Top 20 recommendations for a healthy nutrition plan

Here are my top 20 recommendations for a healthy nutrition plan:

1. Cut out the following: Sugar; White flour (it's stripped of nutrients), Animal and vegetable fats and ALL margarines


2. Avoid excess soy and consider having none at all


3. Keep consumption of dairy products LOW


4. Don’t rely on ONE source of fibre, (i.e. wheat bran) include beans, pulses, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, oats, rye, barley, corn


5. Wheat bran is not a good choice - it inhibits mineral absorption


6. Keep alcohol consumption down


7. Limit salt – try not to add any to your food and never cook with it


8. Don't eat excessive amounts of animal protein


9. Protein is also found in nuts, seeds, peas, beans, lentils, sprouts and whole grains. All are rich in vitamins, minerals and protein


10. Avoiding carrying too much weight – it will reduce your life expectancy, and brings many diseases with it


11. Don't smoke or take recreational drugs


12. Ensure a HIGH intake of vegetables, especially green, leafy ones and preferably raw or steamed


13. Plenty of good quality fibre – many people need supplemental help here


14. Eat organic and free range where possible


15. Take regular MENTAL exercise - hobbies, reading etc


16. Prayer enhances immunity


17. Enjoyment of life also enhances immunity


18. If you are a vegetarian (but be aware of the long term dangers here) ensure sufficient protein and include the following: Rice with legumes or sesame seeds, Wheat with legumes/sesame seeds, Corn with legumes, Sesame seeds with either beans or wheatQuinoa is a good source of protein


19. Regular exercise - even if it is just a 15 minute walk


20. Have a goal in life - raises your immunity!

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What about a low-fat diet?

For those of you who still think you’re going to lose weight on a low-fat diet, think again.

Our bodies crave fat and we cannot survive without it. As soon as we deprive ourselves of good fats and oils (in fish, pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplementation and extra virgin cold pressed olive oil) our bodies panic and send messages to our brains for a quick fix in the way of sugar, sending us into diabetes contenders and susceptible to other degenerative diseases.

It is clear from the ever-present chronic diseases, skyrocketing overweight and obesity rates and widespread degenerative illnesses facing developed and developing countries that something has gone wrong with our diets. The biggest fad diet in the world has encouraged food from machines and sickly animals instead of whole foods from organically grown sources and this is a major issue that contributes to the failure of our health.

Identifying and eating low-fat foods provide many with reassurance, but fat is often substituted with increased levels of sugar. Many people believe a low-fat alternative has up to 40 percent fewer calories than regular brands, when the true figure is more likely to be only around 11 percent, say researchers.

A person's perception of what amounted to a regular portion of food was often slanted when faced with low-fat alternatives. People believe they will feel less guilty eating the low-fat foods, so they tend to overindulge.

Unbeknownst to the general public, the theory that bad health follows high intake of fats in general or saturated fats in particular has long had its detractors--and the list of detractors has been growing noticeably in recent years.

Have a read of what DrSears.com has to say on this topic - you'll need to register, but worth reading!

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Does dark chocolate reduce blood pressure?

Many people, including the marketers of chocolate, would be thrilled to find their favourite treat is able to reduce blood pressure, but I wonder why people have high blood pressure in the first place. Could it be they are consuming lots of milk chocolate, as Forbes.com has intimated?

I agree it seems small quantities of dark chocolate have healthful flavonoids, but encouraging consumption in order to reduce hbp may be fuelled by clever marketing. A more sensible approach is to encourage sufferers to increase their garlic and onion intake, promote a low fat diet and eat oily fish at least twice a week.

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Dieting does not work, researchers report

Anyone who has been on a diet will tell you that over time, they do not work – that is why so many people yo-yo diet. The temptation of a ‘quick-fix’ will always lure overweight and obese people to ‘try just one more diet’. It’s a mug’s game that is certain to fail. From a common sense angle, we know our bodies understand feast and famine very well, as we are conditioned to store nutrients in our fat cells if a drought shows the slightest chance of being apparent.

Think of it this way:

As soon as we reduce our intake of calories, our bodies are conditioned to store food because they think a drought is at hand and could get worse. So food is stored in the fat cells ‘for later’.

