THE FAST OXIDIZER EATING PLAN

By Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© November 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

INTRODUCTION

              Please read this diet plan many times to understand it fully.  I have tried to keep this document short, but it is packed with information.  This diet is much more refined than the original nutritional balancing diet used by Dr. Paul Eck, and it works much better. 

The goals of this diet are:

- DEVELOPMENT.  If you don’t know about this, please read Food And Development and Special Foods For Development.  Development is a secret of nutritional balancing. 

- MINERALS. I find that everyone is mineral-starved today, thanks to modern agricultural practices, stress and eating refined food.  Eating piles of cooked vegetables is the only way I know to obtain the nutrients everyone needs.

- DIGESTION. Most people have weak digestion.  This diet rests the intestinal tract and soothes it.

- PURITY. Over 3000 chemicals are permitted in food, and many of these can damage health.  This is a clean diet.

- MORE YANG. Yang is a Chinese word describing a physics quality.  It is explained more in the section below.

ELEMENTS OF THE DIET

              The following are listed roughly in their order of their importance.

1. Importance of the diet.  Diet is extremely important for development and nutritional balancing.

2. Proportions of various foods.   Eat at least 70% cooked vegetables with each meal.  This is extremely important.  You will get used to it.

3. Types of foods. Eat cooked vegetables with every meal.  Eat animal protein (lamb, chicken, turkey, sardines, or eggs) ONCE OR TWICE daily, but only 4-5 ounce servings for an adult, and not more than twice daily.  Never eat red meat more than 3 times per week

Avoid all wheat, all fruit and all sugars.  Dairy products (cheese, yogurt and milk) and beef are optional, only, and not important.

4. Food combinations.  Keeping meals simple with only two or even just one type of food at a meal is important.

5. Quantity of food. The portion size must vary with a person’s age, height and lifestyle.  We allow more food, as long as the percentages and types of food are correct.

6. Eating habits. This is important, such as not drinking water with meals, eating slowly, and chewing thoroughly.

7. Quality of foods.  This is somewhat important, but not as critical.  Organically grown is superior, but not required if you cannot find it or cannot afford it.  Food from fast food restaurants is of much poorer quality and not recommended at all.

8. Avoid yin foods.  This is critical today!  Avoid all fruit, all juices except for up to 10 ounces of carrot juice daily.  Also avoid nightshade vegetables, all raw vegetables, most fermented foods except a little yogurt, kefer, sauerkraut and miso. 

Also avoid rice cakes and have only a little olive oil.  Also avoid all refined food, all food powders, smoothies, soups, food bars and most processed foods.  Blue corn tortilla chips are good, however.

THE DIET:

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

1. Meal planning.  Only two types of meal plans are acceptable on this diet.  They are:

A. Mono meals, or one type of food per meal – plus some fat.  For example, you could have a few cooked vegetables  with some butter on them for breakfast.  A few hours later have a can of sardines cooked in olive oil.

A few hours later have some more cooked vegetables with butter, again.  A few hours later have a small bowl of oatmeal or 1/3 of a bag of blue corn chips with some cream.  A few hours later have another portion of cooked vegetables with cream, butter or oil on them.

Mono meals are the easiest to digest, and this is why they are excellent.  You may need to eat 4 or 5 meals daily if they are mono meals. 

B. The other way to eat is to have two types of food at a meal. Each meal must consist of 1) one to three COOKED VEGETABLES, and 2) EITHER ONE protein or ONE starch.  This is also for ease of digestion.  This means: 

a) Do not mix meat and eggs at one meal, as these are both proteins.  Also, do not mix rice and corn tortillas at the same meal, as these are both starches.

b) Do not mix a oatmeal with eggs (mixing a starch and a protein).

For example, you may have a large amount of two or three cooked vegetables with a chicken thigh.  Fast oxidizers need dark meat chicken, and some chicken skin to obtain enough fat at the meal.

Then, a few hours later, have a cooked vegetable or two with a starch such as blue corn tortillas or quinoa.  To this you must add some fat such as sour cream, oil or egg yolk.

If possible, refrain from putting a lot of dressings, sauces, relishes, sweeteners and spices on your food.  A little is fine to flavor the food.  Too much can upset digestion.  Fast oxidizers, however, may benefit from putting some oil, butter, cream or sour cream on their food as a topping. 

2. Eat at least three meals daily.  Do not skip meals.  It is difficult enough to obtain enough nutrients eating three meals daily.  It is even less possible if you skip meals.  Eat by the clock, if needed.  Do not wait until you are hungry, as some health authorities suggest.  If you are not hungry, still try to eat at least three meals daily.

3. Variety.  Rotate your foods.  Do not eat the same food several times daily or every day.

4. You may have more than three meals daily, but do not snack all day, as this is hard on digestion.  Instead, if hungry, eat another small sit-down, relaxed meal.

5. You may eat plenty, provided it is the right foods in the right proportions. The right proportions for this diet are listed above.

6. Try to find fresh and organically grown food, although organically grown is not required.  Organically grown food is generally higher in nutrients and lower in pesticides.  F

Fresh food is generally better than frozen or canned, although even canned vegetables are definitely better than no vegetables or eating junk food.  The only reason not to eat fresh food is if it is old or spoiled.

7. Eat only whole, natural foods.  This means: NO protein powders, NO green drinks, smoothies or shakes, NO juices except 10 ounces of carrot juice away from meals, NO eggs whites only or Egg Beaters, and NO food bars.  See the references below for the reasons for these restrictions.

8. Eating habits.  Eat slowly, chew thoroughly, sit down when eating, and eat in a relaxed, quiet environment.  Ideally, rest a few minutes before your meals, and rest at least 10 minutes after each meal.

Avoid eating while driving, when upset, or in noisy places.

9. Leftovers.  Ideally, cook once a day.  You may have one day of leftovers.  It is not necessary to cook for every meal.

10. Food proportions by volume, not calories, for fast oxidizers.  The diet consists of about:

- 70% well-cooked, not raw vegetables.  Do not cook with microwave ovens.  Preferably pressure-cook your food.

- 15% fats or oils

- 10% protein, mainly animal protein

- 1-5% complex carbohydrates (starches such as whole grains)

- 0% simple carbohydrates (fruit and sweets)

- 0% chemical-laden and refined foods

References: Organically Grown Food, Flawed Studies Of Organic Food, Genetically Modified Food, Food Faddism, Food Basics, Smoothies, Soups, Purees And Juices.

DIET SPECIFICS

COOKED VEGETABLES

1. The best vegetables are:

Carrots

Onions, all – red, yellow, white, green, pearl, boiler, and shallots.

Diakon or white radish

Cauliflower (including the leaves and stems around the outside)

Brussels sprouts

Red cabbage

Green beans

2. Quantity.  Adults need to eat about 3 cups of cooked vegetables at each meal, at least three times daily.  This means 9-10 cups of cooked vegetables daily!  This is the most important and most difficult part of this diet for most people.  Fill two-thirds of your plate with cooked vegetables!  Measure the cups of vegetables with cooked, not raw vegetables.

3. How many at a meal.  You can have one, two or three different cooked vegetables per meal.

4. Which vegetables.  About 35 vegetables are permitted on this diet.  Each day, eat at least:

A) Two Root Vegetables: carrots, onions, turnips, black radish, celery root, rutabaga, daikon, beets, sweet potato, and yams. A little garlic or ginger are good for flavoring.

B) Two Cruciferous Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts.

C) One or two Greens:spinach, carrot tops, beet greens, green beans, string beans, peas, cilantro, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, Napa cabbage, bok choy, Swiss chard, leeks, scallions, kale and green onions.

D) Other acceptable vegetables, though not quite as good, are fresh corn, winter squashes (acorn, spaghetti and butternut squashes), pumpkin, mushrooms and celery.

5. Vegetables to avoid.  Do not eat nightshade vegetables (white and red potatoes, tomatoes, all peppers and eggplant).  These vegetables are really fruits.  They are too yin, and somewhat toxic due to their solanin content.

Also, avoid or have rarely asparagus, artichoke, okra, cucumber, lettuce, jicama, and summer squashes such as zuccini or sunburst squash.  These are slightly toxic or yin.  All squashes and pumpkin are fruits, so they are more yin.

Also, please avoid sprouts.  Most contain a toxin to protect the young plant.  Also avoid sprouted breads, spouted nut or seed butters, and other sprouted products.

6. Cooking vegetables. The vegetables should be cooked until soft, NOT RAW OR CRUNCHY.  Pressure-cooking is best – fastest best-tasting, and easy to clean up.  Other acceptable methods are steaming, crock pots, or stir-frying.

Do not use microwave ovens.  A little roasting or barbeque is okay, but do not deep-fry, roast or barbeque all food.  These methods use high heat that generates some toxic chemicals.  Read Pressure-Cooking for details about this excellent cooking method.

Reasons for cooking:

A. Cooking reduces the amount of a few vitamins in the food.  However, it greatly increases the mineral availability of the food by breaking down tough fiber.  The latter is far more important.

B. It increases the Etheric Energy of most food, and makes the food more yang.  Both benefits are extremely important for development.

C. It concentrates some foods, allowing one to eat more of the food.

D. It kills many bacteria and parasites on vegetables and other foods.

6. Variety.  Please do not eat the same foods every day.  Rotate foods and have variety.

7. Freshness and leftovers.  You can cook once daily, preferably in a crock pot or steamer, or you can even cook for two days.  I do not suggest eating leftovers for more than one extra day.  Organically grown is generally better if you can find it.

8. Frozen and canned vegetables.  Some frozen vegetables are okay, but fresh is best, so do not eat all frozen vegetables.  Canned vegetables are not quite as good, but they are much better than not eating vegetables at all.

9. Salads and cole slaw.  Raw vegetables do not provide many minerals, are much more yin, can be unclean, and just fill up your stomach.  Please avoid them except for occasional use, or garnishes or toppings.

Salads do not count as portions of vegetables.  Please do not eat many salads.

10. Sprouts.  The only sprouts allowed are mung bean sprouts.  These must be cooked.

References: Fifty Reasons For The Cooked Vegetable Diet, Nutritional Balancing Fast Food, Raw Foods, Vegetable Toppings, Fermented Foods.

FATS AND OILS

The diet for fast oxidizers is higher in fat, and this is extremely important!  Have two tablespoons of fat or oil at least three times daily, in addition to the fat contained in foods such as meats, eggs, sardines, almond butter, cheese, or yogurt.

Cravings.  Fast oxidizers MUST eat enough fat or oil or they will crave sugars and starches.  Also, if they do not eat enough fat or oils, their oxidation rate may not slow down.

Fear of fat.  Many people are afraid of eating fat due to its higher cholesterol content.  However, the fear of cholesterol in food is outdated and untrue dietary propaganda.

Difficult for some ethnic groups.  Some groups of people, such as Japanese, Koreans and Chinese, do not tend to eat much fat in their diet.  This is generally good. 

However, if one has a fast oxidation rate, please try to eat the recommended amount of fat or oil for optimum health. 

Recent research.  In 2013, an editorial entitled From The Heart; Saturated Fat Is Not The Major Issue, appeared in the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2013;347:f6340).  The author is a heart specialist at Croydon University Hospital in London, England,  Dr. Aseem Malhotra.  He wrote:

“The avoidance of saturated fat actually promotes poor health in a number of ways, compounding the health risks of following this completely outdated and dangerous advice. 

 “The mantra that saturated fat must be removed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease has dominated dietary advice and guidelines for almost four decades. Yet scientific evidence shows that this advice has, paradoxically, increased our cardiovascular risks....

“The aspect of dietary saturated fat that is believed to have the greatest influence on cardiovascular risk is elevated concentrations of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

“Yet the reduction in LDL cholesterol from reducing saturated fat intake seems to be specific to large, buoyant (type A) LDL particles, when in fact it is the small, dense (type B) particles (responsive to carbohydrate intake) that are implicated in cardiovascular disease.

“Indeed, recent prospective cohort studies have not supported any significant association between saturated fat intake and cardiovascular risk.  Instead, saturated fat has been found to be protective.”

1. Quantity. Fast oxidizers need about two tablespoons of added fat or oil three times daily.  This is in addition to the fat found in foods such as meat, eggs, sardines or almond butter.

An excellent rule of thumb is to have about two tablespoons of fat or oil with each meal.  The exact quantity may vary depending on your size and weight.

Animal quality fats work better than vegetable oils to slow the oxidation rate for many fast oxidizers

2. The best fats: Fatty meats such as dark meat chicken, dark meat turkey, lamb, and fatty cuts of beef.  Roasted almond butter also contains an excellent oil.

Other good fats are egg yolk, and raw or organic dairy products such as cream, butter, full-fat yogurt or cream cheese. 

Butter is better than ghee for most people because it is less processed.  Only have ghee if you cannot use butter.  The Challenge brand of butter in America, found at supermarkets and Walmart, is the best brand of butter, even better than the organic health store brands.

3. Vegetable oils.  These are all more yin.  Occasional use of refined vegetable oil is okay, such as peanut, sunflower, safflower, sesame, corn, soy, and canola oils.  Vegetable oils in blue corn chips are okay.

Less recommended are unrefined flax, hemp, or other less processed oils.  The problem is these go rancid quickly - even in the refrigerator, where they must be kept.

4. Fruit oils.  These are too yin for everyday use.  They include coconut oil, palm oil, and oily foods such as avocado.  It also includes olive oil, although a little is fine.

5. Avoid deep-fried foods.  Avoid deep-fried foods such as French fries because the oils are often damaged. 

6. Avoid all krill oil, primrose oil, and borage oil.  These are slightly toxic.  Also avoid margarine, shortening, bacon, lard and other butter substitutes.  Also avoid processed and canned meats that often contain oxidized fats.

            7. If you are very concerned about cholesterol:  Cholesterol will normalize on a development program, in almost all cases, without the need for dietary fat restriction.

If you are very afraid of cholesterol, begin with less meat, eggs and butter.  Instead, to supply fat, have more roasted almond butter and some olive oil or other vegetable oils.  Do not have coconut or palm oils.

References: Fats And Oils, Butter

PROTEINS

1. About fifteen protein foods are allowed on this diet: Lamb, chicken, turkey, egg, sardines, roasted almond butter, raw cheese, yogurt, kefir, duck, quail, pheasant, and beans such as lentils.

Wild game is also good, except for buffalo and bison, which are not as good and best avoided.

As a rule, fast oxidizers do better with more fatty meats such as chicken or turkey legs, chicken or turkey thighs, duck, fatty cuts of lamb or beef, and cream cheese or full fat yogurt.  Stay away, in general, from chicken or turkey breast, which are much lower in fat.

2. How often. Eat protein once or twice daily.  Never have animal protein more than twice daily. Never eat red meat more than 3 times per week

3. Fresh.  Preferably eat all meats fresh, not frozen.  Avoid sausages, turkey bacon, all pig products, bratwurst, hot dogs, bologna, salami and other processed meats, even all-natural ones.  Most of them contain added chemicals.

4. Portion size.  Portions of protein foods for most adults should be 4 to 5 ounces only.  Fast oxidizers should have about 10% of their diet as protein.

5. Cooking. Cook all protein foods.  The exceptions are cheese, yogurt or kefir, and these should be eaten raw.

Crock pots, steaming, and stir-frying are good cooking methods.  Do not overcook meats.  Cook them no longer than 1 hour, generally.  An exception is cooking a whole turkey or other large piece of meat.

Roasting (such as barbeque) and baking are not quite as good.  Do this only occasionally.

6. Lamb.  This is an excellent meat that is almost always pasture-raised, even from the supermarket.  Eat two portions each week.  It is the best red meat, and an excellent and special food for development.

7. Sardines.  This is an excellent protein food.  It contains plenty of RNA, DNA, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, along with an excellent quality protein.  Most sardines are wild-caught, and cooked when very fresh.

Ideally, eat three to four cans weekly, but no more due to the mercury in all fish.  Any brand of sardines is okay, but Atlantic Ocean sardines may be a little lower in mercury.  Skinless and boneless sardines have half as much mercury in them.

8. Wild game.  Elk, deer, and other wild animal meat is good.  Avoid bison and buffalo.  For some reason, these are not quite as good.

9. Beef.  This is a hybridized food today, and not needed.  If you wish, eat only one serving per week or less.

10. Eggs. Men can have up to 8 eggs per week.  Women can have up to 6 eggs per week.  Eating more eggs than this causes liver toxicity and is harmful.

Always eat eggs soft-cooked, with the yolks runny.  This means either soft-boiled, poached, lightly fried or mushy scrambled.  Avoid hard-boiled eggs, quiche and other hard-cooked eggs such as omelets and egg sandwiches.

11. Dairy.  Ideally, find raw, full-fat dairy products.  Organically-raised is better than most standard dairy.  Have a total of only 4 ounces of dairy products daily or less each day.  It is not an essential food.

12. Nut and seed butters.  You may have a portion (up to three tablespoons) of roasted almond butter (not almonds) several times per week.  The butter is much easier to digest.

Occasional use of other nut butters is okay.  However, all are too yin and somewhat difficult to digest.  AVOID all nuts and seeds.

13. Dried beans (legumes).  These are somewhat yin.  You may have up to two servings per week.  Green or brown lentils are best.

14. Protein powders and smoothies.  Avoid all of these!  They are 1) often horrible food combinations 2) too much water mixed with the food, which impairs digestion, 3) too yin (raw, broken apart and liquidy are all yin qualities) , 4) generally contain much less nutrition than the whole food, and 5) are often eaten in a hurry, rather than cooked, and chewed thoroughly for proper absorption.

15. Avoid all vegetarian diets.  These are too yin and deficient in vital nutrients.  Vegan diets are the worst.

16. Fish and seafood. Sadly, all fish, other than tiny ones such as sardines, contain too much mercury to be eaten.  Also, only have 3-4 cans of sardines weekly for this reason.

If desired, once a week you may have a portion of anchovies, herring, or smelt.  These are tiny fish, so they contain less mercury. 

Seafood or shellfish are usually even more contaminated with mercury and other toxins than fish.  Please avoid all shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops, oysters, octopus, calamari, eel and perhaps other seafood.

17. Bone broth. Bone broth is excellent, up to a cup daily.  Be sure to cook the bones only 3 to 4 hours, and no more (see the Bone Broth article).

References: Protein Foods, Vegetarian Diets, Sardines, Dairy Products, Kosher Eating, Beef, Smoothies.

STARCHES, GRAINS OR COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

Those in fast oxidation need a low carbohydrate diet.  About 1-4% of the diet can be complex carbohydrates.  Have less if you do not tolerate carbohydrates well.  Here are details for fast oxidizers:

1. Blue corn.  New research indicates that the best carbohydrate food on this diet, by far, is blue corn.  The most common way to eat it is in the form of blue corn tortilla chips.

Blue corn chips contain a nutrient compound that seems to be very important today.  We do not find the vegetable oil used to make the corn chips to be a problem, even canola oil though this is less recommended.  However, please avoid blue corn chips that are very greasy.

Occasionally, one can find blue corn tortillas.  One may find blue corn kernels and grind them to make cereal or tortillas, but it is really not worth the effort.  I do not recommend buying blue corn flour, as it is not fresh enough. 

Fast oxidizers may have about 2 bags of blue corn tortilla chips per week, assuming that a bag contains about 9 ounces or about 250 grams each.

2. Other grains.  These are not working as well for development.  Fast oxidizers should skip them or eat them only occasionally, or if you do not handle blue corn very well.  They include oats, rye, barley, rice, wild rice, quinoa, millet, and amaranth.

Other starches are sweet potatoes and yams.  These are technically vegetables, but are digested more like starches.  They are okay for occasional use, but I do not recommend them more than once a week.

Do not eat white or red potatoes, which are nightshade family vegetables.

3. AVOID all wheat, kamut, einkorn and buckwheat at this time, please.  They are more irritating to the intestinal tract.

Particularly avoid all products made with white flour.  This includes cakes, cookies, pastries, breads, muffins, flour tortillas, hot and cold cereals, soups thickened with flour, and white flour wheat pasta. 

Pasta made of rice, corn, or quinoa are better, but is not highly recommended.  Eat the only occasionally.

4. Cooking.  Blue corn chips are very convenient.  If you eat other grains, always cook them thoroughly.  Avoid all raw grains such as granola, trail mix or some raw grain cereals such a muesli.  Do not soak grains before cooking them.  It makes them more yin.

5. Food combining.  Do not mix heavy starch with protein at the same meal.  Also, do not have more than one starch at a meal.

Also, do not put milk, nut or seed milks, or any liquids on cereals such as oatmeal or millet.  This dilutes the intestinal juices. It is best to eat cereals dry, or perhaps with a little butter on them.

6. Rice Cakes.  Avoid rice cakes, which are a highly processed and less nutritious food.

7. Breads. Avoid all wheat bread, even organic whole wheat bread or multi-grain bread.  Bread is a more damaged food because it is cooked at high temperature for an extended period of time.  A little gluten-free bread is fair if you feel you must have it.

References: Blue Corn, Carbohydrate Addiction, Carbohydrates, Bread, Gluten, Amaranth

FRUIT AND OTHER SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES

Sugars, including all fruit and fruit juices, are killers for fast oxdizers.  They tend to further speed up a fast oxidation rate, worsening the metabolic balance.

Most babies and children up to the age of at least 3 to 6 are fast oxidizers.  Please never feed these children sweets, candy, fruit, fruit juices or other sugars.

1. The only allowable fruit.  The only fruit allowed on this diet is up to 4 olives per week.  The best olives are the dried black botija olives because they are more yang.

2. AVOID all other fruit.  Fruit today is 1) extremely yin in macrobiotic terminology, 2) too high in sugar so it upsets the blood sugar, 3) contains fruit acids that upset digestion and damage the teeth, 4) favors the growth of candida albicans and other yeasts and fungi, 5) often sprayed with unhealthy “natural” pesticides, even if labeled organic, 6) absorbs a lot of toxic potassium from N-P-K fertilizers.  This fertilizer is used on most all fruit, even organic, and 7) the mineral balance in fruits seems to be incorrect today for most bodies.

Most of our clients feel much better avoiding all fruit.  I know this differs from the advice of some other doctors, but it works extremely well.  For more on this important topic, read Fruit-Eating and Tropical Fruit Drinks on this site.

3. AVOID all other simple carbohydrates.  This includes sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, fruit concentrate, dextrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, rice bran syrup, honey, agave nectar, maltose chocolate or malt sweetener.

Also avoid foods that are high in sugars, such as ALL candy, cookies, cakes, pastries, ice cream, soda pop and other sweet prepared foods.  These cause wide fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin levels, and hundreds of other problems in the body.

4. Acceptable sweeteners.  Try not to sweeten your food.  I cannot recommend any sweeteners, as they are all yin and slightly toxic, even the natural ones.

5. Artificial sweeteners.  Do not  use Nutrasweet, aspartame, Equal, Splenda, saccharin or other artificial or non-caloric sweeteners. 

Weaning yourself off sweets and sweeteners may take some time or effort, but is well worth it.  Learn to eat food without the need for sweeteners of any kind.

References: Fruit-Eating, Tropical Fruits, Sugar, Sugar, Sweet And Dangerous, Sugar Addiction, Aspartame, Botija olives, Caffeine And Sugar Substitutes

JUNK AND CHEMICALIZED FOODS

These are ALL WHITE FLOUR PRODUCTS such as breads, pastries, donuts, bagels, pretzels, cup cakes, cakes, and many other baked goods.

Others are drinks such as Kool-aid™, soda pop, beer, wine, hard liquors, sweet coffees, and most sports drinks such as Gatorade and Recharge.

Still others are ice cream, candy bars, health food bars, and chocolates.  I do not believe that dark chocolate is a healthful food.

These are of lower nutritional quality, and are often irritating and toxic for the body. 

BEVERAGES 

1. The best drinking water.  The best is usually spring water. Vary the brands of spring water if you choose this type of water to drink.

Second best is usually carbon-only filtered tap water.  (Use a carbon, a carbon block or a sand filter only for filtering water.  Do not use multi-stage filters as they seem to damage the water).

The American or Canadian spring waters are generally better than the European ones, although Evian and Acqua Panna are excellent.  Buying spring water in plastic bottles is okay.  Sparkling spring water is okay, even if flavored.  No sugar, however.

Buying spring water in plastic jugs at the supermarket is perfectly safe, in my long experience with water.  Another option is to have spring water delivered to your home in recycled plastic containers. 

A third option is to find a spring nearby where you can fill up your own containers, usually at no charge.  Go to www.findaspring.com to locate a healthful spring near where you live.

2. Quantity. Adults need to drink two and a half to three quarts or liters of water daily.  An excellent habit is to drink up to 1 quart of healthful spring water upon arising in the morning.

3. Do not drink with meals. Drink only enough with meals to take your supplements.  Otherwise, drink an hour after meals, or up to 10 minutes before a meal.

4. Avoid reverse osmosis water.  This is extremely important.  Problems with reverse osmosis water are 1) it does not seem to hydrate the body well enough, 2) it is very low in minerals, 3) it is too yin, and 4) it always seems to pick up some plastic residue from the plastic membrane the water is forced through to make it.  This problem is much worse than drinking water from plastic bottles.

5. Avoid alkaline water.  All alkaline water is too yin and will upset body chemistry, even if it provides temporary benefits. 

Also avoid “designer waters” sold in markets or in health food stores.  Well water may or may not be pure.

6. Do not add minerals or salt to your drinking water.

7. Other beverages. Do not substitute other beverages for water.  They do not hydrate the body well enough.  However, you may have one cup of coffee or one cup of black or white tea, or mild herb tea daily.  Do not drink green tea, as is more caffeinated and more yin.

8. Milks. Milks of all kinds are yin, so they are not recommended on this diet.  The exception is that babies often do well on milk.  If breast milk is not available for the first 3 years of life, cow, goat or sheep milk often work well.

Adults should limit cows or goat milk to no more than four ounces daily, once or twice a week.  All milk should ideally be organic and raw, if this is available.

Avoid soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, and hemp milk. These are not as nutritious and are more yin.

9. Broths and soups. Bone broth is excellent, as explained in the section above on Proteins.  Avoid all meat broths, which tend to be toxic.  Avoid soups, except for some thick vegetable soup on occasion.  (See the reference about soups.)

10. Juices. Ten ounces of carrot juice daily or 1-2 ounces of wheat grass juice daily are good.  However, only have wheat grass up to three times weekly, and only up to 2 ounces at a time.

Carrot juice is preferably made fresh at home. Any type of carrot juicing machine will work. Do not use a Vita-Mix or other blender.  It does not do the same job.

Carrot juice can also be bought at the store for convenience.  If you are very sensitive to the sugar in the carrot juice, don’t drink a lot at one time.  Drink a little of it, and save the rest in the refrigerator to drink in a few hours.  Skip the carrot juice is you don’t tolerate it well.

Have carrot juice  15 minutes before a meal, or between meals, as it does not combine well with solid food.

Never give carrot juice to a child who is less than age 5 or 6.  It is too sweet.  Milk is sweet, but has other ingredients that make it acceptable for babies and young children.

Wheat grass juice is best bought at a store that makes it fresh.  Frozen wheat grass juice is fair.  Do not buy powdered wheat grass juice.

DO NOT DRINK OTHER JUICES!  These include green juice, V-8 juice, fruit juice and Juice Boxes.

11. Fruit juices and kombucha tea.  AVOID both of these!  Kombucha tea contains a harmful amphetamine-like substance.

12. Sugary beverages and alcohol.  As stated in the section above, completely avoid soda pop, diet soda, all sugary drinks such as lemonade, Kool-aid, Gatorade, Recharge, energy drinks, and alcohol.

Alcohol is a drug and interferes with development.  Wine is one of the most contaminated alcoholic beverages today.  Most contains arsenic and lead, even if it is labeled organic.

References: Drinking Water, www.findaspring.com, Bone Broth, Carrot Juice, www.realmilk.com (to help find raw dairy products)

Smoothies And Juices, Kombucha, Alkaline Water

FERMENTED FOODS

The only ones allowed are sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, kefir and cheeses.  In addition, a little tofu and tempeh are okay, but are not the highest quality foods, and are best avoided.

Other fermented foods are too yin, and many of them contain aldehydes.  Particularly avoid kombucha tea.

References: Fermented Foods, Kombucha Tea

SPICES AND CONDIMENTS

Note:  Add sea salt and spices to your cooking preferably after cooking is done.  This is for several reasons, including that some spices are best eaten raw, rather than cooked.

1. Sea salt.  This is very necessary as a source of minerals.  Real Salt by Redmond is an excellent brand, and there are others.  AVOID TABLE SALT, which is refined and often has added aluminum or other poisons in it.  Also AVOID Himalayan or Himalayan Pink salt, which are too high in aluminum.

2. Tarragon.  This is good, especially for those with a four lows pattern.  Organic is not needed.

3. Others. Better herbs are garlic, ginger, mustard, dill turmeric, dried cilantro, curry powder, cumin, burdock, horse radish, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and parsley.

4. AVOID table salt, black pepper, and very hot spices, although a little cayenne pepper is okay.  Also, avoid most other herbs, especially Oriental herbs, which tend to contain too much toxic metal.

References: Salt, Herbs

SUMMARY OF FOODS TO AVOID ON THIS DIET:

1. All pig products (ham, pork, bacon, and lard).

2. All soy products, except miso and a little tamari or natural soy sauce.  Soy products to avoid include soy milk, soy protein powders, Hamburger Helper, textured vegetable protein or TVP, tofu, tempeh and others.

3. All nuts and seeds (except almond butter)

4. All algae, including spirulina, chlorella and others.

5. All protein powders and meal replacements. 

6. All hard-cooked eggs, such as hard-boiled eggs, quiche and omelets.

7. All processed meats, organ meats and American cheese or “cheese food”.

8. All fast food.

9. Most prepared and processed foods.  Instead, make or purchase your own simple dishes.

10. Frozen prepared meals, as most contain many chemical ingredients.  Read labels if you are not sure.  A few frozen meals are okay, but not many.

OTHER TOPICS

FEEDING CHILDREN

This can be challenging, at times.  Some rules are:

1. Choices.  Always give children choices (all good choices) about their food.  It is a form of honoring the child.  I know it is more work, at times, but it is helpful.

2. Inclusiveness.  If possible, include the child in shopping for and preparing their food.  This is usually better than just serving meals, no matter how beautiful they are.

3. Set an example.  Parents need to follow the diet, as well.  This can help a lot with feeding children.  You can struggle together with the turnips, making faces and holding your nose, if needed.

It is difficult to ask a child to eat a lot of vegetables, for example, if you don’t do the same.

4. Have fun and relax.   Don’t be too serious, too rigid, or too forceful about the diet.  Smile a lot, play with the food, a little, be creative and at peace with the diet.  If you try to force any diet on a child, it will often backfire and cause tremendous anger and resentment.

5. Negotiate.  This means to explain gently to a child that you, the parent, love your child and therefore want your child to eat properly.  If the child will go along, then you are prepared to reward the child with various gifts, privileges, outings, food, etc.  The rewards depend on the age and nature of the child.  It could be a movie, buying a present, or it could be a slice of pizza once a week, or a piece of chocolate or a cookie once a week.

If the child decides not to go along, then there must be consequences.  You must follow through with the consequences, even if they are draconian such as taking away the computer, the television time, the movies, or the car for a teen.  If you don’t follow through, negotiation won’t work at all.

Working this way with children is excellent for their growth and development into mature adults.  However, the arrangement needs to be crystal clear, and you must follow through exactly on what you say you will do.  It is much better than forcing children to eat certain foods or to avoid certain foods.

Negotiation is work for the parent, so be prepared and hopefully parents are on the program, so they will have the energy and understanding to do this.

6. Experiment. The above is general.  There are many ways to assist a child to eat better.  For example, begin with just a little of a new food, and use toppings and food combinations, if needed, to make the food more palatable.

7. Cream for the young ones.  If it will help, add a little fresh, heavy cream to many foods for young children.  Most love cream, and most need the fat.

8. Patience. When parenting, there is no substitute for patience.  Some say it is the essence of love.  Children are all learning, so they will make mistakes, listen to the wrong people, and have strange ideas, at times.  Remember, your child does not know much about nutritional balancing, has his or her own likes and dislikes, and is influenced by others, as well.

9. Never give up.  This is always interpreted as a sign that you don’t love your child, so don’t give up.  Just change tactics or strategy.

TOPPINGS

If you don’t like plain vegetables or other parts of this diet, you may add toppings for flavor.  These can include a little butter, cream, whipped cream, salt, garlic, cayenne or mustard powder, soy sauce, salad dressings, almond sauce (almond butter and a little water mixed together), pesto sauce, or chili sauce.

Read How To Disguise More Vegetables In Your Diet for many other vegetable suggestions.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

            Avoid these, if possible.  They are usually lower quality foods.  Insist that genetically modified foods be labeled so people can know what they are eating.

SHOPPING

Shop for vegetables and meats at least once a week.  These shopping trips do not have to take a long time.  Ideally, visit the stores when they are not crowded, and when they have plenty of choices.

If you have many errands to do besides food shopping, shop for food last so the food will stay cold and fresh.  An alternative is to carry an insulated cooler in the trunk of the car in which to place items that need to stay cold to remain fresh.  These include vegetables, meats, butter, eggs and other dairy products.

As soon as you arrive home, place vegetables in the bottom of the refrigerator.  A simple, inexpensive device called the Fridge Freshener will keep vegetables and meats fresh much longer.  To order, call 1-877-877-0747 or go to www.naturesalternatives.com

STARVATION

            I find that the following groups of people are starving: those that skip a meal, vegetarians, especially vegans, raw food eaters, salad eaters, junk food or processed food eaters, nibblers (those who don’t eat much), and those who eat at fast food restaurants.

COOKING UTENSILS AND METHODS

Pressure-cooking vegetables, grains, meats and legumes is superb.  For details, read Pressure-Cooking on this site.

Steaming and crock pots are other good methods of cooking.  Use glass, enamel, ceramic or stainless steel cookware.  Plastic steamers are fine, as well.

Do not cook meats for hours.  One hour should be sufficient, in most cases.

Baking, frying and barbequing are okay on occasion.  However, they are not as good because the high heat produces harmful chemicals.

Avoid exposed aluminum cookware and microwave ovens.  Microwave ovens seem to damage the food more than standard cooking methods.

Making the simple effort to nurture yourself by preparing healthy meals is very important for healing and maintaining health.  Most of this diet is about habit, and the habits are easy once you get used to the routine.

EATING HABITS

Eat regular, relaxed, sit-down meals.  Eat only one or two foods at each meal.  This simplifies digestion greatly.  Eat slowly and consciously.  Chew each mouthful at least 15-20 times to assure the best digestion.

Keep conversation pleasant during meals.  Do not criticize children or discuss very negative topics at meal times.  Make your meals a pleasant activity. 

Stop eating before you feel stuffed.  Also, sit for at least ten minutes after you finish eating.  If you can and feel the need, take a short nap or siesta after eating.

Avoid eating in the car, while standing up, while on the phone, or while rushing around.  These habits impair digestion, cause stomach discomfort, and reduce the value of the food.

SNACKING

As a general rule, do not snack between meals or at night.  It is usually not needed, at all.   Have some spring water or a cup of tea while watching television in the evening if you are tempted to snack.

If your blood sugar is unstable, you may need a snack or preferably a small meal in between your main meals.  This snack should contain fat, and perhaps a little protein.  Examples are a soft-boiled egg, some raw goat cheese, a little leftover meat, a little all-natural turkey jerky, or a little roasted almond butter on a few rice crackers. Another snack is a few blue corn tortilla chips.

If blood sugar is very unstable, you may need five or six small meals per day for a few months or so, until your health improves.

TRAVEL AND RESTAURANTS

If you do not like to cook or you travel, eating in restaurants can work well, provided you follow the rules:

1. Cleanliness.  Make sure the restaurant looks clean.  This is a major problem with some restaurants.

2. Cooked vegetables.  Be sure the restaurant serves enough well-cooked vegetables.  Ask to look at a menu before you sit down if you are not sure about this. 

Ethnic Oriental restaurants are often excellent places to find cooked vegetables, such as East Indian and Chinese.  Thai restaurants may not cook the food sufficiently, and they use a lot of coconut oil and peanut products.

3. Peace and quiet.  Make sure there is a quiet area in which to sit.  Stay away from noisy tables, smoke and blaring televisions or music.

4. Televisions and music.  Ask that music be turned down if it is loud.

5. Ask for what you want.  For example, often you will need to ask for triple portions of cooked vegetables.  Most restaurants will be happy to comply.

6. Bread and salad.  If these are served, ask that they be taken away.  

7. Raw food.  Never eat raw food at restaurants for cleanliness reasons!

8. Water.  Bring your own water or order spring water.

9. Supplements.  Bring your supplements along, or swallow them in the car before you enter the restaurant.

10. Fast food. Fast food chain restaurants are often the worst, in terms of cutting corners, chemicals hidden in the food, use of microwave ovens, and other “food insults” that lower the quality of the food.

11. Bring or cook your own food.  When traveling, consider staying at a condominium with a small kitchenette.  Today, many hotel rooms have refrigerators, and you can set up an electric food steamer and make some of your own meals.

Bring food along in the car, or when you arrive at your destination, find a market and stock up for the trip.  This will often save a lot of money and time, and you will get what you want without hassles.  For much more about eating while traveling, read the articles below.

