Back in the 1940's a Dr. Akizuki, who personally drank miso soup daily to strengthen the frail body he was born with, got his whole family and hospital staff in Nagasake to drink miso soup regularly. For two years after the atomic bomb hit Nagasake, Dr. Akizuki and his staff worked very closely with fallout victims in areas that had the highest radiation levels. When neither he nor his staff got radiation sickness as would be expected, Dr. Akizuki speculated that perhaps this was due to miso soup. Many years later, in 1972, a study by Japanese scientists intrigued with Dr. Akizuki's writings, found that miso contains zybicolin (dipicolinic acid) which grabs onto heavy metals (radioactive strontium being one) and discharges them from the body.
One healthy way to add more water and fiber to the diet is through soups, which can be served in many ways -- not just to start a meal. Miso soup, particularly, is wonderful not just at the start, but sipped during the meal as well, for it's digestive support. Have you ever had soup as a side dish? a dessert? A meal in itself?
Participants in a weight-loss study at the Institute of Behavioral Education (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania) found soup to be an efficent weight control. Compared to non-soup eaters, those who made soup a regular part of their meals -- at least four times a week -- lost wieght more readily and were more likely to have maintained their weight loss one year later. Researchers have confirmed my opinion, soup is generally calorically less dense than solid foods, which explains why they found that the larger a role soup played in a meal, the fewer calories would be consumed. Annother slimming factor about soup is that sipping soup slows the pace, giving the brain a chance to register satiety before too many calories are consumed. The chewing and swallowing and taking a long time to eat (chew at least 32 times/50 times/a minutes time to liquify then swallowing) are factors in setting off the satiety system in the brain to make a person not only feel full, but also making that feeling of satiety last for a longer period of time.
Although the reasons aren't entirely clear, studies have shown that the activities of chewing and swallowing in themselves increase electrical activity in the part of the brain connected with satiety. It seems to take about five minutes after food first enters the mouth for any feeling of satiety to begin to register, and around twenty minutes before all mechanisms coordinate to communicate that the stomach is full, no matter how much food is eaten. Even if we are all not fast eaters, who hasn't experienced quickly gulping down a meal in ten - fifteen minutes, only to suddenly feel uncomfortably stuffed five to ten minutes later ( as the body's satiety mechanisms caught up). Slowing down, with more chewing and chewing well, comes with the territory of meals consisting of fiber-rich foods.
Dietary fiber is bulk, which makes us feel full - stays in the tummy longer than processed foods and takes up more room, without calories! In addition, this fiber acts like a broom, sweeping out a lot of fat, cholesterol and chemical toxins from the bloodstream, removing them from the body. More on fiber and mindful eating later!
Non-soup eaters were found to consume one-third more calories per minute than soup eaters. So, sip away, my slimming soup companions!
Bon Apetito!! L'Chaim!! In JOY!!
From you I receive, To You I give, Together we share and From this we live
Many Species...One Planet...One Future
~I See You ~ Namaste ~
Yours in Wellness, Gratitude, Vitality and the Rhythm of Nature,
Suzen Sharda Segall
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Suzen Sharda Segall, Wellness Personal Trainer/Consultant, designer and facilitator of BodyArts Therapeutics, has provided an integrated approach to health and wellness for a wide variety of populations, internationally,for over thirty-five years
