On a Mission for Good Nutrition

 

ECZEMA, NUTRITION and WHOLE FOOD THERAPY    

Nature ... helping us to Nurture!   

Eczema and Nutrition should be bedfellows.  Nutritional support of the immune system is an important step in alleviating the symptoms of eczema and one that is often overlooked. 

Unfortunately, in our modern society the word nutrition is heard as a scary negative.  Many people seem frightened or overwhelmed by this word and what it may require of them.  They may feel that nutrition and a healthy whole food eating regime requires from them more input of time and effort into food preparation or even learning to cook!  Some may feel that they have to go without life's little yummies or give up sweet things etc .  Not so.  Nature provides so many yummies and sweet things already, food that even com es pre- packaged in biodegradable, recyclable and unique skins. 

With a little knowledge, a splash of time and a pinch of love, you can create very tasty nutritious meals and snacks using virgin ingredients from nature's pantry.   I won't try to cover up the fact that yes ... it does require of you more input as far as time and effort are concerned. This does not mean spending endless hours in the kitchen at all.  When you plan  and prepare ahead you will barely notice the extra time and effort involved and as you start to feel healthier and feel more vitality, you may find it won't be an effort at all.  Look out for tips on food uses, preparation and storage on food & amp; lifestlye programs on TV, there are plenty of cooking shows on telly these days and you can apply alot of this information to your own specific diet. 

 

OUR INSTANT SOCIETY

The introduction of the ‘industrial age' has helped to create a society of ‘instant' addicts.  This instant society wan ts the end product right now.  If we want soup, all we have to do is tear open a paper package, pour some powder into a cup and add hot water ... instant soup! You can have a roast dinner on your plate in minutes by simply placing a 'TV dinner' - a plastic container with  a cellophane cover, containing highly processed food products - into a microwave oven and zap it for a few minutes ... vwalla! ... instant roast dinner. 

I question the nutritious value of these products and remain acutely aware of the ‘hidden' dangers of these powdered and processed foods.  I know I am not the only one! There are many of you who question these instant foods.  How nutritious are they?  How do these foods affect my child's behaviour? How do the preservatives and other additives affect my general health and well being?  How do these foods affect my skin and allergies?  The answer to these questions is becoming more and more obvious and the answer is not good!  There are regular segments on all the current affairs news programs every other week about the issue of food additives and chemicals and the nutritional quality of the food we are being sold,  the ill effects that it has on our health and the health and behaviour of our children. 

Rather than shopping blindly by product name, reputation or advertising tricks, take a stand -be an individual and demand quality from the suppliers of the foods you buy.  Refuse to buy these 'dangerous goods' and choose to spend your hard earned money on quality whole foods and foods that have been minimally processed and packaged without the use of dangerous chemicals and additives. 

 

DO NOT BELIEVE THE ADVERTISING ON THE FRONT OF THE PACKAGING or even the media advertising about the product - it is often misleading.  Really, that's all it is - advertising.  It is designed to draw you in to buy the product.  It does not tell you the whole truth of the food or cosmetic product you are buying.  What does a cartoon character or talking animals and plants really have to do with breakfast cereal? 

These characters and the advertising companies, the food and beverage corporations and the chemical manufacturers behind these products DO NOT love your children and your families; they DO NOT work hard to protect and feed them; they ARE NOT the ones paying your medical bills when someone you love becomes chronically ill.  THEY JUST WANT YOUR MONEY! 

IT'S YOUR CHOICE

It's up to you to decide what you and your family eat.  You be the judge of what is right and healthy for yourself and your family.  You can make an educated decision about what is a healthy breakfast or snack; or what are suitable and nutritious foods for you and your family.  This responsibility belongs to you, not some ludicrous singing, swinging, made-up, fake character!  As a life-experienced adult, I find it quite objectionable to see fictional characters, animated animals or even young children telling me what to eat, what is good for me or even how much insurance I need!  YOU are your own best judge of that.

FICTION vs FACT

When you next go grocery shopping and pick up what seems to be advertised as a healthy product, turn it over and read the labeling on the back.  That's where you will find the real information.  This is where you will find an ingredients list and nutritional statement.  The ingredients list will tell you more about the product than the label on the front.  The label on the front is the lure. Sadly, even the ingredients list is not giving you the whole story either.  Most food additives have a number, which is used on the labels.  If you don't know what the numbers refer to, then reading the label probably means nothing to you?   check out the article on additives that affect eczema for a small sample of the poisons being added to our foods.

Many ingredients are listed on the packaging by their chemical name which is often hard to read or even pronounce. When you don't know what Ethylenediamine Tetraacetic Acid is, or you have trouble even saying it, it is easy to give up on reading labels.  I don't know what this stuff is either, but I do know that it has the potential to cause asthma, abdominal pain, skin rashes, skin & eye irritation, kidney damage and teratogen.  I also know that it is used in hair dyes, shower gel and shampoo as well as metal plating, dishwashing liquid and as an agricultural chemical spray.  I know this through my own research. 

