Holistic Health Information Optimal Nutrition for Healthy Living

As we begin a new and exciting year in the history of humanity 2012, after gratefully receiving answers to my brief survey last month, I am inspired to answer your questions about the most effective, and nutritious way to positively affect your health and ensure that you understand what to put into your body to provide you with the best support for well being and prevention of disease.

You asked:

How does one achieve optimum health?

An enormous part of achieving optimal health is dependent on the quality and choices we make in the food we consume. The body responds best to varied whole foods.

The best approach is to include a wide variety of;

Organic

•Fruits
•Vegetables
•Raw nuts & seeds
•Legumes (beans)

Lean hormone and antibiotic free;

•Meat
•Chicken,
•Fresh caught fish
•Shellfish

•Water- Optimal consumption of one quart per 50 lbs of weight daily.

Considering someone’s health issues & dietary restrictions, which is the best way to eat?

It does not matter what health issues you may have, general rules apply to all conditions. Consumption of fresh, clean, varied, whole foods will guarantee to improve and support every system in your body and allow for better function.

Most restrictive diets all include a variety of whole foods. No matter what the restriction there are always fruit, vegetable and protein choices.

Consuming a balance of protein, carbohydrate, and healthy fat (Approximately 40%, 30%. 30%) every 2-4 hours a day delivers the necessary fuel and nutrition for the mind & body to function optimally.

What is the best formula for prevention?

The best formula for prevention of disease starts first and foremost with conscious healthy choices when it comes to the food you choose to ingest.

The simpler, cleaner, and closer to nature the food is, the more likely the chances are that it will be highly nutritious and provide your body with the necessary ingredients for optimal health and wellness.

Food in its natural unadulterated form is one of the most powerful things you can use to achieve optimal health.

So many options: what is the best diet for health?

The best dietary approach to take when deciding what will yield optimal health, is to evaluate whether it includes:

•A wide variety of fresh whole foods

•Frequent healthy meal options that preserve your blood sugar stability (Following the 40/30/30 plan)

•Physical activity along with a diet plan

•Avoidance of inflammatory foods; gluten, dairy, sugar, coffee, & alcohol.

More Holistic Health Info

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Holistic Health Information: Gluten Intolerance

                

 I am inspired to address the issue of gluten intolerance and celiac disease this month. There is now evidence that over 35% of Americans are subject to these two conditions. The effects of consuming this protein are far reaching. It is found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, soy-isolated protein, and soy sauce. It is also found as an additive in packaged and prepared foods, disguised as modified starch; in every pain killer as a filler; and many prescription drugs. It is also present oats and corn that have been milled in the same place, or cooked in the same oil as wheat products.

The effect of gluten intolerance goes beyond the inflammatory effects on the digestive tract. It can also inflame your brain, pancreas, liver, bladder, skin, and possibly, any organ in the body. In a study done with gluten intolerant people, an MRI was taken of their brains while still consuming gluten-containing foods. The MRI’s showed extensive plaque throughout their brain tissue, similar to that which is seen in MS patients.

After instructing these patients to undergo a 100% gluten-free diet for 6-8 months, the MRI’s were done again. The images revealed that the plaque had been almost completely eradicated. This is due to the fact that gluten inflames and triggers an aggressive antigenic immune response in the body that is very destructive.

When the inflammatory response goes on for years in the digestive tract, the ultimate consequence is called “leaky gut.” Leaky gut refers to the fact that the intestinal lining has been inflamed for so long that it now has little holes over much of it. This leads to incomplete digestion and absorption of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Normally, the small intestine finishes the digestion process, and allows for small nutrient particles to cross the lining and enter the blood stream for distribution throughout the body. When there are holes in the lining, this process is incomplete, and much bigger particles of carbohydrates, proteins and fats cross the lining and enter the blood stream.

When this happens, our white blood cells do not recognize these particles as food, rather they consider them foreign invaders, and start attacking them. Since we are also made of these building blocks, our white blood cells (the immune soldiers of the body) get confused and cannot distinguish between us and these undigested particles, and then attack our tissues. This leads to autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroid disease, etc.

The only definitive way to test for gluten and celiac disease is to do genetic testing through a lab called Entero-Labs. Because the immune system in people that have been exposed to gluten for many years is less than optimal, and the cells that produce antibodies may be compromised, conventional blood and biopsy tests may produce false negative results. I encourage my patients that present with autoimmune symptoms to use this genetic testing.

There is a wonderful website I recommend to all of my gluten-intolerant and celiac patients, that gives multiple resources for finding gluten-free products, restaurants, cooking classes, and educational resources to live a gluten-free lifestyle: www.karmic-health.com.

I carry a gluten digestive enzyme formula that can be taken when people are inadvertently exposed to gluten and want to minimize the inflammatory effects.

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