Healing your Eating Disorder Anorexia Bulimia Nervosa with AHmed Hulusi

There are certain people who appeal to us in our short span of life and they mesmerize us simply by their style, caliber and innate charisma.

With my losing battle with eating disorder, I came across Ahmed Hulusi and learnt one thing that the voice inside my head belonged to someone who was purely menace and destructive. Ahmed Hulusi is a Sufi, a scholar from the Mevalana's heartland of Turkey. He is demure, quiet and befittingly carries an aura of saint around him. His humbleness, knowledge, intellect and wisdom appealed to me.

In many ways, it was his book A guide to prayer and Dhikr, that got me through the darkest days of anorexia nervosa. I have to admit his work is complex and astoundingly brilliant. It pushes the boundaries of limited human intellect. Turkey has produced great Sufi saints throughout the course of history, but Ahmed Hulusi has a status of his own. We are lucky to have him in our world.

In eating disorder you cannot control your mind, in fact its your disorder that controls you. According to Dr Irina Webster subconscious mind is the mind beneath or beyond conscious awareness. In the case of eating disorders for most people, the behavior or the sufferer seems very illogical and strange. And many sufferers do understand what they are doing is not right, but they still continue to do these things. This is because their sub conscious tells them to and they cant stop. The subconscious always wins.

No wonder a person feels detached from mercies of God, when their mind is constantly in a state of confusion and destruction.

To recover

According to Karen Philips in order to recover from your eating disorder, "the cortex, which is the conscious part of the brain, should influence the limbic system, which does not have conscious thought."

I agree with her (in my case) that " most  eating  disorders  are  a  learned  behavior.  Initially you taught  yourself  to  diet,  or  to  become  slim.  Initially  it  was  your own  conscious  decision  to  lose  weight  because  you  wanted  to look better. This conscious decision was made by your cortex and sent  to  your  limbic  system,  which  gave  you  feelings  (like feeling good about yourself when you become slim). So,  what  you  need  to  do  is  reverse  this;  you  (or  your  cortex) should  make  another  decision  (about  changing  your  own  image and feelings that you have now, like starving yourself or purging, back  to  a  normal  response)  and  send  this  signal  to  your  limbic system  to  foster  good  feelings  about  this  new  decision  you  have just made."
How  do you do it? In my case as Ahmed Hulusi said: practice known as Dhikr. Imam Ghazali said: "There has to be a balance in everything, except dhikr of Allah which needs to be constant/often."

Ahmed Hulusi said:

Religion is not for attaining worldly sovereignty. In Jesus’ words, it is to attain “the kingdom of heaven.” And this is only possible by reaching the essential reality of one’s self.

How can one attain knowledge of the self?

Via the brain, of course!

Our success will be determined by the extent to which we use our brain’s capacity. The wider the scope of our reflective capacity, the more objectively we can view things and the stronger our spirits will get, allowing us to know the reality of Allah.

But how will such progress take place in the brain?

Through the practice known as dhikr!

I believe Dhikr is the key to defeating the demon inside my brain. Ahmed Hulusi emphasized on changing your mind through recitation of certain names of Allah. Shaykh Hamid Hasan of the Naqshbandi-Mujaddidi tariqah in New Delhi helped me in this matter.

In eating disorder treatments, hypnotherapy, counseling, meditations are highly recommended . All the holistic methods and prescription medicines such as fluoxetine (Prozac) are there to silence and control this voice inside person's mind . I find controlling that voice through Dhikr is much easier.

We all humans are weak, but with the combination of right foods, tawakul and Dhikr, Inshallah nothing is unattainable, especially the war against eating disorder.

Read the article below by Ahmed Hulusi on Dhikr

What Is DHIKR

Religion is not for attaining worldly sovereignty. In Jesus’ words, it is to attain “the kingdom of heaven.” And this is only possible by reaching the essential reality of one’s self.

How can one attain knowledge of the self?

Via the brain, of course!

Our success will be determined by the extent to which we use our brain’s capacity. The wider the scope of our reflective capacity, the more objectively we can view things and the stronger our spirits will get, allowing us to know the reality of Allah.

But how will such progress take place in the brain?

Through the practice known as dhikr!

Indeed, dhikris the key to all of the above.

Primarily, dhikr is known to be a repetition of certain prayers and names of Allah. Its second meaning entails remembrance and to reflect on. Furthermore, it means to elaborate and dwell on a meaning such that it yields deep, comprehensive contemplation.

Here are some verses from the Quran in regards to the importance of dhikr:

“O believers! Let not your worldly goods or your children make you oblivious of the remembrance of Allah (the remembrance of your essential self, and the necessary practices that accompany this). And whoever does this – it is they who are the losers!” (Quran 63:9)

“They (the objects/idols of their worship) will say, ‘Subhan[1] you are! It is not possible for us to take besides You any allies. But when You provided comforts for them and their fathers, they forgot the knowledge of reality and indulged in bodily pleasures which eventually led to their ruin.’” (Quran 25:18)

“And whoever is blinded (with external things) from remembering that his essential composition is composed of the names of Allah, and thus from living the requirements of this, (Rahman) We appoint for him a devil (a delusion; the idea that he is only the physical body and that life should be lived in pursuit of bodily pleasures) and this (belief) will become his (new) identity! And indeed, these will avert them from the way [of guidance; the path to reality] while they think that they are [rightly] guided!” (Quran 43:36-37)

“Satan (corporeality; the idea of being just the physical body) has overcome them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah (their own reality of which they have been reminded, and that they will abandon their bodies and live for eternity as ‘consciousness’ comprised of Allah’s names!) Those are the acquaintances of Satan (the advocates of corporeality, those who only think of themselves as the physical body). Beware, for most assuredly, the party of Satan will be the very losers!” (Quran 58:19)

The absence of remembrance in the form of dhikr is probably the biggest lack in our lives. Those whose brains are deprived of the power of dhikr are easily susceptible to the manipulations of the jinni.

