INTERMITTENT FASTING, PRINCIPALS IN POLITICS, U3A ACTIVITIES

INTERMITTENT FASTING

This must be my most successful topic because people are still coming forward to ask questions about what exactly to do.

To find out the full thinking behind it you will have to scroll back two postings to the one issued the 7 August 2012. Yes Joan and I are still following the regime she continues to lose at just over 1 lb per week but I'm glad to record that my weight has now stabilised in spite of fasting at about 78/79kg or about 2/3kg less than I weighed as a fit 20 year old at University. A Rugby and Cricket fanatic who occasionally boxed for fun, to develop, speed of response, fitness and courage, as a Light Heavy Weight - yesterdays 12 stone 10 lbs equals today's weight limit of 81kg. I believe I am no longer carrying appreciable excess fat and further weight loss would signify an undesirable loss of muscle, of which the heart is the most critical.

To summarise the regime. We eat normally 5 days per week but only a single meal of 500/600 kilocalories on the other two. We have found it suits us better to eat the fast day meal at around 5/6pm, having missed breakfast and lunch. (Incidentally Michael Mosely who did the original Horizon programme took his meal at breakfast time, still working full time he found that an early meal best prepared him for the day's work ahead.) The choice of fast days can be altered to suit though normally we fast on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Never forget that Michael's main objective was to stave off the prostate cancer to which his family suffered and to avoid cardiac problems and to live longer whilst holding off dementure.

The most frequent enquiry is about what we actually eat. 
We have tried various food combinations but in general we now eat Indian style vegetarian on those two days, because it means we can have large filling and particularly tasty meals.

Joan has noted down today's meal
                                                                                      kcal
Red Kidney beans, one 240 gramme tin                       300
Onions, 400 gramme onions                                         100 
Aubergine, 200 gm                                                         30
Parsnips, 150 gm                                                           130
Tomatoes, 200 gm packet                                               36
Celery, 50 gm                                                                 10
Beetroot, 100gm                                                             44
Olive oil. 10mlitre                                                           30
Indian lime pickle, teaspoonful  280kcal/100gm            15
TOTAL for two                                                             695 kcal
NB it is the pickle which supplies the Indian spices the hot chilli and the taste
Joan emphasises pickle should be added to taste with especial reference to Chilli

Semi skimmed Milk 300ml for two (for tea and coffee)  136 kcal

Total each for the day                                            415 kcal                 
Desert is fruit, say a medium size banana                80 kcal

Being a man!!, I am entitled to 600 kcal (Joan 500 kcal). In general I eat more than a half share of the meal but probably drink less than half of the milk. Michael Mosely suggested black/green tea or tizzane without milk in which case there is another piece of fruit each.

Before someone challenges me on the non Indian vegetables
let me say the essentials are Pulse equivalents, Onion, Aubergine, Cooking oil and Pickle, the rest is a package (or half tin) of tomatoes which Joan always uses (not so common in India), plus what's available from the store cupboard on the day. This is the first time Joan has used Red Kidney beans, usually she uses 100gm of chick peas (200gm after soaking) or 200gm Puy lentils. Normally she uses Indian Aubergine Pickle which is higher in calories at 380kcal/100gm

Joan frequently uses cauliflower, carrot, potato, broccoli, spinach, sweet peppers, courgettes

Note 1  Most vegetables are around 15 to 20 kcal/100gm but beetroot 44 kcal, peas or broad beans are around 50 kcal and potato is 85 kcal. So essentially there is no limit on the amount of vegetables but you do need to watch the amount of Oil,  and avoid Butter, Cheese, Sugar and Nuts, which are full of fat and thus much more potent at around 800 kcal/100gm. Also watch bread which is 250 to 300kcal/100gm

Note 2  One of the beauties of the metric system is that 100ml (millilitres) of water weighs exactly 100grams. Since most foodstuffs have approximately the same density as water (a major component) then one can assume that 100ml and 100gm are interchangeable, except for say foods with a lot of obvious air space eg broccoli or candy floss. All packaged foods will by law state the kcals per 100gram or 100 ml, sadly, thanks to the dispute over traffic lights, these days it is in small-print.

Note 3     10ml of liquid is roughly equivalent to 2 standard teaspoon measures. Most will have small plastic containers for medicine which measure doses of 10 and 20 ml.
 

Cooking method, like a stew in a casserol or large saucepan
Partially pre-cook harder root vegetables.
Fry onions in the oil
Add aubergine & cook to soak up the oil
Add remaining pulses or chick peas and vegetables and cook until soft 
Add pickle to taste, we prefer the Patak Aubergine Pickle which we were originally given by someone who considered it too 'hot', but have recently found a source of supply in Exotica on St Helens Road.

Those who prefer a more bland taste, or indeed for a change should try steaming or grilling (not frying) fish - say cod, salmon, plaice or sole (95), trout (135), tuna (200). We frequently fast with fresh fish and steamed vegetables.

Try pasta (135), roast chicken without skin (150), even a lean rump steak grilled is only (170/100gm). It is the calorie count which matters but we recommend leaving space for vast quantities of non fried vegetables.

