Hippocrates, the Greek physician (377 B.C.) is called the
Father of Medicine. He gave the message to the people that healthy food could
cure the disease, not medicine. The actual quality of food is probably much
more important for our health than the proportion of fat, carbohydrate and
protein. The highly recommended diet is the Mediterranean diet which include
lots of fish, nuts, vegetables, beans, whole grains and olive oil. People have
lived on high- protein high –fat diets, on low-protein high-carb diets, on
diets high on raw milk and cream and even on diets high in animal blood. They
have done so without ravages of degenerative diseases that are epidemic in
modern life- heart disease, diabetes, obesity, neuro-degenerative diseases,
osteoporosis, and cancer. Eat the real food which the grandmother recognized as
food, does not come in a package, minimal processing, contains nutrients,
phytochemicals, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories
and healthful fats. It can keep alive into tenth decade. How we eat is as
important as what we eat.
What about Organic?
There are certain terms to define as we talk about food.
Those are “grass fed,” “organic,” “cage-free,” and the natural. All are
deceptive and dishonest term in food marketing. “Natural” has no legal
definition. It is purely a marketing scam. “Organic” is a label seen everywhere
and on everything. The organic food movement is a desire to return to basics.
The healthy products of fruits and vegetables, goats and chickens lived in an
independent atmosphere of pastoral tranquility, where food- whether animal or
vegetable- was raised or grown the old-fashioned way. The animals are not fed
growth hormones, steroids, and antibiotics. The crops are left to fend off the
elements with their own protective antioxidants and anthocyanins, rather than
chemical pesticides and carcinogens. The “Roundup Ready. “Genetically modified
plants” (GMO) were unknown. The real
considered fruit fell from a tree, or was harvested from healthy animals
grazing on pasture or wild fish from uncontaminated waters are true organic.
Antioxidants:
Antioxidants fight
oxidation. Oxidation can be visibly seen when a cut apple is left in the air.
Oxidation-or oxidative stress-is a factor in every degenerative disease.
Antioxidants help fight oxidative damage. Deficiencies of antioxidants are
implicated in the early stages of heart disease, cancer, eye disease, and age
related decline in memory. A healthy food is loaded with antioxidants.
Glycemic
Index:
It is a measure of how much a given food raises the blood
sugar level. High sugar foods- or foods that convert quickly to sugar in the
body- are considered high glycemic. High blood sugar raises level of the
hormone insulin high enough for long time frequently contributes to diabetes,
heart disease, aging and Alzheimer’s now referred as “type 3 diabetes”. Eat
less sugar. Eat fewer foods that converts quickly to sugar in the body (almost
all processed carbohydrates).
Healthy polyunsaturated fats (Omega- 3s):
·
Saturated
fat is not always bad. It does not cause heart disease as previously believed.
Coconut oil, dark chocolate, ghee from grass-fed cows- are healthy.
·
Trans
fat, however, is poison. Metabolic poison. It’s found in cookies, crackers,
baked goods and snacks, doughnuts, French fries and most margarines. There is
hydrogenated oil in the ingredient list.
·
Monounsaturated
fat- found in nuts and olive oil – is good and heart healthy.
·
Polyunsaturated
fats come in two flavors: omega- 6s and omega-3s. We consume many omega-6s
having some health benefits, but not enough omega-3s. There are three different
omega-3 fats. One of them is called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid found in
flaxseed.) It is considered an essential fatty acid because the body can’t make
it, so it must be obtained from the diet. But the other two omega-3s- DHA
(docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) - are found in fish such
as wild salmon and Hilsa. These two are more important to the body than the
first one. Omega-3s are incorporated into cells, making their membranes more
fluid so they can communicate with one another. The feel-good neurotransmitters
such as dopamine and serotonin can get in and out of the cell more easily,
translating in better mood. It may have positive effect on depression,
behavior, feeling, and thinking. The developing brain in human fetus is about
60 percent fat by weight. The child’s intelligence, fine-motor skills depends
on fish diet during pregnancy.
Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is a critical
component of every degenerative disease from heart disease to diabetes to
obesity to Alzheimer’s. Inflammation is the silent killer. They transport
oxygen from red blood cells to the tissues. They prevent blood cells from
clumping together (blood clots can be a cause of heart attack and stroke). They
act as a blood thinner, much like aspirin, without the side effects.
The great cholesterol Myth:
Cholesterol might be the most misunderstood molecule in the
whole world. It is not a health risk. It is the parent molecule of the sex
hormones and vitamin D. It is an integral part of the cell membrane. The effect
of eggs on heart disease has exactly zero to do with their cholesterol content.
Eggs contain many valuable nutrients, such as protein and choline (which is
great for the brain). Eye-nutrition superstars, such as lutein and zeaxanthin,
healthy fats, vitamins and minerals are present in eggs. The cholesterol
present in them is good thing. High cholesterol is protective in older people.
