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Food and health
When seeking healing, it is important to note the influence of food on our health. Since we consume about 60,000 to 90,000 kilograms of food in our lifetime, what we put in our mouth is quite important. If we nourish our body with things that are harmful, at some point – perhaps decades later – these harmful toxins may cause diseases. People in Western countries typically suffer diseases caused by the standard of living. These diseases are caused by improper diet or eating too much food; they are caused by harmful eating habits. On the other hand, changing one’s diet can promote healing and relieve many problems. Ailments may even disappear completely with another kind of diet:
God healed my hay fever in 1970, after I had suffered from it for over thirty-five years. He healed me supernaturally, but I still suffered from sinusitis. Sometime in the year 1977 it became so bad that I had to eat three tablets a day. In addition to this, I was given injections approximately every third or fourth week in an attempt to stop the infection. When this had gone on for about a year, and we had prayed for healing day after day, I finally said, "God, would you please show me how to get rid of this!”
Soon after this, we were asked to lunch with the family of
a doctor who was living in
I said, "Thank You, Jesus!” I too stopped drinking coffee and tea, and started to drink as much orange and apple juice as my innards could endure. The sinusitis healed in a few weeks! (1)
Three "Poisons". When considering the significance of diet to health, we should especially pay attention to things like so-called damaged carbohydrates, Western fast food, and highly refined food. This type of food consists of fat, white flour, and large quantities of sugar -- all of which cause many diseases that appear more and more frequently, especially in Western countries. This kind of diet causes adult diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, constipation and intestinal disorders, cancer and gallstones, among other ailments. These diseases hardly appear in the developing countries where food contains much more fiber and is more natural; where the Western-style food culture is more common, these problems are also more common.
Good examples of the improvement possible by changed diet
can be found in Japanese and Chinese cultures. The Japanese
and Chinese do not suffer from cardiovascular diseases and
diseases caused by a high standard of living when living in
their homeland. However, when Japanese or Chinese move to
When I ask my patients, "Do you eat bad food?”, many say firmly, "No, I don't.” The patient actually means that he does not eat strychnine, lead, or spoilt food. ”I have thought that my diet is good and right,” my patients often explain as I monitor their diet diary and note that they eat many processed "junk foods".
What is "junk food" really? Junk is whatever food from which
most of the nutrients have been processed, refined and
cleaned away. Two good examples of this kind of food are
white flour (in
White flour and sugar are found in bread rolls. In addition, fat content of hamburgers is high, which is unhealthy. There are no undigested mass and fibers. There is a lot of sugar, caffeine, and color agents in Coke. There are lots of calories and plenty of sugar in a milk shake and beer. The nutrition value of a typical milk shake is much lower than that of whole milk, and whole milk is also far from the perfect and ideal food. This typical American meal must be regarded as “junk food" in its entirety. (2)
The so-called junk food does not contain the most important protective agents – vitamins, minerals, and fibers. There are not many of these important ingredients for the development of body and health, but instead junk food contains many useless or harmful ingredients. Sugar, white wheat flour, and animal fats are examples of such ingredients.
Sugar.
Sugar is one of those "poisons" that we may use too much.
Sugar consumption in
Sugar is a substance that we do not need in our body. It contains empty calories only and strains our body. Sugar does not contain any important minerals, trace elements, or vitamins that can be found in fruit and whole meal bread. In addition to this, it is one of the leading causes of obesity and diseases caused by a high standard of living. That is why much smaller amounts of sugar should be used than are being used at present.
White flour. Another not-so-nourishing foodstuff that we may use too much is white flour and products containing it. (The same kind of "refined" nutrients can be found in white polished rice, white macaroni, and cornstarch. The majority of the most important protective nutrients have been removed from these.) An ordinary Finnish person eats about 74 kilograms of flour in a year, and up to three quarters of it is white flour that has been refined; many important nutrients have been removed from it. The flour has been refined in order to extend its shelf life and enhance its baking properties. White bread, buns, hamburgers, doughnuts, pastries, rolls, and pizzas are products that contain a lot of white flour. What happens if we eat too much white flour? The answer is that using large amounts of white flour is not any more reasonable than using excessive amounts of sugar. Up to 90% of the necessary vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and fibers have been removed from white flour, and what is left is energy, just as in sugar. This kind of food strains our body and is not useful when used to the excess. It has been suggested that eating a diet of white pasta, white bread, and white rice is one of the surest ways to increase levels of bad cholesterol. It decreases the amount of good cholesterol, raises the fat level in blood, and produces small and harmful cholesterol particles. Consuming too much can also increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Fat
- (Lev 3:17) It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that you eat neither fat nor blood.
The third food of which we eat too much is fat, animal and
milk fats: cream, cheeses, ice-creams, fatty milk, and fatty
sausages; and hardened vegetable fats such as pastries,
fried food, doughnuts, chips, French fries, pizzas, biscuits
and some margarines. The average modern person may get most
of his or her energy from these ingredients that are
probably the largest cause of cardiovascular diseases. The
use of animal and milk fats as well as hardened vegetable
fats is quite a recent phenomenon; these ingredients have
only been consumed for about 50 years. For example, in the
The next newspaper article from 50 years ago describes this
issue. It indicates how, for example in
70% Increase in Use of Edible Fats in 50 Years
Christmas is approaching fast and when the supply of fatty roast hams seems to reach record levels this year, there is a reason to study the consumption of edible fats in our country a little closer. According to the market research department of the Pellervo Confederation of Finnish Cooperatives, the consumption of edible fats (pork, lard etc. as well as margarine and butter) in our country was in 1901 a total of 19.8 kilograms and in 1953 a total of 33.7 kilograms per person. (...) Recently, the conclusion has been reached that the more and more increasing use of animal food ingredients, especially fats, is probably the main reason for the alarming increase in cardiovascular diseases in all the Western civilized countries. It is certain that diet is the most important factor. We can see it clearly when we, for instance, think about the situation in our country during the war, when our nerves really were strained and when we all lost weight because of the lack of food, such as edible fats. During this difficult and serious time of depression, doctors were greatly surprised by the notable reduction in mortality due to cardiovascular diseases and also many other diseases. This surprising fact clearly indicates that overeating and especially the ample use of edible fats is one of the worst enemies to our health. (Newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, 16 December 1954) THE TREATMENT OF THE most ordinary diseases and Diet
As comes to many diseases caused by the standard of living, they are often caused by the issues mentioned above: excessive use of refined sugar, bleached white flour, and refined carbohydrates such as white polished rice, cornstarch, or white macaroni, as well as bad fats. Their excessive consumption, combined with a lack of certain nutrients, cause most of our society’s illnesses. Below, we are going to study some common diseases and consider how they can be healed by means of diet. The basic rule concerning all diseases is to decrease the amount of unhealthy food and excessive eating as well as increase the amount of healthy food. This is how we can expect relief of symptoms caused by many diseases.
Coronary thrombosis and THE CLOTTED ARTERIES.
The
two most common causes of death in
As far as cardiovascular diseases are concerned, there is one feature common to them: bad condition of the veins and clots forming inside the arteries. When bad food is consumed for many years, it will cause bad cholesterol to accumulate in the veins, in other words a certain kind of fat will cling to the walls of the arteries. At first, this fat is like toothpaste but it may transform little by little into a kind of lime causing, for example, blood clots and strokes. This kind of soft fat has already been observed in young people. For example, in the autopsies of young American boys from the Vietnam War – who were well under 30 years of age – fat accumulations and developing lime precipitates on the walls of the veins were observed. Thus, if these very fit young men had layers of fat in their veins, it is certain that other, more ordinary people have even more:
"What is wrong sonny? Don’t start to vomit!” an incessantly belching pathologist said and pushed his finger through the blue-black, sticky substance that had caused the heart attack. When he turned the heart in his hand, the damaged area came clearly into sight, but the blocked coronary artery that had caused the attack was covered with a thick layer of fat. "It looks as if someone had struck it with a hammer,” he said when he cut off layers of fat that covered the rock-hard arteries. When I finally got used to his rudeness, I asked, "How often is it that you find as much fat as this?” He scratched his head with the blunt head of a surgeon’s knife. ” I have never seen a heart attack without piles of lard.” He caught the handful of fat and raised the heart to the level of our eyes. ”Before, there was not so much fat. But now everybody has it. People are as fat on the inside as on the outside.” (3)
How can we stop the bad development going on in our veins and arteries? Are there other solutions, such as conventional medication, and can it be prevented in advance? The answer is clear. Most of the artery blockages are created because of the wrong food, so the direction of the development can be changed with a more reasonable diet. For example, the following nutrients have been observed to be useful to veins and to health in general:
Eating fish significantly contributes to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It has been observed that certain groups, such as the Eskimos and Japanese fishermen, who eat plenty of fish have not suffered much from cardiovascular diseases. These diseases have not occurred, even though their diet may have been one-sided and unbalanced in some other way. The benefits of eating fish have similarly appeared in numerous studies. For example, according to a study made in the University of Kuopio, the mortality rate of heart patients eating fish decreased by over 60% during a follow-up cycle of five years when compared to those who did not eat fish at all (Newspaper Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 28 July 2003). According to this study, a healthy minimum quantity is three fish dishes a week. Good preventive measures against heart diseases have been observed to be fatty fish (salmon, rainbow trout, Baltic herring, herring, whitefish, mackerel, sardine, and tuna, even though other fish species also contain some fish oil). Fish oil has been found to decrease the level of injurious fat, increase the fluidity of blood, decrease arrhythmia, blood clots and heart attacks as well as decrease blood pressure and auricular fibrillation. In addition to this, fatty fish has been noticed to decrease the content of fat in the blood after a meal. The good properties of fatty fish have been accredited especially to omega-3 fatty acids. They are found in fatty fish in the long chain form, but it is possible to get these fatty acids also from rapeseed oil and other plant oils as well as from nuts.
Plant oils
such as rapeseed, soy, olive, and flaxseed oil as well as
other oils are a good preventive method against heart
diseases (coconut and palm oil are an exception, because
they consist of different kind of fats). Several plant oils
include similar fatty acids (omega-3) as fish fat, and it
has been found that they decrease the cholesterol level, the
danger of blood clots and deaths caused by heart diseases.
In the
The use of plant oils is indeed justified, because they contain plenty of single and polyunsaturated fats plus vitamin E. These have been found to be useful to the health of the heart and the body in general. Ordinary cold-pressed rapeseed oil is especially useful, because it more actively decreases the accumulation of harmful LDL cholesterol to the walls of the veins than olive oil. In addition, rapeseed oil contains more important fatty acids (linoleum acid, alphalinoleum acid, and vitamin E) than olive oil. Both oils are also good in the sense that they are suitable for baking.
Fiber. One of the most important factors promoting health is fiber, as found only in the vegetable kingdom such as in grains, fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds. There are two kinds of fibers: insoluble and soluble. Both of are found in the vegetable kingdom, but insoluble fibers are generally more common. Fiber plays a significant role in reducing cholesterol levels and generally in preventing heart disease. Soluble fiber, although to a slightly lesser degree, is useful in reducing the blood cholesterol level. It can be found especially in bran and rolled oats (there is about 11% fiber in oats, of which about 5% is soluble beta glucan. What is good about oat is that people who are suffering from coeliacie can also eat it.) barley grouts, berries, fruit (mostly apples), and vegetables. Soluble fibers bind cholesterol to themselves in the digestive tract, and so a part of the bad cholesterol leaves the body in stool instead of being absorbed into the body.
The significance of fiber was researched and tested by a
Canadian research team (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat,
Fruits, berries, and vegetables. Regarding fruits, berries, and vegetables, many researchers have found them to be a good preventive tool against cardiovascular diseases and other diseases. People should generally consume about 500 grams of them per day. However, 200 grams per day has been found to decrease the risk of a heart attack. The effect of fruits, vegetables, and berries on heart disease and other diseases is determined by many factors. Insoluble and soluble fibers decrease cholesterol. They also contain plenty of antioxidants (vitamins C and E, beta carotene), and flavonoids, which have been found to decrease the risk of heart attacks and other diseases. We can find these foods all year round from shops and also as deep-frozen, available in various combinations.
