Guidelines for a Healthy Lifestyle
Using food in place of medicine is far from a new concept. Greek physician Hippocrates, born in 460 BC, said “Let thy food be your medicine and your medicine be thy food.” Foods can truly affect the body’s internal physiology and can have profound effects. Obviously there are other factors that dictate which diseases an individual can succumb to, i.e. genetics, but, the one factor that can be controlled is the diet. So as Hippocrates stated, “Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can heal the patient with food.”
Identify and eliminate all food allergies and sensitivities.
This immediately decreases stress on the immune system and gastrointestinal tract, which allows the liver and adrenal glands to begin their recovery process. A diet diary should be kept on a daily basis with everything eaten recorded.
Rotate all major food groups.
Never eat the same foods (dairy, chicken, apples, etc.) on consecutive days. For example, if chicken is allowed on Monday then try not to eat this again until Thursday. This eliminates the possibility of becoming allergic or sensitive to the food.
Check your body’s pH regularly.
A check of your pH can indicate how well your body’s internal environment
Eat organic fruit and vegetables, free-range meats, and wild-crafted cold water fish.
These foods are free from pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. For example, an organic cage free brown egg has up to 40% less saturated fat when compared to a non-organic caged white egg. (Poultry Science. 2002 Jan; 81(1): 30-3)
Eat more foods with low glycemic index. Minimize foods containing refined sugars.
Sugar stimulates insulin release from the pancreas, which decreases the amount of circulating growth hormone promoting the storage of fat and suppression of the immune system. Sugar and Vitamin C have a similar chemical structure. This similarity allows for cellular competition. When the body has sugar floating around in the blood stream cellular space is occupied by sugar instead of Vitamin C. This process also weakens the immune system. Glycemic index is a measure of how fast the body absorbs sugar from food. Each food is assigned a number. Foods with a lower glycemic index do not spike blood glucose (major cause of insulin resistance & obesity) and allows the body to absorb the sugar over an extended period of time. Higher glycemic index foods contain sugars that cause an immediate spike in blood glucose levels creating a temporary shock to the system. This inflammatory process can be devastating to the body over time. Simple carbohydrates have a higher glycemic index as compared to complex carbohydrates. Refined sugar has the HIGHEST glycemic index of all foods and is associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer (International Journal of Cancer. 1993 Sept; 386-389). Visit http://www.glycemicindex.com/ for a comprehensive listing of foods and their glycemic index.
Eliminate processed, refined foods.
Replace with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
White flour, white rice, white sugar, and white salt (vs. sea salt that contains other trace minerals which helps buffer sodium’s side effects on the blood stream) are stripped of their vital nutrients (vitamins, minerals, and fiber). As a medical student, I was fortunate to see a patient drop 550 points in their triglyceride levels just by eliminating the four foods above. These refined foods are responsible for increased chronic disease, especially obesity and coronary artery disease. Many new studies show a link between the intake of high fiber foods like fruits and complex carbohydrates (vegetables, nuts and whole grains) for their protection against chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. The beneficial role of most vegetables is confirmed, with more than 20% reduction in risk of colorectal cancer from the addition of one daily serving. International Journal Cancer 72:56-61, 1997. This is due to their vitamin, mineral, and fiber content, the latter of which also helps with regulation of blood glucose. In particular, there is accumulating evidence of protective effects from folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin E, vitamin C, flavanoids, and phytoestrogens, Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine. 2004 Aug; 6(4): 291-302, Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2004 May 20; 124(10): 1399-401. All of these nutrients are found in fresh fruits and vegetables.
Eliminate partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats and minimize saturated fats. Replace with heart healthy Omega 3 fats.
Industrial oils, otherwise known as trans fats, are cheaper substitutes meant to have a longer shelf life when compared to non-hydrogenated good oils like olive oil. They displace the good fats, specifically Omega 3 oils, which leads to clogging and hardening of the arteries (Journal of Nutrition. 2003 Apr; 133(4): 1186-1191, Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2002; 11 Supplement 7:S408-15, New England Journal of Medicine. 323:439-445, 1990), promotion of insulin resistance which leads to obesity and diabetes (Nippon Yakurigaku Zasshi. 1984 Apr; 83(4):309-15), increased cravings for fatty foods, increased LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and triglyceride formation, and decreased HDL (“good cholesterol”). Recent studies have shown an increased incidence of breast cancer in people with high trans fat consumption. (Nutrition and Cancer. 2003; 45(2): 168-75, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1997 Oct; 66(4 Supplements): 961S-964S) To replace these trans fats one can increase foods high in Omega 3 oils, preferably Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Food containing Omega 3 oils include cold water fish like salmon and halibut, flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, halibut, seaweed, ground cloves, green leafy vegetables, ground oregano, squash, kale, shrimp, soybeans, kidney beans, and navy beans. Omega 3 oils can actually suppress the production of fat (Journal of Nutrition Science Vitaminol (Tokyo). 1995 Apr;41(2):207-16.) If supplementing make sure that Omega 3 oils are from a reliable source as many available commercial supplements can have trace amounts of mercury.
