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Book by Dr Liana Nenacheva

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  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 1

    "For the body to retain its balance and harmony requires only following a proper diet! One should never take medications in an uncontrolled manner. The power of medications is one- sided, and there are cases in which they are helpful."

    Sun Si Miao.

    " Recipes worth a thousand pieces of gold." (Classical text of Chinese Nutrition Therapy)

    Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food. Hippocrates

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 2

    Contents About the author 3 Acknowledgements 4 How can healthy food bring you into balance? 5 Origin 7 Benefits 9 Introduction 10 Part 1. Western approach to Nutrition 14 Section 1. Diet 17 Section 2. Western Nutrition pyramid 26 Part 2. The most important Nutrients 31 Section 1. Sugar 33

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 3

    About the author

    Doctor Liana Nenacheva S.D., L.Ac., was born in Russia, where she studied Western Medicine (SD) and practiced oral, facial and reconstructive surgery.

    She also successfully completed the following studies in Belgium and China: Master in Traditional Chinese Acupuncture by adults and children; Master in Tuina by adults, babies and children (Chinese manual Therapy and Massage); Master in Chinese Herbal Medicine and Nutrition Therapy; Trigger Point Therapy; Macro-biotic Nutritional Therapy; Chef Training in Natural Cooking with Simone Parris. Macrobiotic and Vegan training; Cooking according 5 elements; Yoga Therapy.

    With more than 27 years of experience in the field of human health, her knowledge and skills come through an integration of het studies and the practice of Western Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nutrition therapy, Yoga and Yoga therapy in Russia, Belgium, and Bali.

    She frequently gives talks and teaches seminars with the goal of familiarizing physicians and practitioners with the concepts of TCM, Nutrition therapy and broadening its applications in Western medicine.

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 4

    Acknowledgements A heartfelt thank you to my parents, who gave me the freedom to walk uncommon paths, and to my teachers, who showed me the way. My gratitude goes to my patients, who time and time again have proven to me how consistent integration of Chinese and Macro-biotic nutrition into our daily diet helps overcome illnesses and creates health. I especially thank my friend Marc Antonsen and my daughter Nina Ryckewaert, who have stood by me and supported me all the way. A big thank you also goes out my friend Letia Ayres for providing such valuable guidance and showing so much editorial patience, and for offering many suggestions for improvements.

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 5

    How can healthy food bring you into balance?

    We've become estranged from the normal functioning of our body. We need outside help. Nowadays we need caffeine and nicotine, sugar to get going each day, suppositories to move out our bowels, alkaline tablets to neutralize excess dietary acidity in our stomach, sleeping pills for night time, statin drugs to normalize blood pressure; multivitamins and different kinds of supplements to gain health and so on. Originally, our body functions were designed to work naturally, without the support of medication. Our refined-food diets, containing excessive amounts of sugar, salt, chemicals and animal products, are prime reasons for such dysfunctions and most prominently figure in any attempt to make a foundational change to these conditions. While exercise can support your therapy, it is still limiting because a lack of dietary balance can undo the benefits of what you've gained from exercising. Eating a healthy diet isn't simply a matter of choosing between good and bad foods, but more about knowledge of what foods create health, as well as what foods are compatible with the way you are designed and the lifestyle you've chosen. First you must activate your internal detox function. Reducing your intake of garbage, so you are no longer contributing to the problem, is the first step to your healing. Understanding how you discharge internal toxins and how problems develop from an overburdened system is essential for healing. Healing common diseases and conditions with whole-foods and lifestyle, means looking at the illness of imbalance from a holistic perspective.

    It's not only about taking special remedies, medications or applying different therapies. It also requires that we discover natural and

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 6

    nontoxic ways to halt pain, strengthen immunity, regulate blood sugar and make stresses more tolerable.

    Although these remedies can aid healing, the core of healing must embrace a transformational approach of body, mind and spirit. This requires an honest assessment of your imbalances in every aspect of life and a willingness to challenge these imbalances with determination and faith.

