How to Move to a Natural Foods Diet

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How to Move to a Natural Foods Diet

JoAnn Guest

Oct 23, 2006 08:43 PDT

 

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(Please print out this document and read it offline.)

http://www.holisticmed.com/food.html#meat

 

The Ideal Natural Foods Diet

Regular, Gradual Changes Without Obsessing

How to Move to a Natural Foods Diet

Techniques & Resources

Helpful Tips

Shopping For Foods

Balance Of Foods

Cooking

Probiotics

Essential Fatty Acids

Allergies

Drinking/Cooking Water

Beverages

Foods to Phase Out or Cut Back

Digestion

Supplementation

Prerequisites

Action To Be Taken

Food Cravings

Meat/Red Meat Needs

Food Allergy Determination

Macrobiotics

Chinese and Ayurvedic Nutrition

Probiotics

Twelve Steps to Healthy Eating Checklist

Resources

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Discussion

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Introduction

 

In this chapter I will briefly discuss what is sometimes called a

" natural foods diet. " This chapter is not intended as a substitute

for nutrition counselling from a Holistic Medicine practitioner.

 

A practitioner such as a very experienced Ayurvedic Medical Doctor or Oriental

Medical Doctor would be able to devise a diet that very

closely matches your health and nutritional needs. I will simply attempt to

provide general guidelines that can help you get started. I will also include a

list of books and other resources that can provide more detailed information.

 

A growing number of people are benefiting from a natural foods diet.

These people along with countless scientists and nutritionists and

Holistic Medicine practitioners know that a natural foods diet is a

very important part of holistic healing. Such a nutrition plan can help cure

acute and chronic illnesses and play an enormous part in preventing future

illnesses. I encourage you to become part of the countless

millions of others who are gradually incorporating holistic healing

fundamentals into their lifestyle to reap immediate and future

health benefits.

 

In order to prevent or heal health problems and build a foundation

for the development of vibrant health, you should consider incorporating some of

the ideas in this article. The goal is not to develop a strict or " perfect "

diet, but to develop a relaxed and varied, yet healthy diet.

 

It is very important that you not take the holistic healing

information on this page any other pages as a way to feel guilty

about your past decisions or what you cannot do at the current time. Just make

gradual changes as you are ready, relax, and accept whatever you can do at the

moment. Stress reduction techniques and Inner Healing Techniques such as

meditation can help you make changes more easily.

 

Some people are under the impression that healing from a serious

illness or even preventing future illness possibilities simply involves

switching from a Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) to a " natural foods diet. "

 

While, it is true that a change to such a diet can be very beneficial, it is

often a mistake to get too caught up in

nutritional changes (or taking supplements or herbs). Some of the other

techniques discussed in the Fundamental of Holistic Healing section are as

beneficial as dietetic adjustments and, in some cases, more beneficial.

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The Ideal Natural Foods Diet

 

The Ideal Natural Foods Diet is one where you (the reader) uses your

own knowledge and intuition to decide what your body needs. I sincerely hope

that you do not use the ideas below as rigid rules, but instead, use them as

suggested guidelines as you develop your own personal inner feeling as to what

food your body needs.

 

As your nutrition plan gradually improves, please practice deciding

for yourself what food your body needs rather than relying on what I say or what

a well-known author says. So, have fun and don't get too rigid using someone's

dietary rules. In the long run, this usually

provides the best nutrition for your body. Any regular practice that helps you

get in touch with your own inner feelings and process can help develop

the ability to know what foods your body needs. Practices such as

meditation, yoga, tai chi/ qigong, etc. are practices that can be

helpful in this regard and may someday be something you would like

to experiment with by taking a class.

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Regular, Gradual Improvement without Obsessing

 

It is much easier for most people to change their diet over time at

a comfortable pace. It is also important to not obsess constantly

about improving your diet and to not beat yourself up if you don't have a

" perfect " diet. Making dietetic changes too quickly may make you uptight and

cause you to feel deprived. On the other hand, making no dietetic changes from a

S.A.D. over time can slow you healing progress.

 

The following is a list of some of the problems that could occur if

a person is too restrictive with their diet:

 

Causes feelings of deprivation and emotional stress which can

actaully make some health problems worse.

 

 

Tends to take focus away from other activities that can be extremely

important in the complete healing process such as enjoyment and

nurturing activities, fun, stress relief, and inner healing &

transformation techniques.

 

 

Makes it easier to fall into the trap that a temporary reduction of

symptoms through a restrictive diet is the equivalent to being on

the road to complete healing.

 

May set you up for midnight binges and overeating.

 

 

There are cases where a very strict diet may be indicated. But this

is usually where severe reactions cannot be eliminated any other way. Otherwise,

please remember that these are lifestyle changes are best done gradually.

 

I like to eat a relatively healthy, natural foods diet, but I have

fun with it by not being too restrictive. Please do not use any of the ideas

below to make yourself feel guilty. The goal should be gradual progress not

perfection.

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How to Move to a Natural Foods Diet

 

There is an enormous amount of useful information in this article.

But please do not be intimidated into thinking that everything has to be changed

at once.

 

An excellent way to start the process is the perform the following

steps:

 

 

Locate Natural Foods / Health Foods stores in your area.

 

Purchase Natural Foods cookbooks and begin experimenting. (See

Holistic

Healing Web Page/Amazon.Com bookstore.

 

Purchase other books on Natural Foods Diet and Chinese/Ayurvedic

Nutrition. (See Holistic Healing Web Page/Amazon.Com bookstore

 

Ask at local Natural Foods stores about cooking classes.

 

If you have difficulty making changes over time, don't worry about

it.

Try commiting experimenting with one of the Inner Healing &

Transformation techniques discussed on this web page. These

techniques (especially the body-oriented and inner peace-oriented techniques)

can be enormously helpful in reducing cravings and/or addressing eating

disorders over time.

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Techniques & Resources

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Natural Foods Diet

 

What follows is a description of a natural foods diet that you can

make progress towards. Please go at your own pace.

 

 

Common Ingredients

 

 

Vegetables (Cooked and Salads)

Whole grains

Fish, Fowl, and other meat

Legumes (beans)

Sea Vegetables

Fruits

Nuts

Seeds

Organic Dairy & Eggs (Small amounts or none)

Herbal teas and coffee substitutes

Juices

Herbs, spices, sea salt, tamari, unrefined seasame oil/sesame oil

(excellent source for essential fatty acids), virgin olive oil,

natural

sweeteners (maple syrup, rice syrup, barley malt, stevia, etc.)

Spring water for cooking and drinking

 

The bulk of the diet consists of a wide variety of foods within the

follow main categories:

 

 

vegetables

whole grains

fish, fowl, or other meat

legumes

sea vegetables

freshly made juices, herbal teas, and coffee substitutes

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Helpful Tips

 

While it can be counterproductive to create " dietary rules, " here

are some general tips that many people have found helpful.

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Shopping For Foods

 

If possible, do most of your food shopping at a natural foods store.

In some cities, there are large natural food grocery stores that are

not unlike modern supermarkets in that they have an enormous selection of

products. There are smaller health food stores that can also provide many of the

food products needed for a healthier diet. There are some health food stores

that sell little more than food supplements and may not be useful for you in

putting together a healthy diet.

 

In order to find a natural foods grocery store:

 

 

Look in the phone book under " Health Food Stores. "

 

 

Company resources for Healthy Foods & Organic Foods web page is a

good place to look for links to health food stores, co-ops, and other resources.

 

Ask local holistic healthcare practitioners (e.g., acupuncturists,

chiropractors, herbalists).

 

 

Ask friends who eat a healthy diet.

 

 

Contact people in nearby cities where there might be a natural foods

grocery store that you could visit on ocassion to stock up.

 

 

Contact a major health food store chain for information on stores in

your area.

 

 

If you cannot find any natural food stores in your area, there are a

number of other options:

 

 

Shop at a large local supermarket. Many supermarkets have a small

" natural foods " section. In addition, one can purchase whole grains,

meats, vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc. Just try to avoid most of

the

highly processed foods that often make up the bulk of what is sold

at

some supermarkets.

 

 

Get fresh vegetables, fruits, and whatever else is possible at local

farmers' markets or farmstands. It may take some effort to locate

these

places, but it can be worth it. Try to get certified organic produce

where possible (Buying organic is especially important for soy

products,

corn, and potatoes).

 

 

Many staple foods can be ordered through the mail. See the Resources

section at the end of this article for mailorder sources of natural

foods.

 

 

I do want to stress, however, that just because you shop at a

natural

food store does not mean that everything there is healthy.

 

Some health food stores sell some products that can actually be

quite

detrimental to your health (e.g., aspartame (NutraSweet), neotame,

acesulfame-k (Sweet-n-Safe, Sunette), sucralose (Splenda) and other

toxic artificial sweeteners, MSG, etc.).

 

Reading labels is a good habit to have wherever you shop.

 

 

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Variety

 

Try to eat a variety of foods within each main category listed

above,

especially vegetables. In addition, try to get a wide variety of

cooked

green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, beet greens, mustard

greens, etc.

 

An enormous variety of very tastey meals can be made with a little

bit

of practice and some good cookbooks. Please see the Holistic Healing

Web

Page/Amazon.Com bookstore for some cookbook titles.

 

 

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Balance of Foods

 

There are many conflicting opinions on what the best balance of

foods

are for people. Most people now agree that a diet that is balanced

for

one person may be intolerable for another.

 

Some people have enormous success with a traditional natural foods

diet

as presented by authors such as Dr. Dean Ornish or Annamarie Colbin,

while others have more success with a different way of balancing

one's

diet such as that prescribed by Dr. Barry Sears in his book, " Enter

The

Zone. " (Note: I believe that there is too much artificial, junk food

allowed in the Zone Diet and that staying on it for *years* may not

be

healthy, but the ideas about macronutrient balance may be very

helpful

to many people.)

 

What works for you may take a little bit of experimenting. I suggest

that you look eat each of the ideas for balancing types of foods and

find out what works best for you through experimen- tation. But keep

in

mind the following two very important points:

 

Whatever balance of foods you choose, you can still have the

majority of

your diet made up of natural, healthy foods; and

 

Your food needs will likely change over time. For example, for

several

years you may start out eating a small percentage of whole grains

and

more meat and fat as described by Barry Sears, but over time as your

health improves using nutrition and other possible healing

techniques

(e.g., Tai Chi, Yoga, Herbalism, Acupuncture, Bioenergetics,

Meditation,

Qigong, etc.), you may find it more beneficial to move towards a

natural

foods diet as described by Annamarie Colbin.

 

In addition, as your health improves you may find the ability to eat

foods that you could not tolerate years earlier because they caused

wild

insulin swings or because of allergic and intolerance reactions.

 

The following examples dietary percentages are meant to give you a

general idea of what a balanced diet might look like for one person.

These percentages would vary widely depending upon several

circumstances.

 

20-40% whole grains

20-30% vegetables

10-15% legumes

0-10% sea vegetables

5-15% fish or other meat

5-10% fruits (mostly in the warmer months)

10-15% herbal teas, coffee substitutes, freshly-made juices, Spring

water, etc.

0-10% Organic dairy, ghee & eggs

5-10% other (spices -- ginger, tumeric, etc., seeds, nuts, cooking

oils,

etc.)

 

Some people have difficulty digesting whole grains. If that is the

case,

try using soba (buckwheat) noodles (which can be purchased at a

Natural

Foods store or Japanese grocery store) to see if that helps. For

others,

eating too much grain causes them to crave large amounts of

carbohydrates. In these cases, increase the use of vegetables and

organic/free-range meat with the knowledge that you may find it

beneficial to begin adding more whole grains to your diet several

months

or years later as your health and condition allows.

 

As an example, many persons with chronic immune system disorders,

carbohydrate cravings, excess weight and other conditions feel much

better if they start off with a diet that includes fewer

carbohydrates

and more protein in the form of fish and chicken:

 

10-20% meat (mostly a variety of fish + a small to moderate amounts

of

" organic " fowl)

20-40% vegetables (including green, leafy vegetables)

5-15% sea vegetables

10-15% herbal teas, and coffee substitutes, and other healthy

beverages

(see below)

5-15% grains and/or buckwheat (soba) or udon noodles (chewed very

well)

5-10% legumes

0-10% organic dairy and eggs

5-10% other (e.g., fruit if tolerated -- separate from meal)

 

Forcing large amounts of whole grains in your system if it cannot

handle

it is not a good idea. Over a long period of time and as the body

heals

using a healthy diet and other important techniques, it is

preferable to

gradually add more whole grains into the diet. You will have to find

out

what your body needs and tolerates with some experimentation.

 

I suggest reading some of the books listed in the resource section

by

Annamarie Colbin, Dr. Dean Ornish, and Dr. Barry Sears. Please try

not

to get overly caught up in all of the theories. The important thing

is

to take the steps necessary to find what works best for you and keep

open to future changes as you condition changes.

 

Variations

 

 

Climate

 

In colder climates, it is traditional to eat slightly more root

vegetables, meat and heavier grains (e.g., buckwheat, barley), and

much

less fruit. In warmer climates, it is traditional to eat more

lighter

grains, more green leafy vegetables, more salads, slightly more

fruit,

and less meat. However, these subtleties take a back seat to eating

whatever balance feels most comfortable during your healing process.

 

 

Individual

 

This is the most important variation. Please try to avoid obsessing

about percentages of food categories. Over time, you can work

towards

the very approximate percentages that feel right for you.

 

A holistic health practitioner can give you a diet to suit your

needs.

In general, start out by gradually moving towards a diet that

includes

plenty of vegetables, some whole grains, some legumes, some meat, a

small, but regular amount of various sea vegetables, regular use of

small amounts of natural cooking oils or ground seeds, a limited

amount

of fruit (although more in the warmer climates is fine), some herb

teas

or other beverages, and some treats from time to time. Then vary it

over

time to find out what works best for you.

 

 

Illness

 

Some illnesses make it necessary to vary the percentages of food

eaten.

