Make Food Your Friend by: Jane Kriese

The food you choose to eat, can be your answer to a healthy vibrant body or it can be the cause of your sick body. The fact is we need good nutrition for good health.

Good nutrition can be broken into four categories: water, carbohydrates, protein and fat.

WATER; water is an essential nutrient involved in every function of the body. It helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of cells. We need to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of filtered water each day.

CARBOHYDRATES; carbohydrates supply the body with energy. The best carbohydrates are from plants and include: fruits, vegetables, legumes (peas, beans) or milk and milk products. Young children need higher amounts of dairy products as they grow. Adults should refrain from too many dairy products, because they are acid forming foods. To learn more about acid forming foods and how it relates to our health, refer to; www. herbs4health. net and read the article called “The Fountain Of Youth”.

PROTEIN; Protein is essential for growth and development, it provides energy and is required to manufacture hormones, antibodies, enzymes and tissue. The correct proteins also help maintain the proper acid-alkaline balance in the body. Protein can be found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, hemp hearts, grains, legumes, leafy green vegetables, beans, brown rice, some nuts, milk and dairy products.

FATS; fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Children require more fat for normal brain development. All humans need fat to provide energy to the body. We get our fat from animal and dairy products, as well as the different types of oil such as; olive oil, coconut oil, hemp oil, vegetable shortening and many other types of commercially prepared oils. Some fats are good for us and others are not. It is important for a person to research the information on good fats versus bad fats.

There are many different eating plans and each person must find one that suits their body and lifestyle.

The newest health information is now suggesting that over 50% of all the food that we consume should come from vegetables and fruits. The Canadian Cancer Society suggests 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Most of these should be raw. You have the knowledge about the basic foods we need to maintain a healthy body.

To learn even more about how our diet affects our body, I suggest you read the book

“Death By Diet” written by Robert Barefoot

Here is the rest of the story.

FOODS WE SHOULD ELIMINATE

There are many foods that we all like to eat, but they can be harmful and don't offer any nutritional value. We should eliminate these foods from our diets:

All white food, white flour, white sugar, white rice, and white pasta.

Junk food; such as soda, candy and chips.

Prepackaged foods, frozen dinners and other commercially prepared frozen foods. Processed meats, commercially canned foods, such as vegetables, fruits, baby foods, juices, sauces and condiments.

The exception to this rule is buying organically prepared foods.

Right now you might be feeling overwhelmed, but if you start slowly and change your shopping habits bit by bit, your taste buds will change and you will embrace the new eating plan.

Soon you will have a healthy, vibrant body!

© 2005 Jane Kriese

janes-store(at)telus. net

Author:
Jane Kriese

About the Author:
To learn more, sign up for Jane Kriese's Herbs For Health Newsletter, and receive your free alkalinity testing kit at www.herbsforhealthstore.bizjanes-store(at)telus.net