I follow the same eating and food guidelines as provided in The Key to Health and Rejuvenation (now Timless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation, http://www.ener-chi.com). Being mostly a balanced Pitta type, my desires match my dietary needs. In other words, I am almost exclusively attracted to those foods that actually nourish and maintain my body type. I have not been eating any meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, milk, etc. for the past 32 years, since these were responsible for my juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and arrythmia (heart disease) among many other health problems i suffered from during my childhood. Plus, I am not the least attracted to them.

Pitta types by nature have very little capacity to break down animal proteins, for the simple reason that they don't need them. If they eat these foods, nevertheless, they are likely to become poisoned by them. When I stopped eating these foods, these conditions vanished as quickly as they came.

My appetite is very strong, but only at mealtimes. I have no desire to snack, except for a samll piece of fruit occasionally, nothing that involves the stomach for digestion. It just never comes up. My stomach tells me when to eat, not my mind.

I eat oatmeal in the morning at around 7:30 after 60-90 minutes of exercising, with almond milk, stevia or xylitol, coconut oil or unsalted butter, unrefined seasalt, 10-12 almonds. I may have piece of fruit midmorning.

At 12:30 I eat my main meal. I start with a salad, e.g. red leaf lettuce, cucumber, 1/2 avocado, celery, cilantro, parsley, basil, perhaps some bell pepper, grated carrot, roasted pumpkins seeds, a little almond milk and olive oil as dressing. After that I eat cooked vegetables of various kind, usually 2-3 types at a time, such as broccoli, cabbage, zuccini, carrots, corn, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, fennel (anise), mushrooms, green leafy veggies, fresh peas snap beans, etc. They are cooked with plenty of Pitta - reducing spices, unrefined salt, ccocout oil, olive oil or butter, perhaps some vegetable buillon, coconut milk or other natural condiments.

Folowed by that I eat a grain food such as Basmati rice, couscous, millet, bulgur, buckwheat, etc., with tumeric and salt and butter or ghee. Occosaionally I eat some beans like yellow mung beans. Preparing this meal for two takes ame about 15-20 minutes, as I use the waterless cookware "ForeverWare (100cookwares.com). It takes half or less of the normal time required and keeps the nutrients intact, and you don't need to watch anything.

In the evening at around 6:30 we eat either a vegetable dish, made in the above manner, or as soup (with water added), plus a toasted wholewheat Pitta bread with butter, or grain food much less than at lunchtime. Preparatioin time is less than 5 minites.

We don't eat processed foods, leftovers, frozen foods, etc. Just don't like them. My taste buds love very fresh and pure foods.

I only drink pure, fresh water, except in the morning after rising, a glass of warm water with a little lemon and a teasppon of honey. I have no desire for other beverages, except an occasion herbal tea when travelling. When I go out into a restaurant I choose one that can prepare a vegetarian dish. Never have a problem, especially not in developing countries.

Andreas