For example some people cannot easily tolerate whole grains. In this

case, it is important to try to incorporate easily digestible grain

products such as soba (buckwheat) noodles or even baby food made

from

whole grain. If it is still not possible, you may want to consider

whether you have a gluten intolerance. (See the Gluten-Free Web Page

for

more information.) You may also need to take regular supplementation

as

discussed later.

 

Try to do whatever you can to include some food from the main food

categories. However, if it is not possible, then don't worry. As

your

health improves, you may eventually be able to incorporate easily

digestible foods from categories that you may not be able to

tolerate at

this time.

 

 

 

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Cooking

 

Try to have your food cooked on a regular stove or in an oven rather

than having it " nuked " in a microwave oven. Eat freshly

cooked/prepared

dishes when possible as there is more energy (chi) in freshly-cooked

foods than foods that have been cooked or prepared several days

earlier.

 

It can be very helpful to take cooking classes or to get help from a

friend. Ask at your local natural food stores where you can take

cooking

classes. It may take a while to become adept at using natural,

healthy

foods. Please be patient with yourself.

 

While eating home-cooked meals can be helpful, the reality is that

many

people work 40+ hours per week and are too tired to cook everyday

after

work. If that is the case, it is important to try and avoid adding

enormous stress to your life by forcing yourself to cook when you

don't

have the energy to do it regularly. Try to cook the foods you can

and

use the following techniques as a way to reduce the effort spent

cooking

meals:

 

 

Share cooking/cleaning up tasks with other members of the household

either regularly or whenever you can (e.g., once per week).

 

 

Find restaurants that serve relatively healthy meals without too

much

junk and eat at those restaurants. (If you have to eat at

restaurants

often because of no time/energy to cook foods, just try to find

healthy

food and be happy with that -- don't beat yourself up about it.)

" Ethnic " restaurants with food from India, Thiland, Korea, Japan,

Africa, etc. often have healthy options (without MSG).

 

 

Make quick-cooking meals on occasion. Many dishes such as soba

noodles,

steamed vegetables, salads, fish, etc. do not take too long to cook.

Sometimes, I will add natural, pre-made sauces or salad dressings

from

my local Natural Foods store if I do not have the time or energy or

ability to make them myself.

 

 

Another very important point related to cooking is that it can be

extremely healing to eat hot meals the majority of the time (except

in

the heat of the Summer months). Overdoing cold foods can damage

one's

digestive strength and overall health. Try to warm up your body with

hot

meals and hot drinks, especially in the cold Winter months.

 

 

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Probiotics

 

Probiotics refer to friendly bacteria which contribute to the health

of

the intestinal tract. There are a number of traditional foods that

promote the health of beneficial bacteria. If possible, a variety of

these foods should be ingested on a regular basis. Some of these

include:

 

 

Miso

Pickles

Sauerkraut

Kimchee

Yogurt

Kefir

Beer/Wine

 

Many people find that having Miso soup several times per week helps

strengthen their health over time. Instructions on how to purchase

and

cook miso soup (without destroying the beneficial bacteria) can be

found

in some of the cookbooks listed in the Holistic Healing Web

Page/Amazon.Com bookstore. Sauerkraut and other traditionally

fermented

products can be helpful as well when they are eaten ocassionally.

Some

people are sensitive to some of these fermented products (although

miso

is usually tolerated well), so please start with small amounts to

see if

you have sensitivities.

 

More detailed information about Probiotics, especially probiotic

supplements, can be found in Appendix A below. For many people it is

preferable to get their probiotics from the food sources listed

above.

 

 

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Essential Fatty Acids

 

While avoiding a high saturated fat diet can be beneficial, there

are

some essential fats that are extremely important for healing and

maintaining good health. There are two Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs),

linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linoleic acid (LNA). The body takes

these

EFAs and makes other useful substances from them. Some foods contain

derivatives of these EFAs and other fatty acids that can also be

beneficial.

 

Some signs of linoleic acid (LA) deficiency include:

 

 

eczema

loss of hair

behavioral problems

susceptibility to infections

failure of wound healing

arthritic conditions

heart and circulatory problem

growth retardation

 

Some signs of alpha-linoleic acid (LNA) deficiency include:

 

 

weakness

motor incoordination

tingling in the extremities

behavioral changes

growth retardation

vision impairment

behavioral changes

 

I strongly encourage regular ingestion of small amounts of foods

that

contain these EFAs and their derivaties. You do not have to eat

large

amounts of these foods, simply include them as a regular part of

your

cooking and food plan.

 

Good sources of linoleic acid (LA) include:

 

 

Sesame seed oil

Sunflower seed oil

Hemp seed oil

 

Good sources of alpha-linoleic acid (LNA) include:

 

 

Flax seed oil and ground flax seeds

Hemp seed oil

 

Some fish such as alaskan salmon, mackerel herring, ect. contain LNA

derivaties, EPA & DHA, which have numerous positive health benefits.

Farmed fish (sometimes found in Natural Food stores) have less EPA &

DHA

than fresh, wild fish but the wild fish may have more pollutants.

Some

people find it beneficial to ingest small amounts of these fish on a

regular basis.

 

Seed oils should be purchased from a Natural Foods store and should

be

" unrefined " and preferably pressed at low temperatures. (Read the

label.) Opaque (non-transparent) bottles are preferable because heat

and

light can begin to slowly destroy the EFAs.

 

I try to stay away from canola oil unless because it is usually

genetically-engineered and treated with chemicals (even when found

in

health food stores). Seed oils with large amounts of LNAs (e.g.,

Flax,

Hemp) can go bad very quickly, so these can often be found in the

refrigerated section of Natural Food stores in opaque bottles. Look

for

ones that have been pressed recently.

 

Because it can be difficult to get essential fatty acids (EFAs) from

modern diets (even natural foods diets in some cases), an EFA

supplement

may be helpful. " Udo's Choice Perfected Oil Blend " is one excellent

EFA

supplement.

Unlike some supplements and oils available in health food stores,

care

is taken to process the oil with low heat and care is taken to

balance

the proportion of LNA, LA and other key nutrients for the most

beneficial effect. It can be ordered from Flora Health on the U.S.

or

Canadian web site. Do not supplement with flax seed oil by itself

for

more than six months because its extremely high LNA content could

contribute to an LA fatty acid deficiency.

In summary, here are some general guidelines to consider:

 

 

Regular use of moderate amounts of sesame oil in cooking and

safflower

oil in occasional use for salad dressings, sauces, etc.

 

Regular intake of small amounts of cold-water fish such as salmon,

mackerel and herring (3-4 times/week).

 

Semi-regular use of flax seed oil/ground flax seeds or hemp seed oil

(if

you can find it). Freshly ground flax seeds or hemp seeds can be put

onto cooked cereals and other dishes. Some Natural Food stores and

cooking supply stores carry inexpensive grinders for seeds.

Moderate use of extra virgin olive oil.

Possible use of EFA supplements.

 

Please see " Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill " by Udo Erasmus for more

detailed information about Essential Fatty Acids. A presentation by

EFA

expert, Udo Erasmus, to the ADD-Holistic group can be found at

http://www.holisticmed.com/add/erasmus.html.

 

 

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Allergies

 

Avoid foods that you are allergic to or have a food intolerance for.

If

you are allergic to certain healthy foods, you may be able to

incorporate them into your diet at a later time when your health

improves using holistic healing techniques (e.g., nutrition,

yoga/meditation, tai chi, etc.). But for now, it is important to

either

1) make the food more digestible to avoid reactions or, 2) if that

doesn't work, avoid the food completely.

 

A enormous number of people have reported that some symptoms

disappeared

when they, for an extended period of time, avoided foods that caused

problems. Food allergies and intolerances and many times more common

than the " medical establishment " likes to admit. Many times, eating

foods that cause problems leads very gradually to adverse symptoms,

poor

health, or simply a run-down feeling. Below are some ideas for

identifying and eliminating allergy and intolerance problems.

 

 

NAET Treatment

Some people report significant improvement when diagnosed and

treated by

a Nambudripad-trained (NAET) healthcare practitioner.

 

To find out more about this innovative treatment that helps many

people,

please see the recent article published in Issue 6 of " Alternative

Medicine Digest. " You can read the article online at:

 

 

http://www.alternativemedicine.com/digest/issue06/i06-a08.shtml

 

 

or order it by contacting:

 

Alternative Medicine Digest

Future Medicine Publishing

1640 Tiburon Blvd

Suite 2

Tiburon, CA 94920

800-333-4325

 

A presentation by Dr. Devi Nambudripad (NAET developer) to the

ADD-Holistic group can be found at

 

http://www.holisticmed.com/add/nambudripad.html.

 

Even more useful is the book ( " Winning the War Against Asthma &

Allergies " ) and the list of NAET practitioners at the following web

site:

 

 

Book: http://www.allergy2000.com/

Practitioners (partial list):

http://www.allergy2000.com/members/practitioners.html

 

 

The official NAET page is now online and can be found at:

http://www.naet.com/.

and the official NAET list of practitioners can be found at:

http://www.naet.com/directory.asp.

 

 

Low-Dose Immunotherapy

The innovative techniques developed by Dr. Doris J. Rapp for

diagnosing

and treating health problems caused by hidden allergic or

intolerance

reactions may prove helpful to many people. Information about her

books

and her treatment techniques can be found in the speeches she gave

before the Allergy and Environmental Health Association of Canada on

May

31, 1996 reprinted in the proceedings on the following web page:

 

 

http://www.schoolnet.ca/sne/e/NCCS/

 

 

The second speech given by Dr. Doris J. Rapp ( " Practical Ways to

Resolve

Environmental and Allergy Problems Caused by Housing, School

Environment

and Diet " presents some excellent advice on simple, preliminary

steps

that can be taken to find hidden allergies or intolerances.

 

A presentation by Dr. Doris Rapp to the ADD-Holistic group can be

found

at http://www.holisticmed.com/add/rapp.html.

 

In addition, Dr. Rapp has written a new book with extensive

resources

for identifying and dealing with allergic, intolerance and toxicity

reactions in children. But much of the information in the book

applies

to adults as well. Please see the Holistic Healing Web

Page/Amazon.Com

bookstore for Dr. Rapp's book, " Is This Your Child's World. "

 

 

Yoga

Some people find that by moving gradually towards a natural foods

diet

(including significantly cutting down on or cutting out dairy

foods),

and practicing yoga regularly for six months or more that their

allergies naturally become much less severe and nonexistent in some

cases. The benefits of regular yoga practice and a natural foods

diet go

far beyond simply a reduction of allergy symptoms.

 

 

Rotation Diet

Switch to a Rotation Diet until your body is able to tolerate a

larger

variety of foods. In order to continue to eat a healthy varied diet,

it

is extremely helpful for some people to " rotate " the foods they eat

so

that the immune system does not react to those foods continuously.

This

technique, the Rotation Diet, has been enormously helpful for many

people with extreme food allergies.

 

A rotation diet is a natural foods diet with the added technique of

rotating each food that you eat so that you only eat it every 4 to 7

days. You will have to keep a food diary and/or keep track of your

planned foods on 3x5 cards so that you do not repeat the same food.

If

you eat brown rice on Monday, simply put the " brown rice " 3x5 card

in

the next week's selection of possible food options and remove it

from

this week's.

 

 

Even if you do not think you have food allergies, I highly recommend

printing out and reading the article on the Nambudripad treatment

and

the speeches by Dr. Rapp referenced on web pages above. In this way,

you

may be able to help many others in the future.

 

Finally, if you are able to find and eliminate an allergy, that is

wonderful, but I would still strongly suggest experimenting with

other

holistic healing techniques (e.g., yoga, inner healing &

transformation,

etc.).

 

 

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Drinking/Cooking Water

 

It is very helpful to avoid drinking chlorinated water on a regular

basis. It can be difficult to build a healthy environment of

beneficial

bacteria in the colon while drinking chlorinated water. In addition,

by

drinking chlorinated water it is very likely that one is also

ingesting

significant levels of Trihalomethanes (TCMs), chemical compounds

that

are suspected of increasing cancer rates and may adversely effect

other

bodily systems.

 

It is also very helpful to avoid drinking water medicated with

fluoride

compounds. Water with fluoride compounds added often has a much

higher

lead content. In addtion, the fluoride builds up in the tissues,

organs,

and bones, causes slow damage to the bones, inhibits key enzymes,

contributes to arthritic-like symptoms, has recently been shown to

be

neurotoxic (and lower children's IQ), and possibly increases one's

chances of getting cancer.

 

In 1997, EPA scientists and risk assessment specialists voted

unanimously to oppose mandatory fluoridation in California because

of

the major health risks. Recent research proves that fluoride in

drinking

water, cooking water, and premade beverages does not prevent tooth

decay

(only topical applications of fluoride does this to a extremely

small

extent).

Like other slow poisons (e.g., aspartame, neotame), fluoride is

avoided

by people who are serious about healing or preventing illness.

(Note:

There are other sources for high levels of fluoride.

 

Junk foods and infant foods with deboned chicken and non-organic

fruit

juices such as grape juice can contain dangerously high levels of

fluoride and should be avoided.) Please see the following web page

for

information and links to independent and authoritative information

on

the subject:

 

 

http://www.holisticmed.com/fluoride

 

 

Here is a list of suggested water sources in order of my preference.

 

 

" Spring Water " from glass bottles. As long as the water bottle says,

" Spring Water, " it must, by U.S. law, come from a real spring and

cannot

be filtered tap water. Water should be regularly tested by the

bottler.

Call the bottler for more information. This is ideal because you

avoid

the toxic substances (chlorine, fluoride compounds, THM's, etc.) and

get

the natural minerals in the water.

 

 

Same as " 1 " above, but water is stored in heavy 5-gallon jugs.

 

 

Water filtered with a combination carbon filter/reverse osmosis

filter.

See Debra Lynn Dadd books listed in the Holistic Healing Web

Page/Amazon.Com bookstore for a list of vendors that sell quality

water

filters. Remember to change carbon filters as instructed by vendor.

 

 

Spring water stored in 1-gallon jugs. Try to avoid the flimsy jugs

as

the plastic can leech into the water.

