alternative health tips

First I must say that I think it’s funny that a natural, whole foods diet is now deemed to be the “alternative” approach!  LOL!  Before modern machinery & pesticides came along all foods were whole and organic.  Why not eat the natural way like our ancestors?  Now days people are starting to learn the importance of eating foods the way they were originally made to be eaten…whole and clean (organic).  Of course it’s not smart to eat poisons!  Anything that kills the bugs is going to hurt your health as well.  Of course it’s not smart to remove part of the food and only eat the addictive part.  Sugar for instance is originally full of minerals and then they process it and create this white “cocaine” that is so addictive kids scream and cry when they don’t get thier fix.  Did you know that you can buy whole unprocessed sugar from the health food store?  The brands are “Sucanat” and “Rapadura”.  Look for oils that say “unrefined” on the label.  Only certain oils can remain on the shelf (unrefrigerated) in an unrefined state without spoiling.  Olive, sesame, coconut, and safflower are a few of the oils I recommend.  I believe that everything has a purpose and that everything was put here to be used wisely. Eating foods in their whole form is eating them wisely. When you screw with foods by taking part of the food out and throwing it away you are doing a disservice to yourself and working toward creating problems. Read “Healing With Whole Foods” by Paul Pitchford. Great book but remember that as knowledgeable as Paul and others are, nobody knows everything and there are exceptions to all the rules.
Ok, I’ve made my point…eat whole, organic foods!

I’m Brett Rodgers, massage therapist.  If you like my articles please see my web site too!  I make the worlds best custom orthotics for the feet, cool and natural sitting cushions and awesome millet hull pillows!

Eat the many different colors of food!
Oh my God, the colors of life are so extraordinary. I have learned that when we eat foods full of color that we then see life as a colorful mystery to be solved, a beautiful place to give all that we can give, a vibrant and special gift from the divine. Think of all the different sounds too. When we eat different colors of foods we start to notice all the different sounds as well. The birds in the trees, a dog barking, the wind blowing. It is these simple things that we must appreciate each and every day! When we eat a full variety of different and colorful foods we give ourselves the opportunity to experience life to the fullest.

 
Change takes time!
As with everything in life, sometimes we need to make radical changes but most of the time it is best to change gradually. As an example, I’ve made some pretty extreme changes in my diet in the past that created some crazy withdrawal symptoms. When I got rid of processed sugar I had radical dreams of cookies, cakes and candies all night…every night and I would wake up in a puddle of sweat! Withdrawal from addictive/processed foods (foods that you’re allergic to) can be absolute hell! In the past I’ve tried to reduce and/or all but eliminate meat …to the point of total malnutrition. I looked like an Ethiopian! lol- but not funny. It can take a lot of time for many of us to be able to absorb enough nutrients from vegetable foods to meet our daily requirements. (The cleaner our bodies are and the calmer our minds are, the more will be able to achieve vegetarianism) Now, I know that for me, my most important restrictions are wheat, dairy and soy, more so than any other foods. You are one that needs to know about your own body! Listen to your own body and then make gradual changes. Push it…then if you fall off the horse, get right back on there!

Human bodies “reject” (allergies and sensitivities) the following foods the most:
Wheat & other grains, dairy, soy, corn, yeast, peanuts, nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant), citrus (orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime), meat (beef, chicken, fish), eggs, and other foods that are either too aggressive, too fatty, too acidic, too mucus forming, have certain chemicals that can cause problems, or are foreign to our ancestral heritage. Read books about allergies and food sensitivities! (“Was It Something You Ate” by John Emsley and Peter Fell) Sometimes we need to completely eliminate certain foods that really cause us problems. (I have a gluten and lactose intolerance and need to stay away from wheat and dairy). Other times we can gradually introduce a food into our diet over a period of time. (Someone with a fungal problem may be able to eventually eat peanuts if they reduce their candida count or someone with an overly acidic body can gradually eat more citrus if they alkalize their bodies with diet change and stress reduction). Today we have the option to eat just about anything we want to and people will do just that and in radical combinations too! Just 200 years ago and prior to that time my northern European ancestors never ate oranges. They had never even seen tomatoes either. Prior to 10,000 years ago humans had never eaten grains. Now, I’m not telling you to completely eliminate all these foods! You may or may not have difficulties with them. Go see an allergist or do the tests on your own. (Try going without a particular food for a week. Notice any cravings you may experience or withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, stress, sweating, craving, vomiting, diarrhea, and more). Ancestry is also very important in telling you which foods to eat. My ancestors come from Great Britain on my fathers side and Norway on my mothers side. Where do yours come from? What did they eat? Figure that out and go from there. Read, “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon. This book is full of information about past cultures from around the world and what they ate. Of course, our world is not the same world and we are not the same people but we do need to learn about the past so that we may survive in the present and future. Take what you like and leave the rest.