Dear Rev Rex,
Forgive me for my long delay in responding. Wow! I felt really good after reading you answer. I certainly will try your suggestion about putting my tomato mix on some veggies and salad.

I have always bristled at the thought of going on a diet. I see many of my friends at work trying all of the extreme diets and I have snickered at these poor souls who have become addicted to these things. Now I have become overweight since I got a car last December. For seven years I didn't have a car and walked everywhere I went. Now I drive everywhere and have put on quite a few pounds, which is very distressing. I had no idea how much walking was benefitting me until I stopped. I was never concerned before but now I am. I have decided to change my way of eating instead of calling it a diet. I am 5'2" and about 175 and 50 years old. I have chosen to change my calorie intake to allow me 1200 cal a day with 40 grams of fat. This I break up into three meals a day at 400 cal and 13 grams of fat, per meal. I have found it to be a very easy transition. I will have two peices of oat nut bread with four slices of low fat chicken or turkey breast, one piece of low fat cheese and to satisfy my craving for mayonaise on a sandwhich I put a light blend of horseraddish and wasabi mayonaise that I found at the store. To satisfy my craving for potato chips I have encorporated flavored soy chips. Instead of drinking a big bottle of Pepsi twice a day I have begun to drink flavored seltzer water. I didn't realize that the Pepsi had 300 cal in each bottle I was consuming. In two weeks I have already noticed a difference. My pants are slipping! I have also started consuming prepared Indian food which is very flavorful and low in calories. It is a little on the hot and spicy side so I use it as an alternative meal just to break routine. I will also have a Subway sandwhich once in awhile, also to break routine.

In the long run I believe that we can find substitutes to satisfy our hunger and still stay on a healthy diet. I don't think we should have to cut out a whole food group to lose weight, nor do we need to skip a meal.. Moderation is the key. If I happen to see a lovely piece of cake in the corporate kitchen, I might decide to take a piece, but I will induldge myself only a small sliver and eat only half. To compensate for my indulgence, I might cut out half of my soy chips. My craving has been satisfied and I have kept within my calorie boundaries. Wish me luck and I will keep you informed of my progress.

Thank you for you insightful response.

You are a very interesting person, Rev. Rx!

I was wondering if you would give your thoughts on the spirits connected with plants and herbs that facilitate healing. Have you encountered any and do you communicate with them?