Being under the influence of Satan denotes a much bigger reality than one may assume. The Quran clearly states that the majority of the human race is under the direct manipulation of the jinni:

“The day when Allah resurrects them all, He will say to them: ‘O community of jinn, you have truly possessed (misled from reality) most of mankind.’” (Quran 6:128)

The only and most powerful weapon man has against the jinni, who appear most often in the guise of aliens or extraterrestrial beings,is dhikr.

The most observable feature of those who are under the influence of the jinni is the absurdity of their speech, which lacks logical uniformity and is contradictory.

The Quran advises reciting the following verses as a dhikr or as prayer to be protected from them:

“Rabbi inni massaniyash shaytanu bi nusbin we adhab; Rabbi audhu bika min hamazatish shayatini wa audhu bika Rabbi an yahdurun wa hifzan min kulli shaytanin marid” (Quran 38:41, 23:97-98, 37:7)

“He called to his Rabb (the reality of the Names comprising his essence), ‘Indeed, Satan (the feeling of being this body) has given me hardship and torment.’”

“And say, ‘My Rabb! I seek refuge in You (the protective names within my essence) from the incitements of the satans (that call to corporeality). And I seek refuge in You (the protective names within my essence) my Rabb, lest they be present with me.’”

“We protected the nearest heaven (earth’s atmosphere) from every rebellious satan.”

Cigarettes are the most prominent source of smoke nutrition for the jinni. Due to this they never leave the presence of smokers. Again, dhikr and prayer is the only way one can protect the self from their influences.

Prayer and dhikr enable the brain to produce a protective energy, which can shield the brain from the impulses sent by the jinni, either by weakening these incoming impulses or by preventing them altogether.

In fact, the protective energy omitted by the brain during dhikr forms a field of protection around the person.

Indeed, our preeminent purpose in life should be to develop and enhance our brain via dhikr and thereby to know our selves and our environment. For our brain possesses potential that is beyond our imagination. If only we could harness its power!

Only then may we gain insight into the reality of man, his make-up, his mechanism, his inherent qualities and how to optimize them through dhikr and prayer.

SUGGESTED DAILY DHIKR’S

100 ALLAHUMMA A'INNI ALA DHIKRIKA WA SHUKRIKA WA HUSNU IBADATIK

O Allah, enable me to remember you, to benefit from you and to engage optimally in the necessary practices thereupon.

300 ALLAHUMMA INNI ASALUKA HUBBAKA WA HUBBU MAN YUHIBBUKA

O Allah, bestow upon me your love and the love of those who love you.

300 LA ILAHA ILLA ANTA SUBHANAKA INNI KUNTU MINAZ ZALIMEEN

There is no deity-God (I as this person do not exist) only You (the meanings of the names that comprise my essence). I invoke you (as the manifestations of your names necessitate me to) Indeed, I have wronged my self (by failing to realize and exoerience my reality).

500 QUDDUS'UT TAHIRU MIN KULLI SOOIN

Cleanse me from all humanly impurities.

100 YA NURA QULLI SHAY'IN WA HADAHU AKHRIJNI MINAZ ZULUMATI ILAN'NUR

O the source of light and guidance for all! Save me from the darkness of ignorance and enlighten me with your knowledge.

3600 x MUREED

2700 x HALIM

1800 x MU’MİN

2700 x RASHID

3600 x QUDDÛS

3600 x NUR

1800 x HAKİM

2700 x FATTAH

Prayers for Protection

Rabbi inni messeniyesh sheitanu binusbin ve azâb; Rabbi euzü bike min hemezatish sheyatini ve euzü bike rabbi en yahdurun. Ve hifzan min külli sheytanin marid.

O Rabb! (The Reality of the Names comprising my essence) Satan (The internal mechanism (ego) that promotes the illusory existence of the inexistent and veils the absolute reality) is distressing and tormenting me. My Rabb, I seek refuge in you from the incitements of Satan, and I seek refuge in you from the presence of Satanic influences around me. And we have provided protection from all rejected Satans.

Audhu bi wajhillahil kareem wa kalimatillahil ta'ammatilladhiy la yujawuz hunna barrun wala fajiroon min sharri ma yanzilu minas samaa'i wa ma ya'rujoo feeyha wa min sharri ma zara'a fil ardhi wa mayakhrujoo minha wa min fitanil layli wan nahari illa tariqan yatruku bikhayrin ya Rahman…
I seek refuge in the face of Allah (in that which the attributes of Allah become manifest), the Karim (The exceedingly generous and bountiful), and in all His Names, nothing good or bad can attack them.

I seek protection in RAHMAN, the source of all potentials, from that which ascends to the heavens (from provocative thoughts) and that which descends from the heavens (from thoughts that conjure doubt and suspicion), from that which is produced from the plane of perceived manifestation (ardh) (that which emanates from corporeality) and grows out of it (bodily demands and desires), from the provocations of the day (our internal life) and the night (the outside world), and from that which knocks on the door at night (instinct), except if it is with good intent.

