We know that consumption of animal products is clearly linked to unhealthy weight, disease, disability, and untimely death. We know that industrial scale animal agriculture is the single biggest contributor to the most imminent threats to our environment including climate destabilization, drawdown of our aquifers, and the rise of antibiotic-resistant super bugs. Our meat-heavy western diet promotes cruelty to other life forms and to economically and politically disadvantaged humans.
To reverse heart disease used to be unheard of until pioneers in healing with whole foods came along. It's not a new concept but for many, it was brand new and amazing. In 1990 Dr. Dean Ornish sparked a revolution in cardiology when he showed that a vegetarian diet along with other healthy lifestyle changes actually reopened blocked arteries in 82% of his research participants, without surgery and even without cholesterol-lowering drugs! The populace had to unlearn all they had been taught or had heard, even from doctors. For me and thousands of others decades later, it meant hope... becoming a vegetarian was key.
Fill your plate with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, non-dairy foods, and you'll avoid unhealthy fats, refined sugar, and processed carbs. Eat foods in their natural form as much as possible. Do this and cure almost every disease known to us... cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more. I was ready and willing! Who wouldn't be?! I know I had heard this for years... but it never, ever had turned on a light for me like this before.
I am a 20-year, Type 2 diabetic. I have osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy, 3 bulging disks in my lower back, and very little cartilage in both knees. I have had Synvisc and Corticosteroid injections for my knee pain with no relief. I've had Torodol shots in 2011 with some relief for my left hip and lower back pain. I've been on a health quest since 2016 when I experienced a heart attack, requiring a stent to aid in blood flow. I was put on a variety of blood pressure meds, including a statin for a time. The effects made me continually sick and sleepy.
Lifestyle choices affect your state of health. The body can heal itself through Lifestyle medicine. Choices of how we eat, drink, use our minds, meditate and our relationships, including our family history genes, all play a role. There is a Process of Change. It takes effort to change. When we eat the wrong foods, they fuel our cells inefficiently, stress our organs, leach minerals from our bones, clog arteries, fog our brains, bring on disease, and make us fat. We are Not defined by our genes... we are predisposed to them, not held captive.
Integrative medicine combines the best of all worlds and takes account of the whole person. It does not reject conventional medicine when needed. It manages crisis and emergencies. Stress is the majority cause of illness.
Fear is a motivator. Once it disappears, we go back to old habits. Positive motivators are better. Goals. They are sustained by positive changes. Make changes gradually until you master them. Take Small steps and build on them. We eat foods that help control cholesterol naturally, such as apples, carrots, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, beans, soy products, nuts, barley, flax seed, and olive oil which we use sparingly.
Fats are essential to the proper functions of our bodies, especially our brains, and we need to have some to stay healthy, but stay away from saturated fats, those that are solid at room temperature. I learned that trans fats are used in margarine and most of our packaged snack foods and should be eliminated from our diet. Cook with olive oil that has mono-saturated fats, long touted for heart-healthy benefits. The heart-healthy butter spreads or soy spreads are also good choices.
Be aware of how many calories those fast food selections really have, like 880 calories for an order of buffalo wings; a fried whole onion with sauce is 2,130 calories. In contrast, broiled seafood has 210 calories, steak has 390 calories, Caesar salad 310 calories and a loaded baked potato is only 620 calories. Portion control is crucial; being diabetic, I also had to take into account the Glycemic Index of foods, as those with a high index raise blood sugars quickly after you eat, and so are to be avoided as they also raise blood cholesterol.
Whole foods (complex carbs) such as whole wheat, brown rice, fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and soy products are rich in fiber, which slows their absorption rate. Because of this, your blood sugar does not spike and therefore, your body does not need to produce elevated levels of natural insulin. Instead of the rapid swings in blood sugars, you experience a more constant feeling of energy throughout the day. You become more sensitive to insulin rather than resistant to it; diabetics often are able to reduce or discontinue insulin under their doctor's supervision when they eat a low fat, whole foods diet. I have been able to greatly reduce the amount of insulin I inject over the years of healthy eating.
Chronic Conditions
Diet, vitamins, herbs, and exercise is the best way to combat health issues. Two months is a key time frame, an adequate trial time. Anti-inflammatory drugs are hard on the stomach. Ginger and Turmeric work better as they affect gradually and are better than drugs for healing. If you exceed a critical level of toxins and pollutants but then simply Stop, gradually the body will begin to clean itself up and heal from the inside out.