Vitamin C
is one of the antioxidants found to protect the veins of
diabetics and improve immunity in general. Its connection to
heart disease became apparent in a research project,
conducted at the public health institute of the
There are several good sources of vitamin C. One glass of orange juice alone contains the amount needed a day. Other good sources are, for instance: oranges (50 mg / 100 g) and citrus fruit, potato (15 mg / 100 g; generally consumed a lot), rutabaga and turnip (40 mg / 100 g), all cabbages (50–110 mg / 100 g), strawberry (80 mg / 100 g), cloudberry (100 mg / 100 g), black currant (120 mg / 100 g), parsley (200 mg / 100 g), and sweet pepper (200 mg / 100 g).
Beta carotene is one of the antioxidants found to prevent heart diseases, especially if we get it directly from food. For example, in the research of Doctor Hennekens it was found that men who had a weak heart but who used beta carotene, suffered almost half the heart attacks, strokes or deaths than those who got a placebo (Reader's Digest, November 1994, p. 28). Beta carotene also prevents cancer. In many studies, it has been found that those who eat food including beta carotene very rarely have cancer of the lungs or intestines (Reader's Digest, November 1994, p. 28). An especially good source of beta carotene is carrot, which satisfies the daily need (carrot satisfies also the need of vitamin A, because the beta carotene turns into vitamin A in the body). Other good sources are, for instance, sweet pepper, spinach, cabbages, tomato, parsley, apricot and sweet potato.
Vitamin E
is one of the antioxidants found to effectively prevent
heart disease and decrease accumulating of cholesterol to
the veins (Reader's Digest, November 1994, p. 28). It has
been observed to prevent certain forms of cancer, such as
prostate cancer (the most common cancer of men in
Good sources of vitamin E are plant oils (for example, sunflower, corn, rapeseed, soy, and wheat germ oils), whole meal grain, avocado, vegetable margarine, and also eggs that are one of the most versatile food on earth (there are vitamins A, D, E and K, minerals plus the egg proteins include all the necessary amino acids). Nuts provide another good source of vitamin E. As little as a couple of handfuls of peanuts, for example, can satisfy the daily need of vitamin E. Nuts also contain many fats good for our heart (content 46–68%), protein (9–30%), fiber (in peanuts 8%), group B vitamins, calcium, potassium, phosphor, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, and ubiquinone (for example peanuts; it can also be found in fatty fish and meat) that has been regarded as an important tool against ageing. Nuts are important in preventing heart diseases. Numerous studies and publications have indicated that people who eat plenty of nuts seem to have a smaller risk of getting diabetes or die because of a coronary disease. (Medical magazine Duodecim, 19 / 2004). It has been found that ordinary nuts improve fat values of blood and decrease the risk of a cardiac arrest and diabetes by about 30–50% (Newspaper Lahti ja ympäristö, 14 January 2005, p. 3).
Flavonoids
are ingredients that have been noted to prevent heart
diseases, cancer, asthma, and other diseases. The most
important sources of flavonoids are apples, onion, garlic,
sweet pepper, black currant, and several forest berries.
It is said that onion prevents clots and decreases
cholesterol levels. In the same way, according to the
studies of the National Cancer Institute of the
Lycopene and selenium are believed to prevent heart diseases. Tomato and tomato products contain plenty of lycopene, for example. Selenium can be found in whole meal grain, meat (except not in areas where the selenium content of the soil is low), fish, tomato, onion, shellfish, mollusks, nuts, and also many mushrooms.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
is one of the most common diseases in Western countries. Of
the adult population in the Western countries, about 15- to
30% suffer from it. In
We treat high blood pressure in much the same way as other cardiovascular diseases. Useful foods include fatty fish and plant oils because they contain the omega-3 fatty acids that generally are believed to prevent cardiovascular diseases. In the care of blood pressure, there are a few factors that should be noted, because they can be useful in its care. They can decrease high blood pressure:
Decreasing salt
or having an unsalted diet is one very effective response to
high blood pressure. The greater the salt level is in the
body, the higher the blood pressure is. If we reduce the
amount of salt in our food, our blood pressure will also
decrease (the recommended level for salt is 1.2 grams per
day).
Finns
consume about ten times that amount. Other foods that
raise blood pressure include liquorices and sal ammoniac (a
popular candy in
Use less salt, or use salt containing potassium that is much more beneficial to the body. You should not add salt to your food, because there is already enough salt in those foods that we buy from the stores. For example, there is a lot of salt in ordinary sausages and breads.
Potassium is one of those minerals found to affect the blood pressure in positive way. It functions as an antagonist to sodium (which appears in salt) and restrains its harmful effects. Thus, if our diet contains enough potassium, the ability of our kidneys to filter sodium increases, which will lead to decreasing of blood pressure. If we get plenty of potassium, it will assist greatly in the care of high blood pressure. Good sources of potassium are bananas (360 mg / 100 g) and avocado (450 mg / 100 g), but it can be found also in whole meal grain, cabbages, potato, soybeans, nuts, milk products, peas, and beans as well as in almost all fruits and vegetables.
Folic acid. If we get much folic acid from our diet, it will assist us in reducing our blood pressure and prevent apoplectic seizures. For example, a health study of nurses in Harvard showed that the blood pressure of people who got plenty of folic acid did not rise. (Magazine Terveys-Hymy 3 / 2005, p. 12) Good sources of folic acid include all cabbages, sweet pepper, spinach, whole meal grain, peas, beans, lentils, fruit, berries, and meat. For example, we get 100 micrograms of folic acid from one helping of broccoli or Brussels sprouts, seven slices of whole meal bread or one sweet pepper. A tall glass of orange juice contains about 40 micrograms.
DIABETES
is one of the major national diseases in the Western
countries. In
The prevention or care of diabetes starts from the same
point as the care of cardiovascular diseases. Adult
diabetes, which is the most common form of diabetes, is very
closely associated with cardiovascular diseases. Those who
suffer diabetes have a greater risk of getting
cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure, and vice
versa. Newspaper Etelä-Suomen Sanomat reported on
So, when we try to prevent or to take care of diabetes, we must start with the very same factors as with heart diseases and the care of high blood pressure. The same means are suitable also for treating arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. However, a few minerals and trace elements such as chromium and magnesium are important in its care. Fibers are also especially useful in the care and prevention of diabetes.
Chromium
is an important ingredient in adjusting sugar metabolism.
Those exposed to the Western diet do not get much chromium,
whereas they get plenty of sugar that predisposes them to
diabetes. Newspaper Helsingin sanomat reported on
The significance of chromium is that it regulates sugar and fat content in the blood. An adequate amount of chromium decreases and neutralizes elevated sugar values, but having too little chromium may raise them to a harmful level. Some studies show that adult diabetes can be kept in check by increasing the intake of chromium (magazine Terveyden kuvalehti 2 / 1997, p. 71), thus helping people with diabetes. A good source of chromium is mushrooms. It can also be found in whole meal grain, potato, nuts, yeast, spinach, banana, fish, meat, and eggs.
Magnesium is another ingredient believed to be useful in the prevention of diabetes. It has been found that those who get enough of magnesium have a much smaller risk of getting adult diabetes. The best sources of magnesium are, for example, whole meal grain products, fish, nuts, peas, beans, blueberries, soybean, and seed. Zinc may also help prevent diabetes. It is found in whole meal grain, meat, fish, nuts, beans, peas, and vegetables. Zinc can also decrease a very common ailment of men, over-growth of the prostate, which may cause impotence.
Fiber. Food containing fiber is good for those people who suffer from heart problems, and it is useful to diabetics because it binds to itself both sugar and fat and prevents their access to the body. Fiber also decelerates the rise of the blood sugar level after meals, and holds it at an even level for a long time. Lots of fiber can be found in whole meal grain (rye bread and porridge, rolled oats, bran, barley grouts, dark rice, dark pasta, graham bread), and that is why we should use these instead of white flour, white pasta, and white polished rice. Other good sources of fiber are nuts (peanut 8.1%), seed, black currant (4.9 %), and all produce of the plant kingdom.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, DEMENTIA, GALLSTONES, STROKES, GANGRENE AND MANY EYE DISEASES. Various other diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, gallstones, strokes, gangrene, and many eye diseases are often associated with cardiovascular diseases. Findings from many studies suggest that maintaining a good condition of veins and a low cholesterol level can prevent these diseases. For example, gallstones are associated with cholesterol levels in blood and gall; many eye diseases can be caused by common artery blockages restricting the flow of blood. Researchers suspect that the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia will increase in coming years; they are generally thought to be caused by vein-related problems. They can be prevented by taking care of our veins. When trying to protect ourselves from these diseases, we should avoid harmful nutrients (sugar, white flour, many animal fats, and hardened vegetable fat), and eat plenty of food that prevents heart diseases. The following newspaper articles refer to some studies that have shown that fatty fish, nuts, and plant oils are beneficial. They offer the same protection against heart diseases: Eating Fish to Prevent Alzheimer’s?
Researchers in different corners of the world are feverishly searching for ways to prevent and care for the disease called Alzheimer’s. When the population is ageing, dementia and especially Alzheimer’s disease are expected to become more common. An American study has suggested that fats, including fish fat and omega-3 fatty acids, considerably decrease the risk of elderly people getting Alzheimer’s. The researchers observed that those who ate fish once a week had a 60% smaller risk to get Alzheimer’s than those who did not eat fish. Also, omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish and rapeseed oil were noted to decrease the risk of the illness. The observed results stood fast, even though they were proportioned to other risk factors of dementia, such as education as well as heart and vein diseases. The researchers stated that by eating fish, oil-based salad dressings, and nuts, the danger of getting Alzheimer’s disease can be decreased. (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 29 July 2003)
Weekly Bag of Nuts Can Keep Gallstones at Bay
Regular eating of nuts can prevent gallstones, report American researchers. According to them, one bag of nuts or approximately 140 grams a week is enough. The effect is the same with all nuts. Nuts contain many useful ingredients, which can explain the results. Nuts contain, for example, plenty of unsatisfied fatty acids, which in animal experiments have been observed to have an impact on the risk of gallstone diseases. Other elements found in nuts probably have an effect as well, such as nourishment fibers, magnesium, and plant sterols. (Etelä-Suomen sanomat, 6 July 2001)
CONSTIPATION means that our intestines work too rarely or irregularly. It also refers to hardening of feces, which is a typical problem in the Western countries. Constipation and hemorrhoids are not found among primitive people whose food is natural and includes more fiber. It is common only in urban environments where people have turned to another kind of nourishment. Furthermore, many other diseases that were not as common before are a result of new dietary practices:
Doctor Denis Burkitt, who was a missionary doctor in
Dr. Burkitt observed that the turnaround time for food (the time from eating to defecation) was notably longer for those who ate "cultural food" than for those who lived on natural food. The time among the natives was on an average 18–30 hours. For people living in towns, it varied from two to seven days. The essential difference between these two diets was the amount of fiber and undigested ingredients. The diet of the natives was very natural, fruit and vegetables were eaten without processing and a lot of preparation. The tribe population got plenty of undigested ingredients, fiber, and unrefined versatile carbohydrates from their food. The diet of the town people was quite the opposite. (4)
How can constipation and hemorrhoids often caused by constipation be taken care of? Our food plays a big part in this. The next factors have been found beneficial, for example:
The significance of fiber is great, both in the care of constipation and in preventing many diseases. Intestinal disorders are usually caused by a small amount of fiber and the wrong kind of food (plenty of sugar, white flour, and foods containing animal fat, such as fatty sausages). These cause many “elite” diseases. If we do not get enough fiber from our food (about 25 to 35 grams per day), it always slows down the food turnaround time and enables many harmful ingredients such as carcinogens (that cause cancer) and cholesterol to be absorbed into the body because they have more time. Instead, food containing fiber, both insoluble and soluble, has been found to benefit the body and speed up the food's journey through it. Useful foods include dissoluble fiber from oats and barley, berries, fruit, and vegetables, because they make defecation easier by making the feces softer. All of these and also rye bread contain plenty of insoluble fibers, which speed up the progress of food in our body and increase the amount of feces. Both fiber types are useful in the response to constipation.
Drinking enough water is useful in preventing constipation, because lack of water can cause constipation. If we do not get enough water the contents of our intestines will dry up more and more. The contents become hard and progress slows. If we get enough water – at least 1.5 to 2 liters per day – we help the intestines do their job and prevent constipation. Drinking enough water also helps prevent kidney stones.
CANCER
is one of the most commonly found diseases in Western
countries. Its seriousness is seen in many countries where
as many as every third person dies of it, and it is the
second most common cause of death after cardiovascular
disease. Cancer of the lungs has especially become very
common; in the
How can we prevent cancer? Almost the same dietary changes mentioned for other diseases will be beneficial in preventing cancer. The same methods can be useful in preventing many different diseases. However, the following factors are especially important in prevention of cancer:
Food containing fiber
was already mentioned; it is also beneficial in the
prevention of cancer. This can be seen, for instance, in
studies of primitive people done by Dr. Burkitt (see the
quote above). He observed that these people never had cancer
of the intestines; neither did they experience constipation
or other intestinal disorders because their food contained a
lot of fiber. He also said that cancers of the breast,
prostate, and the womb are caused by the lack of fiber in
the food, which is so common in the Western countries. Many
researchers later confirmed these findings. By comparison,
in
To minimize the risk of cancer, eat more fiber. We can get it almost from any produce of the vegetable kingdom that has not been refined too much. Good sources of fiber are especially whole meal grain products such as bran, rye bread (many studies have indicated that eating rye bread is beneficial in preventing cancer), rolled oats, barley grits, brown bread, dark pasta, dark rice and berries, fruit and vegetables.
Cabbages.
Cruciferous plants such as cabbages (cabbage heads,
broccoli, Chinese cabbage,
Soy and green tea
are ingredients that we do not use much in many Western
countries, but they are good in preventing cancer. In
Carotenes, such as beta carotene and lycopene, have been shown in studies to be effective in the prevention of cancer. By getting enough of them from our food, we can prevent many common cancers. Carrots contain plenty of beta carotene, for example. Other good sources are sweet pepper, tomatoes, cabbages, spinach, parsley, apricots and sweet potatoes. There is a lot of lycopene in tomatoes.
Harmful factors. Some nutrients can be useful in prevention of cancer, but there are also several factors that can increase the likelihood that we will get cancer. Often there are factors that increase our risk of getting cancer. We all know about the dangers of environmental toxins and nuclear accidents. There are many other factors. The two most common are:
Excessive sunbathing. We do not always perceive this as dangerous activity. Skin cancer, which is just one result of excessive sunbathing, does not appear immediately but requires repeated exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation. It generally appears in people over the age of 40, who already have dermal tissue damage that can turn into cancer. Skin cancer will be one of the most common cancers in the future and it is anticipated to greatly increase in the next twenty years. The best way to avoid this is to avoid spending too much time in the sun.
Tobacco is something that greatly adds to the risk of having cancer. Lung cancer, which in many countries is the most common one, is mainly found in smokers. Their risk of getting pulmonary cancer is about 30-fold compared to others. In 1912, this cancer was still called "the rarest illness" (Alton Ochsner: Smoking and Cancer, New York, Julian Messner, Inc., 1954, p. 16), but now it is the second most common cause of death immediately after coronary thrombosis. The fact that it has become so common is the result of smoking being more and more common. Smokers are at greater risk of getting many diseases. The American Cancer Society made a research on 187,000 men, whose ages varied from 50 to 69 years, and they found that the smokers had a lot of different diseases. In addition to pulmonary cancer, they also had other cancers, such as cancer of the larynx, esophagus, and bladder, as well as gastric ulcers and heart diseases also resulting in cerebral hemorrhage and strokes (E.C. Hammond ja Daniel Horn, Journal of the American Medical Association, March. 15 1958, p. 1308). Tobacco can thus be the reason behind many diseases, and that is why it is one of the most major – in some countries the most major – cause of various diseases. Fortunately, the risk of getting many diseases caused by tobacco decreases already after a few months after stopping smoking. Therefore, it is worthwhile to give up smoking in time.
OSTEOPOROSIS.
To continue with different diseases, we should take a look
at osteoporosis, or brittle bones. It is one of the most
typical national diseases in many countries: according to
the WHO, it is the second most serious problem after
cardiovascular diseases. (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 29 June
2004, p. 15). In
What happens is that the bones gradually become weak and brittle, and then even a small fall or stress can break the bones (for example, in Finland, according to statistics there are 26,000 fractures caused by osteoporosis annually; Etelä-Suomen Sanomat 29 June 2004, p. 15). The process can be accelerated by cortisone products, epilepsy medicine, over-consumption of coffee or alcohol, and tobacco usage (which can prevent the absorption of calcium). How can osteoporosis be prevented or treated? There are a few important things. The following points have been found to be important:
A sufficient supply of calcium during childhood and youth is one of the most important means in preventing osteoporosis. Calcium builds bones and teeth, and that is why we must get enough of it -- approximately 800 mg per day – from our food. Many studies have suggested that an insufficient supply of calcium is clearly associated with adult osteoporosis and to childhood bone fractures. The newspaper Etelä-Suomen Sanomat reported (date is missing), that, “Children who don’t drink milk were found to have more fractures than usual, according to an American study. With children who didn't drink milk, the supply of calcium remained under the recommended levels and the bone density was noticeably lower than that of others of the same age. The researchers and health-care professionals wanted to challenge parents to take care that children get enough of all the necessary nutrients. Every third child had had a fracture before puberty. Most of the fractures had occurred before the age of seven. A strong skeletal structure decreases the risk of fractures already as a child and can decrease the risk of fractures caused by osteoporosis in later years. Milk and milk products contain important proteins to the skeletal structure, minerals and vitamins. (...).”
