Click here to print this page
This means that food that takes more of our energy to digest, gives us the
least.
If this leads you to think that a chocolate bar is an ideal food because
it is converted so quickly into energy, don't be fooled!
Chocolate does indeed convert quickly into usable energy, but at a cost,
because essential minerals and vitamins have to be stolen from existing body stores in order to metabolise the chocolate bar.
This is true of most 'instant' energy foods, which tend to contain sugar and preservatives of some form.
The thing is that burning energy requires catalysts. These are minerals
and vitamins that enable the body to use the energy provided by the substance consumed.
The best foods to eat ie.the foods that supply the most energy at the least
cost to the body, are those that contain the minerals and vitamins required to convert the food into energy.
Minerals and vitamins may be plentiful in food at point of harvest. They
are quickly depleted by many factors :
- Distance and time from point of harvest to point of eating.
- Subjection to extremes of temperature.
- Processing and storing.
- Contamination with chemicals and other pollutants, which may come from water
to which the food is exposed, plastic wrapping, preservatives, and numerous others sources.
But minerals and vitamins are not necessarily plentiful at point of harvest
anyway. Foods grown on soil depleted of its vitality and nutrients by years of over-cropping and/or infiltration with chemical
pesticides and fertilisers cannot supply to the food grown in it, what it does not contain itself. However, it can supply
residues of the pesticides and fertilisers that build up in concentration within it.
If you are not convinced, please investigate http://www.soilassociation.org and http://positivehealth.com, and other sites on the Links to other Useful Sites page.
Whilst more and more people see the fundamental logic of food quality being
greater when it is grown in soil of high quality, and are prepared to pay something more for this, there are others who deny
it. Some people continue to pay more attention to the quality of fuel they put into their cars than that which they put into
their bodies!
A further sad condition is that even food grown according to certified organic
conditions may still be subject to contaminating factors somewhere along its journey to your body eg. the material it is packaged
in may release toxins then absorbed by the food and transferred to your body.
Please don't get disheartened or fatalistic! There are a few simple rules
that help us to get the best out of what is available :
- Buy organic whenever possible.
- Buy food as close to its natural state as you can ie. buy raw foods and
prepare them yourself; avoid processed food whenever possible, even when it has 'organic' on the label.
- Buy the freshest you can get. This means it has been grown as close to home
as you can find. If possible, grow it yourself!
- Teach yourself simple recipes that are quick to prepare, yet delicious -
see Recipes.
On this site I offer only a few of the recipes I use myself on a regular
basis. Hopefully they will get you started and you can explore the Booklist and Links to other Useful Sites for more.
Embrace and enjoy the adventure of learning about food, including how differently
you feel when you eat lots of fresh vegetables prepared with loving care in your own well-being.
If you want to find out more about a specific item of food that you want
to try, but don't know much about, trying searching for it on George Mateljan's wonderful site at
http://www.whfoods.com
I come from a life-time of vegetarianism. Believe me, this is not a boring
way to eat! On the contrary, there is a diversity of textures and flavours that at least equals a meat-based diet, is economical
on the purse, and truly a source of great vitality and good health.
Why Eat Vegetarian?
At this point of world development, the most readily available meat has been
produced intensively. Animals are fed concentrated foods which may contain non-food substances, with lots of chemicals and
hormones added to stimulate rapid growth of flesh. These chemicals and synthetic (artificially-made) hormones accumulate in
the animal's tissue and are transferred to the body of anyone who eats that flesh.
Organic meat is available in some places - look for local farmers' markets
and health food stores.
http://www.farmersmarkets.net
It also takes far more resources to grow meat than vegetables : far more
tons of vegetables can be grown on the same amount of land than meat. The implication of this is that there would be less
starvation in the world if more vegetable forms of food were produced.
This is not to suggest that you should never consume animal foods, but making
friends with these vegetable sources of nourishment will give you far more options for managing your health.
http://www.vegkitchen.com
http://www.vrg.org
You may be so pleased with how much more energetic and resilient you feel
that you may not want to eat meat or animal products on a regular basis any more.
