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Jun 24, 2016

EAT RIGHT TO STAY HEALTHY


From Dr.Wiancek's book "The Natural Healing Companion":

      The way to stay healthy is to keep your immune system strong and proper nutrition is the number one way to keep it in good working order. Food is the best medicine of all, provided you eat the right balance of nutrients, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Study after study links dietary deficiency to disease.
What constitutes a healthy diet? Specific requirements vary from one person to another, but the following general guidelines will get you off to a good start.
Eat at least five servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables a day, the best way to do this is to eat a salad with five different vegetables in it—the more colorful the salad, the greater the variety of nutrients you are getting. For fruits, eat a fruit salad or several fruit snacks during the day, or sprinkle a variety of fruits on your morning cereal
Eating fruits and vegetables increases the amount of fiber in your diet and helps you get your required daily quota of vitamins and minerals. The benefits include a reduced risk of disease, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and help in losing weight. More than 200 studies have shown that eating fruits and vegetables helps protect you from various forms of cancer. Other studies indicate similar protection against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, diverticulosis, and cataracts.
One piece of fruit or 1/2 cup of a vegetable constitutes a single serving. Because cooking destroys valuable nutrients, try to eat fruits and vegetables raw, or steam vegetables lightly before eating. Precooked, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables are lower in nutrients and higher in sodium, sugar, and preservatives.
Eat five servings of whole grains a day, Avoid white bread, white rice, and ocher heavily processed grains. Even if they are "enriched" or "fortified, they are still lacking essential nutrients. Instead, look for foods made from 100 percent whole grains, without added refined sugars (check the ingredients list on labels. A "whole grain" consists of 1) the bran, which contains fiber, B vitamins, fats, minerals, and protein; 2) the germ, a source of protein, fats, and vitamins A, Bs and E; and 3) the endosperm, which contains complex carbohydrates. Most of the vitamins and minerals in grains are found in their outer layers (the bran and germ) and processing removes both the layers and the nutrients.
A slice of bread or a cup of cooked grain or pasta constitutes one serving. Eat more complex carbohydrates. In the same vein, you should increase your intake of complex carbohydrates and reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are found in unprocessed, unrefined vegetables; in dried beans and peas; in whole wheat products; and in grains including rye, barley, quinoa, millet, brown rice, buckwheat, corn, kamut, and oats. (Remember that white breads, white rice, and many pastas and breakfast cereals have been stripped of most of their complex carbohydrates during processing).
Simple carbohydrates are mainly in sugars: white and brown sugar, corn syrup, soft drinks, candy, dried fruit, jellies and jams, canned or frozen fruits, ice cream, and pudding. Simple carbohydrates contribute nothing to your diet except calories, and they can upset the way in which the body metabolizes sugar, leading to high blood sugar and adult-onset diabetes. Instead, use unrefined sweeteners such as 100 percent natural maple syrup, honey, and fruit juices. Avoid artificial sweeteners, as research shows they can aggravate diabetes and may cause cancer.
Eat at Least 25 grams of fiber daily. Dietary fiber comes from plant cell walls, which our bodies cannot digest, there are two types: insoluble (wheat bran is one example) and soluble, which can be found in oat bran, apples, cherries, and dandelion root, among other foods. A combination of both is recommended to help prevent breast cancer and intestinal diseases such as appendicitis, diverticulosis, and colon cancer.
Eat fish, but curb your intake of other animal products. Red meat, including beef and pork, is associated with increased risk of heart attacks, several forms of cancer, prostate disease, high blood pressure, and a host of other diseases. No more than one serving of red meat per week is recommended.
Chicken and turkey are better for you than red meat, but studies show that ocean fish are far preferable and offer protection against heart disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, high blood pressure, inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases. Salmon, mackerel, cod, albacore tuna, halibut, anchovies, and herring are particularly good for you. In general, ocean-caught fish are more healthful than farm-raised fish.