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Dietary Guidelines
Dietary Guide for Optimising Health & Helping to Overcome Disease
Update July 2019
We are now recommending a high nutrient vegetarian diet called Nutritarian Diet’ in its broad scope we recommend for all. It's easy to loose weight, overcome diabetes and other chronic diseases without deliberate restriction of calories.
Unlike the so called "Primal diets” of high protein and fat Nutitarian Diet supports longevity and optimum well being from the cradle to the grave.
The Atkins type or typical primal diets can work for a while to reduce weight and reduce diabetes, in the medium to long term create health problems and also are unsuitable for long term good results.
I found this information amazing as it overturns several popular myths about food. These include the fact that animal protein addition to the diet is not only not needed but is counterproductive to long term health. A diet without animal protein contains sufficient protein for wonderful health and longevity. The elimination of animal protein from a whole food complex carbohydrate diet promotes health and longevity. Several scientific studies confirm that lower protein diets promote longevity. To promote longevity the body has to be more healthy.
The second major surprise for many readers is that complex carbohydrates, sometimes referred to as starches is the ideal way to resolve insulin and blood sugar problems, it’s only refined carbohydrates like white flour products including white bread that can create insulin resistance and blood sugar spikes, this is especially true when combined with a diet high in animal protein and low in vegetables and whole fruits.
Recommended reading are books by Joel Fuhrman M.D such as Super Immunity and The End of Diabetes.
Links to videos: from Joel Fuhrman M.D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSUfgej-CF0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdvOpIAg1zw
Dr. John Mcdougalls Starch based diet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5wfMNNr3ak is useful to see as it rams home the point that a starch based diet is great for weight loss without deliberately limiting food quantity and also provides enough protein! We prefer for long term use Joel Fuhrman's approach as it makes sense and he has done lots of research over decades to come up with his diet. Also thousands of patients have recovered from various health issues, as has patients of Dr. John Mcdougall.
We do take issue with the fact that Joel Fuhrman seems to have absorbed the anti-salt lobby. Recommended reading is The Salt Fix by Dr James Dinicolantonio. He has studied in depth the effect of various levels of salt consumption on various populations and conclusively, as has other researchers, found salt is a beneficial addition to the diet even in surprisingly large amounts. Unrefined salt, especially high magnesium salt is especially beneficial https://www.regenerativenutrition.com/celtic-ocean-sea-salt-p-74.asp
We also take issue with Dr. Mcdougalls stance on the need to abstain from fats and the relation of fat consumption to health problems. Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, coconut oil and butter from healthy grass fed cows are a valuable contribution to the diet. Recommended reading: The Cholesterol Myths by Uffe Ravnskov Phd. is recommended.
Wheat
Intolerance
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For all of those with autoimmune disorders, chronic fatigue, problems losing weight and any chronic heath issue the most common factor worsening your condition, often dramatically and covertly, is an intolerance to wheat.
Wheat intolerance is very common, in fact a study of a selection of patients with autoimmune disorders found that 100% had wheat intolerance.
Wheat has been found to cause damage and inflammation in the gut. Inflammation then spreads throughout the body and can impact on any organ or system, including the brain.
Any food intolerance can be masked, so that you are not aware of how the food is damaging you, if you have been using it habitually. The food intolerance can be found/unmasked simply by stopping the suspect food for one or two weeks to see if symptoms improve and then re-introducing them two weeks later (have plenty) and noting if an aggravation of symptoms occurs.
One can spend years with various therapies and nutritional supplements and not regain full health when simply removing a single food (most often wheat) can result in great improvements in health.
Wheat Products: Bread, cakes, pastries, biscuits, flour, pasta etc. If you habitually consume these foods then you can more or less guarantee you have an intolerance to them. |
Update December 2018
Important for all and especially those with health issues and even more with auto-immune disorders.
(For our comprehensive article on auto-immune disorders and how to treat them click here )
This information originates from extensive multi-decade research by Dr Steven Grundy.
He has identified certain plant proteins called lectins that are used by plants as a defence against being eaten as destructive to the intestinal wall, (gut) specifically the zone where most food is absorbed called the villi. His thesis is that virtually all auto-immune disorders and chronic disease begins in the gut and is certainly a large contributing factor. His patients have a high success rate in achieving significantly greater health merely by eliminating these special defensive pant proteins called lectins. The plant proteins in question can still have a negative impact on health even if the gut wall is not damaged.
The good news is that by pressure cooking food items that contain a significant amount of lectins, are rendered harmless and can be consumed. Perhaps surprisingly pressure (steam) cooking can preserve a greater % of nutrients than other cooking methods such as boiling, oven cooking and even low pressure steaming, more information on this is given below.