 

 

Water filtered with a solid carbon filter. (If water supply is *not*

artificially fluoridated, this option should come before " 4 " above.)

 

A carbon block or granulated water filter will not remove fluoride

compounds from the water no matter what the manufacturer literature

might say.

 

 

Boiled tap water.

 

 

Check the labels of the products you purchase at the natural foods

store. Many vendors now use filtered water when making their

product.

Buying food and liquids from vendors who filter their water will

help

you avoid chlorine compounds. However, there may be fluoride

compounds

in the water if the manufacturer did not use a reverse osmosis

filter.

 

It is impossible to avoid chlorinated and fluoridated water

completely

if you enjoy going out to restaurants ocassionally or going over to

friend's houses, so I suggest just doing the best you can.

Preferably

that means using spring water as the bulk of your cooking and

drinking

water.

 

 

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Beverages

 

It is important to get plenty of fluids. The amount will vary from

person to person, but most people should get at least 6 cups of

beverage

per day. You can have quite a bit of variety in this category,

including:

 

 

Herbal Teas

Unless you are taking a specific herbal tea for medicinal reasons,

you

can experiment quite a bit with different herbal teas. Try to avoid

regular drinking tea that contains herbs with significant amounts of

caffeine (e.g., guarana, kola, nut, black tea). You can get a

variety of

herbal tea beverages at a natural foods grocery store or from

mailorder

sources. (See Resources section below).

 

If you want to learn to make your own herbal teas, please a good

book on

making herbal teas. (See Holistic Healing Web Page/Amazon.Com

bookstore

for a listing.)

 

I like to drink dandelion root tea with a little bit of licorice

root.

Some people like to drink bancha twig tea after meals.

 

 

Coffee Substitutes

There are quite a few coffee substitutes that you can buy from your

local natural foods store. I prefer Inca (Distributed by Adamba

Imports

Int'l, Brooklyn, NY 11237) which contains Roasted Barley, Rye,

Chicory,

and Beet Roots, but there are a number of other good brands.

 

 

Spring Water

Plain spring water is an excellant, healthy beverage. See discussion

above regarding water.

 

 

Milk Substitutes

Soy milk and almond or rice milk are sold in natural foods stores

and

are excellant milk substitutes. Organic Soy milk can be particularly

difficult to digest for some people, so almond or rice milk may

prove a

better substitute.

 

 

Juices

If you can make your own fresh juices, that will be much better than

store-bought juices.

 

 

Tips

 

 

Purchasing a juicer: If you are looking for a juicer, consider

purchasing a Champion brand juicer. Even though they are more

expensive

than some heavily advertised cheaper models, they are very easy to

use,

do a wonderful job making the juice, and they are very easy to

clean.

Vitamix also makes an excellent juicer, but some people dislike the

juice consistency that is produced, so taste-test juice before

purchasing if possible.

 

 

Try to avoid mixing vegetables and fruits in the same juice on a

regular

basis. Many people feel better over the long-term when eat fruits

separately from meals and other food groups.

 

 

Try to focus mostly on vegetable juice mixtures and to go easy on

the

fruit juice ingestion.

 

 

Develop a habit from the beginning of diluting all juices with 50%

juice

and 50% spring water. It will be difficult to get used to it at

first,

but after a while undiluted juice will seem much too strong.

 

 

If you buy juice from a grocery store, look for juice that is:

 

 

juice and nothing but juice

unfiltered

organic

uses filtered water

 

I like to drink apple cider from time to time. Look for apple cider

without and sweateners or preservatives.

 

 

Amasake

Amasake is a beverage make from rice, sweet rice, koji or other

starter,

and sometimes other flavorings such as almonds. The starter breaks

down

the polysaccharides (complex sugars) in the rice into disaccharides

(two

linked simple sugar molecules). This makes amasake much sweeter than

rice, but not extremely sweet like sugared beverages.

 

In the far east, amasake drinks are sometimes sold as hot drinks in

the

Winter. In the U.S., they are sold as cold beverages (but can be

heated)

in natural food stores.

 

I sometimes make my own amasake, but sometimes purchase it from the

natural food store (although it is much more expensive this way).

The

amasake at natural food stores with almonds, pecans, etc. can be

difficult on the digestive system, so it is better to purchase

primarily

the plain variety.

 

 

Vegetable Broths

Vegetable broths are an excellant way to get extra vitamins and

minerals

in a balanced, easily assimilable form. They are also can help warm

and

heal the digestive system. I often drink a cup of hot vegetable

broth

before lunch.

 

It is better to make your own vegetable broth. But you can purchase

it

at a natural food store. Be very careful when purchasing vegetable

broths, however, as many of them contain significant amounts of

*hidden*

MSG in the form of " hydrolyzed vegetable proteins " (HVP)

or " autolyzed

yeast. "

 

One store-bought broth that I like is:

 

 

All Natural Vegetable Broth

Gayelord Hauser Products

P.O. Box 09398

Milwaukee, WI 53209

 

 

 

Alcoholic Beverages

If you decide to drink alcoholic beverages, please do so in small to

moderate amounts.

 

Since beer and wine ingredients do not have to be labelled,

manufacturers dump in a variety of unhealthy chemicals as

preservatives,

flavor enhancers, etc.. Natural food stores often sell alcoholic

beverages without lots of chemicals. Certain American beers like

Coors

and Anchor Steam have no additives. Many German and Austrian beers

are

also toxin-free.

 

Try to find wine at natural food stores that do not have additives

and

are grown with organic grapes (since grapes are sprayed so heavily

when

they are not organic). Stores like Whole Foods Market usually carry

natural beers and wines. In addition, the Organic Traveler's Guide

to

the Wine Country may prove useful for finding organic wines from

California.

 

 

 

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Foods to Phase Out or Cut Back

 

Below are some tips on what foods often need to be reduced or, in

some

cases, eliminated completely from the diet. Please focus primarily

on

the positive aspects, i.e., the other sections of this article which

discusses the healthier foods options. Using those areas plus some

of

the nutrition and cookbook information in the Holistic Healing Web

Page/Amazon.Com bookstore will give you most of the information you

need. This section is included as a reference in case you need

information on foods to cut back.

 

Before we get to the list, I would like to point out that it is

important not to restrict yourself too severely. If you do, it might

slow your healing progress considerably. If you have been eating

these

foods for some time, it is fine in most cases to eat some of them a

little while longer while you search for suitable, healthy

replacements.

In addition, it it very important not to worry about eating

unhealthy

foods on occasion as the worrying is not doing you any good. Simply

be

gentle with yourself and try to make gradual progress towards a

healthier food plan.

 

 

Dangerous and Unhealthy Sweeteners

The following sweetener should be eliminated immediately from the

diet

as it does considerable, albeit gradual, damage to the body:

 

 

aspartame / neotame (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful)

 

Check the labels very carefully for the word " aspartame "

or " neotame " as

it is often difficult to see in the ingredients list. Aspartame may

also

be found in over-the-counter medications, prescription medications,

and

supplements. Unless you are looking for serious health problems down

the

line, I cannot to strongly suggest avoiding it. Please see the

Aspartame

Toxicity Information Center:

 

 

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

 

 

The following sweetener should be eliminated as soon as possible as

they

are dangerous for your health and will definately not promote a

healthy

body:

 

 

acesulfame-k (Sunette, Sweet One, Sweet-n-Safe)

sucralose (Splenda)

 

The following sweetener should be eliminated fairly soon after

beginning

a move towards a natural foods diet and finding suitable sweetener

replacements (see below):

 

 

saccharine

cyclamates

refined white sugar

fructose sweeteners (refined)

corn syrup

dextrose

raw sugar (often just white sugar with coloring)

brown sugar (usually just white sugar mixed with molasses or sprayed

with coloring)

sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, etc.)

 

All of these sweeteners are not good for your health, can prevent or

delay healing from a chronic disease when used regularly, and may

cause

serious health problems years after use begins. Despite what you may

have read in books or heard concentrated fructose sweeteners have

been

shown to cause more health problems from long-term use than refined

sugar.

 

There are still a large number of much healthier sweeteners that can

be

used by the general population and some of them can be used safely

by

diabetics. Some of these sweeteners include:

 

 

Evaporated cane juice (Sucanat, Florida Crystals)

Stevia leaf, powder, and extract

Barley Malt

Rice Syrup

Yinnie Syrup

Amasake

Raw Honey

Fructooligosaccharides

 

For an extensive list of resources for these sweeteners, please

contact

Mark Gold (mgo-) or visit the heathier sweetener web

page at:

 

 

http://www.holisticmed.com/sweet/

 

 

 

Dairy

In almost all cases, dairy foods were traditionally eaten in small

amounts. Often, when they were eaten, it was in the form of

traditionally fermented foods such as yogurt or kefir. Many people

have

an unidentified intolerance or allergy to dairy products. In the

long

run, it can be very helpful for most people to cut dairy foods way

back

or cut them completely out of the diet. Some people find that they

can

do this quickly without any major cravings. Others find that

gradually

replacing dairy foods with other healthy aspects of a natural foods

diet

is the best way to go.

 

Here are a few facts about dairy foods:

 

 

Galactose in dairy products may contribute to ovarian cancer as the

cancer rates parallel worldwide dairy- eating patterns.

 

 

Pesticides and antibiotic residues are frequently found in dairy

products despite government efforts to screen the dairy. Some

antibiotics are tested for, but most are not.

 

 

Dairy proteins contribute to allergies, asthma, and sinus problems.

 

 

Antigens in dairy may also contribute to rheumatoid arthritis and

osteoarthritis.

 

 

Other conditions that can be contributed to by dairy include: Acne,

Atherosclerosis, Bellyaches, Bloated Abdomen, Bronchitis, Chest

Infections, Cramps, Diarrhea, Eczema, Gas, Gastrointestinal

Disturbance,

Hay Fever, Hemorrhage, High Blood Pressure, Hives, Juvenile

rheumatoid

arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Nasal Congestion, Kidney disease,

Pyoderma, Skin rash, and Sneezing.

 

 

Elderly people in some developing countries show low osteoporosis

rates

despite a much lower intake of calcium than developed countries such

as

the U.S.

 

 

Countries that DO NOT use dairy often have a lower osteoporosis rate

than the U.S.

 

 

Scientific studies have show that high animal protein diets (dairy,

meat) decrease calcium absorbtion.

 

 

Caffeine decreases calcium absorption.

 

 

Weight-bearing exercises increase bone density significantly and

decrease osteoporosis.

 

 

Good sources of calcium include (but are not limited to) Turnip

greens,

Watercress, Collard greens, Kale, Broccoli, Organic Soy Products,

Sesame

seeds. In some cases, a calcium/ magnesium supplement can be taken

to

increase calcium intake.

 

A few tips on selecting a small amount of dairy products:

 

Choose plain yogurt or kefir where possible.

 

 

Avoid homogenized dairy products where possible. Homogenization

significantly reduces the size of the dairy fat molecules making

absorption of the fat and other undesirable elements much greater.

 

 

Avoid dairy foods where rBGH was injected into the cow. rBGH

injections

have been proven recently to cause chemical changes in milk that may

significant increase human cancer growth rates. Please see the

following

web page for more information and resources:

 

 

http://www.holisticmed.com/bgh/bgh.html

 

 

 

Choose " organic " dairy where possible. Organic dairy means that the

cows

were not fed chemical diets and large amounts of antibiotics. Such a

diet causes antibiotics to end up in the milk (often making it past

inspection stations).

 

 

Milk proteins such as casein (caseinate) and whey are often found in

non-dairy products. Many people benefit by avoiding these

ingredients to

a large extent.

 

 

Most natural food stores can provide detailed information on the

source

of the dairy foods that they sell. See the Holistic Healing Web

Page/Amazon.Com bookstore for independent information about dairy

products.

 

Suggested substitutes: Rice milk, organic soy milk, organic soy

products

(without casein), amasake.

 

 

Food Additives and Preservatives

The cumlative effects of all of the additives and preservatives that

are

eaten in the S.A.D. diet are very bad for the body. I strongly

suggest

that you consider phasing out most of the non-traditionally used

additives and preservatives. The easiest way to do this is to do

most,

if not all, of your shopping at a natural foods store.

 

There are many different additives and preservatives. Anything with

a

chemical-like name is most likely something to be avoided. Some

common

examples are:

 

 

Monosodium Glutimate (MSG)

artificial colors

artificial flavors

food dyes

Nitrates

sodium sulfite

potassium bisulfite

 

Be careful, because some additives and preservatives are not listed

on

the labels. For example, according to FDA " regulations, " MSG does

not

have to be listed if it is part of a food that is listed on the

ingredients label. Also, MSG is often hidden under a variety of

names on

a label such as:

 

 

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Hydrolyzed Protein

Hydrolyzed Plant Protein

Plant Protein Extract

Sodium Caseinate

Calcium Caseinate

Yeast Extract

Textured Protein

Autolyzed Yeast

Hydrolyzed Oat Flour

Flavoring

Natural Flavoring

Natural Beef or Chiken Flavoring

 

MSG, in the form of " hydrolyzed proteins " are often found in soups

at

health food stores under the guise of natural MSG. MSG can cause

brain

cell death from long-term use and these so-called " natural MSGs " are

exactly the same as MSG (despite public relations claims to the

contrary). See http://www.holisticmed.com/msg/ for more scientific

and

general information about MSG.

 

Alcohol (beer, wine) often contains all sorts of dangerous additives

and

does not list these on the label. There are several brands

of " natural "

beer and wine if you drink these substances.

 

Suggested substitutes: A tiny amount of umeboshi paste or sea salt

for

use as a preservative.

 

 

Heavily Refined Foods

Heavily refined foods and meals should be avoided. Examples include:

 

 

Frozen pizzas

Pot pies (e.g., Chicken Pot Pie)

Prepared meals from grocery stores (e.g., Lean Cuisine, Hungry Man)

Filtered fruit juices

White Bread

Etc.

 

Eighty percent (80%) of most items sold in a typical grocery store

would

probably fit into this category.

