by Lady Carla Davis, MPH
Over the years, consumers have been bombarded with health information and diets of all kinds. Real science has been subverted by “corporate science” or “scientism.” All too often, each new book, study, report or diet contradicts the previous one, leaving most people totally confused.
Nutrition is the basis for healing with every kind of therapy, yet every aspect of it has been either hijacked or sabotaged by big pharma and the giant food corporations through regulation and globalisation.
Practitioners and professionals in the medical, dietetic, health and fitness industries are often proclaimed to be “nutrition experts.” While some of them have impressive credentials, their actual education and knowledge in clinical nutrition or biochemistry is often very limited. Most medical schools provide very little, if any, education in nutrition. Also, as a deterrent, clinical nutrition programs are not readily available for students unless they first complete other extensive medical programs. To make matters worse, an aggressive campaign by government agencies with unlimited funds and in collusion with the American Dietetics Association (ADA) virtually regulated Nutrition Consultants in the US out of business.
The ADA receives approx. 10% of its funding from food corporations, including Abbott Nutrition, CoroWise, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Mars, McNeil Nutritionals, PepsiCo, SOYJOY, Truvia and Unilever. In addition, the ADA lists Aramark, The Coca Cola Company, The National Dairy Council and the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition as partners. Thus, dieticians are trained to promote and dispense processed foods produced by their sponsors, many of which are unhealthy.
Marion Nestle Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University, has written: “Respected ADA colleagues: as long as your organization partners with makers of food and beverage products, its opinions about diet and health will never be believed independent (translation: based on science not politics) and neither will yours. Consider the ADA’s Nutrition Fact Sheets, for example, each with its very own corporate sponsor (scroll down to the lower right hand corner of the second page to see who paid for the Facts). Is the goal of ADA really the same as the goal of the sponsors – to sell the sponsor’s food products? Is this a good way to get important scientific messages to the public? ADA members: how about doing something about this!”[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dietetic_Association
The suppression of nutrition goes way back. In the 1930s, the American Medical Assoc. (AMA) attempted to prohibit its members from working for the then-primitive health maintenance organizations that sprung up during the Great Depression, which violated the Sherman Antitrust Act and resulted in a conviction ultimately affirmed by the US Supreme Court.[4] The AMA’s vehement campaign against Medicare in the 1950s and 1960s included the Operation Coffee Cup supported by Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately, what occurs in the US is often replicated elsewhere.
“Profession and Monopoly” A study of Medicine in the US and UK by Jeffrey L. Berlant (Univ. of California Pr 1975), criticises the AMA for limiting the supply of physicians and inflating the cost of medical care in the US. It also claims that physician supply is kept low by the AMA to ensure high pay for practising physicians. It states that the number, curriculum and size of medical schools are restricted by state licensing boards controlled by representatives of state medical societies associated with the AMA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Medical_Association
Because of massive public demand and support from the health industry, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education (DSHEA) Act of 1994 mandated that the FDA regulate dietary supplements as foods rather than as drugs. However, the influence wielded by big pharma and giant food corporations remains rampant in many countries through globalisation.
By means of a controlled media, the industry determines what is fed to the public at large about how people should eat, medical protocol and nutrition. A number of their proclaimed ”experts” write books promoting their radical diets and unscientific beliefs. In addition, policies are made on the false assumption that medical experts or dieticians are nutrition experts when in fact medicine, dietetics and nutrition are all very different professions. Various magazines and newspapers use catchy headlines and radical diets to sell their publications. Writers who have little or no knowledge of nutrition may quote an expert out of context to make the reader think they (writers) are credible. This is only part of how a lot of of misinformation reaches and confuses the public.
In addition, big pharma and the giant food corporations give large grants to universities to influence the curriculum and obtain studies favourable to their products. According to author and former corporate biochemist Paul Stitt, Ph.D. in “Beating the Food Giants” (Natural Press, 1993), they care little if any about your health and well-being. Their objective is to get you hooked on their product so they can make huge profits. Most of their products are not even real food. They are addictive products such as coffee, soda and other caffeine products; adulterated food full of flavour enhancers such as MSG; refined sugar/flour; margarine or other hydrogenated/damaged oils/fats.
