Nutritional Enlightenment 12 Steps to Living a Happier, Healthier Life by Phil Bolsta “We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.” -- Adele Davis Do you believe in miracles? Within days of changing my eating habits, I began sleeping better than I ever had before and getting by on one to two hours less sleep every night. In the past, there always seemed to be one day a week where I would wake up tired and sluggish and feel sleep-deprived the rest of the day. I dreaded days like that. I dreamed of always feeling rested, alert and terrific, I just never knew it was possible. Much to my delight, I discovered that it was not only possible, but easy and enjoyable, too! If you'd like to eat whenever you're hungry, savor every single bite, and have energy to burn, then read on. Virtually all the information presented here comes (often verbatim) from two books: Dean Ornish's brilliant bestseller, Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease, and Fit for Life: A New Beginning, by Harvey Diamond, which also offers a fascinating theory on how to prevent disease of any kind. Diamond's book is the primary source for steps two, six and ten; except where otherwise noted, Ornish's book and website (www.ornish.com) are the sole source for all remaining steps. These steps are meant to serve as an introduction to the concepts presented by Ornish and Diamond. The details of all studies referenced can be found in their books. Please consult with your physician before making any changes in your diet. While Ornish and Diamond approach the subject from different angles, they arrive at the same conclusion: a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains (such as brown rice, pasta and bread) and legumes (beans and soy products) can restore your body to vibrant good health and maximize your energy level. These foods also give you another double benefit, says Ornish: They are low in substances that are harmful and rich in literally thousands of protective, life-affirming substances that have anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-heart disease properties. Now I know what you're thinking: "The day I become a vegetarian is the day I get elected prime minister of Rwanda!" No problem. All I'm suggesting is that you read these two books before you bite into your next bacon double cheeseburger. Both books are filled with dozens of scientific studies that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that consuming even modest amounts of animal products will have a negative effect on your health, while not eating animal products at all will have a positive effect on your health. That statement is indisputable. Of course, whether this information influences your eating choices is up to you. “As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.” -- Adele Davis While I was interested in eating a healthier diet, I initially had no intention of following this program as strictly as I am now doing. I thought that doing so would be too confining, I especially didn't want to call attention to myself when food was served at social gatherings. But the changes in my energy level and the quality of my sleep were so immediate and so profound that I very quickly decided to pay whatever price I needed to in order to maintain my newfound vibrancy and robust sense of aliveness and well-being. I was both pleased and relieved to discover how easy and unobtrusive it was to stay within the parameters of this program when I found myself at restaurants or other people's houses. I do recognize, however, that there will be times when social etiquette may demand that I veer off course a bit; if so, I will simply get back on track the following day. Yes, the thought of overhauling your diet may feel overwhelming, but remember the old saying, "If there is no change, then there is no change." If you want your health and your quality of life to significantly improve, then you must make some fundamental changes to create that new reality. As an experiment, perhaps you'll consider eating this way for just three weeks. At the end of those 21 days, you'll have so much more energy and mental clarity you won't know what to do with it all. Oh, and by the way, the weight will just melt off you even though you're eating more, enjoying every mouthful, and not counting a single calorie. If you do decide to try this program, whether it's for three weeks or for a lifetime, please, please, please do not hold yourself to a standard of perfection. If you do, you will fail. It's that simple. It may take years to get to the point where you can say no to pork chops, cookies and coffee. But that's OK. In fact, it might be easier to start out by making just a few small changes, like using soy milk on your cereal instead of cow's milk or tofu in your stir-fry instead of beef or chicken. And remember the two magic words, "whole grain." Simply choosing fiber-rich whole-grain pasta (whole wheat pasta, brown rice pasta, spinach noodles, etc.) and whole-grain bread (the label must specifically say "100% whole grain") is a wise investment that will pay immediate dividends. Of course, if you do choose to eat T-bone steaks, double-cheese pepperoni pizzas and hot fudge sundaes, that doesn't make you a bad person. However, because we live in a cause-and-effect world, eating that way will probably make you feel nauseous and bloated and predispose you to illness. Simply put, whatever you put in your mouth leads to certain inevitable consequences. However, if you choose to accept those consequences, it's nobody else's business. Be kind to yourself and take all the time you need to gradually make better and healthier choices. And for goodness sake, give yourself a treat now and then. Even Ornish writes that he would not be happy in a world without chocolate. Every so often, he allows himself one spoonful of Deep Chocolate Fudge Haagen-Dazs ice cream and savors every second of it. The first spoonful is always the best, he reasons, so he manages to resist the temptation to finish off the rest of the pint. Of course, if you want to maximize your results and feel absolutely spectacular in every waking moment, then you need to follow this program very closely. But it's not all or nothing, points out Ornish; the more you move in this direction, the more benefits you will receive. If you choose to follow the program for breakfast and lunch only or for two days on and one day off, you will still notice significant and positive changes taking place although complete nirvana will remain just beyond your reach. But, hey, it's your body and your life and a constant state of euphoria may not be an appropriate goal for you. Your body is an amazing work of art. It has an intelligence all its own and is constantly struggling and striving to maintain optimal health. Here's how to make its job a lot easier. STEP ONE: STOP COUNTING CALORIES One hundred calories of apple does not have the same effect on your body as one hundred calories of hot fudge! Fat has over twice as many calories as either protein or carbohydrate, so when you reduce fat consumption from 40 percent (a typical American diet) to 10 percent (this program) of total calories, you can eat one third more food yet take in the same amount of calories. Eating fat makes you fat. The more dietary fat you consume, the more body fat you will end up with. Here's why: 100 fat calories can be stored as body fat by expending only 2.5 calories, whereas your body must spend 23 calories (almost 10 times as many!) to convert 100 calories of dietary protein or carbohydrate into body fat. By keeping fat consumption low, not only do you tend to consume fewer calories, but those calories are also less like likely to be converted into body fat. Now that you have this basic understanding, throw your calorie counting guidebooks in the trash, because as soon as you start eating a healthier diet, you'll never have to count calories again. Let me repeat that: that's Never with a capital N! STEP TWO: PET THEM, DON'T EAT THEM Considering the fat, cholesterol, hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and other chemical and pharmaceutical contaminants that animal products contain, it's hard to come up with a food more responsible for toxifying the body with harmful wastes. The wonderful news is that there are countless great-tasting alternatives to animal products. Just visit the nearest co-op and ask for some tips. You'll find meatless hamburgers, tofu turkeys, soy cheese, soy milk, cheese-free pizza, nondairy ice cream and hundreds of other delicious products you never knew existed. And guess what? You may very well be spending less money on groceries to boot! Remember, when you substitute a soy burger for a beef hamburger, you get a double benefit: you're avoiding the health-damaging effects of meat and getting the health-protective benefits of soy. Studies have proven that a diet low in animal products decreases the risk of many types of cancers, because animal products are filled with toxins that overwhelm the body's ability to eliminate them. Besides, the human body was not biologically designed to consume animal products; they are the most structurally complex and difficult foods to break down and digest, thereby requiring more energy to process than any other type of food. In essence, eating animal products clogs your body up. Eating high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes cleans your body out. The more your body gets clogged up, the more decaying food and toxins remain in your body to wreak havoc and cause disease. Ornish cites a study that shows that the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk of colon cancer. Eating high-fiber foods, even if you continue to eat animal products, can reduce your chance of getting colon cancer because they not only reduce your cholesterol level, they also decrease the time that it takes to digest animal products so your colon is exposed to carcinogens for a shorter period of time. STEP THREE: WATCH YOUR CHOLESTEROL FREEFALL Cholesterol is only found in animal products. Animal products also tend to be high in saturated fats, which your liver converts into cholesterol. Vegetarian foods have zero cholesterol and, with only rare exceptions such as avocados and many types of nuts, are also naturally low in saturated fat. It's important to note that cholesterol itself isn't "bad." Cholesterol forms the building blocks of some important hormones in the body and is also an important component of cell membranes. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs even if you don't eat any in your diet. It's the excessive amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet that can lead to coronary heart disease. In fact, research shows that the more cholesterol you eat, the greater your risk of developing coronary heart disease, even if your blood cholesterol level does not increase much. Only a diet almost entirely free of animal fat, oil and cholesterol will significantly lower blood cholesterol levels reliably in just about everyone. STEP FOUR: EXPLODE THE GREAT PROTEIN MYTH Perhaps the most frequently asked question of vegetarians (other than "Why are you so healthy and energetic?") is, "Where do you get your protein?" Well, let's look at a typical day's diet. We start the morning off with half a cantaloupe (2 grams) and follow that up with two oranges (1 gram each) over the next few hours. For lunch, two Flame Grilled Gardenburgers (14 grams each) with soy cheese (2 grams each) on whole wheat bread (4 grams per slice). A side bowl of frozen peas (5 grams) rounds out a hearty lunch. For a tasty afternoon snack, two cups of Puffed Kashi cereal (6 grams) with a cup of soy milk (7 grams). Before dinner, a handful of roasted, unsalted almonds (4 grams). For dinner, 2 cups of brown rice (18 grams) with stir-fried broccoli (2 stalks - 11 grams), mushrooms (1 cup - 2 grams), onions (1 cup - 2 grams), carrots (1 cups - 2 grams), lentils (1/2 cup - 8 grams) with half of a 14-oz. package of tofu (14 grams) thrown in for good measure. For dessert, a quarter-pint of OatsCreme nondairy ice cream (3 grams). Total protein intake for the day: 134 grams, or more than twice as much as the minimum daily intake recommended by the World Health Organization's guidelines set forth in 1985 (56 grams a day for a 165-lb. man and 48 grams a day for a 140-lb. woman). Getting enough protein on a vegetarian diet is not a challenge at all; the real problem with protein is that most people in the U.S. consume at least twice as much of it as they need. And excess animal-based protein can lead to bone demineralization and osteoporosis (see Step Five). So what is protein? Well, protein is formed from building blocks called amino acids. Of the 22 amino acids, only three must be supplied by the foods we eat. Although no single plant source contains all three of these essential amino acids, you can easily get all you need of all three of them by eating any grains and any legumes sometime during the same day. Examples: rice and beans, tofu and rice, pasta with beans, taco with beans, whole-grain bread and beans, whole grain cereal and soy milk. It's that simple. The protein you would get from eating a T-bone steak is exactly the same quality as the protein you would get in a meal of rice and beans. And remember, when you're eating the steak, you're also consuming excessive amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol. Want further proof? A position paper issued by the American Dietary Association (the main professional organization of registered dietitians) in 1988 states: "Although vegetarian diets usually meet or exceed requirements for protein, they typically provide less protein than non-vegetarian diets. This lower protein intake may be beneficial, however, and may be associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis in vegetarians and improved kidney function in individuals with prior kidney damage. Further, a lower protein intake generally translates into a lower fat diet, with its inherent advantages, since foods high in protein are frequently also high in fat." STEP FIVE: JUST SAY NO TO THE DAIRY FAIRY Contrary to widespread belief, the calcium found in dairy products not only doesn't prevent osteoporosis, it actually contributes to it. The problem with drinking milk as a source of calcium is that you are more likely to excrete calcium, because milk is high in animal protein, as well as high in calcium. When you eat a lot of animal protein, your kidneys excrete more calcium along with the animal protein, so you end up "chasing your tail." Calcium deficiencies usually are caused by one of two factors: too little calcium in your diet or too much excretion of calcium in your urine. If either one of these scenarios occurs, your body begins to absorb calcium out of your bones to maintain a constant calcium level in your bloodstream. Over time, your bones can become de-mineralized (depleted of calcium), leading to osteoporosis. This is why osteoporosis occurs at a much higher rate in countries where calcium intake from protein-rich dairy products is highest. Fortunately, unlike animal products, which cause