Coping with Pollution
Our health is only as good as the food, water and air that we take in. Over the years of misuse of the soil it has been depleted of many of its essential minerals. Oh, yes, the farmer has fertilized the soil but this is only replacing the minimum nutrients that are necessary for plant growth-not all of the trace minerals that we need. These elements have been totally depleted from the soil and have been washed into the ocean. We would be wise to eat food that has been grown in organic conditions without the addition of poisonous insecticides or unnatural fertilizers. The food that we buy in the large markets is not fresh. After picking, the vitality of fruits and vegetables declines rapidly with exposure to air. The proposed irradiation treatment of food to prolong shelf life merely makes them look better but they still are not fresh and may also contain other induced free radicals. Our water supplies for irrigation and consumption are polluted with industrial wastes, chemicals, bacteria and stagnation. We must have our water tested and ask consultants how best to purify it, especially to rid it of the chlorine and fluorine which interferes with our calcium metabolism and bone growth and repair. Consultants may also suggest that we filter the air that we breathe in order to eliminate the toxic industrial emissions and raised levels of carbon monoxide and ozone. Because of these toxic pollutants and the increased occurrence of free radicals in our food, water and air, there is a great need to supplement our food and drink with anti-oxidant materials that will eliminate the free radicals and the host of diseases that they produce. We must take a multiple vitamin as well as a multi mineral supplement. As we have previous discussed, Vitamins A, E, C, co-enzyme Q-10, B complex, beta-carotene and selenium are the most potent anti-oxidants. Some of the trace minerals also serve this function. The so-called minimum daily requirements set by the US government are usually not adequate for those of us who live in urban surroundings. Our needs are very much individual and depend upon where and how we live. Our needs will depend upon how depleted the soil is and how polluted the water and air are. There are many sources of multi-vitamin and mineral supplements. Some are of very doubtful origin. It behooves us to study the labels well to find out what actually is contained. We do not need “mega-doses” ordinarily, but we do need at least the minimum daily requirement with an emphasis on greater amounts of A, C, E, beta carotene and the bioflavonoids. One of the substances that supplies very good quantities of these anti-oxidants is the Ayurvedic chywan prash. There are several varieties made by different manufacturers and they are all about the same. I can recommend the new Dabur brand. These usually can be found in the Indian grocery stores or bazaars. As we think about our own needs for health, we must not forget the health needs of the planet. §
Avoiding Vitamin B-12 Deficiency
We have already discussed vitamin B12 and seen that it is essential to our life and well-being. Yet we require it in such small quantities and our body stores it so well that vegetarians probably have little need to be concerned about developing a deficiency, if they eat butter or milk products. But when we ingest certain things, our ability to absorb B12 and our stores of it tend to decrease markedly. Birth control pills, denatured alcoholic beverages and tobacco decrease the stored supply. Wine and beers made with yeast probably cause a deficiency only when used to great excess. The older person’s stomach produces the “intrinsic factor” in reduced quantities-this is a substance quite necessary to the vitamin’s absorption from the stomach and small intestine. The symptoms of B12 deficiency develop insidiously, but if they are recognized early, they are easily reversible-with replacement therapy. If they are not detected and treated early, the changes may become irreversible. Many people in India show the late neurological changes due to this deficiency. The actions of B12 and folic acid are complex. Indeed, anemia due to B12 deficiency may even be countered with the use of folic acids. Folic acid is common in vegetables such as asparagus, kale, beets, greens, spinach, turnips and wheat bran. Thus a deficiency of folic acid in adults is less likely to occur than a B12 deficiency. But it may be common in children and young adults since they often avoid these foods. Folic acid can be lost with exposure to heat, air or light. Also, because it is water soluble, it may be lost to the liquids in which the greens are cooked. Therefore, it is wise to either drink the “pot liquor” or use it in soups and sauces. Up to 94% of pregnant women show some deficiency of folic acid, and it can quickly develop after trauma, burns or surgery. The deficiency may worsen if vitamins C or B12 are also deficient. Now, our intestine can manufacture folic acid, but for that, paraminobenzoic acid needs to be present. This acid is often added to food supplements for this reason. Vitamin B12 can be absorbed from certain cereals, for