Low Cal High Nutrients Energy Boosting Snacks for Anorexia Bulimia Nervosa

I really believe that if you want to kill your eating disorder, then you have to make eating 3 small meals and 3 snacks frequently through the day part of your daily regime. There were several reasons for changing my eating habits, but I really was sick of feeling overly hungry by night time and my extreme mood swings due to malnourishment were getting on everyone's nerves. 3 snacks, actually healthy snacks prevent overeating at meal times. In recovery we cannot trust our hunger levels, therefore snacking is a crucial part of restoring normal eating.

I used to be a sugar addict, carbonated drinks, sweets was my answer to everything. After I relapsed, I would get very hungry later, which would make me susceptible to making even less-healthier choices and adopting dangerous behaviors to get body rid of that gooey greasy sugar affects.. shuderrrrrrrr..

I'm not an active person, but I do get hungry after every 1-2 hours and in Eating Disorder days I would not eat for several several hours which would naturally lead to another eating disorder behavior at main meal times.

Six small meals is what my body wants from me.

Making healthy snack choices prevents me from entering subconscious overeating state of mind at lunch and dinner times and enables me to stay within my set calorie intake for that day.

Most filing and least sugar laden snacks in relapse recovery for me are:

Home made Walnut butter-  My recovery is not complete without walnuts, just add walnuts to food processor , add 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil and blend until smooth. Refrigerate and use it on bagel, in breakfast cereals, smoothies , puddings etc.

Low fat Greek Yogurt- with any fruit or granola or flaxseeds. If I had that for my morning snack, then it was a smooth transition to lunch with friendly bacteria humming in my stomach.

Flavored Frozen Yogurt- I love mangoes and peaches so puree a fruit of choice, and mix it into plain Greek yogurt and freeze it.. In my old days i would make a fruit coli to go with my perfect frozen yogurt. Lots of calcium, home made and say Adios to Pinkberry.

Date bars or add 3 dates to your smoothies. I love dates. Combine

dates with 1 ounce of pistachios.



Granola Bar- I swear by them, my Favorite is Planters Nutrition Digestive Health Bar

Nothing can beat this KIND Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants 190cals



Tuna- mini tuna salad on melba toast is excellent. (low in calories but high in goodness) 160cals

Salmon- If you're crazy for Salmon (like me) then this baby snack is perfect, smoked salmon on rye cracker or rice cracker or whatever

Almonds- 1 ounce about 22 almonds provide you with protein, fibre, 75mg calcium, and highest amount of vitamin E from all nuts. Or take 11 almonds and combine then with few dates... hmmm bliss

Pistachios 1 ounce (48 nuts) or a pistachio bar 149 cals

Dry cereal with trail mix-  I love this , if I know dinner will be super delayed due to any reason.  

Pumpkin seeds high in Vitamin E that keep your hair shiny and skin beautiful.


Pumpkin Seeds Snack recipe by Paula Deen

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds, roasted and salted
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup dried dates, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted almonds
1/2 cup candy coated chocolate pieces

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well incorporated. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Figs- In Islam, Quran says that fig is a fruit of paradise. Cannot find  fig or hate it, try a fig bar. I love figs, they are amazing.

Milk, either in cereal, oats , with Oat biscuits, seeded biscuits or make a  smoothie- (best one is 1 small banana, 2 dates, 1/4 cup iced. This is also used in eating disorder recovery to prevent heart attack---recipe by gorgeous Shaye)

Pretzel sticks in walnut butter and honey. If you're in US of A, then go for Snyder's whole wheat Pretzel sticks

Hunger Suppressant Dark Chocolate- Persoanlly I'm not a fan, but after choking it down, i was acting weird for several hours and yes it satisfies some weird neuro transmitter in your brain that even at dinner time your not too hungry.

Trail Mix- I make my own, customize it with your favorite dried fruits and nuts.

Cheesy popcorn - 75 cals

• 1 cup(s) hot air-popped popcorn


• 1/4 cup(s) freshly grated Parmesan cheese


• Cayenne pepper, to taste

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Directions

1. Toss popcorn with Parmesan and cayenne to taste.

(Recipe taken from delish)

Anorexia Bulimia Eating Disorder Relapse Menu

"Part of compliance is defiance, but you must arrive at acceptance of the disease."

From recovery to relapse, indeed road to defeating Eating Disorder is a long one with twists and turns. I love what Arielle Becker said: Relapse can show you where your recovery is weak. For some people, it's PMS. For  others, it's work stress. Or kids. Or breakfast. Or whatever. These things can be easy to overlook or shrug off.  But a relapse can give you a chance to address these, head-on.

"Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing."

H. Stanley Judd

Ahmed Hulusi said "If you had managed to increase the capacity of your brain, then you have also managed to increase your spiritual power." To me this is, if we reduce the power ED has had on us then we can manage to increase the capacity of our brain and defeat this order

Relapse Recovery Menu

One advice I was given was to practice the rules of healthy eating – taking each moment at a time and putting into practice as many rules as possible

This plan worked for me, because it worked around the British food pyramid (you cannot recover without following all five of them:(

My meal had to contain the following:

4oz of lean protein

5.5 servings of grains (1 slice whole grain bread, 1/2 bagel, 1 cup whole grain cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, 1 oz dry rice, pasta.