a net loss of calcium, protein from vegetable sources (soy, for example, is high in protein and rich in calcium) creates a net gain in calcium. And because vegetarians absorb calcium much more efficiently, they excrete as much as 50 percent less calcium in their urine. That's why vegetarians have very low rates of osteoporosis even though their dietary intake of calcium is lower compared to people on a meat-eating diet. STEP SIX: DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH Water is what your body uses to cleanse itself of cellular waste and toxins that are introduced into it by the food we eat and the air we breathe. Making water your beverage of choice optimizes the effectiveness of your digestive system and provides a solid foundation for vibrant health and smooth, youthful skin. Filtered water, bottled water, distilled water, it doesn't matter. Just drink it! STEP SEVEN: DECAFFEINATE YOUR DAY Although it may appear that caffeine gives you energy, it actually only borrows energy from the future. When you consume caffeine, it chemically stimulates your sympathetic nervous system, which makes your level of adrenaline and other stress hormones quickly begin to rise. Later in the day, however, your energy level will fall even lower than it was when you started. And that, of course, will call for another cup of coffee! That dynamic is exaggerated even further with other stimulants, such as nicotine, cocaine and amphetamines. The highs get much higher and the lows get much lower. This unrelenting cycle of addiction is why it's so easy to become chemically dependent. Smoking, of course, harms your body in all sorts of ways. It not only injures the lining of your coronary arteries, it causes your blood to clot faster and causes your arteries to constrict, which accelerates the wrinkling of your skin and leads to the buildup of blockages. Nicotine isn't discriminatory; it also decreases blood flow to your sexual organs. One study showed that nearly two-thirds of impotent men smoked, almost twice the rate in the general population. The study also showed that the decrease in blood flow to the penis was directly proportional to the number of cigarettes smoked. The Marlboro Man may look macho, but chances are he's also impotent. Caffeine and other stimulants can also increase the frequency and severity of irregular heartbeats. And the more you use stimulants, the less sensitive you become to them; cigarette smokers, for example, require twice as much caffeine as nonsmokers to achieve the same effect. Eliminating stimulants from your diet will even out your energy level and your mood and also make you more resistant to stressful situations that routinely make you reach for a cigarette or a cup of coffee. STEP EIGHT: SHAKE THE SALT Salt affects your health only to the degree that it can cause your blood pressure to increase. Here's why: Your body maintains a precise ratio of salt to water; when you consume salt, your body retains water in order to maintain that ratio. Scientifically speaking, when you increase the amount of volume (water) in a closed system (your body), the pressure increases. Because most people are able to excrete the extra salt and water in their urine, less than one-fourth of people who have high blood pressure are actually "salt sensitive." The bottom line is that eating a lot of salt will cause your body to retain more water, which will make losing weight that much more difficult. STEP NINE: TAME YOUR SWEET TOOTH Eating refined sugar causes your blood-sugar level to rise rapidly; in response, your pancreas begins to churn out insulin, causing your blood sugar level to fall rapidly. As your blood sugar level begins to fall, the pancreas begins to stop secreting insulin, but not fast enough, so your blood sugar level may dip even lower than it was when you started. That's why eating sugar eventually makes you feel tired and run down. And that, of course, calls for more sugar! This sugar cycle is very similar to the addiction cycle of stimulants described in Step Seven. The problem with sugar is the company it keeps. More precisely, sugar usually can be found in the company of foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, such as cake and ice cream. It is better to eat sugar than fat but, only in limited amounts. Sugar provides "empty calories," promotes tooth decay, and you'll simply feel better if you don't eat much of it. Read food labels carefully, warns Diamond. Avoid any products containing words like sucrose, fructose, dextrose, corn syrup and molasses. Although fructose in its natural state (in fresh fruit) is essential for good health because it's immediately converted into glucose that helps fuel your body, once it's processed it's just as unhealthy as white, refined sugar. Unlike simple sugars (such as refined sugar), the natural sugars found in complex carbohydrates (such as fruits and vegetables) are absorbed much more slowly into the bloodstream. As a result, your blood-sugar level and energy level remain more constant and your stomach experiences