Fasting. Authentication. Inquire. Repeat
Cliff
At this very same day, exactly fifteen minutes before the turn of New Year's of 2016 ~ the very first single print test run of the parent manuscript was submitted. Welcome to the Internet's least visited independent thoughts on wellness and decentralised Nutritional Science.Five years has passed, certainly not without their own problems. Here I am sharing five (5) lessons I learned along the way.
View the video here. (done completely in just one bout of 16 hour crunch non-stop work).
1/5
Frugality = opportunity for Self Enquiry. But a lesson to remain cautious.
Sombre at first, but intentful in its portrayal. "Decentralised Nutritional Science; through the lens of Structural Violence" ~ is precisely at it implies - "Health", and welness unfiltered, but contextualised within economics.
Whilst sombre, this initiative, unlike its peers, promotes about less "feel good" narrative. But it realises the harsh impositions, between scarcity and social (engineering). Hence - "structural. violence".
In my case, of five years prior ~ earned me not privilege, but on-going lesson worth reminding everyone that money is privilege. It is leverage. Employment is the only means to get there. But it's a number's game that which is so easily distilled amidst normalcy.
I have applied for hundreds of jobs there is. Answered every selection criteria there is. Yet nobody has time reading "cover letters". As one shuffles from one job service agency to another, judgment awaits in that tiny "counselling" room. Peeling off layers of dignity answering one question after another. Only to be met the same eventual bottom line ~ "It's a number's game.".
Institutionalised Loop: four years in 4 seconds.
Perhaps an autobiography is after all truth-be-told ~ one giant resume.
I wish that everyone reads another's history with dignity. "I am a cancer survivor". "I have achieved many things, but none were recognised". To name a few.
Alas, modern life obviously prohibits that. Our attention span prohibits it.
If there is ever one thing I do attribute as positive, in that enforces me to be a reductionist as a survival frame-of-mind. "Frugality", in other words ~ is reductionism to life's essence.
Very first public announcement of the first website (developed in IMCREATOR)
2/5
"Happiness" is inflationary.
Yes, another seemingly depressing lesson. But there is a reason here I think worth mentioning.
Five years living frugally enforces one to "get by". But also heighten our senses on what is inflationary. Hint; not just money. As perplexing as this sounds - happiness, is no exception.
This hints to me that anything "good" always be overshadowed by something else sooner or later. Karma for instance. But in my case, I just cannot help happiness itself is short-lived. I don't care what or the how. Something just desensitises me back to square one.
Just like insulin resistance is inevitable the longer we re-feed for day(s) after another ~ anything is subject to desensitisation.
What I am slowly accepting is that Happiness is merely a state of automatic compensation. You've reached to this state, and what happens afterwards? (Hint: something else will always soon be forced to compensate). Nietzche fervently hated alcohol because it merely numbs the sorrows. But all that is thanks to our liver bearing the grunt of work in the background.
We are always sensitive to difficulties, yet less so for happiness.
So, time for a "visual" rationale. Or "evidence" as they call it. This is what I look like ~ Friday PM / end of Week's last of the four x 250+ volume depletion training session.
Left: 2019 Right: 2020 first end of week full training, after COVID lockdown, no refeed.
Gratifying? Indeed. Attainable? Eventually. Sustainable? Subjective. Recalling my obsession to the lowest "attainable" body fat % from early years of CKD+IF was just shy under 10%. Did I feel good? "No", but Life went on. But was it worth it? Subjective. Why? because it gets objectively difficult to surpass this, repeatedly, without increasing reliance on contingencies beyond just aspirin.
Only you can potentiate where to move or sideline your goal post. Want it sooner? Move it sooner. But be prepared to face all repercussions, that much sooner.
The very first pocket book as draft "concept" Humility Through Frugality. June 2015.
3/5
If Nutrition is ration. Then fasting is the rationale.
I took a good month or two, working around-the-clock revising my 9-year old concept project Hydrant Booster™ to appease future employers. This "reminded" me there is something "good" about this way of life, after all. I used to be after all, a former white collar in the design industry.
Authenticity is all about self-enquiring between episodes of contrasts between what is scarce and what is abundant.
Intermittent Fasting therefore, is central in this concept initiative.
My early years in this practice thus far, have me convinced this as a way of reconciling and honouring, nature's own dictatorship. "Economics". If something is not enough we cannot deny it.
4/5
Anecdotes = worthy data. Semantics? no place in Science.
Whenever "Dieticians" raise their pitchforks at me, for example ~ "You are glamourising starvation". My response? "Fair enough. Do what's right for you." . This may sound inflammatory remark, but really I'm highlighting what enough means for me.
I think, and I feel, and I react. Therefore ~ I am the product, conclusion and final word ~ of my own Scientific method.
Alas, dieticians and their oath for "Health" remains forever married to "clean eating".