 

Suggested substitutes: Ethnic restaurants often have healthy food

that

will save cooking (e.g., Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnemese). Be

sure to

insist upon getting food without MSG. Also, many natural food stores

have healthier prepackaged foods that can be made quickly.

 

 

Foods Without Toxic Chemicals

Certified organically grown foods are preferable. The cumulative

exposure to toxic pesticide residues that one can get from regularly

eating heavily sprayed crops found in some grocery stores is quite

high

and may have a significant impact on your health over time. In

addition,

some research points to the fact that organically grown foods may

have

higher average levels of nutrients in some.

 

Even though organic foods are slightly more expensive, they are well

worth the cost in the long run.

 

It is nearly impossible in this society to completely avoid non-

organic

foods. We just have to be satisfied with what we can do now and keep

our

eyes open for future sources that become available (or do some

footwork

to find those sources). Please keep the following points in mind

when

considering toxic chemical-free foods:

 

 

Foreign Produce

 

Produce grown in some " third-world " countries averages a _much_

higher

level of pesticide residues. In addition, pesticides that are banned

the

U.S. are often sold by chemical companies in " third-world " countries

and

used on produce that may reach your dinner plate. Please take time

to

investigate the source of your produce. Here is an excerpt from

Debra

Lynn Dadd's book, " Non-toxic and Natural " :

 

 

Also, another category of chemicals is introduced for " cosmetic

purposes, " to make our produce more attractive to the eye. Some

oranges

are dyed orange with the coal-tar dye Red No. 32, known to cause

cancer

in laboratory animals. And, before green oranges are dye to look

ripe,

they are " degreened " with ethylene gas to remove the chlorophyll

from

the rind. The colorless oranges are then tinted by passing through a

vat

of hot dye. Almost all Florida citrus that reaches the marketplace

before January 1 has been treated. Other produce that may be dyed

are

some " new " potatoes (regular potatoes dyed red) and some red yams

(actually dyed sweet potatoes).

 

Concerns about packaging materials are by no means limited to

processed

foods. Citrus fruits are generally wrapped in papers treated with a

potent fungicide.

 

 

 

Citrus Fruit

 

Citrus fruit is often grown with very toxic pesticides that can

build up

in the body and contribute to immune system problems. In addition,

non-organic citrus fruit is often " treated " with chemicals.

 

 

Waxed Produce

 

Most people think of only apples as being waxed with an unhealthy

petrochemical product. Debra Lynn Dadd lists the following produce

as

sometimes being waxed so that it looks shinier:

 

carrots, oranges, lemons, limes, apples, pears, plums, peaches,

melons,

parsnips, tomatoes, green peppers, rutabagas, turnips, cucumbers,

grapefruits, and tangerines.

 

Sometimes pumpkins, squash, and eggplant are waxed.

 

I suggest avoiding waxed produce where possible or at least peeling

the

produce. If a fumigant was applied to the produce, such as

ortho-phenylphenol, and the wax was then applied, the fumigant

cannot be

washed off.

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

Potatoes and onions may be treated with the dangerous chemical,

maleic

hydrazide to inhibit sprouting. Mushrooms may be fumigated with

formaldehyde.

 

Produce is sometimes distributed in trucks that have been hosed out

with

dangerous chemicals or uncleaned trucks that have been distributing

dangerous chemicals.

 

If you buy this produce from your local natural foods store, you may

want to have the store manager check to see if any post-treatment of

produce (both organic and non-organic) is occurring. It is a good

idea

to know the sources of your food and how it is treated.

 

Suggested substitutes: Certified organic produce, Transitional

produce

(organic for less than 3 years), Locally-grown produce.

 

 

Very Cold Foods

Very cold foods can temporarily paralyze the digestive process and

weaken the stomach. Regular intake of cold foods can contribute to

digestive system problems and a variety of other health problems. I

strongly suggest that you limit the very cold foods to a minimum

eaten

separately from meals. When or if you eat or drink very cold foods,

warm

each bite up in the mouth before swallowing.

 

If you are used to eating cold foods such as ice cream, don't make

yourself suffer by cutting it all out at once. Try gradually finding

healthier replacements that satisfy your needs.

 

Suggested substitutes: Rice Dream (on occasion, warmed in mouth),

cooled

Amasake, cooled herbal teas, fresh cooled juices.

 

 

Coffee/Caffeine

It can be very helpful to gradually eliminated caffeinated beverages

from one's diet including coffee, caffeinated soda, black tea, kola

nut,

and guarana herb. Caffeine is far too stimulating, causes restless

sleeping, irritates the stomach, and it is hard on the adrenals.

Weakening the adrenals by drinking caffeinated beverages regularly

can

contribute to the development of significant health problems over

the

years.

 

Some people replace caffeinated beverages with natural coffee

substitutes, fresh vegetable juices, or herbal teas They are all

excellant replacements. On the other hand, I strongly suggest that

you

do not replace coffee with decaffeinated coffee. Decaffeinated

coffee is

an imbalanced, unhealthy beverage processed with synthetic

chemicals. If

you are currently drinking decaffeinated coffee, I strongly suggest

that

you gradually phase it out.

 

Please remember that cutting caffeine out of the diet too quickly

can

cause severe reactions. A gradual reduction and elimination of

caffeine

is the best way to go.

 

Suggested substitutes: Coffee substitutes, roasted dandelion root

tea,

fresh juices, herbal teas with a small amount of licorice root.

 

 

Fruit and Fruit Juices

There is nothing inherantly " bad " about eating fruit. It is a good

idea,

however, to reduce fruit intake to no more than once per day as

separately eaten snacks. In the colder months, fruit is best

consumed on

an occasional basis only. Eat fruit often is cleansing, but also

cooling

and weakening to the digestion system. So, for a cleansing regimen

(a

special holistic healing process) some fruit and fruit juice is more

appropriate, but during the bulk of the healing process when you are

trying to warm and strengthen your digestive system, it is a good

idea

to cut back.

 

Citrus fruit was sometimes eaten with a small piece of the citrus

peel

to counteract its cooling affect on the digestive system. This is a

very

bad idea if you are not eating organically grown fruit. Otherwise,

if

you eat a citrus fruit on occasion, try a bit of the peel (if the

fruit

is organically grown).

 

I eat very small amounts of fruit a few times per week in the warmer

months and much less in the colder months.

 

 

Carbonated Beverages

If you drink alot of carbonated beverages, it is a very good idea to

gradually reduce these beverages, even if it is just carbonated

water.

On occasion, it okay to enjoy a carbonated beverage such as Poland

Spring or carbonated fruit juice beverage, but it can slow healing

considerably to drink such beverages constantly. This is especially

the

case if you have digestive weakness or asthma.

 

 

Flour Products

Try to make progress towards eating the majority of your grain

products

in the form of whole grains or noodles (e.g., soba, udon noodles) as

opposed to flour products. Eating alot of flour products can lead to

mucus buildup throughout the body, especially when accompanied by a

weak

digestion or a large fruit intake.

 

Suggested substitutes: Whole grains, soba and udon noodles, whole

grain

" baby " food or cereals.

 

 

Refined Grains

Refined grains such as white rice and white flour have most of the

vitamins and minerals removed. Sometimes vitamins and minerals are

then

added back in and the product is called " enriched. " As a general

rule, I

would phase out these products whether they are " enriched " or not.

It is

much better to eat whole grains.

 

On occasion, I still eat refined grains. If I go to a restaurant, my

dish may include white rice. If I make seitan (wheat meat), I may

use

some white flour. The majority of grains products eaten should be

unrefined.

 

Suggested substitutes: Whole grains in easily digestible form or

gluten-free grain products if necessary.

 

 

Meat

Most people who eat a Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) are better off

cutting out most, if not all red meat. Also, most fowl and shellfish

should be cut out as well. It is better for most people to eat fish

and

some fowl anywhere from a couple times per week to once per day

(depending upon what feels best for you) If you are allergic to

fish, it

is okay to use a small, regular amount of chicken or turkey.

 

Excess meat ingestion, especially red meat, can cause numerous

problems

in the GI Tract and the liver which can lead to health problems

throughout the body. On the other hand, regularly eating a small

amount

of meat can be very helpful for some people. As mentioned

previously,

everyone has to find their own balance as to how much of each major

food

group works best for them at a particular time.

 

I eat deep water ocean fish (e.g., alaskan salmon, mackarel) three

to

four times per week in the colder months and slightly less in the

warmer

months. On rare ocassion, I eat a little bit of chicken or turkey.

If you eat meat, here are a few tips that may help:

 

 

Try to purchase it at a natural foods store and make sure that the

animal was not fed a chemical diet and treated abusively.

 

 

Cook the meat thoroughly so that all of the bacteria is killed.

 

 

Traditional societies added various spices to meat to make it more

digestable and less toxic to the gastro intestinal tract. Some of

the

cookbooks below include recipes along these lines. I like to eat a

little bit of raw, grated ginger root along with an organic meat

dish. I

often cook fish with parsley and add lemon juice afterwards to make

it

healthier.

 

 

Eat a cooked leafy, green vegetable at the same meal as meat is

eaten.

 

 

Suggested substitutes: A variety of legumes (e.g., mung beans, black

beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, etc., tempeh, seitan)

 

 

Table Salt

It is important to use only a moderate amount of salt and usually

only

during the cooking process. Everyone has to find out what their salt

needs are. However, most people should not overdue the use of salt.

That

does not mean that one needs to avoid salt completely (unless

ordered to

do so by your healthcare practitioner).

 

Cooking legumes takes the most salt as it makes them more digestible

when added 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time. You only

need

a tiny pinch when cooking grains. Limit the amount of salt used to a

moderate amount when cooking vegetables.

 

It is much better to avoid common table salt and use the following

in

small quanities:

 

 

Sea salt (preferably without trace minerals removed)

Tamari

Umeboshi Plum (or vinegar and paste)

Organic Miso

Other fermented foods (pickles, sauerkraut)

 

 

Cooking Oil

Gradually eliminate cooking oil bought at normal grocery stores and

use

small to moderate amounts (1-2 Tablespoons per day) of " unrefined "

sesame oil or virgin olive oil bought in natural food stores.

Unrefined

sesame & olive oils are an excellent source of some types of

essential

fatty acdes and generally should not be eliminated. Cold-pressed

oils

(e.g., sesame) go rancid faster than unrefined oils, but are okay to

use

if nothing else is available. Try to find oils that have been kept

in

non-transparent containers as the light can gradually destroy the

essential fatty acids. I tend to avoid non-organic canola oil

because it

is often genetically-engineered and grown with very toxic

herbicides.

Refrigerate opened bottles of cooking oil. Throw out old bottles in

case

they have begun to become rancid.

 

Suggested substitutes: Unrefined oils from natural food stores.

 

 

Nightshade Foods

As a general rule, it is a good idea not too overdo eating foods in

the

Nightshade family, including tomatos, potatoes, eggplant, and all

peppers except for black and white pepper. This does not mean that

you

have to totally avoid these foods, but it means to make other

vegetables

the bulk of your vegetable intake.

 

If you have arthritis, it can be very helpful to avoid the

Nightshade

family completely as these foods can cause a worsening of symtoms.

Check

the labels carefully, as some prepared foods contain tomatoes,

peppers,

or potato flour.

Suggested substitutes: A wide variety of other vegetables including

green leafy vegetables.

 

 

Foods that cause allergic or intolerance-type reactions

It is important to avoid foods that cause moderate or large negative

reactions. As your health improves over time, you will be able to

very

gradually re-introduce healthy foods that used to cause negative

reactions. Some common foods that can cause problems for some people

include:

 

 

Dairy (including ingredients: caseine and whey)

Wheat

Corn

Gluten-Containing foods (often need to be reduced or eliminated

until

the digestive system is healed and strengthened). Gluten-containing

foods include wheat, barley, oats, and rye.

Fermented Foods (Pickles, beer, wine, etc.)

 

Yeast-Containing Foods

Citrus Fruits

Apples

Strawberries

Meat (especially red meat)

Fatty foods (e.g., red meat, avacados, dairy)

Nightshades (tomato, eggplant, potato, green pepper)

 

Sugar, additives, preservatives, food coloring, etc.

Caffeine-containing foods

 

In order to determine what foods you are allergic to, see an

Environmental Medicine Doctor or an Allergist (not a General

Practitioner). You Holistic Health practitioner may be able to

arrange

the tests. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine can help

you

find an Environmental Medicine Doctor in your area.

 

 

Gum

Please be aware that persons who have more than a few silver amalgam

(mercury) fillings and who chew gum are exposing themselves to a

significant amount of mercury. The World Health Organization report

on

inorganic mercury states that the average person gets five times

more

mercury from fillings than from fish (in the form or elemental

mercury,

methyl mercury and inorganic mercury).

 

Chewing gum regularly increases that mercury burden tremendously.

Chronic, long-term exposure to mercury has been link to neurological

disorders, psychological disorders, gastrointestinal problems,

Alzheimer's disease and a number of other health problems.

 

If you have very few or no silver amalgam (mercury) fillings, and

would

like to chew gum regularly, try to find gum at a natural food store

without dangerous sweeteners.

 

 

 

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Digestion

 

Below are listed many ideas to help deal with and heal digestive

difficulties. Please do not try everything listed at once. It is

best to

simply pick one or two ideas to use at a time.

 

 

To promote better digestion at a meal:

 

 

Chew very well. This is very important if your digestion is weak.

 

 

Limit very cold foods especially during meals. Hot, cooked meals are

usually easier to digest and will help build a stronger digestion

over

time. It is very important, especially during the colder months, to

eat

warming meals.

 

 

Eat meal in a calm, unhurried manner. However, that doesn't mean you

can't talk and tell jokes during the meal.

 

 

It's okay to drink some liquids during the meal, but try to get

plenty

of liquids between meals so that there is less of a desire to drink

too

much and cause indigestion.

 

 

Bland or undercooked foods can make digestion more difficult.

 

 

Eat fruit and fruit juices separately from other foods (as snacks or

separate meals).

