It wasn’t all that long ago that the Atkins Diet was making the news. People were excited about the idea of being able to eat all the meat they wanted and still lose a lot of weight. The interest in the diet was staggering, and enough people saw impressive results to keep the diet at the forefront for quite some time. It seemed to be more than just a regular fad diet. However, it didn’t take long for people to start questioning the potential bad effects of the Atkins Diet.

Well, the Atkins Diet is still around. It may not get nearly as much attention as it used to, but there are plenty of people who start the program on a daily basis. This is a mark in its favor as it shows it is more than just a fad diet. In fact, a lot of other diets have come and gone since Atkins made its initial splash. But what about the supposed bad effects of the Atkins diet?

Let’s clear one thing up right away: there is no consensus in the medical community as to the long term effects–good or bad–of the Atkins program. They are still worthy of debate and further research, and you should at least be aware of them before deciding to try the Atkins Diet.

On the one side, you have people who have lost a lot of weight on the diet. They are happy with how much weight they have lost, and how quickly (a loss of 5 to 10 pounds in the first week is not unheard of). They also enjoy being able to eat high protein foods, regardless of how much fat they contain. This means eating things like steak, bacon, fish, pork, chicken, beef and eggs. As long as people on the Atkins Diet take supplements and exercise while on the program, they continue to lose weight. One thing is for sure, it’s hard to argue with results.

Results are one thing, and how those results are achieved is another. Critics state that one of the bad effects of the Atkins Diet is that the weight loss comes from not only a loss of fat, but also a loss of water and muscle. So, while they’re not necessarily questioning whether or not people are losing weight, they are asking if the type of weight loss is good or not. There is also evidence that any diet that is high in saturated fat can lead to an increased risk of heart disease. If this is the case, then you need to decide if the higher risk of getting heart disease is better than risk of developing other diseases associated with obesity. Or, to put it another way, the more overweight you are, the more you may want to try the Atkins Diet.

As of now, there is no final word as to all of the effects of the Atkins Diet. The best advice is to talk to your personal doctor so you can discuss your options and see if Atkins is a good choice for you.

Tags: Atkins, Atkins Diet, Bacon, Consensus, Daily Basis, Diet Atkins, Diet News, Diet Supplements, Eating Habits, Eggs, Exercise Program, Fad Diet, Fish, Forefront, Further Research, Healthy Diet, High Protein Foods, Impressive Results, Losing Weight, Medical Community, One Thing, Quite Some Time, Weight Loss —

Go look at an Indian guru or a Buddhist monk, and you’ll observe that there’s a dreamy look in their eyes, or a state of bliss that emanates from their countenance. Since most people, especially those living in the city, are pervaded by stress in an environment where deadlines, expectations, and goals are at the forefront of their thoughts, the urge to disentangle oneself from worldly worries and insipid thoughts can take its hold every once in a while. Some resort to travel, and some depend on the company of friends. But after the weeding out of negative thoughts, an individual will most likely find himself in the midst of stress again once he goes back in the strangle of the real world. So what’s the best cure after initial attempts to find solace has failed? It can be summed up in two words: spiritual awakening.

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL AWAKENING? Spiritual awakening is a process that takes place in an individual’s being. It involves heightened consciousness, enlightenment, and transcendence. How do we exactly reach this state? Does it involve secluding ourselves in one solitary room and concentrating as hardly as we can? Maybe so, but the act of achieving spiritual awakening is a much more sophisticated process.

SPIRITUAL AWAKENING THROUGH MEDITATION
A full understanding of how our mind works is instrumental in this endeavor. Everything around us – tangible and intangible – are all products of the mind and its processes. Human perception is limited, and what we sense in our surroundings are its mere products. Take color for instance. Color is just a quality assigned by the brain in accordance to different degrees of wavelengths.

So color in itself is just an illusion, and we can’t really tell that red or blue is an absolute truth when describing specific objects. And knowing that our mind is limited by the interpretations of the human brain, we will need to do away with the mind while trying to attempt this exercise. You need to look at the mind like a casual observer, and treat it as something that is separate from our selves. Try to relax and concentrate, and ensure that you are in a location secluded from outside interference.

Imagine that you are in an invisible dome, and that the mind is outside, wherein thoughts and fancies are unable to penetrate. If you achieve this, profound silence will ensue, and you will feel that you are free of the mind. You’ll feel vaster, bigger, and encompassing. And in the state of heightened consciousness, you will have a glimpse of reality, as opposed to the false reality that our mind perceives. You will feel peaceful, and a sense of connection with everything will be felt in a more profound manner.

PRACTICE IS FUNDAMENTAL
This takes a lot of practice and discipline. And it is inherent that you give yourself the opportunity to be alone and in a place where nothing can disturb you. Through constant practice, achieving spiritual awakening will be second nature to you and this heightened consciousness will last longer. Most important of all, this practice can help you improve the quality of your life.

Tags: Absolute Truth, Buddhist Monk, Countenance, Endeavor, Enlightenment, Forefront, Human Brain, Human Perception, Indian Guru, Initial Attempts, Living In The City, Midst, Negative Thoughts, Solace, Solitary Room, Spiritual Awakening, State Of Bliss, Transcendence, Wavelengths, Worries —