References: Eating When Traveling, Restaurants

RECIPES AND COOKBOOKS

            I recommend Joyful Cooking by Joy Feldman as a basic nutritional balancing cookbook. 

For fast oxidizers, an Atkins Diet cookbook will also provide recipes that contain more fat.  However, beware that Atkins Diet cookbooks may also contain ingredients that we do not approve of, such as sugars, chemicals, raw vegetables and others.

References and related articles

Yin And Yang Healing

Yin And Yang Of Foods

GAS AND BLOATING

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

Ó January 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

            Intestinal gas, or flatulence, and intestinal bloating are very common symptoms that can have different meanings.  This article discusses their causes and correction.

CAUSES FOR GAS AND BLOATING

The main causes are 1) impaired digestion of food, OR 2) a detoxification process, at times.  A combination of the two can also occur.  Here are more details

Impaired Digestion.  This is commonly due to:

1. Improper diet.  Eating fruit and any sugar at all will cause gas in many people.  Eating beans causes it in most people.  Eating too much meat often causes smelly gas.

Lack of fiber, or too much fiber, occasionally causes gas.  Eating a lot of cooked vegetables usually helps with gas, although eating sulfury vegetables such as cauliflower can cause gas until the intestines heal.

2. Improper eating habits.  These include eating standing up, eating while driving, eating in noisy environments, or when anxious or upset, eating too fast, not chewing thoroughly, drinking too much liquid with meals that dilutes the digestive juices, or eating improper food combinations that are hard to digest.  Other habits that are causes also include drinking freezing cold or boiling hot beverages with meals.

Try eating only one or two foods at a meal, and perhaps eat less if you eat a lot at one sitting.  Have four or five smaller meals instead of one or two huge meals.  Always sit down quietly to eat, breathe deeply to relax before meals, and avoid noisy, upsetting or any irritating restaurants or eating environments.

3. Improper intestinal flora.  This can be due to cheating on your diet, or an intestinal infection (very common).  It can also be due to an elimination process of a drug or chemical that kills off the normal intestinal flora such as an antibiotic.

              Probiotics.  If you are following a nutritional balancing diet and gas persists, I suggest adding some sauerkraut to each meal, or have a cup of miso soup each day.

I do not recommend most probiotics because a number of our clients have become more ill on them.  One probiotic that is usually well-tolerated is Bio-K Original in the health food store, at a dose of one teaspoon 10 minutes before each meal.

4. Food allergies or sensitivities.  Eating foods to which one is sensitive or ‘allergic’ often causes gas and bloating.  Most food sensitivities are caused by an irritated intestine, which will calm down if you follow a nutritional balancing diet and supplement program.  Please avoid all wheat, spelt and soy products permanently because these are irritating foods today.

5. Eating a new food.  Eating any new food may cause some gas and bloating until the body becomes used to the new food.  This is not a serious problem.

6. Leaky gut syndrome.  This often causes gas and bloating, and will go away on a nutritional balancing program.  One must follow the diet carefully for healing to occur.  This means absolutely no fruit, no fruit juice, limited vegetable juice, no smoothies or shakes, no wheat, no soy, no chemicalized foods, simple meals, relaxed meals and perhaps the use of a red heat lamp on the abdomen for 1 hour daily.

Sometimes one must avoid dairy products for a few months or more, as well.  Rarely, other foods must be limited for a while.  Most people must use GB-3 or another powerful digestive aid for a while, at least.

7. Low levels of digestive enzymes.  This is extremely common today among people of all ages, including some children but most often adults.  Older people are at even greater risk of this problem.  This includes low stomach acid, and low levels of pancreatic and liver enzymes needed to digest one’s food.

I suggest a digestive aid for everyone.  Ox bile and pancreatin are very good as they are more yang, animal-derived products.  Vegetable enzymes are much more yin, and are made from fungus, to which some people react.  Betaine hydrochloride and pepsin is also much more yin than animal-derived enzymes, so it is not as good.

8. Infections in the intestines.  The most common of these is chronic candida albicans, especially in those who consume sugar and/or too much starch in the diet.  However, many other infections of the intestines are possible, including parasitic, viral, bacterial and other fungal infections.

            These tend to go away on their own if one follows a nutritional balancing program.  In a few cases, one must use an anti-infective agent such as colloidal silver or another remedy.  Parasites and some infections may take longer to eliminate, and just require some patience.  I rarely recommend taking drugs or herbs for intestinal infections.

9. The use of prescription or over-the-counter medications or remedies that interfere with digestion.  Many drugs can inhibit or damage the digestive system in various ways.  Among the worst are acid blockers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that irritate the stomach and intestines.  Herbs, vitamins and minerals such as iron can also irritate the intestines.

            Avoid all over-the-counter and prescription drugs, as much as possible.  Use natural alternatives, which often work well.

10. Fatigue and lowered vitality.  This often affects digestion, enzyme secretion, bowel motility and other aspects of the digestive process.

11. Emotional upset.  The digestive system is highly susceptible to emotional upset for various reasons.  A fight-or-flight response will slow or can even stop proper digestion.  This is why it is important to eat calmly and slowly, and maintain low stress levels for good digestion.

Always try to relax a little before and after meals.  Preferably do not jump up from the table right after eating.  At least allow your meal to digest for 10 minutes or more before leaving the table.

12. Not heeding the call of nature to use the bathroom.  This strains the system and can cause other problems as well.

13. Other illnesses, such as hidden cancers, hidden ulcers, infections, or others.  Most of these will be taken care of by a nutritional balancing program.  However, this can cause gas and bloating in some people.

Detoxification and healing reactions as a cause of gas and bloating.

            Some people experience gas and bloating because the body is eliminating a toxin that upsets the intestinal flora.

Antibiotic eliminations.  The most common toxin to be eliminated that causes gas is antibiotic residues.  These can remain in the body for years.  When the antibiotic residue begins to be eliminated from the liver due to a nutritional balancing program, the drug enters the small intestine.  There it can easily destroy the normal intestinal flora.

Other drugs or toxins.  Other drug eliminations can also damage the flora or irritate the intestines, causing gas and bloating.  This cause will pass when the detoxification is over.  During the reaction, I suggest adding some sauerkraut or miso to your diet, and this usually limits the reaction.

Eliminating a toxin in a gaseous form.  While it may sound unusual, it is possible that the body may need to eliminate a toxin in a gaseous state through the liver and bile.  This could cause temporary gas and bloating.

            I know this concept of eliminating a poison in a gaseous form may sound odd, but it is possible.  The body is quite amazing in the ways that it can sometimes find ways to eliminate toxins that are difficult to eliminate safely.

            A shift in the flora as the body heals.  As the body heals, it is possible that a shift occurs in the intestinal flora that temporarily causes gas and bloating.  This is based on comments by some of our clients.  This may require eating some sauerkraut with each meal or miso soup daily until the normal flora is re-establshed.

CAUSES FOR GAS AND BLOATING REVEALED ON HAIR MINERAL ANALYSES

·           Low overall vitality. This may be indicated by a low phosphorus level, a low sodium/potassium ratio, a very slow oxidation rate or perhaps very high toxic metals or a low aluminum level.

·           Sympathetic dominance.  This is a very common condition today in which people overuse their sympathetic or fight-or-flight nervous system.  When this system is active, it “turns off” or inhibits digestion and elimination.  As a result, the body produces fewer digestive enzymes and the entire digestive system receives less nervous energy.  This can have a devastating effect upon digestion.

·           Excessive levels of toxic metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury and others.  These not only interfere with digestive enzyme production, but support or enable harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi to live and thrive in the intestinal tract.

·           Zinc deficiency.  Zinc is critical for digestion.  It is needed for enzyme production, to rebuild the intestinal wall, to fight off certain infectious organisms and to balance the nervous system for best digestion.

·           Low tissue phosphorus level (less than 12 mg%).  This is associated in some cases with overall lowered vitality, impaired digestion, low dietary protein, vegetarian and other deficient diets, intestinal infections, low zinc and impaired protein synthesis in the body.

·           Low levels of sodium and potassium.  Dr. Eck found this is associated with lower levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and perhaps generally less digestive enzyme production.  The pattern is also associated with adrenal burnout and general exhaustion.

·           Low sodium/potassium ratio (less than 2.5). This is associated with digestive weakness, adrenal exhaustion, carbohydrate intolerance and the presence of toxic metals and chronic infections in many cases. 

VARIETIES OF INTESTINAL GAS

            Digestion is supposed to be a particular type of chemical breakdown process in which starches are broken into sugars and proteins are broken down into amino acids.  It is quite a simple process.  When this process does not occur correctly, not only is nutrition seriously impaired.  Gases are produced in the intestines that are called flatulence.  The two main types of intestinal gas are caused by:

·           Putrefaction of proteins.  This is similar to rotting.  It produces very toxic chemicals such as indols and skatols.  It also can produce sulfur dioxide and other gases that are very foul-smelling and toxic.

·           Fermentation of sugars and starches.  This is the same process used to make wine and beer in which various yeasts and other ferments, as they are called, change sugars into alcohol, acetaldehyde and methane gas, among other chemicals. This is not as foul-smelling a gas.

Thus, putrefaction of proteins and some other foods has a strong odor, while fermentation of sugars and starches has a milder odor.  The same principle applies to the smell of the stool.  The stool should not have a strong odor.  If it has a very foul odor, usually putrefaction is occurring, while a milder odor has more to do with fermentation.

When does gas and bloating occur?  This depends on where there is a problem in the intestinal tract.  Gas in the stomach will occur usually within an hour or two of eating.

Gas and bloating of the intestine, which is lower down on the abdomen, may occur several hours after eating and even the next day.  This is because it takes this long for a meal to travel through the stomach to the intestine, where the problem occurs.

OTHER CAUSES FOR BLOATING

In almost all cases of gas and bloating, poor digestion is present.  Rarely, other factors can cause bloating, however.  It is usually chronic, meaning that it is always present, even if one does not eat a meal.  These causes include:

·           Digestive diseases such as tumors, diverticuli, and systemic infections that may affect the intestines.

·           A generalized yin condition of the intestines.  Yin means expanded, weakened, and often flaccid or too relaxed.

CORRECTION OF GAS AND BLOATING

            This is usually easy with a nutritional balancing program.  One must begin with a healthful lifestyle with plenty of rest and sleep, deep breathing, good posture and healthful general living habits.

            Meals must be simple, with few foods at a meal, no sugar, very little fruit, no fruit juice, no or minimal food chemicals, and  organic food, if possible.  The most important food is cooked vegetables – about 6-9 cups daily, or 2-3 cups with every meal.

To this add either one starch or one protein food.  If you want to have only a single food with a meal (called a mono meal) that is also excellent, and is the easiest type of meal to digest.

Avoid drinking liquids with meals and observe healthful eating habits such as eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, eating only when relaxed and resting at least 10 minutes after meals, and preferably a few minutes before meals as well.

            Also, avoid all products made with wheat, with white sugar, and all chemicalized food.  Avoid all fish except up to 3-4 cans of sardines weekly.  Also avoid shellfish and all pig products, which may contain parasite eggs.

Omit from your diet any food that causes digestive symptoms.  Reintroduce it slowly after several months, preferably, when the intestines have had an opportunity to heal.

Everyone needs a digestive enzyme supplement today.  We recommend a powerful one called GB-3 that contains ox bile, pancreatin.  We find this better than all the others, although others may help, too.

We also recommend specific targeted nutrients based on a properly performed hair mineral test and based on one’s metabolic type as revealed on this test to balance the body’s oxidation rate and major mineral ratios, along with other nutrients as needed.

Procedures such as sessions with a near infrared lamp sauna and coffee enemas are also helpful to improve digestion in most cases.

When this is done properly, gas and bloating usually disappear within days to a few months.  Sometimes symptoms continue for a while because fully rebuilding the intestinal tract is often a longer procedure, but one that is well worth the effort.

What I do not recommend.  Please avoid:  

- most herbs

- “cleanses”

- fasting for more than a day or two

- parasite cleanses, as they are not needed if the above is done,

- too many supplements and especially toxic supplements including bentonite, zeolite and other clays

- medical drugs and over-the-counter remedies, as much as possible.

- probiotics.  Our clients have been becoming ill on some of these.

- Other natural products, including amino acid therapy, and some natural hormone therapy.

SUGAR ADDICTION

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© May 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Table Of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

What Is An Addiction?

Psychological Causes Of Addition

II. SYMPTOMS OF SUGAR ADDICTION

III. CORRECTION OF SUGAR ADDICTION

IV. DEEPER PHYSICAL CAUSES

Problems In The Body’s Fuel System

Yeast In The Brain

V. OTHER TOPICS

Hair Analysis Patterns And Sugar Addiction

Slaughter Of The Innocents

Artificial Sweeteners

 

I. INTRODUCTION

Sugar addiction is one of the most important and widespread addictions on planet earth today, and getting worse by the day.  It affects many children and teenagers.  It also affects millions of adults, who just let it slide because it is so socially acceptable.

However, it leads directly to a host of ailments such as tooth decay, obesity, osteoporosis, cancer, metabolic syndrome or Syndrome X, and eventually diabetes.  Let us examine this common addictive behavior.

WHAT IS AN ADDICTION?

An addiction is anything that one must have in order to avoid a negative feeling or symptom.  One feels better with the addictive substance or behavior, but the end result is a weakening or greater dysfunction of the body or brain. 

This tends to worsen the addiction as a way to offset the weakness, and sets up a vicious cycle in which one needs more of the addictive substance or behavior.

Addictions can include almost anything, not just foods, drinks or other physical substances.  For example, codependency is an addiction to people in your life.  One could even be addicted to taking vacations every few months to get away from the boredom or horror of your daily life.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES OF ADDICTION

Addictions are often not just physical in nature.  The negative feeling or symptom that an addiction temporarily “cures” can be most anything.  It is often anger, rage or even a sense of horror.  It could be boredom, fear, loneliness, depression or frustration.

For example, today many people feel a strong “need” to email or text their friends all day long, even though it is not really necessary.  It is just to avoid loneliness or feeling out of sorts, tired, bored or upset in some way.  Thus, many people live addictive lifestyles - the majority, by the way - and don’t even realize it because they don’t smoke, gamble or drink alcohol.

A related psychological aspect of addiction has to do with traumas in the past.  For example, your mother, your childhood dentist or someone else may have given you sweets to reward you or to calm you down as a child.  This is almost universal.  Most parents do not realize how they are setting their child up for problems in the future with this reward system.

What occurs is that each time the adult person eats something sweet, he or she recalls that this means he or she was a good person.  In this manner, eating something sweet becomes an emotional trigger that unfortunately worsens sugar addiction.

Addictions, in general, are discussed in another important article.  Click here to read about Addiction.  However, the point is most addictions, even sugar, have psychological aspects as well as being physically-caused. 

II. SYMPTOMS OF SUGAR ADDICTION

Do you know anyone who just has to have a glass of soda pop, a piece of fruit, a glass of sweet juice, or something else sweet?  This is sugar addiction.

It might also be a need for a sweet dessert after each meal, or sweetened tea or coffee or even carrot juice.  It could also be a strong need for a candy bar or a drink of alcohol, particularly wine or beer, at the end of the day. 

Other examples include people who love chocolate, sweetened coffee or tea at Starbucks, peanut butter, sweetened cereal, a donut or sweet roll, or just need raisins or almond milk periodically during the day.

Without the sweet treat, one may feel tired, light-headed or confused.  There may be shaking or weakness that is relieved in a few minutes by eating something sweet. 

More extreme symptoms include shaking or tremors, severe headaches, depression, anger, nausea or even vomiting.  All this can be part of sugar addiction.

III. CORRECTION OF SUGAR ADDICTION

NUTRITIONAL BALANCING

I suggest a complete nutritional balancing program to end sugar addiction.  You may begin with the “Free” Program.  However, an individualized, Full Program only with one of the Approved Practitioners listed on this website is much more powerful.  For a list of these practitioners around the world, click here.

This program, and very few others, in my experience, will slowly restore the body’s energy system so that it works correctly.  This is the best way to get rid of sugar cravings.

Here are a few notes about the program related to sugar addiction.

1) The truth about fruit.  Fruit is not part of the nutritional balancing diets, and causes plenty of harm.  Fruit is mainly sugar and water, with a few vitamins and other phytonutrients.  It is very yin in macrobiotic terminology, which is harmful.

Try to resist the propaganda describing fruit as a healthy food.  We do not find this to be true.  For much more on this important topic, and why avoid fruit, please read Fruit-Eating on this website.

2) Eat at least four meals daily to help keep your blood sugar up.  Always wait at least four hours between meals.  Be sure the meals follow the guidelines in the nutritional balancing diets.  I do not recommend snacking.

3) The supplements on a nutritional balancing program are also essential to replenish dozens of minerals, and repair the body’s energy system.  Do not add others, however, please.

4) Cultivate excellent lifestyle habits.  These include sleeping over 8 hours every single night, learning to relax a lot, and loving yourself no matter what, so you are not eating out of self-hatred, anger, boredom, aloneness or other psychological causes.

This is a spiritual quest in the best sense of the word.  It does not require retiring to a cave or mountaintop.

However, it is wise to do the pushing down exercise, which requires separating yourself daily from friends, work associates and even from family.  This will help you look at your life carefully and lovingly to help discover why you eat what you do, and why you behave in ways that may not serve you to the fullest extent.  To find the only mental exercise I suggest, please go to The Pushing Down Exericse.

5) Let go of all habits that feed the sugar habit.  You may discover routines or  tendencies that contribute to the sugar addiction.  It is this way with all major addictions.

You may want sugar when angry, for instance.  You may want sugar when they have skipped a good meal, or when tired and you really need to lay down for a nap.

Try to identify when you want sugar, and what you have done to upset your body chemistry that makes the craving all the more intense.  This is a task for a lifetime, but you can make fast progress easily if you will pay attention to it.

6) Chromium.  Adding 600-800 mcg daily of chromium picolinate may help to reduce sugar cravings, and will not interfere with the program.  Please do not add other supplements, herbs or other products, as these will interfere with the nutritional balancing program.

6) Development. Unlike other nutrition programs, a complete nutritional balancing program causes development.  This is rather unique, and is an additional aid in correcting sugar cravings.  For more on this topic, please read Introduction To Development and other articles on this subject on this site.

THE TIME FACTOR

Sometimes cravings will diminish quickly on a nutritional balancing program, but other times they may persist to some degree for a few years.  It can take this long to rebuild the fuel system of the body and to eliminate yeast in the brain.

Therefore, be sure to settle in for the long haul and just follow your nutritional balancing program.

CORRECTION NOTES

Correcting fast versus slow oxidizer hypoglycemia.  If sugar cravings are severe, slow oxidizers often need to eat protein several times daily. 

However, fast oxidizers often need to eat fat with each meal, and even as a snack, in order to maintain a fairly steady blood sugar level and reduce sugar cravings.  This is very important for some people.

At times, these sharp distinctions are not clear because the body can shift its oxidation rate, so one may need to experiment, at times, with these two types of foods to control sugar cravings.

IV. CAUSES OF PHYSICAL ADDICTION TO SUGAR

These are numerous, but many are inter-related.  The main ones are:

1. Nutrient deficiencies.

2. Toxic metal excesses.

3. Weak adrenal glands.  The adrenals help maintain proper blood sugar levels.

4. At times, diabetes and/or hypoglycemia.

5. Yeast problems in the gut.

6. Yeast problems in the brain.

7. An imbalanced oxidation rate.

8. Other problems in the “fuel system” or sugar-handling system of the body.

Let us examine these in more detail.

1. NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES

Most everyone today is mineral-starved and also often deficient in other nutrients required for health.  This is due to our depleted soils on earth, hybrid crops, use of pesticides and superphosphate fertilizers, and food refining and processing.

In addition, most people have poor quality diets, many have hurried lifestyles, do not rest enough, and have impaired digestion.  All of these reduce their nutrition.  Here are specific nutrients that are critical for proper sugar-handling.

Zinc.  Plenty of zinc is required for insulin production and release.  Zinc also extends the action of insulin greatly so it does not break down.  Here is a clue to “insulin resistance”.  Most people are zinc deficient and have toxic levels of copper, iron, lead, mercury or cadmium, minerals which replace zinc in the insulin molecule at times, causing it to malfunction and to be very fragile.  This is the main cause of insulin resistance.

Chromium. Chromium is needed to help attach insulin to cell walls, so that sugar can pass into the cells.  Chromium deficiency is also almost universal in America, due to deficiencies in the food supply, and particularly the widespread eating of white and bleached flour.  Whole wheat is much higher in chromium, but is rarely eaten in comparison with white flour products.

B vitamins play an important role in insulin metabolism and energy production in the cells.  Some are needed at various levels of metabolism in order for insulin to function correctly.

These are also widely deficient, especially if one eats white flour products, sugar in any form, and little meat, as many vegetarian-oriented people do daily.

Magnesium. Magnesium is involved in insulin metabolism.  It is needed for the enzyme that helps make insulin.  It is also a critical mineral for many enzymes involved in energy production and other body functions.  Most people are low in magnesium.

Other.  Many other nutrients are required for insulin production and other aspects of sugar-handling in the body.

2. TOXIC METALS

Toxic elements such as cadmium, lead, mercury, chlorine, fluorides and copper can block glandular activity. They can also block any of the steps in the energy cycle by replacing an essential mineral in that step of the energy cycle.

The topic of the role of the toxic metals is so large that it is beyond the scope of this article, although it has been touched upon in several places.  It is just another reason to guard what one eats and avoid all environmental sources of toxic metals as much as is humanly possible.

I would suggest that it is simply not worth the trouble to travel to faraway places or breathe dirty air.  It catches up to even the healthiest people, shortening their lives and causing, in many instances, imbalances and diseases of sugar metabolism.

3. WEAK ADRENAL GLANDS

This is a very common problem today.  The adrenal glands produce cortisol and cortisone.  These are called the glucocorticoid hormones.  One of their functions is to regulate the level of glucose in the blood.

If adrenal gland activity is low, blood sugar levels will tend to be too low on a chronic basis.  As a result, less sugar than optimal will be available to the body cells and sugar craving is the end result.  This sounds simple, and in part it is.  One must have adequate adrenal activity or one will crave sweets.  This will happen even if one is careful about the diet, lifestyle and everything else in one’s life.

The adrenal glands can become weakened or even ‘burned out’ for numerous reasons.  Refer to the article on Adrenal Burnout Syndrome for much more information about your adrenal glands.  For instance, the adrenal glands require vitamins C, E, and B-complex.  They also require many minerals such as zinc, manganese and others.  Deficiencies in these nutrients is all that is needed to have depleted and sluggish adrenal glands.

4. DIABETES AND/OR HYPOGLYCEMIA

Diabetes means high sugar in the blood.  However, it is always found with low sugar in the cells.  This is an important cause of sugar cravings.

Hypoglycemia means low sugar in the blood.  However, the level of sugar in the blood can be normal, and one’s cells can still be starving for glucose.  These is no common medical word for this condition, but it is one of the most common causes for sugar craving. 

Many cases of diabetes are not diagnosed by doctors.  Symptoms can be subtle, and it may not show up on simple blood tests.  A 5-hour glucose tolerance test is required, and this is a much more involved, costly, sometimes unpleasant test.  As a result, doctors do not routinely order it.

Also, problems with blood sugar are so common that some blood laboratories have responded by expanding the range of normal values, instead of insisting that anyone with a fasting glucose level outside of the narrow range should be diagnosed correctly as hypoglycemic or diabetic.  To learn more, please read Diabetes and Hypoglycemia on this site.

5. YEAST IN THE INTESTINES

This is another extremely common condition, especially among those who eat any sweets at all, and among those who eat a lot of grain and other starches.  The sugars and starches are the natural food for yeasts, so there will be die-off if one reduces or stops eating these foods.

In these cases, the craving for sugar may be due to the unpleasant effects of die-off of yeast if one does not eat some sugar regularly.

Among other chemicals, some yeasts produce alcohol in the intestines that give a person a slight alcoholic lift or high.  When this stops due to stopping sugar, one can feel depressed, anxious and irritable.

One could even go through a full-blown alcoholic withdrawal with tremors, and even delirium.  This will drive most people back to sugar very quickly, especially if they do not understand why they have such severe symptoms when they stop eating sugar.

6.YEAST IN THE BRAIN

Another reason for sugar addiction is that there is yeast in the brain that thrives on sugar.  This is very common today.  If one does not eat sugar, the yeast starts to die off.

One might think this is a good thing, and it is.  However, many people today actually like the brain yeast because it produces alcohol.  This small amount of alcohol gives them a slight ‘high’ all the time, and numbs their consciousness a little.  This reduces feelings such as depression, anxiety, anger, rage and others.

This is an extremely common problem and most people and most doctors do not understand it well, at all.  To overcome it, one must:

1. Alter body chemistry so that yeast does not grow well and thrive inside the brain.  This requires making the entire body more yang in macrobiotic terminology, reducing copper toxicity, in most cases, and balancing and strengthening the body nutritionally.

This step is most important, and occurs with a nutritional balancing program in all cases.  Otherwise, the brain yeast tends to persist, and makes it very difficult to ever end sugar cravings. 

2. One must pass through a process of withdrawal from the alcohol “high”.  If done quickly, this may not be pleasant.  Sometimes this occurs slowly, in which case one may not notice it much.  One simply notices that one’s thinking becomes clearer, memory often improves, and the brain works much better.

3. If emotional traumas are behind the need for the alcohol production in the brain, one may need to focus on forgiveness of oneself and others.  To read about this, read Forgiving on this site.

To read much more about yeast in the body – its causes and correction – please read Yeast on this website.

7. AN IMBALANCED OXIDATION RATE = LOWERED ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Before leaving the topic of impaired glucose metabolism (the sum total of all the above processes), let us address the end result in another way.  When the body cannot process its food properly, it develops what is called an imbalanced oxidation rate.  In very simple terms, it means the fuel system works either too fast, too slow, or some mixed up combination of the two.

Low Fuel Efficiency.  An imbalanced oxidation rate can be said to diminish one’s “fuel efficiency”.  We all know about fuel efficiency due to our automobiles.  In terms of the body, it means that when the oxidation rate is very sluggish, one does not use food properly to generate much energy.  It is like driving a car or bicycle in the wrong gear with the engine turning too slow, or pedaling too slowly.  It just does not work well.

As a result, the person feels tired and often apathetic and even depressed, and tends to overeat on sugars and other foods in an attempt to clear up the low oxidation rate.

Some people burn their “fuel” at a faster-than-normal rate. These individuals have low reserves of glycogen, a storage fuel, in their liver and muscles. If their diets are inadequate in fats and oils, which are higher calorie foods, they can literally run out of available sugars.  When this occurs, a craving for sweets or alcohol will occur.  It will eventually also give rise to a large number of common metabolic illnesses and both physical and emotional symptoms.  View the article on The Oxidation Types for a better explanation of this complex topic.

8. OTHER PROBLEMS IN THE BODY’S “FUEL” SYSTEM

To understand sugar-handling better, an analogy with a gas-powered automobile may be helpful.  Please bear with me, as the analogy may seem corny, but it is accurate in many ways.

As some people know, in order to move gasoline into and through one’s car engine, one must move it through a number of steps or stages.  This requires the fuel pump, the fuel lines, the fuel filter, and the carburetor or fuel injectors.

Then one must have functioning spark plugs, valves, timing, and enough air in the cylinders to burn the fuel correctly.  Finally, the exhaust must be removed so that more fuel can be burned.  All parts of the system must work perfectly, or the car will not run properly!

The body also has a set of steps or stages that must all work perfectly, or fuel will not be delivered and burned properly.  The steps involve the entire digestive system, the liver, the blood stream, the cell membranes, and the mitochondria in each cell.  All must work correctly to avoid sugar cravings.

The exact steps, and the nutrients required for each, are described in a separate article entitled The Energy System on this site.

V. OTHER TOPICS

HAIR MINERAL ANALYSIS PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH SUGAR ADDICTION

Sugar addiction is common, and can occur with many hair analysis patterns.  The most common patterns include:

1. Either a slow oxidation rate, or a fast oxidation rate with a low sodium/potassium ratio.  Either imbalance can cause sugar cravings.  For more, read Fast Oxidation and Slow Oxidation on this website.

2. Presence of the ‘amigos’.  These are oxide forms of iron, manganese, aluminum, and at times other minerals such as copper, nickel, chromium, selenium, molybdenum, cobalt, lithium, boron and vanadium.  For more on this topic, please read The Amigos on this site.

3. A four lows pattern.  To read more about this, please read Four Lows Pattern on this site.

4. Other.  High toxic metal levels, Poor Eliminator Patterns, and Sympathetic Dominance are among other common patterns that occur with sugar addiction.

SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS

Congenital sugar addiction.  The sugar habit usually starts at a young age.  In fact, today some children are born deficient in vital alkaline reserve minerals such as zinc, manganese and chromium.  These children may be born with a tendency for sugar addiction.

Feeding sweets.  The addiction may also develop early due to careless parents assume that children like sweet foods, which is often not the case until they learn the habit from their parents.  Never feed a child sugar, fruit or fruit juices.

Vaccines and drugs.  Giving babies and children antibiotics, vaccines and other medical drugs further sets the stage for sugar addiction because these medical drugs all weaken the children’s bodies.

Antibiotics, in particular, often lead to yeast in the intestines and even in the brain.  Yeast feeds on sugar and can induce an addiction to sugar.

Sweet rewards.  Sweets are also usually used as rewards by parents, dentists, doctors and other adults who want to placate children.

Food marketers.  Most foods marketed as "children's foods" advertised on television are sugar-coated to help sell the product.  This is a disgrace and is indecent, as no better word can be found.  It sets the children up for a lifetime of illness and disability.

In this manner, advertisers and parents alike cultivate the sweet taste in vulnerable children. They begin to regard it as normal when it is not.  The results include attention deficit, learning problems, autism, hyperactivity, infections, brain tumors and a rash of other disorders that are “new” for children, such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, manic-depression or bipolar disorder, random violence and the list goes on.

To add insult to this, even more insidious in many cases it sets the stage for sugar addiction and adult diseases and shortened lives that go with sugar problems.

THE TRANSITION

Here are some tips for breaking the sugar habit:

- Avoid temptations as much as possible.  Do not keep sweet foods or other sweet items in the house.  Make yourself go out for them.

- Fruit can be worse than other sugars, and is more yin.  Do not substitute fruit for other sugars.  Honey and maple syrup are the least yin if you need a substitute, but I don’t recommend any sweeteners.

- Eat frequent meals – up to 6 per day if cravings are intense.  Be sure the meal has some fat or protein (depending on your oxidation type), if this helps with sweet cravings.  Meals need to be 4 hours apart, at least.  Do not snack, however.

- Distract yourself instead of eating.  Perhaps have a cup of tea if you are at home.

USE OF SWEETENERS

If you have a sugar addiction, try to avoid all of them. They will all keep the sweet taste alive.

Many people turn to artificial sweeteners, thinking this will avoid the problems of sugar.  This is not only not true, but in some ways can make the problem worse.  Nutrasweet, in particular, also called Equal or aspartame, has more side effects than can be listed in one short article.  One can check this on the internet.

Even natural sweeteners such as xylitol, mannitol and stevia, which are probably a little better, are not that safe and keep the sweet craving and taste alive.  So I do not recommend any of them.

Studies have shown that people who use Nutrasweet, for example, often will then eat a sugary food as well, easily defeating the value of the low-calorie artificial sweetener.

Once again, avoid the sweet craving problem by not feeding sweets of any kind, including honey or any fruit juice – even diluted - to yourself or especially to children. 

SUBSTITUTES FOR COMMON ADDICTIVE SWEET FOODS

            Candy – perhaps a few dark chocolate chips.  Don’t have carob chips, which are even more yin than chocolate.

            Cookies – stay away from fruit-sweetened ones and try to substitute cooked vegetables.

            Pastries and donuts – Blue corn chips, and have sweet vegetables such as carrots, onions, sweet potato and yam.  Do not only have these vegetables, but they may help with sweet cravings.

            Soda pop, coconut water and juices – substitute water or sparkling flavored spring water is also okay.

Ice cream – some cream cheeses taste just like ice cream and are quite healthy.  Even some whip cream may satisfy a craving for ice cream.  If you must have ice cream, look for one with fat, perhaps, rather than a low-fat type, and one with few chemicals in it.

MARATHON RUNNING KILLS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© April 2012, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

This short article is a stern warning to anyone who even dreams about training for or running marathons.  They are one of the fastest ways to kill yourself, or harm your health permanently.  Please strictly avoid long-distance running at all costs, and please listen.

I know that marathon running is popular.  However, the bodies today are not strong enough for this type of exercise, and it depletes nutrients far too fast to replace them adequately with food and even vitamin supplements.  The longer you train and run, the worse off you will be.  If you are smart, stop at once.  There is no need for intense exercise of any kind, and while it gives one a high, it is a false feeling of well-being and it is addictive.  For more on the addictive nature of vigorous exercise, please read Exercising Healthfully on this site.

MARATHONS AND VEGETARIAN, SEMI-VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN DIETS

The worst possible combination for your health is to combine your running with a vegetarian, semi-vegetarian or semi-vegan diet.  This is horrendous.  The running depletes nutrients, and the diet does not provide anywhere near enough nutrients to replace those lost due to all the exercise.  For much more information about the problems with vegetarian diets read Vegetarian Diets and The China Study-Book Review on this site.

MARATHONS AND RAW FOOD DIETS

This is also horrible, and can be worse than vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets.  Please do not eat raw food diets ever, and never combine them a lot of exercise.  For more on raw foods, and why avoid them, read Raw Foods on this website.

I will probably expand this article in the future, but am placing it on the website in its present form due to emergencies that are occurring with those who run marathons and do long-distance running.

BREAD AND CARBOHYDRATE ADDICTION

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© September 2011, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Overeating on wheat and bread is very common.  This article may help explain the reasons why, and offers some possible solutions.  Carbohydrate foods include starches, also called complex carbohydrates, such as breads, flour products, tortillas, rice, potatoes, corn chips, pastries, cookies, crackers and cakes.

It also includes simple carbohydrates or sweets such as sugars found in foods such as fruits, sweet juices, ice cream, candies, pies, honey, maple syrup and hundreds of prepared foods made with sugars.

            These tendencies or addictions might be a better word, are so prevalent and so damaging that they merit a closer look.  I am not sure of all the reasons for them, but here are some possible ones.

WHEAT AND BREAD SEEMS TO RELAX SOME PEOPLE

Our clients report that eating bread, wheat pasta and flour tortillas relaxes them or calms them down.  When they do not eat these foods, they become tense or anxious.

The interesting reasons for this are discussed below.

CANDIDA ALBICANS INFECTION OR OTHER YEASTS

            At times, a craving for sweets or starches may be associated with improper bowel flora such as the presence of candida albicans in the intestines.  In these cases, the body has acclimated itself to the presence of intestinal yeast and has achieved a certain balance or harmony with these harmful organisms that often live in the small and large intestines.  These organisms feed upon sugars and starches in most cases.

What occurs is that if one does not eat some carbohydrates each day, the yeast begins to die.  This causes what is called a die-off or Herxheimer reaction.  One begins to feel odd, hungry, anxious, tired, or some other annoying and perhaps frightening feelings.  Often there is strong craving for starches or sweets.  If these are eaten, the unpleasant withdrawal or die-off symptoms miraculously vanish and one feels “well” again.  This can set up very powerful addictive tendency in which a person just knows they must eat some sugars and/or starches regularly to avoid unpleasant symptoms.

Mild alcohol poisoning.  A possible mechanism that may cause the Herxheimer’s or die off reactions with yeast and may attract people to carbohydrates is that candida albicans and some other common yeasts that can live in our bodies produce alcohol.  Alcohol in small doses is a sedative.  Eating carbohydrates in many people produces more alcohol, which is calming and pleasant.  Stopping carbohydrates decreases alcohol production and causes symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, which are not pleasant.

  For more on this, read Candida Albicans Infection on this website.

SEROTONIN AND DOPAMINE ENHANCEMENT

            Eating carbohydrate foods may stimulate the production of serotonin, and perhaps dopamine.  These are neurotransmitter substances found in the brain and elsewhere that can cause pleasurable sensations, or reduce stress, pain or anxiety in the body. 

HYPOGLYCEMIA

This common metabolic imbalance causes energy fluctuations throughout the day and can cause many other symptoms such as anxiety, nervousness, mental confusion, tremors, shakiness, headaches, and even depression.

Basically, the body is no longer able to regulate its blood sugar level perfectly, so one experiences times during the day when the blood sugar dips too low.  The cause is nutrient deficiencies, toxic metal accumulation, an imbalanced oxidation rate, improper diet and more.  It can be corrected, but many people do not even realize they have it. 

Eating something sweet or perhaps starchy is a quick fix for this condition, so this draws many people to these foods.  It is easy to believe that one “needs” these foods because they offer such quick relief of the symptoms of hypoglycemia. 

            Unfortunately, eating sweets, in particular, but also many starches, just makes the condition worse because most are refined foods lacking the vitamins and minerals needed for the body to adequately regulate its glucose metabolism. 

