Rita Madden shares some reflections from the book titled, "How to Live a Holy Life."

How to Live a Holy Life

Rita Madden reminds us of the blessing of working together in all facets of our lives, especially as we struggle to change some aspect of our life.

Work Together

Feasting is not the opposite of fasting, but a most joyful application of the fruits of our Lenten spiritual efforts! Take what you have cultivated during the fast, and feast with joy by following these 5 tips.

Feasting Well

The Church offers us guidance for what to eat and what to abstain from during the fast, but does not give much guidance in the way of exactly how much to eat. Today, I am hoping to suggest that, when keeping the proper spirit of the fast, the wisdom of how much we need is already within us.

Finding Moderation

In this episode, Krista Fedorchak, the new co-host of Food, Faith and Fasting, unpacks the differences between the fasting mindset and the dieting mindset, so we can better understand and approach this ancient Christian Discipline within the context of our current society's understanding of dieting.

Fasting vs Dieting

Modern day medicine is encouraging people to practice gratitude as it is good for health. We are called by our Holy Tradition to give thanks for all things! Following the Holy Orthodox Tradition provides us the tools we need to care for soul and body.

Giving Thanks for All Things

Rita Madden shares how to make a change that lasts in our lives through small but persistent choices.

Sustaining a Change

In this podcast we explore how to make small changes in our life to benefit our soul and body based on various practices that our Holy Tradition provides to us.

Working on Ourselves

In this podcast we discover wonderful wisdom from A Monastery's Kitchen to bring Christ into everything we do.

Learning from A Monastery’s Kitchen

In this podcast we examine a teaching from the Desert Mother Amma Syncletica to understand how to care for our health in a Christ centered manner.

Creating Balance with Barriers

Ancient Ingredients for Modern-Day Health - This podcast is geared toward Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians who want to care for their health in a spiritually minded manner. It focuses on ways to manage medical conditions such as weight loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gastric reflux, and more. Rita Madden’s theory of health management is based on the wisdom embodied in the Holy Orthodox Church.

What helpful and wonderful episodes!
One does not have to be Orthodox to follow the suggestions. I am on my way to finally losing this weight thanks to this Podcast! Brava Rita! Keep these episodes coming! Hey how about a booK?!

Excellent Podcasts!

I too frequently eat alone on my lunch hour.  I took your advice of inviting a &#39;spiritual&#39; partner to my workspace for lunch and have found that beading while eating forces me to slow down and find some peace of mind at work.  I feel more energized in the afternoon as a result...and not to mention have some great accessories to go with my outfits.  Truly inspriational Rita!!!!  Keep up the good work.

Lunch Hour Power

Food, Faith, and Fasting

With fasting being such a buzz diet, craze right now, Rita Madden helps us to gain some perspective through the teachings of St. Issac the Syrian.

Gaining Perspective on Fasting

Rita introduces her new book Food, Faith, and Fasting: A Sacred Journey to Better Health, published by Ancient Faith Publishing.

Manner

St. John Chrysostom gives us a rule that can help with portion control in the era of Super Size and the Double Big Gulp. He states that we should “eat just to alleviate your hunger.” This sounds like a very good rule, but how do we apply it to our everyday eating practices? The listener will walk away from this episode with tips on portion control and being satisfied with less. The listener will also learn how this can help with longterm weight and chronic-disease management.

Eating in a Chaste Manner

In this podcast, Rita discusses how fasting can actually lead to healthier food choices.  She will also look at a 16-hour fasting approach and it's benefits to care for our body and soul alike.

16-Hour Fasting

We know, with Christ, anything is possible! In this podcast we review the importance of not giving up or losing faith when we are struggling to meet a goal.

Hope

Rita Madden shares St. Gregory of Nyssa's writing on The Lord's Prayer, and provides insight on stress management and how to eat.

St. Gregory of Nyssa on The Lord’s Prayer

Rita encourages us to enter into the true spirit of the fast as we begin Great Lent.

Let’s Not Fake the Fast

Rita shares her reflections on a short conversation by two desert fathers on laying new foundations in our lives.

Starting a New Foundation

Rita explores the use of modern day medicine and how it lines up with our Holy Orthodox Tradition.

Medicine in Modern Times

Many meals are eaten in the restaurant setting. This podcast will provide strategies on how to eat in a spiritually minded manner at the restaurant and explains how these good food choices can benefit your health.

Sacred Eating in the Restaurant

For a variety of reasons, many of us have to eat alone. Rita presents strategies for eating alone in a healthful and satisfying manner. She also provides strategies for helping those who have to deal with the struggle of eating alone.

Eating Alone: Making the Best of Mealtime When Eating Alone

Following the feasts and fasts of the Church cannot only help us care for our own health, but it can also benefit the environment and God's creation.

How the Orthodox Way of Eating Allows Us to Be a Healing Presence to the World

Rita discusses dedicating a fast to someone to aid us in deepening our prayer for them.

Dedicating a Fast

Many times we eat outside the home—be it at work, at a friend’s home, or at a restaurant. This podcast will provide strategies on how to eat in a spiritually minded manner in the work environment.

Sacred Eating in the Workplace

Eastern Orthodox Christians eat in a very specific way. With all the discussions about the various diets out there, is this traditional way of eating a way to share the faith? Rita answers in the affirmative and explains why.

Eating as a Way to Share the Faith

Rita interviews Cynthia Damaskos about the current research on gluten.  Rita and Cynthia are the creators of My Beautiful Lent, a program to help Orthodox Christians in all stages of life to use the fast for the nourishment of the soul, leaving room for the blessings that the Church intends and that God wants to give freely.  Find out more at http://www.mybeautifullent.com

Rita interviews Cynthia Damaskos about the current research on gluten.  Rita and Cynthia are the creators of My Beautiful Lent, a program to help Orthodox Christians in all stages of life to use the fast for the nourishment of the soul, leaving room for the blessings that the Church intends and that God wants to give freely.  Find out more at <a href="http://www.mybeautifullent.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.mybeautifullent.com</a>

Gluten - My Beautiful Lent

The late Father Thomas Hopko outlines 55 Maxims that provide guidance to aid us in the New Years Resolution of putting Christ first—and as we all well know, this is the most important resolution of all!

55 Maxims

What do you do when you are the only one in your home who is fasting? You have become Orthodox and your spouse has not, or you live with people who simply do not fast. What are some strategies for you to keep the fast? Rita offers some suggestions.

Fasting Alone

Rita answers two questions that she have received from listeners: (1) What do you do when someone prepares a meal for you that has not been made with quality ingredients? (2) What is the best way to participate in exercise while fasting?

Answering Listener Questions

Rita Madden shares some readings from "Meditations for Great Lent" by Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou, and reminds us that the purpose of Lent is to grow in humility and love.  Sign up today to be apart of My Beautiful Lent!

Meditations on Great Lent

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