5 servings of Veg: One serving is 2 cups raw vegetable, salad,  1/2 cup steamed veg, 6 oz veg juice)

5 servings of Fruits: 1 medium piece of fruit, 6 oz fruit juice, 1/2 cup raw fruit, 1/2 cup cooked fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit

Lean Meats / Beans 1 ounce lean meat, fish, poultry, 1 egg, 1/4 cup cooked beans, 1 ounce tofu

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At home, I experimented with various breakfasts, different measurements and wrote down my hunger levels. Fat free Brekkie was a strict no no........ Zero cal brekkie was a no no as well. 

They say eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch like a prince and eat dinner like a peasant. (OK! in recovery there is no eating dinner like a peasant or you'll be binging like an ancient Greek in middle of the night).

Breakfast 9:00am 

One of the following: (all with 200 ml of juice, pineapple, pear or apple or whatever is in the season)

Pick One for each day:)

1. 1 serving of Beans on toast


2. 2 eggs (poached, scrambled or fried) on toast


3. 40 grams Porridge with walnuts or flaxseeds, made with 200ml skimmed milk.


4. 2 Weetabix with 200 ml skimmed milk and 1/2 chopped banana


5. 2 slices of whole grain toasts with homemade walnut butter and honey


6. French toast, whole grain 1 slice, (made with 1 medium egg, 1 tsp oil, 2 tbsp golden syrup). ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup orange juice.


7. Pancakes 2 (4” across), (made with 2 TBSP maple syrup)½ cup low fat cottage cheese , 1 cantaloupe (med.)


8. 1 medium egg poached, 2 whole grain toasts with flora spread, 2 slices of Turkey, 1 cup coca and ½ cup orange juice.


9. Dry cereal 42grams (any whole grain or bran) skim milk 1 cup, 1 TBSP raisins, small banana ¾ cup orange juice


10. Low Fat granola 2 oz, 1 TBSP raisins, Full fat Nutrasweet yogurt, 1 cup orange juice


11. 1 whole-grain bagel, with Philadelphia light chocolate spread, ½ cup grapefruit and 1 cup cocoa


12. Alaskan Salmon tortilla wrap with sweet potato crisps and fruit compote


13. Golden apple oatmeal with couple of chopped dates, walnuts and pineapple juice.


14. 1 bagel toasted with 1 TBSP peanut butter with 80grams of sliced apple and a cup of juice.

(I always end my breakfast with 1 tsp flax seed oil yuck , but so good for you and stops false hunger pangs and gives your eating disorderd mind a good kick)

11:00am Morning snack

85 grams seeded pomegranate with a cup of Greek yogurt

Glass of pear juice with handful of almonds

2  Biscuits with 200ml Milk

1 ounce almonds with a pineapple juice (you brain will be singing and your heart dancing)

1/2 bagel with 1/2 tbsp peanut butter and 1/2 tbsp honey or jam if your Americano with a pepper mint tea

Smoothies 240 grams of fruit and veg- (add 3 portions of fruit or 3 portions of veg or combo of both of them to complete some group portions from the food pyramid). In UK recommended portion per person of fruit and veg is 80grams, so 5 portions of mix fruit are 400 grams.  If you don't want to eat fruit for rest of the day and want immediate healthy buzzzz then just make a good luxurious smoothie.... Blisss . I always add Wheatgrass synergy and it gives me so much healthy energy that I dance away the night.

Examples of my smoothies

Luscious Skin Smoothie, 80g carrots, l celery stalk, 80g apple, 80g frozen berries (any), l cucumber, 1 serving of wheat grass synergy for so many extra nutrients and that zing to your body (optional only add if you’re not using any milk based products in your smoothie) Method:Wash, peel cucumber. Add all the ingredients into blender with either 1/2 cup soya milk, almond milk, 1/2 cup frozen yogurt with 1/4 cup ice and blend until smooth.

Stop Age Juice: 4 large or 8 small cabbage leaves, 6 carrots, ½ - 1–inch piece of ginger.

Skin cleanser: 5 stalks of celery, 1 cucumber, handful of mix spinach leaves (buy from Asda, its mixed) and 1 apple. Blend all



 

1:00pm Lunch---- hmmm

I don't event want to discuss what I was having before the relapse:(

These are the meals I often had or tried to had during relapse recovery change. This time no no empty air eating.

120 gram smoked, steamed or grilled salmon with serving of rice and 160 grams of cooked veggies

1 pound grilled white fish fillet with roasted sweet potato chips and 80grams of steamed asparagus

2 oz whole grain chicken breast sandwich with 1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1tsp Flora, romaine salad and chopped tomato and pepper salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Veggie pasta 170 grams

Tuna, avocado, beans salad

Tuna, red onion panini with hummus and salad

Egg Mayonaise and cress sandwich with salad garnish

Alaskan salmon sandwich: mix salmon with 1TBSP mayonnaise, black pepper, 2 tsp lemon, with chopped toasted walnuts. Add rocket leaves on to sliced bread, spread the filling and enjoy with a side salad garnish.