High-risk men achieved a 30 percent reduction in heart disease with
cholesterol-lowering statins. The women showed 31 percent reduction in heart
disease just by eating fish once a week (WOSCOP study).
Fiber:
Fiber is roughage essential to the care and feeding of a
healthy microbiome. There are two kinds of fiber (soluble and insoluble).
Insoluble fiber doesn’t break down in the gut, so it acts as a bulking agent
and is good for relieving constipation. These are seeds and skin of fruits,
wheat bran and brown rice. Soluble fiber does break down in the gut. It is
specifically broken down by good bacteria which convert it into short-chain
fatty acids, the most important of which is butyric acid (butyrate). The cells
lining the gut depend on butyrate for food. It has potent anti-inflammatory and
anticancer effects. Lack of enough soluble fiber does not make enough butyric
acid. The soluble fibers are prebiotics. They are food for the probiotics in
the gut. A healthy, well-fed gut lining helps for a healthy microbiome. Soluble fibers are present in beans,
oatmeal. Flax seeds, sprouts, apples,
nuts, pears, black beans, unripe bananas. Bananas are high in soluble fibers
called fructooligosaccharides which is prebiotic serving good food for good bacteria
(probiotics) in our gut. “Wherever flax seed becomes a regular food item among
the people, there will be better health” said Mahatma Gandhi. It was one of the
original medicines, used by Hippocrates himself.
Superfoods:
Superfoods help neurons in the brain communicate with one
another effectively. They are brain food. “Old neurons are kind of like old
married couples.” They don’t talk to each other so much anymore. Memory goes
down, coordination and balance tend to decline. Communication between the
neurons is signaling. One neuron can talk to another efficiently and new
neurons grow. Polyphenols, anthocyanin present in superfoods turn on the
signals. Inflammation and oxidative stress (damage done to cells and DNA by
oxidation) are involved in virtually every major killer disease. “An apple a
day keeps the doctor away”. Apples
have highest level of antioxidants among the commonly consumed fruits. Its
pectin content is a good source of soluble fiber that can lower LDL (bad cholesterol)
cholesterol and help regulate blood sugar.
Carrots “the king of the vegetables “and could possibly cut the rate of
lung cancer in half”. They are high in carotenoids and antioxidants with wide
health benefits. The great source of lutein and zeaxanthin protect the eyes and
help to prevent macular degeneration and cataract. It raises the effectiveness
of the light sensitive area of the retina preventing night blindness.
Pomegranate: Pomegranate protect LDL cholesterol
from oxidative damage. It is capable of anticancer effects, to fight
inflammation and prevent progression of Alzheimer’s disease. There is fair
amount of natural sugar in the juice. It is associated with love and erotica.
Coconut:
The fat in coconut oil- a form of saturated fat (medium-
chain triglyceride) - is among the healthiest fats in the world. This is more
likely burned for energy. It has significantly higher HDL (good) cholesterol
and an improved LDL: HDL ratio. The fatty acids (lauric acid) in coconut oil
are powerful antibiotics. It kills Streptococcus (throat infections, pneumonia.
sinusitis). Staphylococcus, Neisseria, Chlamydia and Helicobacter pylori.
Dozens of pathogenic viruses are inactivated by the lauric acid it contains.
This acid kills the bad bacteria but does not harm the friendly intestinal
bacteria that we need for healthy digestion. Medium-chain- triglycerides also
kill Candida and other fungi in the intestinal tract, supporting healthy gut
ecology. Always buy virgin coconut oil which is not hydrogenated or processed
with high heat and chemicals.
Avocado:
It is a poster child for a healthy high-fat food. The fat is
largely monosaturated (oleic acid) benefits cholesterol profile, reduces risk
of cancer and diabetes. Its significant source of lutein and zeaxanthin prevent
macular degeneration.
Turmeric:
It is a member of ginger family. Its medicinal value is
curcumin having anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and powerful antioxidant
properties. Curcumin inhibits lipid peroxidation. It fights damage from
oxidizing substances that age the body and contribute to disease. It prevents
significant protection from cataract of eye. A paste of turmeric with honey
heals sore throat.
Garlic:
Garlic fight leprosy, toothache and chest pain (Hippocrates).
It lowers cholesterol and prevents blood clots. The active ingredient from
garlic- allicin- has significant antiplatelet activity. It is also
antimicrobial, ant viral and anti-parasitic. The crushed raw garlic combining
it with cooked food shortly before serving is highly beneficial. Garlic supplements are not healthy.
“Know thyself” is the Greek aphorism to take
healthy food for a healthy life.
References:
1. The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,
2017-Jonny Bowden, the Nutrition Myth Buster.
2. The Great Cholesterol Myth-
Stephen T. Sinatra, Fellow of the American Cardiology.
Dr. Dwijesh Kumar Panda, M.D.Ph.D. (Medicine), Consultant
Lymphologist, Pathologist & Microbiologist. M5/12, Acharya Vihar,
Bhubaneswar,
