Many people use the traditional Lent to temporarily give up everyday vices or simply to give up things that are unhealthy and harmful to the environment. Lent can therefore not only serve to do something good for the body or the environment, but also to sharpen awareness in the sense of one's own mindfulness. In this article we want to give a few effective examples of what you can do without during Lent without immediately going all out - like with therapeutic fasting, for example.
1. Alcohol
79 percent of Germans have drunk alcohol within the last 30 days. Many of us appreciate the stimulating and mood-enhancing effects of beer, wine, sparkling wine and spirits. People often forget how dangerous the cell toxin ethanol can be if consumed excessively and in the long term. Therefore, alcohol is definitely the most common and important “everyday poison” that is avoided during Lent. Of course, you shouldn't use this sacrifice of time as an excuse to drink more alcohol afterwards.
2. Cigarettes
We certainly don't need to go into detail at this point about how bad smoking is for your health, do we? Tobacco smoke contains over 4,800 different substances , many of which are proven to be toxic and carcinogenic. When smoke is inhaled, these toxins are absorbed through the lungs and distributed throughout the body. The result: Almost every human organ is damaged by smoking. Maybe Lent is just the right start to finally give up this vice for good.
3. Sugar
On average, every German consumes 2.2 kilos of sugar per month, mostly hidden sugar in ready meals and other processed foods. Can that be healthy? Anyone who delves deeper into the topic of sugar and avoiding sugar will quickly realize how difficult it is to escape. Especially if you continue to eat processed foods. We therefore recommend that you first start by consistently avoiding refined sugar.
4. Coffee
In the morning it awakens the spirits, at lunchtime it banishes the food coma, in the afternoon it contributes to a successful visit to the café: coffee. On average, every German drank 162 liters in 2014. With an average cup size of 150 milliliters, that's over 1000 cups of coffee per person. The roasted bean contains more than 800 aromatic substances, but only around two kilocalories per 100 milliliters. And it wakes you up. It's no wonder that so many people love coffee.
But aren't the Germans indulging in a vice? Coffee is considered unhealthy, makes you nervous, makes your heart pound and is even said to shorten your life. The idea that coffee drinkers die earlier is now considered outdated. In fact, it is controversial whether coffee promotes health or harms it. It's certainly as simple as with most things: the dose makes the poison. So why not just give it up for a few days, weeks or even months?
5. Television
Every hour in front of the screen increases our risk of mortality by eleven percent. At least that's what Australian scientist David Dunstan from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne claimed in 2010. For a study , he and his team examined the lifestyles of 8,800 Australians over several years. Another study suggests - it would have been thought - that people who avoid watching television consume more calories every day. Let's be honest: there's almost nothing on the TV anyway. Maybe YouTube, Pornhub & Co. also fall under the waiver ;).
6. Meat
This is not an appeal to all people to eat an exclusively meat-free diet in the future, because there are also people who benefit from moderate consumption of animal products. But why not just try out what it's like to be a vegetarian or vegan for a while? Maybe the schnitzel will taste even better afterwards, maybe you'll want to switch to tofu, tempeh and the like in the future. Testing is above studying. In any case, here are 7 good reasons to avoid meat.
7. Lies
No matter whether it's a life lie or a little fib in everyday life to (supposedly) make things easier for yourself. The saying goes: everyone lies at least twice a day. Unfortunately, we can't substantiate this scientifically at this point, but we are sure: If you pay close attention to whether, when and why you lie for a while, you will definitely improve your mindfulness .
8. Plastic waste
Of course, you can't ignore the issue of plastic waste when it comes to doing without. For many people, convenience wins out over demands far too quickly . Anyone who pays close attention will quickly notice how difficult it is to escape plastics made from fossil raw materials. They are contained in packaging, cosmetics, or even chewing gum. For example, we have now managed to avoid using PET in bottles , but we are aware that this solution is not yet perfect either.
9. Social media
There are now enough figures on the suffering caused by social media. On average, smartphone users in one study activate their device 53 times a day. A British study says that 58 percent of respondents feel unhappy or stressed when they look at their cell phone. 71 percent of social network users regret their party night posts the following day. Many are fed up, bored more, enjoying less. It is only slowly being understood that these apps addict us like gambling machines, with entire departments called “Addictive Design” scanning us, using us and manipulating us. If you don't want to miss any of our fasting tips despite avoiding social media, you can also sign up for our newsletter in the old school way.
10. Ride the escalator and elevator
Everyone should be able to do without this for a while - for the sake of their health. Climb the stairs instead of letting them go is the motto! This renunciation quickly becomes a habit. Your heart and circulation will thank you.
No matter what you give up and for how long , this renunciation will definitely change your consciousness and therefore your life. Maybe you have an idea of what you could easily do without? Then tell us using the hashtags #fasten and #idobio or here in the comments.
For anyone who doesn't want to go without particularly fresh green juices during Lent, our IDO Lean Green organic juice treatment is just the thing. The package includes 3 green juices every day to optimally support you in your
everyday (fasting) life
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