This
chapter provides information about special foods and vital nutrients, such as
vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes, as well as basic remedies including
herbs and homeopathics.
The
more we use special health Foods, and adopt a high-quality diet, the less we
need to know about individual nutrients, and vice versa. Unfortunately, most
individuals presently have a less than ideal diet, and some knowledge about
nutrients can help to avoid or correct imbalances and deficiencies.
Furthermore, many nutrients are now used in very high doses, essentially as
remedies, to treat various diseases. When used in this way, detailed knowledge
is important to achieve the desired effect without exposing yourself to
unnecessary danger.
While
there are dangers with what I call “self-healing”, and health authorities call
“self-medication”, these are infinitely smaller than those posed by
prescription drugs. I believe there is less long-term harm in using a nutrient
incorrectly than a prescription drug correctly. It is rare to encounter serious
health damage from using nutrients, even in very high doses, while medical
drugs are stated to be the third-highest cause of death in the
Nevertheless,
I do not endorse the use of high-potency nutrients without a proper
understanding of any benefits and dangers, and I do not endorse high-potency
supplements as a substitute for a healthy lifestyle, which is the way that they
are commonly used. My main emphasis is on a healthy lifestyle, which in most
cases will remove the need for high-potency supplements, but if you feel that
you do need some, then you will find suitable information in this chapter.
Learn about
the health-giving properties of pollen, purple foods, sprouted seeds and others
Various
foods have general healing qualities, or help to overcome specific health
problems. Foods high in enzymes and growth hormones improve our overall health.
Sprouted seeds, bee pollen, grass juice and unheated lactic-acid fermented food
fall in this category, as do fresh edible flowers, such as nasturtium,
impatiens and (male) pumpkin flowers. While the stamen of pumpkin flowers that
bears the pollen is somewhat bitter, flower petals are especially high in
bioflavonoids, which help fight and prevent allergies and inflammations.
Pollen
is one of the best foods or supplements available, a raw food rich in enzymes
and hormones in addition to vitamins and minerals. You may take one to three
teaspoonfuls several times daily or use the lot to flavor your freshly pressed
vegetable or grass juice. To make it easier to digest, soak the pollen in
liquid for some time before ingestion. Alternatively, you may use a coffee grinder
to make it into a powder. It is also a good addition to yogurt or other food to
be fermented.
Foods
high in sulfur may be increased to improve detoxification. Such foods include
raw egg yolk, onion, horseradish, watercress, turnip or other raw food of the
cabbage family. Most of these are also helpful in treating digestive ulcers;
horseradish can be used to help treat mucus complaints. A supplement high in
organic sulfur is MSM.
Bananas
are good energy providers for those with a weak digestion. However, overripe
Cavendish bananas (this is the most common variety) often cause digestive
discomfort or allergies in sensitive individuals. This problem is commonly
caused by over-gassing the bananas shortly before sale with ethylene gas to
make them ripen very quickly. Ladyfinger bananas or other small varieties do
not normally cause problems. Sensitive individuals generally should avoid
overripe fruit. Acid citrus fruits are excellent for improving liver functions,
high blood pressure, high blood sugar, cholesterol and fat levels in
insensitive individuals.
Sprouted
Seeds
Sprouted
seeds and young shoots such as wheat grass provide a higher degree of vitality
and rejuvenation than other foods. I recommend sprouted seeds as a mainstay of
a good diet. Most commonly used for sprouting are legumes such as lentils,
peas, mung beans, fenugreek and chickpeas but also almonds, peanuts and
sunflower kernels may be spouted. Sunflower and buckwheat seeds make a tasty
salad when grown in seed boxes and cut close to the soil when 5-10 cm/2-4
inches high.
Alfalfa
sprouts are high in a detergent-like saponin that may damage the intestinal
wall in sensitive individuals. They have been shown to aggravate autoimmune
diseases and possibly cancer. For others they may be a good food after allergy
testing. Alfalfa sprouts should be exposed to light after leaves have emerged
while other sprouts usually taste better before leaves develop. Alfalfa seeds
easily rot in wet conditions. They are best sprouted in an upturned jar covered
with muslin held in place with a strong rubber.