The book The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in "Healthy" Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain by Dr Steven R grundy is highly recommended/essential reading for anyone concerned with their health well being and even longevity.
There are may videos on youtube with Dr Steven Grundy such as:
The Action of Lectins in Health destruction.
The amount of lectins that can be consumed without significantly damaging health will vary from person to person. Lectins tend to damage the single cell thick part of the gut where most food is absorbed eventually leading to a leaky gut. This causes the lectins and improperly digested food to pass into the blood and extracellular fluid causing distress and damage to the whole system. One aspect of this is a activation of the immune system to try to deal with this foreign invasion resulting in inflammation. Inflammation is a major cause of chronic health conditions including auto-immune conditions but can even include chronic health disorders like heart disease or more accurately cardio-vascular disease, diabetes. With auto-immune disorders weak areas/systems of the body become especially inflamed e.g. for joints i.e. arthritis for lungs /adrenals asthma for nervous system e.g. multiple sclerous or motor neurone disease. In fact there is probably no chronic health disorder that is not aggravated or even primarily caused by inflammation.
Although most foods contain a certain amount of lectins, and most not in an amount that can damager a healthy gut, certain foods contain large enough amounts, that over time can cause leaky gut. These high lectin foods are grains, seeds, beans and legumes. The worst offenders are peanuts and wheat. Unfortunately it is whole grains that contain more lectins that white/refined grains as most of the lectins are in the outer layers of grains and in the germ.
Lectins can have a damaging effect on health even if the gut wall is intact. Note: Gluten is only one of several lectins. Common immediate symptoms of lectin reactions are bloating and heavy feeling in digestive system after food containing lectins are consumed. For fuller range of symptoms see/read information from Dr Steven Grundy
Improved Nutrient Retention in pressure cooked Food
The short cooking time associated with pressure cooking has benefit including an increase in the antioxidant capacity of the food. In one study, researchers from Dakota State University found that both conventional boiling and steaming caused significant decreases in antioxidant capacity of legumes, while pressure boiling and pressure steaming increased the anti-oxidant content of legumes.
In another study, published in the March 2007 edition of the Journal of Food Science, pressure cooking broccoli was found to retain 92% of its vitamin C content, compared to retention rates of 78% and 66% for conventional steaming and boiling, respectively. During pressure cooking, broccoli also retained most of its sulforaphane, which was not the case when the broccoli samples were low pressure steamed or boiled. Sulforaphane is a powerful, health-promoting phytochemical that has been linked to many of broccoli's health benefits, in particular its anti-cancer effects.
Recommended pressure cooker:
COSORI 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, 2 Litre/720W, Programmable Multifunctional Rice Cooker, Slow Cooker, Food Steamer and Yogurt Maker with Glass Lid, Extra Sealing Ring and Recipe Book
Or a larger one that could be used to cook sufficient vegetables for a family of 3/4
Pressure King Pro 5 Litre Electric Pressure Cooker - 12-in-1 Multi Cooker, Rice Cooker, Slow Cooker, Soup Maker Chrome (900 W)
Both are around £50. Reduce cooking time, nutrient loss and washing up !!
Lipopolysaccharides
Is another toxin that can impact the health negatively , specifically the immune system and those with auto-immune issues/disorders. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are common bacterial toxins that enter to blood through infection, leaky gut and saturated fat. This is not to imply that saturated fat should be avoided by all as saturated fats are part of a normal healthy diet such as eggs, coconut oil and butter and for the majority of people complete elimination of saturated fats from the diet is counterproductive to health. Studies suggest that it is persons with a leaky gut and obese persons that should restrict the amount of saturated fats in order to reduce the LPS load in the blood. The good news here is that olive oil has been found to reduce LPS passage into the blood. Persons who consume coconut oil who are in the risk categories described above would do well to replace coconut oil with virgin cold pressed olive oil. Also if a saturated fat is consumed consuming olive oil during the same meal can reduce the amount of LPS passed through the gut into the blood.
For more details on LPS:
Studies show that Restriction of Saturated fats to below 20g a day with no other therapy improve survival of M.S. patients
Note: 1 egg contains approximately 5g saturated fat Butter is approximately 50% saturated fat
Note: Even though this study was done on M.S. patients only, it backs up the discoveries and other clinical research by Dr. Grundy and others that all auto-immune diseases can improve by reducing LPS. So reducing lectins and LPS absorption is the most rewarding way forward for dietary control or elimination of auto-immune diseases.
