
Proper nutrition, both in terms of food eaten as well as supplements, is critical to achieve and maintain optimal health and prevent future problems. It is also a lot more complicated than it is often made out to be.
STEP ONE
First step is to eat well, which many people do not do. Some general guidelines include:
• Eat whole foods, rather than processed foods.
• Reduce/eliminate refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (white flour, pasta, white rice).
• Eliminate/ reduce fried foods and junk foods
• Reduce wheat
• Increase intake of fruits and vegetables
• Drink more water
STEP TWO
However, even if one eats relatively well, there are still other problems that occur.
A major problem is the fact that often food is not properly broken down into small particles where it can be absorbed from the small intestine into the blood stream. This is because many today do not have the proper amount of digestive enzymes, especially hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach. This lack of HCL is also a major cause of reflux or GERD.
The widespread use of proton- pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Acifex and Protonix , while sometimes helping to relieve symptoms, do not correct the underlying cause of reflux. Worse, these often have serious and damaging long- term consequences. (More of this in future newsletters)
STEP THREE
Even if food is properly broken down, many people still have malabsorption problems. Where they are unable to absorb these small nutrients from the digestive tract into the bloodstream, to be carried to each of our over 12 trillion cells. Why is this? Often the lining of the small intestine or colon becomes irritated or inflamed, for various reasons, and simply does not work properly. Hence, we get labels such as “ irritable bowel syndrome”, “colitis”, “intestinal permeability”, “leaky gut syndrome”, and “Crohn’s Disease”. All of these problems can usually be greatly improved and often eliminated, provided one finds a doctor that can address the true underlying causes.
STEP FOUR
Even if the small nutritional particles make their way into the blood stream, they still must get to the part of the body that needs them and across the cell wall into the cell. Each of our cells is like a little person, where nutrients must be able to get in and waste products must be able to get out. Very specific “carrier-nutrients” are needed to carry and transport the essential nutrients to the proper cell location and then across the cell wall.
A good analogy for this idea is: the highways (blood stream) can be full of trucks carrying food, yet this does not guarantee they will get to my street (the part of the body that needs it) or then through my front door and into my kitchen (across the cell wall).
An important example of this is: Many people today, especially women, are taking large amounts of calcium in an effort to prevent osteoporosis. Yet, if there is not enough of the proper omega- 3 fats, calcium will not be absorbed into the bone cells and often will actually become harmful, as it deposits in the arteries (heart/ stroke problems) or into the joints (arthritis).
Many people today have problems in some or all of these areas, with negative impact on their health. If you, or anyone you know, suffers from constipation, very hard or soft stools, gas, bloating, reflux, heartburn, indigestion, abdominal pain/ cramps, there are definitely problems in these areas that need to be addressed.
Most things do not get better on their own. The longer problems exist, the deeper they go and the more difficult they are to correct. This greatly increases the risk of chronic conditions and disease.
For further info, please go to my website www.holisticnyc.net. As always, feel free to call us to discuss any health issues at 212-223-8683.
“The body heals itself in a sure, sensible, practical, reasonable, observable, predictable manner…. This recovery potential needs the hand, the heart, and the mind of a trained individual.”
Dr. George Goodheart, Founder of Applied Kinesiology