I promise to pass on any other favourite recipes I receive.

Recently graduated granddaughter Rachel starting her first hunt at The King Arthur

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LACK OF PRINCIPALS IN POLITICS

We are seeing so many examples currently

Mitt Romney in the US election campaign switched from ultra right wing in order to secure nomination in the Primaries, then back to his normal more moderate position (as state governor he even introduced Medicare to Massachusetts) when face to face with Obama.

David Cameron switched in the opposite way from the pre-election 'Green' and 'Hug a Hoody' to someone now in hock to his own right wing. The only winner from that may be the opening of opportunity for Nick Clegg.

What distresses me most is that Labour are following the same opportunism. In recent memory they have fielded spokesmen on say Newsnight to defend poorly aligned policies eg

1) They have opposed the Liberals Mansion tax when it seems blindingly obvious that a tax on wealth is desperately needed and unlike Income/Tax it is hard to avoid. Simon Jenkins suggested recently that the simple way to deal with this issue is to extend Council Tax to all house values, that would even catch ex-dom Russians or Chinese living in London. 

2) They consistently oppose Benefit Cuts when there are so many problems, though the ideal time to have put these to right was during prosperity rather than deprivation and high unemployment.
Work must always pay, when so often it does not, or is at best marginal. 

   I have always had a good regard to the work of Iain Duncan Smith who I thought was particularly impressive on last Sunday's Start of the Week with Andrew Marr. There is certainly a case for unifying and simplifying benefit claims with a Universal Benefit replacing myriads of separate claims.

  There is certainly a case for NOT allowing housing benefits far beyond the rent that could be afforded by a reasonably paid working person. Essentially the problem comes from failure to build affordable housing to rent in all parts of the country, above all London.

   There is surely a case for restricting the number of children entitled to child benefit. China have controlled their population to the benefit of the resources of the whole world by a similar enforced policy, mainly based, I think, by refusing state education to second children. India meanwhile is allowing the poorest in their population to breed like topsy with little regard for their future or ours.

The problems are the result of delay to implement reasonable restrictions in time. It is inevitable that there will be pain for big losers and maybe that should be eased by phasing out gradually. 

Like the sudden attempt to raise school exam standards it will result in distress, the alternative there is that we continue to plummet on world education rankings.

3)  They have failed to take seriously the idea of clawing back benefits from the richer sections of the community, such as winter fuel allowance and free bus passes. To do so would effect quite a proportion of U3A members of whom I with an inflation proofed pension would be one, but I do feel unfairly insulated from the current austerity measures which have a major effect on our family. That I should travel free on our buses whilst they are accordingly far more expensive for the rest doesn't seem right. Part of the irony is that this would be a popular measure, and that includes me.

Recently travelling by local transport in France I was amazed by the low flat rate cost of city transport and the comparative simplicity of their pricing system for rail travel. It stems primarily from their practice of Composting (date and time stamping of tickets on boarding a bus or just before boarding a train). We travelled within La Rochelle, Nantes and Angers, which bear similarity to Swansea, at 1 euro (80p) for one hours journey time including transfer from bus to bus to tram as required or in the case of La Rochelle even to water ferry to the local beach. We also travelled fast and comfortably between these cities by train and to our final destination near Cholet with cheap fares off peak (all except morning and evening rush hours) by taking expresses other than the high speed TSV trains. I shudder when I see young kids paying pounds just to travel to the centre of Swansea. I may return to this issue as composting (allowing for changes of bus) frees up a rethink on time schedules. 
                           
4)  The most recent and blatant is the short term tactic which caused them to side with the Tory right wing solely to give Cameron a bloody nose over Europe. In reality it is much more serious, one really does have to be cautious about what we hope for. We are in great danger of having no friends left in Europe as we enhance our reputation for lack of cooperation. Undoubtedly there are serious problems to be solved in Europe above all to correct flaws caused by lack of flexibility in the common currency, the Euro.

The last Labour Government had it about right, Gordon Brown was determined not to be dragged into the Euro, but Tony Blair was at heart correct to be a European. In my opinion we need to be an active help in sorting out their problems and certainly not be not to making them worse by obstructing.

I always thought we needed a radical change from the tarnished Blair years and was pleased to see Ed beat his older brother for that reason. At the time I would have preferred Ed Balls as leader but now I think Ed Milliband is shaping up nicely - so why oh why not get a clear principal led strategy and start to build the narrative everyone is waiting for, sensible cuts and investment in growth. We must make savings but we must not obstruct Europe over its budget or implementation of a financial transaction (or Tobin) tax, when it is clear that part of the financial instability is caused by far too much trading of high volume for minute profit margins with the sole benefit of increasing banking profit, whilst risking dumping the occasional spectacular multi billion failures on us the public in the name of Limited Liability. Our own Lord Turner, a contender to head the Bank of England, stated so clearly that much of this banking had no social worth.
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U3A ACTIVITIES

There have been a particularly interesting series of lectures on Wednesdays. Eddie Ramsden, who as usual was very involved with the RYA in this case the selection, training, preparation and support of sailing paralympic competitors. An action shot showed early on the dexterity demanded of the crew to race successfully at this level. Then a shot of the same man in question on terra firma showing dramatically that he had an artificial leg. Eddie said that dinghy racing was treated as a 'normal' sport such as say running, but unlike say Rugby which is clearly contrived with rules to suit. I have great admiration for those who run, but moving around a bumping swaying small powerful boat and leaning out on the wire to balance it was for me a show-case of determination to overcome difficulties to the point where he showed immense skill, as did the helming skill of an even more handicapped woman.