The research investigating the links between diet and MS dates back over 50 years to Dr Roy Swankís work first at the Montreal Neurological Institute in Norway, then at the Division of Neurology at the University of Oregon Medical School in the US. Swank was intrigued by the geographical distribution of MS and thought it may be due to dietary practices. Swank suspected animal foods high in saturated fats may be responsible as MS seemed to occur most among inland dairy-consuming populations and less among coastal fish-eating populations. Perhaps his best known trial was that published in the Lancet in 1990. In this study Swank followed 144 MS patients for a total of 34 years. Swank prescribed a low-saturated fat diet to all the participants but the degree of adherence to the diet varied widely. He observed how thier conditions progressed. Results showed that for the group of patients who began the low-saturated fat diet (less than 20g per day saturated fat) during the earlier stages of MS, 95 per cent survived and remained physically active for approximately 30 years. Even those with significant disability were shown to markedly slow the progression of the disease if they could stick to the low-saturated fat diet. In contrast, 80 per cent of the patients with early-stage MS who did not adhere to the diet died of MS. It was concluded that saturated animal fats increase the risk of MS.
Other studies have extended Swankís findings and revealed a positive correlation between the consumption of cows milk and the incidence of MS. This later research suggests that there could be a combination of predisposing or precipitating factors involved in the aetiology of MS, and that environmental factors, such as the consumption of cows milk, play a part. These and other studies suggest that cows milk may contain some component other than saturated fat that influences the incidence of MS. For example, it has been suggested that this factor or environmental trigger may be a virus. From https://www.whitelies.org.uk/health-nutrition/multiple-sclerosis-and-autoimmunity
Note: Dr. Steven Grundry states that goat and sheeps milk products do not have an aggravating factor contained in regular cows milk.
Update March 2016
For the fullest information on healthy diet based on true science, study and traditional diets of the most healthy populations across the planet go to ABC of Nutrition at the Western Price website
here
Food
for thought – An Ayurvedic perspective on diet – March 2016
Ayurvedic medicine,
also known as Ayurveda, is
one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems. It was developed
thousands of years ago in India. It is based on the belief that
health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind,
body, and spirit.
The
system has come to understand that the best diet for health must be
matched to the individual constitution and the climate/season. This
is more significant than the blood type diet. Many can find the right
diet by using a combination of knowledge about healthy foods AND what
they instinctively feel is needed. The exception to this instinct is
when there are food addictions and psychological issues such as
someone who is eating for comfort rather than eating what they need.
Constitutional
Types in relation to Ayurveda
There
are 3 basic constitutional types according to Ayurveda (although
combinations of these pure types are usually the case). If one of
these three types of constitution is dominant then the ideal diet for
health should take this into account. The energy imbalance of the
person may vary somewhat and diet can be adjusted accordingly. Common
sense dictates some seasonal adjustment. The three types of
constitution called Dosha’s are referred to as Vata, Pitta and
Kapha.
The
vata dominant types are generally changeable, ungrounded and of a
cold constitution - The Vata dominant types usually require foods
that are not cooling (cooling being an energetic term as well as
reflecting the physical tendencies of the foods). They would not
thrive on a raw food diet of mainly fruit and vegetables. This type
of diet would likely harm them, They require foods that encourage
grounding and warmth such as cooked vegetables with moderate protein
and fat consumption.
The
Pitta types tend to be energetic, extrovert and easily roused to
anger and have a high metabolism and can be aggravated by heat - The
Pitta types, especially during summer, would do well with plenty of
salads and fruit for example. Pitta types recieve benefit from a high
complex/whole-food carbohydrate diet.
The
Kapha types tend to put on weight easily, tend to be sluggish and
have slow metabolism. They tend to be reliable and not change much -
The Kapha types with low metabolism and coldness normally benefit
from spices, and should avoid heavy foods and refined carbohydrates
especially.
These
are just very basic indications of the Ayurvedic dietary
recommendations. There are plenty of books on Ayurveda available.
There
are online Dosha questionairres to establish type, but it should be
noted that sometimes it is not clear what one's Dosha dominance is.
Of further note is the fact it can vary from week to week for some. A
combination of instinct, knowledge and common sense is required to
select the appropriate foods for yourself.
All
common sense is thrown out the window when a so called "diet
expert” who has testimonials to his success advises a complete raw
food diet consisting of mainly fruit and vegetables to a person in a
cold climate with a cold constitution for example. Such a diet can
drive a persons health down dramatically into a dangerous crisis
situation if followed long enough.
How
much water should one drink?
The
Ayurvedic system quite rightly says for health.... drink only when
thirsty, eat only when hungry.
This
is contrary to contemporary advice about drinking a set amount
of water each day.
Various
researchers have have begun to detail this error, and peoples health
have improved by reducing excessive water intake. They
are also recognizing the effect of different constitutional types,
the seasons/climate and the activity level with relation to how much
water one needs.
