Friday, July 24, 2009

Navigating the Highway of Nutritional Information

I am absolutely fascinated by nutrition and health. Also by gardening and fitness. I soak up information on these subjects like a sponge soaks up water. I can't help it. Something about it just fascinates me. For one thing, the more I learn, the more obvious it is to me that there is an over-all design for the universe and the world. There seems to be a balance between everything and a connection between man and the universe that is, well, downright spiritual. The more I learn, the more I realize that God gave us everything that we needed to survive here and perpetuate. For example, we don't need to invent chemicals and pesticides for pest control: that's why we have birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, and a host of other creatures that eat insects. If pesticides were a long-term solution, then farmers would be losing less of their crops to pests than they did in the 1940s, not more. And it seems that when we tamper with the system, everything gets messed up. The earth is unbelievably adaptable, and so are our bodies, but it seems that just as when our bodies are out of alignment we get chronic pain, when we live contrary to the system, bad things happen. Unfortunately, a lot of the information out there is full of fallacies, sound-bites, myths, and contradictions. It seems that every year a new nutrient is isolated as "curing this" or "preventing that" and then the next year the same nutrient is demonized as "causing" this or that disease. I'm trying to currently read the arguments both for and against dairy, and for and against meat so that I can decide for myself what is bet to eat. But here are a few things that I have learned that I keep in the back of my mind as I navigate the aisles of the grocery store:

Your food should be a virtual rainbow of colors. Nutrients have a synergistic relationship, and you only get the right amounts of all the rights pairs when you eat the right foods. Supplements will work in a pinch, but they are not a replacement for poor diet. They don't contain the right balance of nutrients, and are often very poorly absorbed by the body. You don't need to count grams percentages, just think, "I haven't eaten anything orange in a while" and then go grab a carrot.

Americans eat way to much animal flesh. I am by no means a vegetarian, but flesh at every meal, every day is just too much for me. I've cut back to meat about 4 times a week, and that is working out great for me. When I eat meat, I eat the whole meat. I don't want lean cuts, I leave the skin on (in the case of chicken) and I like things bone-in when possible. And my portion sizes are appallingly small compared to the typical American portion: about the size of my palm (not including my fingers). Too much protein is really bad for you body. If you liver cannot process it all, it will back up into the blood, causing an acidic environment. Your body will leach calcium and other minerals from your bones in order to neutralize the acid, which can cause osteoporosis, atherosclerosis (when the nutrients react with cholesterol in your arteries), and other chronic, degenerative diseases. If your blood continues to be acidic, it will slow down cell function and can cause cell death, and can aggravate symbiotic micro-organisms in your blood called biotes until they become destructive and attack your cells. These reactions can cause fatigue, migraines, arthritis, and even depression. Cancer cells are also known to thrive in acidic environments, and are dramatically reduced in an alkaline environment. Because processing meat requires more water than processing plants, you can become dehydrated. I know for myself, since I'm eating less meat I am more regular, and I feel lighter throughout my bowels. Now, I don't mean to say that I think that eating chicken or beef will automatically cause these things over night: you're body is far too adaptable for that. And as I said, I'm still an omnivore, and I personally feel that eat the right amount of meat is beneficialt to the body. But compounded over a lifetime, the effects of over-eating meat are not happy ones. (sugar as the same acidic effects)

Eat mostly plants. (see above) Plants are made up of cellulose, rigid fibers that our bodies are not capable of digesting because we lack the right gut bacteria (like a cow). Because they stay more intact, plants "sweep" the intestine and colon as they pass through your system. Cooking plants begins the breakdown process, which is why you might notice that raw veggies can cause gas and bloating over cooked veggies. A clean intestine and colon is good for your over-all health, and is incredibly important, but the fact that plants are not as digestible is why I feel it is also important to eat meat in the right amounts. Since our bodies contain the correct enzymes necessary to digest it, nutrients such as protein and iron are more easily available to the body, and are more readily absorbed. Also, because meat is a more "dense" protein and is also more readily absorbed, you don't need to eat as much of it.

Drink water. Lots of it. More than they tell you you should. You can, apparently get water poisoning (so I hear) but that would be incredibly hard to do, especially if you are active at all. Keeping well hydrated keeps your cell functioning happily. Your urine is the best indicator of hydration: you want it to be nearly colorless. If it is dark yellow, go grab some H2O ASAP!

Don't fear natural fats. Your brain is made up of fats. You have a healthy, protective layer of fat around your heart. Fat keeps you full. Good fats, such as butterfat and olive oil, are essential to health. The fat to avoid is processed fat: oils that are solid at room temperature (such as Crisco and all hydrogenated- or partially-hydrogenated-oils).

Although I believe High Fructose Corn Syrup is worse for you than sugar, that doesn't mean that sugar isn't bad for you. It has virtually the same effect on your blood as excess protein, and let's not forget that whole diabetes-thing.

The idea of "everything in moderation" seems to apply to every aspect of diet. You need a little of everything, but too much of anything can turn toxic quick. Our bodies are highly adaptable, and when we are young and our anabolic processes are good, we may not even notice anything negative. But as our metabolic processes slow down, things can go south in a hurry. If you suffur from constant fatigue, malaise, headaches, and poor sexual function, check your diet before turning to drugs.

Exercise is a poor way to control weight. There are 3500 calories in one pound. The typical workout will burn between 300-500 calories per hour. Not even close to one pound, and you can consume twice that many calories in one meal. And unfortunatey, according to the FAO, the typical American consumes about 3790 calories per day. (note: this estimate is much higher than others, which hover closer to 3000 calories per day). So you can see, unless you have a ton of free time or are an Olympic athlete in training, exercise is not a means to control weight in and of itself. Now, it will help you become a bit more of a fat-burner, but exercise is healthy and important for a host of other reasons. It will increase your oxygen intake, which will increase cellular function. It will strengthen your heart, lungs, and improve muscle function. It will reduce stress and lower blood pressure. But again, exercise is not a solution to poor diet. It is an accompaniment to healthy lifestyle.

My current bookshelf and link list:
Real Food for Mother and Baby by Nina Planck
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
The Swiss Secret for Optimal Health by Dr. Thomas Rau, M.D.
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD
The Crazy Makers by Carol Simontacchi
Swanson Health Products And Articles
The World's Healthiest Foods
The Journal of American Dietetic Association
The Paracelsus Clinic
AskDrSears.com

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