Food is Alive

So many of us want more energy and vitality. We take supplements and exercise regularly, but still feel draggy and tired. Some of us turn to diets and particular foods to help us feel better. We hear about this or that "miracle" food which will give all kinds of benefits. We change our diets, and try raw food, or macrobiotics, or a high protein intake. However, the secret to food and vitality is within you.

The fact is, that all of us are unique.There is no one diet or style of eating that is right for everyone. The trick is to find the right combination of foods that is health-producing for you. The best way to learn what foods are good for you is to listen to your body. Eat a meal, and then pay attention to how you feel. Are you energized afterwards? Cranky? Sleepy? Too full?Your body will tell you immediately if you are right or wrong in what you eat.There are some general rules to follow in understanding food and health.

First....there are dead foods and there are live foods, and there are some in-between.The most vital food you can consume is fresh picked organic produce that you grow yourself.It is full of energy from the sun and the earth, which is transformed into life for your body.Further down the chain is supermarket produce, which may be coated with wax, pesticides, and dyes, and even preservatives, which can prolong it's freshness, but which cut down on it's nutritional value.

After fresh food is steamed or baked vegetables. The cooking process destroys valuable enzymes that your body needs for digestion and vitality. However lightly steaming, stir frying, or baking is not as detrimental to the food as is boiling it in water or deep frying.For most people, we need a balance between cooked and fresh vegetables. Too much raw food can cause gas and indigestion, as the stomach is a furnace which thrives on heat, while raw foods are "cold" to the stomach and can be harder to digest.

Cooked food lacks enzymes and fiber, as well as the vitamins which are lost in the cooking process. Whole grains are healthful, but grains should be consumed in moderation, as overconsumption can lead to blood sugar problems and yeast infections. Meats are necessary for most people, but in moderation, and be choosy, avoid fatty pork and beef. Also, most commercial meat producers feed the animals recycled meat remains from butchering operations, these are mixed in with the regular feed. This is not a natural food for these animals, as they are grazers and in nature will consume grasses. This affects the quality and vitality of the beef. Also, they are fed a chemical coctail to make them yield more meat, antibiotics, hormones, etc. All of these go into our bodies when we consume beef. There are companies which produce beef from grass-fed animals, these are lower in fat and higher in nutrients.

Dairy is also problematic, as most commercial milk is full of antibiotics, hormones, and bacteria. Also, once milk is cooked, "pasteurized", the enzymes which are naturally present are destroyed. These enzymes are what enable you to digest the milk. This is what leads to so-called "lactose intolerance" which is actually an intolerance to cooked milk. Most raw milk is perfectly safe, and more and more people are turning to natural dairy producers to avoid being poisoned by the additives in most commercial dairy products. Some good dairy products include organic kefir, yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, and raw milk cheese. Avoid low fat milk products, as the calcium in the milk cannot be assimilated in the body without the fat that is naturally present in the milk. Mother nature always knows best.

Raw nuts are a good source of protein and healthy oils, however, once the nut is cooked or roasted in any way, the oils in the nut become indigestible and unhealthy. Speaking of oils, the only "healthy" oils are cold pressed. Most supermarket oils are superheated and injected with hydrogen, rendering them poisonous and dangerous. This type of processing ensures a long shelf life for the manufacturers, but hydrogenated oil is one of the worst "foods" that you can put into your body. These oils are in the category of dead foods, as they degrade the life energy. Cook with cold pressed organic oils like olive oil, and, butter is ok, in moderation. Avoid margarine, another "dead" food.

Other dead foods include white sugar, which is overprocessed to the point of being a chemical, and white flour, which is devoid of nutritional value, and highly constipating. Soft bread from the supermarket is dead, as are most products found in the middle aisles, in cans, boxes, and bottles. Food with a long shelf life, for the most part, is denatured, and highly salted or sugared. Chemicals are added to enhance flavor and colors. Monosodium glutamate is found in a very high percentage of supermarket foods, and manufacturers are not required to list it on the label.

For information on the dangers of MSG, read this excellent article:http://www.rense.com/general52/msg.htm

Artificial sweeteners are another dead food, and there has been much written about the health problems associated with their use. Particularly dangerous is nutrasweet, which has been implicated in seizures, brain tumors, parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune disorders such lupus erythematosis and scleroderma. To share a personal story, a very good friend of mine called me in tears over her deteriorating health. She worked in an office, and to stay alert, she drank a large quantity of diet coke daily. For many months she had been suffering from stiffness in her hands, difficulty breathing, weakness in her muscles, and weight gain. She had just returned from a doctor visit with a diagnosis of lupus. She was terribly ill and so weak she couldn't work. For months I had been urging her to give up the diet coke, and finally, she was ready to listen. I put her on a program of blood cleansing herbs, and adjusted her diet to include foods that would detoxify her body. Within two months she was back at work, and, magically, the "lupus markers" in her blood tests had completely disappeared. For an excellent site relating the dangers of nutrasweet, click here:http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

Ok, so now we know what not to eat, so what is healthy? Raw, steamed or lightly stir fried vegetables should make up a good majority of the diet, along with a good amount of healthy proteins, such as fish, chicken, raw milk products, raw nuts, beans and brown rice, avocadoes, and organically raised beef. Free range eggs are also acceptable. Whole grains and raw fruit are good also, but in small amounts. Fruits and grains should not be eaten together at the same meal, however, as this can cause digestive fermentation. Raw foods or soup should be eaten as a first course. Fruit should be eaten either with protein, or by itself as a snack. Avoid tap water, it is full of poisons, including fluoride, which is an industrial manufacturing by-product. Click here for a fascinating article about the fluoride myth:

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jun/30/fluoride.htm

Use sucanat or raw honey as a sweetener, molasses and sorghum are acceptable also. First thing in the morning, drink either some herbal tea or a glass of water, and eat a raw carrot. This routine flushes out the system from accumulated toxins. Brown rice eaten daily will keep your bowels regular, and strengthen your immune system. Avoid cold food in the morning, like cereal and milk. This is very hard on the stomach, which needs something warm and easily digested in order to help it work properly.

These are some guidelines to follow to enjoy good health. Remember, everyone is different, so listen to your body and adjust your diet accordingly.

Questions about this article, or to schedule a health consultation, email Eileen at eileenadairh@yahoo.com