Vegetable sources of food include :
Grains
Rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat (not a true grain but similar in
nutritional content and action), are rich in B vitamins, minerals such as calcium and iron, as well as essential fatty acids,
and carbohydrate.
Brown rice, basmati rice, whole millet seeds, whole buckwheat seeds, roasted
or unroasted : these grains can also be used as flakes, but should more frequently be used in their whole form, steamed until
easy to chew.
Rinse rice, millet and quinoa in fresh cold water until the water
runs clear, then cover by about half an inch with fresh water, bring to the boil and simmer till the grains have expanded
and taken up all the water.
For buckwheat, bring a few cups of water to
the boil, and pour the seeds into the water while it is boiling. It will cook very quickly so don't go away and leave it!
Grains such as oats, wheat, and rye contain a protein called
gluten, which can be very troublesome to digest for many people. It is sticky, even 'gluey', and can be at the root of coeliac
disease, or a contributing factor in irritable bowel syndrome. Anyone with intestinal problems may like to experiment with
removing all glutenous grains from their diet, using instead the others mentioned above, and noticing whether they get any
changes in, for example, intestinal/stomach pain, bowel movement, headaches, lethargy, etc.
Pulses
Kidney beans, lentils, peas, adukis, soya beans,
chickpeas, etc, are a good source of protein as well as vitamins and minerals.
Anyone transferring to a vegetarian way of eating needs to make friends with pulses. Although they can
cause wind in some people, when cooked with care and planning, this should not be a problem. Usually they should be soaked
overnight or longer, and the water changed at least once during the soaking time. Then, after being rinsed and covered with
plenty of fresh water, they should be thoroughly boiled in a tightly closed pan, till they are quite soft - they
should be breaking up in the cooking water. At this stage, addition of
a careful mix of herbs such as fenugreek, cumin, aniseed, and ginger, will enhance their palatability, and reduce any likelihood
of wind.
Including pulses and grains in your diet means that you will get plenty of
digestible protein, minerals, and carbohydrate (for energy), without needing to consume meat or other animal products.
The most easily digestible pulses are chickpeas, lentils and aduki. The lentils
and chickpeas can be sprouted, which pre-digests them, making them more 'alive' - a good way to use them in the warmer summer
months, whilst in the winter the rich, creamy quality of the well-cooked pulse creates a substantial and strengthening
stew or soup.
To sprout them, soak for 24 hours, then put in a sprouting rack,
rinsing with fresh water at least once a day. Use when they are only quarter of an inch long for the fullest nutritional content,
steamed gently till the bean part is tender - no more than five minutes.
They can be stirred into cooked rice or other grain, and soaked or roasted
sunflower seeds added, which gives a complete protein, but is more easily digested than animal based foods.
Seeds : sesame,
sunflower, linseed, pumpkin; and
Nuts :
brazils, almonds, cashews, etc.
Both seeds and nuts are a concentrated source of protein, essential fatty
acids, and vitamins and minerals. They are a useful garnish for meals based on grains, pulses, and vegetables, and can be
used as the basis for a main dish.
Vegetables and Fruit
Should be organic and preferably locally grown (ask for the nearest farmers'
market). Some vegetables should not be consumed often by people with multiple allergies to foods. The potato or nightshade
family is particularly to be avoided : potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, aubergine.
If you use the rotation diet,
http://www.food-allergy.org
you should over time be able to gradually re-introduce these foods, but if
you are quite ill it is best to avoid them completely, using instead carrots, leeks, broccoli, cabbage (very well-cooked only),
courgettes, squashes, lettuce, etc.
Seaweeds
Seaweeds are a marvelous source of trace elements and minerals. They can
also provide protein and other nutrients. They can be deeply healing and strengthening for anyone weakened by long-term illness,
and are usually easy to digest also. The algin content makes them particularly helpful in soothing the membrane of the digestive
tract, which can easily become irritated. It also has the capacity to absorb heavy metals and other pollutants, and carry
these out of the body, which makes seaweeds a vital addition to the diet of anyone suffering from heavy metal poisoning.
It is interestiing that the medical personnel working with the victims of
the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings protected themselves from the radiation by consuming a diet of brown rice,
miso and seaweeds.
Find them on the macrobiotic shelves of your local whole food store, or visit
http://www.clearspring.co.uk
for more info and recipes.
Miso
This is a savoury paste made from fermented and aged soya beans, rice or
barley. It can often be tolerated in small quantities even by people with candidiasis, and is profoundly healing to internal
tissues, metabolism, and the whole digestive tract. If you have candidiasis, use it as a hot drink, starting with just half
a teaspoonful to a cup of hot water. Increase the amount as you observe your tolerance levels.
Seeds
Pumpkin and Sunflowers : Either slowly dry roast them in
an oven on a low-heat, or soak them overnight, then rinse in lots of fresh water, and toss them onto meals of grains and vegetables,
salads, or fruit. They are more digestible when slightly sprouted. You don't really need any special equipment to do this,
but if you want to be really organised, buy a sprouting rack from your health food store. I have found the 'BioSnacky'
http://www.bioforceshop.co.uk http://www.energiseforlife.com
to be a really good make.
Otherwise, just soak the seeds overnight then rinse and spread
them on a plate or dish till they begin to sprout tender white shoots. Make sure they don't dry out but they are best eaten
when the shoots are only about quarter of an inch long, and they grow very quickly. You will enormously increase the nutrient
content of the seeds by sprouting them first.
Sunflower and pumpkin seeds can be carried with you, dry roasted and mixed
with dates or figs, to use as a snack when you need an energy boost, and instead of processed snacks. It is best to have your
own small, waterproof container so you can pre-soak the dates/figs, with a few drops of citricidal (grapefruit
seed extract) added, then rinse and chop with the seeds. It will be a bit sloppy and you will probably want to carry a small
plastic spoon to eat it with. The dried fruit is more digestible when soaked, and the citricidal cleans any bacteria or parasite
remains that may have made their home on the fruit during its journey from farm to your kitchen.
This combination provides a comprehensive array of minerals and vitamins
vital to the health of the immune and nervous systems. They contain zinc, often lacking in the modern diet, all the B vitamins,
vital for efficient metabolism of carbohydrates into energy, and calcium, magnesium and iron. They are also rich in amino
acids and essential fatty acids (needed for vitality of all cell processes, including the brain and nervous system), and for
maintaining balanced endocrine and hormone activity.
Do buy the organic form, though, from a reputable whole food store.
Tofu
This is made from soya beans. It is rather flavourless, but when cooked briefly
with vegetables and herbs, makes a soothing, nourishing, protein source. Look out for the Soil Association
seal of certification, and GM-free.
More on Macrobiotics
http://www.kushiinstitute.org/waytohealth/macrobiotics/whatismb.htm
http://www.macrobiotics.co.uk
Herbs
As freshly-made teas, and as supplements, either in vege-capsule or tincture
form, these are a wonderful way to increase your nutrient intake. If you have a garden, there is nothing so supportive to
the immune system as freshly gathered herb leaves from a lovingly tended organic garden.
Red Clover, as a tea or supplement,
cleanses the lymph system and is a specific for some degenerative conditions. It is available in capsule form, and also loose,
to make into tea.
Rosemary, which graces so many
gardens, is truly a source of deep healing and support. Wash and finely chop the green shoots, no more than 1/2 a teaspoonful
of chopped shoots is needed to one cup of boiling water. Leave it to brew, covered so the steam does not escape, for at least
5 minutes, then drink it for :
Headaches, including migraine
period pains
digestive upset including stomach pain and nausea
liver sluggishness, lethargy
'female' problems, such as menopause
Rosemary is a potent herb, and should be treated, like all herbs, with respect. Do not exceed the amount
suggested, of
1/2 teaspoonful of chopped herb to one cup of water.
However, you can drink this three times a day, for four days at a time, then allow a break of three
days before repeating.
NB : The writer is not a medical herbalist, although she has grown and used herbs for over
20 years. She does not accept any responsibility for any action taken based on the information on this site. If you have concerns
about your health, please consult your doctor.
Eyebright is a most useful little herb, mostly known for
its benefits to the eyes. It can be made into a tea, using 1/2 a teaspoonful of herb to a cup of boiling water, which can
then be used (cooled!) as an eyewash.
It is also extremely useful to bring an allergic reaction to an end, and also for brain-heaviness/lethargy.
If you are spending a lot of time at the computer screen, or doing strenuous mental work, drinking eyebright tea two or three
times a day can really help. Like rosemary, it provides wonderful liver support, which makes it useful for all symptoms related
to the head and brain, as well as metabolism of food.
Organic Ginger Root Use it juiced
with wheatgrass, chopped fine and added into savoury and sweet dishes. It refreshes and heals the digestive organs, revitalises
the liver, and stimulates the production of enzymes and digestive juices. It is also a good source of zinc, so especially
important for men.
One caution :
Don't use ginger if you are taking anticoagulants, as it has the
property of thinning the blood.
Fenugreek Seeds are a rich source of choline, which nourishes the brain, nerve cells, liver, and helps
the body metabolise fats. They are an excellent source of minerals and vitamins. They can be soaked in pure water, for a few
hours, then added to rice and vegetable dishes, or soaked overnight, spread on a clean plate to sprout (rinse them at least
once daily and don't let them dry out), then eaten when the sprouts are a quarter
inch long. These can be added to salads or other savoury meals.
Slippery Elm Bark makes a soothing and nourishing drink. Mix it with hot rice milk and drink, if your
tummy is too delicate to stomach normal food. It is a rich source of vitamin E and soothes and heals the whole length of the
digestive tract.
GoldenGrass tea is a combination
of herbs which help the kidneys to function efficiently, and so aid proper elimination of wastes from the body. It comes loose,
in a card carton, and may be made in a china teapot, or infuser, available at health food stores, or ask your local to order
it in for you. It is very soothing and may assist peaceful sleep as a result of its ability to adjust metabolic function.
Oregano oil has been found to have remarkable powers to
remove parasites (large and small), bacteria, fungi, and viruses, from our bodies. It is important, though, to buy oil made
from organic, wild-crafted oregano. It is available, with lots more information on its usefulness, from :
http://www.oliveleaf.co.uk/oreganol_p73/index.html
Learn about the 'weeds' that are healing foods! If you have chronic health problems,
freely consuming appropriate herbs, finely shredded, will greatly assist the cleansing and revitalising of your blood, liver,
kidneys and spleen, and therefore all tissues : see Recipes.
For more on herbs, consult the books given at the end of this section, or explore the web, where you
will find an abundant source of information about these blessed plants.
Suppliers of good quality Herbs
http://www.baldwins.co.uk
http://www.nealsyardremedies.com
Milks
These should be grain, nut or seed based, as all dairy products qualify as
'processed food', and challenge the digestive organs to work harder than they may have the energy for. Also, milk products
(butter, yoghourt, cheese, etc) are often the root cause of sinus problems, frequent colds and flu, and ear infections, because
they can be challenging for many people to digest. They tend to produce excess mucous especially in the head and chest, which
then provides a prime breeding ground for bacteria and infection.
Tea
Green tea is far preferable to ordinary 'black' tea, coffee, and other caffeinated
drinks. Sencha is exceptionally high quality, organic green tea. It is available in sachets and loose, is
an excellent pick-me-up and refresher whilst containing antioxidants which help the body eliminate toxins. It can be drunk
freely without the negative effects of other caffeine-containing drinks. Carry the sachets with you for use in canteens or
elsewhere away from home, and use the loose tea at home for greater economy. In fact you may find each sachet is enough for
two or more cups of tea, as this tea is best enjoyed very mild - a bitter taste can develop if you use too many tea-leaves,
or leave it to brew for more than one minute.
Special Aids to Detoxification :
Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass juice can be bought from some whole food shops as one ounce shots,
or as a whole tray to be juiced through a vegetable juicer such as the Oscar (see
http://www.wholisticresearch.co.uk).
It contains an extraordinary amount of all necessary nutrients, floods the
bloodstream with chlorophyll which cleans and rejuvenates it, oxygenates the whole body, and is a powerful
detoxifier of the liver, and therefore the whole body.
There are bottled forms of wheatgrass, if this is preferred for convenience,
but it is nowhere near as potent as the fresh juice.
If you find the taste of wheatgrass too intense, mix it with some apple
juice and ginger, and drink a cup of hot water with the juice of half a lemon after it.
Wheatgrass juice powerfully draws toxins out of the cells, and this can cause
nausea in people with a severe toxicity problem. Thoroughly hydrating particularly with hot water and freshly-squeezed lemon
juice will quickly dilute the toxins and enable them to be carried out via the kidneys, leaving you feeling free of nausea,
and revitalised by the wheatgrass juice.
Spirulina
This is also a rich source of chlorophyll, as well as beta
carotene, from which the body makes vitamin A. It also contains iron,and all the B vitamins, (including B12). It is loaded
with the full spectrum of amino acids and is incredibly valuable for anyone suffering from chronic ill health, or just low
energy, especially if there is also a depleted digestive system. As a source of readily absorbable nutrients, it is a vital
addition to the kitchen 'medicine chest'.
Organic Hawaian Pacific is a
good brand, or try the different ones till you find one that agrees with you. Spirulina is a wide spectrum nutrient that delivers
to the body, very rapidly, all the amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements needed. Begin
with only a quarter of a teaspoon, mixed into rice milk or apple juice, three times daily, and build up gradually. It has
a strong detoxifying effect which may cause temporary nausea. If this happens to you, try the hot water and fresh lemon juice
remedy under 'wheatgrass'.
Organic Coconut Oil
Organic virgin coconut oil is an extraordinarily useful addition to the diet of anyone with chronic
illness. It is gently digestible compared to many other forms of essential fatty acids. It contains a high concentration of
medium chain triglycerides, which help the body to metabolise harder fats, even those that may have formed deposits, or 'plaque'.
It can be used in cooking, as well as added raw to meals.
However, start cautiously : no more than 1 teaspoonful once a day to begin with, and
do not be concerned if your bowel is loose for a day or two, as the oil will cleanse the digestive tract to begin with.
http://www.virgincoconutoil.co.uk http://www.coconutoildirect.co.uk
Citricidal
Citricidal is an extract made from crushed grapefruit seeds. Research has shown it to have remarkable
properties of an antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic nature. This makes it extremely useful for people whose immune
systems are weakened by chronic illness.
When using dried fruits such as dates and figs, or nuts and seeds, it is wise to pre-soak them in pure
water to which a few drops (five is usually enough) of citricidal has been added. Bacterial and fungal particles often cling
to dried foods, and the citricidal will neutralise these and clean the food. Soak only as much as you expect to eat in a 24
hours period, and rinse before using.
http://www.pureliquidgold.com
to find out more about Citricidal and its uses for candida, chronic fatigue syndrome, allergies, and much more.
Crystal Salt
This is a very interesting newcomer on the scene of natural and detoxification health. Use it as
a 'sole' solution, every morning, in water. It has the properties of assisting the intestinal tract, and other cell tissues,
to dissolve compacted debris, and eliminate these in the normal way. It appears to have useful properties regarding
the removal of radiation from the body, something that can be problematical.
It is important that the salt used is from one place in the Himalayan mountains. Here, eons ago, oceans
were evaporated by the sun, producing large amounts of pure sun-dried salt, which was then compressed when the Earth's crust
threw up the Himalayan mountains. The weight of the mountains bearing down on the salt caused it to form into special
crystals which, when put into the body, provide it with the information it needs to return to its original natural state of
health.
