Free Information

The digestive tract, which starts in the mouth and ends at the anus, is lined with the gut mucosa which contains tiny glands which secrete juices to help digest food, along with the pancreas and the liver.  Enzymes draw vital nutrients from the food we eat. There is also a complex ecosystem of bacteria that assists in the digestive process.

Modern life styles, food trends and food handling practices are having a negative impact on the body’s production of digestive enzymes and the amount of digestive enzymes we consume.  This also extends to the quality of our gut bacteria.

Modern farming practices and over-farming have depleted the soil of vital minerals.  Plants do not produce their own minerals; therefore, the fruit and vegetable of today are much lower in minerals than that of our parents’ era.

If we want to get any nutrients from our diet we need to optimise our digestion and cash in on what nutrients are left in the soil and food chain.  We definitely have to top up with what nutrients are not available. 

We have been led to believe that grains and cereals are the best source of fibre; however, fruit and vegetables are much better and less complicated to digest.  If fruit and vegetables are not heated, they will retain their natural digestive enzymes which of course will aid digestion and other important processes in the body. 

 

Grains, nuts and seeds have naturally occurring substances in them called enzyme inhibitors.  If these are not released before we consume them, they inhibit our bodies’ production of digestive enzymes.  This compromises our bodies’ ability to digest food properly, putting a lot of strain on the bowel with undigested food, compromising our nutritional status and actually creating a breeding ground for bad bacteria such as candida.

Most people consume at least two serves of bread and flour related products daily.  Unless these have been soaked, fermented or allowed to rise for 24 hours they are inhibiting your digestion with enzyme inhibitors.

There is so much more to learn about this much consumed food product. 

Did you know that white bread and white flour is actually bleached with the same domestic bleach used for cleaning, and then deodorised to remove the strong smell?  These bleaches have been found to cause nervousness and seizures in animals.  In many instances caramelised sugar is added to give white bread a brown colour and then sold as wholemeal or brown bread.  Read the label, if it contains caramel or colouring then it is dyed to make it more marketable.

Sourdough breads that contain vinegar are not genuine sourdough; they are actually just baked breads with the flavour of sourdough.  Genuine sourdoughs are left overnight to raise and have traditional, fermented bakers yeast in them.

“Sprouting, soaking and genuine leavening “pre-digests” grains, allowing the nutrients to be more easily assimilated and metabolised.”   Ref. http://www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Bread  for more information that will put you in no doubt as to which sort of bread you should be buying.

Commercial milk (pasteurised and homogenised) is actually indigestible. 

 

How much heat treated dairy are you eating? 

 

The heat treating process actually destroys the naturally occurring digestive enzymes in milk.  We don’t actually produce these enzymes ourselves.  Heat treating also destroys much of the nutritional value as well. 

 

So why would you consume a product that you can’t digest or get much nutrition from, if any? 

 

Dairy also contains a very dangerous substance called lactose.  This is what causes mucus in our bodies.  This then complicates our health, leading to colds, coughs, heart disease, arthritis and MS.  It gets trapped in our arteries, joints, airways and puts a lot of stress on our liver and kidneys.  In fact, all of organs are eventually affected by this sugar. 

 

We are all lactose intolerant, but you should actually be more worried if you don’t show any symptoms of being lactose intolerant.  It would suggest that your body is storing mucus somewhere which may later cause a complication that won’t appear to be related to the original cause.  Just think of all the diseases and disorders of the modern world.  Many years ago dairy was not heat treated.  

If you can find raw dairy products you are blessed.  They are full of digestive enzymes that have not been destroyed by processing.  Properly fermented products, such as quark, are acceptable as well, as long as they are not homogenised. 

Most commercial yoghurts are not fermented traditionally, so the quality of bacteria is not good enough to survive digestion or the shelf life in the supermarket. 

 

Generally, the high sugar content (including fruit) creates the wrong ph balance for the bacteria to survive.  Most commercial yoghurts are just a dessert with no benefit to your health.

Is it any wonder that people have gluten and dairy intolerances which are rapidly on the rise these days? 

 

Even if you don’t appear to have intolerance to them, these undigested particles are circulating around your body wreaking havoc, causing inflammation and blockages.  Dairy has long been associated with heart disease and bowel disorders.

Oils heated at high temperatures oxidise and cause free radical damage which leads to many diseases, particularly heart disease.  It is preferable to fry in butter or ghee, as these two substances do not oxidise at high temperatures. 

 

Never use margarine as it is full of oxidised oils and preservatives.  Be very careful of new fad products on the market with sweeping nutritional claims; very often they have unlisted additives with side affects.  In order to emulsify or mix these margarines and miracle spreads, they need to be heated at high temperatures; which causes oxidation. 

 

Chemicals are always used to satisfy market expectations, such as colour, texture, shelf life etc.  Old fashioned butter is made of cream, salt and water; naturally, modified versions such as “soft” almost always contain additives.  Always check the list of ingredients.

The best way to feed your body is in five smaller than normal meals per day, and they should be around 4 - 6 hours apart, no more or less or you’ll upset your blood sugar balance.  

Breakfast –morning tea- lunch - afternoon snack – dinner.

 

 

As long as you are honest about what you put in your body and recognise what your body needs to feel well, then you can probably stick to the 80/20 rule.  80% good food by the rules and 20% treats of your choice to indulge in.