Unfortunately, the blood sugar soon decreases again, causing even more cravings for the carbohydrate foods in a vicious cycle.  To break the cycle, one needs to eat adequate protein and perhaps quality fats and oils, but these usually will not give the instant pickup that one gets from carbohydrates.  In addition, most people need targeted vitamin and mineral supplements and a complete healing program to restore the body’s sugar-handling ability.  I estimate that at least 70% of the American and to a lesser extent other Westernized populations suffer from some degree of hypoglycemia. For more on this topic, read Hypoglycemia on this website.

A NEED FOR INSULIN

This is related to the cause above in some cases.  Eating sweets and starches stimulate insulin release.  This may have a pleasurable effect on some people, especially if insulin levels are somewhat low and resistance is present.  This is also extremely common.

CHRONIC FATIGUE

            Millions of people are tired.  For some of them, eating starches, and in some cases sugars, gives them a boost in energy.  The causes of fatigue include impaired energy production in the cells of the body, low thyroid and adrenal hormone secretion or other problems with the hormone balance.  Other causes are the presence of toxic metals, chronic infections, poisoning with toxic chemicals, nutrient deficiencies, lack of sleep, or overwork.  For a more complete discussion of fatigue, read How To Increase Your Energy.

Adrenal exhaustion and slow oxidation.  A very common reason for low energy and chronic low blood sugar is adrenal exhaustion or burnout.  Cortisol and cortisone, the glucocorticoid hormones secreted by the adrenal glands, function to raise and maintain the blood sugar level.  When these hormones are low, a person will experience chronic low blood sugar and fatigue.  The condition is temporarily improved by eating sugars, fruits, juices or other sugar-containing items.  Once again the effect is very temporary, but it can set up an addictive pattern.  For more on this, read Adrenal Burnout Syndrome on this website.

YIN DISEASE

            Another factor that may attract some people to carbohydrate foods may be called Yin Disease.  While this is a more esoteric concept for Westerners, it is a condition of the body in which the body is too expanded, cold, and usually ill.  It is extremely common, especially among women.  It is associated with weight gain, and cravings for fruit, sweets, chocolate and other yin or sugary foods.  It is less involved in cravings for breads, although it is involved in cravings for sweet baked items such as cookies, pastries, pies and cakes. 

A NEED FOR NUTRIENTS SUCH AS PROTEIN, FAT, ZINC, CHROMIUM, AND POSSIBLY INOSITOL

            Today, most people are so nutritional depleted that they develop unusual food cravings in part because they are seeking various essential nutrients that are not present in high enough concentrations in their daily diets.

            This can definitely explain some cases of overeating.  It is thought, for example, that a deficiency of inositol may cause people to crave sugars.  It is well-known that deficiencies of zinc and chromium, and perhaps manganese and vanadium, may be involved in sweet cravings due to the need for these nutrients in the metabolism of sugars or glucose.

            A low intake of protein, in my experience, can definitely cause carbohydrate cravings in slow oxidizers.  A low intake of fats and oils can definitely cause carbohydrate and sugar cravings in fast oxidizers.

GLUTEOMORPHINES

These are protein fragments from the incomplete digestion of gluten found in wheat, oats, barley, and rye, primarily.  They can be absorbed into the body if the intestine is “leaky”, which is common today.  From there, they can find their way into the brain where they cause a sedating or morphine-like effect.

Interestingly, milk product can also have a similar effect on some people.  Casein in milk breaks down into casomorphines, which can be similarly absorbed and have a sedative effect or other drug-like effects. 

EFFECTS OF GLUTAMINE AND WHEAT GERM AGGLUTININ OR WGA

            Wheat, in particular, and all wheat products are very high in the amino acid glutamine.  This has a stimulating or inflammatory effect on the body.

            Also, recent research has revealed another substance in wheat products called wheat germ agglutinin or WGA that is an excitotoxin and neurotoxin.

            Eating wheat products, for some people, can give them an energy boost due to the presence of these chemicals.  They may also cause an addictive effect because one wants more of the quick energy pickup they provide.  Yet the weaken the body, which makes on more tire, that in turn increases the craving for these foods.  This is a simple mechanism for addictions of all kinds.

            To read more about wheat germ agglutinins, go to: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/07/04/can-eating-this-common-grain-cause-psychiatric-problems.aspx

COMFORT FOODS

            For many people, carbohydrates and sweets are comfort foods.  This means that they remind a person of good times in the past for some reason.  Perhaps one was rewarded with sweets growing up, which is all too common. The texture, taste, odor of other qualities of foods may all play a role.

            Food is actually quite a complex subject, so the emotional ties that people have to various foods cannot be underestimated in some cases.  This does not mean that one cannot overcome these emotional attachments, but they should not be ignored or put aside lightly.  Much more could be said about this topic, but the purpose of this article is just to introduce it at this time.

CONVENIENCE FOODS

            Many carbohydrate foods are convenient to eat such as breads, fruit, fruit juices, baked goods such as cakes and cookies and many others.  This, no doubt, attracts a certain number of people to them simply to save time and energy.

            In contrast, meats, eggs, and vegetables, which are the foods we much prefer, generally, require preparation or cooking.  They also spoil much more easily which means they must be purchased fresh, in general, and prepared in a timely manner in order to eat them.

            In an age of instant everything and gross ignorance of nutrition thanks to poor schooling, eating for convenience has become a way of life for millions of people worldwide.

 

OVERCOMING CARBOHYDRATE AND SWEET CRAVINGS AND ADDICTIONS

            Most people who follow a complete nutritional balancing program will slowly, or perhaps rapidly, reduce their addiction or cravings for carbohydrates and breads.  The reason this program is so effective is that it attacks the problem from many angles in a completely integrated way.  These include:

·           Correcting the intestinal flora.  This may require taking a probiotic such as Bio-K Original for a short time, but usually the diet and supplements we recommend are sufficient.

·           Balancing the major mineral ratios using diet and targeted nutritional supplements.

·           Improving the digestion and absorption of hundreds of nutrients by correcting the diet and the use of a powerful digestive aid, as well as improved eating habits.

·           Removing toxic metals and toxic chemicals from the body.

·           Relaxing the sympathetic nervous system.

·           Learning to live a balanced and a healthy lifestyle.

·           Restoring proper hydration and oxygenation of the body.

By using these methods in an integrated way, most people can easily overcome their addiction or cravings for carbohydrate foods and sweets.  For more on nutritional balancing programs, read Introduction To Nutritional Balancing and other articles on this website.

            Another article to read on this subject is Metabolic Syndrome on this website.

ORGAN MEATS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© January 2014, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

            Some health authorities suggest eating organ meats because they are rich in some nutrients.  This may include some of the Weston Price advocates, and others such as the Paleo Diet advocates.  Organ meats may include kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas, brain and others.

Recommended organ meats.  These are:

1. Sardines.  The heads have been removed, but they provide a little organ meat.  It does not cause problems.

2. Pancreatin, a pancreas extract used in the GB-3 product, also does not cause problems and is very helpful.

3. Thyroid and adrenal glandular substance found in a few supplements are also helpful and cause no problems.

Eating more organ meats, however, do cause problems, including:

1. Metal and chemical toxicity.  The earth is far more toxic today than when Weston Price lived 100 years ago.  Therefore, advice from an older time period can be very dangerous today.  Organ meats tend to concentrate toxins, which include Toxic Metals and Toxic Chemicals.  Today when you eat organ meats, you are taking in excessive toxins, no matter what anyone claims to the contrary.

2. Toxic forms of etheric energy.  This website discusses a nutritional concept called the Etheric Energy content of foods.  In general, one wants to eat foods high in this subtle form of energy.  This includes some meat, eggs, and cooked vegetables, mainly.

Organ meats are high in etheric energy, but it is in a toxic form that is best avoided.  While eating organ meat can have a stimulating effect for this reason, and due to its high toxic metal content, especially cadmium, it is not good for overall health.

3. Not as much nerve tissue as muscle meats.  Muscle meats contain many more nerves than most organ meats because muscles are very rich in nerve endings.  Today, this is a great benefit and this is another reason I suggest muscle meat, not organ meats.

4. Parasite problems tend to be worse in organ meats.  Parasites such as liver flukes and others are quite common.  Some are killed by cooking, but others are harder to kill.

For all these reasons, please do not eat organ meats other than sardines.

HOW DIGESTION WORKS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© July 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

            To live, every day our bodies must take in food and then break it down into its basic components.  It must absorb the nutrients, and then put the nutrients back together to form all of our body tissues. 

This is a hard job, and one of the most important tasks our bodies perform each day.  It involves a series of critical steps, all of which must work right for us to be healthy and happy.  This article is an explanation of how digestion works.

Digestion very weak today.  In most people today, digestion is very weak.  The reasons are:

1. Nutritional deficiencies.

2. Toxic conditions such as too many toxic metals and toxic chemicals in the body.

3. eating irritating and even poisonous food.

4. Improper eating habits such as overeating, eating standing up, eating while driving, drinking liquids with meals, eating too many food combinations, eating too fast, not chewing enough, eating when upset, and eating while talking on the telephone.

5. Fatigue.

6. An autonomic nervous system imbalance called Sympathetic Dominance.

Strengthening digestion.  This is one of the primary goals of all nutritional balancing programs.  It always takes a few years, and sometimes longer.  Anyone who says it can be done faster, in my view, is not really correcting it at deep levels.

STEP 1. DIGESTION BEGINS IN THE MOUTH

Chew your food at least 20 times for healthy digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth with chewing.  Chewing mechanically breaks down food, and mixes it with several starch-digesting enzymes.

This is why bolting your food, or not chewing thoroughly, is a very bad habit and always leads to malnutrition.  Only the mouth has teeth to mechanically tear apart the food.

Many people do not realize that some food components including some vitamins and minerals, sugars and others, can be absorbed directly from the mouth into the body.

Chewing each bite at least two dozen times or so is most helpful for good health.  It may feel odd at first, but it quickly becomes a healthful habit.

An excellent weight loss method. Chewing your food at least two dozen times each bite is also a simple and very healthful way to eat less and lose weight.  Everyone else will be on their second or third portion and you will still be on your first portion.  If you chew your food two dozen times, you will also feel full a lot faster. 

If you absolutely cannot chew food thoroughly for some reason, then puree your food with a hand blender.  This device is not too costly, and looks like a large stick with a motor at one end and a blade at the other end.  The reason I suggest it rather than a blender is that one need not add water to the food, as is needed if one uses a blender.  Adding water to food dilutes the mouth and stomach enzymes and prevents proper digestion.

STEP #2.  DIGESTION IN THE STOMACH

From the mouth, food passes down a tube, the esophagus, into the stomach.  Here, the food is mixed with powerful acids and other chemical enzymes such as pepsin, trypsin and chmotrypsin.

The stomach is designed to handle these powerful chemicals, which further digest your food.  Digestion should have begun in the mouth, and it continues here.  While the mouth is helpful to break down starches, the stomach is very important to digest proteins.  They are torn apart chemically, breaking them down into polypeptides and some isolated amino acids.  Starch digestion from the mouth also continues in the stomach, but less intensely.

The stomach also mechanically churns the food and thoroughly mixes it with the acid and the enzymes, just like in a chemical factory.  The stomach also stores the food so that it enters the small intestines slowly and surely, and only when it is digested enough.

Eating simple meals makes digestion in the stomach and elsewhere much easier.  I suggest eating only one or at most two types of food per meal.

I suggest eating one or more vegetables at every meal, and this counts as one type of food.  This may be all you eat.  However, you could add a second type of food – either one starch or one protein food.

Do not eat more than this, as it is hard on digestion.  It is like asking your body to break down many chemicals at the same time, and this is much harder for everyone.

Digestive aids.  In addition, I suggest everyone take a digestive aid containing ox bile and pancreatin with each meal.  This further enhances digestion, and most everyone needs all this help to get enough nutrition out of our food today.

For best digestion, do not drink any liquids with meals.  This includes milk, nut milks, carrot juice or even soup water.  Drinking more than a few sips of water or tea with meals dilutes the powerful stomach chemicals and makes the stomach less able to digest your food.  Drink your water one hour or more after meals, and up to about 15 minutes before meals only.

A few sips of water are okay to take your supplements, but that is all.  If you drink a large glass of water to swallow your supplements, try to change this and learn to get by with just a small amount of water.

Water.  However, water is needed in the body, so be sure you drink two to three quarts or liters, or about 96 ounces of water daily – preferably natural spring water or carbon-only filtered tap water.

Do not drink soda pop, coffee, Kool aid, Gatorade, nut milks, regular milk, or any sugary drinks, reverse osmosis water, or alcohol.  These make digestion much worse.

For best digestion, separate your meals by 4-5 hours.  Also, if possible, do not snack.  This allows the stomach to empty thoroughly between meals, and to rest and rebuild itself.

Stomach pain.  Many people report stomach pain after eating.  The usual causes are eating the wrong foods, overeating, too many kinds of food at a meal, not chewing enough, drinking water with the meal, eating irritating foods, or not eating relaxed, sit-down, quiet meals.

Step #3. DIGESTION IN THE SMALL INTESTINE

One to three hours after one eats, partially digested food passes from the stomach into the small intestines. 

Bile and pancreatic enzymes.  Bile from the liver and digestive enzymes from the pancreas are soon added to the food mixture.

These secretions add more digestive enzymes to the food mixture to complete the digestive process.  The new enzymes help do the following:

1. Fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerine.

2. Starches are broken down into simple sugars

3. Proteins are broken down into amino acids. 

This is the essence of digestion!

The digestion process continues as the food winds its way through about 30 feet of small intestine.  This is where most digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place.

The flora.  The small intestine is home to a myriad of bacteria that ideally greatly assist the digestion process.  These together are called the intestinal flora or microbiome.

Sadly, in most people, the intestinal flora is either incorrect, or mainly missing.  This causes symptoms such as gas, bloating, stomach and intestinal cramps, smelly bowel movements, constipation, and/or diarrhea.

Reasons why the intestinal flora is incorrect or weak in most people are:

- Toxins in the food that kills the proper bacteria.  This can be antibiotic residues found in meat and dairy products.  It can also be pesticide residues found in all types of food.  It can also be residues of medical drugs that are in food and in our water supplies today.  It can also be toxic chemical additives in prepared foods.

Most governments stupidly allow over 3000 of these chemicals to be added to prepared foods.  Stay away from all of them if you want good, strong digestion.

- Improper food, such as sugar, sweets, or too much meat.  These dietary errors feed aberrant “bugs” in the small and large intestines that crowd out the good ones.

Infected or contaminated food.  This sometimes introduces the wrong bacteria into your intestines.  Please do not eat a lot of raw food, and never eat spoiled food.  Always wash all food thoroughly to remove surface bacteria and parasites.  Cooking food helps a lot to avoid most poisons found on and in foods.

A low level of digestive enzymes. This permits harmful organisms to survive in your body, and impairs proper digestion, as well.

Impaired body chemistry such as too much copper in the body.  This damages the acidity, and other features of the environment in the intestines.  It is very common and often causes the wrong “bugs” to grow in the intestines.

Taking antibiotics, and perhaps other medical and over-the-counter drugs like Aspirin, Tylenol, Aleve, Excedrin and many others.  These chemicals either kill the normal “bugs”, or damage them in some way.  They can severely impair digestion.

Antibiotics are often the worst, and are not needed, in my experience.  Please use natural methods to fight infections, instead.  To learn about how to handle infections, read Boosting Your Immunity and Beyond Antibiotics on this site.

Antibiotic residues are now found in many city water supplies, and in some foods such as commercial meats and some dairy products because they are fed to cows and chickens.

Infections in the intestines such as parasites, viruses, or yeast problems.  These either kill off or upset the proper bacteria that should be in the intestine.  They go away, in most cases, when you eat properly, rest enough, and balance your body chemistry with a nutritional balancing program. 

I do not recommend using drugs, herbs or other supplements to kill parasites and infections in the intestine.  I find these unnecessary, in almost all cases.  The trouble is they often leave the body more toxic, and they can damage the intestine, as well as the bad bugs.

Rarely, but only rarely, the problem is that a person needs to ingest the right bugs to replenish the supply in the intestines.  This is done by taking a probiotic supplement or by eating fermented foods.  Probiotics are tablets, capsules or liquids that are loaded with the good bugs.

Fermented foods include sauerkraut, miso, cheese, yogurt or kefir.  Butter is also a somewhat fermented food.  I do not recommend the other fermented foods.  For details as to why not, read Fermented Foods on this site.

Absorption of nutrients.  The final step in digestion in the small intestine is the absorption of nutrients.   This is discussed later after we discuss the appendix and the large intestine.

STEP #4. THE APPENDIX AND LARGE INTESTINE

            After food passes through the small intestine, it goes through a valve called the ilio-cecal valve into the large intestine or colon.  Very close to this valve is a small gland called the appendix.

The appendix.  The function of the appendix is somewhat of a mystery in modern medical care.  However, it is really not very mysterious.  It secretes chemicals that further help digest food.  Rarely, the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with bacteria that the body is unable to remove.  If it is very infected, one must have surgery to remove it quickly or it can burst, spreading germs throughout the abdomen.  Fortunately, in the past 100 years or so, surgery was developed and removal of the appendix is not a difficult operation, in most cases.

NOTE: During a nutritional balancing program, usually within the first year on the program, several clients have had a flare-up of pain in the appendix.  Those who called me were saved from an operation. 

In all cases, it was just a retracing reaction, and not appendicitis.  However, it is important to know that this type of retracing or healing reaction can occur, and feels just like appendicitis.

THE LARGE INTESTINE

The large intestine or colon is about two feet long and is a thick tube of tissue that starts in the lower right corner of your abdomen.  It runs straight up the right side of the abdomen to the bottom of the ribs, and then it makes a sharp 90-degree turn.

Then it goes across the belly, underneath the belly button, roughly, and over to the bottom of the ribs on the left side of the abdomen.  Then it makes another 90-degree turn downwards on the left side of the body.  It goes straight down, more or less, and ends in the rectum and anus.

Functions of the large intestine. These are:

1. To finish up incomplete digestion of your food

2. To absorb some nutrients, although most are absorbed in the small intestine.

3. To absorb all the water in the stool so it converts to a semi-solid bowel movement.  This mostly contains undigestible vegetable matter called roughage or fiber.  It also contains some dead bacteria and other chemicals the body does not want to absorb.

Waste removal.  This step is not about digesting food too much , although some vitamins, in particular, can be made and absorbed in the large intestine.  Most important, it is about getting rid of the waste products of the food and digestion process.

Specifics about some of these are discussed later in this article.

The water or fluid.  This is recycled into the body, if everything works right.  However, if too much water is absorbed, or the food sits too long in the colon, you will become constipated.  If not enough water is absorbed, you will have diarrhea, or watery stools. 

The most diseased organ in many people.  The large intestine is one of the most diseased organs in most people today.  The reasons why are:

Drinking too little water and/or the wrong kinds of water.  This is a big cause of constipation.  The large intestine can become stretched, saggy and infected due to constipation.  See Constipation on this site.

  I recommend adults drink two to three quarts or liters daily of either carbon-only filtered tap water, or preferably natural spring water.  All other types of water are not as good for hydrating the body, in my experience.

Fatigue and stress of every kind.  All stress tends to affect the digestive system.  The large intestine is particularly sensitive to stress, which tends to slow or even stop its activity.  This is a major cause of constipation and other problems such as irritable bowel syndrome

Hurried lifestyles and not heeding the call to evacuate.  This also stresses the colon.

Not enough fiber in the diet.  The usual cause for this is eating refined white flour products and white rice.  This can cause constipation and can cause a buildup of slimy material in the walls of the colon.

When some people do enemas or a series of colon hydrotherapy sessions, some people eliminate up to 10 pounds of impacted fecal material that was just sitting inside of them, making them fat and sick.

Nested inside this material are often yeast colonies, bacteria colonies, and often round worms or other parasites.

Chemicals added to many foods, especially refined and prepared food items.  Some of these, such as sugars, are quite harmful for the large intestine and cause the overgrowth of harmful bacteria, viruses and other organisms.

Improper flora in the colon, which is the same as harmful bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections.  These are common, especially if you eat mainly raw food, which I do not recommend.  Traveling to nations that are not too clean is another way to get parasites.  Raw fish, sushi, and not washing food thoroughly is another way to pick up these infections.

Unfortunately, eating any pig products can also cause parasitic infections, even if it is thoroughly cooked.  Some will disagree with this, but this is my experience.

Medical drugs and over-the-counter remedies.  Some of these damage the large intestine.  Again, among the worst for the colon are antibiotics, which often damage or destroy the natural intestinal bacteria, allowing bad bacteria to multiply and take over.

Many medical drugs also slow bowel activity or irritate the sensitive lining of the intestines.  Diuretic drugs can remove too much water from the bowel and cause constipation.  Vitamin tablets with iron can also irritate the intestines.

Nervous tenstion.  This is also not good for the large intestine.

Colon cleansing. Colon health is so important today that I suggest doing one to four daily coffee retention enemas.  This may sound dirty or painful, but they are not that unpleasant and well worth the trouble.  You must follow the procedure given on this website.

When done properly, these are safe and not habit-forming, as some doctors claim.  They also do not dehydrate the body or remove the beneficial bacteria from the colon.

Coffee enemas not only clean the colon, but also help remove many poisons from the liver and have at least 10 other healing effects.  For more on this excellent procedure, read Coffee Enemas on this site.  Many clients tell me that coffee enemas “saved their lives”.

DIGESTION VERSUS PUTREFACTION, ROTTING AND FERMENTATION

            Excellent digestion is the most important single process needed for health besides rest and sleep.  However, most people have very poor digestion today, even though one may have no symptoms of it at all.

Instead of digesting their food, most of their food either rots, putrefies or ferments.  Let us compare these chemical processes that go on inside the body:

Digestion. This is a process whereby food is acted upon mechanically by chewing and then chemically by acids and enzymes in the intestines.  As a result, the food is broken down into simpler chemical compounds.

For example, protein is broken into its amino acids.  Fats are broken into fatty acids.  Starches and sugars are broken down to simple sugars.

Putrefaction. This is a chemical process in which proteins from food are changed by certain intestinal bacteria into very toxic chemical substances.  Among the chemicals are cadaverine, indol and skatol.  Toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide are also produced.

A small amount of putrefaction is tolerable and common, but more is very harmful and toxic for the body.
            Causes for putrefaction include eating too much protein at one time, insufficient chewing, bad food combinations, deficiencies of digestive enzymes such as trypsin and chymotrypsin, improper pH of the intestinal tract, and the presence of incorrect flora in the intestinal tract.

Rotting. This is similar to putrefaction.  However, it occurs in the absence of putrefying bacteria.  Instead, other bacteria destroy the food improperly.  This is what happens if you leave an egg or a piece of meat in the open air for a few days.

The distinction between rotting and putrefying is not great, and the words are often used interchangeably.  However, technically they are not the same.

Fermentation.  This is a chemical process in which yeast organisms change sugars into methane gas, alcohol, vinegar, acetaldehyde and other toxic substances.  This is extremely common, especially in slow oxidizers.

Candida albicans is the most common fermenting organism in most people, and it is found everywhere.  A healthy body will not support it, but if there is a copper imbalance, the body cannot get rid of it.  Other yeasts may be involved as well.

The odor of the bowel movement.  Bowel movements should not smell too bad.  Babies who are breastfed, for example, usually have mild-smelling stools, as do healthy adults.

However, putrefaction and fermentation cause bad odors, along with gas, bloating, stomach pain and other symptoms in many people.    Fermentation cause a fairly mild smell and often some gas.  Putrefaction produces a very foul-smelling stool.

THE ABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS

While digestion may seem simple, in fact it is incredibly complex.  Somehow the body knows which of the thousands of chemicals in food that it needs.  It is able, when healthy, to sift through the food and absorb the nutrients, while rejecting the many chemical poisons.  These are eliminated as the feces.

Most of the nutrients are absorbed from the small intestine, though some absorption occurs in the mouth, and in the large intestine as well.

The role of the liver.  A key to digestion is that all the blood from the intestinal tract goes not to the body, at large, but directly to the liver.  The liver is like the Supreme Court of the body.  It decides which nutrients to keep, and which items are poisons that must be removed.

The liver is a truly amazing organ.  It can sift through the absorbed material and it retains toxic chemicals, toxic metals and other toxins that have been absorbed in the intestines with the food.

The liver converts these to less toxic products, in most cases.  These then pass out of the liver in the form of bile.

Interestingly, the bile is dumped back into the small intestine, and some of the poisons such as too much cholesterol, can be reabsorbed once again.  However, in most cases, the liver has transformed the toxins so that the body somehow knows not reabsorb them.  It is as though the liver “tags” the toxic metals and toxic chemicals in some way so they pass harmlessly out of the body in the feces.

The liver has many other functions, as well.  It further breaks down some nutrients, transforms some amino acids into other chemicals the body needs, stores some sugars, and puts some chemicals together to form proteins, starches, fatty acids and millions of other chemicals we need to live.

Always love your liver!  Never treat your liver badly by drinking alcohol or taking drugs or any poison.  You are just ruining the most amazing organ in the body.  It is also one of the more diseased organs in most people thanks to all the chemicals in our food and water.  Anger also damages the liver.

IMPROVING DIGESTION

Here are the basic steps:

1. Follow the nutritional balancing diets, and not others!  This means eat whole, natural foods, preferably organically grown, and cook most food except a little dairy foods that may be eaten raw.  This means do not eat salads, and do not eat fruit or fruit juices. 

The only juice allowed is up to 10 ounces of carrot juice daily, or 1-2 ounces of wheat grass juice up to twice weekly, and have these away from meal time so as not to dilute the digestive juices.

Only have a maximum of one cup of coffee or tea daily, and no green tea.  Do not have any smoothies, shakes, powders, or green superfoods. 

Also avoid all nightshade vegetables and all nuts or seeds except for toasted almond butter.  For many more details and the reasons for this diet, see the Slow Oxidizer Diet and other articles about foods and diet on this site.

2. Develop very good eating habits.  Eat sit down meals, chew all food very thoroughly, eat meals 4-5 hours apart, do not skip meals, skip most snacks, drink no liquids with meals, and have pleasant conversation during meals. 

Always eat simple food combinations: cooked vegetables with each meal, with either 1 starch or 1 protein food.  The alternative, which is better, is to eat only one type of food per meal.  This is the easiest to digest.

Also, do not eat on the run, standing up, in your car, or in noisy environments.  Instead, learn to relax a lot, especially at mealtimes.  Do not oversalt food and do not avoid all sea salt.  Do not eat table salt and do not eat food that is very spicy.

3. Other.  Heed the call of nature, use a red heat lamp on the abdomen daily, and ideally follow a complete nutritional balancing program.  This will heal many digestive imbalances at a very deep level.

 EXERCISE AND YOUR HEALTH
by The Writers Group

© December 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

SUMMARY

              Benefits.  The benefits of exercise include improving oxygenation and circulation, massaging the body organs, strengthening the muscles, and increasing flexibility and stamina.

              Problems.  Too much exercise depletes nutrients, can stress the body, and causes some oxidant damage, in all cases.

              Sports to avoid.  These include skiing, skydiving, hang gliding, tackle football, ice skating, roller skating and long distance running.  These cause many injuries and not healthful for this reason.

              Girls sports.  Sports teams for girls and women have other serious risks, mainly rape when the girls ride buses and chum around with the boys sports teams.  For details, read Girls Sports.

            Recommendations.  Some gentle exercise daily is excellent for everyone.  However, in my experience, vigorous exercise is not needed for weight loss or cardiovascular health.  Also, it slows development and can be dangerous if one is in bad health, which includes many people.

            I know this goes against the mainstream and the holistic medical thinking today, so this article explains why the bodies today are too exhausted and too sick to benefit much from vigorous exercise. 

            Exercise and nutritional balancing.  This article focuses on the way exercise is used in nutritional balancing science.  It is different from the way it is suggested by some other health authorities.

THE THREE EXERCISE PRINCIPLES

            1. Everyone needs some physical activity.  This should be obvious, but it is not obvious to some people who lead busy lives, or who are very tired, for example, or just not in good physical condition.  Exercise is helpful for all parts of the body. 

              One of the “diseases of civilization” is that we live in our automobiles or other mechanical means of transportation, we don’t climb stairs because we live on the ground floor, or we use elevators in the big cities. 

              The result is that the muscles become flabby and weak, the bones also weaken, the ligaments stretch and may weaken and so on.  Also, the very structure of the body becomes distorted from just sitting in front of computers, for example, and not stretching and toning the system.

              Walking – an excellent and simple answer.  The simplest answer is to walk every day for at least 15 minutes at a stretch.  This is not hard to do.  You do not have to race walk or get all sweaty.  I do not believe that you must get your heart rate up high in order to benefit.

              Where to walk.  First, DO NOT JOIN OR GO TO GYMS OR HEALTH CLUBS.  This is because sexual predators often lurk in these places.  Please avoid them!

            You can walk on the street in good weather.  However, women should always be with a friend, and preferably a strong man. 

            A covered mall is an excellent place to walk.  Advantages are that usually there are other people around, so it is fairly safe.  You can duck into stores, if needed, for safety.  Also, you can walk in all weather, the climate is controlled, and you don’t have to dodge vehicles, bicycles, or breathe polluted air as you do on some streets. 

            Women must be careful in malls, however, if you are alone and there are not many people around.  Malls can still be unsafe in this regard.  Also, always wear shoes that you can run away in, if needed.  This is sad to have to discuss, but important nevertheless.

            Some people have learned to park their car at the far end of the parking lot when they shop or at work, so they walk a ways to and from their car.  This is excellent, as long as it is safe.  Parking lots are not the safest places because cars suddenly appear, seemingly out of nowhere.  However, it is one answer to the question of how shall I get my exercise several times a week.

            Other people walk on treadmills or use exercise bicycles at home.  This is fine, too.  If possible, have an ozonator/ionizer air purifier in the room or in the home, as this will enhance the effects of your exercise.

            Walking is probably the best overall, simple, inexpensive and safe solution to the exercise problem for most people.  No special equipment or space is needed, you can do it alone or with others, and it gently moves the spine without stressing the joints, tendons or ligaments excessively.  More on how to walk so as to use walking as a very useful method of healing and development is found in the article entitled Grounding And Centering on this website.

              Other forms of gentle exercise. Other good forms of exercise are gentle weight lifting, bicycling if done safely, which is difficult, swimming in safe, non-polluted, non-chlorinated water, and perhaps some light sports such as gentle tennis or racquet ball as long as it is gentle and you do not become exhausted.

              Notes on rebounding.  Rebounding is a decent form of exercise.  However, it always moves subtle energy in the wrong direction.  It is possible to mentally move energy downward from your head to your feet at the same time you are using a rebounder or mini-trampoline, but it takes a lot of concentration.  To read a lot more about the importance of moving energy in a downward direction please read Downward Moving Energy and Healing on this website.

            2. Vigorous exercise is not helpful. In essence, we find that most people are simply not well enough to be doing heavy exercise, such as intense running, intense weight lifting, and other vigorous sports.  This may sound heretical, but it is our observation.  Even Kenneth Cooper, the founder of aerobics, near the end of his career sounded the alarm about too much and too vigorous exercise routines.

              Vigorous exercise routines:

1. Cause severe oxidative stress that can lead to a heart attack or other catastrophes.

2. Weakens the adrenals and thyroid gland by simply overstressing them.

3. Often damages tendons and ligaments if they are already weak and compromised, as they are today in many people.

4. Can cause some young women to stop ovulating, which is awful.

5. Waste your energy, no matter how fun or exciting they seem.

6. May deplete dozens of vital nutrients.

            Please listen, those of you that love long distance running, for example, as in running and training for marathons.  Please listen.  For a short article on running, read Marathon Running Can Kill on this site.

            More on the technical aspects of oxidant damage due to vigorous exercise is found in the article on this site entitled Glutathione, A Master Anti-oxidant.

SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF EXERCISE     

            I speak with many people who say they feel their best when they are running hard, for example, breathing hard, or otherwise exercising very hard during skiing, skating, or other sports.  However, this is mainly a physical ‘high’ caused by adrenal hormone secretion and perhaps thyroid hormone secretion.  It is not the same as becoming more spiritual. 

            In fact, it can be the opposite, as it is damaging to the body, as is all excessive hormone secretion.  It is for this reason that I profoundly disagree with many doctors and other authorities who proclaim the spiritual benefits of vigorous exercise, or any exercise at all.

            The purpose of life.  You may say, hwoever, what is the purpose of life, if it is not to have experiences that make one feel really good?

              The purpose and goal of life, from a nutritional balancing perspective, is development.  This is a lengthy process of  change in the body and brain that drastically improves health, brings out special abilities in a person, and lengthens the lifespan.

            A muscular body, a great figure, great flexibility or great physical endurance are but shadows of the much greater abilities that human beings can develop.  For more on this topic, please read Introduction To Development and related articles, on this website.

            Can one do both?  Some people believe one can have it both ways.  That is, one can be an athlete and develop spiritually as well.  Indeed, there are a number of books promoting this approach.  However, for the type of development I suggest, physical activity, beyond that needed for your daily life, will inevitably get in the way. I do not believe one can combine the two.

            This does not mean one should be flabby and weak.  Quite the contrary.  A slender and well-proportioned body is a product of health, and not primarily exercise.

            I certainly do not wish to imply that all exercise is bad or harmful.  Some is excellent for physical development.  However, it is not helpful for mental or spiritual development, no matter what anyone thinks.  Highly developed spiritual teachers do not run marathons, for example, as they know better.  So stick with gentle exercise for the growth and maintenance of the physical body.

EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS

            Many weight loss programs include a lot of exercise as part of the program.  While mild walking or other mild exercise is fine, I find that most overweight and obese people are not in adequate physical condition to do heavy exercise.

            Also, using nutritional balancing science for weight loss, heavy or vigorous exercise is never needed.  Several clients have lost over 100 pounds easily, within a number of months, without the need for vigorous exercise.  I do not recommend vigorous exercise if one want to lose weight and improve one’s health. 

            The way to lose and keep one’s weight is to eat correctly, think correctly, and detoxify the body with a complete nutritional balancing program.  Thus I beg to differ from many health authorities who tell those who are overweight to exercise more for health.  I think that is a lie most of the time and it just makes them more ill, even if they lose a few pounds doing it.  For much more on this topic, please read Weight Loss on this website.

EXERCISE ADDICTION

            This is a common condition today.  Essentially exercise stimulates the adrenal glands, the thyroid gland and perhaps other glands, and gives many people a temporary high that they believe is healthful, when it is not.

            As a result, one is drawn back to the health club, gym or other activity to keep getting another high.  This can easily become an addiction, and is not healthful in the slightest.  However, it is a socially acceptable type of addiction and is admittedly better than using dangerous drugs or alcohol.  Therefore, many people who are tired, depressed, anxious and whose bodies are out of balance use exercise for this purpose.

            With a nutritional balancing program, the body chemistry can often easily be balanced so that one can enjoy exercise without it becoming addictive and so that one will feel well whether or not one exercises.  This should be the goal of a healthful exercise program.

MYTHS ABOUT EXERCISE

            Exercise is often promoted as a cure-all answer for many problems.  The following section takes a hard look at some of the myths about exercise, and presents the views of physicians who have watched the body chemistry of thousands of individuals for years.

MYTH #1.  Strong muscles and a beautiful body indicate you are in good health.

            These may make you feel like you have health, and everyone may tell you how wonderful you look.  However, I work with people who look great, but have cancer or some other disease.  It is certainly wise to care for your body, but health goes far beyond muscles and body shape.

            Judging yourself or another based upon how much or how many exercises one does is insane.  Human beings need to have the strength to achieve a healthful lifestyle and that is about all.  Physical strength is only one parameter of health and not an important one. 

MYTH #2.  A healthy heart and healthy arteries indicate you are healthy.

            This is a recent fetish.  Experience with many people shows that if your body chemistry is truly in balance, your arteries and heart will be excellent.  This is not to say that exercise is not needed.  Some gentle walking is excellent for circulation and the cardiovascular system.  However, it is easy to overdo in trying to tone up your muscles and one system that can be negatively affected is the cardiovascular system.

            Gentle exercise is beneficial for everyone, but a narrow-minded focus on cardiovascular fitness is insane.  Recently a 25-year old woman consulted me complaining of fatigue and depression.  She was doing aerobic exercise 3-5 evenings a week.  Her heart and arteries were probably fine, but her glandular system was so exhausted she could hardly get out of bed in the morning.  Her hair analysis indicated a depleted, exhausted body.  Exercise was just aggravating the problem.  This case is typical of the 'exhausted exerciser'.

MYTH #3.  Exercise rebuilds your body.

            Exercise assists circulation of the blood and oxygenation of tissues, and can help rebuilding in this sense.  Mild exercise is excellent for these purposes.  Excessive exercise, however, stresses the heart, arteries, joints, and glands.  They are forced to respond to stress, and to use up energy in that response.  Muscles enlarge as a response or accommodation to stress.  Large muscles are not a sign of health in themselves.

            Healing and rebuilding is largely a biochemical phenomenon, requiring proper nutrients, and requiring plenty of rest so that energy can be directed to the area in need of healing.

            To exercise a little when you feel well is great.  To exercise "in order to feel well" is skating on thin ice.  Today, most people are subtly malnourished due to consumption of food that is low in trace elements, and for other reasons.  No amount of exercise will make up for these deficiencies.  It is a mistake to think you can compensate for a biochemical problem by exercising. 

            The result may be that you will feel well for a while.  Later, you will find yourself addicted to exercise.  If you skip it for two days, you will feel depressed, constipated, irritable or exhausted.  This occurs because exercise stimulates the adrenal glands and can keep exhausted glands functioning - like whipping a tired horse.  If you stop whipping, naturally the horse will not feel like getting up or performing well.

MYTH #4.  Exercise cannot be harmful.

            Most marathon runners are good for several years.  Then some of them must retire because they are 'burned out'.  Many professional athletes die young.  Indeed, they have one of the shortest life spans of any group of adults.

            Here is something interesting.  The slow heartbeat of professional runners is due in part to their healthy heart, but also due to a mechanism to slow their metabolism, because they put such strain on their heart.  Cysteine is released from muscle tissue and slows the thyroid.  The idea that since a little is good, more must be better, can be lethal when applied to exercise.

            Here are some guidelines for exercise:

            1. Don't use your pulse as your only guide.  Many people are not that healthy, in spite of a normal pulse rate.

            2. Follow common sense.  Don't push past exhaustion.  Listen to yourself before you listen to any coaches, experts or friends.  Go at your own pace.  Do as much exercise as you need to keep yourself fit for your lifestyle and that is all.  Opt for less exercise of a vigorous nature if in doubt.

            3. Don't use exercise as a crutch or drug.  If you are running to get away from your problems, you are misusing exercise.  If you are addicted to exercise, work toward getting unhooked, as you would with any other addiction.  Addiction is not health, even if it makes you look and feel fantastic while you do it.

            4. If you skip exercise for a few days, you should still feel very well.  If you skip your exercise and begin to feel depressed, exhausted, constipated or irritable you are probably using exercise as a whip.  Cut down slowly and look into other reasons why you are feeling this way.

            5. A tissue mineral analysis performed by a lab that does not wash the hair, and interpreted by someone who understands it well, can often tell you if you are overdoing exercise.  There is a list on this website of practitioners whom I personally train and whom I trust.  The others, I do not trust with hair analysis.  Click here to reach that page.

            The properly performed and interpreted hair mineral test will often indicate adrenal exhaustion.  Only very gentle exercise is acceptable and helpful for these people.  Vigorous exercise of any kind in this condition only slows regeneration and is quite dangerous for your health and healing.

            6. Involve your whole body.  Exercise outside in the fresh air whenever possible.  Flexibility is as important as strength and endurance.  Stretching and deep breathing are vital for health.

            Walking, swimming, bicycling and gardening are excellent.  Long-lived people in the world often work outside, but usually not strenuously.  Meditative exercises such as yoga or tai chi are also okay but be careful because many are injured in these classes.  The teacher must walk around the entire class at all times to make sure the students are doing the poses correctly at all times.  This is very important to avoid injuries.  This is why walking is often better, as it is safer.

HEALTH FOODS THAT ARE NOT THAT HEALTHY

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© June 2012, L.D Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Unfortunately, many foods that are called “healthy” today are not so healthy, in my experience.  These foods include ones that are not well-absorbed, somewhat toxic, or perhaps yin in Chinese medical terminology, or that somehow upset the digestion.  Among them are:

Salads.  Raw vegetables are thought to be excellent foods.  However, I find they have the following problems, for which reason I suggest cooking your vegetables:

1. Raw is too yin.  This means they are cold, expanded and centrifugal in their effects on our bodies.  This is not helpful today, which is a yin time in history.

2. The minerals and some other phyto-chemicals found in all vegetables are not as well absorbed when the vegetables are eaten raw.  Humans lack the digestive enzymes to break down the tough vegetable fibers. Taking a digestive enzyme does not usually solve the problem.

Thus, vegetables are best eaten cooked until they are soft, or semi-soft, in order to absorb many of the wonderful minerals and other nutrients they contain.

3. Other reasons to cook vegetables are to concentrate them so you can eat more of them, and in places like restaurants and some nations, cooking is very helpful to destroy parasite eggs, bacteria and other harmful items that live on them.

Standard milk, cheese and yogurt. Commercial, pasteurized dairy products are often not such high quality foods today.  Raw dairy is best, and the other decent product is organic dairy, though raw is better.

Fruit and all fruit juices.  Fruits today have many problems.  Most are very yin in Chinese medical terminology.  This means they are expanded, and sugary  The mineral balance of most fruit is also not good today.  Also, fruit is often sprayed, even if it is labeled organic, as fruit is very prone to insect infestation.  Most fruits are hybrids, today, and not nearly as mineral-rich as some older varieties that are hard to find.  The water and sugar in fruit, along with fruit acids, disturb digestion, and they upset the entire body.  Sadly, fruit, as a category of food, is one of the most ruinous foods today, even organically grown or home grown fruit.

All wheat products such as breads, pastries, flour tortillas, wheat pasta, whole wheat cookies and muffins, and other flour products.  Wheat in all forms, even organic whole wheat, along with spelt, is quite irritating to the digestive system because wheat is severely hybridized and is no longer a good food.  The hybids produce many more tons of wheat per acre, but the mineral and protein content is much lower and the glutamic acid content is higher, making this an irritating food.  Some effort is being made to change this, but it is not too far along.  Until wheat can be returned to a more healthful and less hydridized crop, I suggest avoiding ALL wheat and spelt products.

Fermented foods. These are highly recommended by many health authorities for their probiotic quality and other reasons.  However, they are too yin, like raw foods, and they all seem to contain toxic aldehydres.  Please avoid them, except for some raw cheese and yogurt.

Green “superfood” powders, as opposed to green food capsules. These are also heavily promoted as health-giving “superfoods”.  However, they are often rancid, which is toxic, and they must be put into smoothies or drinks, which upsets digestion badly (see below).

Instead, I suggest dried vegetable capsules, which don’t go rancid nearly as fast, and kelp, a wonderful sea vegetable.  Do not use the other sea vegetables as much such as nori, wakame, dulse and the others.  They have less alginates that trap toxic metals such as mercury in the sea vegetables and prevent its absorption.  Also, I suggest avoiding the algaes that are so popular - chlorella, spirulina and blue-green algae.  These seem less compatible with human physiology in some way, although a little bit is okay.

Protein powders. I find that for most people, whole foods are best.  Problems with protein powders are 1) yin because they are broken apart and processed, and because they usually must be sweetened to eat them 2) bad combinations in smoothies and drinks, and 3) often much less nutritious than the whole food such as an egg or some raw cheese.

For protein, have 2 or 3 soft-cooked eggs, or a little chicken, turkey, lamb or lentils.  However, limit red meat and beans to about two servings per week in most instances.

Smoothies or shakes.  This is difficult for many people to imagine, but smoothies are not recommended at all.  They are all too yin because they are made of powders that are broken apart (very yin).  Then one adds water or worse, something sweet, which is also very yin. 

In addition, they are usually difficult food combinations for the body to digest.  Also, drinking a lot of liquid when you take your food interferes with its proper digestion.  For all these reasons, smoothies actually damage the digestion.  At best, they do not heal the digestive tract, which is a primary aspect of health that everyone needs today.  In most cases, they make it much worse, no matter how “nourishing” they may be.

Beans. – low etheric energy food and slightly toxic.

Coffee. – great in enemas, but irritating to the stomach and the nervous system when consumed as a beverage more than 1 cup of regular coffee.

Juices. – 10-12 ounces of carrot juices with a few spinach leaves or other greens is great.  More than this is very yin and seems to upset digestion as well.

Water. – spring water is wonderful, and distilled for a few months is fine for detoxification.  Carbon-filtered tap water is not too bad in some locations.  Other waters don’t seem to work well, especially reverse osmosis, most shallow well water, sadly, alkaline waters, fancy 3 or more stage filters, so-called designer waters, and adding salts or minerals to your water. 

Pig products. – May contain trichina worm eggs or ova that are not destroyed by cooking, and for other reasons that are less clear to me.

Vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets.  These are too yin and very deficient in essential nutrients, no matter what the vegans and vegetarians claim.

Loads of dairy or milk.  Even too much raw milk is too sweet and yin.  Limit milk intake to 4-6 ounces of raw milk or organic milk, and limit cheese intake as well to about 4-6 ounces daily or less.  Dairy is not an essential food, so don’t worry if you are allergic to it.

Too many combinations (complex meals).  This is a very common ‘health food nut’ error.  More than about 3 foods per meal, or less in some cases, is much harder on digestion.  Mono meals, meaning one food at a meal, are very good, or just have a starch and a vegetables or two, or have a meal of a protein and a vegetable or two.  Do not combine heavy starch and heavy protein, ideally, as this is also harder to digest.

Drinking with meals.

Tons of supplements.

Kombucha, gramma and rooibos tea.

Wine and chocolate.

Soy products.

Sushi

Salmon and Tuna

Hard-boiled eggs or other hard-cooked eggs

Most herbs

Homeopathic remedies

Chelation

Natural or bio-identical hormones.

Wine – is junk.

THE NB MORNING SPA ROUTINE

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© March 2015, L. D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

To have more fun with nutritional balancing, think of it as your personal daily spa experience.  Below are several basic spa routines. Ideally, do your spa routine in the morning.  You can do it later in the day, however, if you need to go to work early in the morning:

TO BEGIN WITH A SAUNA SESSION

Upon awakening:

1. Turn on your red heat lamp sauna to pre-heat it, especially if it in a cold room.  This is not absolutely necessary, but it will enhance the sauna session and it will save time.

2. While waiting for the sauna to heat up to 90 to 100 degrees F or about 25 degrees C., drink a few large glasses or up to a quart of either spring water or carbon-only filtered tap water. You could drink in the sauna (see the paragraph below).  For more, read Water For Drinking on this site.

3. While waiting for the sauna to heat up, you can also go to the kitchen and rinse off a few vegetables.  Then cut them up a little, and place them in a plastic electric steamer.  This is the best because it has an automatic shutoff timer.  Set the timer for about 30 to 40 minutes so that your breakfast will be ready when you are done.

If you want more for breakfast, add some chicken, lamb, or put some hamburger in the steamer.

4. You could also brush your hair and/or brush your teeth while waiting for the sauna to heat up.

5. Then get in the sauna.  To save time, during the sauna session, you can: 1) relax, 2) rub your feet (foot reflexology), 3) do the mental exercise, 4) brush your skin, 5) roll your neck and twist a little, and/or 6) listen to soft music.

In particular, the Roy Masters meditation exercise with my modification is rather amazing, and will heal you and extend your life.

6. After the sauna, either shower quickly or just towel off and you will shower later, after your coffee enema.  If you shower, you should not need a lot of soap and do not clog up your skin pores with lotion or other toxic products.  Also, do not make the water too hot in the shower – it should not be needed.

7. Then rest at least 10 or 15 minutes to allow the body to readjust.  While you are resting after the sauna, twist your spine as recommended on this website to make sure the spine is adjusted properly.  For more on this read How To Help Adjust Your Spine.

            You can also do more of the Roy Masters mental exercise while you are resting.  Then either do a coffee enema and vaginal coffee implant if you have time, or go ahead and eat breakfast.

 

TO BEGIN THE SPA ROUTINE WITH A COFFEE ENEMA

              1. Prepare the coffee.  Preferably boil it for 12-13 minutes.  You could use a coffee maker instead, which shuts off automatically.  However, it makes fairly weak coffee so you might have to run it through twice.

A very powerful method is to make enough for two enemas and do them back to back.  Women can also do a vaginal coffee implant while they do a coffee enema, which is also very powerful.

            To make the coffee cool quickly, use a small amount of water when boiling the coffee.  After it is done, add more cold water to cool down the mixture.

            While waiting for your coffee to boil, you could cut up your vegetables and perhaps some meat for breakfast and veges for lunch, too, and put them in an electric steamer to cook.  This way breakfast and perhaps, lunch, too, will be ready when you are finished with the enema (s).

              2. Lie down and retain the coffee at least 10 minutes and preferably for 15 to 30 minutes.  For instructions on how to do this, read Coffee Enemas.  At the same time, women can do a vaginal coffee implant.  Men can do a penile coffee implant, but it is not as easy or as effective as the vaginal implant for women.  Read about them at the Genital Coffee Implant article.

3. Aim a red heat lamp at your abdomen during the coffee enema (s) unless you have a red lamp sauna.  The red heat lamp energy is excellent for most everyone.  The best idea is to use a red lamp sauna.  However, a simpler, faster and cheaper option is just to shine a red heat lamp or two of them on your abdomen and chest while you do are lying down doing a coffee enema and/or vaginal coffee implant.

4. Meditate.  The best time to do the Roy Masters mental exercise is during your coffee cleanses.  Ideally, do this exercise at least one hour every day or more – and avoid other meditations.  This is important because most meditations are interesting, but will not produce the healing and mental development of the type recommended on this website.

Meditations are like vehicles.  They will take you places in your mind.  Some relax you, some take you to amazing journeys inside the mind.  Some will give sexual or kundalini effects, and so on.  The Roy Masters meditation exercise, done properly, breaks your programming, shows you the truth about yourself and others, grounds and centers you, and undoes confusion in the mind and the body.  However, the most important benefit is to bring in a lot more etheric energy which will extend your life, if you do it enough.  Time spent on any other meditation may be fun and exciting, but does not do the same thing, and some are dangerous by causing uneven development.  Most older meditations are not working as well today.  The same is true of other popular procedures like yoga, chanting, TM, affirmations, chi kung and so on.

4. Expel the coffee, clean up, and either do a sauna session or eat breakfast.  See the information about sauna sessions above.

 

BREAKFAST OR OTHER MEAL

Carrot juice.  This is less important than the procedures above.  If you want to have carrot juice, fifteen minutes or more before breakfast or before another meal, you can drink 10-12 ounces of carrot juice, or less for children.  Do not have more juice than this per day, as it is much too yin.  You can make it fresh, preferably, or buy it at the store.  Do not add fruit juice to it.  If you make it fresh, you can add a few green leaves such as spinach or chard to it, though this is not necessary.  Once or twice weekly, you may have an ounce or two of wheat grass juice instead.

G. Wait at least 15 minutes after carrot juice before eating anything else.  Then eat properly (9 cups of cooked vegetables daily), resting a little before and after your meals.

H. Take your supplements. The correct ones are essential and will move you ahead much faster.  If you are going through a severe healing reaction, skip a day if you like.

I. Rest and relax as much as possible, and take life easy.  If possible, take a nap or two every day.  This may only take 15 minutes, or at times, it may take an hour or more.

J. A short, very slow and gentle walk every day is also excellent, if possible.  If you prefer, use a treadmill or lift light weights.

K. Most important for many people, follow the nutritional balancing lifestyle.  This is explained in the section below.

This spa morning takes about 2 hours or a little more.  If you must work or have other obligations, then go to bed early and do as much of the spa routine as you can.

Combining procedures.  You can combine the procedures above to save time.  For example, you can meditate while lying down doing a coffee enema.  The important thing is to do these things, and not others.  This is the secret.

THE NUTRITIONAL BALANCING LIFESTYLE

              1. Live, rather than exist.  Did you know that most people just exist.  To live, you must first come alive inside with nutritional balancing science.  Otherwise, the body is usually dying, and people run through their lives trying to make a living, find a partner, have a family and career, and have “fun” before their time runs out.

              The alternative.  This is to first “come alive in Christ”, extend your life, and rise out of the short, earthly, sickly life.  Then you can more safely and more happily participate in society. 

You can rise out of the sickly life easily with a nutritional balancing program, although it may not be apparent at first.  It will take at least 5 years, however, and maybe much more.  However, when you are healed to a certain degree, life on earth becomes much easier, more fun, less worrisome, more profitable, happier – and you will outlive your foes.  The rest of the suggestions below will help you to do this most easily.

2. Live a quiet life.  This is actually not the case if you follow the NB spa experience.  Your body will undergo a kind of revolution, with drastic improvement of your health.  However, it will not be that apparent to others, as most of it happens inside the body.  So it will look as though you are living a fairly quiet, mundane life.  Nothing could be further from the truth, but it is often best to do the spa routine quietly.  You need not share it with many friends or even extended family.  They won’t understand and may ridicule you or ostracize you, neither of which is helpful.

3. Stay at home most of the time.  Do not waste your energy and time traveling a lot, shopping a lot, or other pastimes.  These are nice, but they take your energy and your time.  We only have our time, and if you fill it with too much shopping, friends, exercise workouts, yoga classes, tai chi classes, chi kung classes, Facebook, long phone calls, or projects that take hours and hours, your progress will be slow.  Even charity work is not a good use of time if it interferes with your spa morning routine.

4. Men, in particular, but both men and women need to limit sexual fluid loss.  You can still have fun with your sexual partner, preferably your spouse, but limit sexual fluid loss because too much loss, particularly early on in your development, will stop development.  This has been known for millennia.  Ignore the psychologists who tell us the opposite.  They are wrong.

5. Pray daily.  The Roy Masters exercise is, in fact, a type of active prayer in which you bring heaven to earth s you move energy downward as forcefully as you can from your head to your feet. This is true even if you do it lying down, which is excellent.  So this becomes your daily prayer session.  Just repeating words in church or at home is fine, but does not have nearly the same effect.

6. Relax a lot.  This is critical.  There is no problem in the world that God and the angels cannot solve, so relax.  There is no disease, no war, no famine and no disaster that the Creator cannot avert or heal.  So please relax.  In fact, try to imagine that “All is happening for your good”.  This, in fact, is the truth, although it is often not apparent.  The souls are in charge, not the bodies.

MORE ADVANCED PROCEDURES

We are experimenting with other procedures to speed up progress.  These are more trouble, but they can help if you have the time to do them.  They are:

1. The peroxide bath, but only two or three times weekly and only for a year, usually.  This is excellent at the beginning of your nutritional balancing program to speed healing, oxygenate the tissues, and particularly it can usually get rid of ALL sexually transmitted diseases if you do a complete nutritional balancing program with it.  For more on this, read about it in the Baths article.

2. The kelp application.  This is also excellent to do each day for about a year when beginning your nutritional balancing program.  It will help remineralize your body much faster.  For more about this, read about it at the end of the Kelp article.

3. The genital coffee implant.  This is also new (2014).  Feedback so far from women is that it is extremely powerful, simple, clean and easy to do.  It will pull energy forcefully down the front of the body, make the meditation easier, open the central channel faster, heal some infections, and more.

EAT WHEN HUNGRY, OR EAT BY THE CLOCK?

By Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© April 2015, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Recently, I received a call from a client who was very underweight.  Upon questioning him, he said that he did not eat much because he is rarely hungry.  He thought this was how he should eat, and that it is part of a nutritional balancing program.

I told him that he was not correct about this!  We want people to eat plenty.  Just eat mostly cooked vegetables, even four or five meals daily, if desired.  Everyone needs to eat at least three meals daily, or they will become nutritionally deficient today.  In part, this is because the food is not that good – even the best organic produce.  Also, most people have weak digestion and do not absorb their nutrients very well.

Also, nutritional balancing is about remineralizing the body, and this requires eating a lot of cooked vegetables each day.  If you do not like cooked vegetables, then please put toppings on them that you enjoy, but eat them anyway, and eat them soft, not crunchy or al dente.  Eating raw salads does not count as eating vegetables in our view.

WHY PEOPLE LOSE THEIR APPETITE

Copper-toxic people lose their appetite.  Some health authorities tell us to only eat when we are hungry.  However, this can be a trap.  The reason is that when a person is copper-toxic or zinc deficient, often one loses one’s appetite.  Therefore, I do not agree with the ‘eat only when hungry’ idea.

A toxic liver often causes nausea.  Another reason some people do not eat is they feel nauseous.  However, this can also be a trap.  It is fine to skip a meal if you very nauseous.  If it is chronic, however, then one must eat or you will become nutritionally deficient. 

If the liver is toxic, which is commonly the case, then coffee enemas, in particular, can usually change things for the better.  You may require several a day, but they will often diminish nausea due to liver toxicity.

Zinc deficiency causes loss of taste and smell that diminishes appetite.  Another common reason for a loss of appetite is low zinc.  This is very common today, especially among vegetarians and near-vegetarians, but also in the general population.

Excessive stress can affect appetite.  Another cause for no appetite is too much stress of any kind.  Keeping your stress level low is always a key to healing.  Scheduling times for meals, and making sure that the surroundings are peaceful and quiet at mealtime can help you to develop an appetite.  A little exercise can help, also, as can plenty of rest and sleep.   

EATING BY THE CLOCK

In any of the above situations, please “eat by the clock”.  This means to schedule at least three meals daily, and sit quietly and eat, even if you are not that hungry.  If you follow a nutritional balancing program, your appetite should eventually return.  However, this may require months, or even a year or more on a program if your body is very out of balance.

 EXERCISE AND YOUR HEALTH
by The Writers Group

© December 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

SUMMARY

              Benefits.  The benefits of exercise include improving oxygenation and circulation, massaging the body organs, strengthening the muscles, and increasing flexibility and stamina.

              Problems.  Too much exercise depletes nutrients, can stress the body, and causes some oxidant damage, in all cases.

              Sports to avoid.  These include skiing, skydiving, hang gliding, tackle football, ice skating, roller skating and long distance running.  These cause many injuries and not healthful for this reason.

              Girls sports.  Sports teams for girls and women have other serious risks, mainly rape when the girls ride buses and chum around with the boys sports teams.  For details, read Girls Sports.

            Recommendations.  Some gentle exercise daily is excellent for everyone.  However, in my experience, vigorous exercise is not needed for weight loss or cardiovascular health.  Also, it slows development and can be dangerous if one is in bad health, which includes many people.

            I know this goes against the mainstream and the holistic medical thinking today, so this article explains why the bodies today are too exhausted and too sick to benefit much from vigorous exercise. 

            Exercise and nutritional balancing.  This article focuses on the way exercise is used in nutritional balancing science.  It is different from the way it is suggested by some other health authorities.

THE THREE EXERCISE PRINCIPLES

            1. Everyone needs some physical activity.  This should be obvious, but it is not obvious to some people who lead busy lives, or who are very tired, for example, or just not in good physical condition.  Exercise is helpful for all parts of the body. 

              One of the “diseases of civilization” is that we live in our automobiles or other mechanical means of transportation, we don’t climb stairs because we live on the ground floor, or we use elevators in the big cities. 

              The result is that the muscles become flabby and weak, the bones also weaken, the ligaments stretch and may weaken and so on.  Also, the very structure of the body becomes distorted from just sitting in front of computers, for example, and not stretching and toning the system.

              Walking – an excellent and simple answer.  The simplest answer is to walk every day for at least 15 minutes at a stretch.  This is not hard to do.  You do not have to race walk or get all sweaty.  I do not believe that you must get your heart rate up high in order to benefit.

              Where to walk.  First, DO NOT JOIN OR GO TO GYMS OR HEALTH CLUBS.  This is because sexual predators often lurk in these places.  Please avoid them!

            You can walk on the street in good weather.  However, women should always be with a friend, and preferably a strong man. 

            A covered mall is an excellent place to walk.  Advantages are that usually there are other people around, so it is fairly safe.  You can duck into stores, if needed, for safety.  Also, you can walk in all weather, the climate is controlled, and you don’t have to dodge vehicles, bicycles, or breathe polluted air as you do on some streets. 

            Women must be careful in malls, however, if you are alone and there are not many people around.  Malls can still be unsafe in this regard.  Also, always wear shoes that you can run away in, if needed.  This is sad to have to discuss, but important nevertheless.

            Some people have learned to park their car at the far end of the parking lot when they shop or at work, so they walk a ways to and from their car.  This is excellent, as long as it is safe.  Parking lots are not the safest places because cars suddenly appear, seemingly out of nowhere.  However, it is one answer to the question of how shall I get my exercise several times a week.

            Other people walk on treadmills or use exercise bicycles at home.  This is fine, too.  If possible, have an ozonator/ionizer air purifier in the room or in the home, as this will enhance the effects of your exercise.

            Walking is probably the best overall, simple, inexpensive and safe solution to the exercise problem for most people.  No special equipment or space is needed, you can do it alone or with others, and it gently moves the spine without stressing the joints, tendons or ligaments excessively.  More on how to walk so as to use walking as a very useful method of healing and development is found in the article entitled Grounding And Centering on this website.

              Other forms of gentle exercise. Other good forms of exercise are gentle weight lifting, bicycling if done safely, which is difficult, swimming in safe, non-polluted, non-chlorinated water, and perhaps some light sports such as gentle tennis or racquet ball as long as it is gentle and you do not become exhausted.

              Notes on rebounding.  Rebounding is a decent form of exercise.  However, it always moves subtle energy in the wrong direction.  It is possible to mentally move energy downward from your head to your feet at the same time you are using a rebounder or mini-trampoline, but it takes a lot of concentration.  To read a lot more about the importance of moving energy in a downward direction please read Downward Moving Energy and Healing on this website.

            2. Vigorous exercise is not helpful. In essence, we find that most people are simply not well enough to be doing heavy exercise, such as intense running, intense weight lifting, and other vigorous sports.  This may sound heretical, but it is our observation.  Even Kenneth Cooper, the founder of aerobics, near the end of his career sounded the alarm about too much and too vigorous exercise routines.

              Vigorous exercise routines:

1. Cause severe oxidative stress that can lead to a heart attack or other catastrophes.

2. Weakens the adrenals and thyroid gland by simply overstressing them.

3. Often damages tendons and ligaments if they are already weak and compromised, as they are today in many people.

4. Can cause some young women to stop ovulating, which is awful.

5. Waste your energy, no matter how fun or exciting they seem.

6. May deplete dozens of vital nutrients.

            Please listen, those of you that love long distance running, for example, as in running and training for marathons.  Please listen.  For a short article on running, read Marathon Running Can Kill on this site.

            More on the technical aspects of oxidant damage due to vigorous exercise is found in the article on this site entitled Glutathione, A Master Anti-oxidant.

SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF EXERCISE     

            I speak with many people who say they feel their best when they are running hard, for example, breathing hard, or otherwise exercising very hard during skiing, skating, or other sports.  However, this is mainly a physical ‘high’ caused by adrenal hormone secretion and perhaps thyroid hormone secretion.  It is not the same as becoming more spiritual. 

            In fact, it can be the opposite, as it is damaging to the body, as is all excessive hormone secretion.  It is for this reason that I profoundly disagree with many doctors and other authorities who proclaim the spiritual benefits of vigorous exercise, or any exercise at all.

            The purpose of life.  You may say, hwoever, what is the purpose of life, if it is not to have experiences that make one feel really good?

              The purpose and goal of life, from a nutritional balancing perspective, is development.  This is a lengthy process of  change in the body and brain that drastically improves health, brings out special abilities in a person, and lengthens the lifespan.

            A muscular body, a great figure, great flexibility or great physical endurance are but shadows of the much greater abilities that human beings can develop.  For more on this topic, please read Introduction To Development and related articles, on this website.

            Can one do both?  Some people believe one can have it both ways.  That is, one can be an athlete and develop spiritually as well.  Indeed, there are a number of books promoting this approach.  However, for the type of development I suggest, physical activity, beyond that needed for your daily life, will inevitably get in the way. I do not believe one can combine the two.

            This does not mean one should be flabby and weak.  Quite the contrary.  A slender and well-proportioned body is a product of health, and not primarily exercise.

            I certainly do not wish to imply that all exercise is bad or harmful.  Some is excellent for physical development.  However, it is not helpful for mental or spiritual development, no matter what anyone thinks.  Highly developed spiritual teachers do not run marathons, for example, as they know better.  So stick with gentle exercise for the growth and maintenance of the physical body.

EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS

            Many weight loss programs include a lot of exercise as part of the program.  While mild walking or other mild exercise is fine, I find that most overweight and obese people are not in adequate physical condition to do heavy exercise.

            Also, using nutritional balancing science for weight loss, heavy or vigorous exercise is never needed.  Several clients have lost over 100 pounds easily, within a number of months, without the need for vigorous exercise.  I do not recommend vigorous exercise if one want to lose weight and improve one’s health. 

            The way to lose and keep one’s weight is to eat correctly, think correctly, and detoxify the body with a complete nutritional balancing program.  Thus I beg to differ from many health authorities who tell those who are overweight to exercise more for health.  I think that is a lie most of the time and it just makes them more ill, even if they lose a few pounds doing it.  For much more on this topic, please read Weight Loss on this website.

EXERCISE ADDICTION

            This is a common condition today.  Essentially exercise stimulates the adrenal glands, the thyroid gland and perhaps other glands, and gives many people a temporary high that they believe is healthful, when it is not.

            As a result, one is drawn back to the health club, gym or other activity to keep getting another high.  This can easily become an addiction, and is not healthful in the slightest.  However, it is a socially acceptable type of addiction and is admittedly better than using dangerous drugs or alcohol.  Therefore, many people who are tired, depressed, anxious and whose bodies are out of balance use exercise for this purpose.

            With a nutritional balancing program, the body chemistry can often easily be balanced so that one can enjoy exercise without it becoming addictive and so that one will feel well whether or not one exercises.  This should be the goal of a healthful exercise program.

MYTHS ABOUT EXERCISE

            Exercise is often promoted as a cure-all answer for many problems.  The following section takes a hard look at some of the myths about exercise, and presents the views of physicians who have watched the body chemistry of thousands of individuals for years.

MYTH #1.  Strong muscles and a beautiful body indicate you are in good health.

            These may make you feel like you have health, and everyone may tell you how wonderful you look.  However, I work with people who look great, but have cancer or some other disease.  It is certainly wise to care for your body, but health goes far beyond muscles and body shape.

            Judging yourself or another based upon how much or how many exercises one does is insane.  Human beings need to have the strength to achieve a healthful lifestyle and that is about all.  Physical strength is only one parameter of health and not an important one. 

MYTH #2.  A healthy heart and healthy arteries indicate you are healthy.

            This is a recent fetish.  Experience with many people shows that if your body chemistry is truly in balance, your arteries and heart will be excellent.  This is not to say that exercise is not needed.  Some gentle walking is excellent for circulation and the cardiovascular system.  However, it is easy to overdo in trying to tone up your muscles and one system that can be negatively affected is the cardiovascular system.

            Gentle exercise is beneficial for everyone, but a narrow-minded focus on cardiovascular fitness is insane.  Recently a 25-year old woman consulted me complaining of fatigue and depression.  She was doing aerobic exercise 3-5 evenings a week.  Her heart and arteries were probably fine, but her glandular system was so exhausted she could hardly get out of bed in the morning.  Her hair analysis indicated a depleted, exhausted body.  Exercise was just aggravating the problem.  This case is typical of the 'exhausted exerciser'.

MYTH #3.  Exercise rebuilds your body.

            Exercise assists circulation of the blood and oxygenation of tissues, and can help rebuilding in this sense.  Mild exercise is excellent for these purposes.  Excessive exercise, however, stresses the heart, arteries, joints, and glands.  They are forced to respond to stress, and to use up energy in that response.  Muscles enlarge as a response or accommodation to stress.  Large muscles are not a sign of health in themselves.

            Healing and rebuilding is largely a biochemical phenomenon, requiring proper nutrients, and requiring plenty of rest so that energy can be directed to the area in need of healing.

            To exercise a little when you feel well is great.  To exercise "in order to feel well" is skating on thin ice.  Today, most people are subtly malnourished due to consumption of food that is low in trace elements, and for other reasons.  No amount of exercise will make up for these deficiencies.  It is a mistake to think you can compensate for a biochemical problem by exercising. 

            The result may be that you will feel well for a while.  Later, you will find yourself addicted to exercise.  If you skip it for two days, you will feel depressed, constipated, irritable or exhausted.  This occurs because exercise stimulates the adrenal glands and can keep exhausted glands functioning - like whipping a tired horse.  If you stop whipping, naturally the horse will not feel like getting up or performing well.

MYTH #4.  Exercise cannot be harmful.

            Most marathon runners are good for several years.  Then some of them must retire because they are 'burned out'.  Many professional athletes die young.  Indeed, they have one of the shortest life spans of any group of adults.

            Here is something interesting.  The slow heartbeat of professional runners is due in part to their healthy heart, but also due to a mechanism to slow their metabolism, because they put such strain on their heart.  Cysteine is released from muscle tissue and slows the thyroid.  The idea that since a little is good, more must be better, can be lethal when applied to exercise.

            Here are some guidelines for exercise:

            1. Don't use your pulse as your only guide.  Many people are not that healthy, in spite of a normal pulse rate.

            2. Follow common sense.  Don't push past exhaustion.  Listen to yourself before you listen to any coaches, experts or friends.  Go at your own pace.  Do as much exercise as you need to keep yourself fit for your lifestyle and that is all.  Opt for less exercise of a vigorous nature if in doubt.

            3. Don't use exercise as a crutch or drug.  If you are running to get away from your problems, you are misusing exercise.  If you are addicted to exercise, work toward getting unhooked, as you would with any other addiction.  Addiction is not health, even if it makes you look and feel fantastic while you do it.

            4. If you skip exercise for a few days, you should still feel very well.  If you skip your exercise and begin to feel depressed, exhausted, constipated or irritable you are probably using exercise as a whip.  Cut down slowly and look into other reasons why you are feeling this way.

            5. A tissue mineral analysis performed by a lab that does not wash the hair, and interpreted by someone who understands it well, can often tell you if you are overdoing exercise.  There is a list on this website of practitioners whom I personally train and whom I trust.  The others, I do not trust with hair analysis.  Click here to reach that page.

            The properly performed and interpreted hair mineral test will often indicate adrenal exhaustion.  Only very gentle exercise is acceptable and helpful for these people.  Vigorous exercise of any kind in this condition only slows regeneration and is quite dangerous for your health and healing.

            6. Involve your whole body.  Exercise outside in the fresh air whenever possible.  Flexibility is as important as strength and endurance.  Stretching and deep breathing are vital for health.

            Walking, swimming, bicycling and gardening are excellent.  Long-lived people in the world often work outside, but usually not strenuously.  Meditative exercises such as yoga or tai chi are also okay but be careful because many are injured in these classes.  The teacher must walk around the entire class at all times to make sure the students are doing the poses correctly at all times.  This is very important to avoid injuries.  This is why walking is often better, as it is safer. 
FRUIT-EATING - ITS BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© October 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

SUMMARY

Most people enjoy eating fruit, and many health authorities recommend eating it as part of a balanced and healthy diet.  However, I find fruit, except for a few olives, is not a healthful food today, and is not needed at all in the diet.

Fruit is mainly sugar and water, with a small amount of minerals and other nutrients.  The potassium and some of the phosphorus fruit contains today is often somewhat toxic, and the balance of its minerals is not correct for most people. 

Fructose found in most fruit is a very harmful sugar that puts on weight, feeds parasites in the body, and fruit is much too yin for regular use.  This article discusses these and other aspects of eating fruit.

BENEFITS OF EATING FRUIT

Reasons why many health authorities suggest eating fruit include:

·           Fruit is a whole, natural food.

·           Fruit contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, natural sugars and other nutrients.

·           Fruit is convenient, easy to eat, and tasty.

SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH EATING FRUIT

This section incorporates our own research findings and that of many others who have worked with those who eat fruit or have eaten a lot of fruit for a period of some years, in most cases.

Birth defects.  Mothers of unborn children are deeply affected by vegetarian, vegan and fruitarian diets.  This can cause more birth defects.  This is due mainly to very low zinc in fruits, and a deficiency of the sulfur-bearing and other amino acids in fruitarian and vegetarian diets.  Vegan diets are among the worst.

Attention deficit disorders, autism, cancers and other problems in children. Eating fruit is particularly harmful for fast oxidizers, which includes most young children.  Fast oxidizers must eat fat with each meal.  The sugar in fruit upsets the metabolism severely.

Deranged digestion.  Eating fruit seriously deranges the digestive system in many people.  Sugar in all fruit feeds yeasts, parasites, and other harmful pathogens in the intestines.  The digestive tract becomes more yin, more fragile and often more “leaky”.  This affect the digestion and absorption of all nutrients.  It always seems to aggravate or cause overgrowth of yeasts such as candida albicans.  Fruit acids and the toxic potassium found in today’s fruit also irritate the intestines.  Most fruit is also sprayed with pesticides, and the residues often also irritate the intestines, even with organically grown fruit.  Fruit requires pesticides in many areas to grow it at all.  Even the natural pesticides used on organic fruit are somewhat toxic.

Interferes with sulfur metabolism.  This may sound esoteric, but it is extremely important.  Fruit is very low in sulfur, and sulfur is a critical nutrient.  Many fruits also contain copper, a sulfur antagonist.

Cardiovascular problems.  Fruit can weaken this body system and can cause a shortened lifespan, among other disorders and problems.  Fructose affects copper metabolism, which may be the reason for its negative effects on the cardiovascular system.

Pain syndromes. Stopping all fruit and returning to a diet with plenty of cooked, and not raw, vegetables often stops joint pain and other types of pain within a few weeks.  Causes for pain with fruit-eating may be a zinc deficiency, inflammation due to fruit acids, toxic potassium, too much sugar, or possibly other causes.

Diabetic symptoms. The combination of low zinc, a higher-sugar diet, and B-vitamin deficiencies that can develop from eating too much fruit may result in diabetic symptoms.  The most prominent is often peripheral neuropathy, which causes tingling, burning or numbness in the legs and feet and rarely in the hands or elsewhere.  Other symptoms may include frequent urination, fatigue, depression and others.

