How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier.

Michael J. Fox’s medical story is well-known to many for whom he is the ‘face’ of Parkinson’s Disease. The man who first identified a curious set of symptoms as relating to the disease that bears his name was born on April 11, 1755, outside of London, England. James Parkinson trained as a physician and took over his father’s practice. He worked hard, not just with wealthy patients in a time when only the rich could afford a doctor, but with the poor as well. Toward the goal of making health care acces-sible to everyone, Parkinson wrote a 2-volume encyclopedia of family medicine which became a standard reference for ordinary people. His writings covered nutrition, disease prevention, tips on hygiene, and symptoms of common ailments. In his spare time, Parkinson was keenly interested in natural science, especially the emerging field of fossil research. He helped to found the British Geological society and wrote a 3-volume illustrated encyclopedia of fossils. By 1810, both of his writings had made him famous throughout Europe and in America but his questing, curious mind did not rest on its laurels. In his home-town, he would encounter some elderly men as he walked through the streets. Their gait and posture were distinctive, so he asked them questions: How long had they had that arm tremor? Did they ever feel constipated? Why did their arms not swing as they walked? Did they fall often? When he encountered other men with similar symptoms, he queried them as well. Dr. Parkinson theorized that these men shared a dreadful condition which he wrote about in a pamphlet called An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817, in which he described the symptoms of the disorder in detail. Fifty years after his death, the pamphlet was read by Jean-Martin Charcot, a French physician. Dr Charcot knew that it was important for doctors to be able to recognize these symptoms in their patients, and he called it “Parkinson’s Disease.” We know the symptoms, but we still have no cure. Happily, there are some medicines and physical therapies that ameliorate the effects. The Michael J. Fox Foundation has put billions into research, and one can hope that if the cause of the disease can be found, that there might be a cure.

The MIND Diet is a way of eating which seeks to forestall and mitigate the symptoms of degenerative brain diseases, like Parkinson’s Disease. It is very comparable with the Fast Diet. Our meals today are in line with ingredient choices of the MIND Diet, and with the caloric limitations of the Fast Diet.

Asparagus ScrOmelette: 159 calories — 9 g fat — 1.5 g fiber — 12.5 g protein — 8 g carbs — 137.5 mg Calcium  NB: Food values shown are for the ScrOmelette and fruit only, and do not include the optional beverages. PB GF A fine book called The Flavor Bible lists what flavors are compatible. Guess what? Few things go together as well as asparagus, Parmesan, and eggs!

1½ two-oz eggs HINT: If you are serving one person, crack three 2-oz eggs into a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whip up those eggs and pour half of their volume into a jar with a lid to store in the ‘fridge for next week. — 1½ oz asparagus, thinly sliced and cooked 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated — 1½ oz applesauce  Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  Optional:5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie [88 calories]

Put the asparagus into a pan which has been spritzed with non-stick spray and cook until it is warm. Whisk the eggs with the cheese, salt, and pepper and pour into the pan. Scramble or fold like an omelette. Enjoy with the applesauce and enjoy your day.

Banh Mi: 300 calories — 7 g fat — 5 g fiber — 20 g protein — 36.5 g carbs — 47 mg Calcium  PB The recipe for this popular Thai/Viet street sandwich came in the mail from Eating Well’s ‘Shape’magazine. Just a few tweeks and it worked splendidly for a Fast Day. Dear Husband is a fan.

3 oz pork tenderloin, previously cooked or raw — 1 tsp Asian sweet chili sauce — ½ tsp soy sauce 1½ oz cucumber, cut in 2-3” strips — 1½ oz red sweet pepper, cut in 2-3” strips — 1 oz carrot, shredded 1½ oz baguette slices, cut ¼” thick — sesame-ginger dressing**

**Sesame-Ginger Dressing: 2 Tbsp pickle brine [from a jar of pickles] +++ ½ tsp sesame oil ¼ tsp ground ginger +++ ¼ tsp ground garlic +++ pinch sesame seeds

Slice the pork thinly and brush with Asian chili + soy sauce mixture.  If meat is uncooked, brush with the chili/soy mixture, then briefly saute until barely pink. Prepare the sesame-ginger dressing and set aside in a small bowl. Slice or grate the vegetables, and toss in the sesame-ginger dressing. Slice the bread and arrange it on the serving plate. Top with pork, then with vegetables, then the dressing. Serve remaining slaw in a small dish. Done! We ate everything with our fingers.

Ingredients for next week: Breakfast, single portion for Monday …………………………… single portion for Thursday:

Dinner, single portion for Monday:………………………….. single portion for Thursday: