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Nutrition Discussion Based on Physiology:
Why are we all so sick?
The principal causes of unbalance in today’s human being has to do with the ever increasing toxicity of
modern life, high levels of stress and the large amount of poor, or just plain false nutritional information
published by commercial interests which is fed through the media.
Problem No. 1: We Eat Contrary to our Design. The original nutritional design of the human body is
based on a fresh, 75% vegetarian diet, which did not include any concentrated carbohydrates such as
grains or sugars. If we study the physiology texts we discover that the body has various mechanisms at its
disposal to make or raise blood sugar, and only one mechanism to decrease the amount of sugars in the
blood: Insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. Given today’s high carbohydrate diets, we should have
been designed the other way around, 5 mechanisms to lower sugar levels, and 1 to elevate them.
With today’s eating habits, average blood sugar levels are consistently on the high side, requiring constant
down-regulation. When sugar levels reach a certain point, the pancreas responds immediately by excreting
insulin into the bloodstream. The liver responds to this insulin surge by extracting sugar from the blood and
storing it in the tissues for later use. As tissues have a limited storage capacity, once it is reached, other
mechanisms go into action to bring sugar levels down to balance. There is a lot of controversy in the texts
about the exact method used by the body for this alternate regulation, but for simplicity’s sake, let’s just
say that once tissue sugar storage capacity has been reached, the liver switches to a second function,
which is basically the conversion of sugars to fats.
With the incredibly high levels of carbohydrates in today’s diet it’s no surprise that the average body weight
of the population is escalating exponentially. Besides obesity, this constant conversion of sugars to fats also
throws cholesterols out of balance, by raising LDL and triglycerides and lowering HDL. The results are the
so called high cholesterol, fatty livers, reduced detoxification capacity and cardiovascular problems.
Additionally, with consistently high insulin levels (Hyperinsulimia), receptor site sensitivity is greatly
reduced, causing the pancreas to excrete ever increasing quantities of this hormone trying to downregulate sugar levels. The results are capillary fragility, atherosclerosis, mineral deficiencies (particularly
magnesium), anxiety, inflammatory states and type II diabetes.
Last, but not least, the things we eat today are so far removed from what the body can recognize, digest,
and utilize as nutrients, it creates a toxic nightmare in the digestive system. Genetic modification, high
fructose corn syrup, chemicals, antibiotics, artificial flavorings, over-processing, preservatives and the such,
leave the body to deal with an overload of toxic sludge that the elimination channels are unable to handle.
When the body cannot eliminate toxins, it stores them in fat to deal with them later. Are you starting to see
why weight loss is almost impossible with these conditions?
Problem No. 2: Excessive tissue acidity caused by an over-acidic diet.
In the process of normal metabolism, the body produces a variety of acids; for example, carbonic acid
during respiration, lactic acid in the muscles when exercising and several others in the process of digestion,
detoxification, etc. This creates an acidic load that must be neutralized somehow before it reaches the
elimination system, to avoid burning the large intestine and urinary tract. In order to do this, the body uses
sodium bicarbonate which is produced mainly by the pancreas.
Sodium bicarbonate is composed of carbon and ionic sodium. Carbon is abundant in organic chemistry, but
ionic sodium is obtained almost exclusively from vegetables and in smaller proportion from certain fruits.
Inorganic sodium, as in salt, has a very poor absorption rate and is therefore not a good source of sodium
for acid neutralization purposes. If the body lacks an abundant supply of ionic sodium, it starts by robbing
sodium from the bile, setting up the perfect environment for gallstones, and from the stomach lining,
increasing the probability of ulcers. If the acidity levels are excessive, the only plausible solution is to start
robbing other alkaline minerals from the body’s reserves, in particular calcium from the bone mass. It is no
surprise that osteoporosis, along with arthritic conditions are so rampant today with our highly acidic
lifestyles. The most acidic foods are sodas, sugar (including alcohol), coffee, pasteurized dairy, meats and
grains.
Again, to insure an adequate supply of ionic sodium, the 75% vegetarian diet mentioned earlier starts to
make all kinds of sense.
Problem No. 3: Candida Albicans. Candida Albicans is a part of a healthy, normal bowel flora. There are
over 500 species of bacteria and other pathogens that form an integral part of our intestines, which serve a
variety of purposes, among others, to form part of our immunity, extraction of vitamins from foods at
different stages, waste deodorizing, etc. In a healthy intestine, candida is kept under control and
maintained at no more that 30% of its potential growth. This control is enforced by several beneficial
bacteria like Lactobacillus Acidophilus, popularly known for its use in the preparation of yogurt. As powerful
as these beneficial bacteria can be, they are also somewhat delicate and can easily be thrown out of
balance with the onslaughts of modern day life and its host of chemicals we ingest. Antibiotics are by far
the biggest offenders. It’s not enough that we are prescribed increasingly powerful antibiotics for today’s
infections; the indiscriminate and hidden use of antibiotics in the food industry is a common occurrence.