Whole wheat bread 2 slices, Kraft Free cheese 1 slice, 1 cup vegetable soup

whole grain bagel with 1 tbsp cream cheese, green onions chopped, served with salad, lettuce, tomato, carrot, radish, mixed crumbled feta cheese and salad dressing (optional)

Whole wheat bread , 3 oz tuna, whipped salad dressing ,lettuce, tomato with baked potato chips and a cranberry juice

Desserts: watermelon, Fig bar, fruit compote, fruit yogurt, peach, watermelon

Mid Afternoon Snack 3:30pm

this was a critical point of recovery and a meal plan or dinner would have been a quick, quick binge and panics and purging and disordered ranting all night long.

Granola bar

peanut butter sandwich

pistachios 1 ounce

unsweetened trail mix

Fig bar or a date bar

4 whole-grain crackers with 1 ounce cheddar

1 slice toasted cinnamon raisin bread with 1 tsp honey and 1/2 sliced banana

2 cups popcorn topped with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

Dinner 6:30pm

• Chickpea burger in tahini sauce served in wholegrain open pitta bread. 1 scoop ice cream with ½ chopped banana and sprinkle of nuts on top.


• Chickpea curry (1 serving) with chappati and salad. Fruit compote, or fruit salad, or serving of rice pudding


• Egg omelette, made with 2 eggs whisked, 1 ounce of cheese, 1 ounce spinach, 1 ounce spring onions, 1 chilli, 2 TBSP milk served on toasted pitta bread and topped with half grilled tomato. Side salad- 1 cup of red onion, carrot mint salad. Frozen yogurt


• Pan seared chicken breast (100 grams) or 2 chicken thighs with 1/2 cup of quinoa or 1/2 cup rice and 1 cup of steamed vegetables. serve with minted raita- tapioca  oatmeal cookie


• 2 ounce (56grams) pasta with 100 grams of broccoli floret and 150 grams of shrimp.


• 2 ounce thin noodles with, 80 grams peas, 80 grams sweet corns, 80 grams mangetout and 2 ounce chicken. Lime sherber.


• Whole grain bagel with cream cheese and mixed salad. Ice cream 1 scoop with any syrup or chopped nuts


• 2oz Lemon Chicken, ¾ cup with chick pea rice, ½ cup minted yogurt, fruit yogurt


• 3 0z baked fish , 1 cup stir-fried:  zucchini, mushrooms, onions, etc 2 tsp oil, 3/4c rice with 1 cup fresh tomato, 1 small biscuit, 1 cup skim milk , low fat frozen fudge bar.


• 1-2 Pieces of Chicken or Beef, 4oz of Pasta or 1 cup of Brown Rice
  Salad or 1 Green Vegetable

Night time snack 9:00pm

1 cup of almond milk

1 cup of skimmed milk with horlicks- This is the best. it doesn't just doubles your calcium but is marvelous in winter days.

1 cup of live probiotic yogurt

Anorxia Bulimia Meal Plan- Love your Body Day

After months of playing destructive eating disorder games, I finally decided to have one day in a week, where I would eat foods that would heal my body and give me beautiful skin. This for me was paying back to mother nature for all the havoc I had caused on my body. I  devoted Friday to Love yourself and your Skin Day. I created a meal plan and added foods that were beneficial to my overall being. Mainly the day was spent eating foods that would enhance my skin complexion and are anti aging in essence. My lunch and dinner is from Dr. Nicholas Perricone's skin beauty book (whatever it is called) and I've used several of his recipes in recovery. 

Hmm I think this cooked version looks better



Christmas is around the corner, I want to look super vain. Cannot wait to do this all over again on Friday.

Beautiful Skin Meal Plan

Wake up Ayurvedic Style


Have 8oz of warm water with a juice of 1/2 lemon. This tonic is tremendous in boosting immune system and balances your pH, aids in digestion and clears your complexion.

Breakfast for Glowing Healthy Skin

Vitamin booster A, C and E Smoothie

1 cup raspberries

1 cup strawberries

1 cup blueberries

1 papaya

1 cup Goji berries, (master of antioxidants and anti aging food)

1 tsp lime (optional)

few mint leaves (optional)

Directions

Scoop out the papaya flesh, add 1/2 cup water and juice it with remaining ingredients in a food blender or a juicer. Remember your skin reflects what you eat, try this for few days and you'll see the difference.
Morning Snack

Handful of raw walnuts and 1 cup plain bio yogurt

1 apple

8oz water
Lunch - Inspiration from Dr Nicholas Perricone-- Beauty of Salmon


Please bear in mind the following recipe is mine

Wild Alaskan Salmon (I wish, any salmon will do in my case) with quinoa  and tossed romaine tomato salad

Don't forget 8 oz drinking water to hydrate your skin

1/2 pound of  Salmon, grilled

1/4 cup dry quinoa, soaked for 30mins in water with 1 tsp salt

Romaine tomato salad recipe

1 tsp balsamic vinaigrette (optional)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

Directions:

Toss all ingredients together in a salad bowl, mix well and serve.

Grilled Salmon Recipe 

1/2 pound of Salmon (Wild Salmon is the best as it contains more Omega 3 fatty acids)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon or lime juice

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 clove garlic crushed

1 tsp freshly milled black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp chopped coriander

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne pepper, back pepper, sea salt, coriander and make a marinade). Coat your salmon in the marinade and place it under the medium hot grill and cook each side for approximately 3-4 minutes until flakes easily.

Quinoa- High in protein and amino acids- essential source of lysine

Rinse and drain quinoa in a colander.

Add drained quinoa with half cup of water to pan, add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp few of lemon juice and bring it to boil on medium heat- (this will give you 3/4 cup of quinoa).  Reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Once the water has dried up, let it sit for further 5 minutes covered. mix it well with a slotted spoon. Serve hot.