example, when they have been treated by the addition of this acid. Vitamin B12 supplements can be taken by injections, about once a month, in pill form, which can be absorbed from the intestine if the “intrinsic factor” is present, or in liquid form that can be placed under the tongue for rapid absorption. B12 is often added as a supplement to breakfast cereals and other foods. Eating greens raw is a good way to assure adequate absorption. If you cannot obtain these foods fresh, then frozen greens are acceptable, as are canned greens, though they have lost most of their potency. Would I supplement my diet with these low nutritional substances? Yes, as an older vegetarian, I do. And I highly recommend it for all vegetarians, especially children, women and older people who may live in metropolitan areas. Supplementation is absolutely necessary for those vegetarians who do not use dairy products. §
For Happy Digesting: Part I
Indigestion, or abdominal distress after eating, is usually due to eating too much food and/or eating it too fast or at the wrong time of the day. There may also be other causes such as food allergy, food incompatibility, a disturbing environment or improper food combinations. If one doesn’t eat in harmony with his doshic needs, according to Ayurveda, the dosha will become unbalanced, with distress and possibly disease following. Eating too fast often causes air swallowing which adds to the distension of the stomach. Eating must produce a satisfied body and tranquil mind. Anything that disturbs one’s tranquility should be eliminated prior to eating. Each morsel of food should be thoroughly chewed (32 times according to the Vedas) and taken as prasadam. Seven factors are to be considered when one thinks of eating, namely: the place and time of day, how much time has expired since the last meal, the kinds of food to be eaten, the order in which the food is to be consumed, the state of mind one is presently in, and the amount and variety of food that are to be taken. As to the amount of food to be ingested, Vedic knowledge teaches that one may fill the stomach two-thirds full for the large meal of the day, which should be at noon, the height of cyclic pitta. Another way of putting this is to eat as much as can be held in two hands cupped, and possibly a third handful if not satiated. The morning and evening meals should fill the stomach only about one-third full. Following this procedure allows the stomach to adequately mix the foods with the gastric secretions. Also, it does not exert excessive gas pressures. Water should be sipped throughout the meal to aid in digestion. It must not be cold, for this will put out the agni which is the fire that is necessary for digestion. The mind should be focused on the eating and the needs of the body and spirit. One is not to discuss business, problems of the day, gossip or disturbing news events while eating. The mind is also focused upon the foods as a gift from God in order to keep the body healthy to help us in performing our dharma. The place we select for eating should be conducive to this idea. We should be seated in an agreeable place to have this communion with God. Eating is a form of meditation, and its place and time should be selected as carefully as for meditation. The morning meal is taken after one has performed his morning ablutions and worship. The largest meal of the day is during the pitta cycle, from 10AM to 2PM when the fire element is operating sufficiently to aid in complete and proper digestion. The late meal should be in ample time so that digestion will be complete before sleep, in order that no ama (toxic residue) will be formed. The Vedic rule is that there should be approximately six hours between meals, from 6AM til noon, for example. If one is on a special light diet, he may allow only 3.5 hours between meals. Fruits should not be eaten with a heavy meal. They should be taken with milk or nuts as a separate light meal. (To be continued.) §
For Happy Digesting: Part II
The proper sequence for taking food, according to Ayurveda, is as follows: 1st) sweet reaction foods; 2nd) sour and salty foods; 3rd) rice. Bitter, hot and astringent can be taken either as an appetizer or in the middle of the meal. Desserts and sweets should actually be taken during the first part of the meal while there is adequate acid in the gastric secretions. If desserts are taken at the end of the meal, they should be very light. Large amounts of fruit are not advised after a meal. The sweet-reacting foods are grains, most legumes and most sweets. These are the body building foods and are usually kaphic. The second group consumed-sour and salty foods-are usually liquids consisting of vegetables, some dahls and yogurt. These increase pitta and the digestive fire. The bitter, hot and astringent foods are best taken with other foods to stimulate the appetite and the digestibility of the meal. Rice is added to the meal to give a sense of completion and satisfaction. Buttermilk (4 ounces) is a special food for the completion of a meal. This should be homemade and fresh, for the store-bought variety is too sour and often is stale. Good buttermilk