Corporate control of our food system from seed to plate contributes to market abuses and is a threat to competition, food affordability and supply. Today, only four companies control up to 90 percent of the global trade in grain. Further to Willie Nelson’s call to “Occupy the Food System, http://www.readersupportednews.org/opinion2/441-occupy/8948-occupy-the-food-system use your ECONOMIC POWER and BOYCOTT products from unethical corporations!
Corporate giants also have their influential advisors on the Food and nutrition Board (FNB), the National Research Council (NRC), the National Academy of Sciences, the Centre for Science and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and similar organizations, such as the ANTZPA in Australia and New Zealand, and the Codex Alimentarius in the EU. By classifying calories as a nutrient (energy), instead of a unit of measurement, the FNB can justify the promotion of such products as white flour and refined sugar. Recently, food processors spent $5.6 million to lobby against the new school lunch rules, proposed by the USDA, which would have brought more fresh food to school cafeterias. Congress succumbed so far as to agreeing to call pizza a vegetable. Unfortunately, many dieticians follow the recommendations of the FNB and NRC. They are also taught that choosing a variety of foods from the “Basic Food Groups” (set up by the industry) will provide the Minimum Daily Requirement (MDR) or Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of all the nutrients needed for good health. They consider nutritional supplements to be unnecessary, when in fact science reveals a very different story. Read “Dirty Medicine-The Handbook” (2011) by Martin J. Walker and its review in UNCENSORED magazine, issue no. 25, page 95. www.uncensored.co.nz.
The MDR and RDA, set by the NRC, were not products of scientific studies, but of negotiations and voting by a committee (Committee on Dietary Allowances, 1980) of industry agents. Subsequent clinical studies and reports indicate that RDAs for many nutrients are far below what is required for optimal health. In fact, only a small part of the total number of nutrients needed for human health was being measured at all. With this barrage of misinformation and since one type of diet is not suitable for everyone, it is no wonder the average person is confused about nutrition and how to eat. Do you listen to the FNB or the NRC? Are you reading conflicting advice from dieticians and nutritionists? And, are MDR’s and RDA’s really all you need? In fact, attaining optimal health is more than counting calories and fat grams.
When defining your dietary profile there are certain basics and factors, listed below, to consider. Without the basics, all the medicines, treatments, supplements and exercise in the world won’t succeed in attaining a complete cure or optimum health.
BASICS OF LIFE
To function properly and maintain good health, the body must have on a daily basis:
• Fresh clean air (oxygen) with negative ions (see www.negativeions.com)
• Natural, full-spectrum daylight & sunshine
• Pure revitalized water
• Quality protein
• Essential fatty acids (EFAs) in balance
• Complex carbohydrates
• Vitamin, minerals, enzymes in balance
• Magnetic forces of positive and negative gauss
• Human companionship and spirit, which are important factors in sustaining good health and longevity.
After fresh clean air (oxygen), consumption of clean, pure, revitalised water is the second most important substance for survival because over 70% of the body is water. It is necessary for the hydration and function of every cell and system in the body. It also enables the cells to better communicate with each other. Therefore, check the source and independent analysis of your drinking water. Choose a high quality, pure spring water, with a pH of 7 to 8. Having your own rainwater tank is even better. To learn more, see: www.wlwsltd.com
Avoid ALL fluoridated water and products containing it, such as recycled bottled water, drinks, instant tea, juices, sodas, beer and many medications. Fluoride is a highly toxic, poisonous waste by-product. Not only is it not effective, but it contributes to bone and joint problems, hip fractures, disruption of children’s permanent teeth (high orthodontic costs), thyroid and pineal gland disruptions leading to obesity, hormonal imbalances, weakening of the immune system, lower I.Q., brain and neurological damage. Because fluoride also destroys the body’s Collagen, it prematurely ages the skin/body creating wrinkles and moles. See: www.fluoridealert.org
Also, avoid addictive and destructive pollutants such as tobacco, alcohol, MSG and other flavour enhancers, coffee and other caffeine products, refined sugar/flour products, soda, damaged fats/oils and fluorescent lights. In addition, avoid genetically modified (GM) foods, which can cause allergies, food sensitivities and serious reactions because they contain animal and/or chemical genes. GE foods can also have unknown, serious long-term consequences. See Vandana Shiva: The Future of Food: http://www.vandanashia.org
Consume a colourful variety of wholesome (preferably organic) real food, which is minimally processed and grown in fertile soil. Each mineral is represented by different colours. Real food nourishes and promotes growth. Man made concoctions and imitation products are not real food, they are pollutants, which destroy the body and are often addictive. To better understand where your food comes from, see the award winning documentary “Food Inc.”
