Dr. Stephen J. Kaufman

Denver, CO.

(303) 756-9567

 Nutrition: How To Eat to Live Long and Prosper

   Much ill health can be cured, and prevented, by proper nutrition. There are of course a huge number of opinions on what and how to eat. I am going to list a number of ideas. Almost all of these are based on research; they are not my opinions. (Unless I say otherwise.) Most of us will do much better if we try to follow these as much as possible.

   Eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. Not so much frozen, and almost none of it canned. Eat a lot of these raw, although some cooked is also a good idea. Include plenty of raw greens as well as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, etc. Eat a lot of highly colored fruits like cherries, berries, melons, etc. Many people are allergic to citrus like grapefruit, lemon, orange ,and pineapple, so I recommend eating those rarely. Vinegar is also a common allergy.

   Eat whole grain products. White flour is one of the highest glycemic index foods there is, and therefore in large quantities leads to many of the diseases we die from, including diabetes, heart disease etc. Many people are allergic to wheat; if you are one of them, you will feel a lot better when you cut it out. You can however eat a lot of cooked whole grains, such as brown rice, millet, barley, oats, multigrain cereals, etc. etc.

   Use olive oil, canola oil, or butter (in that order) to cook with. Minimize the use of other oils, and avoid completely labels that say "trans fatty acids " or hydrogenated fats. These are the deadliest foods you can eat. READ THOSE LABELS, KIDS!

   Minimize sugar intake. (You already knew that). Avoid soda, candy, etc. Even really sweet fruits like dates, dried fruits, and bananas in excess can be too much sugar. Soda is all chemicals and calories, no nutrition at all! Foods are rated by their ability to affect your blood sugar; this is called their glycemic index. It is important to emphasize foods that have lower glycemic index (GI) numbers. That info can be found at these links. Although this very important for diabetics, it is also important for the rest of us, as well. Eat very little salt. It hardens the arteries over time, and this is one of the key factors in degenerative disease. Use other spices instead.

   Make sure to eat adequate protein. If you eat eggs or meat daily this will probably not be a problem. If you're a vegetarian or vegan, be sure to eat plenty of high protein foods like beans, chick peas, tofu, tempeh, and other soy products. Dairy is high in protein, although many people are allergic to it. You can eat too much protein. There is a lot of controversy about how much protein is too much.

   Nuts and seeds like sunflower, flax, and sesame seeds are great. They're much better raw than roasted, which heats and damages the oils in nuts. Walnuts and pecans are especially good for the heart.

   Drink 6-8-10 glasses a day of pure water (for an adult). This is on top of any other liquid. Oddly, there is no perfect water available. I recommend either reverse osmosis with a double filtration system , or possibly distilled water. Tap water has a lot of things in it that you wouldn't drink if you knew about. Most types of filtered water would be better than tap. Also, get a chlorine filter for your shower. We absorb the  amount of chlorine equal to 8 glasses of tap water a day from inhaling in the shower (chlorine is a gas.)

   Water (and food) is best not taken cold. It should be room temperature or warmer. Don't drink water  or other liquids before a meal; this can interfere with digestion. Drink it after.  Dairy especially is harder to digest when cold, and much easier when warm. If you do eat cheese, yogurt, milk, ice cream, etc. eat it before 6 PM. It is much harder to digest in the evening.

   It's better to eat organically grown food if possible. The pesticide residues may accumulate in your body and lead to illness.

   Cook with as little oil as possible. Don't deep fry. Stir fry, or steam, or bake, or grill.

   Always eat sitting down, preferably in a calm, relaxed state of mind. Chew each mouthful 30 times. Treat eating as a sacred act. Remember what a blessing it is that God gave you that food. Most people in the world don't have enough of the right kind of food.

   The most important single factor in your health, prevention of major disease, and how long you live is probably the amount you eat. It 's important to eat a low calorie, highly nutritious diet. This is the most proven concept in nutritional medicine. In practice this usually means being somewhat underweight. (This absolutely does not justify bulemia or anorexia, however, which will shorten your life considerably.)

   Periodic cleansing and detoxification of the body is important. There are a bunch of programs out there that claim to do this. In fact, the only way you can clean your insides is by giving your digestive tract a rest by periodic fasting. It's good  to read a couple of books on this before trying it. Most people who try it a couple of times love it. I recommend fasting on apple juice or vegetable juice and drinking at least 3 quarts of water  a day the first few times you try  a 24 hour fast. There are many good books on fasting. Here's a good one, and here's another.

   Coffee? Again, a lot of people are allergic. Green tea, however, is a splendidly healthful drink. The caffeine is neutralized by theanine, an amino acid.

   Booze? Yes, there is a lot of research showing that a little wine may be good for your heart and arteries. However, it's bad for your liver and brain. I'm bucking the trend here, but I believe in a few years research will show alcohol has more negative than positive health effects.

   Some research shows potentially negative, health damaging effects from cooking with a microwave. I don't own one. Try not to eat food or drink water or liquids that have been packed for long in plastic.

   Get some time outside every day. Vitamin D, which your body will make if it gets sunlight, is a strong anti cancer and anti heart disease agent. When you do spend time in the sun, protect your eyes with sunglasses. Your body needs sunlight, but it will age your face, so cover it with a hat, or use sunscreen.     

All the nutritional supplements we recommend are available from Natural Ways 619-275-2293.                               

e-mail: kaufmansteve@qwest.net