Weight gain. Many people believe that eating fruit will cause weight loss, and they are seriously disappointed.  Fruit is not a low-calorie food.  Also, eating sugar in any form causes weight gain by many mechanisms, such as stressing the insulin mechanism of the body, impairing the activity of the thyroid and adrenal glands, causing some water retention,  and perhaps other mechanisms, as well.  Yeast infestation from eating fruit can also cause bloating and weight gain.

Parasitic infections.  Eating fruit makes the digestive tract much more yin and toxic with chemicals, in some cases.  This makes the gut much more susceptible to parasites, which are “cold” infective organisms that love sugar.  Other reasons may be that fruit may carry some parasitic organisms if it is not washed properly and is eaten raw.  Also, a damaged and somewhat delicate digestive tract cannot protect itself against some parasites that are found commonly in some foods and water supplies.

Pesticide poisoning.  This occurs because most fruit is sprayed heavily, even if it is advertised as being organically grown.  Even natural pesticides that must be used on fruit can build up in the body in a toxic fashion, affecting the liver and kidneys, in particular.

Toxic metal poisoning.  Those who eat a lot of fruit seem to be particularly prone to the accumulation of mercury and copper, perhaps because fruits lack the balancing element of zinc.  High-fruit diets also lack sulfur-containing amino acids that are needed for liver detoxification of the metals and of many toxic chemicals as well.

Mental/emotional symptoms.  These are very common and include anxiety, depression, irritability, and even panic attacks.  We know this because when a person who is eating a lot of fruit and having any of these symptoms stops eating fruit, often these symptoms vanish within a few days to a few weeks.  If a person has eaten fruit for a long time, symptoms may take longer to reverse.  The cause of the symptoms can be the upsetting effects of a high-sugar diet, or perhaps the effects of candida albicans infection, which produces alcohol and acetaldehyde in the body.

Anger and belligerence.  Another interesting symptom that occurs now and then is the development of a stubborn, and often belligerent and angry nature.  This could be due to a zinc deficiency or perhaps a B-vitamin deficiency of some type.  It may be due to a more yin condition, which makes a person more fearful and anxious.

Loss of mental acuity. This symptom, also called brain fog, is very common in those who eat a lot of fruit and sometimes seen in those who eat any fruit at all.  It is often due to yeast overgrowth in the brain.  Low iodine may also play a role, or perhaps low levels of some of the B-complex vitamins.  Taking supplements of these nutrients may help, but frequently they are not enough to stop the progress of this mental degeneration that is very sad to observe.

Yin disease.  This condition is a composite of many of the symptoms listed above. I refer to it as yin disease because it is a general change in the body toward a very yin overall condition.  Symptoms usually include a feeling of malaise or weakness, often coupled with some of the symptoms mentioned above.

Slower mental development. Yin foods, or anything that makes the body more yin, appears to impair what is called on this website mental development.  Also, eating sugar seems to impair this development.  Also, fruit is very low in etheric energy, and this is needed for development today.  To learn more about development, which is amazing, please read Mental Development and other articles on this subject on this website. 

A shorter lifespan.  In my experience, fruitarians shorten their lives, often significantly.  Interestingly, they may live apparently healthfully for years, but suddenly their health declines and they die quickly at an earlier age than most other people.  I do not know the exact cause, but it may have to do with depletion of some vital nutrient or the accumulation of a toxic substance due to fruit-eating.  Eating food containing sugars also causes glycation, a toxic process that destroys the body eventually.

WHY DOES FRUIT-EATING CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS?

1. Fruit is one of the most yin foods one can eat.  In the Macrobiotic conception of yin and yang, fruit is an extremely yin food.  Yin refers to certain qualities such as cold, expanded, and sweet-tasting or sugary.  Fruit also grows above ground and often up in the air, another quality associated with yin.  In botanical terms, fruits are expanded ovaries of plants.  This “body part” appears to make them even more yin.

In the traditional Chinese conception of yin and yang, fruit is not uniformly yin.  However, it is uniformly yin in the macrobiotic view of yin and yang, and we find this to be most accurate.  The problems with yin foods are:

1. Most people’s bodies today are already extremely yin.  Eating more yin food tends to unbalance their bodies even more.  This tends to cause more weakness and illness in the body, even though fruit is a source of certain vitamins and other nutrients.  This is very important to know!

2. The problem of becoming yin is even worse if a person is a slow oxidizer (even more yin), if a person is ill (also more yin) or if the person eats large amounts of fruit.  Eating more of a yin food tends to make the body even more yin.   

3. Tropical fruits are even more yin, and thus the worst from this perspective.  They include common fruits such as bananas, pineapple, coconut in all forms and preparations, dates, figs, papaya, citrus fruits and others.  It also includes the tropical fruit drinks such as noni, goji, nopal, acai and others (see Tropical Fruit Drinks for more on this subject).  A little of these is not too bad, but a lot is definitely very yin.

4. Eating anything raw is even more yin, and fruit is often eaten in the uncooked state.

5. Fruit juice is even more yin.  It is more concentrated, contains much more sugar and less fiber to buffer the acids and sugars in the fruit.

For much more on the serious problem of yin with fruit, read Yin Disease and other articles about yin and yang on this website.

2. Fruit upsets the blood sugar level and causes excessive insulin release.  The relatively high sugar content of almost all fruit causes this reaction.  This adds stress to the body, can cause weight gain or impair weight loss, and causes other imbalances deep inside the cells.

Many people are unaware of the high sugar content of most fruit.  It can be extremely high, especially with fruit juices, dried fruit or fruit that is packed or dipped in sugar.  These are even worse than eating fresh fruit.

3. Fruit-eating often contributes to yeast overgrowth.  Most people, even those who do not eat much fruit, already have an overgrowth of intestinal yeast such as candida albicans and others.  This is due to toxic metal poisoning, and especially copper imbalance.  Other mineral imbalances may also contribute, as does overeating on carbohydrate foods.

The high sugar content of most fruit worsens this important condition.  The yin nature of fruit also tends to worsen all fungal and parasitic infections because fungus and yeast conditions are yin infections.  That is, they tend to be cold and parasitic in nature.  For more on this subject, read Candida Albicans Infections and Parasites on this website.

4. Fruit is a carbohydrate food, and most people are overeating on carbohydrates already.

            5. Fruit dehydrates the body.  This may seem very strange.  Some health authorities even tell their followers that the water in fruits is “naturally distilled” and that one does not need to drink other water.

            This is very bad advice.  First, eating anything that contains sugar, including fruit, tends to cause dehydration due to an osmotic process in which sugar draws water with it wherever it goes.

Also, the water that is in fruits is not distilled at all.  It contains many minerals, and unfortunately it often contains residues of pesticides, which are often used on fruits even if the fruit is supposedly organically grown.  For more on this important subject, read Hydration on this site.

6. Fruit seems to send the body’s energy in an outward and upward direction.  This is a very subtle, but critical problem perhaps related to the yin quality of fruit, and also with its sugar content.

Our bodies are polarized.  Downward moving energy is healthy and life-giving, while upward moving energy and outward-moving energy is not as healthful.  For more on this, read Downward-moving Energy And Healing.

            7. Fruit is quite harmful for babies and children, as it enhances the oxidation rate, especially in the short term.  This is a stimulatory effect due to its low fat content and higher sugar content.  This is particularly harmful for younger children, whose oxidation rate is already too fast.

For this reason, please do not give babies and children ANY fruit or fruit juices, or for that matter, any sweets at all.  This is hard for many parents, since children often love sweets and doctors and television personalities often recommend it highly.  They are wrong!  It will help your child’s health immensely if you keep them away from all sweet foods, including fruit and fruit juices of all kinds.  This is very important for children.

            Some people may respond to the above by saying that milk is sweet, and milk is good for babies.  This is true.  However, milk also contains a lot of fat and protein.  This counteracts some of the yin and the other effects of the milk sugar.  Also, milk sugar or lactose is a disaccharide and is therefore burned or utilized more slowly than fructose or glucose found in fruit.

            8. Fruit can actually be acid-forming in the body.  I know that this statement goes against that which is found in most nutrition books.  However, we find it to be true in clinical practice.  Several reasons for this are:

A. Fruit acids. Textbooks of nutrition often say that even though fruit contains some mild acids, the mineral content of the fruit eventually causes an alkaline reaction in the body.  However, we find that this is no longer the case because of the genetic modification of fruit and its lower mineral content today.  As a result, the acids in the fruit can give many fruits an overall acidic reaction, which is not healthful at all.  This applies particularly to acidic fruits such as citrus, which is often picked unripe and never ripens properly.  However, it applies to other fruits, as well.

B. Fruit sugars. Sugars tend to be acid-forming in their internal reaction, especially fructose.

C. Imbalanced minerals in most fruit today.  The mineral content of fruit is not optimum for our bodies.  Today, this is due in part to the use of superphosphate fertilizers used on most farms, including organic fruit orchards.  The mineral content seems to cause unpleasant reactions and deficiencies of zinc, in particular, especially if one eats a lot of it.  It does not seem to matter if the fruit is organically grown.  More on this topic is found in the article entitled The Acid-Alkaline Balance.

            9. Fructose, a prominent sugar in fruit, is one of the worst sugars to consume.  Fructose does not directly raise the blood sugar as fast as glucose, for example.  Instead, it is sent directly to the liver, where it should be converted to glucose.  However, most people cannot process it very well and it can instead be converted to triglycerides and other fats.  This is related to obesity, in some cases.

Medical evidence also indicates that fructose may interfere with copper metabolism, is inflammatory, and may contribute to metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.  Read more about fructose in the article entitled Fructose.

            10. Fruit-eating is often damaging to the enamel of the teeth.  Fruit acids can damage the dentin or outside layer of the teeth.  This is well known by some dentists, and is another reason be careful with eating fruit.  The worst offenders are the acid fruits, such as citrus – oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, and limes.

            11. Fruit is often sprayed with pesticides, even if labeled organic.  In order for fruit to grow in most areas, particularly some parts of the United States, it needs to be sprayed.   Even if fruit is labeled organic, it is often laced with some pesticides and insecticides, even if they are natural ones.  Many of them, even the natural sprays, add more toxins to the fruit.

One of the most commonly sprayed fruits are grapes grown to make wines.  We find that people who drink a lot of wine usually have higher levels of arsenic and often lead in their hair.  Lead arsenate and other compounds containing these metals are often sprayed on grapes.

Also, even organically grown fruit can suffer from the residues of pesticides and other chemicals that had formerly been sprayed on the fruit, or small quantities that somehow find their way into the fruit.  Because fruit is so yin, it picks up more of some toxic metals that are less yin such as lead and some chemicals.

12. Genetic Modification and Hybridization.  Fruit today is not the same as it was 100 years ago.  Modern fruit is often hybridized and genetically modified.  Few people realize this unless, perhaps, you have an old crab apple tree where the fruit was small and it was not as sweet as it is today.

Most fruit today is grown for mass consumption and is larger, sweeter, less nutritious, lower in mineral content, and for these reasons even more expanded or yin.  For more, read GMO Foods on this site.

13. Fruit seems to tire out the body.  I am not sure why it is so, but eating fruit seems to have an irritating quality for many people.  Perhaps this is due to upsetting the yin and yang balance, or just its higher sugar content.

Also, the seeds of some fruits are slightly toxic, such as seeds of apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, blueberries and others.  This may also tire the body somewhat when eaten regularly.  Eating very cold foods, such as fruit kept in a refrigerator, is even worse.  The body literally has to warm up the food, which may also tire it somewhat.

14. Fruit is rich in potassium, but a lot of it is a toxic form of potassium.  I say this because people who eat a lot of fruit, when placed on a nutritional balancing program, often begin to eliminate a biounavailable form of potassium.  When it is gone, the person often begins to feel much better.

I suspect this potassium compound must have come from eating fruit because those with the potassium problem almost always have a history of enjoying a lot of fruit in their diets.  Fruits, more than other foods, seem to take up a lot of toxic potassium from N-P-K fertilizers or superphosphate fertilizers that are used on almost all fruit trees, even organic commercial fruit-growing operations.

This potassium compound may also interfere with the absorption and utilization of other important trace minerals in the diet.  Although fruit-eating is the main cause of an accumulation of toxic potassium, there are other causes of toxic potassium.  For more, please read Toxic Potassium on this website.

15. Cleanliness can be a problem with some fruit.  Fruit may be picked by hand by workers whose cleanliness is not always the best.  The surface of the fruit always contains bacteria, viruses and other micro-organisms.  If it is not washed thoroughly, eating it can cause hepatitis, parasites and other subtle infections.

If you must eat fruit, always wash it carefully and never eat it right from the store or even from a tree, without washing it carefully.  Also, do not leave fruit sitting out on the kitchen counter overnight and then eat it without washing it again.  Fruit attracts flies, mites, ticks and other tiny insects that can quickly infect the fruit with disease.

16. Eating a lot of fruit can demineralize the body.  This appears to occur because eating a lot of fruit raises the sodium and potassium level of the tissues.  This, in turn, lowers calcium and magnesium in the soft tissues, in part because sodium and potassium are solvent monovalent minerals.

There may be other reasons for mineral depletion as well, such as the upsetting effects of sugar on the body, the pH of fruit, the improper balance of minerals in many fruits, and more.  The two minerals most affected are calcium and magnesium, which are already somewhat low in most people.  This, in fact, is a tragedy.

FRUIT-EATING AND HAIR MINERAL ANALYSIS

1. The oxidation rate.  Fruit tends to unbalance the oxidation rate, in general.  Therefore, those who eat a lot of fruit may have a very fast oxidation rate, or a very slow oxidation rate.  Many factors can do this, however, so it is just an observation.

2. Beam Me Up pattern.  Those who eat a lot of fruit sometimes have a hair mineral analysis pattern I call Beam me up, Scottie pattern.  It is a fast oxidation rate, often with a good or fair sodium/potassium ratio.  It is a tipoff that a person may be consuming a lot of fruit.  For more on this pattern, please read Beam Me Up Pattern on this website.

WHAT IF I CRAVE FRUITS?

When the body is out of balance or ill, food cravings are common.  These slowly disappear with a nutritional balancing program.  Sometimes the cause is low protein or low fat in the diet.  This is common with vegetarians, for example, who do not eat enough meat or eggs.  Other reasons are low levels of zinc, manganese or chromium, which is also very common.

            To reduce cravings for fruit, be sure to eat every few hours and be sure to include some animal protein and perhaps a little fat or oil with most meals, especially if you are in a fast oxidation state.

If you must eat a little fruit.  For those who cannot stop their fruit intake immediately, here are some guidelines:

a) Eat as little fruit as possible.

b) Eat fruit from heirloom (or very old) trees, as it will be less hybridized.

c)  Eat smaller, cold-weather fruits such as a little apple, peach, pear or a few berries either by themselves or perhaps added to some raw milk yogurt.

d) Ideally, eat fruit alone as a snack.  It does not combine well with other foods.

e) Totally avoid all fruit juices, dried fruit, canned fruit packed in sugar, and all tropical and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit.  Sub-tropical fruit to definitely avoid are coconut, avocado, dates, figs and other sub-tropical fruits.  This is true for babies and children as well.

f)     Dried fruit is more yin in some ways, and certainly more sugary.  Avoid it, please, even as a snack.  It is far better to eat some leftover cooked vegetables, turkey or beef jerky, almond butter, blue corn chips, a piece of cheese or other protein-rich snacks, than a piece of dried or fresh fruit.

WHAT ABOUT EATING VEGETABLES THAT ARE REALLY FRUITS?

In a word, avoid most of them except for peas, green beans, winter squashes and a few olives!  So-called vegetables that are really fruit are those with seeds, such as:

All tomatoes (red, green, cherry, and others).

All peppers (red, green, and hot chili peppers).

All squashes (zucchini, summer squash, butternut, spaghetti, acorn and perhaps others).

Others include okra, cucumbers, eggplant, olives, peas and string beans.

Recommendations.  Peas and string beans are not too yin, and are excellent foods to eat as often as one likes.  Olives and okra are not too yin, and okay to eat, although I don’t recommend eating them too often.  Olive oil is okay to use, but it is yin.  Butter is better for cooking and to put on things.  The olive is an unusual fruit in that it is not too sweet.

Winter squashes (spaghetti squash, butternut squash and acorn squash) are not too yin, and may be eaten up to twice a week if one wishes.  However, summer squashes (zucchini, sunburst, yellow squash or others) are more yin.  They are not recommended at all, or only on rare occasions.

I suggest avoiding the rest of the so-called vegetables that are really fruits.  These are all of the nightshade family vegetables.  These include all tomatoes, white and red potatoes, peppers of all kinds, and eggplant.  These foods are all quite yin, and they contain a toxin called solanin that is irritating and inflammatory.

Always cook vegetables and do not eat them raw. 

WHAT ABOUT CONSUMING FRUIT OILS SUCH AS OLIVE, GRAPE SEED, COCONUT AND PALM OILS?

Olive oil is okay, but not as good as butter.  Grapeseed oil is another fruit oil.  It is also okay, but not as good as butter, a much more yang fat.

Coconut oil and palm oil are not good, no matter what other benefits they have.  A little is okay now and then, but do not use them regularly, no matter how nutritious they may be.

One can also buy walnut oil, hazelnut oil and other nut oils.  These are also fruit oils, and they are also very yin.  I would avoid them.

REST AND SLEEP -
ESSENTIAL FOR HEALTH
by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© November 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Table Of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

II. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

How Much To Sleep

When To Go To Bed

Children And Teens

College Students

Sleep Position

Body Orientation

Mattresses

Magnetic Mattress Pads

III. WHY SLEEP MORE?

IV. WHY SOME SEEM TO GET ALONG ON LITTLE SLEEP

They are burning out

They are using stimulants

They are energy vampires

V. POOR EXCUSES FOR NOT SLEEPING

VI. FOUR ASPECTS OF SLEEP

Rest

Muscle Relaxation

Dreaming

Learning And More

VII. HANDLING SLEEP DIFFICULTIES

Handling Difficulties During A Nutritional Balancing Program

Handling Difficulties When One Is Not On A Nutritional Balancing Program

Natural Sleep Remedies

VIII. SLEEPING PILLS

IX. OTHER SLEEP TOPICS

“Junk” Sleep Threatens Teenager’s Health

If Afternoon Naps Interfere With Sleep At Night

Random Sleep Schedules

Night Work Shifts

Living In Apartments And Some Condominiums

Snoring

Hot Flashes That Keep One Awake

Sleeping With An Ozonator/Ionizer Air Purifier

Yin And Yang Related To Sleep

Hair Patterns And Insomnia

Personal Experience

Recent Sleep Research

Sleep Apnea

 

I. INTRODUCTION

Millions of people throughout the world do not get enough rest and sleep.  This is a major health problem.

A complete nutritional balancing program can help solve sleep difficulties, even when nothing else has been effective.  This is because it can remove toxic metals such as copper, and it can correct other imbalances in the body that interfere with normal sleep.

 

Some do not sleep enough due to insomnia or inability to sleep.  Many, however, just like to stay up late and yet they must get up early for work.

Some people are tired all the time, and sleep does not refresh them.  They may reduce their sleep time because it doesn’t seem to matter.

Others do not sleep much because they like walking around in a sleepy state all day.  This article discusses many aspects of rest and sleep.

II. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

            How much sleep is best. Most people need 8 to 10 hours of sleep daily for optimum health.  However, it is best to break this up into two 4 hour periods.  These are sleep cycles.   

An easy way to do this is to get up once during the night and walk around for 10 minutes.  Then go back to sleep.  I realize many people do not like this idea, but it is best.  If you get up anyway in the middle of the night, do not resent it, as it is best.

The reason is that when one sleeps for more than about 4 hours at a time, the brain goes into a deeper sleep cycle.  This is good for healing, but is a very yin condition in macrobiotic terms that slows development.  This may sound unusual, but is important.  For details about development, read Introduction To Development on this site.

When you awaken at night, rub your feet and twist your spine in bed.  Then get up, go to the bathroom, have a little water, perhaps, and then go back to bed after 10 minutes.

I do not recommend staying in bed much longer than 10 hours at a time.  This can have a detrimental effect on some people.  It is often best to get up, even if you need more sleep. Take a nap or two later in the day, as needed.

            When to go to bed. I recommend that everyone go to bed between eight and nine PM every night. The hours before midnight are far more valuable for rejuvenation than those after midnight.  Some say they are two or three times more useful for healing the body and mind.

The hours after midnight are less conducive because the energy of the earth has shifted and the new day is starting.  This brings a crescendo of solar energy that interferes with sleep, to a degree.

              Try not to make exceptions to these rules for holidays, weekend parties, movies, television shows, or anything else.  Ideally, start and end the parties early, leave the other ones at an early hour, record the television programs, and go to the early movies or rent them on DVD.  These are just good lifestyle habits.

            Children and teens need a little more sleep.  Children and especially adolescents need 11 or even more rest and sleep!  Ideally, there should be no exceptions for sleepovers, camping trips, late movies, or other distractions.

              I realize this may be difficult, so do your best as a parent to guide children with this.  If a child is up late one night, be sure he or she can sleep in and that the next night the child goes to bed very early.

            College-age students are the most sleep-deprived.  This is due to late night studies and classes, parties, outings, and other distractions at this age.  Young people also have more natural hormonal activity, so they seem to “get away with it”.  However, it causes illness, in all cases.

Sleeping Positions.  The best position for sleeping is on your back without a pillow.  If you prefer a pillow, it should be soft enough so that your spine remains fairly straight.  Also, the pillow should not cut off your air supply in any way.

Also, the pillow case needs to be cleaned often, as otherwise you will be breathing lots of dust, bacteria from your scalp, and other debris all night.

If possible, sleep with your legs and arms straight and slightly out to the sides.  This prevents you from crossing your own energy field with your arms or legs.

Sleep with your head toward the pole.  Ideally, if you live in the Northern hemisphere, sleep with your head to the North, more or less, and legs facing to the South, if possible.  If you live in the Southern hemisphere, sleep with your head facing South.

The reason is there is a flow of subtle energy or ether from the poles to the equator of the earth.  When you align with it, you move energy downward from the head to the feet, which is extremely health-producing.  For much more on this subject, please read Down Energy And Healing on this site.

Mattresses. Avoid sleeping on very soft mattresses that distort your posture.  A firmer mattress is often better. 

Memory foam mattresses are very good.  If you want something lightweight, use two or three memory foam mattress toppers on top of each other. 

Some conventional beds and some air beds are also good.  I do not recommend water beds, although some people like them.  I don't think it is ideal to be sleeping on water.  Some mattresses are smelly when new and contain toxic fire retardants, so check on this.

Magnetic mattress pads.  I do not recommend magnetic mattress pads. Most help for a while.  However, prolonged use usually is not helpful and may be harmful.  A lot of 'magnetic deficiency syndrome' is caused by iron and other ferrous metal toxicity in the body.  These metals will come out of the body with a nutritional balancing program.

III. WHY SLEEP AND REST MORE?

            1. Most people are exhausted.

              2. Healing requires extra sleep.  During the day, one primarily uses the sympathetic autonomic nervous system.  It is associated with spending energy and tearing down the body.

This is balanced by the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system, which is associated with rest, nurturing and regeneration of body tissues.  This is equally important.  The parasympathetic activates primarily when one is asleep.

            3. Detoxification requires plenty of rest.  Elimination of toxins, an issue for everyone, occurs primarily at night while the body rests.  The removal process requires energy and one's energy is finite.  If you use most or all of your energy running around all day, and do not sleep enough, you will not detoxify the body well.

            4. Mental and emotional processing occurs during sleep.  Often, during the day, thought processes are not completed due to interruptions or other distractions.  The mind completes these processes during sleep.

You may notice that problems that seemed difficult are less daunting or even solved after a good night's rest.  This can be due to increased energy, but is also due to actual problem-solving that goes on during sleep.

            5. Learning.  One actually learns new information at night while resting.  The entity soul flies around and may study at night.

6. Development requires a lot of extra rest and sleep.  Development refers to a specific process whereby the human body is upgraded, healed and rejuvenated.  For more on this important topic, pleas read Sleep And Development and Introduction To Development on this website.

Ideally, find a job or career that allows you to take a short nap every day.  This is very helpful for development and healing, as well.

State work laws in America require a 15-minute break in the morning and again in the afternoon.  Although this is hardly enough time, it is a start and anyone in any job should, if possible, take advantage of this rule.

7. Dreaming. Dreaming is another important activity that only occurs during the sleep state.  Dreaming is complex and can have various purposes, such as processing past or present events.  Even unpleasant dreams, nightmares, premonitions and other phenomena may be important.  Retracing during nutritional balancing programs may involve dreams.

In summary, there is no substitute for sleep.   Also, sleep is anything but a waste of time.  It is an essential part of each person’s daily life that can also be a rich time of not only rejuvenation, but of insights and other healing processes.

IV. WHY SOME SEEM TO GET ALONG ON LITTLE SLEEP

You may envy those who seem to have lots of energy, yet get by on little sleep.  Please let go of this envy, and don’t try to copy these people.  Reasons why some seem to get along on not much sleep are:

1. Burning themselves out.  Many of them don't know it, or they know it and don't care, or they care but do not know what to do about it.  Some are “driven” by emotions or biochemical imbalances, which is not healthy.

2. Using stimulants.  Their energy is false.  One of these days it will catch up with them and they will “crash” or become ill.

Stimulants include exercise, sugar, caffeine, energy drinks, kombucha tea or pills such as amphetamines.  They can also include too much worry, fears, or anger.

3. Energy vampires.  Some people get by with less sleep because they know how to steal energy from others.  This is called energy vampirism, and it is very real.  For more about this subject, please read Energy Vampirism on this site.

V. POOR EXCUSES FOR NOT SLEEPING

            I hear many excuses why people do not sleep enough.  None of the following are valid, so I hope you do not use them:

            1. “I don't have time.”  If this is really the case, then it is time to restructure your life.  Schedule naps, nap with your children after lunch or even after all meals, get help so that you are freed up, take on fewer projects or otherwise restructure.
            This may mean your house is not quite as clean, or perhaps you will not volunteer at church.  However, making such changes can save your life.

2. “Sleep is unproductive.” Resting more makes some people feel guilty, lazy or unproductive.  Let these feelings go! 

These problems are the worst if you identify yourself with what you do, instead of with who you are.  Although perhaps it is not obvious, you affect others much more by who you are than by what you do. 

For example, if you are good to others, but not good to yourself by resting enough, you will radiate a non-respectful vibration, although this can be very subtle. 

Many people remain busy and active because they are afraid or uncomfortable resting and relaxing.  One may busy oneself with the problems of others, because in a resting state, one is faced with one’s own life, and one’s own concerns.   A key to learning to rest more is to be at peace and fully accepting and loving of yourself.  Otherwise, resting more may bring up vague feelings of anxiety or even panicky feelings. 

In order to slow down, know that these feelings may come up and do not let them get in the way of your rest periods. 

            3. “Sleep is a waste of time.”  I hope I have explained in the section above why this is incorrect.  Plenty of sleep is an absolute necessity.

            4. “I could sleep for days and sleeping more doesn't make me feel better, so why bother.”  Most likely your body chemistry is out of balance.  Correction may be simple, but usually it is not.  It often requires a nutritional balancing program for a year or perhaps several years.

Ninety percent of people have exhausted adrenal glands, and many have sluggish thyroid gland activity.  These can make one very tired.  The answer is not to take replacement thyroid hormones, but to rebuild the glands with a nutritional balancing program.  Not sleeping enough only makes the problem worse.

            5. “I don’t want to miss my favorite television programs, movies, and parties.”  It is possible to leave parties early, schedule parties and movies earlier, and record late television programs.

            6. “I can't go to sleep earlier.  If I do, I'll be up at 3 AM”.  This is a common excuse.   The section below regarding sleep difficulties may be helpful.

            7. “I have loads of energy.” Most often, people who say this are out of touch or somehow stimulating themselves to keep going.  In this case, it is nervous energy, and it won’t last for too long. It is better to slow down now rather than experience a crash, which may be more difficult to overcome.

            8. “I just love staying up.”  Some people are night owls.  They enjoy the peaceful feeling at night when activities slow down and others go to bed.  Sometimes creative work is easier to do at night. 

            However, going to bed late or depriving yourself of sleep are not the answer.  Go to bed very early and get up early when the world is still peaceful and quiet, in order to experience the peace you need.  If that does not work, you may need to live in a quieter environment so you can experience  peace during the day.

VI. FOUR ASPECTS OF SLEEPING

            Sleeping actually involves at least four aspects of human physiology.  These are:

1. Rest. This is extremely important to do for a number of hours each day.  Otherwise, the body wears out sooner. 

2. Muscle relaxation.  Although this is similar to rest, it is listed separately because it is somewhat different.  The muscles require rest, as well.  Even putting your feet up on the couch or in bed is excellent to relax most of the musculature of the body.

3. Dreaming.  This unusual human activity requires that the conscious mind be put aside for a time.

4. Processing and learning.  This is somewhat complex.  Most souls travel out of the physical body during sleep.  They learn, teach, heal, assist others and may have other experiences during the sleep state.

VII. HANDLING SLEEP DIFFICULTIES

            Sleep problems can be related to diet, lifestyle, the sleeping environment, biochemical imbalances, one’s temperament, and other factors.  I will divide this section into:

1. Handling sleep difficulties during a nutritional balancing program.

2. Handling sleep difficulties if you are not following a nutritional balancing program.

3. Natural Sleep Remedies

1. SLEEP PROBLEMS DURING A NUTRITIONAL BALANCING PROGRAM

During nutritional balancing programs, at times some people complain of sleep difficulties.  Reasons this occurs are:

1. A copper elimination can stimulate the brain and cause sleep difficulties.

2. Development can cause sleep difficulties, at times.  Development progresses a little faster if you get up at least once during the night and walk around for a few minutes.  Perhaps you have a glass of water or use the bathroom.  This is not a problem, so please ignore it.

3. Your nutritional balancing program needs changing because body chemistry has shifted.  This can occur at any time.

4. Retracing a trauma or incident may cause strange or fearful dreams.

5. You may just be processing a lot of  information during the night.  Try to go to bed early so you will have time to obtain enough sleep.  Also, take naps during the day if you are tired.

Suggestions for sleep difficulties during a nutritional balancing program:

1. Do the pushing down exercise in bed, as this puts some people to sleep.  Also, be sure to twist the spine, and push the toes down until they pop.  This will relax the body and can help sleep. 

2. Rubbing the feet in bed is also excellent.  There is a “sleep point” on the bottom of the big toe, near the middle of the soft toe pad.

3. I find that taking a quick shower if I cannot sleep usually causes me to fall asleep.  I am not sure why it works, but it does.

4. You may do a coffee enema at night, even in the middle of the night if you have a headache or other toxic symptoms.  I have often been able to fall back asleep afterwards.  Perhaps use a little less coffee at night.

5. You may also get in the sauna in the middle of the night to help fall asleep.

6. Do not panic.  Nap the next day if you can to make up for missing sleep at night.

7. Have your consultant ask me to check your program to make sure it is still correct.

8. Be sure you are following the program correctly.

9. A copper eliminations will pass.  However, ask for help, please, and sometimes we can identify a cause and suggest help.

10. The suggestions below may also be helpful.

2. HANDLING SLEEP DIFFICULTIES IF YOU ARE NOT ON A NUTRITIONAL BALANCING PROGRAM

1. Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet.   Install black velour fabric or other light-blocking material behind curtains, or use other methods so your sleeping area is very dark, and preferably very quiet as well.

2.  Eat dinner early.  Eating late may leave undigested food in the stomach that interferes with sleep, especially if the food quantity is excessive or you have gas or other symptoms of indigestion.

3. Before bed, try to dissipate harmful or stray energies that we all pick up during the day.  Possible ways to do this are:

- Take a quick shower just before bedtime.  Do not take a bath every night, as many people do.  This can cause you to absorb too many toxins in the bath water, and it is quite yin, as well, in macrobiotic terminology.  A quick shower is best for this purpose.

- Get in a near infrared lamp sauna for at least 10-15 minutes.  Other saunas are not as good, but might work, too.

- Go out in the sun for several minutes after using the computer or television.  Do this also if you feel uncomfortable after being with a person whom you know is ill or has a ‘difficult’ personality.

- Shine a reddish heat lamp on your abdomen for 10 minutes or more before going to bed.  

4. Avoid sweets, juices, chocolate and alcohol, especially at night.  Sugar upsets body chemistry and may cause one to toss and turn, or to get up hungry in the middle of the night.

5. Avoid stimulants, particularly in the evening.  Stimulants just whip your body.  They always result in more tiredness eventually.  These include coffee, tea, caffeinated soft drinks, kombucha tea, chocolate and sugar in any form.  More subtle stimulants include anger, hatred, resentment, worry and fearfulness.  Remember this next time you listen to the news or watch a violent movie. 

6. Reduce mental activity in the evening.  If you have trouble sleeping, it is wise to forgo intense intellectual effort at night.  Relax, do light reading or other activities that do not overstimulate the mind.

            For example, you may need to turn off the computer at 6 PM, and only read or watch programs that are relaxing or engage in social activities after this time.  Also, decide you will not initiate or take phone calls after 6 PM, since this can easily stimulate a person and keep one awake.

7. Avoid vigorous exercise in the evening.  Better to exercise in the morning or during the day.  In the evening , limit exercise to perhaps a gentle walk, an excellent way to end the day.

8. Do some spiritual reading before bed each night, rather than watch the nightly news or a movie.  This can make quite a difference for some people.  It is relaxing, uplifting, and can help one to have a sense of peace and tranquility.

9. When you go to bed, be sure you are warm enough, but not hot.  This includes your feet.  Wear socks if needed, or heat your feet with a heater.

              10. Drink more earlier in the day.  Drink water in the morning and less after 6 PM so you are not having to get up many times to urinate at night.  Getting up at night once or twice is good, however, and not a problem.

              Do not ignore drinking water, however, as this can cause leg cramps, muscle tightness and other things that interfere with sleep.

11. Some ventilation and movement of air is often helpful for sleeping.  This might mean running a ceiling fan or opening a window a small amount.

12. Let go of physical tension in the body.  Methods that can be used include ten minutes of slow, deep breathing, or gentle stretching in the evening.  The spinal twist exercise is very good when going to sleep to relax the body.

13. Foot reflexology is superb to relax before bed.  This is excellent to calm the nerves and help restore the natural energy flow in the acupuncture meridians of the body.          

Rub both entire feet, for at least five to ten minutes each.  Be sure to include rubbing all the toes, the top of the foot, the heel and a little ways up the legs. 

Rub more in any area that is tender or painful.  “Popping” the toes by pushing them down, and twisting the toes gently are also very good.

A reflexology sleep point.  A reflex point that may help sleep is on the big toe of both feet.  It is on the bottom, in the soft area around the middle of the toe.

14. Use a chi machine just before bed.  This is a box that sits on the floor and you place your ankles in cradles on top of the box.  When activated, the machine gently moves your legs back and forth, relaxing the spine and the entire body.  These are not too expensive, as a simple one usually works just fine and cost about $120.00 new.

15. Do your best to let go of fears and worry at bedtime.  This may be why spiritual reading is so helpful for some people.  A simple affirmation might even be enough, particularly if repeated for a while so it becomes part of your lifestyle. 

The prayer could be something like "Thank you for this day.  It is complete.  I now release all worries and concerns to the Holy Spirit, (or the High Self, or God, or Jesus), and I rest peacefully."

16. Ear plugs. These are helpful for some people who are in noisy environments, when traveling, or when sleeping with a partner.  The foam rubber ones are fine, but not as good as the silicone type.  They cost more, but block more sound.

17. When traveling, many people sleep better by bringing their own pillow and even their own sheets or sleep pack if you are not sure how clean the sheets will be.  Also bring earplug and blinders to cover your eyes if the room is not dark enough.

              18. Separate beds for partners can be a helpful idea, though it sounds horribly unromantic to some.  It is better energetically for many people.  It also helps assure that a partner’s visits to the bathroom, or just random tossing and turning, will not wake you up.

19. Avoid becoming overtired.  When one is overtired, the adrenal glands are overstimulated.  If this happens, one may need to “unwind” before going to bed.

This is one of the most important reasons to go to bed early.  If you stay up late, the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal glands “kick in” and can keep you awake.

20. If possible, turn off electronic devices near where you sleep.  Also, sleep at least 10 feet away from wifi routers, cell phones, TV sets, computers and all other sources of EMF (electromagnetic fields).

Battery powered devices are not as much of a problem as those that plug in to the wall.

Turning off some electrical equipment is not always enough.  Some radios, amplifiers, televisions, boom boxes, and other electronic devices have transformers that stay on even if the device is off.  These can disturb sensitive individuals and are not healthful for anyone during sleep.

            House wiring.  In some cases, sleep will improve radically if you make sure the electric power is off in your bedroom.  This is because even the wiring in the wall gives off EMF and RF frequencies.  It is more work to install a special switch or circuit breaker, but I know people for whom it has made a lot of difference in their rest.

21. In a few cases, reduce your salt intake, but only if you are eating a lot of salt.  Even good quality sea salt can be somewhat stimulating for some people.  Avoid all table salt, which is a junk food.  Especially if eaten late at night, it can possibly be a stimulant that interferes with sleep.