A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association clearly documented that high fiber diets lower insulin levels. Eating healthy this way could bring about a forty percent average reduction in LDL cholesterol without using drugs. In a study of nearly 2,000 Japanese Americans, individuals who regularly consumed fruit and vegetable juices had a significantly lower risk for developing Alzheimer's disease (The Kame Project).
Anti inflammatory Foods
Research has shown that exposure to carrageenan causes inflammation and that when we consume processed foods containing it, we ingest enough to cause inflammation in our bodies. All forms of carrageenan are capable of causing inflammation and we know that chronic inflammation is a root cause of many serious diseases including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. Avoiding regular consumption of foods containing carrageenan is especially important advice for persons with inflammatory bowel disease.
Onions: This classic, pungent vegetable adds depth and richness to any meal. Sulfur compounds found in most varieties of onions may be responsible for its health benefits, including the possible lowering of cholesterol and blood pressure.
Garlic: This fragrant bulb contains many of the same phytonutrients as onions, as well as antibiotic and antiviral compounds. It may help boost the immune system, prevent colds, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and fight fungal infections.
Spinach: This dark leafy green (and others like it, such as kale and collards) contains lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidant carotenoids that may help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. Spinach is also a source of calcium and folate, a B vitamin that helps to prevent birth defects. Buy organic spinach, since pesticides are commonly used on conventionally grown varieties.
Cabbage: This low-cost yet highly nutritious cruciferous vegetable contains nutrients called indoles, which may protect against both breast and prostate cancer. It also provides significant amounts of fiber and Vitamin C.
Sweet potatoes: Rich in beta carotene, these vegetables may help boost the immune system, deliver vitamin C and folate (which may reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent certain birth defects), and are low on the glycemic index and glycemic load charts
GRAINS AND NUTS
Grains like millet, buckwheat and barley and flax are good sources. Nuts like bitter almonds, cashew nuts and macadamia nuts are excellent sources of Vitamin B17.
SPROUTS AND TUBERS
Bamboo sprout contains a high amount of Vitamin B17 while alfalfa, fava and garbanzo and mung sprouts have medium range amounts. Tubers like yams, sweet potatoes and cassava are foods with a good supply of Vitamin B17.
LEAVES AND BEANS
Leaves that are rich sources of Vitamin B17 include alfalfa, beet greens and spinach, watercress and eucalyptus. Beans that are good sources include black-eyed peas, black beans and green peas and lima beans, kidney beans as well as lentils. These leaves and beans may be prepared as healthy side dishes or used for making soups.
CONSIDERATIONS
In addition to the Vitamin B17 content of these seeds, grains and nuts, sprouts and tubers and leaves, they are also rich in other vitamins and minerals, Omega-3 and antioxidants. According to RS Pharmchem there is no data showing any problems caused by not having Vitamin B17; however, theoretically, a deficiency could increase the likelihood of developing cancer.
The Miracles of Turmeric
Turmeric is a warm, yellow, earthy, slightly bitter spice used in ritual, medicine, and cooking, a rhizome in the ginger family that looks like a small, orange-yellow ginger root. It is often used as a replacement for saffron which is more expensive. Turmeric invigorates and moves the blood. It improves circulation, and thins the blood, revitalizing your body and giving your skin a glowing appearance. Its strong nature reduces and treats weakness. It stimulates blood formation.
Yogis use turmeric to help stretch ligaments and repair injury. Turmeric's blood moving and clearing properties are also beneficial for use in arthritis. It is a blood purifier specifically used to eliminate systemic toxemia, eczema, urticaria, psoriasis, and acne. It helps with itching and skin problems. It nourishes the heart and reduces cholesterol. Its antiseptic activity is useful for infections, fevers, and sore throats.
Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory with subtle quality to enter the joint space, reducing arthritis and inflammation, alleviating pain, and strengthening joints and tendons. It treats gout, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis. Its anti-inflammatory activities are also useful in asthma, broken bones, and wounds. By its heating and blood moving qualities, turmeric reduces pain topically in bruises and sprains however it stains everything it touches. The most potent way to take turmeric is in a tea. Those with cough and respiratory problems can drink turmeric milk. Turmeric smoke cures hiccups and lowers respiration. It is also an anti-venom for King Cobra snake bites. What an amazing substance this is! Be aware that this is a natural blood thinner. While I was on Plavix, I could not take Turmeric. Always check with your doctor.
コメント