18th September, 2013
In the late nineties, Reader’s Digest Association published a valuable book entitled “Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal”. We listed a small number of the good, healing foods. But there are also some foods to stay away from. Don’t worry, there are more good than bad. It’s just that the bad are so tempting! It’s the old “forbidden fruit” problem.
Back in Eden, God told Adam and Eve, “You can eat all the plants and fruits in the Garden,” then He added, “all except for this one.” Where did their eyes instantly shoot? That tree. Which tree where they were soon hanging around? That forbidden one, the one food choice that would harm them. The twosome should have stayed as far away from trouble as possible.
The same is true for you as you begin a new diet —get rid of the old troublesome one first. We hate to break the news, but sugar is trouble. It stimulates the appetite. People who eat refined, sugary, processed food consume 25 per cent more calories than those who eat natural whole foods. Unfortunately, refined sugar is in everything nowadays, even canned juice and vegetables! And it only takes one tablespoon of refined sugar to impair the immune system for up to four days.
Even the Holy Book says to control your intake of sweets. “Do you like honey? Don’t eat too much of it, or it will make you sick!” Proverbs 25:16(TLB) warns. Honey may be natural but it’s still sugar in the bloodstream. From experience, I can attest that too much sugar of any kind will make you sick. And I know you can live without it!
NOW, OUT WITH THE OLD
Clear your cupboards of anything made with sugar, white flour, packaged mixes, ‘soft’ processed drinks and other depleted, fattening food. Alcoholic drinks in your fridge, ice-cream in your freezer. Whatever tempts you, out with it! If you can’t bear to throw food away, share it among the children and youths around you, or use it up gradually and replace with healthy foods. Clean out your cupboards, refrigerator, and freezers, then you are ready to go shopping.
IN WITH THE NEW
At the market, look out for fresh, healthier foods. Head towards those sections of the market where you will spot all the colourful fruits and vegetables we’ve been raving about. Pick up ingredients for a big salad, select some veggies for soup and several other vegetables for dinner side dishes. Keep your colours in mind and choose accordingly. And don’t forget plenty of onions and garlic, food without seasoning can really be intolerable.
Always choose the freshest, highest quality foods available. Living in Nigeria has it’s advantage! Sometimes I am awed when I walk through a produce section. Look at the abundance God has given our nation. The blessings in Nigeria are truly amazing, aren’t they? I sometimes breath a word of thanks right there in the market.
Pick out some tempting fruits for breakfast and snacking. Bag some lemons and limes for the week. Be sure to stock plenty of seasonings like ginger and garlic and other favourites.
Sometimes the bread shop is near the market. There is nothing wrong with day old bread either. Just watch for mold. And don’t be fooled by packaging and advertising. Content is what you are after! You want whole- grain baked bread with little or no sugar and fat. The purer and simpler the ingredients in your food, the healthier you will be.Learn to read labels; your health depends on it!
In the meat section, select low-fat proteins like chicken, turkey, fresh fish and if you love beef, limit yourself to one special meat of the week.
Choose several grains too: ofada rice, beans, millet (for pap), wheat, and other healthy favourites.
Try to replace pastry snacks with nuts. Buy a bottle of cashew or peanut. If you are on the run and need something quick and nutritious, nothing beats a handful of nuts. But if losing weight is a priority, eat only a serving. They are full of fats. Let the nuts replace your next meat serving
Career women can prepare the week’s meal ahead of time and pop them in the freezer if necessary.
Why do I have to replace the old? You may ask. I’ve heard people ask questions like: why can’t I freely empty my bowels everyday? Meaning they have problem defecating.
You may not think that you’re constipated, but in reality, it is VERY likely that you ARE.
You see, constipation is not simply “not being able to go”, or only eliminating once a week…that’s severe constipation. The truth is, a healthy digestive system should be eliminating after every meal.
Are you moving your bowels several times a day, once for every meal you eat? If not, you are suffering from constipation, which will cause a build up of toxins and undigested, rotten, putrid food in your digestive system.
This can make it much harder for you to lose fat while also wreaking havoc on your digestive system and overall health…really bad stuff. Just imagine all that rotted, disgusting food sitting there in your digestive system.
BRACE UP WITH EXERCISE
You’ve got to make a gradual shift from the old sluggish life to a new active life.
The following gentle exercises will help to balance your digestion. Some twists increase blood flow to the bowels and when followed by rest helps the movement of the bowels. The twists have also been shown to reduce inflammation, gastritis and strengthen the intestines.
In a write up titled ‘Exercise For Digestion’, Dr Joel Villeneuve, outlined some helpful exercise for easy digestion of food.
1.FORWARD FOLDING
Stand tall
Bend forward with back and legs straight as far as you are comfortable and hold for 15 seconds
Relax and repeat two times
Health Benefit: Massages digestive organs and brings fresh oxygen and blood flow to digestion
2. LYING TWIST
Great option for those with back injuries as it does not increase the pressure on the discs.
Method:
Lay on your back with your legs straight
Place your arms straight out to either side
Exhale fully & bring your knees to your chest
Stabilize the upper body by keeping it quiet and twist the lower spine and knees to the left side
Hold for 15 seconds and rest
Repeat two times
The Repeat opposite side
Health Benefit: All twisting poses improve blood flow to the digestive areas, assist mobility, reduce inflammation, reduce gas , pain and balances digestion
3. SEATED TWISTING
Method:
Version 1- Straight Leg Version
Sit with your back straight and tall, legs straight in front
Place your left foot over your right knee on the floor
Twist your upper spine to the left
Version 2- Open Version
Sit with your back straight and tall, legs straight in front
Bend your right knee so that your foot is tucked into your left thigh as high as it will to ( as in photo), this version is excellent for pregnant women, those with injuries to the spine and those who are overweight.
Place your left foot over your right knee on the floor
Twist your upper spine to the left
Health Benefit: All twisting poses improve blood flow to the digestive areas, assist mobility, reduce inflammation, reduce gas , pain and balances digestion
4. STANDING TWIST
Of the three twist variations, lunging twists allow for the most movement in the spine. The pelvis and shoulders rotate in opposite directions. If the arms are not forcefully creating oppositional pressure, there is minimal risk to the spine. Continue training yourself to twist during the pause after exhalation so your abdominal muscles are called into action.
Health Benefit: This move wakes the digestive system and helps constipation and regularity
Version 1- Lunge with arms in prayer
Stand in lunge position with left leg forward
Gently twist to the left and place your hands in prayer position touching your right elbow to your left knee.
Hold for 15 seconds and repeat on the right side
Repeat opposite side
Repeat both two times.
Version 2- Legs straight with arms to the ground
Stand in warrior position with your left leg forward and legs straight
Place your right hand on the floor on the outside of the left foot
Twist your upper spine until you feel the full stretch and hold for 15 seconds
Repeat with opposite side
Repeat two times
5. FINAL RELAXATION
Active digestion happens after twisting has ceased. When resting in savasana (final relaxation) or seated in a meditation practice the nerves in the tongue, esophagus and gut relax. Only when the perception (or misperception) of danger has passed does the blood concentrate around the internal organs of digestion and elimination. That is how yoga, meditation, stress reduction and breathing support digestion. Yoga calms us by training our nervous system to transition from a flight, fight, freeze response (the sympathetic nervous system) to a restorative, digestive and healing response (parasympathetic nervous system).