The Santa Diet

There's something valuable for everyone in this unique and engaging book. My name is Santa Claus. I'm a Christian Monk, as St. Nicholas was many centuries ago, and believe the healthiest diets incorporate love as their most basic ingredient.

I've decided to set a good example for others, especially children, and have developed a complete, common sense diet for physical, emotional, and spiritual health that practically everyone can use.

Numerous studies indicate the vast majority of Americans are overweight, stressed out, and spiritually undernourished. The Santa Diet is based on extensive research and my successful experience improving my own health.

I believe our health depends on many interrelated factors, our goal is to achieve the very best balance we can, and what we absorb through our senses constitutes a substantial portion of our diet. To a degree, we become what we absorb -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and through our senses. What we absorb constitutes our "diet."

I've found we are as healthy as our relationships are with ourselves, others, our Creator, and our environment. I know for certain that we are here to love, that the opposite of love is fear, and that forgiveness is crucial to optimal health.

Each of us yearns for nourishment and love. Most of us would like to become healthier. Often, we feel we don't have the time, ability, strength, energy, resources, and motivation necessary to invest in healing ourselves.

Of course, most of us can create the opportunity and decide to turn our less-than-perfect bodies into better functioning ones, improve our perception and emotional balance, and nourish our oft-dampened spirits.

What I've learned and managed to do for myself to become healthier requires less of almost everything: less money spent on processed food, less effort to exercise, less time worrying, fearing, stressing, and less energy judging myself and others.

Instead, I now spend more time enjoying myself and the gifts and blessings my Creator has given me, developing healthy relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and others, eating wholesome food, exercising moderately and regularly, hydrating and cleansing, meditating, moving-stretching-breathing, forgiving, receiving body- and energy work, exploring a variety of alternative therapies, and expressing and sharing love.

I find that I have "extra" time, resources, energy, strength, abilities, and an abundance of love. We all need love. Every day, we have the opportunity to connect with others -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That is how the web of life is woven, strand by strand, building and nurturing relationships -- loving.

If you are interested in becoming healthier, in loving, and in being loved, you will find ample, common sense material in The Santa Diet. I think you'll enjoy the gentle reminders and will find yourself exercising, meditating, recognizing the gifts and blessings in your life, and enjoying a new peace, happiness, and, most of all, love.

Blessings, Santa

Lake Tahoe

A new look and a new diet book from Santa Claus

by Amy Edgett
North Lake Tahoe Bonanza Staff Writer

Santa Claus dropped two shirt sizes, compliments of "The Santa Diet," which emphasizes regular exercise, moderate food intake and spiritual health.

“This is the first generation where parents may outlive their children, according to the National Institute of Health,” said Mr. Claus of the impending obesity epidemic. “I’ve had the problem myself; a thinner Santa will be a better example for the children.”

To increase the public’s awareness and provide a guideline for physical, emotional and spiritual health, Mr. Claus has written a book: “The Santa Diet.”

“I’ve been on and off diets for years and spoken with many experts,” said Mr. Claus. “There is a basic rule of thumb, calories in calories out. It’s that simple.”

Santa is referring to the fact you should not eat more than you burn per caloric intake. He allows there are differing opinions on what “goes in,” and suggests that part be addressed by your health practitioner.

Mr. Claus moves beyond the physical and asks reader to be considerate of everything that “goes in.” Whether it be music, art or water, the choices we make become a part of us. “There is a strong relationship between the physical, spiritual and emotional,” said Claus. “If any one suffers, the other two will follow.”

About the food

Claus refers to the old adage “variety is the spice of life,” and suggests a gamut of color, texture, consistency and flavors. Also, keep the salt and sugar low, no carbonation and lots of water. God presents us with opportunities to make good choices. Eat right, all right?

About the spirit

“Everything we do is a choice, based on love or fear,” explains Claus. An important element in our spiritual health is forgiveness and love. “The Santa Diet” is about the love. Forgiveness is easy when you realize you can’t control what other people do or think.

Santa likens fear to loss. It could be loss of a partner, money, your home or love. It operates on all levels of society and self. Love will always triumph over fear if we make our best effort. And with the loss of fear, there goes the hate. It’s a huge dynamic. Get rid of the junk, or “impedimenta,” which means baggage in Latin.

About the body

It’s like the economy. You’ve got to keep things moving around or they will wither and die. Regular exercise, moderate to marathon, whatever suits your self is the key. I did say regular, right? Don’t overdo anything, including the food.

“The Santa Diet” was written as a gentle reminder to incorporate love as a basic and most nutritious ingredient. Santa Claus is a Christian monk, in the tradition of St. Nicholas from centuries long gone. His book is not full of recipes — it is ripe with ways to enjoy peace, happiness, the blessings of your life and the relationships therein. It is a mindful book to begin a change within yourself.

“There is a tremendous opportunity in America to demonstrate to our youth our innate power to create change,” said Claus. “How hard is that?

“All that God requires is to love God and one another. If you are interested in becoming healthier, in loving, and in being loved, you will find ample, common sense material in ‘The Santa Diet.’ I think you'll enjoy the gentle reminders and will find yourself exercising, meditating, recognizing the gifts and blessings in your life, and enjoying a new peace, happiness, and, most of all, love.”

Photo of Santa Claus overlooking Lake Tahoe by Sheena Pease