 

 

 

In difficult cases of poor digestion at meals:

 

 

Over a period of time, see if you can notice a food item, a type of

food

(e.g., fatty foods), or a combination of foods that are giving you

trouble (e.g., fruits and grains, meat and legumes). Make changes to

eliminate food or combination that gives you trouble.

 

 

Fifteen minutes before meal take a small amount of " stomach bitters "

herbs in a little bit of water to promote HCl production. You can

purchase stomach bitters from a natural foods store or by mail.

 

 

Test to see if digestive enzymes help your digestion. You can get

enzymes from a natural foods store or by mailorder. Enteric-coated

capsules are better if you can find them. If they don't help you

significanly, do not use them.

 

 

In severe cases of poor digestion there may be insuffient stomach

acids

being produced (i.e., HCL). In this case, you may need short term

use of

betine hydrochloride and/or pepsin until the condition improves. You

can

get such products from your local Naturopath or call Standard

Process

Labs (SPL) (800) 848-5061 to locate the nearest practitioner who can

prescribe SPL's " natural " supplements that contain betine

hydrochoride.

As you use the long-term digestion strengthening techniques below,

you

will want to taper off the use of this useful short-term technique.

 

 

Food and Cooking

 

 

Grains

 

Some people have difficulty digesting whole grains. Here are some

ideas

that may help.

 

 

Udon and soba noodles tend to be much easier to digest than whole

grains.

 

 

Some natural food stores sell partially processed brown/white rice

which

is easier to digest than brown rice.

 

 

Some people purchase natural " baby food " at natural food store in

the

case of very poor digestion. Also, cereals like Rice 'n Shine are

easily

digested.

 

 

Barley should be soaked overnight. All grains should be cooked

thoroughly. Please see cookbooks in Resource section for more

information.

 

 

If you still cannot tolerate any of the above-mentioned ideas for

easily-digestible grains, it is okay to eat white rice. Over time,

please try to mix in a small, but increasing percentage of whole

grains.

Over the period of a year or two while using other healing

techniques,

you may be able to work your way up to 50% whole grains/50% white

rice.

If you cannot eat whole grains, it would be a good idea to consider

taking some supplements as suggested below.

 

 

 

Legumes

 

Mung beans are fairly easy to digest as far as legumes go. Other

beans

should be soaked overnight in spring water. Pour off water. Cook in

pot

for at least 1.5 hours (except lentils can be cooked quicker). Add a

rinsed strip of Kombu sea vegetable to pot before cooking. Boil

rapidly

for 20 minutes, spooning off foam that comes to the surface. Simmer.

Add

1/2 tbs. of sea salt for every cup of beans 20 minutes before end of

cooking time and boil rapily until done. In addition, adding 1/2

tbs. of

cumin powder and/or ginger powder to the cooking water helps some

people. If all else fails, try Beano available at local natural

foods

store.

 

Tempeh, made from soy beans, is a easily digestible source of

protein.

But don't rely totally on soy products for protein. Try to eat a

variety

of legumes that you can tolerate.

 

 

 

Vegetables

 

You may need to cook vegetables longer so that they are easier to

digest. Some greens, such as kale, can be a little tougher to

digest.

Soups and vegetable broths can be extremely good for you and easy to

digest. Eating more vegetables and fewer grains and beans is

sometimes

helpful for digestion.

 

 

 

Meat

 

If I eat fish, I usually cook it with lemon (or lime) juice or juice

from the grated ginger root.

 

Eating a touch of finely grated ginger root with the meat can help

reduce the toxicity. All meat should be cooked thoroughly.

 

 

 

Dairy

 

If you decide to eat dairy foods, which I don't recommend, you

should

purchase " Lactaid " from your local health food store to help with

lactose digestion.

 

 

If you are having post-meal digestive problems:

 

 

The most important thing is NOT to beat yourself up about it.

Realize

that it will get better over time. Don't worry if you ate poorly and

it

led to indigestion--it happens to everyone from time to time. Use

one or

more of the techniques below as nurturing tools.

 

 

Drink and herbal tea formulated for digestion after the meal. The

Maharishi Ayur-Ved company makes some very good teas (800-255-8332,

ext.

147 for catalog). Check at a natural food store for an herbal tea to

treat indigestion after a meal.

 

If you can't find such a pre-made tea, use peppermint tea bags and

add a

few drops of ginger juice squeezed from grated ginger.

Alternatively,

you can use one or two drops of peppermint oil in any hot tea.

 

 

Add a tiny amount of Ume' Concentrate (1/3 - 1/2 the size of a pea)

to

the tea mentioned above for indigestion.

 

It is good for removing countering toxic stomach acids created when

digestive probelms exist. A natural foods store should be able to

order

it from Mitoku Compay, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.

 

Eden Foods (Clinton, Michigan) puts out a products called Ume' Plum

Balls made from Ume' Concentrate and Japanese Wild Mountain Yam.

 

 

I have found that a large hot water bottle, filled with hot water

and

placed on the abdomen helps with indigestion after the meal, before

bed,

or in the morning. Place a piece of cloth of towel between the hot

water

bottle and the abdomen. It should feel moderaly hot, but should not

burn. Move the bottle around as needed.

 

You can get such a bottle from your local pharmacy. (It has the

shape of

an enema bag.)

 

 

I would avoid antacids and other digestive aide pharmaceuticals if

possible since they counteract the stomach acids making you feel

better

in the short run but causing many problems in the long run due to

poorly

digested foods. It is much better to try the other ideas first.

 

 

 

For long-term improvement of digestion:

 

 

Eat hot meals when possible. This will help you gradually build

digestive energy. Habitually eating cold meals (especially during

the

cold months) will reduce your digestive energy. If you cannot eat

hot

foods at every meal, that is okay. Just do the best you can without

putting too much pressure on yourself.

 

 

As part of your yoga practice, twisting exercises help improve the

digestion. Ask your yoga teacher to show you variations of Jathara

Parivartanasana and Marichyasana or see the book " Light on Yoga " by

BKS

Iyengar for more details.

 

 

Regularly perform the Fire Wash (Abdominal Lifts) and the Horse

Mudra

exercises described in the book, " The Herbs of Life " by Lesley

Tierra

(The Crossing Freedom Press, c1992, ISBN 0-89594-499-5).

Most people will start with many times less than the author's

recommended number of repetitions. These breathing exercises are

very

helpful for long-term digestion improvement.

 

 

You may need to perform a detoxification of the GI Tract, Liver, or

Gallbladder to help strengthen your digestive capabilities. Liver

and

Gallbladder cleanses are especially useful if you have trouble

digesting

foods that are high in fats. See the following web page for more

information on detoxification techniques:

 

 

http://www.holisticmed.com/detox/detox.html

 

 

 

Regularly perform a moderate amount of abdominal strengthing

exercises.

Do not over-exert yourself, though.

 

 

Regular use of an herbal formula to strengthen the digestion on a

long-term basis.

 

It is important to keep in mind that there are many other herbal

formulas that will help build digestive strength. It is best to get

a

customized formula from a professional Herbalist. Please look into

finding the best herbal formula for you, it will pay off in the long

run.

 

One example of a general herbal formula that may be helpful is:

 

Stomach Chi

Oriental Herb Company

http://www.ohco.com/

(303) 674-2466

 

 

The use of a *high quality* probiotic supplement to help build a

healthy

population of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. If can be

important

to build and keep a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in the

intestine.

 

See the discussion of probiotics in Appendix A for more information.

 

 

 

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Supplementation

 

There are three ways to obtain nutrients:

 

 

Nutrients Through Diet

 

The goal is to work towards being able to obtain most or all of our

nutrients through a healthy, natural foods diet. The reality is that

many people, for a variety of reasons, need to take some forms of

supplements to help themselves heal or simply to meet their nutrient

needs.

 

 

Nutrients Through Concentrated Food Souces

 

Many very helpful supplements come in the form of concentrated food

sources of nutrients. For many people these supplements are very

helpful

because they have less of a tendency to throw a person's body

chemistry

out of balance.

 

 

Nutrients Through Individual Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

 

There are many people who are unable to get adequate nutrients for

healing from food sources or concentrated food supplements. If that

is

the case for you, then use vitamin and mineral products to

supplements

what you cannot get from your food and concentrated food

supplements.

Persons with a chronic illness or a significant amount of stress

should

consider using individual supplements.

 

 

It is impossible to give detailed recommendations in this documents

as

to their supplementation needs. A holistic healthcare practitioner

or

professional nutritionist (not a dietician) can help you with

specific

recommendations.

 

Below is listed a few general ideas and resources for supplements.

Please do not haphazardly begin taking all of the supplements listed

below. Simply choose one or two that you believe are helpful, or

even

better would be to consult a professional.

 

Concentrated Food Supplements

 

Here is a subset of the many possible concentrated food supplements

that

you could try. As with all lists, don't try to do everything at

once. In

addition, start with tiny amounts of each supplement you choose in

order

to test for allergic reactions.

 

 

Green Radiance (yeast-free)

 

This is a mixture of concentrated food suppiments that contains a

balanced source of vitamins and minerals. It can be very helpful if

you

are very weak and have difficulty obtaining nutrients from your

food. It

contains juice powders of wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa *leaf*,

oat

grass, spirulina, chlorells, Dunaliella salina (microalgae), dulse,

licorice root, siberian ginseng, suma, astragalus, echinacea, soy

lecithin, wheat sprout powder (gluten-free), acerola berry juice,

beet

juice powder, spinach, royal jelly, bee pollen, vitamin E, probiotic

bacteria (probably not viable though), flaxseed meal, apple pectin

and

fiber, fructooligosaccharides, milk thistle, ginkgo biloba, green

tea,

grape pip extract, bilberry extract. Start with small amounts if you

decide to take this supplement to test for allergic reactions.

 

You can order the product from:

 

Allergy Research Group/Nutricology

P.O. Box 489

400 Preda Street

San Leandro, CA 94577

(510) 639-4572

(800) 545-9960 (info)

(800) 782-4274 (orders)

 

 

Herbal Nutrition

 

Herbal Nutrition from Arise & Shine is a blend of 13 herbs, enzymes,

and

fiber. It contains almost all vitamins, minerals, trace minerals,

enzymes, and amino acids that most people need. It helps balance the

pH

of the blood as well as helping the heal the heart, lymphatic

system,

and endocrine glands. It contains Alfalfa, Kelp, Rosehips,

Dandelion,

Shavegrass, Knitback Boraginaceae, Yellow Dock, Chickweed, Irish

Moss,

Hawthorn Berry, Suma, Sheep Sorrell, Enzymes, and Cellulase

Concentrate.

 

You can order this product from Arise & Shine (800-688-2444 or

916-926-8867).

 

 

Bernard Jensen's Whole Food Blend

 

This is a different type of comprehensive food supplement. This

formula

contains many vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, as well as

chlorophyll, immunoglobulins and nuclectides for the immune system,

and

beneficial bacteria. The formula is made from powders of Sesame

Seeds,

Chlorella, Colostrum, Acidophilus, Oat Straw, and Echinacea. It is

recommended that bee pollen be taken with this formula if you are

not

allergic to it.

 

You can purchase or order this formula from your local natural food

store or directly from Bernard Jensen International (619) 749-2727.

Ask

for the Whole Life Blend.

 

 

Plant Power From Preventive Health Care

 

A nutritive food and herbal concentrate containing Spriulina,

Chlorella,

Sprouted Barlet Grass, Alfalfa, Wheat Sprout Concentrate, Blue-Green

Algae, Siberian/American/ Chinese Ginseng, Ashwagandha, Fo Ti, Don

Quai,

Suma, Astragalus, Licorice, Gingko Biloba, Gota Kola, Pau da Arco,

Soy

Lecithin, Raw Enzyme Powder, Green Papaya Powder, Acerola Cherry

Powder,

Rose Hips, Indian Goosberries, Schizandra, Hawthorn, Milk Thistle

Seed

Powder, Dandelion Root, Burdock Root, Carob Powder, Apple Fiber,

Rice

Bran, Slippery Elm, Jerusalem Artichoke Powder, Flax Meal, Fennel

Seed,

Ginger Root, Fenugreek Seed, Red Dulse, Norwegian Kelp, Sodium

Alginate.

 

You can order it from Preventive Health Care (408) 457- 8555.

 

 

Mineral Supplements From Sea Vegetables

 

It is important to get plenty of minerals during the healing

process. A

healthy person with a strong digestion can get adequate minerals

from a

natural foods diet with the addition of sea vegetables.

 

The mineral supplements suggested here are derived from sea

vegetables.

The minerals are in organic form (chelated), allowing them to

combine

with the body's enzymes and draw inorganic minerals out of the

joints

and body tissues.

 

You can order such minerals in capsule or liquid form from Arise &

Shine

(800-688-2444 or 916-926-8867) or Enzymes International (715/543-

8401).

The liquid for is preferable.

 

 

Chyavanprash

 

Chyavanprash is a food and herbal supplement used to treat all forms

of

weakness, gout, immune disorders, digestive weakness, and other

illnesses. It is made with large amounts of alma (Indian

Gooseberries)

with are very high in easily assimilable, heat resistant (bound in

tannins) Vitamin C. Crude brown sugar and molasses are added to the

alma. Finally a powder of anywhere between 34 to 50 herbs are added

to

this mixture. Chyavanprash is usually fried with a small amount of

butter.

 

If you decide to try this supplement, please test for bad reactions

because of the small amount of butter used. Also, because dairy

products

are used, please do not take this supplement in large quanities.

 

You can purchase or order the Planetary Herbal Formula from you

local

natural foods store or call Planetary Herbal Formulas 800-606-6226

for

the nearest distributor. Ask for Formula #27: Chyavanprash

 

 

Green Essence

 

This supplement is another useful whole foods supplement that

provides a

wide variety of vitamin and minerals. It is good for persons who

wants

to get extra nutrients from green vegetables (which are very

important)

as well as B Vitamins and minerals. The supplement contains young

barley

leaves, maltodextrin, carrots, pearl barley, wheat germ, brown rice,

alfalfa (from leaves only), aloe, garlic, shitake mushroom,

lecithin,

spinach, broccoli, celery, green pepper, and kelp.