We hear almost daily in the news about the massive use of antibiotics for livestock, pork and chicken raised
for human consumption, which is a necessity to avoid disease in these factory farms. These antibiotics
remain in the meat of these animals and eventually end up in some proportion in our intestines, destroying
beneficial bacteria. What is not common knowledge is that almost 100% of the canned goods and a good
portion of the packaged meats and other products are packed with sodium erythrosorbate (an antibiotic),
as a preservative.
If the above wasn’t enough, the intestinal flora is also sensitive to chlorine, birth control pills, coffee, other
chemicals, sugars, refined carbohydrates and high stress levels, integral components of modern day life.
Without the protection of the beneficial bacteria, fungus such as candida is free to grow without
impediment. Antibiotics, being candida’s cousin doesn’t harm it at all, and sugar, refined flours, beer and
other alcohol are its favorite food which promotes their growth. Sugar=fermentation=fungus, end of story.
As this fungus takes hold and grows, it eventually throws roots which perforate the bowel, now being free
to populate the entire body, which is commonly known as systemic candidiasis. If you search the internet
for candida or candidiasis, you will find an unending list of symptomology these critters can produce.
Chronic fatigue, dandruff, vaginal infections, all kinds of skin conditions and ulcerations, etc.., are some of
the more common ones and probably most symptoms of the majority of today’s maladies will appear on
this list as well. Like any good parasite, fungus eats our food, which is only a fraction of the problem. The
worst part is that it also must eliminate wastes called mycotoxins, which are extremely toxic and the source
of the long list of problems it can cause.
Problem No. 4: Food Intolerances. Food intolerances happen when our pancreas is deficient in a
certain type of enzyme. Enzymes help breakdown our food into their nutritional components: sacarides,
amino acids, lipoproteins, etc. When food is only partially digested it can cause a variety of unwanted
results, ranging from immune reactions and intestinal problems, to weight gain, inflammation, skin
problems, hyperactivity, mental problems and insufficiency of certain organs or glands.
Symptoms of intolerances are light at first and tend to be ignored or blamed on excessive food or some
bug. Since the effects are cumulative, after a while, it is hard to ignore that we have a problem that just
won’t go away.
Unlike allergies, where ingestion of the offending food causes a violent and immediate reaction,
intolerances can take months or years to show their effects. The two most common food intolerances are
gluten and pasteurized milk.
Gluten is one of the protein components of wheat, barley and a few other grains. It is also found in many
grain based products such as breads, pasta, beer, whiskey, vodka, flour tortillas, cookies, cakes, pastries,
etc. Soy sauce is fermented with wheat and a wide variety of commercial products contain wheat proteins
and by-products. Since gluten is very cheap and sticky in nature, it is often used to thicken or give
consistency to many products such as pressed meats, sausages, nutritional drinks, sauces, soups and
spreads. Also, any product with malt or referred to as malted is very likely to contain gluten. Of all food
intolerances, gluten is the one that is the most harmful and leaves more accumulated toxins. For a detailed
list of products that contain or may contain gluten, see: http://www.spiritcentral.net/gluten.doc . Even
though oats are listed as a suspect grain in this list, most people do not have a problem with oats.
Pasteurized milk is the second greatest offender in this category; however, cheese and yogurt are usually
not included in this group as they are partially digested products. Butter and cream are also well tolerated
because they are mostly fat.
Lactose is not the only component of milk which produces the intolerance. Casein and other milk proteins
are also an integral part of the picture of milk intolerance. The problem is aggravated because of the
modern practice of pasteurization and homogenization, since the high temperatures in these processes alter
the integrity of the proteins, making them a lot harder to digest. Puddings, flan, ice cream and other similar
products made with milk usually end up causing the same problems and should therefore also be avoided
when intolerant to milk.
The only effective way to undo the effects of food intolerances is to completely avoid the ingestion of the
offensive food. It is not enough to reduce consumption, as experience has shown that even drastic
reduction only produces minor improvements, while total avoidance produces incredible results.
As you can see, balanced nutrition, low in concentrated carbs/sugars and high in vegetation not only
maintains our youthful figures, but is also an essential step if you want to live a healthy, vibrant life and
avoid the plague of modern day disease.
Food Categories
Proteins: Try to find the healthiest options of meat available, i.e. free range, antibiotic free and/or
organic, whenever possible. Eggs for most people are an excellent source of protein. Eat free range, fertile
organic eggs only and the whole egg. The lecithin in the yolk is essential to lower blood fat and improves
liver and brain function. Eat fatty fish (sockeye salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, etc...) several times a week
for beneficial Omega 3’s. Never eat soy or soy based products. For more information on the detriments of
soy, read Sally Fallon’s treatise on soy.