helps to prevent gas, complete digestion in an orderly manner and adds acidopholous bacteria to the colon. (Do not use homogenized milk to prepare it.) The cooking should always be of fresh foods. Any that have been cooked more than six hours before eating become hard to digest. The habit of cooking vegetables for a week at a time is discouraged for it makes all of the food hard to digest and more gas-producing. Only fresh-picked fruits and vegetables should be consumed as stale food has a loss of prana and also becomes hard to digest. Fruits should be taken separately from other foods as in a light supper or for breakfast. The more systematic we are in choosing the same time each day for our meals, the better the digestion. If one must eat at erratic hours, he must plan the diet very well and may have to reset his agni clock. Snacking between meals also leads to poor digestion, especially snacking at night and while watching nerve-racking movies. After a satisfying meal it is wise to lie on one’s left side for 5-10 minutes to allow better mixture of the gastric contents. It is best to delay marked exercise for an hour after eating. Also the drinking of large quantities of water should be postponed after the meal for a period of one hour. Then drink a small amount (unchilled) each hour until the next meal or bedtime. Some food combinations that are not conducive to good digestion are: eating sweet foods and juices with starchy, salty, or protein meals; combining dairy food with sour fruit or with bread,[or meat or fish, for non-vegetarians]; eating large, heavy and sweet desserts after meals. These all lead to excess gas formation. Too much spicy, sour, greasy food along with alcoholic products causes very uncomfortable burning of the stomach, eructations and a sour taste in the mouth. This can be also caused by excessive intake of sweets. Strong denatured alcoholic drinks tend to make all food indigestible, whereas good wine aids in the digestion. §
MSG--A Hidden Hazard
There is an invisible substance that is contained in almost all prepared, canned, frozen, enhanced or packaged food. It is monosodium glutamate-MSG-which may produce many physical symptoms, such as headaches, joint pains, abdominal cramps, incontinence, diarrhea, blurred vision and even psychologic symptoms of depressions and neurosis. About 20-30% of all people are sensitive to the drug effects of this substance. We know this to be a true “drug effect” for it is a dose-related reaction. Less than two-percent of the population has a true allergic response. MSG often triggers asthmatic responses of life-threatening proportions. It is common as a cause of sweating, flushing of the face, rapid heart beat, thirst, tingling around the mouth or throat and arthritic aches and pains. No body part or system is free from its effect. Not infrequently a chronic debilitating undiagnosed disease may clear totally when MSG is removed from the diet. Incontinence in children should make parents investigate junk and snack foods consumed. In the USA, whenever MSG is added to a food product, its presence must be mentioned on the label. However, since glutamate is an amino acid and this salt does appear naturally, its presence can be hidden by calling it “natural flavors,” “hydrolyzed vegetable protein” or “protein hydroxylates.” These contain up to 20% MSG, so are to be shunned. It is the glutamate that is rapidly absorbed. At high levels within the blood, it produces these symptoms, proportional to the dose and the individual’s sensitivity. Every person may have different symptoms of MSG reaction, and the threshold of reaction will be different also. But the unifying fact is that as soon as the ingestion of MSG is stopped, the symptoms will begin to abate. Infants and small children are very sensitive to even small doses of the drug so that the food industry has been kind enough to eliminate it from all infant foods. However, infants will often ingest it when adult food is introduced to them at the table. In order to eliminate this hidden drug from your diet, the first rule is to eat as much fresh and unprocessed food as you can obtain. Secondly, one must become an avid reader of labels and recognize that MSG, natural flavors, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), and even hydrolyzed plant protein may be listed and that each contains MSG. If the label says “all natural,” read further to determine whether there is MSG present as one of these. Suspect all flavoring salts and products such as ketchup, worcestershire and other sauces. Why is MSG used so commonly? It is a flavor enhancer. It tends to sensitize the taste buds of the tongue. It helps the flavors to spread over the mouth, and it may be used to mask unpleasant flavors, cover up spoilage and staleness. There are some chefs who claim that they are not able to cook without this flavor enhancer, although there are ready substitutes for it such as herbs, spices and lemon and other fruit and vegetable juices. There are millions of people who are reacting to this substance unknowingly and are completely unaware of the reasons for their increasing depressions and dis-ease. §