Foods : The Bad & Ugly
Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables
Pesticides that kill bugs are toxins that not only contaminate our foods but contaminate our ground water. These toxins can’t be washed off the food , they are absorbed by the plant and when the fruit or vegetable is ingested these toxins build up in the body. We are a microcosm of planet earth and whatever we put into her eventually ends up in us. Plants grown with conventional or NPK fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) are also depleted of essential micronutrients that traditional mulching and manuring provides.
Sodas
Loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors and colors. Sodas quickly spike the blood sugar level leading to inflammation and weight gain. Sodas also contain Phosphorus and high levels of phosphorus have been shown to draw calcium out of bones.
Coffee
Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops with pesticides and herbicides. If you must drink coffee drink only organically grown coffee preferably fairly traded so a community instead of a few wealthy elite benefit from the profits. Coffee also contains acids that have a corrosive effect on the villi of the intestines making the absorption of nutrients poor . Heavy coffee drinkers are deficient in minerals and have higher cholesterol.
High glycemic foods
These are processed denatured foods. They are foods that have been highly refined and are low in nutritional value and quickly boost the blood sugar level leading to inflammation and weight gain. The more processed a carbohydrate is the less fiber it contains and the higher the glycemic index.
Foods with a high glycemic index include white flour products, white rice , sugars and artificial sweeteners, breads-white and wheat, potatoes and pastas and most cereals .
The less processed a grain is the better. For example rolled oats have a lower glycemic index then instant oats and brown rice has a lower glycemic index then brown rice pasta. Grains should be eaten in their most unrefined states.
Milk
Is meant to be a food on its own for babies. It is full of fat which is essential for babies not adults. Pasteurisation of milk destroys active enzymes- lactase and lipase- which are present in raw milk and help break it down. Pasteurised milk is difficult to digest and leads to lots of phlegm and mucous which can aggravate asthma and sinuses and leads to weight gain. Drinking milk with foods also causes the milk to coagulating around the food and obstructs digestion. Cow milk needs to be avoided by overweight people and people with asthma and allergies. Milk is also not the best source of calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is absorbed from the soil by plants , it’s not produced by cows.
Hydrogenated oil
Such as margarine contain trans fats which lower good cholesterol and increase bad cholesterol. Ironically margarine is touted as a healthy choice however it is one of the least healthy fats.
GMO
According to leading scientist genetically modified foods pose a huge threat to human health. Their long term ingestion is unknown and presently we are guinea pigs. GMO also means that multinational giants like Monsanto have a monopoly on seed stocks and control our food supply. GMO crops cross-contaminate non-GMO crops and threaten biodiversity. GMO isn’t about feeding the world. It’s about having a stranglehold on the world’s food supply which translates into power and profit. Look for non GMO since genetically modified foods don’t have to be labeled and don’t be surprised if your favorite cereal in genetically modified.
Commercial meats
If you eat meat, then organic free range meats that are free of growth hormones and antibiotics should be your choice. Animals that are raised on commercial farms are kept in small confined spaces often so small that they can’t even turn around. This is not only tantamount to animal abuse, we could never do this to a pet, but this unhealthy confined environment leads to stress and illness. Animals are given a steady dose of antibiotics to stave off infections and growth hormones to fatten them up quickly. When we ingest these commercial meats that are full of antibiotics they wipe out our intestinal flora, good bacteria, needed for nutritional absorption. You might be eating your fruits and vegetables but if they aren’t being properly broken down and assimilated your cells aren’t getting the nourishment they need. The widespread use of antibiotics also leads to the emergence of resistant bacteria or “superbugs” that have become immune to antibiotics.
The steady dose of growth hormones that plumped up these livestock is also plumping us up. Growth hormones lead to weight gain and have been implicated in the growth of cancers. Excessive meat eating also leads to the body becoming more acidic as uric acid from the meat builds up in your body. Meat is also a source of omega-6 fatty acids which trigger an inflammatory response in the body.
Grass is the natural diet of a cow, however corn is used to fatten cows up at a much faster rate. This corn is not only a unnatural diet but it is usually genetically modified unless otherwise advertised. Grass fed doesn’t mean organic and organic doesn’t mean grass fed so make sure to look for both
Excessive protein intake
Most Americans are obsessed with protein and consume twice the amount that is actually needed, usually in the form of animal protein. Excessive meat consumption not only weakens the kidneys but leads to the buildup
of uric acid in the body and it becoming more acidic leading to many generative diseases. Grains and vegetables contain plenty of proteins they just need to be eaten in various combinations to create complete amino acids.
As Dr McDougall says: “Since plants are made up of structurally sound cells with enzymes and hormones, they are by nature rich sources of proteins. In fact, so rich are plants that they can meet the protein needs of the earth’s largest animals: elephants, hippopotamuses, giraffes, and cows. You would be correct to deduce that the protein needs of relatively small humans can easily be met by plants.” www.drmacdougall.com
An Acre of land
An acre of land used to raise cattle for slaughter yields 20 lbs of usable protein. That acre yields 356 lbs of protein if soybeans were grown instead.
“One third of the world is well fed, One third is under fed, One third is starving.”- The World Health Organization
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