A few years ago I started a trial called ‘The LWTM moon diet’. It was based on a book and some research I found in a library. The roots of it all go far back to Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine who lived in Ancient Greece around 500 B.C.
The trial gave some really good insights and I still thank the participants who were so generous with their time, interest and feedback. Most of the people who participated did so for health reasons and out of curiosity and only a few actively tried to lose a lot of weight with this program. However, all found an increased level of energy and small weight loss. I did not have the time or resources to extend it to a full-blown trial with properly measured results.
Before I go more into what it is – here are some of the testimonials I received after the 2 months trial run was completed:
‘ I feel better and my digestions works a lot better. I am really enjoying it and will continue after the trial run”
‘ I really enjoyed the fast days and as an added bonus my period, who was a bit hit and miss became regular again – it now always comes around the Full Moon”
‘ I liked the variety of foods I could eat and I find the concept very interesting. I am not a natural cook and initially, I had to spend a bit more time dedicated to cooking, but once I got into the swing of it, that has now decreased and I learned a lot about healthy eating on the way’
‘ The part I enjoyed the most was the variety of herbal teas and what they were good for. I will definitely keep doing it’
‘ Only since I took part in the trial run I realized that indeed I crave different foods at different times’
Naturally, you will be asking – so what is this moon diet? I will give you a few pointers and tips here that you can start trying on yourself. But the whole process is of course far too complex for a short blog post.
If you have read most of my previous material about Biodynamics, you will know that days are not all equal as they all have individual day qualities. This goes from planting/harvesting right through to eating.
When you look at the calendar you will see each day has a moon phase and element attached. In essence, the moon phase tells us about the way we should eat and the element tells us what kind of food we should eat.
I believe the real strength of this way of eating lies in the combination of timing and food variety. So instead of just eating whatever is around, you will make a conscious decision of what to eat and what to avoid.
In principle, there are 3 states or modes
1. Elimination/fasting phase
2 Changing weight phase (either gaining or losing weight)
3. Keeping your current weight (within the range of an up to 3 kilograms or 6 pounds).
During the Waxing Moon, you want to eat food that is very nutritious and stock up on vitamins and minerals. Additional you choose exercise programs like yoga, pilates, stretching, swimming, weight lifting anything that makes your body more flexible and strengthens/builds muscle tissue.
During the Full Moon – you either have a rest day or a fast day (depending on your current phase)
During the Waning Moon, you lose weight and step up the cardiovascular program, like running, cycling, hiking, everything that strengthens the heart and circulation.
The time of the New Moon is the fasting time, irrespective of weight. It is the time to cleanse and reset your digestion. This should go hand in hand with a relaxing walk or some stretching/relaxation exercises. Long runs and other strenuous exercises such as spinning class should be off the table. It is time to give your digestion and body a good rest.
During the program, it is important to follow a varied diet. Food is rotated in accordance with the elements, but the exact method is beyond the scope of this article.
Below is a recipe for the New Moon fast day. Just a few simple tricks can make a big difference.