22. Definitely avoid sugar and alcohol in the evening.  These keep some people awake.

23. Hydrotherapy.  An older method to help one fall asleep is to stand in the back of a shower and allow cold water to run just on the legs and feet.  The water must be quite cold.  Wear a night shirt, if needed, to keep warm.  This procedure draws the blood down from the head to the feet very effectively.

To make it even more powerful, do not dry your legs.  Get into bed with them wet, as it will keep working once you are in bed.

24. Empty the bladder and bowels.  This may be obvious, but having a full bladder or even a full colon can interfere with sleep.

25. Listen to a boring lecture or other boring CD or tape.  This can be surprisingly good, and much better than listening to music or watching a movie before bed.  However, if it works better, you can listen to quiet music instead.

26. Experiment with clothing.  Some sleep better with less clothing, while others may do better with pajamas.

3. NATURAL SLEEP REMEDIES

              Calcium and magnesium.  One can take a little more of these an hour before bed.  Several clients have also reported that taking more calcium and magnesium during the day, not just before bed, helps them sleep better.

              One reason this may work is it keeps the nervous system calmer all day and avoids one becoming as overtired or overstimulated.  The amount to take is usually about 250-500 mg extra of calcium and about 150-300 mg extra of magnesium three times a day with meals.

During the night, if you cannot sleep, you can take a little more calcium and magnesium.  For the fastest action, chew your supplements or you could use a liquid calcium/magnesium supplement.  Beware that excessive magnesium is laxative for some people.

Strong chamomile tea.  This is very relaxing.  Use 2 teabags and ideally use organically grown chamomile tea. 

Valerian root tea.  This is also relaxing, although I have not found it as good as chamomile tea.  Both are quite safe, however.

Milk near bedtime.  An old sleep remedy is a small cup of warm milk.  Milk is high in tryptophan and calcium.  This works well for some people, and is quite safe.

L-tryptophan or 5-htp help some people sleep, and are safe.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland.  It helps sleep in some people, and it seems to be harmless when used correctly.

Others.  Other sedative products include choline, inositol, L-threonine, and sedative herbs such as hops, passionflower and others.

Sleep remedies to Avoid.  I suggest staying away from Chinese patent herbal remedies such as An Shui Wan and Worry Free, Sleep Easy (Shui de An).  Chinese herbs can contain toxic metals, even the best brands, in my experience.

I also do not recommend homeopathic remedies because they are very yin in macrobiotic terminology.

VIII. SLEEPING PILLS

              Drugs for sleep are toxic and rarely needed if the suggestions above are followed.  They should be used only as a last resort.

              In a few rare cases, sleep is so important that a sleeping pill can be helpful until your body chemistry is corrected so your body will relax enough to rest.  Do not take sleeping pills any longer than absolutely needed.  The following was excerpted from an article at www.Mercola.com:

“A startling study in 2012 revealed that people who take sleeping pills are not only at higher risk for certain cancers (35 percent higher), but they are also nearly four times as likely to die as people who don't take them.

The list of health risks from sleeping pills is growing all the time, including the following:

•                            Higher risk of death, including from accidents

•                            Increased risk of cancer

•                            Increased insulin resistance, food cravings, weight gain and diabetes

•                            Complete amnesia, even from events that occurred during the day

•                            Depression, confusion, disorientation, and hallucinations

•                            Impaired driving to a degree that increases the risk of an accident, especially among women.

RELAXING VERSUS DRUGGING YOURSELF TO GO TO SLEEP

A lot of people believe they must drug themselves to go to sleep.  They may use sleeping pills for this, but other ways to drug yourself to sleep are:

1. Eating late at night.

2. Using sedative herbs.

3. Staying up late until you are exhausted.

4. Exercising until you are exhausted in order to sleep.

These methods are not ideal.  It is better to relax to go to sleep.  Some of the suggestions below can help you to do this.

IX. OTHER SLEEP TOPICS

“JUNK SLEEP” THREATENING TEENAGER’S HEALTH

            Electronic gadgets have overtaken many teenagers’ bedrooms, damaging their health due to lack of sleep, according to a British survey.

            The Sleep Council warns that “junk sleep” could rival the unhealthy junk food craze as a major lifestyle issue for parents of teenage children.

            Their poll of 1,000 teenagers between the ages of 12 to 16 revealed that 30 percent got only four to seven hours of sleep. And almost 25 percent said they fell asleep while watching TV, listening to music, or using some other electronic gadget.

            About 40 percent said they felt tired each day, and some 20 percent of the boys admitted their quality of sleep was affected by leaving their TV or computer on. However, only 11 percent said they were bothered by the lack of quantity, or quality, of sleep.

            Dr. Chris Idzikowski with the Edinburgh Sleep Centre stated, “What we are seeing is the emergence of Junk Sleep – that is sleep that is of neither the length nor quality that it should be in order to feed the brain with the rest it needs to perform properly at school.”  

The Sleep Council Press Release

The Sleep Council Teenage Sleep: Facts, Figures & Tips

Scientific American August 28, 2007 

IF AFTERNOON NAPS INTERFERE WITH NIGHTTIME SLEEPING

This happens, at times.  It can be due to low vitality.  One is somewhat delicate and the nap upsets the normal rhythm.  Often, as health improves, this problem disappears by itself.

In some cases, a person may, by taking an afternoon nap, upset their body chemical patterns enough to begin eliminating a stored stimulant such as caffeine, cadmium from cigarette or marijuana smoke or something else.  Releasing this chemical into the blood could also interfere with sleep later in the evening.

RANDOM SLEEP SCHEDULES

  Some people do remarkably well with a random sleep schedule.  It is often necessary in occupations such as flight attendants and commercial airline pilots, for example.  However, as a general rule, the more similar the sleep schedule each day, the better.

NIGHT WORK SHIFTS

  This is often hard on the body.  If one is not feeling well on this schedule, do whatever you can to change it to a regular day shift, even a late day shift.

LIVING IN APARTMENTS AND SOME CONDOMINIUMS

Living in a detached house is usually  preferable to living in an apartment or attached dwellings because there is less electromagnetic fields and often less noise in detached dwelling.  This can affect one’s sleep.

If you must live in an apartment, try to live in an end unit, with as few people above or below you as possible such as a garden apartment.  If possible, get to know your neighbors and ask them to turn off the TV and other electronic gadgets early in the evening, so you can go to bed early in a peaceful electronic environment.

SNORING

This can and does interfere with one’s sleep, not just your partner’s sleep.  Snoring occurs usually when the tongue blocks the airway a little. 

Many methods can help overcome snoring. Losing weight helps stop some snoring.  Nasal strips often work well by opening up the nostrils a bit.  Plastic strips and mouth guards are also sold that go inside the nose and mouth.

Special physical exercises are also available that may help snoring. These are available through the intenet.

HOT FLASHES THAT KEEP ONE AWAKE

Some women at or near the menopause experience hot flashes at night that keep them awake.  For safe, simple ways to deal with this problem that often work well, without the need for drugs or natural hormones, read the article entitled Menopause. 

SLEEPING WITH AN OZONATOR/IONIZER AIR PURIFIER

This is highly recommended.  It adds a little oxygen to the air, which everyone needs today.  The machines are offered by Atlas and other manufacturers via the internet.  For more on how to acquire one of these machines inexpensively, click here.

Place the machine in the bedroom, preferably high off the floor on a book shelf.  Set the ozone production to about half or less.  Full power is too much and will irritate the lungs.  Close the bedroom door most of the way, ideally, to keep the ozone in the room. 

Do not be afraid of ozone – it is not harmful when used correctly.  Adding a little more even in a polluted city with a higher natural ozone level is good for most people.

SLEEP AND YIN AND YANG

Sleep is actually a yin activity, but it has a yang effect of rejuvenating the body.  The prone position is more yin.   This is the reason I do not recommend staying in bed for more than 10 hours at a time.

HAIR MINERAL PATTERNS OF INSOMNIA

Hair mineral testing can sometimes, but certainly not always, help one understand the reasons for insomnia.  Here are mineral patterns that may be associated with insomnia:

Copper Imbalance.  Copper causes the mind to race and enhances emotions, both of which interfere with sleep. 

When copper is out of balance, the hair copper level may be normal or even low.  However, hidden copper imbalances are usually present.  Assuming the hair test is performed correctly, which means the hair is not washed at the lab, indicators for copper imbalance include:

·           Copper greater than about 2.5 mg% or less than 1 mg%.

·           Zinc less than about 14 mg%

·           Calcium greater than about 70 mg%

·           Potassium less than about 4 mg%

·           Mercury greater than about 0.03 mg%

·           Na/K ratio less than about 2 or greater than 10

Biounavailable calcium and/or magnesium. A hair calcium level greater than 175 mg%, or perhaps even less, often indicates some degree of biounavailable calcium and perhaps magnesium.  This is closely associated with insomnia, in some instances, because it is functionally the same as a calcium and/or magnesium deficiency. 

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

            I used to have a lot of difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, starting around age 30.  Copper toxicity was definitely a culprit.   I also had a lot of adhesions and muscle tension that made relaxing difficult.  For more on this topic, please read Adhesions.

I tried most of the methods in this article.  Sometimes one would work better than another.  At bedtime, doing the spinal twist, pushing the toes down, and doing some foot reflexology definitely helped relax me.  A little exercise during the day also seems to help.  Chamomile tea was often helpful.

I decided I would not waste the time at night.  So I listened to instructional tapes or CDs if I could not sleep, and I would do the pushing down exercise for an hour or two in the middle of the night.  Eventually, I would fall asleep, though I was often tired in the morning.

I learned to take naps, not to plan too much during a day, and to go to bed early so that hopefully I could get enough sleep sometime during the night.  Only rarely would I get up and work or watch television at night if I could not sleep.

            The insomnia problem definitely got better about 10 years ago when my central channel or conception vessel opened.  This required at least 15 years on a nutritional balancing program.  Now I sleep well.   I still do the spinal twist, rub the feet and pop the toes every evening when I lie down to sleep.  To read about opening the central channel, please read The Conception Vessel on this website.

RECENT SLEEP RESEARCH

The Jawbone Activity Tracker Study (2014) found that sleep times in the 21 largest cities in the USA were remarkably similar, ranging from a low of 6.82 hours in Houston, Texas to a high of 6.93 hours in Orlando, Florida.  On average, that’s just over 6.8 hours of sleep a night.2 

Another study, the 2013 International Bedroom Poll by the National Sleep Foundation, which found, on average, Americans get only 6.5 hours of sleep on weeknights (but report needing 7.25 hours in order to function optimally).3

The average bedtime for New Yorkers is 11:15 p.m. – and that’s earlier on average than people in some other parts of the nation!

SLEEP APNEA

            Some people do not rest well, though they may sleep.  One cause is sleep apnea.  With this condition, one stops breathing periodically during sleep.  The usual cause is the tongue slips back into the throat, blocking the air flow. 

            Detection of sleep apnea.  Sometimes a partner will just notice that you stop breathing, at times.  However, the other way the problem is identified is to go to a sleep clinic.  These are available in many locations.  One goes to sleep at the clinic and cameras observe one’s breathing and movement during the night.

Correction.  The common medical treatment is to wear a face mask connected to a machine that pumps air into the mouth and nose.  It is called a continuous positive air pressure machine or CPAP machine.

Instead of this machine, which is somewhat costly and inconvenient, some doctors just recommend a splint in the mouth that keeps the tongue positioned correctly.  Also, a complete nutritional balancing program, especially losing weight, if needed, may correct the entire conditions

DOWN WALKING FOR HEALING AND DEVELOPMENT

By The Writers Group

© December 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not  for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

I. INTRODUCTION

Walking is an amazing experience that can quickly help you develop, and heal.  Walking is also the most relaxing exercise.  It also tones your muscles and promotes good circulation.

Walking gently moves your entire body, stretching the ligaments and muscles, a little, swinging the spinal column, and adjusting the entire body.  It is grounding and centering like few other exercises.

Walking also allows you to focus on yourself without becoming morbid and depressed, even if you are ill and the body hurts or is stiff or tight.  It is truly a wonderful exercise.

II. HOW TO WALK

THE BASIC BODY POSITION

Head.  Your head must be held high, as though supported by a strong wire that attaches to the crown of the head.  The crown is not the top of the head.  It is a little further back. 

If you imagine a wire holding up your head at the very top, it will tilt your head up, which is not correct.  Only if the wire attaches at the crown area will your head remain level, with eyes facing directly forward.

Mistake: holding head up from the top, which makes your eyes go up.

Rest of the body.  This should hang down from the head, exactly like a an old-fashioned puppet that is mainly held up by a string at the top of the head.

Use only enough energy to keep yourself erect.  Do not tense anything.  This is a challenge and you will get much better at it.

Mistakes: Tensing any of the body and especially holding the shoulders up.  Instead, force them down.  You won’t like the look, at first, but it all evens out.  It hides the breasts a little, which is actually good.  Later the breasts will pop out if you want that.

Eyes.   Your eyes should look straight ahead, not up or too much down.  Looking a little downward is okay, as it helps you not to trip and fall.

Close the eyes a little if you wish, as this is normal if you are not looking at anything in particular.

Relax and sort of defocus the eyes, as this is very relaxing for them.  If possible, look at something far away or imagine something far away to relax the eyes even more.

Mistakes: Closing the eyes and running into telephone poles or other people, or tripping.  Another one is rolling the eyes upwards into your head.  Please never do this!  Another one is looking way down.

            Arms.  Dropped and loose, like a puppet.  Focus on relaxing the fingers, the thumbs, the wrists, forearms, elbows especially, and the upper arms.  Shoulders are discussed below.

            Mistake: Tensing the elbows.

Shoulders.  These should drop and be loose.  Many people keep them up near the ears.  At first, you may need to drop them down with some force to counteract the tendency to keep them elevated.  This is fine.  Ask a friend if your shoulders are up, if you are not sure, or look in the mirror.

A way to move them downward is to pretend your arms and hands are very heavy and are gently pulling your shoulders down as you walk.

Mistake: Keeping your shoulders up and tense.

Pelvis.  This has a lot of problems in many people. 

The tilt.  The pelvis should be straight up and down, meaning not tilted forward or backward.  It should also be even, meaning not tilted to one side.

How to do this. Ask a friend to check your pelvis or use a mirror.  To check for side-to-side tilt, see if the hip bones that stick out (the iliac crests) are at the same level.  

To check for backward or forward tilt stand sideways in front of someone or in front of a large mirror.  Your buttocks should not stick out too far.  However, you also should not look like you have your tail between your legs.

Another way to check:  Look at the lumbar or lower curve of your spine.  If you have no lower back curve, or very little curve, your pelvis is tilted forward.  It will look like your low back drops straight down.  This is not normal, though some people think it is normal.

Sway back.  A very large curve in the lower back is called a sway back.  Its cause is that your pelvis is tilted backward.  This is a sexy look that makes your belly button stick out a little.  It is not healthy and will cause back pain and arthritis, eventually, so correct it now.

Relax the pelvis.  The pelvis needs to be totally relaxed or dropped.  This is hard for some women and men, especially if you have experienced rape or molestation.

The best exercises to get help with this are the baggy pants exercise and the bucket of water exercise below.

A closed pelvis.  Many people have a closed pelvis.  That is, the two sides of the pelvis are somewhat folded up in front, like a clam shell that is partially closed. 

One way to tell is that if the pelvis is somewhat folded in front, the buttocks look flat sort of flat in back.

Opening the pelvis.  This will take some years on the program, as it is usually quite adhered or stuck.  Don’t worry about it.  Breathing into your pelvis and some other exercises will help it slowly correct.    

            Mistakes: Tilting the pelvis to one side, or tilting it backward or forward out of habit.  Another mistake is holding tension in the pelvis.

Legs and feet.  Relaxed, with knees slightly bent.  Aim the feet slightly inwards. 

Tongue.  It should lightly touch the top of your mouth.

Breathe quietly at first and do not focus on breathing, at first.  It is just too much and not needed.

HOW TO WALK

Walk on the 3 nails: ball of the foot, middle outside of foot and heel.

Allow your arches to fall with each step  like a cat’s paw or as if you have a suction cup on the bottom of each foot that you sink into the pavement with each step.

Walk very slowly.  This is needed in order to do the pushing down exercise as you walk.  Walking fast defeats this completely.

When you walk, let your arms go limp and they will swing to the rhythm of the walk.

The pushing down exercise.  This article is about the use of walking to do much more than this.  It is about using walking as a method of helping you to do the Pushing Down Exercise in a way that is fun, enjoyable, and often more powerful than sitting or even lying down.

The pushing down exercise will do more than anything else to promote healing and development.

BROADCASTING AND DEVELOPMENT

The techniques and visualizations in this article are excellent to enhance development.  This is a very special process described in a number of article on this website, such as Introduction To Development.

Movement. Another way to say this is that walking is an excellent way to promote movement of a special kind.  For more on this, please read Movement on this site.

Taking advantage of the earth’s etheric flow.  This is a standing meditation that uses the natural etheric flow from the sky to the earth as part of your meditation. 

What it is not.  This is not an article about exercise, although you will get enough exercise.  It is also not about getting your heart rate up to 120, or seeing how long you can go before becoming exhausted.  Never go anywhere near exhaustion, please!  It is not needed, and it just damages the glands.

It is also not about walking fast - so-called power walking, sprinting, lunge-walking, or anything like that.  Those tend to tense up the body and move energy upward, the opposite of what we seek.

Famous walkers.  Among the most famous groups on earth that have walking as a central part of their culture are the Bushmen of the Kalahari, the Australian Aborigines, some Tibetan masters in the Orient, The Hebrews who walked with Moses, and the Hunza tribe in Asia.

All of them understood the principles in this article, and use or used walking as a method of healing and development.

Footwear. If possible, walk with bare feet or wearing thin slippers or sandals such as Birkenstocks.  If you need socks, wear thin ones and/or electrically conductive socks.  Thick socks and running shoes are not ideal, although you can use them if that is all you feel comfortable with.

WHERE TO WALK.

Safety.  This must always be primary in order to relax.  Young women and girls should never walk alone on the street, even in a familiar neighborhood. 

If possible, walk with a friend, and preferably a man.  Husbands are good for this, but must be willing to walk very slowly.  Also, tell whomever you walk with that you are not going to hold a conversation, at all, and you are not going to hold hands, for example.  These tend to be distractions when the goal is to do the pushing down exercise and the 20+ exercises in this article.

Treadmills.  These are a little boring, but they can work well.  Do not use one at a health club.  They tend to be filthy, even if they look clean.  Also, those places are never safe for women, especially.  Predators love to come there to “check out the merchandise”. 

Buy an older, gentle dog.  You could bring a well-behaved and fairly large dog to protect you, instead of a human friend.  Dogs are nice if they are well-behaved because they will protect you, and they get you out of the house every day to take their walk.

Some people like to bring a whistle in case of trouble, or a weapon such as pepper spray or even a concealed pistol or revolver.

Always stay alert.  The idea is not to space out too much, and this should not occur with the down meditation exercise if you do it properly.  You will be focused inside the body, which may cause you to space out a little.  Be mindful of auto and bicycle traffic if you are on a roadway, stray animals, uneven sidewalks or uneven pavement, and any other hazards that may exist.

Clothing. Women and girls, but also men, need to be covered up, even if it is warm outside.  Otherwise, you may attract distractions and danger.  Clothing should be loose-fitting so you can stretch and move easily.  Wear a hat if the sun is hot, and wear gloves, scarves and warm clothes if it is cold outside.

 

THE WARMUP

A good way to begin your walk each day is to take some deep breaths, and perhaps do a few stretches.  Then look around, focusing the eyes far away.  This is especially helpful if you work all day at a computer, or do writing, or something else where you must focus your eyes continually at close range.  You could do a few eye exercises, if you wish, to relax the eyes.  This way to start will be found very relaxing and uplifting.

THE MAIN EXERCISE - AT ALL TIMES

Energy must move inward and downward at all times. With each step, continuously move energy downward from the top of the head all the way to the feet, and below the feet, at least 10 feet into the ground.

Say “down” or sigh with each step.  An excellent idea is to say the word “down” with each step.  Another excellent idea is to sigh and relax your entire body with each step.

Bring a notebook.  Often, you will remember things you need to do or say to others during your walk.  If this occurs, preferably write them down in a small note book or piece of paper so you do not need to think about them and recall them later.  It will help you relax.  I call this the “review”.  It usually occurs in the first 15 minutes of the walk.

Walk for one hour.  After walking for at least an hour or maybe up to two hours, the mind will calm down, bringing contentment and peace.  This is an interesting phenomenon that we will learn more about.

OTHER WALKING EXERCISES

1. The post or the vertical tube. Move as if you have a single vertical post or tube extending from the top middle of your head (not the crown) straight down through the base of your first energy center or chakra.  This is found between the vagina and the anus on women, and between the scrotum and the anus on men.  The post or tube then continues downward into the earth.

Walk around as if you have this rigid tube or post keeping you upright and aligned, and guiding your motions.  This is actually an excellent exercise.  Also imagine the downward flowing energy flowing down the tube, lighting it up with energy.

2. The drain.  Pretend you have opened up large holes in the bottoms of your feet, palms of the hands and in the perineum – between the penis or vagina and the rectum.  Feel energy or even water draining out of you, emptying you so you can be filled with the Spirit.

3. Giving everything away.  Gladly give all your anxieties, fears, desires, hopes, and all else to mother earth through your feet.

4. Identifying as the energy.  This is actually quite important.  It is not enough to just move the energy downward.  Eventually, try to identify yourself with the energy itself, no longer as a body in space and time, but this massive flow of etheric energy moving down through the bodies of the earth people.  If there are others nearby, you can imagine yourself as the energy moving through that person, also.

            This will cause a type of emotional and mental detachment that may feel strange and unusual, at first.  With practice, however, it becomes a more familiar feeling, and it will move you forward faster.

5. The backward circle underground. As you step down, feel energy moving down the front leg and foot into the ground.  It goes in a circular motion underneath the ground and comes up your other foot and leg as you step forward.  In other words, it is a backward-moving circular energy flow.

6. The magnet. Pretend there is a magnet under the earth that is pulling you along from your lower dantien, and pulling you downward.

7. Heavy feet.  Pretend your feet weigh 1000 pounds each.  When you take a step, each foot sinks deep into the ground, at least 100 feet into the earth.

8. Suction cups.  Pretend you have large suction cups on the bottom of each foot.  With each step, you press down and compress the suction cup on that foot.  You feel like you collapse the arches of the foot.

9. The beach ball.  Move as if sitting on a beach ball.

10.  In water.  Move as if you are in water up to your chest or even up to your neck.

11. Tai chi stepping.  This means move by first shifting all your weight to one leg.  Crouch down a little.   Then step forward with the other leg (or step to the side or backwards).  Then shift the weight to the other leg completely.  Then and only then you can take another small step with the leg that has no weight on it.  Move energy downward with each step.  Keep your head level and don’t bob it up with each step.  Always move from your lower dantien first and the rest of the body follows.

12. Momentate.  Momentate the arms and legs.  This means to move the arms and, if possible, the legs, as though they are pendulums that can move and flow freely like a pendulum on a grandfather clock that moves gently back and forth.

13. Carrying water.  Pretend you are full of water up to your waist, and walk so you don’t spill any water.

16. Pulled forward at the navel.  Pretend there is a string coming out of the belly button that is pulling you forward.  The rest of the body follows.

17. Loose shorts.  Pretend you are wearing a very loose pair of shorts and your hips just dangle loosely as you walk.

18. Arm swing.  Gently and slowly swing your arms in rhythm and opposite direction with your leg movements.  Do not swing them wildly or fast.  Just in rhythm with your leg movements.  Some people will have difficulty doing this at first.  When you achieve it, however, it feels very good and coordinates your left and right brains.  If walk with another, do not hold hands or move arms together.

19. The waterfall.  Pretend you are walking under a waterfall and feel the water move through the body from head to feet.

20. Hot mud.  Visualize hot mud coming down from above and drenching you, from head to toe, oozing through every pore and saturating every organ and bone and crevice of the body.  For some reason, some people love this feeling.  The mud moves downward faster and faster, burning the tissues as it passes by and scrapes the tissues, but it feels good.

DONUT, DANTIEN BALL

21. The vacuum cleaner or wind tunnel.  Pretend there is a powerful vacuum cleaner or 500 mile-per-hour wind tunnel under your feet.  It is pulling you downward and emptying everything out of your body.  This one is very intense. 

Feel your nose and your ears being pulled off.  Feel your eyes being pulled downward out of their sockets.  Feel your hair being pulled out, downward.  Feel your arms and legs being pulled out of their sockets.  Feel the fingers and toes severing from the body.  Men, feel the penis and testis being pulled off.  Ladies, feel the sucking energy out the vagina and anal region.

Feel your skin being sucked off downward.  Even feel your organs and your blood vessels being sucked out through your feet, and your bones sucked out, too.  Very intense and most helpful to learn power.  

22. Head exercise.  Whenever you walk, keep your head at the same level.  Do not bob or move the head up and down like a chicken.

24. The relaxation.  When walking, become aware of your shoulders and relax them.  Then become aware of your elbows and relax them.  Become aware of your wrists and relax them.  Become aware of your waist and relax it.  Become aware of the hips and relax them.  Become aware of the knees and then the ankles and relax them.

25. Pushing down.  Just do the pushing down exercise, becoming aware of the right hand and moving the tingling sensation from one finger to the next, to the next, etc.  Then move the energy to the other hand.  Then move it to the right foot, and then to the left foot, and then to all at the same time.

26. Chiropractic/yoga.  Do some chiropractic twists while walking.  You can twist the neck forward, back, right and left.  You can bend to each side and forward from the waist, and you can adjust the knees and elbows and wrists by shaking them out, as though you want to shake them off the body.

27. Mom and dad.  Let go of mom through your feet and bring in Dad through the top of your head.  This is more important than you may think, and has to do with maturing.

28. Scattered and shattered.  Many people will become aware that the physical body is somewhat scattered and shattered, like a piece of broken glass.  The walking and moving energy downward will slowly reform and fix the shattered feeling.

29. Rocking.  Feel the spine and the whole body gently rock left/right and back/forth as you walk.  This is very real and very helpful for healing.

30. The sculptor.  As you walk, pretend that you are a beautiful, but somewhat rough block of marble.  Feel the truth that God, or Jesus, or the High Self is a sculptor who is chipping away at you.  It happens from above as the energy moves downward, removing all that is not beautiful, true, and of God.

At times, the blows will hurt.  Maybe memories will come up, emotions will surface, fears will rise up within, and more.  However, you understand well that they are necessary, like exposing a part of the marble that needs to be removed so you can shine in your full magnificence.

31. The cookie cutter.  Pretend you are a little mushy, like cookie dough.  As you walk and move energy downward, God, or Jesus, or the High Self forces himself over you like a cookie mold or cookie cutter descends over the dough – molding you into a beautiful new shape and form.

32.  The golden light.  As you walk and move energy downward, feel a lovely, warm, golden light enter your body from the top of the head.  Soon it makes your entire body light up from the inside.  Pull it down harder and harder to shine more light into you, so you can, in turn, shine it out to the world.  This is exactly what is happening, at one level.

It is important not to move the golden light around the body.  Just move it straight downward, please.  It will fill all of you and down beyond the feet, as well.

33. Radiating light bulb.  In this exercise, you imagine a light bulb in the middle of your chest, and it radiates light into the world in front of you, in back of you, and on the sides of you – in every direction.  You make it radiate stronger and stronger each time you take a walk.

34. The quick sand.  You are sinking into the quick sand as you walk, and with every step you go down, down, and down some more in an ever-accelerating downward motion.  Somehow, you stay level, but the feeling is one of going downward and downward.

35. The big sucking mouth.  Some people enjoy this visualization.  Imagine a large creature that is under the earth with its mouth facing upward.  It starts sucking you into its mouth.  Harder and harder it pulls.  It takes all your strength to keep from sinking into it.  This exercise can be rather sensual, but that is okay if it helps you move energy downward more forcefully.

36. The thumbs.  Simply visualize moving energy from your head into your thumbs, as you walk forward.  This will help keep your hands, elbows, shoulders and the entire body focused downward.

OTHER EXERCISES

1. Grow the body.  In your mind, as you walk, grow your body until it is huge – up to 1000 feet tall, like a 100 story building.  This will take some time and practice, but it grows your etheric body.  This body looks somewhat squat.  The arms and legs are short, relative to the size of the trunk.  Also, there are no sexual organs and no breasts on the etheric body.

2. The dantiens.  Put your mind on your 3 dantiens.  These are balls of energy about the size of a grapefruit.  One is in the head, one in the chest and one slightly below the level of the belly button.  Spin them forward, evenly, and as fast as you can.  You can read about this in the article entitled The Dantiens.

3. The energy centers.  Put your mind on one or more of your seven energy centers.  Help it spin more evenly, faster, and in the right direction, and properly inward or outward.  Also, correct its color. 

If you are not sure how each center is supposed to spin and look, please read the article entitled The Energy Centers on this website.

4. The merkabah.  This is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.  As you walk and move the energy downwards, visualize the growth of your merkabah, a Hebrew word that means the vehicle of light.  It develops in the middle of the chest.  It looks like two tetrahedrons, one right side up and one upside down.  They spin in opposite directions - left to right and right to left.  It will grow to be 6 feet in diameter and even larger.  To read about this, read The Merkabah on this website.

5. Toning.  This is the use of sounds that stimulate the development of the subtle energy centers of the body.  It is an advanced topic, but one that can be done easily while walking slowly.  You simply pronounce a sound while visualizing the spinning of the corresponding energy center.  It is like chanting or praying, but is actually simpler.  Here are the basic sounds:

First center (between the legs): the sound is AH (as in Torah).

Second center (just below the navel): EE (as in eel).

Third center (at the solar plexus): OH  (as in alone).

Fourth center (the heart center, middle of the chest): OM (as in home).

Fifth center (near the thyroid gland in the throat): OO (as in loose).

Sixth center (between the eyebrows):  I (as in eye).

Seventh center (comes out of the crown of the head): A (as in hay).

BREATHING EXERCISES

1. Toe breathing. This is the main breathing exercise.  Eventually, do it all the time, while walking and while doing everything else.  It will speed your progress a lot.

Simply breathe in and breathe out through your toes only.  Feel the breathe come up from your toes as you inhale.  Feel the breathe leave the body downward through the toes as you exhale.  Do not add anything else to this exercise.

2. Counting your breath.  Breath in from your toes to the count of 3 or 4 steps.  Then hold for a count or two.  Then breath out down to your toes to the count of 3 or 4 steps.

If you do this for a few minutes, you will soon be able to increase the number of counts for the inbreath and the outbreath.  Often you can increase to 10 steps or counts.  This will help you relax and increase lung capacity easily.

3. Bone breathing.  This is a powerful exercise, and more advanced.  It is the most yang breathing exercise.  It must be done carefully so you are still moving the energy downward.  As you breathe in from your toes, feel the bones expand a little.  As you breathe out down to your feet, feel the bones contract a little.  That is all there is to it.  This develops people faster, for some reason.

RELIGIOUS THEMES

1. Born again.  Imagine that the Real You is not the person walking around the track or walkway.  That is the physical you with its flaws and sins.  As you move the energy down more and more forcefully, the Real You begins to descend from the heavens and slowly fills your body as you empty the False You out your feet.

2. The bride of Christ.  As you walk slowly, breathe gently, and move energy downward, feel that you are actually being joined with Jesus or God, who comes into you from above.  This can be seen as a marriage ceremony, which it is.

It could also be felt as a sexy encounter, if you prefer.  Men can do it too, just imagining yourself as “feminine to God”. 

This could even be a more violent “anti-rape” if you like.  It is a complete reversal of the rape experience. 

The “anti-rape”:

- penetrates you from above

- does not overwhelm you

- does not bring disease

- does not cause a physical pregnancy

- leaves no wounds or traumas

- heals everything in your life and your body

- can safely go on for a long time

- you can have it anytime and anywhere you wish.

- you become “pregnant” with God’s love

- you will have God’s ideas imprinted into you, which are the best of all worlds.

- His golden fluid fills you and heals you

3. Bringing heaven to earth.  This is what human beings do, in part.  The body is the temple of the living God, and we bring God’s will down to earth.  You can imagine this as you move the energy downward from the head to the feet.

To understand why I suggest the pushing down exercise, and not 

YOGA AND ITS DANGERS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© January 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

SUMMARY

Yoga, which means union, is a traditional Oriental system of development.  It began thousands of years ago as a way to achieve superior health and mental development.  However, modern-day yoga is hurting people more than it is helping them.

As a result, I cannot recommend yoga at all for those seeking to develop themselves, except perhaps the most gentle restorative exercises or postures.

Many people ask why I would make such a harsh and blanket statement.  The answer is that yoga causes subtle changes in the body that stop development.  They are:

1. Hatha yoga moves subtle energy or etheric energy upwards and to the sides.  This always interferes with development, in particular, but also with one’s health.

2. Yoga reverses the direction of spin of the third energy center. This tends to make a person more rigid and more stubborn.  These qualities are not desirable, especially for development.

3. Yoga with inversion of the body can damage the neck.  This occurs more often than one might imagine.  Please, if you must do yoga, do not do any inverted posture, including the shoulder stand.

4. Yoga can cause soft tissue damage.  If one stretches too much or bounces during yoga, there is often some soft tissue injury.  This occurs, in part, because few Western bodies are strong enough to handle the stress that yoga can put on the ligaments, tendons and joints.  Please be extra careful with this if you must do a little yoga.

5. Yoga philosophy, often taught along with the postures, can emphasize vegetarian diets and the wrong meditation.  Other aspects of yoga philosophy that were formerly good, but are not today, include recommending the use of a lot of herbs, essential oils, homeopathy and some other natural products.

The meditation problem is serious because we find that only the pushing down exercise causes development.  All other meditative exercises may be relaxing, or may develop other aspects of the body, but they do not cause development.

The result is that those who do yoga are hardened by it and weakened by it, even though one may feel a lot better.  One also becomes a little more angry and rigid in a way that harms later spiritual development.

You may not notice these problems, but they occur in all cases of people who do yoga on a regular basis, even just once a week.  This is why I discourage yoga in all cases, along with most pilates and other yoga spin-offs.  The spinoffs are less harmful, however, especially if they do not resemble yoga very much.

The only yoga I can recommend is extremely gentle restorative yoga, as this does not seem to cause damage.

*******************

I enjoy yoga, so this article is difficult to write.  However, it is necessary because man of our clients like yoga, yet it gets in their way.  Here are the problems with it.

PROBLEMS WITH MOST PRESENT-DAY YOGA INSTRUCTION AND CLASSES

1. Upward-moving energy.  Yoga postures and instruction often includes moving energy and breathing in an upward or sideways direction, instead of only downward.  This will stop development and interfere with one’s health, as well.

For example, breathing upwards from the earth into the head is absolutely harmful.  Likewise, moving energy from your center out your arm or even to an outstretched leg is harmful.

 To read more about the movement of subtle energy, please read Downward Moving Energy And Healing on this site.

One reason for this problem today is an unusual one: the intensity of the earth’s magnetic field has diminished over the past 1000 years.  Formerly, natural earth forces moved the energy downward.  Today, however, these forces are weak, so one must be more careful to send energy downward at all times.  

2. Damage to the third physical energy center of the body.  Yoga spins this center faster, but in an incorrect way.  This causes a person to become more stubborn, more judgmental and often angrier.

It reduces one’s health, even though one may appear to feel better and stronger.  It is an ego strength, not a true strength.  It may be called a toxic yang condition.  It affects women more than men, perhaps because women generally have a weaker third center than men.

3. Neck injury from inverted postures.  Please, if you must do some yoga, do not invert.  This means do not do head stands, hand stands, or shoulder stands at all.  You can cause serious damage to the neck with these postures.

4. Soft tissue injuries.  Most people, both students and yoga teachers, suffer soft tissue injuries during yoga classes due to the tightness of their tendons, ligaments, joints and other body structures.  Most of the time, this damage goes unnoticed until later in life when it may be difficult to reverse.

5. Yoga philosophy.  This is often mixed in with hatha yoga classes.  It often advocates a vegetarian diet, Eastern religions, and wide use of herbs, essential oils and other healing methods that we find less successful and less healthful today.

These are the main problems with yoga today.

OTHER CAUTIONS WITH YOGA

  These are less important, but important to know about.

1. Not enough focus on rest and relaxation. Too many classes stress how many poses one can do in an hour, and how many classes a week one can take.  The worst is “power yoga”, and some pilates classes that are even more vigorous.

“Hot yoga” is also popular, and often a cause of injuries because people believe they are relaxed, so they go faster and bounce more deeply in the poses, which is not good.

The best yoga classes focus on relaxation and ease.  This is what people need the most, and it is the safest.  Only the very relaxing yoga class is safe at all.

2. Poor teacher training.  A lot of yoga teachers are not that well-trained.  It does not matter if they were trained in America, Europe or India.  It takes years of practice and training to be a good teacher, and few are willing to do this.  A few of the worst teacher-related problems are:

A. Not learning the poses correctly.  It takes years of working on one pose to really do some of them right.  This means that the students do not even have a chance of doing the poses correctly.

B. Not walking around and looking around during the entire class, checking to see if the students are doing the poses correctly.  This is critical because not doing poses correctly can cause the most tissue damage.  Really watching all the students is difficult, if not impossible, if the class is larger than about 10 students, as are many yoga classes.