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 7

    Origins Inspiration for Food as Medicine has been developed from more than 27 years of combined schooling and work experience by the author, who has studied Western Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Traditional Chinese and Macrobiotic Nutritional therapy, Yoga and Ayurvedic Medicine. A major complaint of people, who begin the study of diet, is the proliferation of conflicting views in almost all sources of information. These books are written in part to resolve those conflicts by acting as a guide for individual diagnosis and healing properties of various foods. With knowledge of how foods act in the body and ability to self-evaluate, the reader can learn which foods and diets are best for his or her particular constitution and condition. The other purpose of these books is to integrate the most important food therapies from both east and west. In the west we speak of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other components of food. But knowing only fats, proteins, vitamins and general nutrition properties is not enough. Thousands of years ago, master healers in China perceived a way to classify foods and diseases according to simple, easily observed patterns. Various nutrition therapies in the east focus on other dimensions: the warming and cooling values of food, foods ability to moisten, strengthen overall energy, calm the mind and more. Knowledge of these qualities is indispensable for using food as medicine. This system can be highly effective even if the medical name of the disease is not known. For this reason, we have included the foundation of traditional Chinese diagnosis and treatment, so that all imbalances, regardless of the disease type, can be treated with dietary measures. Looking at personal diagnosis and individual properties of food, one may conclude a universal diet does not exist, i.e. balance in diet is unique for each person. To find balance, its helpful to know not only one's own needs and properties of foods, but also the correct preparation. It is necessary to exercise skill in eating by not overeating, by choosing high-qualities foods, avoiding too many food combinations, and by knowing a broad range of nutritious

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 8

    foods including the chlorophyll-rich plants, the best source of certain fatty acids, the least dangerous of the concentrated sweeteners and so on. When a good attitude and sufficient exercises are combined with a balanced and disciplined diet, one finds no limit to health. Most Asian nutrition therapies tend to be identified with macrobiotic methodology; a distinct dietary philosophy focusing on health and longevity through lifestyle principles. This suggests that food becomes an ultimate medicine when

    we recognize it as a facet of our mind.

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 9

    Benefits These books are for people who are interested in self-care and want to change their lives; for people who are ill and spend a lot of money on supplements and doctors, for mothers, wives and managers. For people who want to improve their health, balance energy and life without spending a lot of money or time. For those who enjoy learning, reading books, and people who like to cook healthy foods

    Eating right means more than what you should eat. We are overwhelmed with dietary advice, (research how many diets are out their at one time)

    What is really healthy?

    In one years course, I give 30yrs of experience in 3 x different modalities. Financial benefits

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 10

    Introduction How can food bring you into balance? People must understand that food can make us ill or it can make us healthy.

    With small changes to our food habits, we can make huge changes to our overall health and wellbeing.

    I want to teach the real reason why eating sugar is bad, including the western perspective too.

    It is good to look at food not just as nutrition but also as energy, how it can bring us into balance and how we can also have a happy life. There is NO DIET, because life is a picnic and you must enjoy it.

    Learn how in every part of the world, there are healthy ingredients that will support you. Learn to make healthy choices and healthy combinations for yourself, your partner and your children.

    Its not about diet, but also who you are. You will find information provided to understand what your body is telling you. You will learn ways to increase your self-awareness and body awareness.

    I will talk about the best way to arrange your kitchen, create a shopping list, tips for a mother, a wife, a single person etc. Once implemented, these things are easy, dont take long and provide you with life-long healthy eating strategies.

    In book 1 and book 2 we will we talk about western approach to nutrition and eastern approach to nutrition. All this gives you the possibility to keep you and your family happy and healthy.

    Book 1: Western approach to nutrition

    Western approach to nutrition: diet, sugar, fat, carbohydrates & proteins

    How these food groups affect our health in both a positive and negative way

    How you eat fruit? Whole? Juiced? How many pieces a day?

    What are good proteins and what are bad proteins? Good oils, bad oils

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 11

    What does diet mean, which diet is good, which diet is not good?

    Western nutrition pyramid And much more

    Book 2: Eastern approach to nutrition

    Integrative nutrition pyramid. The important components of this pyramid: love and self love, self care, self knowledge and so on

    Basic knowledge about the energy anatomy of our body, five elements & the energy of emotions

    Energy of food according the five elements Macrobiotic nutrition pyramid We will customise your meal plan Best choice to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner Some health tips

    In book 3 and book 4 we will go deeper into western anatomy and pathogenesis (the teaching about illnesses) and the energy anatomy of our body. After studying this part of the Food as medicine you will be able understand what is your energy type and how your make-up can make you ill mentally, emotionally and physically.