Especially the insufficient use of milk products – those that contain a lot of calcium – can be one reason why many people get osteoporosis:
Milk Consumed Already as Child Impacts Adulthood
Drinking milk as a child promotes the good condition of bones also as an adult, says a new American study. A diet without milk or an insufficient amount of milk is connected to the brittleness of bones and an increased risk of fractures. Those who had avoided milk in their childhood had double the risk of having a fracture when they were over 50 when compared with their friends who had regularly consumed milk. In the study, they compared the bone density and amount of fractures in 3,200 women to the use of milk in childhood and youth. Milk consumed in the childhood during the ages 5–12 and 13–17 was connected to a larger mineral content of the bone tissue. The study has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Milk contains calcium and vitamin D, which are necessary for the growth and regeneration of bones. There are also several nutrients, such as protein, phosphorus, zinc, and magnesium in milk, which can increase the mineral contents of the bone. High mineral content reflects the firmness of the bone. A small mineral content promotes brittleness of the bones and increases the risk for getting fractures. Nutrients from milk are needed during the whole lifetime, since bones always regenerate. The same minerals from milk can be eaten in the form of yogurt, cheese, or other milk products. (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, [date is missing])
How can we assure that we get enough calcium? The necessary amount can be gotten from three glasses of milk per day. In addition, there is plenty of calcium in other milk-based products (sour milk, yogurt, curdled whole milk, cheese), fish, seed, nuts, almonds, soybean, white beans, and green vegetables, such as cabbages and spinach.
Vitamin D
is another important contributor to bone health. Its
significance in the prevention of osteoporosis is based on
this: If there is not enough vitamin D in our body, calcium
cannot be properly absorbed into the body. Another possible
important factor in the absorption of calcium is vitamin K,
which we can get from all cabbages, spinach, peas, green
beans, avocado, and some vegetable oils. For example,
broccoli came into light in a study done in the universities
of
What are good sources of vitamin D? It is formed in our skin
in sunlight. Other sources are especially fatty fishes,
vitaminized margarine, milk (the vitamin is naturally
present in full milk, but in many countries such as
Exercise. When we try to prevent osteoporosis, we cannot forget physical exercise. Exercise that is diverse and includes knocks and bumps is good for the bones. If osteoporosis has already developed, the most strenuous exercise must be avoided, but suitable exercise can be useful in its prevention.
INFECTIONS AND PAIN. Different kinds of infections, pain, and joint problems, can all have their origins in many factors. For example, an ordinary backache can be caused by damage to the disks, pinched nerves, wrong position of the joints or infection in the joints, inferior muscle condition, wrong working positions, or obesity because it strains the backbone. In the same way, there may be numerous causes for back pain and other pains. How then can various pains be prevented and alleviated? Diet can have its own important significance. It is true that no diet can help in all problems, but it can be of help in many areas. For example, the following diets have been found to be useful:
Fatty fish such as salmon, rainbow trout, herring, Baltic herring, whitefish, mackerel, sardine, tuna, etc. can alleviate infection and joint pains. There are plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish, which prevent infection and can remove pains and decrease the need of infection medicine. The same omega-3 fatty acids are also useful in the prevention of heart diseases; in addition, they have been found to alleviate symptoms of some skin diseases, such as psoriasis.
Plant oils, such as rapeseed, soy, olive, corn, sunflower, and evening primrose oil can prevent various infections (evening primrose oil has been observed to be especially useful in treatment of different rashes such as atopic dermatitis; other plant oils may have a similar influence). They contain the same omega-3 fatty acids as fatty fish and fish oils, and in those there is also plenty of vitamin E, which is an important ingredient in the prevention of infections. A small increase of these agents in the weekly diet can in no way be harmful, because they have been found to decrease blood cholesterol and also prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Vitamin E and selenium are ingredients "which can alleviate muscular pain. According to one American study, these ingredients eased paralyzing muscular pain and rigidity.” (Readers Digest: Terveyttä vai sairautta ruoasta, p. 325). Good sources of vitamin E include plant oils (sunflower, corn, rapeseed, soy, and wheat germ oil), whole meal grain, avocado, eggs and nuts (a couple of handfuls of peanuts can satisfy the daily need). Good sources of selenium are whole meal grain and meat (except not in areas where the selenium content of the soil is low), fish, tomato, onion, nuts, shellfishes, mollusks, and also many mushrooms.
Fresh food that contains a lot of berries, plants, fruits, and whole meal grain has been observed to be useful for those who suffer from joint problems. This kind of food, containing plenty of vitamin C and other vitamins, is certainly more useful to the body than refined food (sugar, white flour, etc) that is often eaten. Many people have healed from their joint problems and migraine when they have started to eat food that contains plenty of vegetables.
ASTHMA
is an illness from which about 5% of the population suffers
in
How can we prevent asthma or alleviate its symptoms? It has been found that some ingredients in food are a bit more useful than others. Here are some general observations:
Fatty fish can protect from asthma according to some studies. For example, in a study done in the Cambridge University (770 volunteers took part in it), researchers found that people who hadn't eaten fish at least twice a week suffered from asthma. However, there were also people who had eaten at least this amount and who did not suffer from asthma (Readers Digest 5 / 2004, p. 148). The reason might be the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, because they can decrease the contraction and infection of the airways. Plant oils also contain some fatty acids.
Vitamins and minerals, which we can get in abundance from fresh food, can be useful in preventing asthma. Important nutrients include vitamin C (juice, oranges and citrus fruits, potato, rutabaga, turnip, cabbages, strawberry, cloudberry, black currant, sweet pepper...), vitamin E (plant oils, whole meal grain, nuts, avocado, plant margarine, eggs...) and beta carotene (carrot, tomato, cabbages, spinach, sweet pepper, parsley, apricot, sweet potato...), which strengthen the immunity of the lungs and the body and fight against free radicals that are the cause of many diseases. We can get them from most fruits, berries, and vegetables. In addition, vitamins B6 and A and magnesium are useful in preventing asthma:
Vitamin B6 can be beneficial for those who suffer from asthma. According to some studies, it can alleviate asthma that is caused by an infection of the bronchus. It can be obtained from salmon and other fish, banana, avocado, milk, eggs, whole meal grain, potato, nuts, and beans.
Vitamin A is important, because its deficiency increases the risk of infection in the airways and eyes. Generally, not much of it is needed, because the daily minimum requirement can be obtained from one carrot (vitamin A comes from beta carotene that a carrot contains). It can be also obtained from certain milk products, eggs, margarine, and in the form of beta carotene from sweet pepper, tomato, cabbage, and spinach. If it is obtained in the form of beta carotene, there is no danger of an overdose.
Magnesium is an important nutrient (according to some studies, magnesium is useful in the prevention of osteoporosis), because according to a study made in the University of Nottingham in 1994, those people whose magnesium level was low had the most asthma attacks. There is magnesium in whole meal grain, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, banana, beans, peas, and blueberries.
