Health/Nutrition: May 2003

Healthy Alternatives

by Susie Cooper, ND
Board Certified Doctor of Naturopathy

I receive so many questions pertaining to many of the same topics on a regular basis, such as: sinus & allergy problems with chronic mucous buildup, asthma, food allergies, recurring headaches, digestive problems, constipation or diarrhea, acid indigestion or acid reflux, arthritis pain, fatigue and hormonal imbalances. If you have sent a question in to me relating to any of these conditions, please consider the information in this month's column. All of these conditions have something in common from the perspective of natural medicine...

Those of you who have been reading my column for a while know that healthy nutrition is high on my list. Eating right is the key and the cornerstone to everything. It provides us with the healthiest foundation possible for optimum health and prevention. Remember, prevention is what it's all about in Natural Medicine. Yes, most people usually will wait until they have some type of diagnosed condition before they will entertain healthy alternatives, but they can still get great results from bringing healthy dietary changes and natural medicine into their lives. But, the real way to utilize these natural teachings is to transform your life prior to getting sick. That way you can begin to utilize the process of health for true prevention. So, what do these conditions have in common and how can we possibly prevent and also resolve many of these imbalances?

Three factors are important to consider:

1. What is the quality of the food and water going into your body each day?
2. How well do you digest or assimilate nutrients?
3. How well and regularly do you eliminate?

These sound like very simple things, in fact they are so simple that most people don't even consider that they are important. Healthy food, digestion and elimination are easy to overlook and not think about, especially when you don't really have any noticeable problems, but, they really are one of the main keys to a healthy life. On the other hand, if you do have digestive problems, then your body is giving you a very direct signal, or communication, about an imbalance. It is speaking to you in the only language it knows... the language of symptoms. This language will tell you about food intolerences, sensitivities and allergies. It will tell you by way of indigestion, acidity, gas and bloating, constipation or diarrhea. Listen to what it is telling you. This same example goes for any of the other health situations listed above... arthritis, hormonal issues, sinus & allergy problems, fatigue...all of them are directly affected by healthy food, digestion and elimination. I have written several previous columns about mucous build-up in the respiratory system...this can be directly improved by improving your diet! I have also written several columns about women's menstrual irregularities... this also can be improved by making dietary changes. The list goes on and on. I have seen so many conditions improve and resolve themselves with an improved diet, sometimes without even the need for additional supplements or herbal formulas.

Foods to eat less of:

• City water or tap water
• Fast food, processed and packaged foods with added artificial ingredients.
• Fried foods
• White bread, white pasta, white rice.
• Sweets, anything with white sugar.
• Artificial sweetners
• Canned foods
• Sodas
• Caffeine/Coffee
• Margarine
• Dairy products and meats

Good foods to include more of:

• Filtered or spring water
• Organically grown foods
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole Grains - whole wheat, spelt, oat, soy, kamut, barley, brown rice, quinoa
• Beans - pintos, kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, adzuki beans, and any others that you like. (Excellent fiber.)
• Some nuts and seeds (unsalted) -- the good ones are: almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds. All other nuts contain too much fat to eat daily. Peanuts are especially hard to digest. Nut butters are an excellent source of protein. Try Soy Butter, Almond Butter, Cashew Butter and Pumpkin Seed butter.
• Olive oil, unsalted organic butter, non-hydrogenated SmartBalance spread.
• Fish (& free-range meats, if you choose to eat meats) - also try meatless vege burgers and breakfast sausages, tempeh, tofu, etc.
• Soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk
• Soy cheese, rice cheese, kefir, organic yogurt.
• Coffee substitutes - Teccinno, Roma, Cafix, Pero, Green Tea, Black Tea, Rajas Cup, Oolong Tea, Morning Thunder tea, Yerba Mate.
• Sugar alternatives - Stevia, Honey, Brown Rice Syrup, Pure Maple Syrup, Barley Malt Syrup, Blackstrap Molasses, SweetLife (LoHan fruit), Sucanat (pure unbleached cane sugar).

To assist in digesting, or breaking down foods into a usable form, sometimes we need some help. In the herbal category, the traditional use of bitter herbs to prompt the liver and the secretion of digestive enzymes can be very effective. The main herb I usually suggest is Gentian root extract, an extremely bitter-tasting herb. The use of a small amount of this in a little water, before and after meals can help you digest proteins, fats, starches, sugars, dairy, in other words, any food group. Another bitter herbal formula is the famous "Swedish Bitters," originally formulated by the German herbalist, Maria Treben. Her books on herbal medicine were some of the first ones I ever read, and they made a great impression on me. Other options for aiding digestion are digestive enzymes. I especially like the pure plant enzymes, and I prefer these over any animal-based enzymes such as ox bile or pancreatin. For general use, the plant-derived enzymes work great for most people. So, how well we break down and absorb our food is second in importance to the quality of the foods we eat.

If you are making transitions with your food choices, based on some of the guidelines above, then the third area to consider is proper elimination. Through the years, I have been continually amazed at the number of people with sluggish bowel problems or constipation. In natural medicine, we are taught that 2-3 times per day is healthy (basically one movement after each meal.) Also, in addition to regular elimination, we recommend periodic cleansing programs. This was something our ancestors did, every Spring and Fall especially. The use of certain herbs, fibers, aloe vera juice, liquid chlorophyll and adopting as many of the food suggestions from above would help the body to release and eliminate toxins. This can refresh the filtration organs (intestinal tract, liver, lungs, kidneys, lymph) and can help many conditions. I will usually do a cleanse twice per year myself, and I always feel better afterward.

All of these things can be the catalyst to bring about improvement from so many conditions. Try to improve the quality of foods you eat, add bitter-herbs or a plant-based digestive enzyme at mealtime, and do a periodic cleansing program twice per year to refresh your system. You will be surprised over time how much better you can feel and you may even notice that you aren't having that same old sinus problem anymore, or that body pain may be improved, or your menstrual cycle may be much easier, or that your headaches are gone, or that your digestion is much better, or that your bowels are regulated, or that you have tons of great energy... you get the idea...

Reading List:

Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
Nutrition Almanac by Kirschmann
Dr. Whitaker's Guide to Natural Healing by Julian Whitaker, M.D.
Family Herbal by Rosemary Gladstar
The New Laurel's Kitchen by Laurel Robertson

Susie Cooper ND, earned her Doctor of Naturopathy diploma in 2001, and is board certified. Susie has taught workshops in homeopathy, herbal medicine and nutrition in North Carolina for many years. She now teaches all her workshops in her shop, Blue Mountain Herbs & Supplements, 141 W. Main St., in beautiful Pilot Mountain, NC, where she may be contacted at (336) 368-5955.

The information contained in this column is not meant to diagnose or prescribe for specific ailments, but is intended for educational support only. Please seek the advise of a licensed health practitioner for specific illnesses and emergency situations.