C. Not asking enough questions of every student about their health, bone strength, back problems, medications, diet, supplements and more.

This is important because some students should be restricted in what they do so as not to stress their bodies.  This applies to anyone over the age of about 50, but also to younger students who have health problems.

3. Social, sexual and other distractions in yoga classes. There can be peer pressure to do more poses, and to do them deeper than one can comfortably tolerate.  Other distractions that endanger students include trying to impress a sexy teacher or other students, “bouncing” in poses, showing off, and feeling guilty for stopping when you feel pain.

These may seem like minor problems, but they are distractions that can lead to injuries.

4. The yoga ‘identity’.  Another common problem is a tendency to view doing yoga as a “new identity”.  This idea is heavily promoted, as though you are a better person because you do or know yoga.  This is nothing less than a type of cult.  A cult occurs when one loses individual reasoning and judgment, in favor of a new group identity.

Part of this cult-like quality seen in some yoga participants is to think of hatha yoga as a “spiritual path”.  This is not the truth, no matter what anyone says.  It is a set of exercises designed to change or alter the body in certain ways.  Efforts to make more of yoga than it is lead to overdoing, wrong intent, and other problems.

Certain personality types are more prone to these problems.  They include anyone who is a hard driving, focused and/or a competitive achiever.  Yoga classes are full of these people, as they come to relax.  However, they compete in this with their friends and others, and it tends to defeat the whole idea of relaxing and gently moving the body in new ways.

5. Yoga addiction.  This may sound odd, but I have encountered it on a number of occasions.  Just as exercise can be addictive, yoga can be, as well, for certain personality types.

The nature of the addiction is similar to exercise addiction.  That is, a person finds that he or she must continue to do a lot of yoga, or vigorous yoga every day or two, or he or she begins to feel depressed, exhausted, or develops other symptoms such as weight gain or aches and pains. 

Because yoga is thought to be so beneficial, the person does not realize that it has become an addiction.  In fact, the person needs energy and yoga “revs them up” and gives a certain energy, and relieves unpleasant symptoms, as well, such as aches and pains, or depression feelings.  Soon the person is lying to themselves and others that yoga is wonderful, when in fact it has just become a way to avoid depression, fatigue or other symptoms.

SPECIAL PROBLEMS OF CERTAIN KINDS OF YOGA PRACTICES

Bikkrum yoga causes more injuries than most others.  The reasons for this are not always clear, but may include:

·           The hot room stimulates the body in some ways, even though it relaxes it in other ways.

·           One thinks one is more flexible and relaxed due to the warmth, when it is not the case in many instances. 

·           The yoga routine is often fast and vigorous to encourage sweating.  This is the most dangerous kind of yoga class.

            Only if one is very careful with bikkrum yoga, can it be a more healthful type of yoga.  All the rules above must be strictly observed, especially relaxing during class all the time, and stopping if one feels any pain or discomfort.

              Other types of yoga that cause more injuries are any that move fast, try to fit in a lot of poses, or do not rest a lot between poses. 

              The only type of yoga classes I would recommend are those called restorative yoga.  Even in these classes, one must be careful and one must work with an older, experienced teacher, if possible, who walks around the room often checking everyone, and who is not caught up with doing the class himself or herself.

IS YOGA NEEDED AND HELPFUL TODAY?

The simple answer is no.  It is not helpful at all for the type of mental and spiritual development discussed on this website.  If it were needed, we would incorporate it.  In fact, it gets in the way in all cases. 

For exercise, take walks or hikes, bicycle on safe streets away from traffic and pedestrians, or swim gently now and then in a clean lake, ocean, river or hot spring, but not a pool full of chlorine and other chemicals.  Treadmills, gentle weights and other spa equipment is okay, as is playing tennis or other sports, provided you rest often and do not become exhausted or injured.

If you love going to exercise classes, find a very gentle restorative yoga class or simply an exercise class, perhaps designed for seniors so it is extra gentle.  That is all that is needed.

Also, as one feels better due to a nutritional balancing program, be especially careful of the great temptation to return to doing yoga the old way.

EGGS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© February 2016, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

SUMMARY

            Eggs are a good food when eaten in moderation and cooked soft.  Men can eat up to 8 eggs weekly, while women may have up to 6 eggs per week.       

***************

INTRODUCTION

On a nutritional balancing program, high quality eggs, preferably from free-ranging chickens, are a very good food item.  They are inexpensive, nutritious, and generally safe to eat in restaurants or other places where one is not sure of the safety of the food.

PREPARATION OF EGGS

              Do not eat eggs raw, but do not overcook them. 

Why avoid raw eggs.  The reasons are:

a) One does not know if the egg contains some bacteria that is destroyed by light cooking. 

b) Light cooking makes the egg more yang, which is generally better.

c) Light cooking does not damage the yolk, which is important, and does not do much damage to the egg white.

            On the other hand, cooking them more than about 3 minutes causes the yolk to harden, and this damages the fat in the egg and makes them much harder to digest, as well.

Cook eggs for 3 minutes – either soft boiled or poached.  This kills most bacteria, yet the yolk will be runny.  This is the best way to eat eggs.

You can fry an egg, but the yolk should be runny.  I do not recommend omelettes, quiche or other use of eggs because the eggs tend to be too hard.  Even scrambled eggs usually get too hard.  Only eat eggs scrambled or in an omelette if the eggs are mushy.

EATING EGG YOLKS

Do not just eat egg whites.  The fat in the egg is of excellent quality, and needed by most people.  On a nutritional balancing program, weight loss is easy, so avoiding egg yolks to reduce calories is silly and harmful.  Cholesterol also decreases naturally on a nutritional balancing program, so there is no need to avoid egg yolks to reduce cholesterol.

HOW MANY?

            Men may eat up to 8 eggs weekly, while women may have up to 6 eggs per week.  Eating more than this causes the buildup of a toxin in the liver.

This may be due to difficulty digesting the protein in the egg.  If you limit the number of eggs, the problem does not seem to occur.

FRESH, CAGE-FREE, FREE-RANGE OR NATURAL?

              In general, the fresher the eggs, the better.  At times, one can buy local eggs that were laid the day before.  This is usually the best eggs to eat.

            In general, cage-free   or free-range eggs are also the best.  The chickens are permitted to spend some time outside, eating bugs and other things they wish to eat to balance their diet.

NUTRITION OF EGGS

Eggs are a wonderful source of vitamin A, and free range eggs contain some vitamin C, vitamin D, B-complex, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids (but not enough), and much more.

            The egg yolk contains a high-quality fat, and many other vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other nutrients that are essential for our health and well-being.

Egg white contains an excellent protein (egg albumin), and also many other nutrients as well. 

THE SAFETY OF EGGS

Eggs are naturally sealed against bacterial and viral invasion.  This is a major advantage of eggs.  It is still wise to cook them, but they are a lot safer than many foods.

They will also last for at least a week without refrigeration, which is another advantage.  Therefore, providing one’s eggs are fresh enough, they are usually safe to eat.

EATING EGGS IN RESTAURANTS

At a restaurant, always order soft-boiled, poached or lightly fried eggs only.  Do not order omelets, quiche or scrambled eggs.  The reason is that the latter can be made with processed egg products such as Egg Beaters and others.  These are not nearly as good or as safe as real eggs.  Hard-boiled eggs are very difficult to digest and should be avoided. 
THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FLESH FOODS

            Meats are an excellent source of many nutrients.  Claims that meats are not quality foods, or that they are not nutrient-dense foods are ridiculous.  In fact, I explain to our die-hard vegetarian clients that they may wish to regard a little meat as a 'food supplement'.  Here are just a few examples of these nutrients not found elsewhere besides meats.

            Iron. The iron in meat products is better absorbed than vegetarian sources of iron.  The type of iron in meats is called heme iron, and it is by far the best absorbed iron.

Niacin and other B-complex vitamins.  All meats, along with eggs, is high in niacin, as well as many other B-complex vitamins.  While there are some vegetarian sources such as beans and yeast, they are not necessarily as good.  Over 100 years ago, researchers found that some meat and eggs were needed to overcome pellagra and other B-vitamin deficiency diseases.

Fat.  Dr. Bernard Jensen, a well-known natural health authority, referred to the fats found in meats as the 'brain fats'.  Our nervous system is highly dependent upon certain fatty substances for its proper functioning.  Dr. Jensen's statement regarding meat-eating is, "It is hard to drive the Los Angeles freeways and be a vegetarian".  By this he meant that the nutrients that are depleted living in an urban environment are hard to replace adequately without eating at least some chicken and fish.  He recommends flesh foods at least several times per week for everyone people.

            It is true that today animals are fed on grains.  Thus their meat contains less of the essential omega-3 oils.  However, it is possible to buy grass-fed beef - over the internet if nowhere else - that is a rich source of omega-3 fats.  Below is a longer discussion on the type of meats to buy.

            Zinc.  Zinc is a another critical nutrient that is low in many, if not all vegetarian diets.  Vegetarian foods are almost all very low in zinc, and when zinc is present, most vegetarian foods are high in copper, which competes with zinc for absorption.  Grains and soy also contain phytates that bind with zinc and prevent its absorption. 

Zinc is a critical and essential nutrient for everyone today, as it is needed for hundreds if not thousands of enzymes in the human body.  All of our food is lower in zinc today due to agricultural methods, hybrid crops, zinc-deficient soils, stress and for other reasons.  For this reason, a zinc supplement is given as part of all nutritional balancing programs – in addition to recommending that everyone eat some red meat, the best source of zinc.

Zinc is needed for the nervous system, acid-base balance, wound healing, vision, the prostate gland, male and female fertility, hair, skin and nails, growth and development in children, emotional stability, higher intelligence, mental development in adults, and to prevent birth defects and many other body functions. 

Zinc is lost whenever we come under stress as part of the fight-or-flight response.  There is plenty of stress today, and this is another reason this nutrient is one of the most important reasons for eating meats.  The zinc found in pumpkin seeds and other seeds and grains is not nearly as well utilized, in my experience.

Carnitine.  This is an essential nutrient found in greatest abundance in meats, especially in lamb.  Vegetarians do not get enough of it, and it affects their health profoundly.

            Taurine.  This is another essential nutrient for the brain, nervous system, the heart and other organs.  It, too, is mainly found in red meat.

Pre-formed vitamin A.  Meat contains some vitamin A, as well.  Those with low thyroid activity have difficulty converting B-carotene to vitamin A.  They need the pre-formed vitamin A found in animal products. 

Alpha-lipoic acid, a powerful anti-oxidant nutrient, is another nutrient found mainly in animal flesh foods. 

              Fiber.  Meat is low in fiber.  This is important, as one must eat plenty of cooked vegetables to obtain one’s fiber.  Too much meat can be constipating and can cause the buildup of toxins in the intestines.  This will not happen if it is digested properly, however. 

COOKED VERSUS RAW MEAT            

            A few health authorities recommend eating raw meat.  I do not agree with this.  Cooking destroys harmful bacteria, parasites and other things in meats. 

However, do not overcook meats.  In general, the meat must be cooked thoroughly on the outside.  Inside, if fresh, it can be red or bloody.  Cooking meats for hours in a crock pot or in the oven is not as good, as it becomes harder to digest in most cases.

I think it is best to cook all food, including meats, at low temperature, if possible, and do not overcook any meats.  Barbequing once in a while is fine, but if you do this all the time, the high temperature and other chemicals that form due to this high-temperature cooking method are slightly toxic.  Much better are steaming, stir-frying, or baking meats, but do not overcook them.

Meat can also be marinated and tenderized mechanically.  These methods of preparation appear to be okay, as far as I know.

ALWAYS TAKE A DIGESTIVE ENZYME WHEN YOU EAT MEAT, CHEW THOROUGHLY AND EAT IT IN SIMPLE FOOD COMBINATIONS

            Many people have an easier time digesting meat than they do digesting nuts, seeds, beans, cheese and other proteins.  If you have trouble digesting meat, do not give up on it.  Instead, do the following:

1. Always take a digestive aid when you eat it, even if you are in good health.  The best digestive aid in my view is pancreatin and ox bile.  I recommend a product called GB-3, for example.  Another product is called Bilex, and there may be others.

2. Always chew meat thoroughly.

3. Always eat it in simple food combinations.  The best is to eat it alone.  This is called a mono meal.  If this is too difficult, then add some cooked vegetables with it, but nothing else.  Do not eat it with grains, for example. 

Also, mixing meat with other proteins, cheese, milk or fruit are not good food combinations and will often cause gas, bloating and stomach discomfort.

4. Do not drink much liquid with meals.  Drink just enough to take your nutritional supplements and keep your mouth wet, if needed.  The less, the better.

5. Begin with just a small amount of meat – maybe just a few bites.  Work up slowly as you are able to do so.

6. Ideally, rest for 10 minutes or more after eating meat.  This promotes much better digestion.

LAMB, A VERY SPECIAL MEAT

            Lamb is not eaten too much because of its taste, and its higher cost.  However, it is a wonderful type of meat.  Any lamb is good.  Buying it at the supermarket or Costco is fine, and it need not be organic.  Most of it is grass-fed, as lambs require some pasturing in all cases.

            Lamb is mentioned a lot in the Bible, and Jesus was called “the lamb of God”.  Jewish people celebrate Passover with the “pascal lamb”, and so on.  There is a reason for this emphasis on lamb.  I suggest that everyone eat lamb at least once a week.  If you do not like its taste, then spice it with curry, for example, garlic, onions and other healthful spices.  I do not recommend mint sauce that many people put on lamb, as it is too high in sugar.

            Lamb may contain forms of selenium and other minerals that seem to promote health, longevity and spiritual and mental development.  This may be why it is mentioned often in the Bible.  Lamb is also the best source of carnitine.

ARE CHICKEN AND TURKEY GOOD FOODS TODAY?

            The answer is a definite yes, especially fresh chicken and turkey.  You may have to try several brands of chicken, as some are not as healthful as others.  I found I did not feel good on one brand of organic, free-range fed chicken at the health food store.  So beware of this fact.

I would avoid “glued chicken”, chicken nuggets, which are similar, and things like “turkey roll”.  This is the usual turkey sold in restaurants.  Be sure you are getting real chicken or turkey meat, for example, not the glued together rolled up variety that may contain many chemicals.

IS THE TYPE OR QUALITY OF MEAT IMPORTANT?

            Yes, it is important, although not critical if all you can afford is the commercial quality meats.  Ideally, fresh, free-range (where the animals are free to roam around and eat what they like), and pasture-fed meats are best. 

I suggest avoiding processed meats such as bologna and salami because most contains a lot of nitrites and other toxic chemicals.  Most hot dogs also contain many preservatives.  They are okay once in a while, but not more often.

            Also, I would avoid hamburgers and other meats at the fast food restaurants.  They are often of inferior quality.  Meats at good restaurants, in contrast, are often very fresh and of good quality.

            Fortunately, in America one can buy fairly good meat at the supermarket that is fresh.  It is not as good as grass-fed meats (see below) but I think fresh meats at the supermarket are still very edible, especially lamb and chicken.

IS BEEF A GOOD FOOD?

            Beef cattle are very hybridized today, so I do not recommend beef as much as I recommend lamb, chicken and turkey.  Some beef is okay, however, especially if grass-fed and hormone-free.  Even this beef, however, is not to be eaten too often, as it is still usually hybridized and somewhat irritating.

WILD GAME

            Meats such as elk, antelope, deer, and perhaps others are also fine to eat, especially if fresh. They are often healthful and contain much more omega-3 fatty acids, for example, than grain-fed chicken or beef.

            I do not recommend bison.  It just does not seem to be as digestible as some of the other meats.

            I have read that some wild game can harbor trichina cysts, such as walrus.  Since this is not a commonly-eaten food, it is probably not a problem.

WHAT ABOUT BEEF JERKY AND OTHER MEAT JERKY?

Beef and other types of meat jerky are excellent snack foods, provided they are not loaded up with sugar and many preservatives.  Even if they have a few preservatives, they are still quite good snacks – much better than nuts, seeds, fruit, dried fruit, granola, trail mix or other raw grains, for example.

WHAT ABOUT PORK, HAM AND BACON?

            Pig products are often infected with trichina or other parasite ova or cysts, even if well-cooked, in my experience.  It is hard to eliminate all the cysts.  For this reason alone, I would avoid ALL pig products, including ham, bacon, pork, pigs feet, lard, pork rinds, and all sausage made with pig intestines.

            Pig products also seem to have detrimental effects upon human anatomy and physiology.  The Biblical and Islamic prohibition against pig products therefore appears to be a very good idea.

DIABETES AND THE PALEOLITHIC DIET

Recent reports indicate that diabetics respond better to the "cave-man diet”, now sometimes called the paleo or Paleolithic diet than to the high-carbohydrate diets often recommended for diabetics.  The paleo diet consists of cooked meats, poultry, fish, eggs, raw and cooked vegetables, fruit, seeds and nuts.

I do not recommend the paleo diet.  The fruit and raw food are too yin, and the nuts and seeds are difficult to digest and slightly toxic.  For more on this topic, please read The Paleo Diet on this website.

 Also, I find that most people need some cooked whole grains, unless one cannot tolerate them for the time being.  On a nutritional balancing program, the intestines will heal to the point that everyone can tolerate some whole grain rice and blue corn, for example.  These are actually excellent, more modern foods needed today for everyone.

MEAT-EATING HELPFUL FOR THOSE WITH CHRONIC CANDIDA ALBICANS INFECTION AND OTHER FUNGUS AND YEAST PROBLEMS

The cave-man diet also happens to be the type of diet recommended for the common condition of chronic candida albicans overgrowth.  Meat does not feed the yeast, the way that fruit, fruit juices, sweets and too much grain or starchy vegetables or beans do.

CANCER AND MEAT-EATING

            If one has cancer, I suggest avoiding all red meat and all eggs until the cancer is in remission or gone.  This is because both these foods are high in iron, a problem for cancer patients.  Also, one must use a digestive aid when eating meat in all cases.  Otherwise, cancer patients cannot digest much of it at all. 

Also, food combinations must be very simple with either one or two foods at the most per meal.  This is also to promote easier digestion of flesh foods, in particular.  There is nothing wrong with a small meat of just chicken  or just a can of sardines, for example.  Add spices if you do not like the taste of it alone.

Some doctors recommend a complete vegetarian diet for cancer patients.  So far, I find it is not necessary or helpful if the cancer recovery program is correct.  Avoiding all meat makes one very yin after a while.  For more on these topics, read Cancer And Alternatives and Yin Disease.

EVIDENCE FROM PRIMITIVE OR INDIGENOUS HUMAN TRIBES

Weston Price, D.D.S., author of the classic text, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, traveled the world studying the healthiest groups of people he could find.  More than any other single text, this classic textbook of nutrition documents the devastating effects of refined and processed foods on the health of human beings.  In his travels, Dr. Price expected to find vegetarians among the healthiest populations, but he found none.  He encountered vegetarian populations, but they were not the healthiest populations.  For much more on this topic, read Weston Price, DDS on this site. 

OBLIGATORY VEGETARIANS

            Some people become vegetarians because they are unable to digest meats.  A meat meal, particularly red meat, feels heavy and can sit in the stomach for hours.  Such individuals are called 'obligatory vegetarians'.  The cause is a slowing of metabolism accompanied often by low digestive enzymes in the stomach, causing an inability to handle animal protein and fat.

            Today many people are obligatory vegetarians due to decreased adrenal and thyroid gland activity for a variety of nutritional and other reasons.  When the causes are addressed, the condition can be reversed and one actually develops a craving for meat. 

WHY DO PEOPLE SOMETIMES FEEL MUCH BETTER ON A VEGETARIAN DIET, AT LEAST INITIALLY?

            It is true that many people feel better initially on a vegetarian diet.  However, in my experience this is because they have eliminated many junk foods and perhaps foods they were allergic to.  Also, they are often eating simpler food combinations.  Also, to digest meat most people need a digestive enzyme, so a vegetarian diet can feel better in the stomach and reduce gas and bloating.

However, vegetarian diets are not best, in my experience.  In fact, they are dangerous because they are deficient and too yin, in my experience.  I do not agree that one can simply substitute vegetable foods and obtain all the nutrients found in meat.  It is simply not true in my experience.

Perhaps for this reason, many of our vegetarian clients report feeling 100% better when they add back at least chicken and fish to their diets.  As a former vegetarian who 'followed the rules', I have experienced this myself.  There must be reasons for this phenomenon. 

MEAT-EATING AND VIOLENCE

            Ghandi and Albert Einstein were vegetarians, but so was Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin Laden.  While a few spiritual leaders were vegetarians, let us not forget that most were not.  India, a largely vegetarian country, is one of the most backward countries, and certainly has had its share of wars.  America is eating less meat, but as a country we seem to be becoming more violent.

            A neighbor is from India.  He commented to me that  his own people in India have so little drive and energy that he is much happier living in the United States.  People on vegetarian diets often become tired and listless.  This might reduce violence because one no longer has the energy to fight.  This is not non-violence.  This is burnout!

            Many vegetarians that I come in contact with are copper-toxic.  This is due to the high copper content of beans, seeds, nuts, and grains.  At the same time, these people are not eating the zinc-rich meats which could balance their copper intake.  Copper toxicity causes fatigue and 'spaciness', which often masquerades as peacefulness and happiness.  Many vegetarians fool themselves into thinking they are less violent, when in fact they are really just tired.

IS MEAT-EATING THE CAUSE OF WORLD HUNGER?

            Francis Moore Lappe, author of Diet For a Small Planet, mentions that there are many causes of hunger.  These include: 1)governments that systematically starve their own people to maintain control, 2) collective farms that are unproductive, 3) poor food distribution, and 4) mismanagement and destruction of agricultural land.  In many places, grazing by animals is the most productive use of the land.

MEAT-EATING AND CHOLESTEROL

            Eskimos eat more fat than any other group and have cholesterol levels of about 170 mg.  The Massai tribe drink up to seven quarts of milk daily, yet they too have low cholesterol.  There is much more to the cholesterol story than how you butter your toast. 

            Cholesterol, the precursor for the steroid hormones, often rises when the body is under stress.  While overeating on any food is not beneficial, avoiding all cholesterol-containing foods is not necessary or wise for most people. 

IS MEAT SAFE TO EAT?

            I am amused by people who shun meat because it contains hormones, but are not bothered by the tons of herbicides and pesticides used on vegetables and fruits.  As the demand for pure food increases, more hormone-free and antibiotic-free meat is becoming available.

I only recommend organically-produced meats.  We can continue to support clean food by buying it in preference to sprayed and tainted food.   This is the strongest message we can send to the farmers and the supermarkets.  Dr. Bernard Jensen, a respected health authority, commented on this subject that "there is bad meat, but meat isn't bad".

            Some people avoid meat because it contains bacteria and 'toxins'.  However, all foods contain toxins.  Flesh foods are an integral part of the diet of virtually all human groups.  This would suggest that the benefits to eating healthfully-produced flesh foods far outweigh any harmful effects.

WHY NOT EAT MEAT SUBSTITUTES?

            1. They don’t contain the same nutrients contained in meats. 

2. Some are highly processed, chemical-laden concoctions that are hardly fit to eat.  For example, soy, a major meat substitute, contains phytates that bind minerals, enzyme inhibitors, and has been linked to a greater incidence of dementia in the elderly.  I do not recommend any soy foods at all, even tempeh and tofu, except perhaps once a month or so.  They are just not as high quality foods as meats, eggs, poultry and raw cheeses.

Textured vegetable protein (TVP) and soy isolate are refined byproducts of the soy oil refining.  They are junk foods, in my opinion.  They are found in many processed foods such as Hamburger Helper, and they are found in some vegetarian meat substitutes and in many “fast food” hamburgers and other fast foods because they are cheap.  Stay away from them.

WHAT ABOUT NATURAL HYGIENE AND MUCUSLESS DIETS?

While there are some valid ideas in the vegetarian literature, there are also numerous false concepts.  For example, the once-popular book, Fit For Life, expounds the Natural Hygiene point of view that since our intestines are like those of apes we ought to eat like apes.  But how many apes drive the freeways or go to college while holding down a full-time job?  These analogies are not logical when examined carefully.

            The same book encourages fruit-eating by stating that because the earth is about two-thirds water, so our food should be composed of two-thirds water.  Figure that one out!  Fruit is too yin today due to its mineral composition and its higher sugar content.  I would avoid all fruit, especially tropical and sub-tropical fruits, raw fruits, and all fruit juices.  Even the healthful berries are not needed because there are plenty of anti-oxidants and the other phytonutrients in other excellent foods such as blue corn.  For more, please read Fruit-Eating on this site.

I was the health director at a Natural Hygiene Spa for 3 and 1/2 years.  While I was there, the owner nearly died of pernicious anemia.  When he recovered, thanks to a blood transfusion, he asked me not to tell anyone what had happened.  He died only a few years later, perhaps from permanent damage that had been done to his body by his rigid vegetarian diet.  I am sharing this story so that others may be warned about following any rigid diets. 

VEGETARIANISM AND LIMITATION

            Many people limit themselves to rigid regimens including vegetarian diets.  Often this is an expression of guilt, or an effort to control an aspect of life because life seems out of control.  In these instances, guilt, limitation and fear are the real issues.  This is not a sound way to decide what to eat!

            Also, vegetarianism is a physically-based concept of life that I have found extremely limited.  Life is not just about what we eat.  By changing our physical diet we cannot atone for our sins, save the earth or achieve enlightenment.  It is time to let go of these ideas.  I believe, along with all native or indigenous cultures, that certain animal species have agreed to serve as food, and it is their service to humanity.  Let us thank them and enjoy their gift to us.

TOO MUCH MEAT, RAPE AND SEXUAL FLUID CRAVING

            It is possible to eat too much meat, and this is common in some cultures in Europe, particularly.  In most cases, red meat should be eaten in most cases no more than two or three times a week.

            An exception is in women or men who experience rape.  They need more for a while, particularly beef.  It will help them recover.  To understand this better, read Rape and Healing Rape on this site.

Eating more red meat is absolutely needed to get rid of sexual fluid craving, a common problem among women today.  For more on this, read Sexual Fluid Craving on this website.

EAT GRASS-FED MEATS, IF POSSIBLE

This small section is courtesy of Mercola.com.  I don’t agree with Dr. Mercola on many things, but I do agree on the value of grass-fed meats. 

Unfortunately, most animals in the USA and some in other nations are not fed their natural food, which is grass, insects and other forage.  Instead, they are fed on corn and perhaps other things that are inexpensive and abundant.  This produces a less healthy meat that is much lower in zinc and in omega-3 fatty acids, for example.

A joint effort between the USDA and Clemson University researchers in 2009 determined a total of 10 key areas where grass-fed beef is better than grain-fed for human health.  In a side-by-side comparison, they determined that grass-fed beef was:

Lower in total fat

Higher in total omega-3s

Higher in beta-carotene

A healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84)

Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)

Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter

Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin

Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)

Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium

Lower in the saturated fats linked with heart disease

BLOOD TYPES

Dr. Peter D'Adamo's research on blood types indicates that some blood types fare better on a diet that includes animal products.  This should come as no surprise.  The design of our bodies is ancient, and some developed in climates where flesh foods were the only available source of nutrition.  Is it a surprise these bodies function best with animal proteins?  I have not found Dr. D’Adamo’s blood type diets too useful, but he does emphasize that some people definitely need meat, and I appreciate this very much. 

CONCLUSION

            While a few people appear to do well on a healthful vegetarian diet, most eventually become lethargic, depressed, and susceptible to yeast infections and other problems.  They do not live longer and are not healthier.  In fact, they may seem very healthy, but in my experience, they die sooner than meat-eating people, at least in America.  

            In certain illnesses such as cancer, eliminating red meat and eggs is helpful to reduce one’s iron intake for about a year or so.  However, as the body is rebuilt using nutritional balancing science, but not necessarily other methods, everyone can benefit by then re-introducing organically-produced flesh foods into the diet. 

            A most important principle is to love yourself so fully and completely that you are willing to give your body whatever it needs.  This is an important principle of health.  If animal products would be helpful, then let us thank and bless the animals for their gifts and gratefully accept what we need for our health.  For more on vegetarian diets, please read Vegetarianism on this site.
PEANUTS AND PEANUT BUTTER - PLEASE AVOID THEM

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© February 2013, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

I know that many people love peanuts and peanut butter.  However, peanuts, in my experience, even organically grown peanuts, are somewhat toxic.  Please avoid them altogether.  They will slow your progress, perhaps a lot if you eat a lot of peanut butter, or peanuts as a snack.

REASONS FOR PEANUT TOXICITY

Peanuts are prone to several types of toxicity.  One is aflatoxin.  This is a potent, colorless, tasteless fungal poison that tends to grow on some peanut products.  It is found mainly in some peanut butters, especially if it is not fresh.  However, peanuts are not recommended, even if you know there is no aflatoxin on them.

Another toxin is one found in many legumes, in fact.  This is one reason I recommend legumes or beans only once or twice per week.  I do not know what the toxin is, but it is found in most beans, lentils (especially yellow and red lentils), and there is even some in peas, which is a legume, too.  Peanuts, especially when roasted, seem to contain a lot of it.

A third toxin, at times, can be rancid oil in which peanuts are roasted.  Even dry roasted peanuts have had their oil heated to a high temperature, which may affect its digestibility.

A fourth possible toxin, at times, is that some peanuts in a bag or container of nuts are often spoiled or rotten.  Peanuts are more subject to this problem than other beans and nuts.  You may not be able to taste the rancid or rotten peanuts.

Finally, some people are violently allergic to something in peanuts.  I do not know if doctors have identified the exact chemical.  Exposure to peanuts or peanut butter for these people can trigger a severe asthma attack or shock reaction.

For all these reasons, please avoid all peanuts, peanut sauces, and peanut butters, even the best quality.

 PROTEIN

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© December 2015, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

SUMMARY

Protein is a critical food group for everyone.  Most adults need about 10 to 11 ounces of a protein food each day.  The best way to eat this is to have two portions daily of 4 to 5 ounces each of a protein food.

Also, women can have up to 6 eggs per week.  Men can have up to 8 eggs per week, and no more.

Proteins need to be cooked, but not overcooked.

Avoid all pig products, although they are nutritious.  Most can contain parasite cysts or eggs, even when well-cooked.

Too much protein causes toxicity of the liver and kidneys, and excess production of proteinaceous toxins in the colon, evidenced by foul-smelling stools.  Too little protein in the diet can cause weight gain or loss, and severe malnutrition.

*************

Definition. Proteins are one of the most amazing group of molecules in the human body.  They are complex combinations of smaller chemical compounds called amino acids.  These are like the bricks or building blocks of a building.

There are about 22 amino acids.  Some can be made in the body from other amino acids, or in other ways.  However, at least 8 or 10 of them must be obtained from our diet.  All of the amino acids contain oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen.  Many also contain sulfur. 

Like building blocks, millions of these amino acids are chained together, stuck together, and folded over each other to form complicated shapes and structures to create millions of critical body components.

              Metaphorical definition.  Proteins are associated with motion, the basic quality of animal life.  While plant life is more concerned with sugars and carbohydrates, animal life is more concerned with proteins.  (However, all life contains both proteins and carbohydrates.) 

WHAT ARE PROTEINS USED FOR IN OUR BODIES?

The quick answer is they are used to make most everything in our bodies.  Here are a few of their main uses.

Hormones.  Many of the hormones such as insulin and progesterone are proteins.

Oxygen transport.  Hemoglobin, a blood protein, carries oxygen to the cells. 

Cellular repair.  Heat shock proteins help rebuild our cells after stress. 

Binding and transport of nutrients.  Transferrin, metallothionine, ceruloplasmin and other transport proteins bind to minerals and other things, and carry them throughout the body. 

Movement.  Muscle protein (such as myoglobin) is responsible for our ability to move.

Holding genetic information.  Proteins such as RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in the nuclei of our cells are responsible for the genetic code.

Structural proteins. Proteins are also essential for the body structure.  Bone consists of a protein matrix that fills with calcium and other minerals.  Other structural proteins include collagen, cartilage, elastin and keratin that form the skin and other structures.

Enzymes.  All enzymes are proteins.  Thousands of enzymes facilitate every chemical reaction in the body.

Conversion to fuel. Proteins may also be converted to sugar or fat to be used as fuel for the body.  This is not ideal, but it does occur in some people.

PROTEINS IN OUR FOOD

            The main source of protein is our diet.  We eat proteins from animals and plants.  Our bodies can synthesize some of the amino acids, but many of them must be obtained from the diet. 

When we eat protein from plant or animal foods, we must break it down into its simpler amino acid components.  This is called protein digestion.  This is like taking apart a building and sorting out all the bricks to be used to build a new building.

Then our bodies reassemble the amino acids into our body proteins.  This is called protein synthesis or biosynthesis.  It is like taking the bricks and building a new building.

We also have some capacity to change one amino acid into another, to give us more types of “building blocks” with which to make our body proteins.

FOOD PROTEINS

Protein-containing foods can be roughly divided into three groups depending on how much protein they contain:

1. High protein foods include red meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, cheese, yogurt and beans.  Others are wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, nutritional yeast and some algae such as spirulina.  These foods contain about 20% protein or more.  I do not recommend spirulina or algae as they are difficult on the liver due to some of their contents.  They are often found in some “green superfood” powders, food bars and drinks.

I find that everyone needs to eat some high-protein foods today.  However, eating too much of them, especially too much eggs, (more than about 10 eggs per week) is not ideal and causes intestinal auto-intoxication.  This just means that the body cannot digest all that protein and so some of the protein putrefies or rots in the intestinal tract, giving rise to poisonous substances, and often some gas and bloating or smelly stools.

2. Medium-protein foods include grains such as rice, wheat, oats, millet and barley.  These contain 6 to 14% protein and are considered incomplete proteins.  This means they should be combined with other protein foods to provide complete protein.  Unfortunately, modern hybrid grains often contain much less protein than the grains that were grown 100 years ago or earlier.  Wheat, for example, used to have 12-14% protein and now contains six percent in many instances.  Even organically grown grains today are hybrids.

3. Low-protein foods include fruits, vegetables and juices.  These contain less than 5% protein.  Living on a low protein diet of mainly fruit, for example, does not work well for human beings, in my experience.

PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS

            In addition to the sources above, some people like to use protein supplements.  These include 1) protein powders, 2) protein bars, 3) meal replacements, 4) hydrolyzed or pre-digested protein and 5) amino acid supplements.  Let us discuss these products in more detail. 

            Powders versus whole foods.   Protein powders and supplements are made from a variety of sources.  Some are better than others.  The best is probably egg protein powder.  However, I never recommend protein powders and meal replacements for the following reasons:

1. Too yin.  Smoothies and shakes usually contain powders, which are all yin, combined with a sweetener, which is yin, and water, which is yin.  All of this is bad for health and difficult to digest properly for most people.  

2. Much less nourishing.  You will get far more nutrition from an egg than from egg protein powder, or from peas rather than pea protein powders, etc.  The powders are all refined and many nutrients have been stripped away.

3. Bad food combinations.  Combining powders with water with fruit, often and other things is usually a terrible food combination.

4. Must drink too much liquid with the drink.  It is best not have much liquid with meals.  this is not possible with a drink or smoothie.  The liquid dilutes the stomach acid and impairs proper digestion of the food.

Whey protein.  This product is extremely popular, especially among body builders and it is highly recommended by many holistic doctors.  It contains a decent balance of the amino acids and other minerals and substances. 

However, recent research I have done indicates it contains toxic forms of nickel and copper.  In addition, it is very yin when taken in a smoothie or a shake, and forms bad food combinations in these drinks with too much liquid with the food.  Therefore, I cannot recommend it at all.  Its toxic components cause it to be stimulating, so a lot of people love it.

Whey protein is reputed to help people quit smoking, and I would agree that using some whey protein is better than smoking cigarettes, but that is its only advantage.  Once you have quit cigarettes, then move on and stop the whey protein powder in favor of whole food proteins such as eggs, meats and raw cheeses.

Soy protein.  The most popular protein drinks and bars are often made from soy.  The label may say made from soy protein isolate or just soy or soybean protein.  However, often it just says textured vegetable protein and this also means soy in most all cases.  Thousands of products are made of this, such as Hamburger Helper, vegetarian burgers and many other products.

Soy problems.  Soy protein powders and foods made with it are probably the worst ones and are best avoided altogether.  Soy is not a particularly high quality source of protein, although it is technically a complete protein.

However, the soy is always processed and must be.  This renders it less desirable as processing damages the protein structure a lot.  In fact, it is usually a leftover byproduct of the manufacture of soybean oil.  Chemicals such as acetone may be used to extract the oil, leaving a residue of chemicals in the soy protein.

Soy has other drawbacks such as containing too much copper, low zinc, enzyme inhibitors, thyroid inhibitors and other toxic residues.  Its main benefit is its low cost, which is very important to food manufacturers.

Egg.  Egg protein powder is also often labeled as albumin.  This is generally a much better form of protein powder, drink or bar than soy or most others.  However, I still suggest eating whole foods, not protein powders of any kind.

Milk Sources.  The two powders made of milk protein are whey powder and casein.  Whey is a little better, but I don’t suggest either of them.

Others.  Protein powders may also be made from rice, peas, yeast or fish.  I do not recommend any of them, in general.