REASONS BEHIND DISEASES. Many diseases are caused by an inadequate diet. We may eat too much unhealthy food (especially sugar, white flour, and fatty food) and too little food that contains important protective nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. It is very possible that we get enough energy from food, but not get these important protective nutrients, and this can lead to diseases. This is possible also in Western countries. People who eat only vegetarian foods represent a special group. They usually avoid many elite diseases (gallstones, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, constipation, cancer), but can suffer from deficiency of certain nutrients, which can also lead to diseases. For example, tuberculosis has killed more people than any other infectious disease; it is more commonly found among vegetarians. According to a study of Asian emigrants living in South London, vegetarians had tuberculosis eight times more often than those who ate either meat, fish, or milk products daily; (Readers Digest: Terveyttä vai sairautta ruoasta?, p. 417). The reason for this might be the deficiency of vitamins B12 and D, which are important for our immune system, and which can be obtained mainly from the products of the animal kingdom (fish, meat, eggs, milk products). Some people may have a deficiency of vitamin B2 (fish, meat, eggs, milk products, whole meal grain), zinc (fish, meat, whole meal grain, nuts, peas, beans, milk products), iron (meat, fish, eggs, peas, beans, whole meal grain, dark green vegetables) and perhaps of other protective nutrients. They all are important for our immune system and are often difficult to obtain from mere vegetarian food. If we take a look at what is the most typical factor causing diseases nowadays, it is surely eating too much resulting in overweight. In Western countries, people are on average fatter than ever before, and this has caused diseases. For example, cardiovascular diseases, gallstones, constipation and intestinal problems, problems with joints and many other problems can arise from too much eating, overweight, and unhealthy eating. Especially the so-called junk food that contains plenty of sugar, white flour, and animal fats and only a little fiber, can be a reason for overweight and the deterioration of health:
One Third of Americans’ Meals Are Junk Food
Junk food contains almost a third of the calories the Americans consume daily, the researchers told on Tuesday. 25% of their diet consists of sweets, desserts, lemonades, and alcoholic drinks. On top of this, 5% of their food is salty snacks.
-
We already knew that people eat plenty of junk food, but the
fact that almost one third of the calories comes from it is
shocking. No wonder that obesity is an epidemic in this
country, said professor Gladys Block, the leader of the
study from the
4,760 adults were interviewed for the study. The adults were asked to make a note of all the food they had eaten during a day. According to the researchers, one alarming thing in this kind of a diet is also that the junk food does not have any vital vitamins or trace elements. (..) A large number of Americans are undernourished as comes to vitamins. It is possible to be both fat and undernourished as comes to nutrients, Block said. (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 3 June 2004)
The significance of our daily choices in controlling weight becomes apparent in the next table (6 / 2003 Koulurauhaa, (“Peace at School”) p. 25). It shows how our choices can save us from getting unnecessary amounts of energy and fat. This is really important if we are trying to lose some weight:
EXERCISE. Food has a great significance for healing. If we eat harmful food for many years, it does no good to our body and can at some stage cause diseases. On the other hand, if the diet is replaced early enough with a healthier one, it can reduce the problems and even heal some diseases. Many may have experienced this. Another important factor is exercise, since mere diet does not always guarantee good health. We also need a suitable amount of exercise and need to reserve time for it. It is good to note that everyday routines can amount to a lot of exercise during one year. If we walk up stairs every day for 2 minutes instead of taking the lift, it adds up to over 12 hours of exercise per year, which is already quite a lot. If we walk 700 meters back and forth once a week instead of taking the car, it adds up to 12 hours of exercise per year. Exercise is important for better health. The benefits appear especially in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, because exercising improves the condition of these body parts. Exercise is also useful for people who try to lose weight. They can reach their objective easier with the help of exercise. Let’s look at these both separately:
Effect on the heart and circulation. A good idea of the significance of exercise versus immobility is given by a study made in Gothenburg. Swedish men were put into their beds to rest for five days. When the muscle power of the heart was measured both after and before the study, it was observed that the pumping ability of the heart decreased by as much as 26 per cent during the five-day rest. This indicates that if we do not move at all, activity of the heart will decrease.
On the other hand, if we move even a little regularly (it
has been presented that even ½ - 1 hours of daily exercise
would be sufficient; this can include chores like vacuuming,
carrying shopping bags, clearing snow off roads, chopping
wood and such), it immediately decreases the risk of heart
diseases and increases the amount of good
The next example also indicates the usefulness of walking on the heart. People in the example ate fatty food, but when they walked enough, they were still in good condition in spite of their diet:
(…) Mann was interested in these people, because they ate enormous amounts of fat, but had hardly any heart diseases. Mann got a permission to make autopsies after members of the tribe died. The cause of death wasn't a heart disease, but Mann in any case examined their hearts and observed that their heart veins were in as bad condition as those of modern Americans. He observed something else as well. The arteries in the hearts of the Masai tribesmen were twice as big as those of the Americans because these people walked tens of kilometers a day. Walking kept the veins in good condition. The Masai people were in good condition in spite of their fatty diet. (5)
Effect on weight. Exercise is beneficial also for those who are trying to lose weight, because all exercise consumes energy and fat. All activities that consume energy more than we can get from food, automatically lead to losing weight. A general rule is that if we get about 500 kilocalories (kcal; for example one grill flank portion has 350 kcal, and a donut 290 kcal) less energy per day than we consume, we will loose about half a kilo a week. Correspondingly, if the energy deficit is a little smaller, losing weight is also little slower. This is well illustrated by the next quote. It indicates how slight changes in diet and increase of exercise can easily cause you to lose several kilograms. Already after one year the change is noticeable:
- Walking is the best. It is the easiest, nicest and cheapest, although it takes time. Walking consumes six kilocalories a minute, 360 kilocalories an hour, if we walk quite briskly; something like six kilometers an hour. If you could walk an hour per day and eat 140 kilocalories less than you normally do, you would use up 500 kilocalories more than before. Seven times five hundred is three thousand five hundred. That amount corresponds to half a kilo of fat. After a week, you will weigh half a kilo less. This time next year, you will have lost all of your extra twenty kilos. It may feel like a long time in the future, but think about what you did this time last year, and you'll notice that it is just like yesterday! When you begin to see the results, time will pass quickly. (...) It is true. You can make it sound so easy; yes, there must be some truth in it, Donna thought. (6)
THE HEALTH OF THE TEETH. The food we eat also has an impact on the condition and health of our teeth. Most teeth diseases do not appear by accident; they are usually caused by the food we eat and bad tooth hygiene. If we pay a little attention to both of these, we can avoid unnecessary problems with our teeth. Important points include:
Sugar. Ordinary sugar that is concentrated in lemonades (up to 45–60 pieces in 1.5l bottle; many juices also have a lot of sugar, but they are easy to dilute with water), sweets, and pastries makes them dangerous for the teeth. They do not contain important nutrients, just calories. This is the largest cause of cavity formation in the teeth. It is easy for bacteria to form glutinous ingredients from sugar, which then attach to the surface of the teeth and form plaque. Other ingredients are not that big of a danger, with the exception of sour ingredients found in, for example, soft drinks, sport drinks, and juices. For example, protein and fats do not damage the teeth at all. In the same way, eating food containing fiber is useful, because it keeps the teeth and gums in good condition.
