The Prevention Diet and Lifestyle
By James Ong
NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE RULES TO FOLLOW FOR PREVENTION OF CANCER, CARDIOVASCULAR AND OTHER CHRONIC, DEGENERATIVE DISEASES
1. Eat whole, organic or natural (antibiotic-, hormone- and chemical-free) foods and eat vegetables, sprouts and fruits raw whenever possible. Try to eat at least 50% of your fruits and vegetables raw to provide your diet with adequate enzymes.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil and eat them before they do.
3. Try to achieve a macronutrient balance at each meal where 20% of your calories are from proteins, 30% from fats & oils, and 50% from unrefined carbohydrates.
4. Eat organically/naturally raised or wild-caught meat including fish, poultry, beef, lamb, mutton, venison and eggs. Beef, lamb, mutton and venison should come from hormone-free, free-ranging, grass-fed animals.
5. Eat organically/naturally grown fruits and vegetables preferably from local sources for maximum freshness. Aim for 7-9 servings of fruits & vegetables across the rainbow color spectrum daily. Why not you grow some on your own if space permits?
6. Make seed foods (e.g. pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, beans and lentils), which are rich in Vitamin B17, an anti-cancer nutrient, a regular part of your diet. Sprout them and use daily. Eat kernels of the fruit you consumed.
7. Eat eggs from free range hens that have access to green grass, insects and worms. Prefer Omega-3 rich eggs.
8. Eat whole grains more than flour-based foods. Learn to make your own bakery products. Better still, consider buying a flour mill and make your own flour. Ideally, whole grains and nuts should have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors and other anti-nutrients.
9. For shortening in baked goods use organic dairy butter or extra virgin coconut oil.
10. Use extra virgin olive oil, organic dairy butter, macadamia nut oil or extra virgin coconut oil for sautéing and higher-temperature cooking. Use flaxseed walnut, almond or sesame oils in small amounts in salads, soups, broths, porridge and smoothies. Do not cook with them. All oils should be cold-pressed and unrefined.
11. Eat only fresh, non-rancid foods. Rancidity can be detected by its characteristic odor. Keep nuts and seeds that are rich in oils refrigerated if possible.
12. Ensure that you have enough friendly bacteria in your gut to promote optimal functioning of your digestive system by including enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented dairy (e.g. cheese, yogurt, kefir, lassi), vegetables (e.g. kimchi, sauerkraut), fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
13. Prepare homemade, gelatin-rich, meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
14. Use only organic or natural dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream whenever possible. Why not learn to make your own cheese, yogurt and ice cream from organic/natural milk?
15. Drink spring water and organic/natural unsweetened (or lightly sweetened) juices in place of other beverages. Use a good juicer to juice raw vegetables and fruits for maximum enzyme and nutrient content.
16. Drink herb teas and coffee substitutes. For those who love coffee, drink no more than 2 cups of organically-grown coffee a day. Regular (light roasted) is best. Go for a varied, diverse menu of beverages including green, peppermint, ginger, Rooibos, chamomile and dandelion teas and hot chocolate. All preferably organic. Coffees and teas are best drunk after some food has already been eaten, not on empty stomachs.
17. Drink only natural organic red wine made from unsprayed grapes fermented with the skins without the presence of sulfites and refining agents. Drink no more than 1 glass a day (for women) and 2 glasses a day (for men).
18. Use natural sweeteners in strict moderation, e.g. raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated sugar cane juice, molasses, agave nectar, xylitol and luo han guo.
19. Shop more often in a health food store and wisely in a supermarket, spending most of your time around the perimeter of the latter (where the fresh and least processed foods are found). Be a label detective.
20. Be wary of food labels that say “permitted colors, flavors and preservatives.” You do not know what they are and their long term effects are not established.
21. Take your meals at regular timings and at regular amounts. Don’t skip breakfast.
22. Eat slowly and chew your food properly. Enjoy your food thoroughly, away from distractions such as work and TV.
DON’TS
1. Don’t eat commercially processed foods such as cookies, cakes, crackers, TV dinners, soft drinks, packaged sauce mixes, etc.
2. Avoid all high-glycemic index foods containing refined sweeteners such as sugar, dextrose, glucose and high fructose corn syrup.
3. Avoid white flour, white flour products, white bread and white rice. These are also high in the glycemic index.
4. Don’t eat foods containing chemical preservatives, dyes, artificial colors, etc.
5. Don’t eat “foodless” snacks. Plan for proper balance. Go for natural, whole foods snacks made from grains, sprouts, beans, seeds and nuts.
6. Don’t eat commercial meat from animals that have been raised with hormones, antibiotics or other chemicals or from animals that have been inhumanely raised. Avoid farmed fish.
7. Don’t eat sausages, hotdogs and salami and avoid smoked meats. They are high in fat, nitrates and salt.
8. Don’t eat sprayed, fumigated, dyed, waxed, irradiated or genetically-modified fruits and vegetables.
9. Avoid canned fruits and vegetables in favor of fresh or fresh frozen, because vital nutrients are lost in the canning process. Most canned fruits are over-sweetened and many canned vegetables are overcooked.
10. Avoid artificial food additives, especially MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and aspartame, which are neurotoxins. Most soups, sauce and broth mixes and commercial condiments contain MSG, even if not so labeled.
11. Don’t eat eggs produced by hens that have been inhumanely raised in small cages, force fattened and treated with chemicals and antibiotics.
12. Don’t use heat-treated oils with preservatives or hydrogenated shortenings such as margarine. Refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) oils may still contain free radicals which increase health risks. Avoid Omega-6 rich vegetable oils such as those extracted from corn, soy, sunflower, safflower and rice.
13. Don’t use deep fat frying as fatty acids break down at high temperatures. Avoid fried foods as they are carcinogenic.
14. Avoid rancid seeds, nuts, grains and foods cooked in rancid fats as they contain carcinogens.
15. Don’t drink processed milk such as pasteurized, homogenized, dried or canned or eat pasteurized milk products which contain artificial flavoring and sweeteners, etc. If you can’t get access to raw milk (which is the case for most of us), consume organic/natural dairy milk in lacto-fermented form, which restores the enzymes and are better digested. Most cheeses are made from raw milk. Goat’s milk is more nutritious and better digested than cow’s milk.
16. Don’t drink soft drinks with or without sugar, especially diet soft drinks containing aspartame, a dangerous neurotoxin. Avoid stimulating drinks which exhaust the adrenals and pancreas. Hence caffeinated beverages or foods (e.g. tea, coffee and chocolate) should be consumed in strict moderation.
17. Don’t drink commercial tea or coffee. Do not drink dark roasted coffee, as it has more carcinogens.
18. Don’t drink distilled liquor or wine as this process separates the alcohol from the minerals, vitamins, important phytochemicals and other important therapeutic agents.
19. Don’t buy and eat junk foods from supermarkets and, especially, convenience stores. Shop the perimeter of the supermarket where most of the fresh, least processed foods are.
20. Avoid drinking from plastic bottles as pseudo-estrogens leach from them contributing to hormonal imbalances to male and female. It can also contribute to premature puberty amongst girls.
23. Avoid ice-cold drinks during meal times as their very low temperature is incompatible with your gut’s and can hinder the digestive system’s functioning. Most enzymes work best within a certain temperature range. So as not to dilute your precious digestive enzymes, drink only small sips of water during meals and most of your water in between meals.
24. Do not over-eat. Try to stop eating when you are about 80% full (hari hachi bu, according to the Okinawans).
OTHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook only in stainless steel, Corning or enamel ware, ceramic or glass. Do not use aluminum.
2. Do not use a microwave oven.
3. Use drinking water liberally, preferably well, spring or filtered water. Most of us should be drinking 8-10 8 oz. glasses of clean, pure water daily.
4. Frequently use moist cooking methods such as soups and stews. Boiling, steaming, poaching, stir-frying (sautéing), baking are healthier forms of cooking than roasting, deep-frying and char-grilling.
5. Use natural, unrefined sea salt (rich in many minerals and trace elements) modestly and watch labels for hidden refined salts in foods and avoid them.
6. Use a variety of herbs and spices in cooking-thyme, oregano, mint, garlic, shallots, chives, chilli, pepper, turmeric, ginger, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, etc.-for food interest and for stimulating the appetite and the gastric juices.
7. The use of lime juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar aids in maintaining good gastric acidity. Use them liberally for enhancing appetite and digestion.
8. In addition, don’t forget the importance of taking supplements, minimizing stress, thinking positive thoughts, listening to good Christian/classical/jazz/popular music, laughing often, gathering with family and friends, practicing forgiveness, being charitable, and getting plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light (full spectrum)!
9. Supplements that most of us need to consume on a daily basis are a high-potency multivitamin/mineral complex, additional calcium and magnesium, essential fatty acids containing EPA, DHA and GLA, additional antioxidants (look for a formula containing carotenoids, C, E, zinc, selenium, CoQ10, plant antioxidants) and probiotics.
10. Maintain a healthy weight and more importantly, body fat composition. For men, it should be 20-22% or less and for women, 33-34% or less. Visceral fat is even more important and we should aim for less than 13% of visceral or abdominal fat. You can measure your body fat composition by using a BIA (bioelectric impedance analysis) monitor.
11. Don’t smoke and quit if you do. Get professional help to get rid of the habit. It could be the single best thing you are doing for your health.
12. Use natural, eco-friendly household cleaners and natural or organic personal care products as often as possible.
13. Engage in vigorous aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week for about 20-30 minutes, preferably out in the open but away from pollution. Work towards achieving target heart rates between 75-85% of your maximum heart rate (which is 220 minus your age). However, do not over-exercise as it may over-stress the heart, muscles and joints and lead to excess production of free radicals. Remember: you don’t have t be a marathon or long-distance runner to be healthy. If you have not started on an exercise program for a long time, you may wish to seek medical advice first before commencing. Work your way up gradually from 50% and try to achieve 80-85% in six months. Remember to stretch and loosen up before and after exercise. Your exercise program should also include anaerobic or strength-building exercises.
14. As a general rule, avoid the use of pharmaceutical medicines and if possible, use them only as a last resort. Try reversing your health condition through natural means first before resorting to man-made, synthetic, medicines. Diet and lifestyle changes and natural supplements, herbs, aromatherapy, physical manipulation of the body (e.g. massage, osteopathy, chiropractic) and homeopathic medicines can work wonders for many health conditions, especially chronic ones. Most pharmaceutical drugs work by masking or suppressing symptoms but do not address the root cause of diseases.