Our eyes took in more than our tummies could, and many of us have been slouching slothfully on sofas to accommodate our overloaded digestive tracts.The festive season frequently brings fuller girths from rich and fatty foods. Ah, delicious! say the taste buds, Arrgrh! groans the liver. The overindulgences at the year's end bring forth healthy resolutions for the New Year. Let's examine a few suggestions to de-grease your body and improve your well-being in 1996.
- Eat more raw food. Cooking depletes food of nutrients and vitamins; however, save the cooking water (stock) for soup.
Processed foods typically contain unhealthy additives, including artificial colors, preservatives and chemicals such as phosphates which increase the acidity of the blood and drain calcium from the bones. The fat content may appear to be acceptable because it is listed as a percentage per serving, yet many food packages add unhealthy, sugary carbohydrates just to lower the fat percentage! Therefore, read labels carefully, for both fats and sugars.
Natural foods contain more fiber that sweeps out cholesterol and stimulates intestinal activity. Eat low on the food chain-that is, eat grains, that are fed to cattle, instead of the cattle themselves.
- Eat less protein. Studies by the U.S. and Chinese governments, reported by T. Colin Campbell of Cornell University suggest that high protein diets have as much to do with high cholesterol as high-fat diets. Switch the proportions of animal foods and grains. In Asia, for example, a large plate of rice is accompanied by a small amount of meat or poultry, the opposite of our typical custom. Reduce animal protein by cooking more legumes or tofu. Protein is also found in grains and vegetables, and in adequate amounts as vegetarian diets demonstrate.
High protein intake (amino acids) increase acidity which in the short-term may cause canker sores (relieved by Echinacea drops, from the health food store) as well as long-term calcium loss. Colds develop when the body becomes too acid. Fruit and vegetables help to restore the balance. A bath in baking soda helps the body to become more alkaline. Milk tends to increase problems with mucus discharge.
- Move and breathe. Exercise must be done aerobically-for at least 45 minutes -to move those fat stores. Many folk tackle their flab by 20 minute out-of-breath sprints. That is an anerobic activity that burns glycogen or sugar. Burning fat requires activities where your heart and lungs work hard, but at a pace where you can still talk, and for longer duration.
- Forget diets. Dieting slows down your metabolism which makes it even harder to move stored fat. Avoid skim milk, which farmers use to fatten their hogs! Have adequate fluids-water has zero calories-at least 8 to 10 glasses a day.
