How To Use Food as Medicine

Extract from Elixir: How To Use Food as Medicine by Janella Purcell
Allen & Unwin 2004

Weight Loss

Permanent weight loss requires a lifetime commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Getting to know yourself, spiritually, physically and emotionally, is essential to weight loss.

It is important not to feel deprived, which is why it is essential to know what you can eat as well as what to avoid.

Try to view your weight loss as improving the health of your whole body, not just about the way you look.

Helpful Foods

• fruits that are low in carbohydrates and calories-apples, rockmelon, grapefruit, strawberries and watermelon, lemons, limes and grapefruits eaten with the seeds and a little of the inner peel is an excellent weight loss remedy -squeeze a whole lemon in some warm water each morning but avoid if you already have too much acid in the stomach or ulcers

• GLAs (gamma linolenic acid) is very important for weight loss and is great for those who have or are consuming excessive amounts of animal protein-spirulina is the richest source and its nutrients are easy to digest and absorb (it also helps cleanse the body of waste from animal products), and wheatgrass and chlorella are great sources too
  

• wheatgrass reduces appetite
• watercress is fabulous for weight loss
• daikon (Chinese white radish) helps the liver to process fats
• pickles and sauerkraut assist in the absorption of fats, although these should be eaten only in small amounts due to their high salt and vinegar content -a raw food such as pickles or sauerkraut may be eaten anytime you're eating a cooked food
  

• bitter foods including rye, amaranth, quinoa, oats, lettuce, celery, asparagus, shallots and rocket
• hummus is a nice snack
• moderate avocado consumption if you already have a high dietary fat background
• protein sources, such as fish and legumes, can increase your metabolism by 30 per cent
• complex carbohydrates such as wholegrains, legumes, fruit and vegetables become sweeter the more you chew them and should make up the majority of your diet.

Foods to Avoid

• processed foods and animal products
• refined flour, sugar and salt as they upset metabolism and digestion
• deep-fried foods and those heavy in oil-nuts, seeds and avocados are to be eaten occasionally only
• packaged foods and drinks-and of course all junk food
• eggs are difficult to digest and slow down the function of the liver-eat only two a week and be sure they are free-range or organic
• eating too many fats causes the liver to become sluggish, making the job of the stomach and pancreas more difficult, therefore decrease fats from animals (dairy and red meat) -goats milk is the only dairy that is recommended as it normalises weight
• refined and processed oils-gaining weight from fats is twice as likely to happen than from eating protein or complex carbohydrates
• avoid artificial sweeteners-they increase appetite and cause digestive problems
• limit sweet and salty foods-salty foods promote fluid in the body and tend to make us crave sweet foods
• go easy on bananas, cherries, corn, dates, dried fruit, figs, grapes, green peas, pears, pineapple, sweet potatoes, potatoes and white rice-eat any carbohydrates for lunch, not at your evening meal
• alcohol.

Supplements

• psyllium husks cut down hunger pain as they are a bulking agent-drink with a couple of glasses of water half an hour before meals-and they are also a good source of fibre and help with blood sugar levels
• chromium picolinate reduces sugar cravings and is available as a supplement
• kelp aids in weight loss and is available as a supplement, in powder or tablets
• lecithin breaks down fat so it can be removed from the body
• vitamin C speeds up metabolism, therefore helps you burn more calories
• essential fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, flaxseed and evening primrose oil all help control appetite-available as supplements
• spirulina stabilises blood sugar and is a great source of useable protein -blend with soy/rice milk, honey or rice syrup and fruit to replace a meal when feeling stressed.

Obesity has also been linked to food sensitivities and allergies, probably due to insufficient liver function from eating too many animal fats and heavy, complex foods.

Herbal Medicine

• gymnema for sugar cravings by balancing blood sugar
• St Mary's thistle for liver support, thereby aiding digestion
• astragalus improves nutrient absorption, also is a great energy booster
• cayenne, cinnamon and ginger for digestion and metabolism of fat
• fennel removes fat from the intestinal tract and it also has slimming properties and is an appetite suppressant
• fenugreek dissolves fat in the liver
• bladderwrack regulates weight loss and low thyroid gland function
• ginger, cloves, cumin, fennel and cayenne increase energy and metabolism
• yarrow, parsley, dandelion leaf, corn silk (inside silky part of corn), celery and alfalfa seeds as teas help with fluid retention
• green tea, ginger and fenugreek aid digestion and metabolism.

Lifestyle factors

• don't be as concerned with calorie counting, concentrate on eating a balanced, healthy diet
• drink eight glasses of pure water daily-don't drink it cold, always at room temperature, as cold water slows down digestion; and try not to drink with meals as this also messes up digestion
• eat simply and enjoy your food
• fall in love
• follow your heart
• alcohol makes you fat as it interferes with the burning of fat from fatty deposits
• avoid constipation by eating more fibre
• exercise helps to balance blood sugar levels and helps blood and energy to flow freely throughout the body
• sunlight (in moderate amounts only) stimulates hormones, thereby promoting weight loss
• don't eat or drink alcohol after 8 p.m.
• don't eat when stressed-instead have something easy to digest such as broths or miso soup
• chew!-this is very important for proper digestion
• don't have foods you are avoiding in your cupboard-create a pantry that will help you, not make it harder
• don't go food shopping when you are hungry
• avoid crash/fad diets
• you don't have to be skinny-curves are healthy and gorgeous
• evening meals should be the lightest of the day
• in the morning make a tea with any of the following: burdock, dandelion, chamomile or chicory; wheatgrass, spirulina and juices are great in the morning too
• for sugar cravings, drink some licorice tea
• sugar substitutes (still need to be consumed in moderation) are molasses, rice syrup, barley malt, pear or apple concentrate, agave syrup, amasake (pounded rice product),
• stevia (herb that is 300 times sweeter than sugar-available from health food stores in a powder or liquid)
• try not to see yourself through others' eyes
• fluid retention results when your body cannot use a food-it is then stored in the tissues and is harder to burn when there is an inadequate amount of certain nutrients as they are accumulated in the body
• bake, stir-fry, steam or cook in a cast-iron pan-avoid frying.