Another aspect that is going to encourage a diet to fail – our bodies crave fat, but the world has gone mad and has encouraged a ‘fat-free’ lifestyle to reduce fat, which is completely against the way our bodies function best. Our brains alone consist mostly of fat, and work at optimum levels when our essential fatty acids are in balance. If we reduce fat, we unknowingly turn on a craving for fat which manifests itself in a craving for something sweet. So we have a quick fix bar of chocolate or muffin or breakfast bar (even worse!) in the hopes of stilling the nagging urge, and so set up a cycle for storing fat once again. Sugar turns quickly to glucose in the blood and if we don’t use it immediately it becomes toxic, so turning on the insulin response which removes the toxic sweet stuff out of the blood stream – into the fat cells!And so the cycle goes on.

There is only one certain way to lose weight and keep a healthy body as a result, and that is to eat a variety of foods which are not processed and are still in their natural form, exercise sensibly, drink plenty of water and make certain you have enough good fats and oils in your diet. Find a nutritionally trained health professional who understands how your body reacts to different foods and keep away from fad diets.

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Ala and prostate cancer

Quick Tip

A recent review article points out that prostate cancer is increasing, and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the Western world. The etiology of prostate cancer remains unclear, course and progression are unpredictable, and definite treatment is not yet established. Lifestyle and diet Prostate Forum Nutrition Guide could contribute to the progression from small, latent, non-metastatic tumors to clinically significant, invasive, metastatic lesions. What Is Metastatic Cancer?

Of six studies done, one showed no correlation. One found a small (not statistically significant) positive correlation. Four studies found a strong positive correlation between ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) and prostate cancer. At least two other studies have also shown a correlation of alpha-linolenic acid with increased prostate cancer.According to Prostate Forum, several labs have found that ALA is one of the most powerful growth stimulants for human prostate cancer cells. The Prostate Forum has recommended against the use of flax oil by men with prostate cancer. Since flax oil is the richest readily available food source of ALA, the reasoning goes, this oil should cause the most prostate cancer.

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Get your Thyroid in Gear

Your thyroid is a tiny butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck which regulates your metabolism, playing a major role in energy and health levels from day to day.

The thyroid produces hormones which convert food into energy, helping your body burn calories efficiently. If your thyroid is functioning badly, effects are quickly felt. Women with healthy thyroids numerous symptoms are experienced, including weight loss or gain, mood swings, and changes in bowel habits.

How Well Is Your Thyroid Working?
It's always a good idea to have your doctor regularly check that your thyroid is functioning correctly, and your hormone levels are within healthy limits. But while you wait for answers, the following short quiz can help you determine the efficiency of your thyroid:

• Is your heartbeat slower or more rapid than usual?
• Are you intolerant of heat or cold?
• Are you irritable/ fatigued/depressed?
• Do you have mood swings?
• Have you gained or lost a significant amount of weight in a short period of time?
• Have you noticed a change in the flow of your menstrual periods?
• Have your bowel habits changed?
• Are you experiencing constipation or loose bowel movements?
• Is your hair dry or coarse, or do you have significant hair loss?
• Do you have swelling or a lump on the front side of the base of your neck?

If you answered “Yes” of five or more of these questions, talk to your doctor. He or she may conduct some tests, and can tell you what you can do to support the health and proper functioning of your thyroid gland.

Some women will need thyroid hormone replacement therapy. For this, I particularly like Armour Thyroid, a prescription form of natural thyroid replacement therapy, available in the UK and France.

But all women, regardless of their age, can benefit from the nutritional support of their thyroid. Fortunately, there are safe, natural supplements available.

Boost Your Thyroid Naturally
Iodine and tyrosine play a crucial role in thyroid support. They work synergistically to produce hormones and balance thyroid production, so ensure you are taking in enough of these nutrients. Some wonderful food sources of iodine include garlic, shellfish and kelp. An average woman needs 150mcg of iodine a day to support her thyroid, but since most of us take in closer to 600mcg through our diet, it’s unlikely we’ll need to supplement this nutrient.

Tyrosine, an amino acid produced in your body from another amino acid called phenylalanine, helps support your metabolism and stamina. Tyrosine is abundant in fish, soybeans, poultry, almonds, seeds, and peas. An easy way to increase your levels is to supplement 500–2,000mg of tyrosine per day with a protein meal. (If your blood pressure is not in the normal range, begin with the lower dosage, and monitor your blood pressure levels regularly.) Also, to ensure your thyroid function is at its peak, be sure you are also getting the following in your nutrient programme daily:

• 200mcg of selenium
• 15mg of zinc
• 600-2000mg of Ester C
• 600IU of vitamin E
• 100mg of vitamin B6
• 400mcg of folic acid, and
• 100mcg of vitamin B12

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