Once you know and understand what the numbers refer to and what these long chemical names hide, you may find yourself diligent in reading ingredients labels so as to be sure you are not poisoning yourself or your family.

 

CONSUMERISM AT ITS BEST or AT ITS WORST?

We are a society of consumers; there is a lot of pressure on our time and high demand for quick and easy products - advertising fills the gap between the consumer and the manufacturer.  The introduction of the ‘industrial age' heralded the birth of the food processing plant and many whole foods made their way to these processing lines.  By the time these once whole foods have passed through the factory they may have been dried out, squeezed out, reconstituted, chemically preserved, pickled and bleached; broken down, stripped bare of nutrition then synthetically pumped up again and packaged, boxed up by the truck load and then shipped off to supermarkets around the world in packaging that is often misleading. 

Many products advertise their so-called goodness with added vitamins, minerals, or other important nutritional aids.  Many of theses added vitamins are synthetic, that is, made in a lab, rather than naturally sourced from whole foods.  Often these synthetic additives have no more nutritional value than adding talcum powder.  Some are even thought to interfere with the body's ability to uptake real nutrition from food.  Don't be fooled by a manufacturers attempt to jump on the Health band wagon.

TASTY NATURE

As a result of this we seem to have lost the taste for nature at its finest and purist.  Instead we feed our bodies on highly processed consumables, some that don't even look like the original food any more or even taste like it; colours and flavours may be tampered with and are often overstated so as to trick your senses with false looks, sweetness or tastiness to encourage you to buy the product again.

The human body did not evolve on processed foods and chemical additives...

Humans evolved eating red meats and whole foods; raw vegetables, raw fruits, nuts, herbs, grains and pulses and animal products and by-products such as dairy, eggs and yes even fish.  The human body is designed to draw nutrients from the foods we eat.  Our body draws vitamin C from citrus fruits, Vitamin A and Beta-carotene from carrots, iron from dark green veggies and calcium from dairy products and an assortment of vegetables; some of our whole foods come from the ocean such as fish, a great source of omega fatty acids and seaweed which contains useful amounts of minerals such as selenium, zinc and iodine. 

Vine ripened fruits and vegetables contain natural sugars that are essential for the wellbeing and strength of our immune system.  There are foods such as tomatoes, that contain an antioxidant which is useful in preventing prostate cancer; many berries are high in anti-oxidants and many more whole foods provide all important fibre. 

... AND THEY TASTE FANTASTIC ...

Without these important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, natural sugars and fibres etc., the functions of the human body; the vital organs; endocrine, circulatory and immune systems, will all at some stage begin to deteriorate and fail which may result in health problems such as auto-immune diseases - inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, eczema and allergies and  lupus - as well as other chronic diseases such as cancers, heart disease and degenerative illnesses like Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Osteoporosis. 

It is my belief that the modern ‘western' diet of highly processed foods and the supplies of fruits and vegetables that are green-harvested, are huge contributors to these diseases as well as other modern chronic diseases like obesity and ADD/ADHD.

The human race may well eat itself into non-existence if we continue as a collective on this path of dietary self destruction.

Nutrition is food -  food is energy for the body and the mind -  energy is required for the whole body to function in a healthy way, so please, don't be scared, good healthy whole food is not something to be frightened of; moreover it is something to be embraced.  

 

FOOD? SCARY? 

Yes!  I know how scary food can be especially when it can create an allergic reaction so violent that it is life threatening and requires an ambulance trip to the hospital ie., anaphylaxis. This is something i have experienced several times in my life.  

It can be scary when it creates any adverse affect in the body.  So many people have sensitivities to different foods; someone may find that something like cucumber can give them very uncomfortable stomach aches and pains.  The simple answer to that is to avoid eating cucumber.  But when your food allergies and sensitivities become severe and in many cases become whole food groups such as dairy, simply avoiding that food or food group, is not the whole answer.  

The nutrition from those food groups you may be allergic or sensitive to, that is the vitamins and minerals and sugars etc., need to be replaced in your diet.  How do we do that?  Well it requires some effort and commitment on your part to find other nutritious foods to replace them and theses days there really are plenty of substitutes.

 

ADDING NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT

However, it is not always possible to complete your nutritional needs this way so the very least you could do for yourself is take a multivitamin supplement which will help to support your diet.  I have a small regime of vitamins, minerals, oil, pro-biotic and antioxidants that I take on a daily basis to build up and support my immune system which enables my body to fight off allergens, inflammation and infection and assists the health and healing of my skin.  Check out the article on Vitamin Therapy on this website for some more info.

 

... YA GOTS TO 'AVE YUR GREENS

Plants are the building blocks of all medicine; even drugs are based upon chemical copies of our time tested botanical friends. In fact, before their common use as foods, many vegetables and fruits first gained notoriety as medicines.  Plant based cures have underscored almost every culture and folklore.

Perhaps these 'old wives tales' are not really 'tales' at all.  Perhaps these 'old wives' were more in tune with nature and the nurturing it provides. 

For how many years were you told by your parents or grandparents, aunts and uncles to finish eating your fruits and vegetables so you would grow strong and healthy?