For
example, it seems like madness to suggest that a 7 stone elderly
person sitting in a chair all day shivering in a cold house should
drink 2+ liters of water a day (especially cold water). Whist at the
same time giving the same advice to a 18 stone man with a hot
constitution doing physical labour in the heat all day long. It's
worthy of note that hot water is generally advised in a cooler
climate and ambient (room) temperature water in hotter climates. Ice
cold water before/with food is damaging to health due to its effect
on stagnating the digestive process.
It
is wise to pay attention to thirst signals and drink then. Also one
must consider the total fluid intake. It has been said that tea and
herb teas cannot be counted as water as they are diuretic. However
continual use of tea will tend to loose its diuretic effect so it
does contribute to the total fluid intake. If one has sweet tea or
dried fruits one will naturally become more thirsty to compensate for
that. |
More on water/fluid intake
The book Your Body's Many Cries for Water written by Iranian doctor, F. Batmanghelidj; based on his experience in an Iranian prison where not much, if any, teas were drunk and the food was not predominantly fruits. In the warm season especially, many where suffering from dehydration so giving water was therapeutic in that situation.
Most of those trying to improve their health in this modern age are sedentary and may also drink fruit juice, teas and coffee. In this situation not only is drinking 3 to 4 pints a day of water extremely difficult, it is counterproductive. The balance of salts and water in the body is critical. There are examples of people being advised to drink a gallon of water a day and actually dying.
It was only after his first book that Dr. Batmanghelidj began to advise the necessity of taking salt to balance water.
Ironic as it may seem at first glance, a person suffering from dryness of the mouth, throat and/or skin is often not taking enough salt. Salt is the companion of water. Without enough salt the body will not hold onto sufficient water as it is trying to maintain the correct concentration of salt in the blood and your extra-cellular fluid. The extracellular fluid, including the blood plasma, need to maintain a salt to water balance of 0.9%. When one is hospitalised and unable to feed/ drink properly the saline drip is given via a needle in a vein, and up to 30 g a day of salt can be given via the saline. Giving pure water would be dangerous to the health, as it would reduce the salt content of the blood below the required levels. Note: during World War 2; the shortage of blood plasma gave rise to the practice of giving dilute sea water instead. The use of full spectrum minerals (as contained in sea water) has been used therapeutically over many years both by injection and orally. Ionic Liquid Minerals and Trace Elements provide inland sea water concentrate for this purpose.
The other guide to good hydration is urine colour. Most sources of information are understandably advising that generally the colour of the urine should not be too dark yellow/brown (indicating dehydration). Nor should it be almost clear and frequently expelled (over-hydration). The ideal urine colour is that of light straw.
The earliest ‘popular’ reference to this recommendation for water was in a newspaper obituary. A leading US nutritionist by the name of Frederick Stare died in 2002 and his obituary said that he was famous for suggesting people drink six glasses of water a day. In his book, written in 1974, he did suggest drinking 6-8 glasses of water but that water is very well regulated in the body and that fruits and vegetables were good prime sources, as were coffee, tea, etc. He wrote those two sentences about water at the very end of his long text – almost an afterthought. He was clear that healthy food sources were the key and were adequate but somehow this statement got spun into the media hype we continue to see that exhorts us all to drink 8 glasses/day. It has spawned everything from a list of experts saying you must drink X oz, competing with those who say Y oz and several iterations of ‘organic water’, ‘vitamin supplemented water’ and the like.
There was no evidence to support his statement back then – and there is still no sound support for the idea now.
Popular opinion has it that lots of water supposedly helps our kidneys flush out "toxins”. Ironically, large amounts of water actually reduce our kidney’s efficiency at filtering out our naturally produced metabolic by products. Dr Goldfarb, a kidney expert at the University of Pennsylvania, said: "In fact, drinking a large quantity of water surprisingly tends to reduce the kidney’s ability to function as a filter. While it may be a subtle decline, it is definite.”
Drinking excessive amounts of water can cause hyponatremia, an abnormally low level of sodium in the body. Lots of water at once can also cause the kidneys to falter and cause a drop in blood sodium. The problem is that a drop in sodium can cause the brain to swell.
People who live in hot climates or are actively exercising might be so thirsty that they drink water in dangerous quantities.
Drink to thirst That is the guideline supported by the evidence.
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Raw juicing.
As much as possible only use organic vegetables, so reducing the contamination with pesticides, which is especially important with raw juicing. Using organic vegetables also increases the likelihood (although not guaranteed) of higher mineral and trace mineral content due to organic farming methods.