The importance of brushing our teeth can surely not be exaggerated. If we brush our teeth regularly at least two times a day, plaque cannot form on the teeth. It is certainly wise to brush them immediately after eating food that contains sugar to prevent acid attacks. Chewing gums containing xylitol can also be good after meals.
The time between meals. One defense against cavity formation is to keep the times between sugary meals long enough. Whether it is a question of the children's sweet day, munching pastries or soft drinks containing sugar, it is good to eat them with the main meal and not too often. If we eat them constantly throughout the day, it is extremely bad for the teeth and bacteria can easier destroy our teeth. Instead, if the times between meals are kept long enough, there is no danger of this.
THE EFFECT OF FOOD ON OUR MOOD. It is easy to understand that ingredients in food can be useful or harmful to the body and that certain foods can bring about healing, while certain ingredients, when eaten excessively, can lead to the deterioration of our physical condition. This is easy to understand, because there is a lot of information from research conducted in this area. Instead, something that has been researched only a little is the effect of different ingredients in food on our mood and even on our behavior. According to some studies, unhealthy food can cause depression, irritability, and other mental symptoms. Especially sugar, additives, and allergies can affect our mental condition. Let’s look at these separately:
Sugar
is one ingredient that has been regarded as one possible
trigger for irritability, hyper activity, and problematic
behavior. In studies made in juvenile prisons in the
Dr. Messenger David L. provides a few examples of the impacts of sugar on our mood in his book. He writes that many people are very sensitive to sugar. Other harmful ingredients may include wheat, milk, eggs, nuts, meat, citrus fruits, and other ingredients that can cause allergic reactions such as headache, bellyache, dizziness, coldness, rash, breathing difficulties, irritability, or depression in persons who are allergic to these products:
I remember one 20-year-old woman who came to my clinic because of sudden events she had had since the age of 12. She was in a state of confusion two or three times a week. Her parents had taken her to see the doctor several times. The test results were normal, and so the doctors concluded that she was suffering from difficulties in her emotional life, and not from any organic, wavelike disturbance in the brain. (...) It appeared that this woman was extremely sensitive to sugar. When she changed her diet and stopped using sugar, the events disappeared completely. She has not had any for the last five years. Her story is only one of many cases in which the problem is physical, but doctors have been unable to find its origins. Her physical problem also caused serious difficulties in her emotional life. (...) I have many patients who have recovered from their depression and fear, hallucinations, quick temper, sudden oppressions, headaches and insomnia by avoiding all food containing sugar and other refined carbohydrates. By changing their diet and by adding a large portion of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to their diet, they have healed completely. (7)
Additives can be harmful to some people. This was noted when all additives, color ingredients, and preservatives were removed from the diet of children suffering from behavior problems and learning difficulties. Their behavior greatly improved after this. According to one study made in the United States, as many as 30 to 50 hyper active children calmed down considerably after artificial coloring and flavorings agents were eliminated from their food (Readers Digest, Terveyttä vai sairautta ruoasta?, p. 464). On the other hand, fish oils and fatty acids (omega-3) of fatty fish may have just the opposite effect. Some studies have indicated that the fatty acids found in fish can positively affect children who are hyper active or have learning disabilities or are depressed or schizophrenic. Their symptoms have notably decreased when they have eaten this kind of food.
Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can also cause depression and irritability. It is, however, not always a matter of diet – even though iodine deficiency can cause both of these disorders – but of a metabolic disturbance caused by the thyroid gland. If a person has this problem, it is usually also connected with other symptoms such as tiredness, being cold, putting on weight, dry skin and hair, forgetfulness and goiter in case of hypothyroidism, or slimming, tiredness, fast vital functions, such as a faster pulse, sweating and goiter, in case of hyperthyroidism:
Doctors could tell how many cases of depression are caused by deficiency diseases, hormone disturbances and imbalance in the chemicals of the human body. Quite an illustrative case is a metropolitan woman, who suffered many years from depression. She was treated with medicine, sometimes even in mental hospitals. The disease was naturally classified by the symptoms. The medicine calmed her, but the disease did not heal. But then – in one common hospital – they found out while carrying out other general inspections that she suffered from hypothyroidism that could be treated with medicine. A miracle took place, and the depression was gone. (8)
REFERENCES:
1. Charles and Frances Hunter, Parantakaa sairaat, p.125 (TO HEAL THE SICK) 2. David L.Messenger, Terveenä olet onnellisempi, p. 49 (DR. MESENGER’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH) 3. Maurice Rawlings, Rajan taakse ja takaisin, p. 20 (TO HELL AND BACK) 4. David L.Messenger, Terveenä olet onnellisempi, p.186 (DR. MESENGER’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH) 5. Don Colbert, Terveydeksi! p. 82 6. Quentin O Hyder, Vapaana syyllisyydestä, peloista, masennuksesta, ylipainosta, p.149 (DON’T BLAME THE DEVIL) 7. David L.Messenger, Terveenä olet onnellisempi, p. 22, 163 (DR. MESENGER’S GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH) 8. Mauri Viksten, Ahdistuksesta avaralle, p. 106
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