Emmanuel to Bobbi - diabetes & syndrome X

[Guest guest]

Bobbi,

 

My approach is similar to yours. I delete grains from my diet unless I'm out to

dinner with friends and associates, and that's what's served. Even then I'm

pretty selective about how I will deviate from my normal orientations. Yes, I

like fiber from vegies in place of fiber derived from grains.

 

My decision was not based on Western nutrition ... I've taught college nutrition

courses, so I can see where this nutrition friend of yours is coming from.

Grains have a lot of soluble fiber that will feed our bacterial flora. I've

made my decision to go through periods of diminished grain intake based on

Chinese medical and Taoist perspectives. It's based on the advice of my Taoist

nutritionist friend Nam Singh. He indicates most of the time to his students

that grain eating is an important thing. Then he has noted that the ancient

Taoists viewed grains as something that could cause some serious problems. He

has advised me from time to time that I would do well to fast from grains for

periods of time. Practicing this discipline has been helpful to me. My own

theory as to why it works is based on the need to reduce concentrated doses of

starch in order to keep things in a low glycemic index frame. Really, though,

this is a balance for people who can not or have not developed a sensitivity for

portion size when it comes to eating. For those who are highly sensitive to

ingesting very small portions of any food, then almost any food becomes an

interesting source of some kind of nutrition. I don't know about you, but I

know of only a very small number of people who carry out their lives with this

level of sensitive intake. Among my friends and associates they usually have

quite an ideal body habitus. I'm thinking just now of a Chinese woman runner on

my running team who fits this profile of someone who is exquisitely selective of

good foods, but she is also able to taste a wide variety of things to gain

subtle advantages from many foods.

 

How exquisitely complex the balance, no?

 

Thanks for being in touch off list. I admire your thoughts and feelings very

much.

 

Emmanuel Segmen

-

bobbiaqua

Chinese Medicine

Saturday, October 11, 2003 2:19 PM

Re: Diabetes - Syndrome X

 

 

In a message dated 8/26/03 6:18:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

susegmen writes:

Fast from grains or keep it minimal.

Emmanuel,

 

Thanks so much for the great response on this. I am not going to reprint it

here but I want to ask you a question which floats around here and that is

what

about low glycemic whole grains such as Quinoa, Kasha, etc. I was a great

advocate of everything you mentioned but took a workshop from a relatively hip

nutritionist here and she was upset that people were leaving out to many

grains

which are a good source of fiber and do help with the lowering of

triglycerides and LDL. How much is minimal. I was pretty much taking people

off grains

altogether and stressing good low glycemic vegetables for fiber but she felt

that

grains were essential. I would love to here how much you feel is OK and which

grains you prefer.

 

Your insights really make this group an interesting one for me.

Thanks,

 

Bobbi

 

PS: I think this might have been covered but I haven't been able to follow

all the discussion because of so many emails. If so please just review. Thanks

again!!