Diverse from the generations of plants and animals, human beings were supposed to be immortal. Aquinas grapples with this. The anthropology of original sin, if you will, described in the Hebrew text of Genesis was unknown to him, nor was, therefore, our actual original condition in its entirety.
With original sin, death entered the world for all of us as a punishment for that original sin. So, we’re really connected one with another. The Hebrew text goes into all of that. The flip side, of course, of that closeness with the first Adam, is the closeness that we now have with the second Adam. We’ll see that more clearly when we, as we hope, get to heaven. Right now, we’re in the midst of the just consequences of original sin, but with the grace, the friendship of our Lord enabling us to do what is right and just and to walk in His presence even in the midst of our fallen human nature.
As longtime readers know, I’ve been wanting for some 12 years now to do up a popular version of the thesis on Genesis, speaking to all of this. I was able to write a 45 min conference back in 2013 for IVE up in Silver Spring. That conference developed some points in the thesis on the flip side of original sin, that is, on the immaculate conception of the Mother of the Redeemer. With that we also know more clearly how we stand before God and neighbor after redemption, though having been subjected to original sin. And that’s immensely helpful.
Not being immortal, health has declined a bit since then, and I’ve been wanting to get back on track for the specific reason of writing on Jesus’ good mom. It’s my one goal in life. But, being Jabba the Hut, it’s not easy. Being overweight brings a myriad health pitfalls. Writing in an intensely academic manner requires great health. What to do?
A young couple introduced me to the Keto diet. Today’s my second day. So far, so good. But I’ve yet to hit the transition – the Keto flu – if I do indeed get it. That signals the body’s transition from depending on carbs (that’s almost exclusively what my diet was) to depending on the melting of one’s body fat into a kind of sugar, if you will, for the blood. They’re giving me lots of encouragement. “Power through it, Father George!”
For me, writing about the Immaculate Conception, would be my flower for the Immaculate Conception… given to me to give back. It may not be possible. I would like it to be. But that’s me. What do I know? That may not be God’s will. I just want to do God’s will. There’s so much to write about, including… “Abraham’s three children.” Sigh. More on that later. I’ve much to say on that. Perhaps I’ll start with some incisive edited chapters of Jackass for the Hour edited to emphasize that topic. Speaking the truth about that, about anything, is also a flower for the Immaculate Conception.
But I need energy. The thing is, once the body finally goes into ketosis, one is full of energy and thinking more clearly. Yes. That is what I need. Keto! Keto! Keto!
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
Father,
Your posted flowers for the Immaculate Conception remind me of dying to oneself. It seems so easy for the leaves to do it!!! Why not us? Dying to oneself is sort of like ketosis, maybe.
For You: Dear Father Byers,
Your very knowledgeable and encouraging blogs are, so much, appreciated! They keep me on track. How much you accomplish in a day is amazing. Re: the Keto Diet, I have no experience with it but reading your blog reminded me of a YouTube posting by Zachary Fowler. Outlasting all the other competitors, he was the winner of a survival competition, “Alone,” sponsored by the History Channel. For 87 days, the only food available was what he could procure from nature. His resultant weight loss was drastic. At the conclusion of the challenge, he re-created his experiences in a You Tube series. In the episode noted here he describes what, essentially, was a Keto Diet. Perhaps viewing it may tell you more than did the young couple who introduced you to it. As you continue, please stay in touch with your doctor. Always wishing you the best and keeping you in prayer, Arlene Lindblom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0m4bpz8C7Y 16:58 min.
#Survival #BushCraft #87DaysAlone
How to Lose 73 pounds In 87 days & Keep it off ketogenic diet (87 DAYS Episode 4)
•Jul 30, 2017
Fowler’s Makery and Mischief
Zachary Fowler | Winner of History Channel’s Alone, Season 3 [Winner’s prize: $500,000]
When i went out on History’s Alone season 3 in Patagonia i lost 73 pounds over the 87 days while out surviving and Learned how to keep it off. Losing weight and keeping it off Seems to be a hard thing UntilI learned about The ketogenic diet. When I returned home And found myself gaining back the weight At almost a pound today I needed a solution. Out there in Patagonia I felt strong What was different. Without carbs my body went into a state of ketosis that Allowed me to gain the most Amount of energy out of my food While out surviving. When I came home And reintroduced carbs into my diet it made me sick. I found Jimmy Moore’s book keto clarity And Stocking weight. That Surviving 87 days in South America Did wonders For my body. Keto for the win!!
I hope the Keto-diet works for you Father and you can get back to writing. My energy is too low and muscle strength too little to do all that I think might help me health wise so am praying to Sydney woman Servant of God Eileen O’Connor (1892-1921) for help. I have since read online that Father Anthony Robbie is the postulator of Eileen’s cause for beatification. He was a priest of the Wagga Wagga diocese at one time so perhaps you know him. I have a rather lovely memory, although I felt a little embarrassed at the time, when my sons and I first met Father Robbie at a homeschooling meet out Holbrook way on or not far from the year 2000. A few of us mothers were running late getting our children there as we were travelling in from many miles away. Not wanting them to miss the valuable things Father would pass on to them, we prayed to our guardian angels to speak to Father’s guardian angel so he wouldn’t reach the farmhouse until we had arrived … and he didn’t. Father looked somewhat irritated though when he did arrive. No one said anything to him about our prayers but he knew and said he wished people would stop praying for the angels to delay him as it was very annoying. We hadn’t thought of the annoyance factor. Anyway, the children’s lesson was a great success and they received an unintended lesson on the amazing guardian angels as well when they heard their mothers being gently corrected by Father over our lack of consideration.
Make sure you check with your doctor ASAP! Praying for you.
“The thing is, once the body finally goes into ketosis, one is full of energy and thinking more clearly.”
The Atkins diet referred to it as “benign dietary ketosis,.” It takes about two days to burn off the stored glycogen in your body if you take in absolutely no more carbs. You can use ketone test strips to test for the presence of ketones in your urine. The ketones are the evidence that your body has started to burn fat; it is a byproduct of that process and it actually takes more energy for the body to run off of fat – thus the loss in weight.. The presence of ketones can also signal ketoacidosis – a serious condition. But that is another matter.
Goodness what a know-it-all Am I.
And apparently sugar splurging is really bad. But at the end of day 2 I’m not hungry.
Very good. you’ve made it. Now, if you were doing the Atkins diet, you would maintain your diet as your body slowly burned off excess fat. Once you hit your target weight, you would reintroduce carbs by, say 15 grams a day.
Using the ketones test strips, you would monitor the amount of ketones remaining in your urine and note the amount of carbs your diet includes when the ketones disappear. That amount is considered the optimum amountl of carbs to allow in your diet without triggering, (I will call it) a glycemic overload leading to weight gain.
That’s so important. Thanks for that. I was wondering about how to change over w/o wrecking the cardiovascular system. Great!