 

You can order this product from your local natural foods store or

find a

distributor by contacting the manufacturer, Green Foods Corp., 620

Maple, Ave., Torrance, CA 90503, (310) 618-0678, (800) 777-4430.

 

 

Essential Fatty Acid Supplement

 

Because it can be difficult to get essential fatty acids (EFAs) from

modern diets (even natural foods diets in some cases), an EFA

supplement

may be helpful. " Udo's Choice Perfected Oil Blend " is one excellent

EFA

supplement. Unlike some supplements and oils available in health

food

stores, care is taken to process the oil with low heat and care is

taken

to balance the proportion of LNA, LA and other key nutrients for the

most beneficial effect. It can be ordered from Flora Health on the

U.S.

or Canadian web site. Do not supplement with flax seed oil by itself

for

more than six months because its extremely high LNA content could

contribute to an LA fatty acid deficiency.

 

 

Alfalfa Leaf Tablets

 

Alfalfa tablets (made from alfalfa leaves) are one of the most

nutritous

foods available. It contains vitamins A, B1, B6, C, D, E, K, niacin,

pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, minerals and trace minerals,

and

is 25% protein by weight. Along with kelp, and algin (from seaweed)

it

is often used for detoxification from environmental pollution. You

can

take alfalfa leaf tablets with meals.

 

Alfalfa leaf can be taken in the form of tablets (from Bernard

Jensen

Internation 619/749-2727 or local natural foods store) or in the

form of

a tea (which is slightly less preferable, but often easier to

digest).

 

Please note that this is not the same as eating alfalfa sprouts or

alfalfa seeds. Alfalfa seeds and alfalfa sprouts contain a small

amount

of the amino acid L-Canavanine which can cause the symptoms of

Systemic

Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) to worsen in some cases. If you have SLE,

it

is very important that you check to be sure that none of your

concentrated food supplements contain alfalfa seeds or sprouts. As

with

all herbs and supplements, start with tiny amounts before increasing

to

full dosage to check if you are sensative to the product.

 

 

Green Drinks

 

There are many other green drinks that are available as supplements.

It

is okay to use these supplements in small amounts. If you have the

condition, hyperkalemia (too much potassium in the blood) or a

chronic

kidney condition, avoid large intakes of green drinks. Popular green

drinks include the following:

 

 

Barley Green

 

Wheatgrass

 

Liquid Chlorophyll

 

 

 

Vegetable Broths

 

Vegetable broths are an excellant way to get extra vitamins and

minerals

in a balanced, easily assimilable form. I often drink a cup of hot

vegetable broth before lunch.

You can make your own vegetable broth or buy it at your local

natural

foods store. The store-bought vegetables broths contain a small

amount

of yeast, so if you are avoiding yeast, you will have to make your

own

vegetable broths. Be very careful when purchasing vegetable broths,

however, as many of them contain products that have MSG or hidden

MSG

(hydrolyzed proteins, autolyzed yeasts).

 

One store-bought broth that I like is:

 

All Natural Vegetable Broth

Gayelord Hauser Products

P.O. Box 09398

Milwaukee, WI 53209

 

 

Kelp

 

Kelp is a general term for several species of sea vegetables. It is

often sold as a supplement because it is a very concentrated source

of

minerals and trace minerals. Kelp is good for the nervous system,

arthritic conditions, detoxification, strengthening the endocrine

glands, soothing mucous membranes, reducing water retention, and

healing

the immune system to name just a few of the beneficial effects.

 

Kelp can be purchased as a separate supplement or part of a

supplement

or condiment in almost any natural foods store.

 

 

Supplements High in Vitamin C Complex

 

There are several whole food supplements which are high in Vitamin C

Complex.

 

 

Alma (Indian Gooseberries) have one of the highest sources of

Vitamin C

Complex of any plant.

 

Schizandra is a herb which is very high in Vitamin C Complex.

 

Rose Hips is a very popular herb for Vitamin C supplementation.

Beware

of Vitamin C supplements that say on the package " in a Rose Hip

base " as

there is probably very little Rose Hips and therfore Vitamin C

*Complex*

in the supplement.

 

Acerola Cherry is one of the more common Vitamin C Complex

supplements

found in natural food stores.

 

Hawthorn Berry is a popular herbs used for heart conditions in the

West

and to remove congestion from overeating or poor digestion in

Chinese

Medicine. It is a good source of Vitamin C Complex.

 

 

Miscellaneous Herbs

 

The following herbs provide an large amount of vitamins and minerals

are

are especially high in iron.

 

 

Dandelion Root

 

Yellow Dock

 

Nettles

 

 

Dandelion root tea can be taken regularly. Nettles can be taken in

an

herbal supplement or eaten cooked in season (Springtime). Yellow

dock is

usually taken as part of an herbal formula.

 

 

Individual Supplements

 

Individual supplements can be very helpful if you cannot get your

nutrients needed for healing from food or concentrated food sources.

In

addition, for severe deficiencies or acute symptoms, short-term use

of

individual supplements can be very helpful.

 

Here are some ideas for individual supplements. I will only be

discussing a few of the most commonly needed supplements. For more

detailed information on using supplements please see the books

listed in

the Holistic Healing Web Page/Amazon.Com bookstore below under the

category, " Nutrition Supplement References. "

 

As with all lists, don't try to do everything at once. In addition,

start with tiny amounts of each supplement you choose in order to

test

for negative reactions.

 

 

Vitamin C Complex

 

Many people find it helpful to supplement with Vitamin C. For

example,

some persons with chronic immune systems disorders and many people

who

have had mercury poisoning from dental amalgam fillings have found

Vitamin C very helpful. If you feel that you need additional

supplementation of Vitamin C, I suggest you look into taking a

Vitamin C

_Complex_ supplement. If you are currently taking steroids, your

need

for Vitamin C may be higher, in which case a Vitamin C Complex

supplement may be very helpful.

 

Vitamin C Complex contains the following:

 

 

Ascorbic Acid

 

Bioflavanoids

 

Tyrosinase

 

 

Ascorbic acid, by itself, can be helpful in certain acute

conditions.

But for regular use, it is preferable to try to get your extra

Vitamin C

through concentrated food sources or a Vitamin C Complex supplement.

You

should be able to pick up a quality Vitamin C Complex supplement at

a

natural food store. Here is a mailorder resource:

 

Enzymes International Vitamin C Complex

(715/543-8401)

Contains a blend of Ascorbic Acid, Bioflavanoids, Rose Hips, and

Amylase.

 

 

Vitamin B

 

B vitamins are important for maintaining the health of the nervous

system, the skin, and the tone of the muscles including GI tract

muscles. By eating a varied natural foods diet, most healthy people

can

get enough B vitamins. However, many people do find that a general

B-Complex supplement is helpful to them over the long run.

 

Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine) is one of the more important B vitamins for

persons with chronic immune system-related disorders. The need for B

vitamins, especially B-6 may increase if you are taking

antidepressants,

estrogen, steroids, antibiotics, or other medication. If you are

suffering from digestive problems or bowel problems, depression or

anxiety, your need for B vitamins is probably higher. In this case

it

can be helpful to supplement with Vitamin B-Complex.

 

 

Minerals

 

A proper amount and proportion of minerals are needed for the

formation

of healthy blood, bone, and bodily tissues. It can be very difficult

for

a healthy person to obtain an adequate supply of minerals and trace

minerals (which are minerals needed only in minute quantities).

Therefore, it is usually recommended that a healthy person eat a

small

proportion of sea vegetables along with a varied natural foods diet.

 

In many cases, supplementation of individual minerals can be very

helpful. A few of the many individual supplements that have proven

very

helpful include:

 

 

Calcium

 

Magnesium

 

Zinc

 

 

Avoid taking mineral supplementation as part of antacids such as

Tums.

Such medicine use can weaken digestion significantly over time.

 

 

 

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Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for dietary changes although in most

cases it

is preferable to:

 

 

Discuss changes with your chosen holistic health practitioner.

Make changes gradually.

 

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Actions To Be Taken

Review the discussion and techniques listed in this chapter and

decide

what change, if any, you would like to make.

 

 

Discuss these ideas with your holistic health practitioner.

 

 

Begin to locate all of the grocery stores and farm stands in your

area

that sell healthy (preferably organic) foods.

 

 

Purchase one or two of the general books listed in the resource

section

and one or two of the cookbooks.

 

 

Gradually make changes to move towards a natural foods diet.

 

 

Take a cooking class if necessary. Talk with natural food store

owners,

holistic health practitioners, and other practitioners for leads on

where to learn natural foods cooking.

 

 

 

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Questions & Answers

 

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Food Cravings

 

I am having difficulty cutting out certain food because I have a

craving

for them. Do you have any ideas?

 

First of all, three important points to keep in mind:

 

 

Be certain that you aren't trying to change your current diet too

quickly. Just make some comfortable changes. Get used to those

changes

for at least a couple of months. Then you see if you're ready to or

have

a desire to make additional changes.

 

 

Remember to give yourself a healthy dose of self-love and

self-acceptance wherever you are at in your diet. This will be the

most

important technique in making slow permanent dietary changes.

 

 

If you have a eating disorder such as regular binging, purging,

bulemia,

anorexia, or heavy eating for emotional reasons, you should

definately

get help from a professional or a group/organizations that is

experienced in working with persons who have eating disorder issues.

It

is very important to avoid trying to work through these issues by

yourself, as that usually leads to alot of frustration. Please see

the

Resources section for helpful organizations.

 

 

Here are a couple of ideas that might help you. I've had the most

success with idea " 2. " Ideas " 1. " and " 2. " may be a good way to

approach

cutting out caffeine when you are ready to make that change.

 

 

Slowly phase out consumption of the food.

 

 

Replace the food with a healthy alternative found at your local

natural

foods store that has a similar taste and texture.

 

For example, I had a very strong craving for ice cream. I started by

replacing it with Rice Dream (made with cultured rice) which had a

similar taste and texture but was much healthier. Even though I knew

that it was good for me to totally forgo very cold foods to improve

my

weak digestion, it was more important that I not too radically

change my

diet. Such a radical change may have led me to secret, midnight ice

cream binges. Eventually, I moved to Amasake drinks which are creamy

and

usually slightly chilled drinks.

 

 

Cold turkey. This is sometimes used successfully by persons with

certain

eating disorders. It can, however, lead to the person becoming

extremely

" uptight " if there were any emotional issues behind the craving that

were not resolved. This technique is not recommended for use in

changing

a moderate to heavy caffeine habit.

 

 

A combination of " 1. " and " 2. "

 

 

 

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Meat/Red Meat Needs

 

I feel that I need some meat, including red meat. I don't feel well

eating a diet based on whole grains, legumes, and vegetables. Your

suggestions seem to be counterproductive for me. Any comments?

 

This is where the " Regular, Gradual Improvement without Obsessing "

section becomes important. Please don't force yourself to eat a diet

that makes you feel bad. Over several years times you may be able to

change your diet gradually with positive results as your health

slowly

improves.

 

In your particular case you should consider the following points:

 

 

 

Try to eat a lot of cooked vegetables, especially greens such as

collard

greens, beet greens, spinach, etc. Some salads are okay if your

digestion can tolerate them.

 

 

Try to eat some of your meat in the form of fish (deep-water, ocean

fish

are preferable) and minimal amounts of red meat when you feel you

need

it. It is preferable to buy and especially prepare you meat as

described

in this chapter.

 

 

If possible, try to include some form of easily digestable grain

products (e.g., whole grains, whole grain noodles -- udon, soba,

etc.)

in your diet on ocassion.

 

 

Try to get some sea vegetables in your diet and/or a food

concentrate

mineral supplement as described above. You may need to get more B

Vitamins in the form of a food concentrate or supplements.

 

 

You can cut back slightly on the legumes, especially at meals where

you

eat free range or organic meats.

 

 

Finally, take your time and change your diet as your health improves

and

you feel comfortable with the change. That way, you can spend less

time

worrying about your diet and more time enjoying life.

 

 

 

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Food Allergy Determination

 

How do I determine if I'm allergic to a particular food?

 

Your health care practitioner (e.g., holistic doctor, allergist,

environmental illness doctor) can schedule an appointment for you to

have allergy tests. These tests can determine if you have an allergy

to

a particular food, they cannot show whether or not you have an

intolerance-like reaction to that food.

 

It is important to note that following a Natural Foods Diet similar

to

what is described above will often eliminate most, if not all

allergic

food reactions. I feel that most people should try the Natural Foods

Diet for a few weeks to see if some of the allergic reactions

disappear.

If that doesn't help then experiment with eliminating the foods that

are

common causes of allergic reactions such as listed in the section

above.

Finally, as a last resort, you can try the Elimination Diet as

described

below.

 

You can use the Elimination Diet to determine if you have any

negative

reactions to a particular food. It is preferable to work with a

healthcare practitioner when performing the Elimination Diet. The

Elimination Diet is performed as follows:

 

 

For one week eat only from the following list of foods in order to

eliminate all food allergy symptoms:

 

 

Starches (lightly cooked)

Brown rice, taro root, puffed rice (e.g, rice cakes), sweet

potatoes,

winter squash, tapioca.

 

 

Green, Yellow, Orange Vegetables (lightly cooked)

beets and beet greens, celery, chard, summer squash, artichokes,

string

beans, asparagus, spinach, lettuce

 

 

Non-citrus Fruits (lightly cooked)

peaches, plums, prunes, cranberries, apricots, papaya, cherries

 

 

Condiments

sea salt (tiny amounts)

 

 

Beverages

spring water

 

 

After one week, your negative food reactions are likely to have

ended.

 

 

Add only one food item at a time to your diet by eating it at all

three

meals for a day in moderately large quanities. If you have a

negative

reaction to the new food, you will know to avoid that food.

 

 

If you have a negative reaction, you have to wait at least four days

on

the Elimination Diet before adding a new food.