The mainstay of raw vegetable juicing is usually carrot, celery and Raw beetroot. Just a hundred grams or so daily helps the blood and is an aid to cellular oxygenation, and works synergistically with
barley grass juice. We strongly recommend
Zell Immunocomplex, to further oxygenate the cells. One can also use some fennel, cucumber, celery, broccoli and radish. Sometimes a little parsley. Adding organic apples is also beneficial and enhances the flavour significantly. If using non organic apples it is important to peel first as many non-organic apples have a wax coating that may contain toxic chemicals.
Generally it is not advisable to juice fruit as the glyceamic effects are even stronger than the sweet vegetable juices. The exception being the inclusion of an apple as detailed above.
Raw eggs provide also a source of beneficial raw fats. Another convenient source of raw fats, and also some protein (higher than any other fruit) Is the avocado, see the
Avocado Article. They are also extremely nutrient dense and almost a complete food.
Avocados can be rather bland. One can add raw unheated honey. The honey should not have been heated above 40 C in its processing, so that many valuable enzymes are still present. Raw honey is a great therapeutic tool and used in limited quantities can actually enhance the healing power of the diet. I find it very helpful with the diet to blend avocados with other ingredients as the main ingredient of one of my daily meals. One can vary the ingredients to suit, so this is just an example.
Plant Sterols and Sterolins are recommended, these are found in sprouted beans, seeds and grains, provide a highly beneficial form of food exceptionally rich in healing phyto-nutrients. Alfalfa seeds can easily be sprouted at home in about 3 days. Soak the seeds in filtered or still spring water overnight, or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Make sure there is no residual pool of water in the bottom of the bowl, (even better sprout in a Hemp Bag) and cover the bowl to retain moisture clinging to the seeds etc. Leave in a moderately warm place for 24 hours. After 24 hours wash and drain as before, and replace the cover. Repeat this daily. After about 3 days when the shoots are about one inch long finally wash and drain very well (especially with the alfalfa) and keep the covered bowls in the fridge. (Do not freeze). The article
Plant Sterols and Sterolins gives an in-depth discussion of the wonderful health benefits of sprouted seeds. Plant sterols and sterolins from freeze dried shoots are available in capsule form as a product called
Natur-Leaf.
Do not use refined salt at all in a healthy diet, use only the mineral rich
Celtic Sea Salt or even better Inland sea water,
Ionic Liquid Minerals and Trace elements.
Gelatin
You can make this at home by boiling for a few hours bones and skin of meat e.g. chicken, then pouring through a strainer when warm. On cooling a jelly like substance will be seen ('Jelly' or Jello as it is sometimes called is about 90% sugar and 10% gelatin + water) alternatively you can purchase pure gelatin. two to 4 teaspoons a day of this (note for your daily protein requirements this is 90% protein) will trigger healing of all cartilage, connective tissue and bone in the body and may also help promote growth hormone. Gelatin (also obtainable from fish skins and gills etc) has properties that are complimentary opposite to meat or eggs, so will provide the missing link in many people’s diets. Gelatin will also heal damaged guts i.e. leaky gut syndrome. Gelatin can be mixed with any food and is suggested to be taken with every meal if you have leaky gut syndrome. You can mix with a little water or juice or thicken any liquid with it. Personally I like to mix it with yogurt and a little honey.
See articles,
Why Broth is Beautiful and
Broth is Beautiful Good broth will resurrect the dead," says a South American proverb. Said Escoffier: "Indeed, stock is everything in cooking. Without it, nothing can be done." A cure-all in traditional households and the magic ingredient in classic gourmet cuisine,...
So make yourself strong ! maintain cartilage well into old age and fortify your tissues against cancer (Cancer spreads when the collagen in the body is weak)
We supply a superb, highly absorbable gelatin supplement called
Ocean Repair derived from wild ocean fish. An essential food supplement.
Salads
Coventional salads with lettuce, cucumber etc are not particularly nutritious and should not be considered as good meals. On the other hand high value raw ‘salad’ vegetables like water cress, spinach and tomatoes serve as an excellent salad items.
Protein requirements
The following articles are recommended for consideration.
It is important to note, before fats where subjected to a verbal witch hunt, the following was a generally accepted statement
"We all need a good balance of Proteins, Fats and carbohydrates”.
Low fat diets are dangerous as are low carb and high protein diets.
We recommend the article Some Typical Questions and Misconceptions on Fats and Oils here
For further reading on the subject click here this will give a list of all of the articles relating to fats at the Weston A Price Foundation website
Also for many articles on healthy diets /foods/nutrients see here
You will find an excellent in depth article on Protein and its requirements here
Two quotes from the protein article:
The next question then concerns how much protein overall do we need each day? The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences has established a "Recommended Daily Allowance” (RDA) for protein, but it is important to recognize that no set allowance, based on averages, can speak for the widely differing requirements of individuals.