Eliminate the consumption of products containing
high fructose corn syrup.
This sweetener is now being used in everything from ketchup to fruit juices and energy bars. It is 1000 times sweeter (with an extremely high glycemic index) than sugar and is a fraction of the cost. There are alternatives to most products containing high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup can lead to increased allergies to corn, insulin resistance, free radical formation, triglyceride formation, fatty liver, obesity, and food cravings. A common source of high fructose corn syrup is found in sodas. The increased use of high fructose corn syrup in the United States mirrors the rapid increase in obesity. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004 Apr;79(4):537-43)
Eliminate the consumption of products containing artificial sweeteners like aspartame or NutraSweet, sucralose or Splenda, and saccharine.
These chemicals actually increase our cravings for sugar and do not satisfy hunger cravings. Some countries in Europe actually ban the use of artificial sweeteners in their foods. The most recent study, documented in Environmental Health Perspectives, March 2006, shows that artificial sweeteners produced cancer in mice at a daily dose of 20 mg/kg of body weight. Imagine the amount of these sweeteners one’s body accumulates during a lifetime. Stevia and xylitol are naturally occurring sweeteners that don’t raise the blood sugar, are safe for diabetics, and make for healthier alternative to artificial sweeteners and refined sugar. However, organic raw honey makes for the ideal sweetener as it is both high in antioxidants (Food Chemistry, July 2006) and a potent immune stimulator.
Eat foods high in protein like beans and fish.
Protein is essential for muscle growth and decreases spikes in insulin when eating foods containing carbohydrates. This spike in insulin is responsible for those early afternoon “crashes” or drop in blood sugar called hypoglycemia. There are many good quality protein supplements. For example, rice, pea, hemp, goat milk proteins, as well as, the whole fish supplement Sea Cure.
Eliminate or significantly decrease the consumption of dairy products, as per allergy or sensitivity testing. When appropriate eat or drink only ORGANIC dairy.
Having said this, milk plays a major role in chronic disease possibly due to the use of hormones, pesticides and pasteurization. Many Americans actually have some sort of sensitivity or delayed allergic reaction after consuming dairy. An appropriate substitute to conventional dairy is almond, rice, hemp, oat, soy, or hazelnut milk. Cheese and yogurt from soy and rice milk is also readily available.
Substitute alternative grains for wheat.
Numerous alternative grains are out in the market today. Wheat and gluten (a protein found in wheat) sensitivities are prevalent in today’s society. Spelt, wasa, kamut, ezekial, quinoa provide excellent alternatives to wheat. These complex carbohydrates are richer in vitamins and minerals. Alternative grains do not spike insulin levels in the body
Participate in a yearly liver and kidney detoxification program.
This ensures long-term results and is great for anyone looking to clean the body’s filtration systems, i.e. liver, kidney and gut. Treatments could incorporate intravenous therapy, raw foods, juicing, and lipotrophic (liver support) supplements.
Take a whole food based multivitamin, probiotic, and antioxidant. Also take a good quality Omega 3 supplement (from cold water fish, flax or hemp seeds).
This allows for filling any gaps that may arise in the diet. A whole food based supplement is always better than synthetically derived supplements because it allows for the nutrients to work in a more synergistic effect.
Last but not least, EXERCISE. This fact is known to all; however, most Americans fail to get enough.
15 minutes of some sort of daily aerobic exercise is the best medicine for the heart, lung or brain. Exercise, in general, significantly cuts middle-aged cancer risk in men, British Journal of Cancer 2001; 85:1311-1316. This increase in circulation and oxygenation of cells creates an environment not suitable for abnormal cells to develop. Weight bearing exercises 3-4 times a week is critical to maintaining muscle mass and bone strength.
Suneil Jain, NMD