 

 

 

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Macrobiotics

 

What about eating a Macrobiotic diet? Is that healthy?

 

I think that a macrobiotic diet can be very helpful for many people.

I

suggest keeping the following points in mind if you are planning to

try

a macrobiotic diet:

 

 

The diet should not be too strict.

 

 

Try not to overdo the salty products such as miso, pickles, etc.

 

 

You may need to cook your foods more thoroughly that is sometimes

done

by macrobiotic cooks in order to make them more digestable.

 

 

Make sure most of your meals are palatable.

 

 

Don't be afraid to use herbs and spices with your cooking.

 

 

Keep in mind that you may have to adjust the diet if it isn't

meeting

your needs.

 

 

 

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Chinese and Ayurvedic Nutrition

 

What about food plans based on Ayurvedic theory or

theory?

 

I heartily recommend using Ayurvedic or principals

to

help improve health. Food adjustments are used as medicine in both

of

these well-respected systems of health. It is easier to get a

specific

diagnosis and customized nutrition recommendation from a

practitioner

than to self-prescribe. But there are some useful books that can

help

you understand the principals of Ayurvedic and

dietary

therapy and make some of the adjustments yourself. Please see the

Holistic Healing Web Page/Amazon.Com bookstore section in the

Appendix

for a listing of books.

 

 

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Appendices

 

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Probiotics

 

Probiotics refer to friendly bacteria which contribute to the health

of

the intestinal tract.

 

 

Positive Health Affects

 

A selection of the positive health affects of probiotics can be

summarized with the following excerpts from " Probiotics " by Leon

Chaitow

and Natasha Trenev:

 

 

They manufacture B-vitamins, such as biotin, niacin (B3), pyridoxine

(B6) and folic acid.

 

 

They act as anti-carcinogenic (anti-cancer) factors, with powerful

anti-tumour potentials.

 

 

They act as 'watchdogs' by keeping an eye on, and effectively

controlling, the spread of undesirable microorganisms (by altering

the

acidity of the region they inhabit and/or producing specific

antibiotic

substances, as well as by depriving rival unfriendly bacteria of

their

nutrients). The antibiotics some of the friendly bacteria produce

are

effective against many harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. Not the

least of the potentially harmful yeasts controlled by some

lactobacilli

is " Candida albicans, " now implicated in many health problems in

people

who are malnourished or whose immune systems are depleted.

 

 

They effectively help to control high cholesterol levels, thereby

affording us protection from the cardiovascular damage which

excessive

levels of this nevertheless important substance can create.

 

 

They sometimes act to relieve the symptoms of anxiety.

 

 

They play a role in protecting against the negative effects of

radiation

and toxic pollutants, enhancing immune function.

 

 

They help considerably to enhance bowel function. Where bowel

bacteria

are absent, the function of peristalsis is impaired, and the amount

of

time it take for food to pass completely through the system is much

increased.

 

 

60 percent of the circulating female hormones such as estrogen are

excreted into the GI tract in the bile. The hormones are then, in

normal

conditions, acted upon--a process known as deconjugation--by

bacterial

enzymes such as sulphatase catalyse before most of it (some is

excreted

in the faeces) is re-absorbed into the bloodstream. From there, it

is

sent back to the liver for reactivation into a biologically active

form.

[The author goes on to discuss how problems with the beneficial

bacterial population in the intestines cause by antibiotics (for

example) can lead to much lower levels of hormones being

recirculated

into the bloodstream. This can be a major problem for women.]

 

 

 

Causes of Loss of Probiotics

 

Probiotics can be negatively affected by the following:

 

 

Unhealthy diet, especially a diet that leads to regular indigestion.

 

 

Poor digestion of food from various causes and/or poor elimination

of

wastes.

 

 

Antibiotics can kill a significant percentage of beneficial bacteria

in

the intestines. The amount killed is largely dependant upon whether

they

are narrow-spectrum or wide- sprectrum antibiotics and how long they

are

used for. If you are forced to use antibiotics, use narrow-spectrum

antibiotics for as short a time as possible and subsequently take

probiotic supplements.

 

 

Chlorinated water used on a regular basis can kill beneficial

bacteria

in the intestines.

 

 

Stress, especially on-going stress negatively affects beneficial

bacteria.

 

 

Other pharmaceuticals such as steroids and NSAIDS (non-steroidal,

anti-inflammatory drugs) can have a negative affect on the

beneficial

bacteria in the intestines.

 

 

Radiation (i.e., x-rays)

 

 

 

Negative Health Affects From Loss of Probiotics

 

 

Lack of reciculation of female hormones such as estrogen.

 

 

Overgrowth of detrimental, disease-causing bacteria and yeasts such

as

Clostridium dificile, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, E.

coli,

Yersinia enterocolitica, etc.

 

 

Production of endotoxins in the GI Tract contributing to lupus

erythematosus, psoriasis and other skin conditions, and pancreatitis

(to

mention just a few).

 

 

Allows partially digested proteins to enter the bloodstream

contributing

to eczema, nervous system disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and a

variety

of immune system disorders.

 

 

GI tract problems such as leaky bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis,

IBS,

etc. are contributed to by loss of probiotics and appearance of

detrimental bacteria.

 

 

Specific strains of detrimental bacteria may cause health problems.

For

example, E. coli may lead to problems with insulin and blood sugar

function. Yersinia enterocolitica produces substances which cause

the

over-production of thyroid hormone. This detrimental bacteria can

also

contribute to autoimmune diseases.

 

 

 

Choosing a *High Quality* Probiotics Supplement

 

It is extremely important to choose carefully when selecting a

probiotics supplement. Most of the supplements of the market run

anywhere from worthless to slightly useful. Spending the extra time

looking for the right product and spending a little extra money

purchasing the right product will pay off in the long run. You may

be

fooling yourself if you rely on the " conscientiousness " of your

favorite

natural food store or manufacturer to choose a good probiotic

products

for you.

 

Below are a few things to look for or to avoid in a probiotics

supplement:

 

 

Number of Organisms

 

Product should say on the label a guarantee of the number of viable

organisms in the product. It should be at least 1 billion organisms

per

gram for a therapeutic dosage. The label should ideally give a

guarantee

of the number of viable organisms at the expiration date since it

will

be less than the manufacture date.

 

Manufacturers should have an *independant* lab analyze their product

for

potency on a regular basis. They should be able to send you a copy

of

the lab results upon request.

 

 

Type of Organisms

 

 

Single-strain products are strongly prefered because in multiple-

strain

products, one strain can begin to dominate during storage leaving

little

viable L. acidophilus or B. bifidum. It is better to take two or

three

single-strain products than one multi-strain product (which may have

little viable organisms in it at consumption time). For example,

strains

of L. acidophilus and L. bulgaricus should not be put together as

the L.

bulgaricus would take over. Some double-strain products with both L.

acidophilus and B. bifidum such as those made by Natren (see below)

are

okay to use.

 

 

The most important types of bacteria to take *therapeutically* are:

 

 

L. acidophillus

 

B. bifidum

 

L. bulgaricus

 

S. thermophilus

 

 

L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus are very useful for encouraging

the

growth of B. bifidum in the intestines.

 

I believe that there are a few others that would be very helpful

such as

some of the strains found in products like miso, but you won't find

such

strains in products on the market (at least I don't think so).

 

 

The *strain* of the type of bacteria is extremely important. The

strain

must be able to:

 

 

survive the stomach digestive acids and the bile acids.

 

attach itself to the intestinal wall.

 

accepted by the immune system.

 

produce substances such as natural antibiotics that help destroy

significant numbers of pathenogenic organisms.

 

 

INT 9, DDS-1, and NAS strains of L. acidophilus are all good strains

to

use.

 

The Malyoth strain of B. Bifidum is an example of good strain.

 

The LB-51 strain of L. bulgaricus is an example of good strain.

 

Many labels do not list the strains of the bacteria. You may have to

check with the manufacturer.

 

 

 

Type of Processing

 

It is very important that the product *not* have been processed

using

centrifuging. Centrifuging has the following detrimental effects on

a

probiotics product:

 

 

Damages colonies

 

The g-forces produced by centrifuging damages the acidophilus

colonies

causing growth after implantation to be poor. A healthy acidophilus

colony may have 20 organisms which tends to have a much greater

ability

to implant and grow. Centrifuging breaks these colonies in much

smaller

bits. This raises the *apparent* number of viable organisms, but the

implantation and growth of these organisms in the human body will be

reduced tremendously.

 

 

Damages Cell

 

Centrifuging damages the cell walls of the bacteria reducing its

viability.

 

 

Supernatant Lost

 

The Supernatant is the growth medium of the probiotics culture.

During

the culturing process, the bacteria secretes or synthesizes

chemicals

which are very powerful for inhibiting pathenogenic bacteria and

fungus

(e.g., lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and antibiotic-like

substances --

acidophilin, for example). The Supernatant also protects the

probiotic

bacteria from stomach acids and provides food for the bacteria to

help

them flourish once they reach their destination in the intestines.

Centrifuging removes the Supernatant from the bacteria.

 

 

If the product does not say on the label that it is uncentrifuged,

you

need to get a guarantee from the manufacturer that this is the case.

Since most companies do not manufacture their own probiotic

supplements

(they just put their label on the bottle), you may have to do a

little

detective work to track down the manufacturer.

 

Some products that are not centrifuged are ultra-filtrated.

Ultra-filtration does not damage the product as much as

centrifuging,

but it does remove the Supernatant from the bacteria.

 

Finally, some manufacturers add chemicals and/or hormones to

stimulate

the growth of the bacteria. Since they are processing agents, they

do

not have to be listed on the label. Please check with the

manufacturer

to be certain that they do not add these chemicals to their product.

 

 

Base of Product

 

A milk base is an ideal base for the organisms in a probiotics

supplement. Since this is such a small part of the diet, I believe

it is

okay to use a milk base *if* you do not have a negative reaction

from

the product. If a milk base is used it is preferable that the

product

contain the DDS-1 strain of L. acidophilus which produces plenty of

lactose to help digestion of the dairy.

 

It is preferable to find a quality product that has a dairy-free

base.

It is also preferable that a non-dairy base be one that provides an

adequate diet for the acidophilus so that they remain viable. A rice

base is one example.

 

 

Form

 

Ideally the product should be in powdered form. If you use powdered

form, it is crucial that you keep the jar sealed and in the

refrigerator

when not in use and that you only touch the powder with a *clean*

spoon

so as not to damage the product.

 

The second best choice is encapsulated powder. The number of viable

organisms go down quicker when encapsulated, especially if the

encapsulation process is not done correctly.

 

Avoid liquid products.

 

 

Packaging

 

The product should be packaged in glass to avoid condensation inside

the

container. Amber (dark) colored glass should be used to keep the

light

from destroying the product. Avoid plastic containers if possible.

 

 

Storage

 

The product should always be refrigerated. *Some* products are

viable

without refrigeration for a short period of time (e.g., a few

weeks),

but it is a good idea to refrigerate once purchased.

 

Check with the retailer you purchase from to be certain that they

are

carefully refrigerating the probiotics product and not turning off

or

turning down their cooler at night.

 

 

 

Using a *High Quality* Probiotics Supplement

 

 

Dosage

 

Therapeutic Dosage

 

Therapeutic dosage should be taken when starting your healing

program,

after a cleanse or enema/colonic or after a chemical exposure. You

can

stay on therapeutic dosage for up to ten days unless directed

overwise

by your healthcare professional. Then gradually work your way down

to

maintenance dosage (see below).

 

You may find that the therapeutic dosage of probiotics suggested

below

is expensive if you use a quality product. Please bear in mind that

the

therapeutic dosage is temporary and that it is still much cheaper

than

most prescriptions.

 

 

L. acidophilus -- 5 to 10 grams (2.5 to 5 level teaspoonsful) of

powder

*total* per day. These should be divided evenly and taken half way

between meals.

 

B. bifidum -- 5 to 10 grams (2.5 to 5 level teaspoonsful) of powder

*total* per day. These should be divided evenly and taken half way

between meals.

 

L. bulgaricus (if taken) -- 3 to 6 grams (1.5 to 3 teaspoonsful)

taken

with each meal (3 times daily).

 

 

Maintenance Dosage

 

You can stay on the maintenance dosage indefinately, but I recommend

gradually working away from regular use of probiotic supplements and

replacing it with the use of fermented foods and other foods

naturally

building the health of the bacteria in your intestines. Of course,

you

should only do this when you have healed enough to slowly add small,

regular amount of fermented foods to your diet (e.g., miso).

 

 

L. acidophilus -- 1 gram (0.5 level teaspoonsful) of powder *total*

per

day. These should be divided evenly and taken half way between meals.

 

B. bifidum -- 4 grams (2 level teaspoonsful) of powder *total* per

day.

These should be divided evenly and taken half way between meals.

 

L. bulgaricus (if taken) -- 1 gram (0.5 teaspoonsful) taken with

each

meal (3 times daily).

 

 

The ratio of B. bifidum to L. acidophilus should be approximately

4:1 if

you follow the Natural Foods Diet described in the " Food and

Nutrition "

chapter. If you eat more meat, take a higher proportion of L.

acidophilus.

 

 

Method of Administration

 

The probiotics supplements should be taken with spring water *only*

(except in the case of L. bulgaricus which is taken with or after

meals

as described above). Do not take with juice or broth as this can

stimulate more stomach acids to be released leading to fewer

bacteria

surviving in the stomach.

 

 

What To Expect

 

During the first few days of supplementation, and possibly through

the

entire ten days of therapeutic dosing, you may experience cleansing

symtpoms. (See " Detoxification " chapter for more detail on cleansing

symtoms.) This is due to the dying off of yeast overgrowth

(especially

if you are taking products to combat yeast -- garlic, caprylic acid,

Pau

d'Arco, etc.) and dying off of detrimental bacteria. Symptoms such

as

gas, bloating, IBS, diarrhea are not uncommon. Be certain to consume

warming, healthy foods and beverages when possible.