the sensation of being full. STEP TEN: FRUIT IN THE MORNING DOES IT The body is ruled by three eight-hour cycles. From noon to 8 p.m. is the "fueling up" cycle. From 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. is the assimilation cycle. From 4 a.m. to noon is the elimination cycle. Eating before noon disrupts the elimination cycle and causes waste materials to remain in your body, where they begin to decay and seep into your bloodstream. The one exception to this rule? Fruit, which actually speeds along the elimination process. If you want your body to be a lean, mean elimination machine, eating just fruit in the morning is one of the best ways to achieve that goal. Skeptical? Just try it for a week; eat any other kind of food in the morning after that and it will feel like you have an anvil in your stomach. Eating fruit in the morning frees up the energy in your body (that normally would be devoted to digestion) for use in cleansing, repairing and healing other areas of your body that need it the most. Eating only fruit in the morning is almost like fasting for 16 hours every day, which saves a lot of wear and tear on your body and slows down the aging process. Remember, there is no amount of external cleaning that will substitute for proper internal cleansing. You can wash, polish and paint your car until it's the best-looking vehicle on the block but it won't run if the engine is clogged up and filthy. For more detailed information about the power of eating fruit in the morning, check out the original Fit For Life, written by Harvey Diamond and his then-wife, Marilyn Diamond Schnell. STEP ELEVEN: LOSE THE BOOZE Alcohol suppresses your body's ability to burn fat. When you drink alcohol, your body burns up fat much more slowly than usual. One study showed that just three ounces of alcohol reduced the body's ability to burn fat by about one third. Chances are, the unburned fat will travel directly to your waist, creating a beer belly. So it's not just the empty calories and the fact that it's converted into simple sugars that make alcohol fattening, but also the way that it throws off your body's normal disposal of fat in your diet. Also, alcohol is absorbed quickly and is converted to sugar almost immediately. This, in turn, makes your blood-sugar rise rapidly, causing your pancreas to make insulin to lower your blood sugar. Insulin, in turn, accelerates the conversion of these calories into body fat. STEP TWELVE: BOOK A TRIP TO SUPPLEMENT CITY The cost of taking vitamins and supplements is relatively low while the benefits may be significant. Ornish recommends taking a multivitamin without iron, because some studies suggest that iron may oxidize cholesterol to a form that may be more likely to be deposited in your arteries. Ornish suggests a daily regimen of 100-400 units of vitamin E, 2,000-3,000 milligrams of vitamin C, 3 grams of fish oil, 100-200 micrograms of selenium, and 400-2,000 micrograms of folic acid. Selenium may significantly reduce your risk of some types of cancer, particularly prostate cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer. Folic acid may help to prevent cervical cancer, avert tumor formation and reduce your level of homocysteine, which promotes heart disease. Of course, there are thousands of supplements on the market to choose from. Diamond sells some himself at www.vpnutrition.com. I can personally recommend two nutrient-rich, powdered "super foods" that are fairly inexpensive ($10-$12/month each): brewer's yeast, which contains selenium (try the Lewis Labs buds), and powdered spirulina. Both can be mixed with water or juice. While following this program can certainly help you feel better, both Ornish and Diamond go to great lengths to point out that all the best nutritional information in the world won't amount to a hill of legumes unless you also adopt a more holistic approach to life. That includes moderate exercise, a sufficient level of emotional intimacy and a spiritual practice that feels right to you. Odds are that the information you need to begin living a happier, healthier life can be found in these two books. Both offer many more insights and much more depth than what can be summarized in a single article. Ornish in particular does a masterful job of exploring every avenue leading to physical, emotional and spiritual well-being with great empathy, warmth and humor. His book is nothing short of a masterpiece. Remember, happiness and health are your birthright. It's time to reclaim them! Phil Bolsta is a writer, speaker and massage therapist in Plymouth. He teaches a free monthly class at Pathways in the Uptown area of Minneapolis called, "You Are Beautiful and You Are Loved," in which he demonstrates how affirmations can bring you peace, heal your life, and strengthen your connection to the deep love. For more information on class times, call Pathways at (612) 822-9061. Phil can be reached at (763) 553-7703 or at PhilBolsta@attbi.com. Copyright (c) 2002 Phil Bolsta Aug 2002

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