On a daily basis, select foods rich in enzymes such as sprouts, fruits and vegetables and foods rich in carotenoids such as blueberries, raspberries, goji berries, pomegranates, papaya, mangoes, peaches, cherries, kiwi fruit, dates, prunes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, egg yoke, turmeric, cranberries, leafy greens and herbs, avocado, sea vegetables, Sun Chlorella, spirulina and other algae. These nourishing super foods are also a rich source of antioxidants. Carotenoids are the red, yellow, orange and dark green coloured compounds found in fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids also promote cell communication and participate in female reproduction. The most abundant carotenoids are beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, gamma-carotene, lycopene, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin. Resveratrol found in grape skins is another beneficial antioxidant.
Cholesterol-lowering medications lower blood levels of carotenoids. In addition, margarine enriched with plant sterols such as Benecol and Take Contro, and Olestra, a fat substitute added to snack foods, may decrease the absorption of carotenoids.
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=116
FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Age/Gender/Pregnancy
A child, teenager, pregnant woman, an adult male/female and the elderly all have different nutrient requirements. To be healthy, one’s diet must accommodate their needs.
A growing child or teenager needs a diet that promotes healthy growth and development. EFAs (Omega 3 and 6) in balance, www.omeganutrition.com with quality protein, natural vitamin A and mineral-rich foods, along with plenty of natural daylight and sunshine are particularly important for them. The avoidance of junk food, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs is also necessary for optimum growth and mental well-being. See “What You Should Know About Fats and Oils” in The NZ Journal of Natural Medicine” Issue no. 2 and “Light” The Ignored Nutrient,” in Issue No. 1.
A pregnant woman needs a well-balanced, nourishing diet including high quality protein, EFAs in balance, fibre and various supplements, including folic acid/folate, natural iron, iodine, zinc and vitamins A, D, B12, C and E, a balance of all the minerals and sunshine. Mothers who take a poor-quality synthetic prenatal supplement with too much of the wrong kind of iron develop a vitamin E deficiency, which can be the cause of a premature birth and jaundice in her baby. This can also lead to defects in the development of the sex pattern of the brain. If not carefully balanced, a vegetarian diet can be dangerous for both a mother and her unborn child. A B12, folic acid/folate and/or an iodine deficiency can cause serious birth defects, such as spina bifida and Down syndrome. See: https://www.drbrownstein.com/bookstore.php Also, the EFAs in balance are very important for the brain and nerve development of the baby. Vegan mothers are often deficient in these nutrients, which can produce inferior brain and nerve development in their babies.
Men need to nourish and protect their prostrate gland and women need to do the same with their breasts and ovaries.
Senior adults need a diet high in antioxidants, which considers possible age related ailments such as heart disease, dementia and osteoporosis. Moderate exercise, natural daylight, sunshine and a proper balance between magnesium, calcium and other minerals help to prevent bone loss.
Genetics
Evolution is a slow process. When people drastically change their diet from what their ancestors ate, their bodies do not function well. For example, some ethnic groups have an intolerance to cow’s dairy products because of a lack of the enzyme lactase to digest the lactose or milk sugar. Taking lactase as a supplement can sometimes alleviate this problem.