Peter Ferreira and Dr Barbara Hendel, in their book 'Water and Salt', explain that
pure water, salt, and sunlight, are the original materials from which all life forms were made, and if we re-introduce pure
sources of these original building blocks into our bodies, they receive the information they need to return themselves to
that original state of natural vitality and health. However, it is important that the salt be in the special crystal formation
found only in one part of the Himalayas, and also that it is not degraded by aggressive mining techniques, but collected by
hand.
It is easy, and pleasant, to take one teaspoon of the 'sole' solution in a cup of water, every morning.
The sole is prepared by allowing chunks of the original salt crystal rock to dissolve in pure water.
The sole is also really useful as 1 teaspoonful in lukewarm water, poured gently into each nostril at
the start of the day. You can buy a special 'neti' jug for pouring the salt solution, or you can use a small teapot with a
narrow spout. The sole solution cleans the sinus cavities as well as the nose itself, leaving the air passages wonderfully
fresh and open. Use it more than once a day if you suffer from hayfever, or catarrhal problems. Pour it gently so the sensitive
tissues of the sinuses have time to adapt to the unusual experience of salty water.
The Laghoo Shankaprakshalana practice involves drinking copious amounts of warm
salt water, which quickly passes through the stomach into the intestines, from which it cleans deposits of hardened,
pollutant material, and evacuates it via the bowel.
In between drinking the water, you do a series of yoga stretches that twist and knead the abdominal
region, encouraging the water to reach deep pockets of debris.
I feel very clear-headed, light, and energetic after practising this exercise. However, as I am
not a Yoga teacher, I cannot give you the full details. If you would like to try it, hunt in books on Yoga, use the web, or
talk to Yoga teachers to find out exactly how to do it.
The salt, however, is highly recommended. Buy the original, hand-mined salt from :
http://www.bestcare-uk.com
Green Clay
Green clay is mined from carefully tended quarries. The Argiletz clay comes from France
and is recognised to be of a very high and safe quality. As well as being a rich source of minerals and trace elements, is
has the capacity to re-adjustment the balance of ions in the body, and to draw toxic materials from the tissues and cell walls.
It is recommended where there are problems related to radiation and heavy metal deposits. Buy only the
Argiletz green clay, which is very fine, and safe for internal use. Soak no more than one teaspoon in pure water overnight.
In the morning, first thing, pour the liqued from glass to glass until the clay is evenly distributed, then drink on an empty
stomach. Take nothing more for at least half an hour, and then only a further cup of hot water with the juice of half a fresh
lemon added.
This is a potent agent of detoxification, and re-mineralisation, and it is recommended to use it as
above for cycles of three weeks on, one or more weeks off.
Green clay is also wonderful used as a paste on the skin. It draws out impurities, tones and tightens.
It is great to use when you are very tired and have to go out again.
http://www.scent-by-nature.co.uk/greenclay.htm
CellFood
This is a liquid concentrate based on sea minerals and other plant forms, a few drops of which
are added to drinking water to greatly enhance the capacity of that water to cleanse the environment surrounding cell tissue.
It achieves this by optimising the capacity of body fluids to utilise oxygen.
The result is greater clarity of thought, and improved levels of energy. It is particularly useful if
you spend a lot of your life in front of a TV screen.
http://www.contactplus.com/cellfood/cellfood.htm
http://www.deutrel.com/cellfood.htm
Food Combining
This is a very helpful way of managing your eating if you have
any chronic illness.
The key principle is that protein foods should not be eaten at the same meal as carbohydrate
foods.
The rationale underpinning this is that different enzymes are needed to digest each
kind of food. If both carbohydrate and protein substances are in the stomach at the
same time, the body has to release both kinds of enzyme at the same time, yet their action is contradictory,
so neither form of food will be properly broken down and metabolised.
Also, a state of indigestion is extremely likely, as is fermentation, and production of gas and toxic
by-products of the metabolic process.