This is perhaps why intuitive eating appears to work. Of course nuances matter ~ individual experiences and history(s) on food control, NEAT, activity level / fitness, triggers, cues, awareness list goes on. Whatever the case may be ~ what is "right" for one is unadmittedly ~ may very well depends on that person's degree of autonomy. Pizzas, ice creams, and donuts on refeed days. I've done them. Yet nature responds such that I had "enough" ~ thereby allow fasting to begin again. That ~ feels "right" to me.
I am not proclaiming my way of life should work on anybody. But anyone, that what I refer to as N=1 - should not be judged any lesser as "evidence" by their irrefutable experiences.
5/5
Supplements / Contingencies are still important.
Now - the practical knowledge for many, though perhaps not for all circumstances*.
*Despite this Concept Initiative's five long years-contemplation towards decentralised Nutritional Science ~ all may not ever constitute as linear "panacea" nor scientific "clairvoyance". No dietician irrespective how decorated abbreviations attached to their name ~ can ever "save" every"one" else. Please acquaint with the indemnity and overview of this Concept Initiative.
Biology itself is expendable. Minerals, glycogen, ketones, fatty acids and/or glucose included.If one argues that foods themselves are sufficient for "everything", then I shall nod "very well". Let time decide. Until "repercussions" compel them wrong.
Five years ago I used to think I'm always okay. Yet repercussions emerged.
Supplementations therefore are there as pragmatic safety net.
The longest "survived" supplement in my inventory is a three year (beyond printed expiry) ALCAR. Just shy about two months before the final editing of this post still remained usable to my needs. Next to that, non-negotiable ergogenic essentials. Creatine monohydrates, and at discretion ~ Citrulline Malate.
Then, specific minerals. Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium and Calcium. Though technically speaking I do not "supplement" Calcium - I rely on crushed hardboiled eggshells (then dehydrated 120 deg C on the oven till crispy). And only sprinkle this by tiny finger pinch amounts on desserts, and sometimes on post workout shakes.
General literatures suggest that potassium appear to be the most-oft compromised mineral amidst low carbohydrate interventions [1]. 2]. Of course, as with everything else of Nutritional Science ~ this is subject to individual nuance.
Usually, my fasting 18-21 hour windows involves at least approx 1.5L water with Himalayan or iodised salts. Then saving the potassium salts (cream of tartar or potassium chloride), in tiny sprinkle amounts for afternoon black teas or coffees.
On occasions I'd finger lick amount of rock salt crystals. Especially in stressful anticipated situations ~ I'd prepare a mini mix of potassium chloride and Himalayan salts in my pocket at all times.
Bicarbonates for pre/intra workouts as well as also during fasting windows ~ soda water + ACV.
Chlorides lightly on meals, not to intrude palatability. Potassium Chlorides, when added with a little ALCAR are useful for maintaining conversational composure amidst very difficult, objectifying and/or scrutinising situations. Think prolonged job interviews, prolonged conversational scrutiny, anticipatory stigma, condescendence etc.
I have long asserted that protein supplementations are necessary. To say they are "not food" is egoistic ignorance. esp. if one never takes their cost per serve analysis to account.
...And especially how essential they are at gently breaking each and every intermittent fast ~ both comfortably and pragmatically. Whey concentrates remained to this day my budget preference. However, pea protein isolates, despite at times I do not particularly favour their taste profile when consumed entirely in liquids - nevertheless find their "clay" aftertaste useful for dessert recipes or meat replacements.
The longer one submits to CKD+IF , the more likely one is sensitive to sweetness. So much so all "flavoured" commercial protein supplements that were once tolerable, now tastes very sweet to the point of slight sickness. Combining both flavoured with unflavoured 50/50 (or as per to taste) solves this problem.
I could go on and on about other key essentials. Aspirin, Vitamins D, E, K2 Mk4s & Mk7s, Betaine HCLs Pepsins, Chromium, MSM, Citrulline, etc. But all that is reserved in the parent manuscript, and the dAGES manuscript.
Thank you.
There were a lot more in my mind awaiting to be spoken out, but decidedly didn't.
Beyond structural inaccessibility, comes next the unexplained struggle why this concept initiative remains unrecognised much to the outside world.
This initiative's content is not about sensationalism. Even less further ~ responding to vehement toxicities, condescends, bullying and moral pitchforks.
Where it all began: the first pocket book. June 2015.
First ever version printed Blurb® Book. Submitted for print December 2015
At least, five years have taught me much that perhaps numbers, do not matter as much, as experiences beside what those "numbers" represent is arguably more important.
...Day in. Day out.
Were anyone to see me in public, they'd not expect my ethnicity be seen at lining up in front of welfare / dole queues. They certainly wouldn't expect me in the same "crowd". Akin to Struggle Street TV shows.
Yet I was treated in each and every job centre appointments the exact same disdains, condescends, for five years.
Perhaps time or luck ~ will tell if ~ empathy is on the horizon.
AW™
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