Nutrition Inspiration
By Philip Legge and family
Nutrition Categories
The body has a program, and it is cellular based. Each of the trillions of cells in the body is a pump. The cell pumps out toxins and pumps in nutrients. In supplying cleansing and building properties to the trillions of cells in the body, we could outline 8 basic Categories of nutrition. The 1st and most cleansing Category is pure water. The 2nd Category would be herb teas, raw vegetable and fruit juices and vegetable broths. The 3rd Category is vegetables, fruit and sprouted seeds. These first three Categories are cleansing and alkaline, and low in protein. The 4th Category is grains (millet, spelt, kamut, cornmeal, wheat, oats, rye, barley, quinoa, etc.) and legumes or pulses (dried beans such as kidney beans, lentils, chick peas, navy beans, etc.) The 5th Category would be seeds and nuts. Category 4 and 5 are protein and starch combinations, and have both cleansing and building properties. Grains contain several of the 9 essential amino acids, and legumes contain several different essential amino acids. The 6th Category is dairy products such as milk, yogurt, kefir, cheese, etc. The 7th Category is eggs. The 8th Category is fish and meat. Category 6, 7, and 8 are animal products, and are considered building foods with a complete protein containing all 9 essential amino acids.
Detoxification
Our bodies are always absorbing nutrients and detoxifying wastes whether we know anything about it or not. Detoxification is just as important as the food you eat, because without efficient detoxification the body cannot properly digest, absorb, and use nutrients. If cells are full of their own wastes, they cannot absorb nutrients from the blood, and the cell starves. Once the cell is detoxified, then it will absorb the nutrients. Absorption involves the digestion of food in the digestive tract, and the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream, and lastly the absorption of nutrients out of the bloodstream by the cells. The cell then burns these nutrients for energy so that it can perform its duties in the body. Most of the bodily wastes are produced in the cells. The elimination of these wastes from the cells is the beginning of the detoxification process. The blood carries these wastes to the lungs, kidneys, and liver. The liver and kidneys are filters which remove toxins and poisons from the blood. These toxins are eliminated through the bowels and bladder. The lymph system also carries wastes away from the cells, and they are filtered out by the lymph nodes, and some of these toxins are eliminated through the skin. The skin has been called the ‘third kidney’ because it has the ability to eliminate toxins. A NATURAL DIET and CLEANSING PERIODS in the diet are necessary to detoxify the body. A natural diet should consist of food in its unprocessed state as much as possible. In other words, we should eat food as it is provided for us by God and nature, and not after the food industry has processed it.
Two Main Functions
Understanding the two main body functions is foundational to understanding how the human body works, and where a person has to start in order to have a successful health and fitness program. Some people might know more about how their lawn mower works than how the human body works. This introduction provides a clear and simple foundation on which you can build a successful health and fitness program. The body has a program, and it is cellular based. The function of the body as a whole, and the function of each individual part is dependent on what happens in the cells. The 2 main body functions at a cellular level are: 1) the absorption of nutrients by the trillions of cells in the body; and 2) the elimination of wastes and toxins from the trillions of cells in the body. The cells produce a pumping action which pumps nutrients in, and pumps waste products out. All other body processes, and all of life depends on how well these 2 pumping actions function. There are 4 steps in understanding the 2 main body functions: 1) Nutrients are delivered to the cells through the process of digestion and circulation. 2) Nutrients are pumped in and absorbed by the cells which is called cellular absorption. 3) Waste products are pumped out and eliminated from the cells which is called cellular elimination. 4) Wastes products are eliminated from the body by the 5 channels of elimination.
Living Enzymes
Enzymes provide the spark of life, and are often lacking in the diet. Enzymes are essential to the digestive process, and also in preventing and overcoming disease! As our body uses up enzymes, they have to be replaced from our diet. When vegetables or fruit are cooked the enzymes are destroyed by the heat. Raw carrots, turnips, beets, celery, onion, garlic, radishes, sweet potatoes and green leafy plants, are powerful medicinal foods with an abundance of enzymes and phyto-nutrients (plant nutrients). Usually, the deeper the color or pigment of the vegetable or fruit, the more medicinal nutrients are available. Making your own fresh, raw, vegetable, fruit, and green plant juices and smoothies is the best way to get an abundance of enzymes, vitamins, mineral, and trace elements into your body. Why is that? Because when we drink a glass of juice we are consuming far more of the vegetable or fruit than if we ate it. An 8 ounce glass of juice could provide the nutrients of eating two pounds of vegetables or fruit.
Vegetable Broths
Vegetable broths have been used since the beginning of time to help prevent and overcome disease. Vegetable broths provide several benefits that the raw juices do not offer. The cooking process helps to release more of the nutrients from the fiber, and also some of the nutrients, especially the starches are more easily absorbed by the body. Remember that raw juices have a powerful detoxifying effect, and some people can only consume a small quantity of raw juice because their bodies are so toxic. Supplementing your raw juice ‘cleanse days’ with cooked vegetable broths keeps the cleansing process going without interfering with the detoxification benefits of the raw juice. Vegetable broths are quite satisfying, and can provide more energy for people that are working on their ‘cleanse days’. There are also some people who do not own a juicer, and vegetable broths are easy for anyone to make. Eating raw fruits and raw vegetables will provide living enzymes, but not in the quantity that is available in raw juices. Many of the same vegetables that you would use for raw juice can be used to make vegetable broths. Carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, turnip, beets, kale, onions, and garlic along with herbs for seasoning are all very popular and tasty. Try to pick a variety of different coloured vegetables to provide a good mix of nutrients and taste. Remember, different colours mean different nutrients with a variety of health and medicinal benefits. Be creative and have fun with your healing broths!
Understanding Fiber
Fiber is only found in PLANT FOODS, which are fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes, and seeds and nuts. There is no fiber in ANIMAL FOODS. Fiber is the residue part of plant foods that cannot be broken-down and absorbed in the digestive tract. Insoluble fibers are plant fibers that do not dissolve in water. These types of fibers are called lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Some examples of foods that contain insoluble fiber are wheat bran, rice bran and vegetable fibers. Soluble fibers are plant fibers that will dissolve in water. These types of fibers are called pectins and gums. Some examples of foods that contain soluble fiber are oats, barley, legumes, fruits and psyllium. 30 to 50 grams of fiber per day is often recommended. Some examples of the fiber content of certain foods depending on the size of the portion are: 1 apple (3 gms.); 1 carrot (3 gms.); 1 potato (4 gms.); 1 slice of whole grain bread (2 gms.); ½ cup of cooked peas (5 gms.); ½ cup of cooked kidney beans (6 gms.); 1 cup of lettuce (1 gm.). Some bowel diseases such as Colitis, and Ileitis (Crohn’s disease) can be aggravated by a high fiber diet. Fiber supplements such as fiber tablets are not as effective as eating fiber rich foods which contain a variety of fibers. Fiber should be increased gradually to prevent gas and cramping.
Pure Water
Pure water is also often overlooked when we talk about human nutrition. Just like clean air, it is an essential nutrient. As most people know, water is a cleanser and a solvent. We don’t wash windows or floors with juice, milk or coffee and expect them to be clean. It is the same with the body. The kidneys need pure water to detoxify the body, and they need a sufficient amount. Depending on the size of the person, and levels of perspiration, a person needs between four and twelve glasses of water a day. Too much water is hard on the kidneys, and too little water is hard on the kidneys. Listen to your body, and you will find the right amount of water for you. Using a distiller to make your own distilled water is a good choice for short-term cleansing and detoxification of the body. Distilled water is an excellent solvent because it is the purest and most natural form of water, but all the trace minerals have been removed. ‘PRECISION WATER DISTILLERS’ (formerly ‘Polar Bear Water Distillers’) have been hand-made in Canada for over 40 years, and are CSA approved. It is important to use pure water in your nutrition program. Bottled water is not good because of toxins absorbed from the plastic, and also detergent residues from cleaning the larger water cooler bottles. The source of the water in the bottles is sometimes questionable as well. Reverse osmosis removes all minerals and trace minerals, and leaves the water acidic. Carbon filters can be a breeding ground for bacteria, and pathways can develop in the carbon that reduces the surface area that is in contact with the water. A quality filtering system like the ‘ROYAL DOULTON’ system from England uses a diatomaceous earth filter. It is unique because it removes most bacteria, microorganisms, toxins and chemicals, but leaves the trace minerals in, and even adds trace minerals. It also oxygenates the water, and makes the water more alkaline. It is simple, cost-effective and attaches to most taps. Contact us for more information.
Clean Air
Oxygen is often overlooked when we talk about human nutrition, but it is our most essential nutrient. We can live for weeks without food, and for days without water, but only minutes without oxygen! Deep breathing exercises are helpful to raise oxygen levels in the body, and lower carbon dioxide levels both of which are necessary for a healthy immune system. It’s important that we exercise our diaphragm, to maximize our intake of oxygen, and to maximize the removal of carbon dioxide from our body which is a waste gas. Oxygen makes up about 20% of the air around us, but oxygen levels are decreasing around the world because of pollution. Our lungs normally hold about three quarts (about three litres) of air. In normal breathing about a pint (half litre) of air is inhaled or exhaled with each breath. However, with vigorous exercise that can be increased to three to four quarts (about three to four litres) with each breath. Our lungs only weigh about a pound each, and have no muscles of their own for breathing! The muscles around the chest do the work of breathing, and the diaphragm is very important because it is the main muscle for breathing! The diaphragm is located at the bottom of the rib cage, and reaches back to the spine supporting our lungs and our heart in the correct position. With normal breathing the diaphragm moves less than an inch, but with exercise it can move up and down several inches. Contact us to learn more about the different diaphragm exercises.
Internal Environment
All of the blood vessels in the body, laid end-to-end, would cover a distance of about 60,000 miles, or almost 100,000 kilometres! However, there is two to three times more lymph fluid in the body than blood. But an even bigger difference is that the lymph fluid doesn’t have a pump! The blood is pumped by the heart, but because the lymph fluid doesn’t have a pump it can easily pool or collect in the lower part of the body. This is one of the reasons why walking is so important, because the muscular contraction in the legs helps to move the lymph fluid to the upper body so that it can be filtered and cleaned. There is a famous saying, ‘The two best doctors in the world, are your right leg and your left leg.’ Maintaining a hygienic environment inside the body by effectively recirculating lymph fluid is vital to our health. There is a lot of talk nowadays about external hygiene outside the body, but very little talk about internal hygiene. The internal environment in the body will determine whether the immune system can keep a balance between good and bad microorganisms in the body.
One of the concerns today, is that most people know very little about how their body works. Some of us know more about how our lawnmower works, than how our body works. If we don’t know how our body works, we can be misled and deceived about what is healthy for us. An example would be if we take our vehicle to the garage, and we don’t know anything about mechanics, the mechanic could tell us whatever they want, and we wouldn’t know the difference. So, learning how our body works, and being a good steward of what God has loaned to us is essential for us to make the right decisions about our health care. Don’t just rely on other people, but get informed and take responsibility for your family’s health.