Food and Nutrition

Good links to

nutrition-related webpages

http://www.westonaprice.org/

http://www.wellbeingjournal.com

http://www.gardenoflifeusa.com/articles.shtml

http://www.personalconsult.com/articles/chronicdiseaseprevention.html

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
IF YOUR GOAL IS GOOD HEALTH…
GOOD NUTRITION ISN’T OPTIONAL!

by Ellie Evans, RN, MS, CNM

What happens if you put the wrong fuel in your car?  At the very least it will run less efficiently than designed to do.  Depending on the nature of that wrong fuel, it may cause the engine to knock, backfire and run rough…it may cause support systems to fail…it may destroy the engine.  

So it is with our bodies.  When denied adequate amounts of the nutrients required for their operation, or given the wrong fuel, trouble won’t be far away!  They, too, will lose their ability to function as designed…will experience multiple system failures…and will likely have their potential lifespan cut short.

Did you know the average adult body is made up of an estimated 100 trillion cells (one billion cells per ounce of body weight)?  These cells are like tiny factories that are continuously working.  There are more than two hundred different types of cells in the human body, working together to form and sustain function of the body’s many structures and systems.  For example, some join together to become organs, bones, and circulatory pathways.  Some provide continuous communication from system to system.  Some provide continual cleaning and maintenance services. Some offer swat-team-like protection against threats to our health.  Some bring about healing on many levels.  And they all reproduce themselves.  In an adult human being, more than a trillion cells are created every day.  Just think about the energy required to accomplish all this work.  The quality of the nutrients we consume will determine if and how these trillions of cells will function.  It will also dictate the quality of the new cells being produced.  When disease or injury is added to the picture, such nutrients become critical for survival. 

What happens if our bodies don’t receive an adequate supply of the right kind of fuel?

It can be reasonably argued that most disease can be traced back to deficiencies of needed nutrients, or consumption of harmful substances.    

Malnutrition comes in varied forms, and is common in America.  We usually think of malnutrition resulting from famine, and envision starving children in distant parts of the world.  The word malnutrition, however, means bad nutrition, and it doesn’t have to involve famine.  In our culture, malnutrition is more often due to the choice of foods consumed, rather than a lack of available food.  I have a dear physician friend who often says that the first letters of the words Standard American Diet, SAD, are painfully descriptive of the nutritional value in the average American’s food intake. 

Everyone knows the attraction and pitfalls of living on take-out and order-in “fast food.”  Unfortunately, there are many other features of the American diet that contribute to poor quality fuel being consumed.  Did you know many nutritionists would agree that, when considering the “quick fix” boxed meals available, there may be more nutritional value in the boxes than in the processed foods within them?  When the additives and preservatives they contain are considered, their value becomes even more questionable.  Then there are the issues of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics that have become an integral part of the full spectrum of foods we consume.   We really must give more attention to the quality of what we’re eating. 

Sugar intake leads the concerns regarding fuel that can cause harm when consumed in excess.  This isn’t the forum to go into detail on every nutritional concern, but one issue that contributes heavily to countless health challenges must be mentioned.  That is the problem of excess sugar intake. In the early 1900s the average American consumed about 5 pounds of sugar per year.  In recent years, the USDA estimates range from 135 – 150 pounds of sugar consumed per person per year.  Sugar is added in large quantities to almost every beverage and processed food.  The effects of this have been devastating to America’s health.  While most people realize there is a connection between sugar consumption and the development of diabetes and obesity, most don’t understand that when the amount of glucose (the ultimate form sugar takes for use in the body) exceeds our body’s need for fuel, it has very negative effects on every system in the body.  To get an idea of the magnitude of the problem, check out Dr. Nancy Appleton’s article, 76 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health, as presented online at: www.beinghealthynaturally.com/eatinghealthy/76wayssugar.htm. This is not an exhaustive list, but you’ll get the idea.  The first effect listed is of especially great concern for those fighting infection, cancer or any immune-system related health challenge: Sugar is an immune system suppressant.   A 1973 study[i] demonstrated that ingesting simple sugar, including processed honey, table sugar, and processed orange juice, resulted in a 50% reduction in the ability of white blood cells to engulf bacteria.  The immune suppressing effect begins within ten minutes of ingesting the sugar, and lasts for five hours.  For an easy-to-read article that provides a good overview on the subject, enter the title Sugar’s effect on your health in your online search engine, or check out:  http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm. 

