Health, Wellness & Lifestyle: “Nutrition: What you put in you get out”....

By Dr Orly Zuker, Chiropractor
(B.Appl.Sci: Comp Med, Clin Chiro: Masters, B.Nursing)

Our health is in most cases in our hands and the informed choices that we make in leading a healthy lifestyle and eating a healthy diet are also in our hands. If we chose to fuel our body with nutritious foods, chances are we might minimise our chances of developing diet and lifestyle related cancers and illnesses. The key is to educate yourself and to chose to commit to a clean lifestyle. Avoiding colouring, preservatives, additives, pesticides and artificial sweeteners in your diet is the first step towards "getting more out" for health and vitality.

Colouring:

Research suggests that the average Australian (who frequently eats packaged foods) consumes 2-7kg of chemical food additives each year, so when shopping try to avoid artificial colours and numbers such as: E102, E104, E110, E122, E124, E127, E129, E133, E143. Rather purchase products which have 'no artificial colouring and flavourings' as these have colours derived from nature; paprika, beetroot, carrot, spirulina, saffron, turmeric, blueberry, purple carrot etc.

Preservatives & Additives:

Packaged foods are laden with artificial preservatives and additives that are far from what nature intended. Avoiding packaged foods is the easiest way to avoid chemicals that intend to preserve shelf life. Some research suggests that preservatives may cause symptoms or be implicated in illnesses such as: eczema, dermatitis, itchy eyes, digestive cancers, diarrhoea, nausea, insomnia, blurred vision, asthma, numbness & tingling extremities and mouth dryness.
In a nut shell, avoid Sulphur Dioxide (found in dried fruits), Sodium Benzoates (found in jams, sauces, margarine, fruit juices and pickled products), Sodium Nitrite (found in meats and cheeses), Propyl Gallate (found in chewing gum, oils and meat products), BHA/ BHT (found in oily/ fatty snacks, cereals, potato chips and soft drinks)

Another big "no no" is (MonoSodium Glutanate) MSG. MSG is a flavour enhancer that has been found to have unpleasant side effects such as dry mouth, headaches and insomnia (and in some anecdotal reports, trigger early labour!).

Coffee/ Caffeine:

Caffeine is a contentious issue as thousands of people around the world have a great love for coffee. One coffee here and there is no doubt not a problem, however 15 a day will put a great deal of pressure on the heart.

It is well known that tea and coffee are a diuretic and dehydrate the body, so try to drink at least 2 glasses of water with each cup. Chose organic coffee too where possible as coffee is a highly sprayed crop. In addition, drink 'Swiss Water Filtrated' decaf as other options utilise toxic and hazardous chemicals to strip the caffeine from the coffee bean!)

Alcohol:

We hear that red wine is 'good' for the heart... However, logic tell us that it is 'bad' for the liver. Moral of the story, it is best to consume minimal amounts of alcohol and avoid binge drinking. Alcohol has been found to:

Deplete the body of minerals and vitamins

Decrease the immune system function

Damage liver cell structure and function

Damage brain cells

Impair memory

Decrease the metabolism

Milk

Milk is another contentious issue that attracts much discussion and debate. There is a decent argument from both sides. However, it is important to know that conventional milk is heavily treated and processed with chemicals, hormones, pesticides and antibiotics. In addition Australian law requires dairy products to be pasteurised/ heat treated (destroyed much of the naturally occurring minerals). A2 and or organic milk products are a good alternative and readily available in supermarkets.

Due to the pasteurisation process, a large proportion of the natural calcium in milk is lost, so don’t rely on dairy for your calcium needs! Rather eat raw nuts, green leafy vegies, carrots and sesame seeds.

Soft Drinks:

Soft drinks are a sugar laden, coloured and artificially carbonated nightmare... News reports over the years have shared news of American teens having stomach surgery to repair damage to the gastric lining. Yuk!

Soft drinks are:

High in citric acid, which if left for long enough can dissolve a fillet of steak

High in sugar, causing issues such as Diabetes (coke & fanta have respectively 7 and 9 teaspoons of sugar per 375ml can) & Obesity.

Artificially carbonated, which has been found to leech calcium from bone

Diet/ Zero varieties are packed full of artificial sweeteners, something all everyone should avoid at all costs.

Salt:

Iodised table salt is processed rubbish that has been linked to heart disease. There are far better options available on the market such as Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Rock Salt that have health benefits. These salts are minimally processed or unprocessed completely and naturally contain more than 82 trace minerals for health. These trace minerals assist in reducing fluid retention and supporting cardiac function.

