Diet, Nutrition, Health and Disease Articles | Nutrition

The body digests, transforms food, nutrients into blood into structure into function, into health or disease.

There are only two kinds of food, nutrients that you can eat: building and cleansing.

Building nutrients, foods (protein, fat, meat, eggs, chicken, cheese, beans, etc.) build and fuel all structure and function.

Cleansing nutrients, foods (water, sugar, minerals, fruit, vegetables, grains, etc.) reduce, cleanse, cool and moistening.

The correct combination, balance of building and cleansing produces and maintain the correct amount of structure and function, where the body mind can thrive. Any amounts, greater or less, in the extreme, tend to weaken, sicken and pain via too much, overbuilt (high cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, cirrhosis, gout, warts, tumors, thick, red and dry skin, itching, psoriasis, etc. ) or too little, under built (anemia, fatigue, pallor, thin, dry hair, skin, nails and bones, infertility, miscarriage, short term pregnancy, autoimmune illnesses, eczema, etc.) blood, structure and function.

Overbuilt diets tend to be high protein, fat (eggs, red meat, chicken, cheese, pizza, lasagna, fried foods, oil, etc.) and starch and low vegetables and fruit.

Under built, over cleansed diets tend to be high carbohydrate (grains, pasta, bread, salads, fruits, especially tropical, juices, shakes, smoothies, cold drinks, etc.) and low protein, low fat: milk, yogurt (any kind), beans, nuts and seeds.

The correct combination, daily diet is universal as there is only one body. A woman may menstruate but she still has to eat the same same blood building foods that a man does in order to rebuild her blood. She also has to eat more during the day than at night, as digestion and absorption are stronger during the day. You are not only what you eat but also what you digest, absorb.

The correct, daily diet, meal plan mirrors the body's natural ratio of building to cleansing nutrients which is approximately 1/3 building (protein and fat) and 2/3 cleansing (water, sugar, minerals, etc.) just like the earth, which is approximately 1/3 land and 2/3 water.

A normal, balanced meal plan would be:

+/- 1/3 Protein and fat (meat, eggs, cheese, beans, seeds, etc.)

+/- 1/3 Grain (rice, barley, oats, bread, noodles, etc.)

+/- 1/3 Vegetables, cooked (3-5), fruit (1)

+/- Spices (cardamon, cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, cayenne, turmeric, etc.)

+/- Soup and or tea

This diet can be cooked and served in 25 minutes or less. Many Asian restaurants serve this diet, regular or steamed with the sauce on the side.

Breakfast and lunch examples:

1. Vegetable (3-5) omelet (2 eggs), toast, jelly, fruit and or tea.

2. Chicken breast, white rice, 3-5 cooked vegetables, fruit and or tea.

3. Hamburger or hot dog, bread, 3-5 cooked vegetables, fruit and or tea.

4. Turkey, noodles, sesame seeds, 3-5 vegetables, fruit and or tea.

5. Tofu, walnuts, noodles, 3-5 cooked vegetables, fruit and or tea.

Condiments (spices, salt, soy sauce, mustard, oil, etc.) may be added for taste.

Breakfast and lunch are the best times to eat, as digestion and absorption are stronger, greater during the day and weaker, lesser at night. Protein and fat, especially animal food (includes chicken, fish, cheese) are more difficult to digest than fruit, vegetables and grains.

The digestive system, stomach, pancreas and small intestines are fully charged between the hours of 7 A.M. and 3 P.M. according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The body is also more upright and active during the day. The small intestines where the majority of digestion and absorption occur are 22 feet in length. Food must actively travel and spread out the full 22 feet to maximize digestion and absorption. During the night, most people tend to sit or lay down slowing the movement of food, decreasing absorption and elimination.

Digestion and absorption are weakest during the night. Whatever food or fluids not digested, absorbed become waste. If you eat it at night, after age thirty, you will most likely wear it in the morning, in your intestines, blood, arteries, veins, liver, arms, thighs, etc.

1/3 protein and fat, 1/3 grain, 1/3 cooked vegetables, 3-5, fruit (1), spices and or tea may seem boring, but what will not be boring will be taste, health and confidence.

This diet (includes herbs) can be adjusted to counter most disease.

For those that are deficient, cold and or damp (mucous, phlegm, snoring, sleep apnea, loose stools, edema, cellulite, etc.):

Increase protein and fat (meat, eggs, chicken, turkey, etc.), grains, cooked vegetables (cabbage, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, celery, carrots with tops, hard squash, buttercup, nut, etc.), spices (dry dampness), herbs (Siberian Ginseng, Evening Primrose Oil, etc.) while reducing milk, yogurt, salads, tropical fruits, sodas and cold drinks. Leafy greens (kale, collards, etc.), broccoli, cabbage, carrots with tops, etc. are not only high in fiber but also calcium, magnesium, enzymes, vitamins, etc.

For those that are overbuilt, too hot (high cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, cirrhosis, gout, warts, tumors, psoriasis, etc.):

Decrease protein and fat (meat, eggs, chicken, cheese, oil, fried foods, etc.), alcohol, tobacco, coffee, etc. while increasing beans, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, fruit, and less eating (especially protein and fat) in general, including skipping and or spacing the meals.

The body is very simple. It is not a gourmet smorgasbord. Simple diet always works. It not only insures health but also enables you to party, eat more gourmet foods, drink alcohol, coffee, eat rich desserts, etc. on occasion, as long as the occasion is not daily occurrence. Some times, you need a little junk (junk food, alcohol, coffee, tobacco, etc.) to counter the junk of life.