The Building Blocks of Health

Source: Health Quest Newsletter
Dr. Frank M. Painter, Editor



It’s sad but true – most Americans fail to meet the basic requirements of good health. Statistics gathered by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) are frightening:

Only 27% of adults eat three servings of vegetables per day (3 – 5 are recommended)

Only 13% of students meet the vegetable goal

Only 33% of adults eat two servings of fruit day (2-4 are recommended)

Only 32% of students meet the fruit goal

Even worse, these numbers are artificially inflated, because foods like sugared fruit drinks and French Fries are still counted as servings.

The next nutritional issue comes from the fact that industrial farms force-grow crops, with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The measured vitamin levels in “conventional” crops are continuing to decline. And it gets worse. More and more American staple crops are grown from genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), which have no established track record of health effects or benefits. European clinical trials, that only fed animals GMO foods, have under-reported subject deaths, damage found in their intestinal tracts, and second- and third-generation sterility.

All the problems in the food chain, and the dietary habits of most Americans, emphasize why it’s important to adopt a basic nutrition program that provides all the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants we require to maintain our health.

When selecting health products, you want to look for ones that are made from non-GMO crops that are completely free from pesticides, heavy metal residue or other toxic contaminants, and are guaranteed to be bacteria and virus free.

Selecting vitamin supplements can be a daunting task. There are so many out there, how does one know which brand is going to be effective and actually work? You may want to refer to my blog post on selecting good quality supplements for guidance.

The Basic Nutrition Program:

1. The core of any nutrition program starts with a multi-vitamin. We require vitamins everyday to maintain our immune system, energy levels, detoxification systems, and for managing billions of cellular processes, from producing hormones to cell repair and reproduction. Many diseases occur when we lack a particular vitamin, mineral or amino acid. These are referred to as nutrient deficiency diseases. Researchers are discovering that suboptimal levels of these nutrients, along with exposure to xeno-toxins (chemicals that are foreign or poisonous to the body) seem to be associated with the onset of many disease processes.

2. The second building block of health is protein. The average healthy person requires at least 180 grams of protein per day (1800 calorie diet). The ideal, fat-free source of plant-based protein is soy. A word of caution – most soy powder manufacturers use the alcohol extraction process, which leaches out the two most important isoflavones – (Genistein and Daidzein). You want to find a company that uses the water-wash method, because it retains the critical soy isoflavones most associated with soy’s reported health benefits.

3. The third building block of health is antioxidants. The classic antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E. Every time scientists discovered a new photochemical in plants, it invariably displayed powerful antioxidant properties, sometimes ten to hundreds of times more powerful than the classic antioxidants. Phytochemicals (also called phytonutrients), are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventing properties. It is understood that plants produce these chemicals to protect themselves. Recent research suggests that they also protect humans against various diseases. Some of the best known phytochemicals are lycopene, (think tomatoes), isoflavones from soy, and the flavenoids from fruits. There are many health databases that clearly demonstrate that those individuals who eat the most fruits and vegetables also have the lowest incidence of the deadly diseases: cancer, vascular disease, and diabetes.

These are the three basics of a sound nutritional program. There are many other types of products that can boost your immune system, increase energy or memory, improve stamina in sports, etc. But they should all rest upon these three basics. To your good health!

Healthy Back-to-School Ideas for Your Kids

It’s that time again- the yellow school busses have hit the roads, school doors are open and the kids are back to filling their brains with knowledge. They’ve been equipped with new clothes, new shoes, new notebooks, pencils, and backpacks.

But, what about their health? Have they been equipped with vitamins and minerals to avoid illness? Do they head off to school with good protein to help their bodies and minds stay energized all morning? My sister used to tutor kids with dyslexia and would often ask, “What did you have for breakfast this morning?” Most often the reply was Frosted Flakes, Pop Tarts, or donuts. With these refined carbs, energy spikes and then quickly plummets. Two hours later the kids are sluggish and distractible.

Lo-fat yoghurt, fruit smoothies with some added soy protein powder, natural peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat toast and lo-fat cottage cheese are just a few ways to get some good protein in them.

This year parents are especially concerned about the H1N1 virus. One of the best things we can do is be sure that our kids are as healthy as possible. A strong immune system is a good defense against viruses, colds and the flu. So adding some supplements to a good diet is not a bad idea. All kids should take a good-quality multivitamin/mineral supplement. Recent studies have shown that lactoferrin supports a healthy immune system in kids. So look for a supplement which contains lactoferrin.

Additional Vitamin C will help strengthen the immune system. And a chewable calcium-magnesium product contains essential minerals to support bone development; plus it’s a natural nerve and muscle relaxant. It’s especially helpful for allergies and brain sensitivities caused by milk and dairy.

Here are a few other suggestions to help avoid illness or spreading colds:
• Stay home from school if you are sick
• Cover your cough with a tissue
• Sneeze or cough into your sleeve or elbow
• Wash your hands often

Besides nutritional support, children also need to get adequate sleep and lots of exercise. I always encourage drinking plenty of water and be sure to avoid sodas at all costs. FYI-Soda pop leaches calcium from bones which has lasting effects into adulthood.

I’m passionate about giving kids all the advantages we can to support their bodies and brains. Switching to non-toxic household cleaners & laundry products is a great idea, especially if you are concerned about hyperactivity, allergies or asthma. Also choosing personal care products – shampoo, toothpaste, bathing products – that are free of harmful toxins and chemicals, is another wise decision. (for further info on this topic please visit my blog post).

If you would like to know more about how you might implement some of these suggestions, please feel free to contact me.

Eating Organic

Here's a great web site and video that complement my previous post:

http://healthychild.org/resources/video_library_comments/eating_organic/

Why Supplement?

There are many reasons why we should consider adding nutritional supplements to our daily diet and I would like to talk about a few of them.

1. Our food isn't like it used to be. My grandparents were farmers. We ate true free-range chickens, pork and beef. And the eggs were straight from Mother Nature, too. Today, ever-increasing amounts of pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, additives and perservatives are being added to our food supply.

2. Our food isn't like it used to be....there are ever-decreasing amounts of nutrients in our foods today. Nutrient content is lost first of all due to nutrient depletion of the soil. Secondly, early harvesting, transporting, storage, cooking, overprocessing and pasteurization further decrease the nutrient content of our food supply. I remember several years ago I was in south Florida and noticed trucks in the fields loaded to overflowing with round, green things...tomatoes! No wonder they are hard and tasteless - and nutrient poor.

Many people use the excuse that they get all they need from their diet. Do they really? Studies have been done which say that we don't. 96% of the US population dies of a disease. We are NOT getting proper nutrition. The American Medical Association says "...it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements."

Today's foods may fill our stomachs, but they do not feed and fortify our cells. Is it worth the risk not to supplement?

OK, so now you have decided you want to start taking vitamins. How do pick a brand? Stay tuned...

Good Health: It All Starts In The Cell

All living things begin as a cell. The human body has trillions of cells. Each one of these cells works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to keep the body functioning. The basic needs of a cell are water, oxygen, protein (a large part of each cell) and carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins and minerals.

I like to compare our bodies to a house. If you build the house with inferior materials, you are going to have drafts, leaks, cracks in the foundation, etc. Our bodies are no different. Feed them proteins laden with animal fat, fast food carbs with very little or no nutritional value, fruits and veggies covered with pesticides...get the picture? You aren't going to build strong healthy cells. Unhealthy cells = disease.

Next time: Why supplement?