What is the purpose of food?
Simply put, food is fuel for your body
When this fuel enters your body, it immediately brings nutritional information into your cells and DNA, changes the cell’s behaviour for better or worse.
This is known as changing the cell’s genetic expression. Nutritional genetics is the science that explains how different compounds in food travel to the deepest cellular level, change your genetic expression and trigger a response from the cell.
The response can either be a good one such as phytonutrients that activate the longevity genes within the cell. Or not such a good response as in the case of refined sugar, which binds to the cell and triggers the release of irritating chemicals that cause swelling and auto immune responses. Several studies have shown the effect of improper nutrition on genetic expression is a major cause of chronic disease today.
Eating food with little or no nutritious value can, over time, lower the effectiveness of the body’s defence system and compromise your physical and mental health. Clearly, the benefits of a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle has invaluable potential for your health.
Knowing then that food can either kill or heal you, should make a difference in what you consume. It is true that one “eats” with all your senses but one should also make intelligent choices based on the possible outcome of what you plan to ingest.
Proper nutrition refers to foods that will provide you with all the energy you need daily for maintenance and repair of your body.
Keeping the above in mind, it is therefore no surprise that the current young generation who follows a predominantly fast food and junk food diet is showing an alarming increase in the prevalence of juvenile diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, cancer and obesity. Because these foods are devoid of any beneficial nutritional value, the body is not receiving the support to sustain and restore it daily.
In contrast, foods that are rich in macro and micro nutrients and soluble fiber, aids your body to eliminate toxins, excess hormones and cholesterol and help beneficial bacteria in the gut to grow, strengthening your immune system and reducing your risk of infections.
There are virtually no nutrients in animal foods that are not supplied more healthfully in plant based foods. Compared to animal foods, plant foods contain more fibre, anti-oxidants, are low in cholesterol and for the most part fat. What the dairy industry doesn’t want you to know – Dr Neal Barnard
Some claim that a plant based diet is lacking in vitamin B12, versus animal foods that contain much higher levels. According to Dr Colin Campbell, author of “The China Study” we contain a 3-year supply of vitamin B12 and it is very easy to add a supplement if need be of vitamin B12 to assure you maintain healthy levels of this important vitamin.
● Eliminate all refined fats and replace with moderate amounts of essential fats in wholefood forms such as lin /flaxseed, chia seeds, olives, avocado.
● Use salts high in minerals such as Himalayan salt, Sea salt or Celtic salt
● Eliminate refined sugars. Watch neuroscientist Amy Reichelt on the effects of sugar on the brain.
● Eliminate alcohol
● Eliminate unnatural preservatives, colourants and additives. Click on me for more info.
Click on me for a printable version
from Food Matters.
● Eliminate or limit the amount of gluten if you have sensitivities as it is difficult to digest. Watch this insightful video by Dr William Davis on the origin of modern wheat.
● Choose pseudo grains for gluten free alternative or if you want to re-introduce grains into your diet opt for the easier digestible ancient grains instead of modern grains. Click on this link for a list of pseudo and ancient grains.
Eat a variety of fruits, grains, vegetables (especially leafy greens) legumes, seeds, and nuts.
● Drink 2L of distilled orfiltered water daily
Eliminate all animal and animal derived products i.e. meat, fish, eggs, diary.
● See links for more info on Caffein , Dairy , The gut, Processed foods.
Eliminate all animal and animal derived products i.e. meat, fish, eggs, diary.
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