Vegetables: Eat more, more, more!! The ideal diet is 75% vegetables – 25% everything else. This keeps
your mineral reserves up and keeps you from becoming over-acidic. The quality of your produce (fresh and
organic preferred) is critical. Raw is preferred with lightly steamed or sautéed as your second choice for all
vegetables. Use only lard, butter, clarified butter (ghee) or coconut oil to sauté. Do not make salads your
only choice for veggies, and avoid commercial salad dressings, which are loaded with sugars, chemicals and
unhealthy fats.
Fruits: Most people wrongly try to drink their fruits. Fruit juice is loaded with the simple sugar fructose,
which is shunted into forming triglycerides and ultimately stored as fat. Without the fiber in the fruit, juice
sends a rapid burst of fructose into the blood stream. When you do eat fruit, eat it in moderation and only
eat one type of fruit at a time on an empty stomach (fruit, during or after a meal ferments in the stomach
causing gas, heartburn, etc…); second, avoid the sweetest fruits/tropical fruits, except papaya, which is
very rich in digestive enzymes (fruits from colder climates are preferred); and third, eat only the highest
quality, fresh and organic when possible.
Carbohydrates: Overall, eat vegetables as your carbohydrate choice (except NO potatoes which convert
almost instantly to sugar) and limit grains (even the whole grains can be trouble). Absolutely stay away
from refined sugar, breads, muffins, cookies, candies, crackers, pastas, potatoes, white rice and baked
goods.
Wheat and Grains: The predominantly used grains (barley, rye and wheat) are hybridized and have five
times the gluten content of the original form from which they were derived. This high gluten content is to
blame for many patients’ allergic reactions. Chemicals naturally found in certain grains, lack of the
appropriate enzymes, and the carbohydrate content of grains make them a source of trouble for many
individuals.
Add to this the modern practice of using Monsanto’s Roundup, amongst other chemicals during growth and
harvesting, has turned these grains into a bowel flora destructing food, creating nutritional deficiencies,
leaky gut, autoimmune reactions, etc., to create a nightmare of health issues. Our opinion at this time is to
minimize all grains, and if used, choose only organic, sprouted and fermented grain products.
Sweeteners: Use only a small amount of Stevia or Xylitol as sweetener. Absolutely NO Splenda,
NutraSweet, corn syrup, table sugar or any ingredient that ends with “ose” (fructose, sucrose, dextrose,
maltose, etc..).
Fats: Use fresh, cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil , walnut oil, flax seed and grape seed oils. These are
actually beneficial, as long as they are cold-pressed and fresh and never used for cooking. When cooking,
use only pig lard (not vegetable type like Crisco), palm oil, coconut oil, butter and ghee — they are the only
fats safe to cook with. Avoid all hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats and trans-fats (by-products
of heating vegetable oils). They are poisons to your system! Never eat margarine again! Also avoid peanut
butter. Eat all the avocados and raw nuts (pre-soaked) you desire.
If you think eating fat will make you fat or give you high cholesterol, think again, it is the
excess carbs and sugars that cause these problems. In addition, fats are used not only for
energy, but also for building the membrane around every single cell in your body. Fats also
play a role in the formation of hormones, which of course make you feel and function well. It is
far worse to be hormone-depleted from a low fat diet than it is to overeat fat.
Milk Products: Avoiding diary will make it much easier for you to attain your optimal level of health and
hormonal balance. Raw butter, cream and unsweetened yogurt and kefir (liquid yogurt), however, are
excellent sources of essential nutrients and vitamins.
While soy milk and rice milk sound like healthy alternatives, they really are highly-processed and
indigestible foods that are primarily simple carbohydrates. Coffee-Mate, Mocha Mixer, and other dairy
substitutes are highly-processed, nutrient-depleted products that honestly should not be considered a food.
Liquids: Water is best, minimum ½ your weight in ounces a day, and herbal tea. Eliminate all soda. No
coffees until you are fully recovered, if then. Fruit juices are forbidden because of their high fructose
content and dumping of sugar into the blood stream. An occasional glass of vegetable juice with a meal is
probably okay, BUT water really is best. Really limit alcohol and eliminate all beer. Remember alcohol is
basically pure sugar ferment. And, get rid of soft-drinks or flavored water. The most important life-giving
substance in the body is water. Drink ½ your weight in ounces of water per day in 4-5 oz increments every
forty five minutes to an hour. Take fluids an hour before or after meals, as it dilutes digestive enzymes.
Nuts: Good source of proteins and essential fats. Use raw nuts soaked in salt water 4-5 hours before use.
Soaking turns on the enzymes and eliminates phytins which block absorption of several minerals in the
body. Once soaked, they can be air dried and stored in the refrigerator. Do no eat peanuts, pistachios or
cashews as they tend to accumulate fungus. Raw seeds are also very helpful and do not need to be soaked.