    Book 3: Western approach to the digestive system

    We will learn about: western anatomy, the digestion system overall, how we digest our food and how we make problems for the digestion system both anatomically and physically

    We will discuss the difference between what is digestion and what is absorption? Most people believe that digestion is important; actually its absorption that is most important

    We will talk about leaking gut syndrome. This is the biggest problem of our modern time. This make as tired and ill. This syndrome is responsible for most food intolerances, allergies, asthma, low immunity, adrenal fatigue, malabsorption, avitamonosis (vitamins and trace mineral deficiency) and so on

    The liver and gall bladder as anatomical and energetic systems, play one of the most important roles in our

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 12

    physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Step by step we will learn about their substantial influence

    Book 4: Energy anatomy of body and the influence of food upon the subtle and gross body

    We will understand more about the energy anatomy of the body and what our energetic body looks like. We will see what type of person you are, your blueprint

    We will see how food affects our emotions, our stress resistance and our moods. We will see how we create illnesses and how food effects everything; first at an energetic level and then on a physical level

    We will look at how we make ourselves ill and how to make ourselves healthy, without any special superman pills or potions

    Book 5 and book 6 are really the healing books. You become a nutrition doctor, because here, you will study about different kinds of illnesses according western and Chinese Medicine and than we will discover different nutritional plans to heal these conditions.

    Book 5: Western pathology and illnesses

    We will see western pathology and illnesses as digestion problems, leaking gut syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, celiac disease, lung disease, heart and vessels pathology, diabetes, candida, depression, and emotional problems, tiredness, lack of energy, low immune system, sinusitis and so on

    We will look at the conditions that have enabled these conditions to occur, how we may free ourselves from them and what we must do on an energetic level

    We will discuss how we can transform these conditions with diet. We will make a food plan for these diseases according to Chinese medicine and Traditional Chinese Nutrition Therapy Macrobiotic Therapy

    Book 6: Vitamins, supplements, super foods, and home remedies We will talk about

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 13

    The use of vitamins, supplements and super foods. I will

    answer the following questions: Are they good for everybody? How do I use them properly? What types of super foods can I choose for my condition?

    I will give you a substantial amount of home remedies for common illnesses and problems such as flu, cough, headaches, diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn, low appetite and indigestion. You can adjust these conditions with kitchen herbs like cinnamon, garlic, turmeric and so on. Just open your cupboard and use these magical medicines for you and all your family

    Book 7: Recipes and properties of foods

    I will give you different cooking methods. You will understand how you can use then according your health condition, climate, and the season

    We will discover the energetic and nutritional property of different kinds of grains, fruits and vegetables

    Of course, you will have delicious healthy recipes provided too

    All this gives you the possibility to keep you and your family happy and healthy. I promise that it will be easy, because you dont need to spend a lot of time in your kitchen to create very tasty, healthy, dishes.

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 14

    Part 1 WESTERN APPROACH TO

    NUTRITION

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 15

    We always study western nutrition, anatomy and physiology OR eastern nutrition and energy anatomy of the body. OR, we just study nutrition alone, without any deep knowledge of anatomy and the physiology of our body (like most western nutritional therapists). OR, we just study medicine, without studying nutrition (this is a big problem with western doctors, they rarely study nutrition). How many people study the length and breadth of energetic anatomy? We always have one small piece of the big picture as a specialist or a doctor. What do you expect from people who have never studied this very wide and very difficult science? The biggest problem in our current day and age is SEPARATION. When we talk about food we constantly tend to divide our food into healthy and unhealthy groups, according to western nutritional science. Most of the worlds population still thinks about food in terms of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, supplements, trace elements, healthy juicing, detoxing, and so on. This approach is relevant to the first chakra or first layer of our koshas or aura. This is the correct approach for our physical body. In this book 1, I will analyse the traditional western nutritional approach. We will talk about

    You are probably aware of the food pyramid that tells us what we should eat. Actually, there are many different types of food pyramids on the market at any give time; for example, the Paleo diet, micro-biotic diet and the raw-food diet. They all have different approaches and different ratios of food in the respective food groups. Our society is bombarded with the latest designer diet every day. There are so many ways to approach the topic of healthy eating:

    Food pyramid Diet Carbs, fats, sugars, proteins

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 16

    multi-vitamins, probiotics, fibre, etc. You will be able to understand what diet means, which diet is good, which diet is not good for you and your family.