The blood type diet with a few exceptions provides a good guide for the different blood types. According to Dr. Peter D’Adamo, author of “Eat Right For Your Type”, a chemical reaction occurs between your blood and the foods you eat. This reaction is part of your genetic inheritance and is caused by a factor called lectins. Lectins are abundant and diverse proteins found in foods, which have agglutinating properties that affect your blood. So, when you eat a food containing protein lectins that are incompatible with your blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ or bodily system and begin to agglutinate blood cells in that area. Blood type diet restores the body’s natural genetic rhythm.
To truly see the effects of a food, diet, drug or environmental toxins, at least two generations must be evaluated. Most genetic defects occur within a person’s life time. Diet and environment play a major role in creating strong, weak or defective genes. A person with “strong” genes will respond more quickly with a good diet and nutritional supplementation. A person with “weak” genes requires more time and nutrients to obtain optimum results. Each generation contributes to the genetics of their offspring. By consuming a more nourishing diet, conducive to one’s genetics, along with various supplements and avoiding pollutants before conception most birth defects can be prevented. Proper prenatal care creates much healthier babies.
Illness/Disease/Medication/Injury/surgery
Certain illnesses or diseases and some medications may interfere with nutrient intake, digestion, absorption, metabolism. For example, celiacs must avoid all foods containing gluten, such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. Various foods may counteract certain medications. Read inserts.
Diabetics must avoid refined sugar and damaged oils/fats. Diabetics can reduce or even eliminate their insulin by changing to a healthy, high fibre diet that includes quality protein, EFAs in balance, complex carbohydrates, various minerals such as chromium, magnesium and sulphur, B complex with B6, vitamin C complex, natural vitamin E, along with other nutrients. For specific advice, consult with your health practitioner and nutritionist. Read “Health and Nutrition Secrets That can Save Your Life” by Russell Blaylock, MD, http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/
People with heart disease can improve and even reverse their condition by changing their diet, correcting imbalances and providing deficient nutrients. A good vitamin C complex, natural vitamin E, CoQ 10, taurine and magnesium and other nutrients along with an exercise program are vital for recovery. Read: “Why Animals Don’t Get Heart Attacks….. But People Do” by Matthias Rath, MD (MR Publishing, Inc., 2009). http://www.drrathresearch.org/
To learn more about natural hormone therapy and cancer cures by medical doctors using Integrative and CAM medicine, read: “Breakthrough” and “Knockout” by Suzanne Somers.
People with thyroid conditions, overweight and obesity need more iodine and should avoid soy products and fluoride, which suppress thyroid function. See: “The Case Against Fluoride” by Paul Connett, PhD, J, Beck, MD, PhD & H.S. Michlem, DPhil. Dr. Joseph Mercola’s Interview with Dr. David Brownstein: http://nowopolis.com/home/what-the-health/910-dr-david-bronstein-on-iodine
Commercial/refined salt is particularly harmful for those with hypertension and kidney disease. Potassium rich foods and Celtic seasalt are a healthier option. www.selinanaturally.com
A carefully planned macrobiotic diet can be beneficial for certain types of degenerative diseases. However, unless well balanced, reversal types of diets are best adhered to for a period of time, then changed to a more comprehensive type of diet.
Both teens and adults suffer from adrenal burn out because of all the stimulants they consume and toxic metals they are exposed to. The body can not eliminate toxins unless it has energy. Hence, rebuilding the thyroid and adrenal glands is necessary to restore energy. Rest and super foods such as bee pollen, royal jelly and Sun Eleuthero are helpful in rebuilding the adrenal glands. Natural powdered Zeolite is very helpful for eliminating toxic metals, such as mercury from amalgam fillings, tuna and other deep sea fish. To order, contact: zeoliteworks@clear.net.nz
Injuries and surgical procedures heal more rapidly and have fewer complications when a sufficient amount of quality protein, vitamins B12 and K, folate, C complex and other antioxidants are provided on a regular basis. Taking aspirin prior to surgery can cause a patient to bleed to death.