 

 

 

Other Ways to Get and Increase Probiotics

 

As you heal your condition, it is desirable to eventually add

fermented

products to the diet (when they do not cause adverse reactions) and

gradually reduce and eliminate the regular use of probiotic

supplement

products. If you are not sensitive to eating fermented foods, it is

a

good idea to eat a little bit regularly. Light miso soup/broth once

per

day is a good way to start.

 

Eating fermented foods is the normal way human beings can get and

increase their beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. Some of

the

more common fermented foods include:

 

 

Miso

 

Miso is a fermented product made from organic soybeans, various

grains,

koji (a starter), and sea salt. The koji is added to the mixture to

break down the beans and grains into easily digestible amino acids,

fatty acids, and simple sugars.

 

The strains of bacteria found in miso are ideal for persons eating a

vegetarian or near-vegetarian diet. In addition, miso is believed to

help neutralize environmental pollution, alkalinize the blood and

block

the effects of carcinogens.

 

It is important that you keep the following points in mind when

purchasing miso:

 

 

Purchase from you local natural foods store and *not* an oriental

grocery store. The products at oriental grocery stores are usually

not

naturally-aged and often worthless.

 

 

The miso product must state on the label that it is *unpasturized*.

Otherwise, it will lack the beneficial bacteria.

 

 

The miso should be naturally-aged.

 

 

It is preferable that only organically-grown ingredients be used in

the

miso.

 

 

The light miso (white or yellow) are high in simple sugars and have

twice the niacin and ten times the bacteria as the dark, saltier

miso

(e.g., red miso). The dark miso are higher in protein and contain

more

fatty acids which have been shown to be anti-carcinogenic agents. I

suggest using the lighter miso until you get used to it and then

only

use the dark, saltier miso in small amounts during the cold Winter

months.

 

 

There are numerous cookbooks on the market that discuss how to cook

with

miso. " The Book of Whole Meals " by Annamarie Colbin which is listed

in

the Holistic Healing Web Page/Amazon.Com bookstore gives some

recipies.

" How to Cook With Miso " by Aveline Kushi (Japan Publications, 1978)

is

another book that may help.

 

Here are a few tips in addition to what you may find in the

cookbooks:

 

 

Use only a *small* amount of miso. Always err of the side of using

too

little as it is somewhat salty.

 

 

Put the miso in the dish (i.e., soup) near the very end of cooking

and

be certain that the water is not boiling in the *slightest* way

immediately before putting the miso in and after putting the miso

in.

Boiling water will destroy the beneficial bacteria.

 

 

Try starting by drinking some broth made in the morning with a small

amount of miso added at the end of cooking. Having a small amount of

miso in soup or broth once per day is plenty.

 

 

If you cannot find unpasturized, organic miso at your local natural

foods store, you can mail-order miso from:

 

South River Miso

The Elwell Family

South River Farm

Conway, MA 01341

(413) 369-4057

 

 

Pickles/Sauerkraut

 

Pickles (pickled cucumbers) and sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) are

common

forms of fermented foods. In some stores, you may find other pickled

vegetables. Please try to purchase these products at a natural foods

store and check the labels for sugar, additives or other unhealthy

ingrediants--otherwise they may be worthless as a probiotics

supplements. The products that say " low-salt " are preferable. Please

do

not eat *large* amount of these products.

 

 

Yogurt/Kefir

 

Yogurt is a fermented dairy product made traditionally from milk

(unpasturized, unhomogenized) and a starter which contains the

bacteria

S. thermophilus and L. bulgaricus. If you do decide to eat small

amount

of yogurt, please bear the following in mind:

 

 

Avoid products that have been pasturized.

 

Avoid products with fruit in them.

 

Some comercial brands do not even contain beneficial bacteria.

 

Purchase yogurt only at a natural food store.

 

It is better, by far, to make your own yogurt. Do not use L.

acidophilus

as a starter or any other bacteria meant for supplementation. Use a

culture-mix, preferably with a ratio of seven parts S. thermophilus

to

one part L. bulgaricus.

 

 

Kefir is a very healthy fermented dairy product traditionally made

from

goat, sheep, or cows milk (unpasturized, unhomogenized) and a

culture

containing the bacteria, Saccaromyces kefir, Torula kefir,

Lactobacillus

brevis, Streptococcus lactic and others. The yeasts in the culture

lead

to a slight alcohol content (approximately 3 percent).

 

It was brought to the U.S. from the Soviet Union in the 1960s by

Natasha

Trenev (co-author of the Probiotics book). Some states such as

California do not allow cultured dairy products to contain yeasts,

but

other states such as New York will allow traditionally-made kefir.

 

 

There are substances which have a much more indirect method of

increasing the number of friendly bacteria in the intestines

including:

 

 

Inulin

 

Inulin is a fiber-like substance found in vegetables such as

dandelion

and Jerusalem artichokes which is food for bifidobacteria. Some

authors

recommend eating Jerusalem artichokes when taking probiotic

supplements

to increase the bifidobacteria in the intestines. Unfortunately,

some

people find that they have gas when eating Jerusalme artichokes. If

that

is the case with you, I would try something else.

 

 

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)

 

Fructooligosaccharides are a fiber-like substance which feeds the

bifidobacteria in the intestines. FOS can be useful for persons who

are

on a Candida Reduction Program as it is 1/2 as sweet as sugar and

much

healthier than artificial sweetners.

 

 

 

Resources

 

Please note that you may experience more cleansing symptoms when

using a

high quality probiotic supplement. This is due to the fact that the

beneficial bacteria and the supernatant are killing off pathenogenic

bacteria and fungus. When that happens, xenobiotics (organic toxins)

are

release which can cause these reactions. For most people these

reactions

should subside after a week.

 

 

Natren, Inc.

10935 Camarillo Street

North Hollywood, CA 91602

(800) 992-3323 or (800) 992-9393

 

Nutri (Imports & Exports) Ltd.

Buxton Road, New Mills

Stockport, Cheshire

SK12 3JU

0663-742753

 

Natren products are not centrifuged or ultra-filtrated. The

probiotic

organisms are therefore still bound with the supernatant medium

which

strengthen the product's ability to 1) survive stomach acids, and 2)

inhibit disease-causing bacteria. The products have no yeasts, MSG,

additives, fillers, or any other unnatural products added.

 

The company is owned by Natasha Trenev, coauthor of the " Probiotics "

book. A lot of care was put into the strain selection for their

product

line. I strongly recommend Natren probiotics products.

 

Products include:

 

 

Bio-Nate acidophilus (NAS Strain)

 

Bifido-Nate B. bifidum (Malyoth Strain)

 

Digesta-Lac (LB-51 strain of L. Bulgaricus)

 

Megadophilus

 

Bifido Factor/Life Start Two

 

Life Start

 

D.F.A. Vegetarian Formula

 

 

 

BioCare Limited UK

54 Northfield Road

Kings Norton

Birmingham, B30 1JH

United Kingdom

021 433-3727 (country code from U.S. is 44)

 

Products include:

 

 

Vegidophilus (INT-9 L. acidophilus and B. bifidum)

 

INT-9 L. acidophilus (with fructooligosaccharides)

 

B. bifidum

 

B. infantis (for infants)

 

L. bulgaricus

 

 

An excellant line of products which I highly recommend. These

products

are made by practitioners and it is obvious that they have taken

great

pains to use the best strains and best processing techniques

available.

They have a vegan product for those of you who are vegetarian. They

sell

mail order to the U.S.

 

 

Other Products

 

Some other probiotics products on the market have one or more of the

following characteristics:

 

 

Centrifuged which artificially raises the level of " viable "

organisms

but damages the product.

 

 

Mixture of several competing strains which often leads to the

destruction of acidophilus strain even in free-dried products.

 

 

Added fillers and additives which do not appear on the label.

 

 

Poor strain selection. This is crucial for bacteria adhesion.

 

 

Improper storage.

 

 

 

Books

 

" Probiotics "

by Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O. and Natasha Trenev

Thorsons Publishing Group, Northamptonshire England, c1990

ISBN 0-7225-1919-2

An excellant book. Leon Chaitow is the editor of the " International

Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine " and Natasha Trenev

has

over 25 years of experience studying probiotics. Jeremija Lj. Rasic,

Ph.D., a researcher in the field of probiotics contributes expertise

to

the book.

(Click HERE To Order through Amazon.Com)

 

 

 

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-----------

 

 

 

Twelve Steps to Healthy Eating

 

If you want to print this page out separately, please

 

 

Twelve Steps to Heathy Eating

 

 

 

Eat lots of lightly cooked vegetables including green leafy

vegetables.

 

 

Eat lightly cooked and warm foods whenever possible (with occasional

salads). Use foods prepared within 24 hours when possible.

 

 

Eat meals on a regular schedule where possible.

 

 

Eat fruit on ocassion only and separate from meals when possible.

Slightly more fruit in the warmer months and very little in the

colder

months.

 

 

Gradually cut back on dairy or cut it out entirely. Try to limit

dairy

(eventually) to occasional yogurt or kefir from a natural food store.

 

 

Eat miso soup several times per week and include the ocassional use

of

other traditionally fermented dishes.

 

 

Gradually eliminate foods with additives, preservatives, caffeinated

products, coloring, MSG/hydrolyzed proteins, artificial sweeteners

(aspartame, neotame, acesulfame-k, sucralose, etc.), and chemical

names

in the ingredient list that you are not sure of. Shopping regularly

at a

natural foods store will make it much easier to find such products.

The

ocassional " treat " can be replaced with healthier " treats " from a

natural food store.

 

 

Determine with some experimentation what balance of vegetables and

sea

vegeteables, whole grains, fish/fowl, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds,

juices, herbal teas/coffee substitutes/spring water, and

treats/snacks

works best for you. You may decide to regularly take a concentrated

food

supplement or individual supplements (e.g., magnesium, B Vitamins)

until

your health and nutrition plan improves. Use health food store

natural

supplements without additives sweeteners, fillers, etc.

 

 

Shop for foods at a natural food store and wherever possible,

purchase

organic foods. If you need to, purchase staple foods via mailorder

outlets.

 

 

Purchase natural foods cookbooks such as those recommended in Food

and

Nutrition article to help you with cooking techniques and recipes.

Locate ethnic and other restaurants with healthy foods so you can

give

yourself a break from time to time.

 

 

Food cravings can be handled best by using holistic healing tools

such

as taking classes in yoga, meditation, moderate exercise and using a

Twelve Stop Program (e.g., Overeater's Anonymous) for addictions.

Getting small, regular amounts of protein at meals (e.g., legumes,

fish,

organic tofu, etc.) can help reduce sugar and other cravings.

 

 

When cooking and eating (including eating at restaurants) try to

have a

spirit of love and joy in your heart and serenity in your mind. Of

course, this isn't always possible, so just do the best you can.

 

 

 

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-----------

 

 

 

Resources

 

 

Books

 

 

Please see the Food & Nutrition section of the Holistic Healing Web

Page

/ Amazon.Com Bookstore at

http://www.holisticmed.com/books/bk_food.html

for a listing of quality books.

 

 

Mailorder Food Sources

 

 

Gold Mine Natural Food

3419 Hancock St.

San Diego, CA 92110

(800) 475-3663

 

 

Maine Coast Sea Vegetables

RR 1, Box 78

Franklin, Maine 04634

(207) 565-2907

 

 

Mercantile Food Company

Carpenter Rd.

P.O. Box SS

Philmont, NY 12565

(518) 672-0190

 

 

Mountain Ark Trading

P.O. Box 3170

Fayetteville, Arkansas 72702

(800) 643-8909

 

 

The Nature's Goodness

20800 Route 19N

Towncenter Plaza

Cranberry Township, PA 16066

(412) 772-2251

 

 

Paradise Farm Organics, Inc.

1000 Wild Iris Ln.

Moscow, Idaho 83843

(800) 758-2418

(208) 882-6590

 

 

 

Diagnose and Treat Food Allergies Resources

 

 

American Academy of Environmental Medicine

PO Box 16106

Denver, Colorado 80216

303/622-9755

 

 

Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET)

For Referrals contact:

Pain Clinic

6714 Beach Blvd.

Buena Park, CA, 90621

714-523-0800

(To order Dr. Nambudripad's book, " Say Goodbye To Illness " :

(Click HERE To Order through Amazon.Com)

More information about NAET can be found at:

 

http://www.alternativemedicine.com/digest/issue06/i06-a08.shtml

 

 

 

Resources For Persons With Eating Disorders

 

 

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.

383 Van Ness Avenue

Suite 1601

Torrance, California 90501

Mail Address: P.O. Box 92870

Los Angeles, CA 90009

Office # (213) 936-4206

Meeting Information # (213) 936-6252

12-Step support group for persons with any eating disorders.

 

 

Alcoholics Anonymous

P.O. Box 459, Grand Central Station

New York, NY 10163

(212) 870-3400

Provides referrals to all 12-step groups including Overeaters

Anonymous

 

 

 

Herb Companies for Teas and Selected Medicinal Products

 

 

Oriental Herb Company

P.O. Box 3141

Evergreen, CO 80439

http://www.ohco.com/

han-

(303) 674-2466

 

 

Maharishi Ayur-Ved Teas/Products

MAPI, Inc.

P.O. Box 49667

Colorado Spring, CO 80949-9667

(800) 255-8332, ext 147

 

 

The Yogi Tea Company

2545 Prairie Road

Eugene, Oregon 79402

(800) 225-3623

 

 

Planetary Herbal Products

P.O. Box 7145

Santa Cruz, CA 95061

(408) 464-2003

800-606-6226

 

 

 

Priobiotics Supplements Companies

 

 

Natren, Inc.

10935 Camarillo Street

North Hollywood, CA 91602

(800) 992-3323 or (800) 992-9393

 

 

Nutri (Imports & Exports) Ltd.

Buxton Road, New Mills

Stockport, Cheshire, United Kingdom

SK12 3JU

0663-742753

 

 

Wakunaga of America, Co., Ltd.

23501 Madero

Mission Viejo, CA 92691

(714) 855-2776

(800) 421-2998

-

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets