Choosing Foods Wisely

[Guest guest]

Good stuff . . .

[NHIS group]

Choosing Foods Wisely

        Posted by: " The SHAE Institute "

nicole.venter@... nixv2004   Date: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:13 am

((PDT))

*Choosing Foods Wisely*

*by Rossoff**, L.Ac.**

© Rossoff, 1997 *

*T*here are many ways to evaluate our everyday food choices. Some people

go by habit, some by whim, some by sensory appeal and still others by

concepts.

**

Macrobiotic literature and teachings offer a detailed understanding of

balanced eating according to the yin-yang system. This is an excellent

way for using foods in healing and for long term wellness. Many people

find that it takes quite a while to successfully apply this yin-yang

approach to their personal, daily eating. I want to share with you a

simpler set of criteria. These may make your overall food choices much

easier.**

There are many ways to evaluate our everyday food choices. Some people

go by habit, some by whim, some by sensory appeal and still others by

concepts.

**

*Four Types of Foods to Avoid***

*(1) Overly concentrated-condensed foods.*

            These include red meats, eggs and

hard cheeses. Excessively salty foods of any kind belong here too. These

foods make you too stiff, tense, uptight, restless and easily agitated.

Further, due to their extremely yang nature, they will naturally make

unstoppable cravings for extremely yin foods. This yo-yo effect is not a

healthy balance since the foods in these two extreme groups are

fundamentally toxic and gradually weakening to our bodies.

*(2) Overly dispersing-expanding foods.*

            Sugars—especially the simple

sugars of dextrose, sucrose and fructose—belong in this group. Common

foods that contain these are soft drinks, chocolate candy or ice cream.

Also within this category is nutra sweet, the artificial substitute for

refined sugars. Recent studies have implicated nutra sweet with brain

cancer. Other extremely yin substances are hard liquor, marijuana and

addictive drugs.

*(3) Overly congesting-congealing foods.*

            Dairy products are the main items

here. From milk, which quickly congests the sinuses, to cheese, which

stagnates the bowels, our body must deal with all the foods we place

into it. When we inundate the body with excessive fats, they will

accumulate over time. Where do cysts come from? They are encapsulated

fat, solely. Mucus-forming foods means the same as congesting foods.

Besides dairy products, this category includes nut butters and greasy

foods.

*(4) All non-human foods. *

            Here we have the myriad man made

substances. These are either added into the food chain by

agribusiness—the pesticides and warehouse fumigants, for example or by

food manufacturers—the dyes, preservatives and flavor " enhancers, " for

example. Whatever justifications these industries offer for using these

substance in our foods, they serve no healthy benefit to our body.

Instead they are toxic over time and in the short run demand healthy

resources to neutralize or eliminate. The body accomplishes this by

exerting more demand on the functions of the liver, kidneys, colon and

lungs. There are other non-human substances that people commonly ingest

such as antibiotics and hormones. These too can create disturbing

effects.

            Avoiding the foods in these four

categories can improve your well being automatically. There will be less

burden on the intestines and all the organs of assimilation, metabolism

and elimination.

            There are four primary distinctions

that may be equally useful in making healthy choices with your daily

eating.**

*Four Types of Foods to Eat*

*(1) Eat vegetable-quality foods, mainly.*

            This is a broad statement about

priorities. All food other than animal meats and by-products (like milk)

are inherently better for us. The next three categories enumerate the

types and selections of vegetable quality foods.

*(2) Eat whole grains and vegetables daily.*

            Macrobiotics has been too closely

associated with brown rice, as though this one food is supreme and

required for wellness. Instead, we need to value grains as a whole.

Within the world of grains are barley, corn, millet, wheat, quinoa, oats

and others. Further, there are flour forms of whole grains, such as

whole wheat breads, and there are partial forms of grains like cous-cous

or white rice. All of these can have a place in our everyday eating.

*(3) Eat protein sources daily.*

            There are two types of protein

sources overall. They are animal or vegetable. Macrobiotics does not

exclude animal foods per se. Rather it stresses the value of vegetable

quality proteins principally. But if you want to be totally vegetarian

then a macrobiotic approach can be a solid, healthy way of eating. For

those who want or need some animal foods, seafoods are the best choice.

This is because they are from the world of water (ocean or fresh), which

is more ancient or primitive than our human life. Also most seafoods are

less yang than other animal foods like poultry, beef, pork or lamb.

            We can make a useful distinction

among vegetable proteins. There are primary protein sources and

secondary sources. It is essential to emphasis the primary ones for best

health. These are beans, tofu, tempeh and seitan. The secondary ones are

seeds, nuts, (and seed or nut butters), seaweeds and miso. The reason I

make this differentiation is to insure good digestion and nutrition.

Seeds and nuts (and their butters even more so) are very difficult to

digest; they can stress the liver and gall bladder, which must produce

and deliver bile for processing the concentrated oils in the nuts. The

reason miso is in this category is that it does not contain enough

protein to fulfill the body's needs.

            We will benefit nutritionally and in

satisfaction when we have a primary protein source once, twice, even

three times a day. The quantity is a personal matter. I see many well

meaning people who intentionally eat very little protein. This is an

error with great consequences. The most common result from eating this

way is chronic hunger, overeating, feeling unsatisfied, and (secret)

binging. The belief that a low protein diet is healing is not valid. It

comes from the association of a high animal food diet being linked to

many cancers and heart disease. But vegetable proteins sources and the

natural vegetable oils they contain are assimilated and utilized in

totally different ways.

*(4) Eat natural sweets and miscellaneous foods in moderation.*

            Natural sweets include barley malt,

rice syrup, honey and maple syrup. The latter is less recommended

because it is so quickly metabolized that it can rapidly throw off blood

sugar levels. The others are much less quickly absorbed, so they provide

an easier response by the stomach, pancreas and liver.

            Fruits are natural sweets indeed. It

is better to eat locally grown ones or choose ones that could grow in

our own climate. This is sensible and easy; it is an obvious way to stay

acclimated to our environment. Fruits are best eaten separate from a

meal. They do not mix well with beans or protein foods, causing gas,

bloating or heart burn. Also, many fruits are more digestible when

cooked (like apple sauce) and even more, when cooked with a pinch of

salt (which also brings out the natural sweetness).

            These simple guidelines are offered

as useful ideas for seeing how to make clear, sensible choices in

everyday eating. Foods must satisfy the taste buds, the stomach, our

emotional life and our quest of wholeness. Enjoy what you eat, with

gratitude and eat in moderation then you will benefit manyfold.****

  ------------------------------

    *© Rossoff, 2004-2005**

www.michaelrossoff.com*