Health, Nutrition and Easy Diet - Getting the Most Out of Our Regular Food Intake

We eat and drink to promote growth, especially in younger years, to supply fuel needed for the energy used to operate the physical mechanism, and to maintain the body structure and systems operating at peak efficiency. In order to maximize the benefits of our food intake, there are some simple things we need to do. Unfortunately we don't usually do these any more in our busy and stressful society, but if we want to regain and maintain good health, we need to change some habits.

First, we should eat quietly and without rushing, and not when we are emotionally upset, excited, tired or in pain. The body needs to work on the processes of digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth where foods need to be chewed thoroughly. For optimum benefit, we should use fresh food, and organically grown, and vegetables in raw state as often as possible. Frozen food is better than canned food but not as good as fresh food. We should eat when hungry and not too much so as not to overload the body.

Foods to avoid are processed, devitalized and chemically treated, white sugar, sweets, white bread and other white flour products, prepared mixes, ready-to-serve products, commercially prepared cereals and canned, pickled, preserved or otherwise adulterated foods. Ok, I can hear most of you say, "but that's impossible!" I know, it's not easy if you're working, etc. However, begin to change what you can little by little.

In the meantime, while you're making this gradual change, get yourself a good quality multi-vitamin, multi-mineral and B-complex supplement to take every day, starting immediately.

The plant kingdom is considered to be the perfect source of nourishment for essential food elements. Especially eaten raw or lightly cooked. Complete protein foods are, beans such as navy, kidney, pinto, red and mung; garbanzoes (chickpeas), lentils, peanuts, soybeans, cornmeal, oats, whole-grain and wheat, wheat gluten, brewer's yeast.

Of course for any allergy problems take out of these lists the foods that don't agree with your system.

There is no protein problem when using a wide variety of non-meat foods such as grains, legumes, raw nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, wheat germ and dairy products. Incorporate whole grain cereals and breads, cornmeal, barley, buckwheat and rye, brown rice instead of white.

However, fish, poultry and organically grown meat - in that descending order - can be eaten two to three times a week. Pork and fish without scales should be avoided. A deficiency of protein can cause anaemia, reduced resistance to disease, loss of stamina, muscle deterioration, fatigue and difficulties in healing bruises and wounds. Excessive protein intake over a long period can aggravate or cause various chronic disease states.

For maximum digestion efficiency avoid wrong food combination, such as acids and starches, proteins and simple carbs, sugars and proteins, starches and sugars. These cause all sorts of intestinal problems such as gas, food allergies, putrefaction, bad stools, etc. Some foods are best used in combination, such as rice and legumes; rice and soy; whole wheat and legumes; sesame and legumes; legumes and seeds; rice and dairy products; cornmeal and beans; whole wheat and soy; whole grains and dairy products; protein and complex carbs (vegetables).

The best sources of carbohydrates are sugar and its products, honey, raisins and other dried fruits, potatoes, cereals, pasta and dried beans. But these are to be kept at minimum intake. Sugar is # 1 enemy, so use only sparingly. Carbohydrates provide the heat and energy required daily. There are no official Recommended Dietary Allowance for carbohydrates but the body can function with considerably less carbohydrate than presently in most diets.

The principal sources of fats are vegetable oils such as safflower, soybean, corn, peanut, olive); milk, eggs, butter, cheese; peanuts, nuts; avocados, margarine, coconuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Fats produce heat and energy needed daily, protection from cold and injury to body organs, long-term energy reserves stored in various parts of the body. Here too, there are no official RDA but nutritionists suggest that the intake of fat more compatible with good health should stay below 25% to 30% of the calories.

A good diet will provide necessary minerals such as iron, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iodine and vitamins like A, B's - thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin, C (ascorbic acid), D, E, K.

A person who adheres to a diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains is called a pure vegetarian or vegan. Those who add eggs, milk and dairy products are called lacto-ovo-vegetarians (milk-egg-vegetarians).

Nutritionists say that a vegetarian diet could avoid arthritis problems such as gout, osteosporosis, other diseases such as heart and arteries problems, colon cancer and various other ailments such as colds and allergies. This kind of eating could also promote relief from stomach disorders and constipation, sleep, intuition, reduction in body odor, lighter and cleaner feeling, increased sensitivity, endurance, overall vitality, health and strength.

Meat eating diets are considered inferior and even dangerous because of several reasons such as the rapid decomposition of the meat; the impurities within the body of the animal; the dangerous residues of pesticides and chemical additives in meats. And last but not least eating meat always involves the killing of animals. If it was kept to the bare necessity of man's survival, that's one thing, but in this western world, we slaughter the animals by the hundreds each hour in over-crowded and over-productive slaughterhouses only to satisfy the demand of greed and obesity.