As with all other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, the amount of protein required depends on the individual’s age, weight, sex, level of activity, total intake of calories, and health. Other considerations may also be important; growing children and teenagers, pregnant women, and persons recovering from illness all need more protein than the "average” person. Growing children and teenagers need more protein than adults. A sixty-five-pound child requires about fifty-nine grams of protein per day, more than his or her father weighing one hundred eighty pounds.
Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers also need additional protein since they are not only maintaining their own bodies but also providing for the growth of their developing child. The pregnant teenager has an even greater need: she has to supply her own fast-growing body while nourishing the fetus developing within her womb. For a pregnant teenage girl of one hundred ten pounds, the protein requirement goes up to about 62.5 grams per day, much higher than for an adolescent of the same age. A pregnant teenager who does not eat enough protein will give birth to an underweight baby who may not survive. The data is based on both weight and other body requirements, such as pregnancy to predict the amount of protein needed. Since pregnant teenagers generally weigh less than adult women who are pregnant, the result is a lower amount of suggested protein for a pregnant teenager than for the pregnant adult.
And:
Although maligned in nutritional recommendations, eggs are the most nutritious and the least expensive protein source in the grocery store. At only 68 calories, one egg provides about 11 percent of your daily protein requirement (RN Note - Protein need varies with the person based on their size, weight, activity, climate and metabolsim so to state that one egg provides 11 % of the dietary requirements is incorrect in our opinion. One egg provides about 6g of protein - approximately half the protein content of meat). Eggs contain a variety of important nutrients including every vitamin, mineral and natural antioxidant that your body needs. (Those nutrients are enough to feed a growing chick so that it hatches healthy, but one egg is not enough for you to meet your daily requirement!) Studies at many major universities in the U.S. and abroad attest to the egg as an excellent source of protein. Many in the forefront of anti-aging research believe that moderate egg consumption of one per day should be an integral part of a complete anti-aging diet.
Because eggs are high in natural cholesterol (210-220 mg of cholesterol per egg), there has been a concern that eating an egg would raise one’s cholesterol level to unhealthy levels. Restricting egg consumption became a key component in many health-related diets; this is actually a misguided recommendation since this has not been shown to be the case. Eating an egg raises the total cholesterol score only 2-3 mg/dl in well balanced diets. In healthy young men and women, even two eggs a day had little effect on total cholesterol levels.
In a recent study, elderly subjects (more than sixty years old) were assigned to one of two dietary groups: one group ate three eggs per day and the other ate the same amount in egg substitutes for a one-month period. The result of this study was a significant increase in both LDL and HDL cholesterol for those who ate eggs, but the ratio between the two was not affected significantly. In other words, if the LDL went up, the HDL did too, thus counteracting the effect of the higher LDL. The study concluded that dietary cholesterol provided by eggs does not increase the risk for heart disease in an elderly population.
RN Note: If you do not eat meat then as many eggs daily as are required to provide suitable protein levels for the individual is a healthy way forward. For discussion on the cholesterol subject please see here. Cholesterol consumption in eggs does not increase a tendency to heart disease as discussed.
See also our article on eggs here. Eggs can be taken raw or cooked. It is advisable if cooking to cook just enough to hold the egg together when boiled or poached for example as the less the egg is cooked the easier will be protein digestion. If several eggs are consumed daily then it is generally better to have some raw. For those with weak digestion raw eggs are highly recommended and can be a life saver.
The reality is, fresh raw organic eggs are one of the most healthy anti-aging superfoods you can put into your body! Think about it... Raw eggs are a full spectrum, perfectly balanced food that contains all the essential proteins, fats and nutrients needed to feed a chick for up to 3 weeks during the incubation period. No other food on earth is as balanced and complete as raw eggs!
The Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine Vol. 13, 2nd Quarter 1998
The Body’s Negative Response to Excess Dietary Protein Consumption
M.T. Morter, Jr. B.S., M.A., D.C.1; Adolfo Panfili, M.D.
A clinical study of 100 patients reveals that persons who eat large quantities of dietary protein (more than 30g/day) generate high levels of acid which must be neutralized before being eliminated from the body. This paper reports the findings of the clinical case study on the effect of acid versus alkaline residue on the body’s homeostasis, and the theory that human daily protein consumption is excessive and conducive to ill health. The impact of ammonia on urine pH is also critical factor in this examination, as are the transformation of urine from acid to alkaline, and differences between alkaline urine of a vegetarian and alkaline urine of a heavy protein eater.