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Dr. Nicholas Perricone's Salmon recipe

Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Lemon-Caper Sauce

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice


• 2 tablespoons minced red onion


• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped


• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme


• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel


• 1/2-pound skinless salmon fillet (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick)


• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed


• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut three 1/2-inch-deep slits crosswise in top of salmon (as if dividing into 4 equal pieces but do not cut through). Arrange asparagus in even layer on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and turn to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place salmon atop asparagus; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until salmon is just opaque in center, about 20 minutes.

Transfer asparagus and salmon to platter. Spoon sauce over salmon. Cut into 4 pieces along slits and serve.

Nutritional Values: Per serving: calories, 336; total fat, 18 g; saturated fat, 3 g; cholesterol, 96 mg

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/nutritiousdishes/beautyfood/recipes/food/views/Salmon-with-Roasted-Asparagus-and-Lemon-Caper-Sauce-104705#ixzz2EWseDrCr

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Mid Afternoon Snack -

Power House Vegetable Drink for beautiful skin

• Spinach (30g)


• Carrot (30g)


• 8 Cherry Tomatoes


• 1/2 Kiwi


• Milk (50 ml)


• 5 Ice Cubes

Scrub but don't peel the carrot; many of the nutrients that you need are in the first layers. When you have measured 30g cut the carrot into smaller pieces wrap it in saran wrap and microwave it for 30 seconds. This will break down the bonds holding in the nutrients.

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. It should make about 400ml of juice if done correctly.

(Recipe taken from wikihow.com)

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Dinner- Dr. Nicholas Perricone's beauty food

White Bean, Butternut Squash, Kale and Olive Stew

 

• 1/4 cup olive oil


• 3 large onions, chopped


• 6 garlic cloves, minced


• 1 3 1/4- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes


• 3 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces


• 1 1/2 cups canned vegetable broth

• 1 1/2 large bunches kale, thick stems trimmed, leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch strips


• 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage


• 5 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained


• 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, halved

• Freshly grated Romano cheese

preparation

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add squash; sauté Add bell peppers and stir to coat with onion mixture. Add broth. Cover and simmer until squash is just tender, about 10 minutes.

Mix kale and sage into stew. Cover and cook until kale wilts, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add beans and olives and stir until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer stew to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle generously with cheese.

and please add a serving of whole grains, such as bread, pitta bread etc.

8 oz water

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2nd Dinner Option

Avocado-Bean Kale Wrap with side dish of Dr. Nicholas Perricone's steamed broccoli with garlic, olive oil and lemon

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 ripe avocado


• 1 cup  salsa


• 1/2 tsp olive oil


• 80grams red pepper, chopped


• 80grams  shredded carrots


• 1/2 tsp ground cumin


• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed


• 1 TBSP chopped cilantro


• 1 whole wheat wrap


• 1 cups coarsely chopped kale

Preparation

1. Remove pit and peel from avocados. Coarsely chop 1/4 avocado; mash the other avocado in a small bowl and stir in 1/4 cup salsa until blended. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.


2. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté pepper and carrots 3 minutes. Add cumin and cook 30 seconds more or until fragrant. Add beans and remaining salsa; heat through. Stir in the chopped avocado and cilantro; mix well.


3. Spread about 3 Tbsp of the mashed avocado-salsa mixture on each wrap and top each with 1 cup of kale. Spoon 1 cup of the bean mixture over bottom third of wrap. Starting at bottom, roll up tightly. Place seam side down on serving platter. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 424
Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 503mg
Total Carbohydrates: 74g
Dietary Fiber: 20g
Protein: 15g

Steamed Broccoli with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Lemon

• 1 small bunch broccoli (about 3/4 pound)


• 1 garlic clove


• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil


• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Discard tough lower third of broccoli stem. Peel remaining stem and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut broccoli into 2-inch florets. In a steamer set over boiling water steam broccoli, covered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

While broccoli is steaming, finely chop garlic and in a small skillet combine with oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat garlic mixture over moderate heat until garlic is fragrant. In a bowl toss broccoli with garlic mixture.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/nutritiousdishes/beautyfood/recipes/food/views/Steamed-Broccoli-with-Olive-Oil-Garlic-and-Lemon-101153#ixzz2EWhWioM8

Dessert: After all that pampering, I would only have enough energy for a glass of Almond milk with dates. or munch on an apple while falling asleep.

8 oz of water

Blessings of Friday in ED Recovery

Eating Disorder would never win on Fridays because I ensured that it was a choker bloc day with Friday prayer, meditation, reciting supplications and sending blessings on Prophet Muhammad (saaw).

In morning I would have an Ayurveda style bath, that would rejuvenate me, remove excess toxins from my skin and would prepare me mentally for rest of the day.

If the weather permitted, then I would go for a walk by the canal (In winter that never ever happened) or I would go and volunteer at a local well-being center from 9:30-11:30am (I have been doing that for past several months now).

Before hitting the bed, I would either watch a good movie (hmm that's where lifetime movies come in) or read a book in candlelit room with sufi instrumental music playing in the background.

I would also apply ripe avocado mask on my face and usually by 11pm, I would be fast asleep.

Sample of Friday timetable

5:30 am Wake up for Tahajud prayer and have Aurveda lemon water

6:00am-7:30am Pray Fajr, read supplications, meditate and offer Ashraq prayer.