It
is important to use seeds with a high germination power. Buy a small quantity
for testing and if they sprout well buy a larger quantity from the same source
and keep them in an airtight container. Lentils and mung beans are easy to
start with. Just soak the seeds overnight and then rinse several times a day,
drain well, spread out lightly and keep covered. Wash well again just before
eating to remove any bacteria and fungi. If seeds are of poor quality and start
rotting easily, use them when the germs just start to appear, otherwise wait until
they are up to one inch long, which is usually within three days. Different
compatible seeds may be germinated together.
Mung
beans may retain hard pieces after soaking that can damage the teeth. This can
be avoided by pouring some boiling water over the seeds initially and letting
them soak in the cooling water. Peas and lentils, on the other hand, like it
cool and sprouts easily deteriorate in hot conditions. Sprouted seeds may be
refrigerated in a closed container after they have reached the desired length.
Individuals who are rather sensitive to fungi and microbes may wash sprouted
seeds in diluted hydrogen peroxide shortly before use. If you have difficulty
chewing or if sprouted seeds cause much wind, try using them as part of your
fresh juice.
If seeds do not
sprout well, the cause may be as follows:
·
Seeds may not be not viable - too old or poor storage
·
Temperature during sprouting is too high or too low
·
Seeds are kept too dry or too wet during sprouting
Experiment and adjust conditions.
Fermented
Food
The
use of fermented food was widespread in former centuries. Well-known are
yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, beer, cider and cider vinegar, pickles, miso,
sauerkraut and sourdough bread.
The
advantages of fermenting are several:
·
Minerals can be more easily absorbed
·
Enzyme inhibitors and other
anti-nutrients are eliminated
·
The amount of vitamins and enzyme is
greatly increased
·
It preserves the food and can
introduce delicious flavors
·
The food becomes much more easily
digestible, being essentially a predigested food, suitable for anyone with a
weak digestive system
However, there can be one
drawback: some individuals are very sensitive to fermented products and should
avoid fermented foods.
Today
most traditionally fermented foods are commercially made by purely chemical
means, for example, vinegar, pickles, cheese and cottage cheese, baking
products, and some beer and wine substitutes. This disuse of the fermentation
process in preparing our staple foods is a contributing factor in the cause of
chronic diseases.
In
all fermentation it is important that a desirable strain of bacteria develops.
This depends on the bacteria already present or introduced, as well as on the
temperature during fermentation. Basically we want lactic-acid bacteria that
convert glucose into lactic acid. In order to ensure the development of pure
bacterial cultures, the food is often heat-treated and then inoculated with the
desired strain. However, I believe the product is nutritionally superior if it
has not been heat-treated.
Grains
such as rye, oats, millet, wheat, brown rice, and vegetables such as cabbage
are best fermented at a warm room temperature, while cultures containing yogurt
or acidophilus bacteria do better between 300C
and 400C (850 and 1050 F).
There
is a distinction between the fermentation of yeast and that of lactic acid
bacteria. Yeast fermentation is used in traditionally made beer, wine and
bread. Due to the overuse of antibiotics in recent decades, many individuals
are now allergic or sensitive to yeast. Therefore it is advisable for sensitive
individuals to restrict yeast products and for others to abstain periodically
or after antibiotic treatment and test for incompatibility.
When
fermentation is uncontrolled, as it is for instance when making sauerkraut or
rejuvelac (water in which grains have been soaked for several days), a mixture
of lactic-acid bacteria and yeast usually develops. These products are not a
problem for many, but sensitive individuals need to watch out and may have to
avoid them.
In
making yogurt, sour milk, sour cream and cheeses the natural way, lactic-acid
fermentation is the preferred method and still widely used. However, due to the
mucus-forming potential of lactose, these products should be used with caution,
especially if made from cow's milk. The curd causes less of a problem than the
whey and goat's milk less than cow's milk. The whey contains most of the
lactose. Most commercial, fermented milk products are heat-treated and often
very high in lactose, best avoided them.
