Nutritional Advice

The message of the importance of nutrition to our health has been voiced for many years

• "Intelligent treatment by diet is the greatest weapon available to preventive medicine."
  Treatment by Diet, C.A. Barborka (1935)
• "Billions of dollars are being poured into funds purporting to research the possibilities of alleviating an ever growing list of conditions which might never have existed, had good nutrition been the natural heritage."
  Grass, soil, and Cancer A.Voisin, London, Crosby Lockwood and Sons (1959)
• "Poor nutrition is costing Australians approximately $6 billion annually. The three major causes of preventable death in Australia are Ischaemic heart disease (27.8%) cancer (24.3%) and stroke (10.9%) representing a total of 63%. Nutritional factors play an important role in the causes of these three killer disease."
  Report of the Health Targets and Implementation (Health for all) Committee, AGPS (1998).

Current thinking on nutrition recognises that we must balance out protein, carbohydrate and fat. It recognises that in our "low fat culture" the excessive intake of carbohydrates results in the body converting this to fat.

There follows a predisposition to the 6 sub clinical defects discussed in our health model, an increase in obesity, type 2 Diabetes and a range of degenerative diseases resulting from an imbalanced diet with too much carbohydrate coupled with a lack of physical activity.

The Plan

Restrict all carbohydrates to 80-120 grams of carbohydrates per day. Eat as much of the recommended food as you want. Refer to the "carbohydrate counter" as a reference source for the next week and you will soon tune in.

Glycaemic index (GI) is a measure of carbohydrate quality based on how quickly they are broken down and elevate blood sugar level. Low GI breakdown slowly and are preferable. High GI foods should be avoided.

NOTE: Even if a food has a low glycaemic index we are still asking you to restrict your carbohydrate intake. If you are exercising for an hour a day then clearly your energy needs will be greater.

If you would like to have more energy, control and maintain your weight, reduce the acidity of your system which apart predisposing you to illness and calcium loss will also improve your oral and general health then;

Eat more of...

• Fish
• Eggs
• Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, veal
• Cheese, butter, sour cream, cream cheese, plain cultured yogurt, without sugar, cream or milk ( in moderate amounts)
• Salads, leaves and stems of vegetables (asparagus Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, lettuce cabbage, broccoli), cucumbers and avocados. Tomatoes (in moderate amounts)
• Alcoholic beverages (only unsweetened, and in sensible amounts)
• Nuts (in moderate amounts)

These foods can be prepared in any way you like: fried, baked, roasted, broiled, barbecued, or steamed. Small amounts of sauces don't count towards the 80-120 grams of carbohydrate per day. Larger amounts will have to be counted, particularly if the sauce is mostly sugar-based

...and Avoid

• Avoid sugars, preservatives and food colouring
• All carbohydrate-containing foods (breads, cereals, pastas, grains, potatoes, pastries)
• Sweet fruits
• Sweeten food of all kinds (yoghurt, drinks, desserts, sweets)
• Dried fruits

A Note about Fats

This requires a little more reading
See article "The Truth About Saturated Fat" Part 1 of 3.
by Mary Enig PhD, Sally Fallon

Helpful Hints:

• One of the wonderful consequences of reducing your carbohydrate consumption to a low amount is that you won't have the appetite to eat too much protein and fat. You will get full very quickly and will be able to eat less. When it comes to eating carbohydrates and sugar the effect is completely the opposite and you will want to eat more.
• Learning how much carbohydrate you are eating requires you to weigh and look up the carbohydrate content of foods for about a week. You will be surprised at what you learn but it is important to commit to this for a period of time.
• Most of us are "addicted" to carbohydrates. This usually takes about 2 weeks to overcome but you will be surprised how much energy you have and how well you feel once you reduce carbohydrate consumption.
• Another consequence of this is the positive effect this will have on your oral and general health. Why not commit to a 6-week trial and see how well you can feel?
• Food should be fresh, wholesome and free of preservatives, sugar or artificial colourings Avoid caffeine and carbonated drinks. Coffee is a stimulant and causes fluctuation in insulin levels. Carbonated drinks effect the body's acidity and effect calcium levels Everything in moderation. This was advice of our grandmothers and mothers gave us and I believe it is still good advice today.
• Maintain a regular and sustainable exercise program. This is important in in creating an aerobic metabolism, controlling the tendency towards acidity, excess of free calcium and oxidative stress which predispose us to disease.
• Recommended reading "Life without Bread" by Drs. Allen & Lutz and "Know Your Fats" Mary Enig Ph.D ( both available from www.amazon.com )
• Get one of the many pocket sized carbohydrate counters