in a death. Gilead Sciences’ antiviral drug remdesivir has shown promise as potentially having cured a small number of people, but not all of the people who took the drug improved.

As industry icons and Fortune 1000 brands promise to manufacture masks and build ventilators, states are stepping-up. Colorado will soon receive 100,000 new test kits that utilize finger pricks, rather than the traditional sinus swab. The company Everlywell has recently launched a new home test kit for hospital and medical workers, which will be available to the general public in the coming weeks. And although the US federal government continues to ignore data, doctors, and science, most governors are directing their citizens to stay home. The result: people are listening and it’s working.

One thing is certain: Social distancing flattens the curve, which has proven successful in states like Washington and New York. Meanwhile, New Jersey, California, Oregon, Colorado, and other states have followed suit, telling their citizens to stay home, and putting all non-essential state operations and businesses on hold. You can see the results of social distancing in this phenomenal, animated infographic which successfully illustrates how a disease like COVID-19 can spread so quickly: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

As news continues to filter through your feeds and as you learn more about COVID-19, be aware that our bodies are remarkably resilient, even in our later years. The most crucial thing for you to do now is to protect yourself and your loved ones:

• Stay home, isolate, and quarantine
• If you must be social, keep distances at 6 ft or more
• Cancel all travel plans
• Cancel all child and friend playdates 
• Get comfortable with video conferencing on Zoom, Skype, Join.me, and others
• Wash your hands throughout the day, 20 seconds at a clip
• Eat healthily and get lots of rest
• Take supplements and eat greens to improve your immune system 
• Wash all incoming packages before opening, including mail and meal deliveries
• Use this time to meditate, forgive others, find peace, create, and expand
• Love the ones nearest to you 
• Pray for the world

I wish all of you good health and lots of light in your lives. Please be diligent in your preparations, and stay informed! Remember, this, too, shall pass.