Nutrition

We have all been taught some kind of basics about nutrition, but have we really been informed accurately. I’m finding out through personal illnesses, experiences, and my own research into medical issues, that what I was led to believe about nutrition isn’t quite the reality of how our bodies actually function. It’s a huge eye opener how medications have become the instant cure for any ailment or in some cases temporary cures for inconveniences. Instead of turning to nature’s whole foods as a resource for health, we’ve been taught to take a man-made synthetic chemical (a pill) to fix our problem.

Are you still with me even though I mentioned nature and whole foods? Most people stop right there and silence you in their mind when you talk to them about whole foods. They’ve instantly categorized you as “One of those” or you’re a fanatic, or one of those nutty people. Why do we instantly think that way? I have to admit, I am one of those people that think that way; I’m probably the #1 skeptic about things. I recall in my early 20′s, when my husband and I both worked for a living, while raising children and could only think about the quickest meal to make and pretty much the quickest everything because we were so tired most of the time. All we thought about was junk food, fast food, restaurants, and then medications, etc. I thought you weren’t living without the latest junk food craze or if it wasn’t microwaveable it wasn’t food worth my time. I was lucky enough to be able to eventually stay at home with my children and that was when I started valuing homemade oven-cooked meals at least 2 days out of the week; eating out the other 5 days a week.

I heard of whole foods and organic food, but wasn’t clear what they really were. What are they? A whole food is a natural food especially when grown organically. What is organic?

The dictionary says the following meanings: 1) derived from living organisms, having properties associated with living organisms. 2) affecting a bodily organ: an organic disease, 3) marked by, or involving the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin 4) Raised or conducted without the use of drugs, hormones, or synthetic chemicals. 5) Simple, healthful, and close to nature.

So to sum up whole foods, we’re looking at naturally grown (fruits, veggies, herbs, roots, nuts, and seeds from those items) organic (living organisms, without chemical pesticides, hormones, or synthetic chemicals, healthful and close to nature).

What is nutrition really? Proper nutrition is made up of a balance of 5 major parts: Amino acids (Proteins), Glucose (Carbs), Fatty acids, Vitamins and Minerals. (I’ll go into detail about the function of each part later ) If you have too many of any one part, its harmful to your body in some way. Fat is malnutrition. Fat is where foreign/toxic gunk that we put into our bodies is held in storage until the body figures out what to do with it. Proper nutrition allows your body to achieve 3 things: Nourishment, Balance, and Cleansing.

To me, the important part of nutrition is that our bodies are a living miracle. What’s miraculous about our body is that if it is fed proper nutrition it can pretty much fight off any disease and prevent disease. This is where the Philosophy of Regeneration comes in, which is when you feed the body the right combinations of whole, natural foods; you can achieve optimum well-being (The state of being healthy, happy, or prosperous). In simple terms, when the body is balanced, it works better, and you feel better! A healthy body is self-adjusting and automatically self-regulating. We don’t need synthetic medicines to live. Of course, if a crisis arises, medical treatment may be necessary. Proper nutrition is a choice to prevent needing medical intervention.

So how do we get proper nutrition? By eating organic whole foods. Unfortunately, with today’s produce often force-grown in depleted soils, sprayed with toxic chemicals, shipped for miles and stored for months, It’s impossible to eat or juice enough fresh fruit and vegetables, to get your body’s daily nutritional requirements. So what do we do? What do I eat? That’s what I’ve been searching for.

As your personal test dummy for nutrition, (because I’m such a skeptic, that’s what I feel like), I’ve finally found whole foods that actually work to achieve higher nutrition! I’ve been consistently eating them for only 1 year and 3 months and am excited to share everything I’ve noticed that’s been going on with my body. I will write more articles to share shortly.

Copyright © 2006 Julie Wittmann. All rights reserved.

Additional Articles:

Are you tired of being tired and having no energy?
Nutrition & whole foods made easy