Though not dietary related, the Space Healer is one of the most effective devices ever invented, which greatly helps in the healing process and alleviating pain. See: http://www.spacehealer.co.nz
Climate/Lifestyles
Climate is another important factor to consider when selecting a diet. People in a cold climate need more cooked foods for survival and to warm the body. Foods such as buckwheat/kasha/soba iodine and sea vegetables also help warm the body. People in a tropical climate do well with more raw foods in their diet. For a good variety of sea vegetables see: http://www.seaveg.com/shop/
Lifestyle and occupation must also be considered when defining your dietary profile. For example, a person who does a lot of physical work or is an athlete requires a diet higher in calories, complex carbohydrates and protein than a person who leads a sedentary lifestyle. Exposure to environmental pollutants requires more antioxidants and vitamin C and A. A person who does a lot of mental work needs more protein, EFAs in balance, full spectrum daylight and brain nutrients, such as gingko biloba.
Stress depletes a tremendous amount of nutrients. If they are not replaced, the body will age and break down. Stimulants and drugs only add to the ill effects of stress, create more deficiencies and eventually a state of burnout. Continuously produced stress hormones, such as cortisol, GH and norepinephrine/adrenaline for fight or flight, break the body down. On the other hand, Meditation, along with a nutritious diet, is very beneficial for relieving stress and healing.
OXIDATION TYPES
Oxidation is the process by which certain elements in the body chemically combine with oxygen to release energy. A person can be either a fast, slow mixed or normal oxidiser. Look for “How to Balance Your body Chemistry” by Lady Carla Davis, MPH, in a future issue of The NZ Journal of Natural Medicine. Eating the wrong foods and/or taking the wrong supplements can be just a damaging as polluting the body. A hair analysis is a good way to determine your oxidation type mineral levels/ratios and toxic metal levels. It also provides a supplement program to help balance your body chemistry.
Fast oxidizers release energy too quickly. To slow down, they should eat a moderate amount of protein (e.g. organ meats, lamb, fatty fish and wild game); more fats, oils and certain dairy products; less fruit, grains and starch. Calcium, magnesium and zinc are important for them. To much vitamin C, E and B complex can make the fast oxidizer worse because they raise sodium and potassium levels, which can bring a person closer to a heart attack. Most children are fast oxidizers. All stimulants such as coffee and sugar are detrimental to fast oxidizers.
Slow oxidizers release energy too slowly and are often overweight. To speed up, they should eat more protein, moderate amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and less fat and oils. Zinc, manganese, vitamins C, E and B complex help to increase oxidation. Thyroid and adrenal glandulars are also beneficial. Sweets and fruits juices are best avoided. Hypoglycaemia, arthritis, osteoporosis and allergies are common among slow oxidizers.
A vegetarian diet can temporarily increase the oxidation rate due to lower fat content. Eventually, it slows the oxidation rate due to a higher copper content and often a low zinc and B vitamin content. Also soy products inhibit thyroid function, increase copper and promote oestrogen, which contributes to numerous health, problems including hormone imbalances.
Mixed oxidizers have an erratic metabolism. One of their two energy producing glands, thyroid and adrenal, is slow while the other is fast. Stabilising them is done accordingly. For example, calcium slows down the thyroid gland and potassium speeds it up. Too much sodium in relation to magnesium will speed up the adrenal gland Too much magnesium in relation to sodium will slow down the adrenal gland.
The rare balanced oxidizer has the most efficient metabolism.
As you can see, one type of diet doesn’t suite everyone. Avoid extreme or radical diets that make unrealistic promises. Eat consciously, consult with a good nutritionist, read The NZ Journal of Natural Medicine www.naturalmedicine.net.nz and learn as much as you can about the amazing human body. There are no quick fixes, so be patient and keep in mind that there are many factors to consider before defining your dietary profile.
NOTE: Because of biochemical individuality and limited space, the nutritional guidelines and advice in this article are general and for educational purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose, treat or replace the advice provided by your health practitioner.
This article was first published in issue 4 of The NZ Journal of Natural Medicine.