    In the west we speak of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other components of food. This is very important to understand:

    What are good proteins and what are bad proteins? What are good oils and what are bad oils? What kind of carbohydrates do you need to eat? Do I eat sugar? What types of sugar are healthy?

    We use oils, sugar, carbohydrates and proteins every day. It is very important to use them correctly to keep our physical body healthy. You need to make the right choice between huge amounts of all these types of products in the supermarkets. There are unfortunately, more unhealthy types of food, than healthy food.

    This is the first but very important step for you to lead a healthy and happy life. Without a healthy first chakra, we cannot keep the other 6 chakras and our aura healthy.

    You cannot make very healthy and energetically balanced meals, with unhealthy ingredients!!!

    You will learn step-by-step, what is good and what is bad for you and your family. What do you need to introduce to your meals and what do you need to reduce in your consumption?

    I wish you a fascinating journey through the carbs, fats, sugars, fruits, oils and other kinds of foods for our first chakra and physical body.

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 17

    Diet

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 18

    Why diets never work Our society is bombarded with the latest designer diet every day. There are so many ways to approach the topic of healthy eating: multi-vitamins, probiotics, fibre, etc. However, are all these supplements and foods appropriate for your body? What does your body really need?

    You cant turn on the TV, drive down the road or go to a party without being confronted with western societys hottest obsession: weight loss. Diets are a billion-dollar industry; companies spend millions and millions luring you into trying the latest diet (low carb, high protein, low fat, no fat, you name it) with promises that this will (finally) be the solution - your shortcut to a thinner body. Advertising efforts also deeply affect our children, who develop a distorted body image and are often on diets as early as nine or 10 years of age.

    Our culture touts diet pills; celebrity workouts, convenience foods and trendy diets to help us achieve our desired weight, but these quick-fix solutions have backfired. World populace has reached its highest weight in history. For example, about half the population of America is overweight; one-third is obese. Diets steer us away from our own common sense and dip deeply into our pocketbooks while eliciting few, if any, lasting results.

    Why? Ill give you a couple of answers on this question from the different perspectives of western and eastern nutritional science:

    1. From the western scientific point of view, most diets dont work because

    They rely on small-scale studies or studies that have been

    incorrectly conducted and published in scientific journals with a low impact factor

    The conclusions are too far reaching (not every cholesterol-lowering substance automatically protects against heart attacks)

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 19

    They publish only studies that confirm their point of view and ignore studies that negate their objectives

    They concentrate on a biochemical mechanism and ignore the entire biochemical picture

    They focus mainly on weight loss and do not take into account the long-term effects, such as a shortening of life span expectancy. A diet or diet from the point of view of bio-gerontology (the science of aging), really keeps this in mind

    2. From the perspective of Food as Medicine, which

    emphasizes the importance of balancing the body, mind and spirit Diets dont work because each person is unique, with

    different needs based on gender, age, ancestry and lifestyle; how could one diet be right for everyone?

    Diets dont work because they are extreme solutions. As in physics, if a pendulum swings to one extreme, it has to swing equally to the other. A diet might work for a short amount of time, but research shows that almost all diets result in a 10-pound gain once off the diet

    Diets dont work because they are too restrictive. People who fail on diet plans are not flawed or weak. Diets by nature require discipline and restriction at levels that are unsustainable by a healthy human body

    Most people are disconnected from why they gain weight and see diet as the only culprit. For example, ignoring or discounting emotions, when often they are the primary reason for weight imbalances

    We are always trying to start our diet on Monday. We prepare ourselves mentally all week (or a couple of weeks before). Monday morning we wake up with one thought: Oh I am so fat; today I will start this very difficult diet. I really need to lose weight. I want to look sexy. Or, I want to be healthy. Or, I want to fit into this beautiful bikini this summer. Or, the doctor says, that I need to eat less meat. We push ourselves very hard. We are fighting with healthy food, thoughts, emotions and people around us. We cant go out with friends; we miss our chocolate, our coffee, and our relaxing moments with pleasure food. We become very nervous and irritated; then the craving comes. We start to think: Whats

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 20

    wrong if I just eat just one small piece of chocolate, just one! Yes, just one. Then it becomes 2, then 3 pieces. We give up. We feel guilty. Then we eat even more bad food than before we started the diet. Its the normal reaction of emotional eating. Naturally, we start to gain more weight.