Whatever else the Olympics Games achieved the Para-olympics  must have been a tremendous inspiration to newly handicapped people, showing them what can be done.

After science teacher Jon Foster's lecture, which used Death Ray Mathews as an example of line of individual inventors working on wireless, electrics and other forms of radiation, I, and a few others, went up to say what an inspiring science teacher he must be, and in my case to ask specifically if he taught Physics or Engineering. The reply amazed me, his subject is Biology.  

Gerald Grab showed an amazing grasp of the history and development of Swansea since the 1800s to the delight of the audience, most of whom knew it far better than this foreign blogger.

But for me the biscuit goes to emeritus Professor Jon Roper for a wonderful insight into American election process, and of course with special reference to the imminent election. He seemed far more certain than anyone else I have heard that the victor will be Barack Obama. I do hope he is right for I have seen too many inspiring left leaning leaders disappoint, starting with Kennedy, at the time I was just coming to the end of a five year spell in Canada. For me Jack Kennedy's (the first Catholic) election represents the start of my interest in politics. I was particularly interested by Jon Roper's remark that Kennedy was widely acknowledged by viewers to have won the TV debate (including me), but that Nixon was acclaimed the winner by radio listeners. I had not heard that before but it does make one wonder to what extent TV is now trivialising political debate, none more so than our last one when no-one was prepared to tackle the real economic issues then facing this country and the world. Nobody failed as completely as Blair, not even Clinton, good communicators both, but nothing to match expectations to say the least. 

Barack Obama can at least point to the unfortunate timing of his election in 2008 at the start of the global collapse which started with dangerous practices initiated in the USA, and the petty obstruction by his Republican opponents at a time when seriousness was required, both well expressed in the lecture. I personally think history will show he dealt well (in Keynesian not everyone else's Austerity style) with the financial crisis until left powerless by the completely new House of Representatives elected in 2010. For those reasons above all I hope, and think, he will get the chance he deserves and deliver in the next four years. 

Incidentally I recommend the following link explaining the US system, which is very different to our own. President elected for a fixed term of 4 years, the 'House' (lower house roughly equivalent to our parliament) elected every 2 years. Senators (very different to our Lords) serve for 6 years with 1/3 elected every two years. All elections are held at the beginning of November in even years.
www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Americanpoliticalsystem.html 


POLITICS & CITIZENSHIP will discus the US election on Tuesday 13!! November led by our leader Gabrielle.

YOGA
Last Thursday Chris Bryan had 16 of us to deal with including a fair sprinkling of new faces. She is currently floating ideas of a second class also on Thursday morning. It was nice to see the increase in popularity which is just deserts for her efforts and skill as teacher.

JIVE
Like Yoga is being rearranged a little with beginners having the floor to themselves from 10 to 11am when the rest invade. Ken Huntley is tutoring on his own, Pam Williams is having an arthrosopy on a troublesome knee and we wish her well, she hopes to be fit and well again to dance at our long weekend away in Torquay shortly. 

SOCIAL HISTORY
Well over 30 enthusiastic members turned up at the inaugural meeting on where Anthea introduced us to a sample of what will be studied, and emphasised the major impact of public health measures (clean drinking water, sewers etc) which so far outweighed the impact of doctors & medicine. I told you Engineering was important!!!! It is hoped there will be two groups a smaller 'hands on' group will contribute to the study on the 2nd Thursday starting 8 November, plus a much larger group who come to be 'entertained' at 2pm each 3rd Thursday.

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Our mountaineer Ian awed the whole group (over 60) with a fascinating account of the planning, organisation and sheer guts of getting to the summit of a high peak, plus a wonderful photographs and videos. It was a 6 week expedition to the Pakistan side of the Himalayas. I could identify with the trip up the Karakoram Highway as being something Joan and I would attempt, but sleeping on glaciers on thin ground sheets at -20 C and climbing without oxygen whilst sweltering at +30C plus in fierce sunlight is something else.

Ian Smith giving his talk

The audience 1

The audience 2

All I can claim is empathy with people who take such risks for I did know Nick Escourt slightly, a software developer with Ferranti Computers. He lost his life in an avalanche climbing K2 with Chris Bonington and the commemorating poster hung on my bedroom wall for several years. I remember too walking up the local 2000+ metre volcano with a Dutchman in Sumatra who explained that his wife had recently died climbing in the Alps, but he rationalised it by saying 'I have no regrets at least she died doing something she loved'.

For me those memories just underlined the danger of being on high mountains. For one reader at least it will be closer to home. 

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I'll sign off now with the thought that another fabulous year has started well for Swansea U3A 
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