On
the other hand, as a health food seed cheese or seed yogurt may be used. This
is commonly made from oily seeds such as nuts, almonds or sunflower kernels by
adding acidophilus culture to the soaked and blended seeds. Washing the seeds
in diluted hydrogen peroxide before blending can minimize contamination of the
seed cheese with yeast, also adding a large amount of starter helps and letting
it ferment for only a short period. The same applies to sourdough baking, which
is also recommended.
Do
not use strongly fermenting products that have become very sour. You may
discard the whey and wash the curd to make it acceptable. Nevertheless, do not
use any fermented food that has a foul smell or taste. The water used for
fermentation should be free of chlorine and fluoride, as these will poison the
enzymes.
Fermenting
or fermented products should not be kept in metal containers nor should a metal
spoon be left immersed in the food as this increases our exposure to toxic
metals. Plastic containers are not recommended for fermenting either. Fermented
foods may be refrigerated for a week or two. Part of the former batch may be
used as a starter for a new lot but beware of contamination with yeast. It is
especially important to eat fermented foods during and after a course of
antibiotics but also when one has cancer or another degenerative disease.
Purple
Food
The
color pigment in purple foods belongs to the large group of bio-active natural
chemicals called bioflavonoids. We find them as red, blue and purple pigments
in a wide range of flowers, fruits and vegetables but also in the pulp of
citrus fruit. Two well-known bioflavonoids are rutin and quercetin.
Another
important nutrient group is the carotenoids that form the yellow, orange and
red colors in flowers and fruits. Best known is beta-carotene. Even more
important for healthy eyes and especially to protect the retina to prevent
blindness from macular degeneration are lutein and zeaxanthin. They are
especially found in spinach, lettuce, broccoli, peas and corn. Lycopene appears
to protect the health of the prostate gland. Studies also found it protective
against exercise-induced asthma. You can find it in red-hued fruit and
vegetables, such as tomatoes, pink grapefruit, guavas, papaya and watermelon.
If
you have the opportunity, frequently snack some flower petals or put them
through the juicer. Suitable are especially the petals of big (male) pumpkin
flowers or the whole flowers of impatiens or nasturtium, basically all flowers
of edible vegetables may be used.
The
pigments of purple foods are especially highly unsaturated and therefore are
strong antioxidants. One important group of purple pigments is the anthocyanins
and proanthocyanins or PAC's. When many individual anthocyanin molecules are
linked together they are also called oligo-proanthocyanins or OPC's. One such
compound that is commercially extracted from pine bark is sold as pygnogenol. A
cheaper product with similar qualities is sold as grape seed extract.
The
OPC's have lost their purple color but this may be restored when they are
broken down into their individual components in the body. In nature these
anthocyanins are bound to different sugars and they are then called
anthocyanidins. During digestion the sugars are split off to release the
anthocyanins for absorption. The term 'purple foods' as used here includes all
foods that yield purple juice when cooked or pressed with skin but that does
not include eggplant.
The
color of black/purple/red grapes, blackberries, blueberries, red wine and red
cabbage consists of anthocyanins, the individual molecules and active form of
PACs. The pigment of red beet belongs to a subgroup of anthocyanins, the
betacyanins. Both groups have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties and improve the elasticity of blood vessels and skin. PACs,
anthocyanins and betacyanins also help to restore normal oxidative metabolism
or cell respiration.
With
this, they are important not only for normalizing cancer cells but also with
chronic fatigue and general lack of energy by taking the role of oxygen as
electron acceptors. Furthermore, purple foods in sufficient amounts can improve
the elasticity of skin and blood vessels. With this and in combination with
other bioflavonoids they are beneficial with various diseases such as
allergies, inflammation, infections, parasites, cancer, liver disease, vascular
diseases, thrombosis (blood clotting), chemical toxicity and coronary artery
disease.
Purple
foods should generally be eaten with the skin as this is usually most strongly
colored. However, with purple onions the outer skins are not directly edible
and you may utilize these as a tea. Grapes should be well rinsed before eating
to remove fungi or molds. Sensitive individuals and especially those with
Candida may find it preferable in addition to soak the grapes for a while with
some added hydrogen peroxide. When grapes are not in season, the juice of black
grapes has reportedly been used with good success in the treatment of cancer.
For this a 750 ml/24 oz. bottle of dark grape juice should be sipped spaced out
during the morning with no other food before lunch, for the original report see
www.quantumbalancing/grape.htm.
