What diet is best?

By Elvian Drysdale and Jacinta McEwen from Mullumbimby Herbals

‘Eat this eat that, don’t eat this don’t eat that’ advice is every where but who do we listen to? I have been a naturopath for 15 years and a mum for 20 years and still the information on diet changes daily. I don’t think I or anyone else really know absolute answers, yet there are some basic guidelines to follow.

The human body requires for growth and maintenance: protein, carbohydrate, lipids, minerals, vitamins, water, fresh air, sunshine and LOVE.

Protein: the word comes from a Greek word meaning ‘to take first place’. Protein is made up from smaller elements called amino acids. The amino acids arginine and histidine are needed for the growth and development of children. Isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine tryptophan and valine are the eight other essential aminos, meaning they must be supplied by the diet. Don’t be too alarmed, all essential amino acids are obtainable from the following food groups:

• whole grains
• legumes
• nuts
• seeds
• eggs
• dairy products
• meat
• poultry and
• fish

The most important thing that I would say over and over is to eat foods as fresh and natural as possible. Keep away from packaged, tinned, refined and processed foods where possible. Eat a varied, balanced selection of foods. Children will eat what they are accustomed to being given in most cases. Show them great eating habits from the beginning. Eat as organic and as locally as possible; the more we support buying local and organic produce the more will be produced which will bring down prices, boost the local economy and reduce fossil fuel consumption from excessive transport!

Try this protein dish:  

• 1 cup Quinoa (a complete protein grain obtained in most health food stores)
• 1 small beetroot and 1 carrot chopped or grated
• basil or coriander to taste
• Any lightly steamed veggie you fancy

Rinse quinoa, place in saucepan with 1 cup of water, bring to boil, simmer 15 mins, drain place quinoa in medium bowl. Drizzle with 4 tspns olive oil, add veggies, beetroot and carrot, add sea salt to taste. Adding grilled tofu, fish or tempeh increases protein value. Millet, rice and buckwheat are other great base grains for dishes like this. Add lentils, chickpeas or beans to complete the protein.

Carbohydrates:
This food group is the main energy provider, due to the structure, which is made up of sugars, starches, fibres and gums, that are converted into glucose, our main body fuel. Plants, fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes are the four main carbohydrate groups. Plants extract elements from the soil and transform them into organic minerals, vitamins, chlorophyll and enzymes essential to life and health. One complex carbohydrate food my kids and I love is the potato. It breaks down fairly slowly, is high in potassium and vitamin C.

The skin also has an anti carcinogenic compound. Wash the peels, don’t throw them away. Steam or bake your favourite type of potato, add fresh salad, some nuts and seeds and most will enjoy a simple balanced meal.

Lipids:
Fats and oils are essential for health. Essential fatty acids or vitamin F can be obtained from fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Foods processed or refined remove our essential fatty acids, that stop inflammation in our body. Top salads with linseed oil. Eat avocadoes that also supply vitamins A, E and K. Splash some cold pressed olive oil onto your stir fry at the end of cooking instead of at the beginning. Sear veggies in water because oils are best not heated.

Vitamins and minerals will mostly come with the whole food fresh and organic diet that I have mentioned a few times. Unfortunately our soils can be deficient in magnesium, selenium, iodine and zinc. Supplementation of these and other nutrients may be required from time to time. However, please stay as close to the earth as possible. Urge our growers to regenerate the soil, not use dangerous chemicals, and supply us with real food!

So with the above-mentioned food requirements, clean fresh water, sunshine and LOVE, we have a good base for great health.   

Q: Why are so many people allergic to so many foods and what can we do?   

A: Allergic diseases themselves are not inherited but the tendency for the immune system to overreact can be passed on from parent to child. With the addition of chemicals to our food chain, added stresses of modern life, the insufficiency of our digestive system and overload of our liver our immune system becomes over-reactive in the form of an allergic response. By cleansing our body, strengthening our digestion with specific diet and herbs, we can balance the immune response. Try 10 drops of gentian lutea in a little water before meals as a digestive tonic and liver cleanse.

Published in byronchild/Kindred