            Hydrolyzed protein. Some protein supplements such as Bragg’s Liquid Aminos contain pre-digested protein.  This means the protein has been broken down into its amino acids by a chemical process so it requires much less digestion.

The source is often soy, however.  This is a definite disadvantage.  Also, unfortunately, hydrolyzed protein always contains some monosodium glutamate or MSG, a harmful food chemical.  It occurs naturally as part of the processing of hydrolysis.

Pure grown amino acids.  A more expensive type of protein supplement is pure amino acids that are made by fungal organism in a laboratory.  These usually come in capsules and are called free-form amino acids.

These can be useful for some cancer patients or others who cannot digest protein well at all.  I do not recommend them for most people, however, because they are 1) very yin, a type of toxicity, and 2) made from fungus, which can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

              Meal replacements. Meal replacements are usually protein powders mixed in with extra vitamins and minerals, and usually a sweetener.  They are usually terrible food combinations, contain too much sugar, too much water, and are hard on the digestion.  Most are also nutritionally incomplete, and much too yin.  They may be needed for parenteral nutrition, or tube feeding, if a person cannot eat regular food.  Otherwise, I do not recommend them at all. 

Even if a person must be fed through a tube, I think it is better to make fresh purees from cooked vegetables and some meats, rather than use most meal replacement powders and liquids.

Sugary protein drinks, powders and bars.  Beware of protein bars, powders and meal replacements that are high in sugars.  This is often the case because otherwise the product would not taste good. 

The label may say sugar, corn syrup, fructose, glucose, lactose, liquid sugar, honey, agave nectar, rice syrup, barley malt or fruit juices.

I also suggest avoiding ALL PRODUCTS containing Nutrasweet or Equal that are often used instead and in “low calorie” bars and powdered drink mixes.  To sweeten a protein drink, Stevia, xylitol, mnanitol or sorbitol are more healthful sweeteners.  Even better, stay with protein foods since all sweet-tasting foods and drinks tend to keep the sweet taste alive and the artificial sweeteners and the others can deceive your body to some degree and are thus less healthful.

            Other Additives.  Also beware that most protein powders, bars and drinks contain natural or artificial colors and flavors, preservatives and perhaps a dozen other chemicals.  This is yet another reason to eat whole foods rather than chemical concoctions of protein powders, liquids, pills or bars. 

Also remember that while protein supplements may be helpful at times, they are never a substitute for food. Whole, natural, minimally cooked and processed proteins are essential for our life and our health and there is no substitute for them.

PROTEIN QUALITY

            Complete protein foods.  Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, yogurt, soy and peanuts are considered ‘complete proteins’.  This is a useful but not absolutely true concept that means that these proteins contain a good balance of all of the essential amino acids that our bodies need. 

Our bodies require at least 22 amino acids for health and well-being.  Of these, 10 or so are called ‘essential’.  This means we need to ingest them in our diet.  We don’t need to eat the other 12 or so, because we can convert the essential ones into them inside our bodies.

Incomplete protein foods. These include grains, beans, nuts, seeds and even some forms of meats such as rabbit.  They are commonly eaten as stapes in poorer nations and by strict vegetarians, also called vegans.

If a person does not eat complete protein foods, one must eat a variety of less complete protein foods in order to obtain all the required amino acids.  Otherwise deficiency symptoms, some irreversible, will begin to appear.

In our experience, eating a lot of incomplete proteins or lower quality protein foods is never advisable unless one is very ill with cancer or some other extreme situation.  They just do not nourish the body as well.

Biological quality. Some protein foods contain a much better balance of the essential amino acids than others.  A food with a good balance has a higher rating of biological quality.  Egg protein (albumin) rates highest in biological quality.  Meat protein has the second best biological quality.

Other quality factors.  These include freshness, how the food was grown or raised and how it is prepared.  Other quality factors include the breed of chicken or other animal, the soil the food is grown on and many other subtle qualities.  Even the altitude at which a food is grown or raised can influence its nutritional qualities, for example.

Raw protein foods.  Some people prefer all raw diets and I am aware of this.  However, we have not found this a beneficial system for most people, especially those with low vitality.  Read about the concept of Vitality on this website.  Raw foods can contain parasites, bacteria, viruses fungi and other harmful microorganisms that are mainly killed by cooking.

Cooking protein.  Too much cooking denatures or damages protein, which is why an egg becomes harder with cooking.  For this reason, protein foods should be cooked lightly for the best nutrition. 

I don’t recommend overcooking meat, eggs (as in hard boiling or deep frying) because this ruins the protein structure and makes them much harder to digest.  Read more about this subject in the article on this site entitled Raw Foods.

PROTEIN DIGESTION

            Proteins must be broken down into their amino acids to be used in our bodies.  If they are not properly broken down, they rot or putrefy.  This is a very toxic process that literally poisons the body and causes foul-smelling bowel movements and gas.  This is how you know some putrefaction is going on. 

Pepsin and hydrochloric acid in the stomach and trypsin and chymotrypsin from the pancreas are among the important protein-digesting enzymes.  One must have enough of these enzymes to digest the amount of protein one eats or putrefaction will occur to some degree.  Most people do not have enough of these, which is why we supplement everyone with a protein digesting enzyme such as GB-3 or betaine hydrochloride and pepsin.

Digestion depends on general nutrition.  Our bodies convert sodium chloride to hydrochloric acid in the stomach to help break down protein.  Enzyme production also requires zinc, which is deficient in most people due to our depleted soils and refined food diets.  For example, vegetarian diets, for example, are lower in zinc.  Today, many children are born low in zinc due to their mother's zinc deficiency.

Other minerals and many vitamins are also needed to make digestive enzymes.  Thus one’s entire nutritional state is important for proper utilization of protein and its digestion into simple amino acids.  Then these must be recombined to make our proteins.  This is discussed later.

            Food habits and protein digestion.  For good protein digestion, eat slowly and chew thoroughly.  Relaxed, enjoyable, sit down meals help maximize digestive enzyme production.  Avoid overeating and relax after meals for at least 10 minutes to facilitate digestion.  

Take digestive enzymes if you are unsure whether you are digesting protein properly.  My favorite digestive enzymes are pancreatin and ox bile.  Hydrochloric acid and pepsin is another common protein-digesting product.

FACTORS THAT CAUSE PROTEIN DIGESTION PROBLEMS   

1. High levels of toxic metals.  These interfere with zinc and other vital minerals.

2. Stress keeps the sympathetic nervous system active and interferes a lot with digestion, a parasympathetic activity.

3. Fatigue does the same as stress and it weakens the digestion tremendously.  Always rest before meals if tired, even if it is just for a few minutes.

4. Nutritionally depletion, as explained above, impairs digestion a lot.

5. Infections in the intestines, which are quite common.  These include parasites, yeasts, bacteria and more.

6. Illnesses affecting the intestines such as colitis, ulcers, cancer and others.

7. Some pharmaceutical drugs and over-the-counter product interfere a lot with digestion.  Among the worst are anti-inflammatory drugs like Aspirin, Tylenol, Aleve, Excedrin and other anti-inflammatory drugs that irritate the stomach and can even cause ulcers.

Beta blockers, proton pump inhibitors and calcium supplements are others that interfere with digestion.  Some of the common names are propanolol, Inderal, Protonix, Prevacid, Prilosec, Tums, Choos, OsCal and many others in the same classes of drugs.

In fact, any toxic substance, even food additives will interfere with digestion, which is quite a delicate process.  This is just another reason to eat well and rest after meals as Mexicans and Europeans often do with a siesta after the large meal of the day.  This is a wise idea for everyone, even if it is a 10-minute rest.

8. An alkaline stomach due to drugs or nutritional or other imbalances interferes a lot with protein digestion.  The wrong acid in the stomach is another issue related to this one.  This is why the pH of the stomach is not enough.  It must be the correct acid as well, and why supplements are so helpful in many cases.

9. Improper bowel flora is another common cause of digestive problems.  Although this is most common in the large intestine, it can occur in the small intestine as well.  It is responsible for bloating, often, in the stomach due to gas formation.

10. Constipation and/or low fiber in the diet may also interfere with proper digestion.

11. Complex food combinations.  The simpler a meal, the easier it tends to be to digest.  This is why I suggest meals be constructed with cooked vegetables and either one protein or one starch only.  Also, monomeals (one type of food per meal) are also excellent.

MINERAL ANALYSIS AND PROTEIN NUTRITION

              Digestive problems.  Hair mineral analysis reveals digestive problems in most everyone today.  This is due to the volume of toxic chemicals we ingest with our food and drinks, added to the stress of modern living and the use of pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter drugs that interfere with digestion.  Low vitality also plays a part.

            Indicators for impaired digestion on a hair test may include:

1. A sodium/potassium ratio less than about 2.5:1.  The lower the ratio, often the worse the digestive strength or vitality.  For this reason, the ratio is called the vitality ratio.

2. A hair potassium level of 4 mg% or less.  This is called Sympathetic Dominance and implies that the sympathetic nervous system is overused.  This, in turn, usually impairs digestion a lot, even if there are no recognizable symptoms.

3. A hair zinc level less than about 12 mg%.  Zinc is needed to make most of the digestive enzymes.  A low hair zinc level is often associated with inadequate digestive enzyme production.

4. An elevated level of any of the toxic metals or poor eliminator patterns.  The presence of excessive toxic metals often interferes with proper digestion.  Many compete with zinc, for example, which is a critical element in the production of digestive enzymes.

Other possible indicators of impaired protein digestion and utilization are:

1. A phosphorus level of 12.  This is not the case, however, if a pubic hair sample is used as this may cause elevated phosphorus readings.

2. A copper level above 2.5 or a hidden copper toxicity pattern.  Read Copper Toxicity Syndrome for more information about hidden copper toxicity.

            I would say most if not all the clients who come for nutritional guidance have one or more of these digestive indicators.  This is why I suggest that all adults take a powerful digestive enzyme containing ox bile and pancreatin to assist with protein digestion.

THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF POOR PROTEIN DIGESTION

Vicious cycles are what destroy our bodies.  Impaired protein digestion causes nutrient deficiencies and often bowel toxicity.  This further impairs protein digestion, which in turn worsens nutritional status and the cycle continues until death occurs. 

For this reason, I make a point of recommending only high quality protein in adequate quantity.  Also, it is why I suggest avoiding all drugs and food additives, if possible, and to have excellent eating habits.  It is also why I suggest plenty of rest, with some rest before and after meals as well.

All of this is often necessary to break the vicious cycle of poor protein digestion, a very essential body function.

PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN THE LIVER AND ELSEWHERE

            Digesting proteins, which is breaking them down into their respective amino acids, is only half the battle in the proper utilization of proteins.  The other half is rebuilding the amino acids into the thousands of hormones, enzymes, tissues and organs of our bodies.

            Here another vicious cycle needs to be stopped.  This is that poor nutrition in general impairs synthesis of proteins that are needed to digest and synthesize more proteins.  If this cycle persists for any length of time, chronic disease and death will ensue.

            Thus, improving the overall state of nutrition is paramount to assist proper protein synthesis.  This includes virtually all the minerals and vitamins.  Equally important is to rid the body of toxic substances such as cadmium, arsenic, lead and hundreds of toxic chemicals that interfere with proper protein synthesis.

The mineral zinc must be singled out as particularly important for protein synthesis.  It is required for the enzyme RNA transferase, a key step in protein synthesis.  However, in fact, many minerals and vitamins and other nutrients are required for this complex process of DNA synthesis.

Once again, most people are deficient in zinc, selenium, chromium, bioavailable manganese and other nutrients, so their synthesis of protein is quite impaired.  This slows all healing and all rebuilding of body tissue.

Protein and wound healing.  I am often amazed how quickly and easily people with wounds or surgical scars that won’t heal complete their healing when they follow a complete nutritional balancing program to improve their overall health.  This has a lot to do with protein digestion and protein synthesis.  Anyone with wounds, scars or other areas of the body that will not heal properly probably has problems with adequate protein synthesis.

SPECIFIC PROTEIN CONSIDERATIONS

            Meats.  In my clinical experience of more than 30 years, I find that quality meats are excellent foods for human beings.  Vegetarian diets are all deficient, and I have not found a way around it.  They will sustain a person for a while, and one may feel better on a vegetarian regimen that eliminates junk foods and allergic foods.  However, serious deficiencies will soon occur that always shorten life.

Meats can be an important source of zinc, B-vitamins, amino acids, taurine, carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid and many other nutrients provided the meat is eaten in moderation, and in the correct food combinations.  Naturally raised meats are best.  Grass-fed and free range animals are often an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Meats from animals raised without hormones and antibiotics are higher quality and to be preferred.  Lamb is one of the best and can be eaten several times a week.  Most lamb is naturally raised, by the way.  I do not think it is necessary to buy “organically raised” lamb.  Chicken, turkey and wild game are also excellent protein foods, along with up to 10 eggs per week.

Beef is okay if raised naturally, but less recommended simply because most of it is quite hybridized.  This means it is not the same animal as it was 50 years ago.  This is somewhat a problem with all our livestock, but beef most of all.  Beef has become quite a bit more irritating to the body, as a result, and some people are quite sensitive or intolerant of it.  This does not seem to occur with lamb or wild game, however.

Pork, ham, bacon and all pig products should be totally avoided in any form, as they may contain trichina cysts and other parasites, even when supposedly properly cooked.

Also avoid all processed meats, in general, as they contain many additives such as nitrites and nitrates that are quite toxic for some people.  A little should be okay if it is all natural, such as natural hot dogs, for example, although these are made from beef, which is not the best.

Fresh meats are best.  Frozen chicken and turkey is okay.  Canned meats are usually loaded with additives to preserve them.  Dried “jerky” is not bad unless it is full of additives, as it usually is.  Smoked meats and fish are not quite as healthful, but may be eaten at times.

            Eggs.   The most maligned protein food is the egg.  Eggs contain excellent quality protein as well as lecithin, vitamin A and many other nutrients. 

The famous Framingham, Massachusetts heart disease study examined the question of egg consumption.  The study found those who regularly consumed eggs lived longer than those who ate eggs only occasionally.  Especially for those who prefer to eat less meat, eggs are an essential source of high-quality protein. 

How many eggs?  Women can have up to six eggs per week, and no more.  Men can have up to eight eggs per week, but not more.  Eating more than this causes some liver toxicity.

Preferably rotate them (and all foods) by having them no more than every other day.  Fresh is always best with eggs.  Right from the chicken is wonderful, and not too difficult in some places if you ask people who has chickens.

Eggs and meats should not be overcooked.  Eggs must be cooked, but the yolks should be runny.  They can be soft boiled, poached, lightly fried or mushy scrambled.  Do not eat hard-cooked eggs, as they are much harder to digest.

            Avoid processed eggs like Egg Beaters and others.  These may contain oxidized cholesterol, which is toxic.  To learn more about eggs and cholesterol, read Cholesterolphobia.

            Milk and Cheese.  Milk is a high-quality protein food.  However, most people are allergic to the milk from hybrid cows.  Organic milk is better in most cases, although hybridized milking cows are still used. 

Goat and sheep milks are excellent, and often better than cows milk.  Many goats and sheep are healthier than some cows, and are less hybridized than cows.  Organically raised is best.  Limit milk and all dairy intake to about 4 ounces daily for adults and a little less for children.  This is important, in part because milk is very yin in macrobiotic terms.  It is also not a particularly mineral-rich food.  It is best taken alone, and not as part of a meal, because of its watery nature. 

Natural, organic and preferably raw cheese can be a quality product unless one is sensitive to it.

Plain or vanilla yogurt or kefir is also excellent unless one is sensitive to it.  However, only have about 4 ounces daily, please.  Avoid sugary yogurt or kefir products.

If a person follows a complete nutritional balancing program, sensitivities to dairy and other quality foods tend to disappear as the gut rebuilds, although this will often take several years.

            Fish.  Fish can be an excellent source of protein and many other nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and iodine.  However, all fish today are somewhat contaminated with mercury and other toxic metals.

For this reason, I only recommend eating very small fish such as sardines, perhaps herring or anchovies.  These are so small they do not have time to accumulate as much mercury.

Sardines are one of the finest protein foods.  Eating them from the can is fine.  They are high in RNA and DNA, and in many minerals, as well.  Even with sardines, I suggest limiting intake to 3-4 cans per week.  The best are skinless, boneless sardines because the mercury seems to concentrate in the nervous system and spinal cord of the sardine.

Strictly avoid all larger fish such as tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel and others.  These contain levels of mercury that make them toxic.  Also avoid ALL shellfish.  These are also contaminated with mercury, and often with lead, cadmium and other toxic metals.  They are caught in coastal water, and for other reasons seem to accumulate toxic metals.  I do not agree with some authors who suggest that by taking selenium, for example, one can offset the toxicity of fish.  This is not what I observe on our thousands of clients.

Nuts and Seeds.  Nuts and seeds contain some protein, and other nutrients.  However, nuts and seeds are all yin in macrobiotic terminology, and all are somewhat toxic.

An exception is toasted almond butter.  The nut butters are much easier to digest, and this one is a good food source of protein and other minerals and vitamins.  Do not soak almonds overnight.  It is not necessary or helpful.

Seeds are also yin and may contain enzyme inhibitors.  I do not suggest eating many sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, and others even though they are nutrient-rich foods.  They are too yin to be eaten on any regular basis.  If you want a little, eat the seed butters, which are much easier to digest.

            Grains.  Grain is only a fair source of protein today.  Formerly, it was an excellent source.  However, modern hybrid grains, which includes organically-grown wheat, rice and others, contain much less protein than the non-hybrids of 100 years ago.

Non-hybridized wheat contains about 14% protein.  Today's wheat, including organic wheat, contains about 6% protein.  Books that suggest one can obtain one's protein from grains are no longer correct. 

Grain-like seeds.  These include foods such as quinoa and amaranth, both of which originated in South America.  Both are excellent, higher-protein grain-like foods that human groups have used as stapes for thousands of years.  Quinoa contains about 15% protein, and is said to be a complete protein.

            Dried beans. It is fine to eat some dried beans up to twice weekly.  One of the best is lentils, for example.

Dried beans are good sources of minerals, vitamins, and fiber.  However, most are not considered complete protein sources.  This means the balance of amino acids is not adequate.  Peanuts and soy are considered complete proteins, but their quality is not as good as eggs and meat.

Soy foods.  Sadly, all soy foods including roasted soy beans, isolated soy protein, soy powders, soy milks and textured vegetable protein or TVP contain anti-nutrients such as phytates, thyroid inhibitors and enzyme inhibitors.  Besides, soy powders and soy isolate are often leftover products from the manufacture of soy oil and contain chemical residues used in the oil extraction process.

I suggest eating only traditionally fermented soy products such as tempeh and tofu – and not much of these.  These are less toxic products.  However, they are still lower quality proteins and I would limit intake to no more than two times per week at the most.  Ideally, skip them altogether.

Other.  Please avoid spirulina.  I find it is somewhat toxic for the liver.  As stated earlier, I would also avoid all protein powders, smoothies, shakes, meal replacements and hi-protein food bars.

HIGH OR LOW PROTEIN DIETS

              Eating too much protein.  Some people eat too much protein.  Some eat two or three eggs daily, plus meat during the day.  This easily causes bloating, gas, bad-smelling stools, and a more toxic body.  It can also cause kidney and liver toxicity, calcium depletion and high serum cholesterol.

Eating too little protein.  Some vegan and other health advocates suggest that no concentrated protein foods need be eaten at all.  They note that animals such as horses and apes become strong living on grass alone.  They don’t mention that these animals digest foods that we cannot, have little stress, some have four stomachs and chew their cud, and they eat all day.  Please don’t follow this advice!

Skipping protein at meals often leads to weight gain, low thyroid and adrenal gland activity, and will shorten the lifespan.

              How much protein?  My observation as a clinician is that adults need 10-11 ounces daily of a protein food.  This is two servings daily of 4 to 5 ounces each.

Those with active cancer usually need less.  While 60-70 grams of protein daily is adequate, some people eat less than 40 grams/day.  This is too little for most people.  Some mistakenly believe that less protein will cause weight loss, though the opposite is often true. 

ANIMAL VERSUS VEGETABLE

            In my experience, most people eventually do not feel well on a limited, vegetarian regimen.  Animal protein is higher quality.  It also contains many other essential nutrients including vitamin B12, zinc, niacin, carnitine, taurine, cysteine, methionine, alpha-lipoic acid and others.  These are not present or less biologically available in vegetable proteins.  Deficiencies can take years to develop and can be difficult to correct.

I encourage vegetarians to at least eat eggs for their high-quality protein, particularly the sulfur-containing substances such as taurine, cysteine and methionine.  These are essential for eliminating toxic metals and synthetic chemicals to which we are all exposed.  I cannot emphasize enough the need for the sulfur-containing amino acids and taurine (technically not an amino acid) found in greatest abundance in animal proteins. 

            The argument to avoid animal protein due to its cholesterol content has been largely disproven.  Excess homocysteine, mineral deficiencies, toxic metals, infections and inflammation correlate much better with heart disease than does one’s cholesterol level. 

In fact, cholesterol is the raw material from which we make stress hormones.  Several strict vegetarian clients had high cholesterol levels because their bodies were out of balance in spite of not eating any cholesterol-containing foods. 

PROTEIN AND WEIGHT LOSS

            Some people avoid protein thinking it will cause weight gain.  However, research by Robert Atkins, MD and many others indicates the exact opposite is true.  Protein stabilizes blood sugar and supports the activity of the adrenal and thyroid glands.  Thus it often assists weight loss.

SPECIAL PROTEIN NEEDS

            Children.  Adequate protein intake is very important for children, who are growing fast.  Vegetarian diets low in protein, or diets high in soy products instead of meat and eggs, lead to many problems for children such as growth problems, ADD, ADHD, infections and others.  Protein is the major scourge among poor children around the world.  Don’t copy the deficient diets of third world nations.

            Pregnant and Nursing Women.  During pregnancy and more so during lactation, adequate protein intake is critical.  Otherwise, the baby’s nutrition and growth will be impaired.

ALL nursing mothers need adequate protein.  Please stay away from all vegetarian diet, and ideally follow a complete nutritional balancing program.  At the very least, always supplement the diet with a fish oil supplement and vitamin D (about 5000 iu daily) for the best brain development of your baby.  For much more on this subject, please read Breastfeeding on this website.

            The Elderly.  Older people often suffer from protein deficiency because:

1. Problems chewing.

2. Digestive enzyme secretion diminishes with age.

3. Poor appetite. 

As a result, older people often do not like eating as much protein as they cannot digest it.  As a result, digestive enzymes are critical for most older people.  I much prefer ox bile and pancreatin to all the others.

            Those with chronic illnesses such as cancer.  Protein digestion is severely impaired in cancer and to some degree in most chronic illness.  Proteolytic digestive enzymes are an important supplement for anyone with chronic illness.  In some cases, amino acid capsules are good for a while until protein digestion improves.

            Body builders.  This is the one group that often overdoes on protein.  Their excessive protein intake may be hard on the kidneys and can unbalance body chemistry. 

I am appalled at some of the diets recommended by trainers and others in the body building industry.  They are often too high in protein, deficient in essential fatty acids and very deficient in cooked vegetables that supply the essential alkaline reserve minerals better than any other foods.  Please avoid these type of diets.

MAD COW DISEASE

            A few people avoid all animal protein, or at least beef, due to fears about Mad Cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalitis.  However, this disease is very rare, in fact.  If it were common, we would hear a lot more about it from the mainstream media, I believe, as it is a horrible disease.

Manganese problems.  Some cases of this disease are also due to manganese poisoning. This is how it works.  Phosmet, an organophosphate pesticide sprayed along the spinal columns of cows to kill fleas or for other reasons, bonds with manganese and this damages prions.  If the cows are then fed diets high in manganese, the symptoms appear.  The symptoms are identical to a condition called ‘manganese madness’.  This theory best explains British and French outbreaks of Mad Cow disease.  However, the pesticide’s manufacturer blocked efforts to publicize the real cause of the disease.

            Hoof and mouth disease, another fear of some people, is not a human disease and poses no danger to humans.  It is caused by nutritional deficiencies.  This was proven in the 1920's by Sir Albert Howard, a famous British soil scientist.

SODIUM AND SALT-EATING

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© December 2015, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.  It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

            Many health authorities advise against eating salt.   My experience, however, is that if one eats a diet of natural foods high in magnesium and only uses unrefined sea salt, most people will not have difficulty with salt at all.  In fact, natural sea salt is a very healthful product that supplies many important trace minerals.

            It is true that sea salt has some mercury and other toxic metals in it.  However, the high trace mineral content of the sea salt is so helpful for most people that at this time I highly recommend sea salt.  An excellent brand of sea salt is Real Salt by Redmond.  This is widely available at health food stores.  A brand of sea salt to avoid is Himalayan or Himalayan Pink salt.

OLD SALT AND NEW SALT

            When choosing a natural sea salt, we have a choice of two basic types, and both have advantages and disadvantages:

            Old salt.  Salt that comes from a salt mine may be called old salt.   It was “made” often millions of years ago when a seabed dried up.  This salt has the advantage that it was made when the earth was less polluted with toxic metals.  As a result, it tends to be lower in mercury and other toxic metals.  Examples are Real Salt by Redmond and others.  Less expensive sea salts are often from salt mines because obtaining them is less costly.

              New salt.  This is salt that is made fresh from seawater.  The advantage of this salt is that it may contain a few minerals that are sometimes low in the older or salt mine salt.  However, this salt will have more toxic metals in it because the earth is more polluted today with mercury, cadmium, lead and other toxic metals.  This salt may also be contaminated with toxic chemicals that are in the sea water today.  Examples of new salt are Celtic Salt and some others.

            Which one to use.  In general, I prefer the old salts from salt mines because it is cleaner.  However, to switch off now and then and eat some new salt is okay.

           When to salt food?  I suggest salting your food just before eating it.  In other words, cook without salt.  Add some salt when serving or eating your food.

HOW MUCH SALT TO EAT

Most adults can eat up to 2000 mg of unrefined sea salt daily.  Children need less, depending on their size and weight.

WHAT IS NATURAL SEA SALT?

History.  Humanity has been eating unrefined salt for thousands of years.  The word 'salary' comes from the same root as the word salt because it was such a valuable commodity it was used for currency.  Salt is more important in hot climates, where significant amounts of sodium are lost in sweating.

Sources.  Most unrefined sea salt usually comes from salt mines.  It is washed and strained.  It is called sea salt as the mines were usually former sea beds.  A few brands such as Celtic Salt are harvested from the sea.  This is a good product, but products harvested from the sea are much higher in some toxic metals such as mercury that is found in the oceans today, but was not in the oceans as much millions of years ago when the salt beds were formed. 

Effects.  Natural salt is generally a very healthful product. Unrefined sea salt is an important source of minerals.  This is especially today, as the food supply is mineral-deficient due to hybrid crops, modern agriculture methods and food processing and refining. 

Unrefined salt has little or no effect on blood pressure.  It helps maintain electrolyte and osmotic balance.  It also has an alkalinizing effect on the body and is an extremely yang food in Chinese medical terminology.

The sodium it contains is critical for osmotic balance and to solubilize other minerals in the blood.  Deficiency of sodium causes other minerals to become biounavailable and precipitate into the soft tissues and elsewhere.

All the above are very positive reasons to eat salt on food.  Avoiding a quality unrefined sea salt is rarely necessary, and often harmful since it is a source of vital minerals.  I recommend quality sea salt for almost everyone.  Most tolerate it well with no adverse effects, when used properly in moderate amounts only.  Those with very high blood pressure may need to wait until their pressure drops, although a quality sea salt may actually assist in diminishing their blood pressure.

IODINE ENRICHMENT OF SALT

Partly due to the insane practice or refining table salt, the government forces salt companies to enrich all table salt with iodine.  This is a positive benefit of table salt, but the only benefit.  See below for more on refined or table salt.

WHAT IS TABLE SALT?

            Common table salt is a highly refined product and one of the worst junk foods.  Virtually all its the trace minerals are missing, so that it is almost pure sodium chloride.  The trace minerals are removed and sold separately.  This profits the salt company and leaves our bodies impoverished.  This product should be banned completely, and our health would be far better.

Its unbalanced mineral content actually causes more mineral imbalances, as it is too high in sodium and very low in calcium and magnesium, two vital minerals today that can be obtained to a degree from salt.

            If mineral depletion is not bad enough, common table salt often has aluminum, a toxic metal, added as a flowing agent.  It is also often bleached for whiteness with other toxic chemicals.  It is an unbalanced, toxic product that should be totally avoided.

SALT AND MAGNESIUM

            One of the most important minerals missing from refined table salt is magnesium.  Magnesium is required for over 1000 enzymes in our bodies, and is deficient in most people's diets. 

Magnesium is sadly missing from most refined foods.  Milling wheat to make white flour removes 85% of the magnesium.  Refining sugar cane to make white sugar removes 98% of the magnesium.  White flour, white sugar and refined table salt are unfortunately “staples” of the American diet and more and more common in other nations as well.

            Magnesium has a balancing effect on sodium.  Magnesium has a relaxing influence on the heart, which is one reason a shot of magnesium it is often the first “drugs” given during a heart attack.

Magnesium and blood pressure.  The blood pressure-raising effect of table salt can be due to its high content of sodium with not enough magnesium to balance it.  This has a magnesium-lowering effect that can constrict the arteries and raise blood pressure. 

Sea salt contains plenty of magnesium, which is why it usually does not affect blood pressure at all, or does so much than table salt and should be eaten by most people.  Also, If one's magnesium status is adequate because one has other food sources of magnesium, salt-eating will have less effect or no effect on blood pressure.  However, other food sources of magnesium are rare, which is why everyone on a nutritional balancing program receives a magnesium supplement.

ARE THE MINERALS IN SALT BIOLOGICALLY AVAILABLE?

            Some people claim that since salt is not a live food, one cannot obtain the minerals from salt.  This is simply not true.  The minerals may not be as bioavailable as they are in foods, and this is true.  However, the body has quite an ability to chelate or bind inorganic minerals, especially those found in some sea salts. 

For this reason, eating some sea salt every day is a wonderful and necessary means of supplementing one’s mineral intake.  One must, however, have healthy digestion and a low stomach pH to absorb the minerals well.  This is one reason every adult on a nutritional balancing program takes a digestive aid, regardless of age or health status.  Children may need digestive help, but usually not as much as adults.  Digestive aids often do not taste good, so they may not get one for this reason.  However, they are helpful for most children as well.

TOXIC METALS IN SALT TODAY

            A problem with most salt is its high content of toxic metals, especially aluminum.  This is somewhat unavoidable, but is a reason not to use certain sea salts.  As stated above, all sea salt contains some mercury and other toxic metals.  However, the benefits seem to outweigh the problems, so far.

SODIUM AND SALT IN THE AMERICAN DIET

            Sodium sources.  Many natural foods contain sodium.  Excellent sources are vegetables of all kinds such as carrots and beets.  Red meat, poultry, eggs and fish are also excellent sources.  Kelp is another excellent natural source.

            Refined foods are often deficient in natural sodium, but are loaded with refined salt.  Many refined foods are bland or even tasteless because of the poor quality of their ingredients.  In an effort to spice them up, table salt is often added in great quantity. 

Among the most salt-laced foods are French fries, chips, pastries, salted fish, processed meats, relishes and canned soups.  Many other refined foods contain a surprising amount of refined table salt. 

            Since the same foods are magnesium-deficient, the combination is very unhealthful and not surprisingly can cause problems, especially if eaten repeatedly.

            An exception are the organic corn chips, especially blue corn chips, that are labeled as containing sea salt.  I hope more chip companies will move in this direction, as the sea salt is a much healthier product.

SODIUM AND SLOW OXIDATION

            Sodium levels in the blood usually remains in a narrow range, even when significant pathology is present.  This is not true of sodium in the hair.  Here sodium ranges from a low of 1 or 2 mg% to several hundred mg%.

Low sodium on hair tests.  Most people's hair analyses reveal very low levels of sodium.  We find this is not usually related to salt intake, but to the adequacy of the adrenal glands.  Aldosterone secreted by the adrenals causes sodium retention in the tissues. 

Slow oxidation and low blood pressure.  The mineral pattern characterized by low tissue sodium and potassium is called slow oxidation.  These individuals often crave salt and salty foods.  Many have a low blood pressure, in part due to low sodium that contributes to a low blood volume. 

Low blood pressure may also be due to underactivity of the adrenal glands.  Adrenal hormones cause constriction of the arteries, which raises blood pressure.

Sea salt particularly good for slow oxidizers.  Consuming some sea salt may help raise the sodium level slightly in slow oxidizers, as these individuals are excreting excessive sodium.  Consuming sea salt is strongly recommended for these people unless they are salt-sensitive due to other pathology.  However, to permanently and significantly raise their tissue sodium, they must improve their adrenal glandular activity. 

            Slow oxidizers who are eating a magnesium-rich diet may have some sea salt with each meal with no adverse effects.  Some do well on more.  This is not a lot compared to that found in a diet of salt-laden refined foods.  However, it is certainly not an avoidance of salt.

SODIUM AND FAST OXIDATION

            In some people, the hair tissue sodium level may be elevated.  The most common metabolic pattern with this is a fast oxidation state.  It is seen most commonly in young children.  In fact, we all begin life with a high tissue sodium level.

In adults, it is more likely a secondary stress pattern associated with excessive levels of toxic metals affecting the adrenals, kidneys or pituitary gland.  Excessive sympathetic nervous system activity may also affect the adrenal glands.

Toxic metals and sodium levels.  The presence of toxic metals, especially cadmium, mercury, lead, arsenic, copper, manganese, iron or aluminum will raise the hair sodium level.  This is due to a toxic effect on the kidneys, adrenals and other organs. 

These metals irritate the kidneys and adrenals.  Physiological forms of the minerals manganese and iron do not have this effect, only a toxic form that is probably and oxide, that is quite common today.

Most often, the hair sodium level will drop when the toxic metals and toxic forms of manganese and iron are eliminated from the body.  At the same time, edema or swelling of the tissues often disappears and the blood pressure often decreases if it was elevated.

Salt sensitivity.  If the tissue sodium level is elevated on a tissue mineral test, one may be somewhat salt sensitive.  This is not a problem with sea salt, but a pathology caused usually by toxic metals or toxic chemicals in the kidneys, pituitary or adrenal glands.

            Other very rare reasons for sea salt sensitivity include a hormone-secreting adrenal tumor or Cushing’s disease.

WHAT TO DO IF ONE IS SALT-SENSITIVE

            1. Avoid table salt completely.  Everyone should avoid table salt.  Many salt sensitive people can tolerate some unrefined sea salt.  Restaurants can be a problem, as salt is hidden in many dishes.  One can ask in some restaurants for low sodium or sodium-free meals.

            2. Eat only natural and unrefined grains and no white sugar or white flour.  This way one will obtain significantly more magnesium from food, which may help reduce salt sensitivity. 

            3. Supplement with magnesium.  Quality magnesium supplements include chelates, citrates, glycinates, aspartates and orotates.  The latter two contain less magnesium per tablet, though they are well-absorbed.

            Taking a magnesium supplement may well reduce salt sensitivity.  Magnesium is very safe.  Excessive amounts will cause diarrhea.  Some physicians give magnesium to bowel tolerance, though I believe this is excessive in some cases.

4. Go on a nutritional balancing program to remove toxic metals and restore a balanced body chemistry.  Salt sensitivity may indicate excessive levels of toxic metals or a fast oxidation rate.  This can be assessed with a hair mineral analysis. 

Most people have some toxic metals, regardless of whether they are revealed on tests or not.  A nutritional balancing program and infrared sauna therapy are most helpful to remove toxic metals and chemicals that can affect the kidneys, adrenals and pituitary, and contribute to salt sensitivity. 

ADDING SALT TO DRINKING WATER

            Never do this!  It is a “detoxification procedure” that I do not endorse at all.  It is quite dangerous, in fact, though it starts out harmlessly enough. 

Adding salt to drinking water will cause the removal of a few toxic metals by an osmotic mechanism.  The problem is that it may also remove vital or essential minerals slowly and insidiously.  It can also subtly dehydrate the body.  It also upsets the digestion.  Therefore, I do not recommend this procedure at all. 

EATING SALT ALONE

Please do not just eat salt by itself.  It is irritating.  Sprinkle a little salt on your food instead.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF SODIUM

            Sodium is sometimes called the volatility mineral.  People with a high sodium level often have a volatile or elevated blood pressure and their personality may also be volatile.  Elevated tissue sodium is related to the alarm stage of stress, also called a fight-or-flight reaction.

            Sodium is very yang in Chinese medical terminology.  Yang is the quality of being warm, hard and contracted or centripetal.

            People with a high level of sodium in relation to potassium are often leaders, starters, pioneers, outgoing, active and positive.  When sodium is in excess, they may become volatile, angry or paranoid.

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

 A product related to table salt is monosodium glutamate or MSG.  This food additive is widely used as a flavor enhancer in thousands of prepared foods.  It is also used widely in Chinese cooking, soups and other processed foods.

It causes headaches and other symptoms in many people.  Glutamic acid is a pro-inflammatory amino acid.  The sodium in MSG is not balanced by magnesium or other trace minerals, so it too has a pro-inflammatory effect.

            If one is deficient in magnesium, the effect is even worse.  I suggest avoiding all monosodium glutamate.  For more information about this, read MSG on this website.