Nutrition

In the previous article, “The Cell…”, I offered that poor quality food choices fail to provide sufficient nutrition to enable their own digestion, and as such are costing us more energy than they provide – a non-sustainable situation that will eventually lead to ill-health and dis-ease.

Ultimately, what we need from any healthy diet is energy; which is obtained by consuming a mixture of foods that provide protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The wider the variety of foods we eat, the less likely we are to be deficient in any of the essential nutrients that our bodies need to perform their numerous functions.

Towards the end of the 20th Century; advent of supermarkets, freezers, microwaves and such began to deplete the quality of foods that are available, and today in the West we are seeing dramatic rise in poor health conditions that simply did not exist in previous times.

The food we eat has changed more in the past 100 years than in the previous 100,000. Diets high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as intensive farming, growth hormones and artificial preservatives have led to illnesses such as heart dis-ease, high blood pressure, cancer, obesity, gall stones, liver failure and kidney problems to name but a few. Children today are born with conditions that only a few years ago were considered dis-eases of old age; more children under the age of 11 are dying of cancer and diabetes than any other dis-ease! (Susana L. Belen, ‘Detox and Revitalize’).

Even the manner in which we eat has been adversely affected my modern social ‘norms’. Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner is a direct by-product of the 40-hour working week that only came about during the industrial growth of the 20th Century. This is not the natural order!

The body goes through a natural and deliberate cleansing cycle from around 4am-12noon. During this time our organs are expelling toxic acclimation for release from the body. Eating an early breakfast (as in, ‘break-fast’ or ‘stop-fasting’) diverts energy from this vital process to that of digestion and as such we are not ‘taking out the rubbish’ from the previous day. Further more, throughout the night our cells become dehydrated; and a breakfast of toast (wheat), jam (sugar), cereal (both) and coffee sends them into shock at a time when they are most needing a little helping hand.

Food Observation:

The first thing we should consume in the morning is a glass of room temperature water. Ideally this would be followed by a cup of hot water with fresh lemon and/or ginger. Freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices will provide easily accessible nutrients, and as we progress to solids, soft fruits such as banana or papaya will place little burden on our early morning sluggish system. Beginning your daily consumption in this manner will offer you the opportunity to assess your true needs verses your indulgent wants. Are you really hungry, or simply habitual?

There are many obvious toxins in the average daily diet. Cutting down on things that are not good for you will have immediate, positive health benefits.

Sugar – White refined sugar provides ABSOLUTELY NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. The major ingredient in many store bought jams, cakes, biscuits and soft drinks – this cheap bulking agent is even being linked to damaged states of mind such as depression, irritability, mood swings and hyper-activity. Artificial ‘sweeteners’ that are increasingly common in foods (sweet and savoury) and even medicines are frequently branded as healthier alternatives because they contain no calories and do not directly damage your teeth. They are however commonly linked to cancers as well as lesser ailments such as dizziness, headaches, epileptic seizures and menstrual problems.

Wheat – Wheat is not necessarily a bad thing. Certainly organic, whole-grain varieties can be beneficial to your health. Wheat does however contain high levels of ‘gluten’ which is slow to digest. Imagine taking a slice of white bread, dropping a little water on it and then squashing it in your hand. The resulting sticky pulp is exactly the substance that will hit your stomach. A typical days consumption may include cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and pasta for dinner. That’s three helpings in one day! Add a biscuit in the afternoon and it is easy to see why people become ‘wheat intolerant’. This over- reliance combined with the poor quality refined wheat varieties that flood the market has led to numerous health conditions and frankly boring diets!

But rather than concentrating on the negatives, let us look at some foods that are delicious and healthful. By adding more of these into your daily diet you’ll have less want or need to eat anything nasty.

Fruit – The ultimate convenience food; packed with vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre – all essential for good health. The versatility of fruit makes it easy to incorporate into your diet.

Citrus fruits are exceptionally high in vitamin C which boosts the body’s natural resistance to bacteria and viruses. Lemons are particularly beneficial for the lining of the stomach so useful in reversing the effects of an acid forming diet. Berries offer many unique health benefits and can be easily stored in the freezer without losing their nutritional value. Tropical fruits, such as banana or papaya, contain high levels of potassium which is alkalizing and cooling in the system. Grapes are the original ‘super-food’, assisting the immune, digestive, nervous and excretory systems as well as promoting healthy skin, hair, eyes, bones and muscles! They are massively cleansing and provide huge cancer protection. Dried fruits offer concentrated sources of instant energy and so are great for those with a busy schedule or as a snack during excursion. High mineral and fibre content can relieve constipation and their intense sweetness satisfies the strongest of cravings. Be sure to choose organic varieties if possible as common preservatives such as Sulphur Dioxide can aggravate skin and sinus issues.

Vegetables – Too obvious and numerous to mention; vegetables (especially raw or lightly steamed) should serve as the foundation of any meal.

Seeds and Nuts – Providing low-fat protein which is essential for cellular construction, the natural fats in seeds and nuts help to steady the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing the ‘spikes’ associated with diabetes. Seeds and Nuts are rather clever!, containing ‘enzyme inhibitors’ that prevent them from being broken down in the system. This is a survival mechanism whereby when they are eaten by animals in the wild, they can later be excreted, still able to grow into a plant! For this reason they should be ground-up or soaked in water prior to consumption.

Quick Conclusion:

Food is best in (or close to) its original state. Seasonal, whole-foods are delicious in their own right and don’t require much alteration to create beautiful meals. Reading labels will quickly tell you what you should and shouldn’t be eating – if it doesn’t sound like a food it isn’t! Just as a car cannot run on anything other than petrol, the digestive system simply cannot process anything other than food. Toxic non-foods are rejected and stored in and around the gut and internal organs of the body. Taking the time and effort to prepare food yourself is massively rewarding and with a little practice extremely easy to do. The very concept of ‘convenience food’ is farcical when weighed against the inconvenience of ailments and illnesses that seem so prevalent in Western society.

Food is nutrition. Nutrition is energy. Do you feel vibrant and energized after you have eaten? Or do you feel tired and lethargic? Be honest with yourself and realize that only you have the power to control what you consume, and that what you consume will directly affect the state of your inner environment. Out of sight, out of mind, but not out of the laws of good health.

Life’s Good!

(Nutritional information sourced from Michael Van Straten)