Under the Sabbatical diet, your breakfast should look like this, fried chicken served with rice and peas and steamed vegetables. - Winston Sill/ Freelance Photographer

Dear Ms. Thompson,

I read your article and I must agree with Dr. Robert Robinson, not only because he is scientifically correct, but also as a result of my religious beliefs. The Sabbatical diet is indeed the best diet for our bodies and true health is not achieved simply by exercising (even though it is essential that we do so) or by taking supplements. True health comes from within, whatever we put in our bodies is what will reflect on the outside on our skin texture, hair texture, eyes, etc.

I must agree that we should eat heavily in the mornings. It is scientifically proven that the body slows down its metabolism as the day grows old. Our body breaks down fat much faster in the mornings than in the evenings and nights. Those of us who wish to lose weight can try this diet, it is guaranteed to work.

- Wendy

Dear Ms. Thompson,

I have been practising the Sabbatical diet for the past couple of months myself and find it beneficial. I have been able to keep my weight down. I fast on Sundays and this seemed to also keep the belly fat in check, somewhat! Recently, I decided to fast all day on a Sunday and only drink juices or smoothies - no chewing (this idea I got from the book 21 Pounds in 21 days). The first time I tried it, I couldn't believe how great I felt on Monday morning. Fasting does have its benefits.

The truth is the concept of eating your largest meal for breakfast is not new. I have heard before that one should 'eat like a king for breakfast, a rich man at lunch and a pauper at dinner time'. Now we have the scientific explanation for this. The only difference in my view with regards to the Sabbatical diet is the day of fasting which is included. So the Sabbatical diet is a lifestyle choice that I would recommend but, of course, to lose or maintain weight, exercise is essential.

- Shermaine

Dear Ms. Thompson,

I do not wish to have my name disclosed but, long before I knew what the Sabbatical diet was all about, a friend gave me some reading material which said that if you eat all your starches before noon each day, you would loose weight. I tried that by having all my starch intake at breakfast and only fruits, vegetables and meat whenever I felt hungry, usually every two or three hours. This really worked and I was losing weight, but then I stopped.

Now that I have seen the Sabbatical diet, I have started again. First thing in the morning, I have an apple then by 8:00 a.m. I have a large breakfast, fried dumplings or cornmeal dumplings; sweet potato is very good, yam, Irish potato, green bananas and whatever meat I may choose. That keeps you full all day. If you get hungry, eat pineapple, melon, apples or vegetables and meat and drink a lot of water. Add a little exercise and it is working for me.

Dear Ms. Thompson

Dr. Robert Robinson is a part of the denomination of which I am a part and sometime ago he came to preach at my church. No doubt, his words for consideration were centred on this subject. I, being someone who have been heavy from birth and have been entertaining thoughts of dropping a few pounds, was of course intrigued by his presentation. Now, it must be noted that I am somewhere between 300lb and 350lb, which you would imagine is quite huge! I decided to 'test' this plan seeing that I have tried a few others, but have not had the discipline to maintain.

What I had done was to start with eating only six days for the week. Seeing that I practise the Christian discipline of fasting, this wasn't hard for me. I did not have the heavy, early morning meal as it stipulates neither did I start the exercising, I just did without the meal for one day. To my surprise, I found that a lot of persons were telling me that it seems like I'm losing weight! Can you imagine what will happen when I start exercising?

- Damean Beckford

Send questions and comments to our health specialists at Your Health, c/o The Gleaner, 7 North Street, Kingston; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com. Unless otherwise indicated, letters and the specialists' responses are usually published in our letters section and in our articles.