Sugar & Artificial Sweeteners:

Sugar has a suppressive effect on the immune system (decreases VIT C & B vitamins)

Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and moodiness

Sugar increases triglycerides/ cholesterol

Prolonged high blood sugar levels causes mineral deficiencies (chromium, calcium, zinc, copper) and increase the incidence of Osteoporosis

Sugar increases the incidence of Obesity

Sugar causes tooth decay

Sugar often causes and or aggravates Eczema and other skin complaints

Sugar has been linked to and is associated with premature cellular aging

Artificial sweeteners are no better and in fact worse!...

Aspartame, Saccharin and Sucralose are artificial sweeteners that have been found to cause: neurological dysfunction (FMS, Tinnitus, MS, Lupus, ADHD/ADD), Alzheimer’s disease, depression, itching, some cancers, weight gain, memory loss, headaches, anxiety, leg numbness and abdominal cramping.
Artificial sweeteners (Equal, NutraSweet, Splenda, Sweet 'n' Low) are also found in chewing gum varieties, ‘diet’/ ‘sugar free’ products and mints/ sweets and other supermarket products. A better options is: Stevia, Xylitol, Agave or raw honey or coconut sugar.

Healthy Fats:

There are 'good' and 'bad' fats and eating the correct fats are essential to optimal body function. Nuts are a beneficial source of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats (and coconut in all its forms is a great source of medium-chain fatty acids).

Ensure that you eat varied sources of fats, ranging from eggs, organic meat products, oily fish (trout, salmon, sardines), to vegetable based fats (nuts, seeds, avocado etc).

** When choosing fish always ask the fish monger for deep sea ocean fish opposed to farmed fish, and avoid large fish such as flake or fish from Asian waters as they contain high levels of mercury and other contaminants. Farming of fish involves the use of antibiotics, colouring (in feed pellets) and growth stimulants, yuk!.

Superfoods:

Nature provides many incredible superfoods that are readily available. Some of these include: Coconut, Acai berry, Goji berry, Noni juice, Chai seeds, Cacao, Spirulina etc are all packed with vital nutrients that are easy to consume by either sprinkling over oats/ muesli in the morning or drinking in a smoothie.

Organic Farming & Foods:

Organic farming follows stringent guidelines to ensure that you as the consumer has pure, fresh and healthy produce that free of antibiotics and chemicals (such as pesticides/ fungicides, additives and growth stimulants).

In addition, modern day farming only replenishes the soil with a minimum of 3 essential minerals (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium), whereas organic farming also utilises Calcium, Magnesium and Chloride!

Healthy Nutrition tips:

Avoid plastic bottled water (refill in stainless steel bottles or glass) and drink minimum 2L of high quality filtered water a day.

Use Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Rock Salt.

Use herbs and spices in cooking (they are a good source of antioxidants)

Eat lower Glycaemic Index foods (high Glycaemic Index foods are mostly processed foods and some fruits), and snack on walnuts to maintain balanced blood glucose levels.

Eat seasonal Organic fruit and vegies to enhance the nutrient content you are receiving from food and reducing the toxic load on your body.

Eat/ take at least one serving/ dose a day of the above mentioned super foods.

Avoid artificial sweeteners.

With juicing, buy yourself a ‘masticating’ juicer. Try to juice every other day as juices are high in natural sugar & fibre and often contain more fruits or vegetables in one glass than you would eat in a day (even a good thing can become a bad thing if we overdo it).

Snack on raw nuts (organic and shelled varieties are great and fresh).

Avoid chewing gum (chewing gum is a chemical cocktail and contains artificial sweeteners). And with mints, try the sugar varieties rather than ‘sugar free’ to avoid artificial sweeteners.

Eat adequate healthy fats to ensure healthy hormone production and body function (coconut oil, Flaxseed oil, unrefined olive oil, macadamia oil). Fish oils (EPA/DHA) are essential for healthy brain, heart and organ function, protecting against some cancers and lifestyle diseases. Margarine is chemically 1 molecule away from being plastic, so use pure butter instead.

Eggs are a super food, packed with a nutrition. In nutrition today, eating up to 10 eggs a week is recommended for health! Bioflavonoids/ antioxidants found in the seeds of fruits such as apples and grapes are vital for heart health and may reduce the rate of cellular aging.