Malnutrition is also seen among those who have food available, but don’t eat.  Some are “crash dieting.” Some have eating disorders.  Some are struggling with illness/treatments/stresses that have robbed them of their appetites. Regardless of the reason, if a person goes long enough without adequate nutrition, the results will be disastrous. 

Both those who eat without caution, and those who don’t eat enough, often say, “I take loads of great vitamins and other supplements.  I don’t worry about what I eat, or if I skip meals.”  That’s dangerous thinking.  It’s true nutritional supplements can be of great value for enhancing optimal health, and are vitally important for recovery from injury and illness…but the best supplements in the world - plus lousy nutrition - equal lousy nutrition!  The benefits of even the best vitamins, minerals, immune system enhancers, antioxidants and other supplements are realized only when they are used along with adequate quality food.  Think again about the comparison of what we put in our cars.  What would happen if you put any of the available “fuel enhancing” products in your gas tank without the gas…or the “efficiency” products in your engine without the oil?  Quality supplements work in concert with quality foods that provide the building blocks and energy essential for survival and health.

If we want to be well, good nutrition is not optional!  Just what will be best on an individual basis may vary.  Detailed nutritional information is beyond the scope of this writing, but the following are a few suggestions to help you get started with assessing where you are, nutrition-wise, and considerations regarding how you can best meet your nutritional needs. 

1. Keep a nutrition journal for at least a week.  In our busy world, few people truly give attention to what they are and aren’t eating.  Keep a record of everything you eat and drink.  It will be very worth the effort.
    

2. Determine foods that are best for your body.  Many have found Dr. Peter D’Adamo’s book, Eat Right 4 Your Type, helpful. There are other metabolic typing methods available that suggest percentages of proteins, carbohydrates and fats to consume based on an individual’s metabolism.   While I have personally found both of these approaches of value, it’s important to use common sense in the process.  The main thing is that you pay attention to how different foods make you feel, which will be made easier by keeping a journal.  If you eat something and feel better afterward, or experience an increase of energy - that is clearly a beneficial food for you.  If, after eating something, you feel worse or as though your energy has been drained, you may be sensitive to that food – or it may not be easily processed by your metabolism.  A confusing aspect is that the symptoms may be delayed in 95% of sensitivities.  Wheat, dairy, citrus and soy are among the most common causes of food sensitivities. For better understanding of this issue, see the article Food Sensitivities online at http://www.netnutritionist.com/fa6.htm.

The key is to pay attention to and avoid those foods (at least for
          a while) that don’t contribute to your health.   

3.  Choose “whole” foods.  “Whole” foods are those you can recognize by sight.   Fresh produce, organic if possible, is great; though flash-frozen fruits and vegetables sometimes retain more nutrients than “fresh” ones that have been in the store for several days.  Heating destroys the enzymes in foods, so canned foods will offer less nutritive value than fresh or frozen.   

Fresh or frozen fish, meat and poultry will provide much greater nutritional benefit than processed forms.  Again, organic sources are best.   They should be free of the antibiotics and hormones commonly used in commercial production.   

Whole grains provide complex carbohydrates that are more slowly absorbed and metabolized, preventing rapid rise and fall of blood sugar levels.  They also provide the many nutrients that have been lost in processed flours.  When whole grains are incorporated into baked goods or other products, they aren’t easily recognized, so it’s important to read labels carefully.  Color can’t be relied upon.  Look for products where the first ingredient on the list has the word ‘whole’ in front of the grain’s name, such as whole wheat. 

4. Drink adequate pure water.  The rule of thumb is half one’s body weight in pounds equals the number of ounces you should drink each day, but when there is a health challenge two-thirds the body weight in ounces is a better standard.  (PLEASE NOTE: if a person has renal failure, low sodium levels, congestive heart failure or other fluid-related health problems – do not increase fluid intake without consulting your physician.) Adequate mineral supplementation is critical if using demineralized water (reverse osmosis, etc.). 
    

5. Focus on maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Hippocrates said, “Man is not nourished by what he swallows, but by what he digests and uses.”  We can consume the best foods and supplements on earth, but if the gut is sick, so are we.  From effectively chewing our food, to being able to absorb nutrients and excrete the wastes – the health of our digestive tract plays a critical role in overall health.  For more on this subject, see the article The Critical Nature of Gastrointestinal Health, posted in LEAP’s Gastrointestinal Health section under Detox/Crisis Healing.

Consider again the 100 trillion little factories that make up the human body.  They have a huge job to do…and they must have the fuel they were created to use if they are to function, repair and reproduce themselves.   Good nutrition isn’t optional…it’s a matter of life and death.

Contact the Webmaster by clicking HERE.