Nutrition, Daniel Reid, Training and the Old Masters

[I am...]

A lot of modern folk, of which martial artists are a part, are fighting a battle against the rampant killer of chronic disease - heart disease, cancers, diabetes and more, often far more persistant and deadly than those bad guys in the shadows who we are going to 'flowing body palm' or plain old choke out of existance....

Several of the Chinese masters i know have had serious heart disease from eating too much fatty foods such as pork, others have terrible diets but somehow the practice seems to keep them hearty and vibrant in their eighties. Wang Ji Wu in his his XYQ book gives great advice which is worth reading about diet and practice, hygene and habits of living.

I like Daniel Reids books but i do wonder some of his advice such as -

- soya lecithin is great for health (i thought it a entirely artificial product?)
- soya will wreck out immune systems and give us cancer (i thought all studies have showed its great benefits)


How many of you consider nutrition and use of herbs as a vital part of your training ?

Anyone here experimented with raw or vegetarian diet? If so, did you find your energy levels increase or decrease?

In your lineage, did the old masters give advice about nutrition? eating according to seasons?

Japanese vs Chinese diet of old and new , pros and cons?

Any input and feedback is much appreciated, thank you.

Alex

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/

As for lineage specific stuff: Don't sleep too much, learn to eat only as much as your body wants, and break a good sweat regularly. In depth info on eating with the seasons can be found in books by Chu Hok Ting.

[Bob]

http://www.healthy-chinese-recipe.com/index.html

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I have found here recipes to be excellent and her information very useful for eating with the seasons.

[RobP2]

I tend to follow a few basic ideas - eat in moderation, listen to what your body tells you, an occasional fast, an occasional indulgence, keep hydrated, keep active andmost of all keep happy - enjoy your food!

[C.J.Wang]

.

CJ Wang - so is health store soy milk raw or cooked ? is the dojang (sp?) you find across asia the same ??
.

Yes, I believe that health store soy milk is all pateurized. The difference is that here in the States it is usually added with vitamins and artificial flavoing to make it more palatable to fit American taste bud.

I prefer making my own soy milk.

[alexsuffolk]

Thanks to everyone so far, some great imput.


Two of the most useful books i have seen which contain both the aquired folk wisdom of countless generations and the scientific analysis of why those people are so healthy into old age -

The Mediterranean Diet

and

The China Study


highly recommended!

[zenshiite]

In a sense, nutrition is part of my training. If I want to train hard, I need to be healthy and energized. That means eating right. I feel that proper nutrition is more part of my daily life though. It's not just for my training.

I've been vegetarian for over 10 years at this point. Going vegetarian actually increased my energy levels, probably since it was a conscious change that really cleaned up my diet. I've had no issues maintaining my energy and increasing my strength relative to my meat-eating friends. The biggest issue I've had with being vegetarian has been social. I get grief from some of my carnivorous friends, and it's not always easy to find vegetarian options when eating out.

In regards to soy, my reading so far has been that highly processed soy (like the "soy protein isolate" you find in protein bars) isn't that good for you. The stuff that's not industrially processed, particularly the fermented products like miso and tempeh, are fine.

Depending on how far you want to drive from Lancaster... there's some seriously good shit in PA, vegan Chinese wise. Closest to you, to my knowledge anyways, is probably SuTao in Malvern PA. Still a bit of a drive, but soooooo good.

I've been largely vegan for 10 years now, and I can say my energy levels fluctuate depending on the quality of my diet. If I'm on a junk food kick I'm absolutely beat. And sometimes I do that, find a good source for vegan doughnuts and I'm going to get hooked up for a while. Energy isn't my problem, overcoming my natural tendency towards laziness is.

[wiesiek]

Most important fact:
-there is no one kind of good diet for everone
you have to find it for yourself!
1st clean body internaly
2nd eat everything carrefully and don`t mix food in one meal
this is the only way to find out what is good for you personally.

Reid books are very good starting points
however personal experience is what count the most in such case.

Raw food:
i drink a lot of fresch juices /homemade/- 60-80% of all my food,
from time to time 7 days ONLY juce
and i`m not stricty vegetarian

remember most important points:
- fruit/juice -1st meal of the day
- do not mix meat and bread in one meal
- sweets always separate

ps
i`m 53 right now , but i always get 20-25 years less in somebody 1st evaluation
ps.2.:
herbs and food suplements:
somebody close to you/ shifu, TCMdoc./ have to help you in this matter - lot of traditional herbal formulas are avalible
but better get the advice from somebody who knows your body present needs.

[wiesiek]

P.S.3
and
i don`t recomend Reid`s "cooking directions book " /part of his work/
`cause i never try any of them
my menu is much simpler