Red
Beet or beetroot is the best purple vegetable. The purple pigment has been shown to
increase and normalize cell respiration - the oxygen-based energy production within
cells. Thus beetroot is one of the key foods in preventing as well as curing
cancer. It is equally important in the treatment of other degenerative diseases
such as chronic fatigue syndrome that are all characterized by reduced cell
respiration.
The
active ingredient in red beet is called betacyanin with two carbonyl groups
(C=0-). When cellular energy is produced through the oxidation of nutrients,
electrons and hydrogen ions are transferred onto the inhaled oxygen to produce
water and energy. In cancer cells and with chronic fatigue the respiratory
enzymes that accomplish this transfer have been diminished or destroyed. The
color pigment in beetroot (and other purple food) strongly binds electrons and
hydrogen and with this can reactivate the production of cellular oxidative
energy. Seeger and others have shown that the respiration of cancer cells can
be completely normalized by a combination of red beet, raw fermented food and
vitamin C. The multiplication of cancer cells will thus stop, and tumors become
non-virulent. Clinical tests using red beet with cancer patients revealed that
often tumors regressed and disappeared.
In
the original cancer therapy with red beet 1 Kg have been used daily. However,
if used together with other purple food less may be needed, as for instance
when combining red beet with dark grapes or dark grape juice.
Use
plenty of red beets grated in salads, as juice and cooked; also the residue
from juicing may be cooked. Occasionally a small beet may leave an acrid
aftertaste. Taste suspect beets before making salads or juice; cooking them is
fine, and beet tops may be cooked also. Tinned beet has lost most of its
pigments and is of little value.
Red
beet may be available only seasonally. You may store a larger quantity in moist
sand. Keep the tops exposed in a cool, shaded place with just enough moisture
to prevent drying out. After a good root system has developed you may also let
them continue to grow in a sandy and well-drained soil, neither too wet nor too
dry to avoid rotting or mold development; check frequently. Alternatively, you
may stock up on beetroot juice by freezing it.
Raw
Egg
Fresh
raw eggs, genuinely free-range from hens fed on greens and grains, have
health-giving and healing properties. However, egg allergy is widespread and
with habitual consumption eggs should be tested. Raw egg yolk does not raise
the cholesterol level; it is high in sulfur compounds that strengthen
connective tissue and detoxify the liver.
Fresh
raw egg yolk has long been known to enhance or rejuvenate sexual energies that
are required not only for having sex, but more importantly for creative
activity in general and for physical fitness. Very fresh, raw, beaten egg
white, on the other hand, has germicidal properties.
The
cell walls of lymphocytes (white blood cells) become more rigid with aging,
AIDS and viral infections, mainly due to increased cholesterol levels in cell
walls. Lipids extracted from raw egg yolk have been reported to normalize rigid
cell walls and fully restore immune functions. This has led to great
improvements in AIDS patients treated with egg-yolk lipids.
Linseed
and Sulfur-rich Food
Together
with fish oils, linseed or flaxseed oil is our best source of the essential
omega-3 fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fatty acids are important for brain
and nerve functions, for the fluidity of cell membranes and for the oxidative
cellular energy production. Of great importance for this energy production are
lipoproteins formed from essential fatty acids and sulfur-proteins (taurine,
cysteine, methionine). These are concentrated in active tissue such as glands,
liver, brain, muscles and skin and are needed for oxidative energy production
or cellular respiration.
Key
enzymes formed from cysteine and essential fatty acids are deficient in
individuals with degenerative diseases such as cancer, chronic fatigue
syndrome, diabetes and many skin diseases as well as heart, liver and kidney
degeneration. These and other diseases have reportedly been cured with high
intakes of high-quality linseed oil and sulfur-rich foods.
Linseed
oil is very sensitive to oxidation and special precautions are needed to obtain
and retain a non-rancid product. The linseed or flaxseed oil must be fresh when
purchased, not more than a few months old and produced at low temperatures
without light and oxygen, stored in a cool and dark place, and refrigerated
before and after opening. It should never be heated.
