Food and Nutrition

• Introduction
  
• The Ideal Natural Foods Diet
  
• Regular, Gradual Changes Without Obsessing
  
• How to Move to a Natural Foods Diet
  
• Techniques and Resources
  
• Appendices
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

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.

The goal is not to develop a strict or "perfect" diet, but to develop a relaxed and varied, yet healthy diet. 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.

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The Ideal Natural Foods Diet

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. Back






























How to Move to a Natural Foods Diet

1. Locate Natural Foods / Health Foods stores in your area.
   
   
2. Purchase Natural Foods cookbooks and begin experimenting.
   
   
3. Purchase other books on Natural Foods Diet and Chinese/Ayurvedic Nutrition.
   
   
4. Ask at local Natural Foods stores about cooking classes.
   
   
5. Keep checking the site for my new "Healthier Eating Healthier You Cookbook".
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Natural Foods Diet

• Vegetables (Cooked and Salads)
  
  
• Whole grains, spelt, tiff, millet, etc.
  
  
• Fish, Fowl, and other meat, poultry and eggs, organic is best.
  
  
• Legumes (beans)
  
  
• Sea Vegetables
  
  
• Fruits
  
  
• Nuts
  
  
• Seeds
  
  
• Eggs (Small amounts or none), soy products, soy cheeses, soy milk, etc.
  
  
• 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, turbinado sugar, or sugar in the raw, etc.)
  
  
• Spring water for cooking and drinking
  

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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.

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. These help alkaline our body and therefore, when we are less acidic we are less symptomatic

An enormous variety of very tastey meals can be made with a little bit of practice and some good cookbooks.
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Balance of Foods

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

• Whatever balance of foods you choose, you can still have the majority of your diet made up of natural, healthy foods;
  
  
• 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 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:
  

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.
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.
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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 soda 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.
  

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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.

For many people it is preferable to get their probiotics from the food sources listed above or by taking a probiotic supplement available from me or a health food store. I carry a milk free probiotic (good bacteria).
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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
  

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
  
  
• Safflower 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
  
  
• Soybean oil (organic) (small amounts of LNA)
  

Some fish such as 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.

• 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.
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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 or Bioset Technique
  Some people report significant improvement when diagnosed and treated by a Nambudripad-trained (NAET) healthcare practitioner. I use a version of Bioset and my own technique, Total Body Balancing.
  
• 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.
  
• Meridian Stress Assessment
  I utilize this bio-energetic technique in my office. It uses accupressure points on the body and using a computerized analysis, giving a very accurate and detailed print-out on your own bodies imbalances including; food, airborne intolerances, vitamin-mineral deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, chemeical substitutes, organ and system stresses, weaknesses, 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.
Here is a list of suggested water sources:

• 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.
  
  
• Water filtered with a combination carbon filter/reverse osmosis filter.
  
• Water filtered with a solid carbon filter.
  
• 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 or one half your body weight in ounces. 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.
  
  
• Coffee Substitutes
  There are quite a few coffee substitutes that you can buy from your local natural foods store, eg. Cafix.
  
  
• Spring Water Plain spring water is an excellant, healthy beverage.
  
  
• Milk Substitutes
  Soy milk and rice milk are sold in natural foods stores and are excellant milk substitutes. Soy milk can be particularly difficulty to digest for some people, so 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
      
  
  
• Amasake
  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.
  
  
• Vegetable Broths
  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. 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."
  
  
• 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.
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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.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.
  
  
  • acesulfame-k (Sunette, Sweet One, Sweet-n-Safe)
    
    
  • sucralose (Splenda)
    
  
  
  • saccharine
    
    
  • cyclamates
    
    
  • refined white sugar
    
    
  • fructose sweeteners (refined)
    
    
  • corn syrup
    
    
  • dextrose
    
    
    
  • brown sugar (usually just white sugar mixed with molasses or sprayed with coloring)
    
    
  • sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, etc.)
    
  
  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
    
    
  • Honey
    
    
  • Fruit Juice
    
    
  • Fructooligosaccharides
    
  
  
• 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 absorbtion.
    
    
  • 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, 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. Or use small amount of ghee in cooking.
      
      
    • 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. Choose whole dairy foods. If the dairy is homogenized, however, then choose skim or 1% fat dairy foods.
      
      
    • 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.
      
      
    • 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, especially creamy soy 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.
    
    Suggested substitutes: Rice milk, soy milk, 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). Headaches are often linked to 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
    
  
  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.
    
    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
    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, organes, lemons, limes, apples, pears, plums, peaches, melons, parsnips, tomatoes, green peppers, rutabagas, turnips, cucumbers, grapefruits, and tangerines.
    
    Sometimes pumpkins, squash, and eggplant are waxed.
    
    
  • 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
    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 herb teas, 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.
    
    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
    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.,br>
    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).
    
    
  • 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
    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." It is much better to eat whole grains. 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.
    
    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.
      
      
    • 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 paste)
      
      
    • 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. 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
      
    
    The assesment tool that I use in my office can help determine these sensitivities and how we can deal with them.
    
    
  • 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.
  
  

Grains

Some people have difficulty digesting whole grains. Here are some ideas that may help.

• Undo and soda 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.
  
• 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.

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.

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 your 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 less grains and beans is sometimes helpful for digestion.

Meat
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 take a digestive enzyme.

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. 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.
  

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.

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.

Regularly perform a moderate amount of abdominal strengthing exercises. Do not over-exert yourself, though.

Regular use of an herbal formulas 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.

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.

Digestive enzymes. I carry a huge variety of enzymes, for a variety of needs, to help with high carbohydrate intake, sugars, and even blends of enzymes that help acid reflux, idigestion, high cholesteral, etc.

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Supplementation

• 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 can help you with specific recommendations. I takr care of the details. Set up an appointment with me and we can design a plan specific to your needs.

• 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).
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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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  • Miso
    Miso is a fermented product made from 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.
      
    
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Twelve Steps to Healthy Eating

1. Eat lots of cooked vegetables including green leafy vegetables.
   
   
2. Eat meals on a regular schedule where possible.
   
   
3. Gradually cut back on dairy or cut it out entirely. Try to limit dairy (eventually) to ocassional yogurt or kefir from a natural food store. (Unhomgenized milk is preferable when used.)
   
   
4. Eat miso soup several times per week and include the ocassional use of other traditionally fermented dishes.
   
   
5. 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.
   
   
6. 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, calcium, B Vitamins) until your health and nutrition plan improves. Use health food store natural supplements without additives sweeteners, fillers, etc.
   
   
7. Shop for foods at a natural food store and wherever possible, purchase organic foods.
   
   
8. Food cravings can be handled best by using holistic healing tools such as taking classes in yoga, meditation, and moderate exercise a. Getting small, regular amounts of protein at meals (e.g., legumes, fish, tofu, etc.) can help reduce sugar and other cravings.
   
   
9. 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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