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The Importance of a Healthy Diet

Although I can appreciate all of the fine qualities derrived from natural alternatives, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING ANY HERB FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES.

I am sure many of you are wondering what in the world a "healthy diet" has to do with herbal therapies. The answer - Everything!!!

Every day we ingest harmful chemical additives, preservatives, pesticides, etc. with and in our food. We breathe filthy air, drink chemically-saturated water. This severely taxes the liver and other important organs, including the heart and brain. Our bodies are not equipped to handle these toxins, and they end up stored in our body tissues. This storage creates an ongoing health problem that can manifest in many mysterious ways.

In my herbal practice, I advocate using as natural a diet as possible. This doesn't mean that you have to become a vegetarian! It simply means eating natural wholesome foods. Become a label reader. I am sure that after you read the labels on a few of your favorite junk foods that you will be shocked. Most of the ingredients will be difficult if not impossible to pronounce. Most of the ingredients you won't have a clue as to why they are in your food. And they shouldn't be there! We were not designed to eat preservatives and artificial colors and flavors.

When you ingest these chemical additives at the same time you are undergoing herbal therapies, you are adding to the levels of substances the body must deal with. For example, there is rising evidence that aspartame, aka NutraSweet and other industry buzz names, can cause seizures, multiple sclerosis, and a host of documented serious side affects. Imagine coupling that problem with the attempt to heal with herbal therapy. There sits a contradiction if ever there was one. Over time, the continued ingestion of these additives to food can manifest in other nasty ways, i.e. cancers, deformities, mental retardation, etc.

There are many documented illnesses, ranging from chronic fatigue to heart disease to Alzheimer's, all attributed to a poor diet full of today's "convenience" foods. You can be incredibly overweight and still be very malnourished. You can take herbal or synthetic treatments for diseases and illnesses all day every day, take multivitamins every day, but the overall affects of a poor diet cannot be overcome in this way. Only changing the way you eat can keep you healthy and prolong your life. With a proper diet, you will discover that you get ill a lot less often, that when you do get ill the illness is not prolonged, that you are able to maintain your weight, that you have more energy, and you have more sex drive.

So what can you do? Learn to eat in a manner that nourishes your body. Learn what foods contain the nutrients your body needs. Learn to feed the body what it craves in a healthy manner. Learn to eat the foods that don't clash with your herbal therapies. I am sure most of you are very familiar with the special problems that malnourishment can create for your health. Eating well and properly can seriously decrease these problems and their potential for permanent harm.

I recommend eating as close to a natural diet as possible. This means cutting out all junk foods, soft drinks, processed foods, fried foods, white sugar, etc. You and your body don't need to deal with the incredible amounts of crud, or empty calories, in those items. And you will be surprised how much better you feel, how much more energy you will have, after this simple act of removal.

You should be eating a diet high in fiber, low in saturated fat, and low in refined sugars (preferably removing them completely!). Sweeten your drinks and foods with honey or stevia instead. Eat foods every day that are high in vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and selenium.

These nutrients protect the liver, heart, brain, and other organs from free radical damage. Limit your caffeine intake, or stop using it altogether (caffeine can cause breast tenderness and pain). Limit red meats (have you seen the crap that goes into cattle feed?!), and add fresh fish to your diet at least twice per week. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens, whole grains, and legumes. Pay attention to getting enough calcium in your diet to promote healthy bones and teeth, by eating natural organic yogurt, drinking natural organic milk, eating natural (not processed!) organic cheeses, eating enough dark leafy greens (spinach is an excellent source of calcium!). For those of you who are lactose-intolerant, you owe it to yourself to give whole organic goat milk a try. Many people who are diagnosed as lactose-intolertant find they have no problems when drinking/using whole goat milk. This is because most goat farmers don't feed their goats the additives most cattle feed has, and the composition is different than cow milk.

When you make your salads, folks, do steer away from using iceberg lettuce. There is very little nutritional value in iceberg. Instead, use dark lettuces, and for a flavorful treat, try adding some fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, cilantro, etc. You'll be increasing your nutrient intake while getting a pleasant change of taste. And simple herbal vinegars beat the pants off of many of those fattening salad dressings.

There are great health benefits to lowering your protein intake. Most Americans eat far more meat than is necessary for a healthy diet. Too much animal protein is rough on the digestive system, as well as rough on the waistline. Try shrinking your portions, and making up the difference with foods that add bulk. Substitute a bean dish for meat at least once a week. Substitute tofu for meat at least once per week. When you buy juice, read the label! You will be shocked at how many popular juices on the market today contain high fructose corn syrup, and far less actual juice than you realize. Drink healthy herbal teas instead of soft drinks. Adding foods made with fresh garlic, and foods that contain whole oats, can lower your cholesterol in a natural, healthy way.

If you are taking synthetic hormones, or using licorice or black cohosh, you will want to be sure to get enough foods that are rich in potassium. These items tend to leach potassium from the body when taken over a long period of time.

There are many excellent books out there dealing with the benefits of a healthy diet. Get yourself to a health food store or book store and start browsing. You'll be surprised to find how many common illnesses can be controlled or eliminated with a healthy eating regimen!

And of course, there is always exercise. Exercise is vitally important to the overall health of the body, and vitally important to eliminating excess calories. You should be doing some form of exercise each and every day. You don't need to join the local gym to get exercise. A simple brisk walk every day is a good place to start.

Following these guidelines will get you started on your way to a healthier lifestyle. Soon it will become a good habit rather than a chore. Most of my clients notice a change in their energy levels within a week or two. Most also experience an increase in sexual desire and function, as well as a much lower incidence of illness. And one day in the not too distant future, you will wonder how you ever functioned while eating all that junk!

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