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General Dietary Guidelines Including a diet with moderate amounts of cooked food
Absolutely no margarine or processed oils or fats! Every cell of our body is surrounded by a fatty membrane that allow nutrients and gaseous exchange. By consuming processed fats (hydrogenated fats as found in margarines, fried and roasted food), a layer of hardened trans-fats replaces the oily membrane. This is one of the major factors in health deterioration, disease, and degenerative disorders.
Oils/fats are extremely important to health. Raw oils and fats as is part of a natural diet for the healthiest people (and animals) on the planet can do no harm, e.g. raw fats from un-pasteurized milk (where can we get that these days!?) and Raw Eggs, also coconut, olive oil and fish are all important in positive ways. The whole low fat campaign is seriously flawed. Studies have found for example that persons with very low cholesterol have a higher mortality rate from all causes. Many studies conducted in many countries have disproved the myth that the amount of cholesterol consumed is related to hardening of the arteries or coronary heart disease. Cholesterol is an essential nutrient, and normally the liver manufactures on average, three times as much cholesterol as consumed in the typical diet.
What is dangerous however is consuming margarine. The chemical composition of margarine is similar to plastic. If a pot of margarine is left out in the open, it will remain essentially unchanged, no mould will develop, it will not rot and no animal no matter how hungry will touch it.
The most healthy peoples from around the world consume plenty of fat/oil that typically makes up around 60% of their calories. Raw butter (extremely difficult to get hold of), is an excellent health tonic especially if yellow (contains more X factor as discussed in the article
Ancient Dietary Wisdom). Coconut oil and Palm oil are the safest oils to heat (as regarding formation of toxic trans-fats) but the advice is still to use low temperatures and do not brown/burn food, such a method of cooking is described below under the heading cooking methods.
Oils Summary For Health’s sake
-
Do not fry or roast food, except at low temperatures, use only coconut or palm oil.
-
Do not consume processed fats or oils, e.g margarine, hydrogenated fats, heat extracted vegetable or seed oils (unless it says cold pressed oil, it has been heated in extraction, with the possible exception of olive oil labels, purchasing a virgin olive oil pressing is by implication cold pressed). Most processed food contains hydrogenated fats and or heated vegetable oils.
Organic Food
There are two aspects to this. Firstly organic food is guaranteed to have far less toxic chemicals sprayed on it. These chemicals accumulate in the body and over many years, we do not feel their effect quickly, it is slow poisoning. Their contribution to serious disease like cancer is established. Also pesticides sprayed on crops leaches into the soil killing valuable soil bacteria. Without these bacteria the crop cannot take up all the required minerals and trace-elements from the soil. This trace element and mineral deficiency is compounded by the fact that farmers add only three minerals to produce crop growth; potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus, whereas correct and traditional farming methods add much more back into the soil that constant crop growing takes out. So non-organic food provides inadequate nutrition for health combined with a toxic load! Unfortunately the definition of organic food does not take into account the quality and quantity of minerals and trace-elements in the soil that the crop comes from. If organic standards took this into account and helped organic farmers to understand how to re-mineralise with for example rock dust, then the shop purchased organic food would be even more beneficial. So even if we consume so called organic food we still need to top up with a multi mineral and trace element supplement such as
Sea Greens and
Ionic Liquid Minerals and Trace elements (Inland sea water concentrate).
Cooking Methods
There seems to be a general lack of awareness about the importance of how one cooks. This is as important as what one cooks. Steaming vegetables at pressure destroys many vitamins and should not be used. Steaming in a saucepan with an inner basket may seem preferable to boiling, but look at the vegetable juice left behind in the water. The steam soaks the vegetables, and dissolves the most soluble vitamins and minerals, especially that vital element potassium, and transports them to the water in the bottom of the saucepan. This is thrown down the sink. This is as important a method of demineralising the body as is boiling vegetables. If you can obtain organic fruit and vegetables then do not peel, as there is a preponderance of certain nutrients in and just below the skin. There is an old folk remedy for arthritis, using the peelings of potato, boiling and then drinking the water only.
There are several ways round this problem of keeping the cooking water apart from just drinking it. When cooking items that absorb water, such as rice, beans or lentils, add the correct amount of water at the beginning. Then either add the vegetables to the boiling contents, so at the end of cooking all the water is soaked into the rice or legume, or place a steaming tray above the rice and use the steam from that to cook the vegetables. Another method, (works best with a thick cast iron saucepan), is to fry the vegetables over a very low flame with coconut or palm oil. When par cooked, add a small amount of water, place on lid, and cook very slowly, this really is a combination of cool frying roasting and steaming, without loss of valuable nutrients. Another method is of course, to bake or casserole. If well fitting tops are used on casserole dishes then less steam is lost, often just an onion or two will produce enough moisture to steam the food, if you decide not to use oil. If you do fry, keep the heat very low, so that little browning takes place, use a lid to keep in the steam released from the food to aid the cooking process. Heating food in oil does destroy some of its nutritive value especially lecithin. The oil will contain valuable oil soluble nutrients, and since olive oil is not fattening and is a 'health food' pour this on your plate as well. Finally, you can boil with a limited amount of water plus a lid, so that any uncovered food is still cooking, and if any water is remaining at the end of cooking add a little thickening such as maize or cornflour, freshly ground oats, or a little wholemeal wheat flower etc. to absorb the water.