7:45- Ayurveda Bath

8:30 am Breakfast

9:00am leave house for well being centre

10:30 am mid morning snack in the centre

12:30-2:00pm Come home for Lunch, prayer, reading Quran

2:00-3:00 pm, Another prayer Asr and mid afternoon snack

Nap time

4:00pm praying Maghrib, meditation and extra prayers

6:30pm Dinner

8:00pm night time prayer, meditation

9:00pm Bed time snack and relaxation

11:00pm dream land Zzzzzzzzzz

Love, Light and Blessings

Maha S

Eating Disorder, Bulimia Anorexia Breakfast

This is a complete nutritional packed breakfast. If you still hate breakfast then please read an article on bottom of the page by Nancy Schmieder.

Breakfast Smoothie

To start my day and to enhance my complexion, I would start off with this smoothie, which would give me 1/2 serving of daily dairy, 2 servings of fruits (from 1 of 5 a day)

1 melon  276 g

1 mango 207g

Mint leaves 20g                                  Calories 260

1/2 cup ice

1/2 cup almond, soya or skimmed milk

Directions:

Put chopped mango, melon with 1/2 cup milk and ice in a blender. Puree it until smooth. Garnish with mint and have a sunny, tropical morning:)

Further Energize your Morning

I would then have a boiled Egg ,  with 1 serving of whole grain with coconut oil spread. and a cup of peppermint tea with 1 tsp honey about 250 calories.

 

In this breakfast I could mark off many things from the daily food pyramid.

1 serving of grain- whole grain bread

1 serving of protein- 1 boiled egg

1 tsp of coconut oil- very very healthy fat- new phenomenon in market

2 servings of fruit

1/2 serving of dairy.

 

========================================================

The Importance of Breakfast

 

It often amazes me how people take better care of their cars than their bodies. I have yet to meet a person who said, “God has a plan as to when my car should ‘die’ and I do not need to worry about it. I don’t need to check or change the oil, or perform any routine maintenance. And I don’t need to worry about the type of gasoline I use.” We recognize the necessity of proper care to get the longest life and best performance out of our automobiles. When will we realize that proper care also gives our bodies the longest life and best performance?

Today, a wealth of scientific research has confirmed that most of the leading causes of death and chronic diseases are preventable. We have been talking about the lifestyle factors that will help us improve our health. Adding breakfast to your eating pattern is a major step to improving your lifestyle. Well, why bother with breakfast? Food is fuel. Many studies have emphasized the importance of breakfast. If you want to make the most of your day, fuel your body early with the right stuff.

ONE STEP AT A TIME: WHAT TO DO
THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST

Other studies have even linked healthy breakfasts with less chronic disease, increased longevity and better health. Starting your day with a good breakfast boosts your energy, increases your attention span, and heightens your sense of well-being. You’ll be in better control of your emotions. A good breakfast is one that provides at least one third of the day’s calories.

Most people give a variety of reasons for not eating breakfast. A common reason is that they are not hungry in the morning, which is a result of eating a full meal late in the evening or late snacking. When they go to bed, the body is still busy digesting all that food. Digestion then goes into a slower gear during the hours of sleep and there is still food in the stomach in the morning. The stomach needs a rest too. A tired stomach does not feel like digesting a big breakfast. When you get up in the morning, your glucose or blood sugar level is at its lowest point in the day. Glucose is the basic fuel for the brain and central nervous system. A good breakfast will keep you from being tired and irritable by mid-morning.

The effects of a skipped breakfast are short attention span, lack of alertness, longer reaction time, low blood sugar, decreased work productivity. Surely, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Take time to eat a large, balanced breakfast. It’s a good investment of your time. Once you get into the habit of eating breakfast, you may feel hungry in the morning.

APPLICATION: HOW TO DO IT

Breakfast is a great way to get more fiber into your diet. Plan wisely for a healthy breakfast. Many prepared cereals have added refined sugar, often hidden. Read labels carefully to select cereals prepared without excessive sugar, salt, fat, and additives.

What’s your excuse for not eating breakfast?

• “No time?” How much time does it take to eat a bowl of cereal? Make toast and eat it on your way to work. Make your breakfast the night before. Making time for breakfast is making time to be healthy.

• “Not hungry?” To get started, don’t eat anything after an early supper. Finish supper by 6:30 p.m.

• “Might gain weight?” Eating breakfast will actually help you reach and maintain your healthy weight. Your appetite will be satisfied longer. You’ll be eating food when you can best burn the calories. You’ll feel great. Eat breakfast.

• You “don’t like breakfast foods?” You don’t have to eat traditional breakfast foods. You can eat leftovers, or a sandwich. Any healthy food is fine. Caffeine may mask hunger.

• You “don’t like eating breakfast?” It is in your best interest to eat breakfast. Take the step. Do the right thing. Eat breakfast.


Simple, easy ways to add Breakfast:

• Start Small. If your not a breakfast eater, begin with whole wheat toast and/or a piece of fruit. In a few days, add more food.

• Choose Fruit for Breakfast. Fruit gives you fiber. Fresh fruit is the best choice. There are many to choose from: oranges, grapefruits, apples, bananas, grapes, kiwis, mangos, melons, berries. Eat two servings of fruit every morning. Canned fruit packed in juice is also a good choice. Add dried fruit to your cereal.