High
quality linseed oil is rather expensive and normally it will be sufficient and
much cheaper to use freshly ground whole linseed instead of or in addition to
the oil. Linseed contains 35% linseed oil. You may use several tablespoonfuls a
day. This also has a mildly laxative effect. Best grind it fresh in a coffee
grinder. Alternatively use a blender, screen it through a strainer and add the
coarse residue to the blender again with the next lot.
Ground
linseed may be refrigerated for a few days but is better stored in the freezer.
For individuals with malabsorption problems and for those wanting to improve their
skin, linseed oil may also be rubbed into parts of the skin that are protected
from the sun. In addition, I recommend unheated extra virgin olive oil
internally as well as on the skin. This is a good source of squalene, a strong
antioxidant that is also important for our energy production and a key
ingredient for the healing properties of shark liver oil.
The
main sulfur amino acids are L-cysteine and L-methionine; eggs are a good source
of these but they can easily be produced from other sulfur-rich food such as
onions. The best supplement form of organic sulfur is MSM. In addition to
linseed oil, in her famous cancer therapy Dr Budwig recommends quark made from
raw fermented skim milk as the main source of these sulfur amino acids.
However, according to the blood group diet this may only be suitable for
individuals with the blood groups B or AB.
As
supplements do not use the D,L(or d,l)-forms of cysteine or methionine, only
the natural L-forms. While cysteine is very important for detoxification and energy
production, new research shows that it may also act as a neurotransmitter in
the brain and high doses can create an imbalance in the brain of susceptible
individuals. Therefore, it is generally best to obtain it or synthesize it from
sulfur-rich food. High doses of methionine, on the other hand, can cause a
problem in individuals who are deficient in vitamin B6. Problems can be avoided
by supplementing it together with vitamin B6.
LAXATIVE FOODS
For the improvement or maintenance of good
health it is desirable to have two or three bowel movements daily. A better
lifestyle and raw food will do much to achieve this goal, but initially it may
be necessary to include some laxative foods as well.
BRAN A mild laxative;
however, it accentuates mineral deficiencies. Wheat bran is not suitable for
anyone who is sensitive to wheat. I do not recommend wheat bran but you may
experiment with rice bran, provided that you take trace mineral supplements
with bran-free meals.
FRESHLY FERMENTED FOODS - These
often have a strong laxative action.
ISOTONIC FLUSH - Add 9 g of salt
(approximately 1 heaped teaspoonful) to 1 liter of water or use 1 cup of
seawater diluted with 3 cups of fresh water. Drink this within a few minutes on
an empty stomach, and take no food or other drink for the following 30 minutes.
This is excellent for cleaning the whole of the gastro-intestinal tract, but it
should not be used if a severely restricted intake of sodium is indicated for
other conditions.
LINSEED - Mildly laxative and
soothing for irritated bowels. Preferably use ground linseed, otherwise one
tablespoon of dry seeds with water some time before meals and at bedtime;
swallow whole. If the intestines are irritated (white inner irises), use
fenugreek or pure slippery-elm powder with linseed.
MAGNESIUM SALTS - Take 1 tablespoon of
Epsom salts with water. Milk of magnesia may be neutralized with ascorbic acid,
alternatively try increasing amounts of magnesium chloride.
MOLASSES- Use on its own or
with yeast in warm water.
MUSTARD SEEDS - Take ˝ teaspoon of
whole dry seeds with water twice daily, some time before a meal; do not chew.
This helps to strengthen bowel functions and overcome gas formation. Continue
for two months or as required. Do not use mustard seeds if the intestines are irritated.
PRUNES - May be taken raw,
soaked or cooked.
PSYLLIUM HULLS – are preferable to
bran. Stir a teaspoonful in a large glass of water and drink immediately about
30 minutes before meals as often as required for either laxative action or
weight reduction.
SENNA - Pods, powder or
leaves may be added to herb teas.
URINE - Drinking a cupful of
your diluted morning urine has a good laxative effect.
WATER
- Drinking a large quantity of water within a
short period will cause part of it to rinse the bowels. Take 2 large glassfuls
or more of (warm) water before breakfast.
Chapter 3: HEALTH FOODS AND NUTRIENTS
· Vitamins
· Minerals
· Herbs