Microwave Cooking
From the foregoing suggestions about avoiding nutrient loss, it could be deduced that microwave cooking may be the best method. Many people instinctively feel that microwaves damage food, whilst others feel that if they are in use they must be safe, and that the effects on food quality must have been thoroughly checked out. In reality, there have been no long-term tests on the health of individuals eating a diet of largely microwave cooked food, just as with genetically engineered food.
Furthermore, when an independent study was undertaken and showed rapid deterioration of the blood quality of the volunteers, the industry suppressed this report, by legal means through the Swiss courts. Recently an appeal to the European court of human rights has reversed this decision. The study was carried out by Swiss biologist Dr. H U Hertel and Professor Bernard Blanc. Their study on the effects of microwave food on human subjects in comparison to conventionally cooked food, proved that the microwave cooked food caused significant changes in the blood of all test subjects. The scientists noted that these changes, some of which were highly significant, indicated the beginning of pathological changes, e.g. the beginning of cancer. The study took place over a few weeks.
The anthroposophist A. Bohmert, found that seeds soaked in previously microwaved water (and allowed to cool) would not germinate, whereas the same seeds soaked in the water that had not been microwaved, germinated successfully. Microwave cooking works by induced oscillation of the molecules of the food in the region of a thousand million times a second. This causes friction at the molecular level and results in heat. This process damages some of the food, reduces nutritional content and produces toxic by products that encourage disease. A study on milk conducted in Vienna that had been subject to microwave heating, showed that high razemization rates in proteins in the milk that was not observed in conventional cooking. Are Microwave Ovens a Source of Danger? by Marion Wild is worth reading (available from Regenerative Nutrition). Personally I feel there is only one sensible way to use a microwave oven, and that is to dump it, first having smashed it up to prevent anyone else using it!
Food combining
There are systems of diet based on eating certain food groups together, so as to facilitate efficient digestion, such as the 'Hay diet'. The most important point is that proteins and starches require acid and alkali digestive juices respectively and that eating a reasonable quantity of both at the same time will tend to neutralise these opposite juices, rendering digestion ineffective. Efficient digestion is important for overall health. The main points are to not eat a large portion of protein with a large amount of starch such as potatoes and meat, or fish and chips. Try to keep proteins and starches to separate meals, also starchy/pastry puddings are incompatible with protein first courses. A handy tip I read in ‘The Eye of Revelation’ by Peter Kelder (thoroughly recommended, discusses the ‘Five Rights’ rejuvenation exercises), is based on the observation that foods do not mix thoroughly in the stomach, so that the order of eating foods is very significant for overall efficiency of digestion. The rule is to eat the most easily digested and watery foods first and the more concentrated more slowly digested foods last. Meat, eggs, cheese and fish should be eaten last and vegetables next, with fruits first. This method is described in greater detail in the book.
Good Digestion
Drinking tea or coffee, or a glass or more of water with a meal will dilute the gastric juices, rendering digestion inefficient. A small amount of hot water before, with or after food can aid digestion. Chilled water with food reduces digestive effeiciency. Meals that really fill you up are too big for adequate digestion. Eating late in the day i.e. a main meal less than 3 hours before you go to sleep is harmful to the digestion, and hence overall health, since during sleep the digestive process slows down, producing fermentation, (or putrefaction if you have eaten proteins). Eating in a relaxed manner, slowly with lots of chewing, is the way to aid digestion. It is advisable to wait at least one hour and a half after food before drinking much liquid, although a wine glass amount of liquid, provided it is not chilled is probably not be a matter for concern.
Digestive Enzymes are important for efficient digestion. Raw foods supply these but cooking destroys them. In such a situation, we rely on our body’s ability to manufacture digestive enzymes. As we advance in years and as general health deteriorates, the body produces less of these essential enzymes. This is one of the major causes of chronic and serious disease. For example the pancreas secretes enzymes to digest protein, as these fail, eating cooked protein (this applies even to a vegetarian diet), can lead to an accumulation of undigested protein in the system and to a failure to digest ‘rouge protein’ cells within the body. This has been proven to be one of the major causes of cancer. (See the article
Cancer: Winning the Battle).