• Eat High Fiber Hot Cereal. Hot cereal is the best choice, but there are several brands of cold cereal on the market that are high in fiber and low in sugar. Oatmeal is a favorite hot cereal. Try a seven grain cereal and experiment with different grains such as millet, brown rice, quinoa, corn grits for a variety. Try cooking grains in a crock pot overnight and it’s already the next morning. Or cook up a large batch and re-heat the next day. Make your own granola. Add a high fiber cereal to your favorite low fiber cereal. Gradually increase the amount of the high fiber cereal and decrease the amount of the low fiber cereal. For example, if you like cornflakes, add Wheat Chex to the cornflakes. Each morning add a little more Wheat Chex and a little less Cornflakes.

• Choose Whole Grain Bread. Eat two slices of toast in the morning or a whole grain bagel. Spread with fruit spread or applesauce or your favorite nut butter.

• Make Healthy Pancakes or Waffles. Have you ever considered topping your pancakes or waffles with fruit?

• Instead of scramble eggs try scrambled tofu. You’re in for a great surprise.

• The sky’s the limit. The only limitation is your imagination. Make it a priority. Eat breakfast.



CHOOSE:

High fiber, ready to eat cereals and whole grain breads.

--Choose a cereal with at least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving.

--Choose cereal that have 5 grams or less of sugar per serving.

Remember 4 grams of sugar=1 teaspoon.

--Choose bread with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per slice.


YOUR CHALLENGE: YOU CAN DO IT!!

Try this simple experiment. Eat one or two servings of fresh fruit every morning for the next three weeks. Eat as many different kinds as you can find.

And remember, Health is by Choice...not by chance! The choice is yours. You don’t have to be a statistic. By adopting a better diet and wiser lifestyle habits, you can live longer, feel better, and enjoy a healthier, more productive life.

Nancy Schmieder works with the Better Living Ministries in Wayland , NY as a Certified Lifestyle Consultant and Specialist. The Better Living Ministries is a Community Resource for Lifestyle Education and Support. Health by Choice is a practical, simple journey on how to incorporate healthy habits into your lifestyle. Nancy is a Mother of five and she lives with her family in Springwater , NY . Her e-mail address is n.schmieder@frontiernet.net  

Islamic Foods: Eating Disorder Afternoon Snack Recipe

Defeat the demon of eating disorder with combining foods of Prophet Muhammad (saw) into your daily diet.

Add Barley (talbina) to your soups and drinks. Barley contains important and essential amino acids and is used as an ailment in treating various illnesses. In recovery from eating disorder, I had barley soup for one of my my afternoon snacks.

Barley and Lentil soup

1 cup any lentil (i.e. red lentils, etc) soaked in 2 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt for 30 minutes

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 stock cube (any)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

3 medium tomatoes chopped

1 onion thinly sliced

1 tsp ceyenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

salt to taste

1 tsp freshly milled black pepper

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp olive oil

Garnish:

2-4 green chillies (add 2 deseeded for less hot dish)

1/2 bunch spring onion (washed and chopped)

1/2 bunch cliantro (washed and chopped)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp zest of lemon (optional)

Directions:

In a pan heat 2 tbsp olive oil with cumin seeds, once the cumin changes color, add onions and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat. add minced garlic and fry for further 3 minutes. Once the garlic changes color, add chopped tomatoes, salt, paprika powder, ceyenne powder and lemon juice. Stir in 1 cup of lentils and fry for for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and cover the pan tightly and let it simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes. Add water, stock cube, pearl barley and bring to boil on a high flame. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or till the lentils have been cooked. Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro, cumin, spring onions, and zest of lemon.

Anorexia Bulimia Healing your Heart with Pomegranate (رمان)

Pomegranate (رمان) is mentioned in Quran several times. Incorporating foods from Quran and the hadith (saying of Prophet Muhammad) has its own blessings.

According to fitness magazine:

This fruit is packed with vitamin C, which helps guard against the wrinkling effects of sun damage. Plus, says Debra Jaliman, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, the juice in pomegranate seeds contains both ellagic acid and punicalagin. The first is a polyphenol compound that fights damage from free radicals; the second is a supernutrient that may increase your body's capacity to preserve collagen, the subdermal connective tissue that makes skin look smooth and plump.

Serve yourself: A cup of pomegranate seeds -- not just juice -- every week, suggests Jackie Newgent, RD, a nutritionist based in New York City.

I incorporated pomegranate or the juice for pomegranate (whatever was available) into my diet to strengthen my digestion system. There is something about pomegranate and its juice that brings extra glow to your skin and refreshes your soul and mind. Its full of healthy antioxidants and according to GHC increases oxygen levels to the heart and fights cell level.

Pomegranate  Salad Recipe - a very quick salad to prepare

This is an excellent addition to your meal. Start your meal with this healthy salad.

1 pomegranate peeled and seeds separated

1 bunch of rocket salad

1 small red onion finely sliced

handful of salad olives

1/2 cup of chick peas

1 cup cucumber

2 tbsp squeezed lemon

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional for added healthy kick)

1 tsp freshly milled black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp salad herbs

few mint leaves

Preperation:

Place rocket salad in a bowl and toss it with few drops of olive oil, some freshly milled pepper, salt, chickpeas and then layer with red onion, cucumber and sliced salad olives. Add lemon juice, crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and drizzle olive oil on top. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and seasonal salad herbs.