Tuesday 29 October 2013

TIPS TUESDAY: HOW YOUR DIET AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH

It is often said that we are what we eat, but how many of us actually try to eat healthy? And how possible or should I say feasible is it these days? With there been more working mothers now and no maids, our diet has taken a turn for the worst. I was having a discussion with one of my senior colleagues one day not too long ago, and the turn of the discussion scared the living daylights out of me. It seems I've directly poisoned myself for a long time as I'm sure most of us have.

The discussion started with the constant clinical failures we were having with the treatment of malaria even though it didn't always prove so pathologically (as in when symptoms of patients were compared to laboratory investigations of the same patients). To speak more plainly, patients returned to clinic after treatment with the same non-specific symptoms of malaria of body pains, easy tiredness and just a general feeling of unwell after initial treatment, and most times after tests were repeated, the malaria parasites seemed to have cleared from their bloodstreams. Usually, another antimalarial drug is prescribed for patients who claimed to have more severe symptoms while multivitamins were given to others. It was a cause for serious concern.


So, it happened that a nurse was happy after she apparently had found a permanent cure for the constant tiredness she had. When I inquired about the details, she said she had been read a book "the haleluyah diet" and was following it strictly. The book is basically about eating lots of fruits and vegetables, no meat only fish and also natural foods but in minimal quantity - she explained. It was at this point the senior colleague I mentioned earlier came into the discussion, with the opening remark "our problem stems from eating lots of packaged foods. This definitely got my attention. The explanation was that, packaged foods came with lots of preservatives especially those with long expiry dates.

Currently, because of globalization (you often hear sayings like "the world is a global village"), Foods produced in different parts of the world are now very readily available at other parts. Countries like China have made it even more affordable so that foods that were considered food for the rich are now common placed. That however, is not my main problem here, the more the merrier isn't it what they say? My problem is that with this globalization, the effects is foods, even perishables are now packaged with very potent preservatives so they can stand the test of time from manufacturing till it's eventually consumed; the test of travel from one far continent to another with alternating temperatures of sea and air travel. The time it spends in the shops before it finally gets to its consumers.


These days we hear of increasing rates of cancers and the world is generating resources and fighting against it everyday. The rate of hypertension, diabetes and obesity including childhood obesity is on the rise. Can we stop for a minute and think? What if these preservatives are toxins? I'm pretty sure some are. My colleague explained that the preservatives are not digestible and as such remain in the intestines and line the intestinal walls preventing proper absorption of the foods we eat and leaving us with very little nutrients. Some facilitate storage and increase in the fat stores. Others are just plain toxic. I always knew there was a correlation between cancer of the colon (gut) and canned foods but I never got it quite so explained.

Back to the beginning about living in such trying times as we do, with work taking up so much time that we have barely enough to sleep, how do we add cooking all natural foods all the time? My personal solution, it's next to impossible but not if you try GENUINELY!!! I decided to stop buying frozen meat, canned foods e.t.c. But there are some things I can't help like eating biscuits for example, even when you bake them yourself, the ingredients have been preserved. For those, I decided to increase my fruit and vegetables intake. They contain antioxidants which help fight the toxins and helps to detoxify your system. Also a mild laxative once in 3 months helps to wash out the coatings of the preservative on the intestinal wall. Green tea is another great invention of the Chinese. It also serves as detox.

This is just my version of how to get around this problem. What about your friends and readers? Let me know your thoughts and solutions, would love to read about them.
Cheers.....


10 comments:

  1. Dear Keren: If you are not use to cooking it is a very difficult and trying endeavor; however, it is worth it. I takes anywhere from 30 mins to 1.5 hours to cook a great meal for yourself. I hardly ever buy canned or package foods (except for candy bars) because of the salt content and I don't eat 'fast food'. Try it in stages. The more you cook the easier and faster it becomes.

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    1. Yes Cynthia, You are actually very correct. Thanks

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  2. There is a very simple answer to all this. Just eat Real Food. By that I mean foods without more than five ingredients, but at the very best just one ingredient. This generally boils down to Meat, Fish, Poultry, Vegetables, some fruit, nuts and dairy foods. (although with many people like myself, dairy can be a problem. Have healthy fats such as butter (only one ingredient!) olive oil, fish oil, and coconut oil.

    Stay away from all processed and refined foods and wheat, especailly the refines stuff. This includes low fat diet foods or anything your great grandmother would not recognise.

    This way of eating would automatically do away with the worry about packaging. I would doubt whether eat frozen foods would hurt anybody.

    For more information read Michael Pollens "In Defence Of Food" you could also look at my website as I am a Weight Management Coach. Although it does not sound as if you have any issues with weight. http:www.patriciacherrylifecoach.com

    I hope that you will find this answer useful. Most importantly dont let yourself get hung up over these issues, as that just causes stress and stress is the bodies biggest enemy.

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    1. Hi Patricia Cherry, thank you for your contribution, I have no problem no problem with cooking, just cooking the right foods sometimes. I also have no issues with weight, I just don't want to have to deal with it in the future. I talked about frozen foods because a few years ago, it was discovered that some of the imported frozen chicken and fish were preserved with formaline, which is dangerous to our health.

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  3. It's hard to go healthy with kids that are very picky eaters! We're going with increasing fresh fruits and veggies right now and will be working on other ways to change our diet for the better later. Baby steps. =0)

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    1. Hey Kim, Sorry for the late reply. On call. I totally didn't think of the young ones. Soe of them can be terribly picky with their meals. Thanks for your contribution

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  4. A poor diet definitely affects your health both mentally and physically. I used to eat a lot of carbs and would be tired almost all day everyday. I recently changed my diets to fresher foods and fruits and I have more energy than I would care to have sometimes... lol

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  5. Dear keren, I have a son who is a very picky eater. He doesn't like veggies and fruits (except bananas). But my sis inlaw gave me a tip. She told me to try blending the veggies and fruits into the few foods he like eating.dat way, he doesn't see or notice the fruits/veggies and eats them. This has worked for us so far. I just thought to share this tip with others who may be dealing with picky eaters. Nena Kalu-Nsi

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