Food As Medicine
Food has been used as a preventative to dis-ease for over 4000 years by physicians of natural medicine. Food is a major determinant of health that is directly under our control. We cannot always control pollution, hereditary factors, noise, environment, and the social and emotional behaviors of others, but we can certainly choose what and what not to eat...
The Full Spectrum Diet
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Water, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the basic building blocks of a good diet. By choosing the healthiest forms of each of these nutrients, and eating them in the proper balance, you enable your body to function at its optimal level.
Water
The human body is two-thirds water. Water is an essential nutrient that is involved in every function of the body. Water helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of cells. Water is necessary for all digestive, absorption, circulatory, and excretory functions. Water is needed for the utilization of the water-soluble vitamins. It is needed for the maintenance of proper body temperature.
It is recommended that you drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the energy source for our body in order to function. Carbs are found primarily in fruits, vegetables, and legumes. The most significant carbohydrates from animals come from milk and dairy products. Carbohydrates are divided into two groups: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates, or simple sugars, are the quickest source of energy, because they can be broken down by our bodies the fastest. These include a variety of sugar forms such as lactose (milk sugar), fructose (fruit sugar), and sucrose (table sugar), as well as several other sugars. One of the richest natural sources of simple carbohydrates are fruits.
Complex carbohydrates include fiber and starches such as wheat products as in breads and pasta, grains (including rye and corn), beans, and root vegetables (such as potatoes). These foods, rich in carbohydrates, are stored in the system and give us energy, long term.
Both simple and complex carbohydrates are able to be converted into glucose. It is this glucose which is stored or used as the energy source. Total daily calories should consist of carbohydrates in some form. The daily ranges include between 40-50% of carbohydrate intake. When we consume more calories from carbohydrates than the body can use, a percent of these carbohydrates may also be stored in the body as fat.
Dietary fiber
Fiber is an important part of our daily diet. Although most fiber is not digested, it gives us many important and healthy benefits. Fiber retains water, which allows for softer and bulkier stools which in turn prevents constipation and hemorrhoids. Fiber binds with cholesterol and eliminates this substance from the body. A high-fiber diet, 30 mg or more, can also reduce colon cancer risk as well as keep our digestive tract clean.
Protein
Protein is found in large amounts in the body. Proteins are the main building blocks in our system and the primary make-up of most of our cells. Proteins are a much slower and longer-lasting source of energy than carbohydrates. Proteins help maintain proper acid-alkali balance in our bodies and are needed for the maintenance of our muscle, connective tissue, and skin. When we consume more protein than we need, our bodies do not construct protein or muscle but breaks down the protein to store its materials as fat, which can be broken down and used for energy later.
Complete proteins which are found in meat, fish, poultry, cheese, eggs, yogurt and milk, contain sufficient amounts of all of the essential amino acids the body needs. Soybean products such as tofu, soy oil, soy-based meat substitutes, soy milk and soy cheese are complete proteins. Also the combination of a number of protein-rich foods, such as brown rice with beans can give you a complete form of protein as well.
Incomplete proteins are a variety of other foods, which include grains, legumes, and leafy green vegetables, which are beneficial but only contain some of the essential amino acids. Adults need to eat about 60 grams of protein per day or 10 to 15% of their total calorie intake.
Fats
Fat is good and the body needs fat. Fats are made up of the building blocks called fatty acids. Each gram of fat allows the body about 9 calories. This is more than twice that supplied by proteins or carbohydrates. In our childhood, fat is necessary for normal brain development. As adults, fat is the most energy-efficient and therefore, the most concentrated form in our bodies.
There are different types of fatty acids, which include: saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats.
Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, and ham, dairy products such as whole milk, cream, and cheese and artificially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and vegetable shortening. The more solid the product, the higher the percentage of saturated fats. Our body uses saturated fats to produce cholesterol. Studies show that a diet high in saturated fats is known to promote coronary artery disease and excessive amounts of saturated fats can significantly raise the blood cholesterol level, including low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or "bad cholesterol."
Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 fats, are found in mackerel, salmon, and tuna and other deep-sea fish, as well as omega-6 fats, contained in vegetable oils such as corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oils. Polyunsaturated fats may actually lower total blood cholesterol levels. Yet, large amounts of polyunsaturated fats also can reduce your high-density lipoproteins (HDL), or "good cholesterol." Trans-fatty acids, also called trans fats, may also play a role in blood cholesterol levels. Tans fats occur when polyunsaturated oils are hydrogenated, which is a process used to harden liquid vegetable oils into solid foods like margarine and shortening. Trans fats are also found in prepared foods, such as cookies, crackers, doughnuts, french fries, and other fried foods.
Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil and nut oils such as peanut, and canola oils. These fats have been shown to reduce blood levels of LDL without affecting HDL cholesterol.
Vitamins and minerals are essential to life. These nutrients, and are often referred to as micronutrients because they are needed in relatively small amounts compared with the four basic nutrients. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has devised recommended daily allowances (RDAs) of vitamins and minerals, although it is still in great debate if these RDAs are sufficient.
The listing below includes vitamin, mineral and other supplements which should be used as a guideline. Although the amounts listed are safe (they will not cause toxicity) and should be varied according to size and weight. "People who are active and exercise; those who are under great stress, on restricted diets, or mentally or physically ill; women who take oral contraceptives; those on medication; those who are recovering from surgery; and smokers and those who consume alcoholic beverages all need higher than normal amounts of nutrients." In addition to a proper diet, exercise and a positive attitude there are two important elements that are needed to prevent sickness and disease. If your lifestyle includes each of these, you will feel good and have more energy...something we all deserve.
This is sourced through the FDA, The National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, the American Dietetic Association and Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz's book "YOU". Remember, this is a guideline.
Multi-vitamin (B Complex requirements)
B vitamins* 25-50 milligrams (mg) Take this with 400 micrograms
[mcg] of folic acid.
Vitamin E - 400 international units (IU)
The natural form of Vitamin E, d-alpha-tocopherol, is preferred.
Vitamin C (with rosehips) 2,000 - 4,000 mg (in divided doses)
Vitamin A (beta carotene) 5,000-10,000 IU
Calcium 1,500 mg (in divided doses, 1000mg in am, 500mg in pm)
Vitamin D 400 IU (divided doses with calcium and magnesium)
Magnesium 500 mg (divided doses with calcuim and Vitamin D, 250mg in am, 250mg in pm)
Iron 8 mg The recommendation for iron for women is 18 mg.
Iodine 150 mcg
Zinc 10-15 mg
Selenium 100-400 mcg
Copper 2 mg
Manganese 10 mg
Chromium 200 mcg
Molybdenum 25 mcg
Potassium 90 mg
Boron 50-100 mcg
Lycopene 5-10 mg
Lutein 25-50 mg
Polyphenols (green tea) 10-100 mg
Proanthocyanidins (grape seed, pine bark) 25-100 mg
Alpha-lipoic acid 200-1,500 mg
N-acetyl-cysteine 500-2,000 mg
Coenzyme Q 50-300 mg
Soy isoflavones 20-100 mg
L-Carnitine (500mg)
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (250mg)
Coenzyme Q-10 (50mg)
Grape Seed Extract (50mg)
Turmeric (400mg)
L-glutamine (500mg)
Essential Oils (Fulfills daily Super Omega-3 requirements)
DMAE (100mg)
****The FDA lowered the RDA for iron for men and post-menopausal women from the 10 milligrams set in 1989 to eight. For pre-menopausal women, the RDA has been raised from 15 to 18 milligrams. For pregnant women, it's been lowered from 30 to 27 milligrams.
More and more evidence is accumulating that indicates antioxidants improve long-term health by deferring or mitigating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Exercise-related research indicates that antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium limit exercise-induced muscle damage; this, in turn, is believed to improve exercise recovery and possibly improve muscle growth potential. Of course, as vitamins C and E and selenium are among the most effective antioxidants, they and others are part of most multivitamin/mineral packs. However, here are some additional antioxidants you may want to consider taking, with the baseline supplementary daily intake.
Research suggests that combining antioxidants is more effective than consuming high doses of just one or two antioxidants. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in a wide variety of antioxidants; the essential antioxidants may be better preserved in these foods. Herbal supplements like milk thistle, rosemary, ginkgo biloba, bilberry, butcher's broom and horse chestnut have high levels of potent antioxidants, although their effects on exercise have not yet been studied in humans.
Lycopene 5-10 mg
Lutein 25-50 mg
Polyphenols (green tea) 10-100 mg
Proanthocyanidins (grape seed, pine bark) 25-100 mg
Alpha-lipoic acid 200-1,500 mg
N-acetyl-cysteine 500-2,000 mg
Coenzyme Q 50-300 mg
Soy isoflavones 20-100 mg
Reference Research:
1. The National Institute of Health
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