Traditionally, food combining involved eating meats, fish, and dairy products (ie.
protein foods), combined with vegetables, at one meal, and bread, pasta, rice, etc (ie. carbohydrate
foods), also combined with vegetables, at another. It was advised that fruit should be eaten separately from either of the
above sittings.
For the many people now committed to eating a diet based on whole grains, pulses, seeds, and vegetables,
there was no clear advice. Grains and pulses are both sources of protein and carbohydrate,
although grains contain a higher carbohydrate component, and pulses, a high protein component. The protein tends to be more
complete when a meal containing both grains and pulses also includes nuts or seeds of some form.
This may seem as though it is becoming rather technical. To achieve good nutrition as a vegetarian,
and especially if your choice is to consume no foods of animal origin at all (vegan), does need some study
in order to understand the body's need for proteins, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins, and how
foods of vegetable origin supply these.
My own experience was that even after years of eating a pulse, grain, vegetable and seaweed based diet,
when I experimented with separating these food sources according to the principles of food combining, so that I ate (for instance)
:
rice, onions, and miso (breakfast)
red kidney bean, seaweed and vegetable stew (lunch)
millet porridge with dates (supper)
I had an immediate (within 24 hours) reduction in abdominal bloating and
gas, with likewise a reduction in the pain that had been normal for years before.
I've met many people over the years who have tried Food Combining, and
all have said they felt weller, lost weight, had better energy, and slept better. Many of them said that they reluctantly
returned to normal eating because it was too difficult to eat socially and maintain food combining.
But if you have serious digestive discomfort, and especially if you
have a problem with candida (see Other Environmental Poisoning), you may find it well worth experimenting with this approach at least until
your digestive system develops greater resilience.
Go here for a fuller explanation of Food Combining, originally
known as the Hay Diet :
http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/DietandLifestyle/Food_combining.htm
The next one has a useful chart which may help get you familiar with starch versus protein food groups and how to
choose compatible mixtures from each group:
http://www.synergy-health.co.uk/articles/haydiet.html
There are good books available on food combining : do a search of Amazon.co.uk.
Google brings up pages of sites with references on Food Combining. Most have
a commercial interest but you still may find some useful if you have the time to trawl!
Food Supplements
Many people now take food supplements, aware that normal food has often been produced on mineral-poor
soil; or because their life-style does not allow them time to eat proper meals.
If you take supplements for these or any reason, you need to be aware that many brands contain synthetic
(artificial) nutrients made in a lab. Such supplements are a very poor substitute for food, and may make a deep hole in your
pocket without doing anything good for your health.
Synthetic supplements are provided in standardised formulae that are thought to be the average need
of everyone.
But each individual's needs are unique : we are all different and our need for nutrition is specific
to us. It also changes from moment to moment, depending on numerous variables like weather, tiredness, age, etc.
You might think that any synthetic supplement, if more than we need, will just be ejected by the body.
But the body requires energy to break down and remove supplementary 'nutrients' that it does not need, when these are
supplied in a form different from natural food.
There are food supplements available that are concentrated 'food source'. They are usually more expensive
than lab-made supplements, but will do you a million times more good. Often nutrients are extracted from wheat and barley
grass, aloe vera, and other 'miracle' sources of nutrition, to prepare these supplements.
Should you over-supply your body through using such products, any excess will easily be excreted, or
stored in a way that is easy to re-cycle and use. These food source supplements are a boon for people who care about their
health yet do not have time in their busy schedule to eat well regularly.
Raw Food
There are many people who believe that a primarily raw food diet is the most
potent way to support the body's healing processes, as well as to maintain vibrant energy levels. The following site is worth
a visit for any reader interested in this approach to health :
http://therawfoodschool.com
Sources
Balch and Balch, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Avery 2000,
3rd Edition
Lepore, D., N.D., The Ultimate Healing System, Woodland Publishing,
1985
Bartram, Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, Robinson, 1995
