FOODS
by Sarah Zitin
Because we really “are what we eat,” we must be vigilant, educated and practical about what we ingest. The basic food groups: fruit, vegetables, grains, (selective) meats and green-sources are vital to our health and survival. When one or any of these groups are ignored consistently, we are a breeding ground for dis-ease.
The job of food is to nourish every part of the body- physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally. The foods we eat affect all of it: our organs, tissues, muscles, digestion, circulation—all are dependent on nourishment for survival.
We, as Americans, have definitely gotten out of touch with nature when it comes to nutrition. We eat processed, fast-foods full of fat and cholesterol, foods that are nutritionally depleted due to chemicals, toxins and pollution, and we are a culture addicted to sugar and alcohol (everything in moderation is a good idea!). We often become old before our time because we don’t know how to preserve ourselves through healthy eating.
When our bodies become polluted, we need to detoxify (another article altogether)—get rid of the old and take in fresh and hopefully organic greens and fruits in order to cleanse the inside. Just for instance, here is a list of some of the fruits and vegetables, according to common sense and Gary Null ( Ph.D. in nutrition):
Apples
Beets
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Melons
Pineapple
These substances clean and support the body’s own immune system by supplying the proper detoxification, vitamins and minerals.
We’ve heard stories about sailors on the open seas becoming ill with scurvy, an illness whose root is a lack of vitamin C. Perhaps it is difficult to keep fruits fresh, or the sailors don’t maintain their vitamin levels, but there is a direct correlation between this deficiency and illness. There are a HOST of problems which occur without adequate attention to good food groups in our daily diets.
Grains are essential to building blocks in the body and to carbohydrates, which also are fuel for us. They are also full of vitamins such as B’s, A and many minerals and amino acids. My point is that these foods, which contain different nutrients for different body functions, are all crucial to balance and health.
For example, I have a very good friend who NEVER ate, and refuses to today, green vegetables. She has a genuine aversion to putting them into her mouth. And because her parents allowed this behavior and several other poor eating choices, she is very ill today.
My friend is suffering from a very rare form of cancer called “neuroendocrinic” cancer, which is cancer of the endocrine system. It is a slow-growing cancer, thank God, and she has had it for probably at least ten years (uneasily detectible!). Her diet has ALWAYS been extremely unhealthy and she is not about to change it now. She wants to die enjoying her life as much as possible, and does not want to eat foods that don’t please her. There is a large chance at this point, that what she eats will not change the terminal prognosis anyway. And I, as a person who is very aware of diet and health, see how her life style greatly contributed to her disease. Her body was literally STARVED of nutrients for all of her forty-five years! And not only does she NOT eat good things, but she THRIVES on what I consider to be BAD foods—dairy, sugar, lots of red meats, empty calorie foods, sodas and inorganic foods.
Finally, we are obviously greatly affected both positively and negatively by what we eat, and therefore, it is essential to our lives that we EDUCATE ourselves as much as we can. The resources are endless!