    All of us know this situation: This is the typical western diet cycle. Many of us, who have tried one or more western diets, have had this kind of experience.

    In all western diets we just miss one important thing Balance. Unfortunately, balance is often the first casualty in the single-minded pursuit of another goal, usually weight loss. Who has tried the grapefruit diet, the cabbage soup diet, the carb-free diet, or another such diet that includes restriction from entire food groups? Yes, you will probably loose weight (at least temporarily) if you eat nothing but grapefruit. But will you be healthier? Extend your life span? Increase your sense of wellbeing? Or in the end, will you simply shudder at the thought of ever facing another darned citrus fruit?

    In our fast-paced world, we have lost sight of many aspects of life that truly nourish and balance our bodies, such as slowing down, eating a home-cooked meal and spending quality time with loving

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 21

    people. Eating consciously and making simple lifestyle changes will create positive results and release you from the endless cycle of dieting.

    Given half a chance, your body will balance out by itself, but this is only possible by getting out of the diet mentality and listening to what you truly need. Imagine taking all the outward energy you expend on diets, fads and gimmicks and turning it inward, so that you can listen to your heart and inner wisdom?

    There is no such thing as a quick fix.

    With careful thought and loving reflection, you can feed yourself in a nourishing way. Working with your body rather than against it will bring you increased energy, stabilized weight and sustainable health.

    According to eastern philosophy, the most important characteristic of nutrition is to bring balance to our body,

    mind and spirit.

    I always suggest my clients start with this kind of diet cycle. This is the first small step to understand our bad eating habits. It really helps to change these habits and become a mindful eater. This is also the first step in balancing your food, body, emotions and health.

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 22

    3. From the holistic perspective of health and wellbeing

    Below you will find some common questions I am asked in my practice daily:

    What do you think about very healthy diets such as the Paleo Diet, Raw Food Diet, Vegan Diet,

    Low Carb Diet? My answer is very easy. There is NO HEALTHY DIET!!!! Any diet has both positive and negative traits. The biggest problem in our current day and age is SEPARATION. When we talk about food we constantly tend to divide our food into healthy and unhealthy groups, according to western nutritional science. Most of the worlds population still thinks about food in terms of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, supplements, trace elements, healthy juicing, detoxing, and so on. In our modern time, we now have the tendency to overdo healthy food. We become attached to some healthy stuff without understanding how it really affects our SUBTLE BODY and of course, our health. Just look at some modern new age assumptions:

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 23

    I eat a lot of salads and they contain a lot of vitamins. All cooked food is dead. Very interesting, but salad has the least amount of vitamins and minerals and other nutritional value. However, it is very difficult to digest. It constantly weakens our digestion and digestive fire. It weakens all of our energy systems. We become tired, we feel cold and have cold feet and hands, it cools our fire of life and so on. You will learn more about this in the next book.

    It has no taste. We take a lot of dressing and a lot of seeds and nuts to make it tasty and easy digestible. But the dressing contains a lot of oil and vinegar. Plus, nuts also contain a lot of oil. This is very bad for our liver. Why do you think you need a lot of detoxing for the liver? Because you have poisoned it with your overindulgence of tahini, oil, seeds and nuts. Salads contain a lot of water. This promotes the holding of water in our system. What do you think is the cause of cellulitis?

    I eat a lot of fruit and juices. Perfect. In the section Sugar we will talk about this topic.

    I am a vegan; therefore, I am healthy. Yes, you can be a perfectly healthy vegan as long as you know how to perfectly combine your meals. Of course, you must know everything about the energetic qualities of food. If you eat very strictly macrobiotic, it means you must have spent a lot of time studying vegan food and you cook at home a lot. The same is valid for vegetarians.

    Vegetarians, be careful with diary and eggs! I saw a vegetarian who was drinking a lot of milk, eating cheese, as well as yoghurt and eggs. You will learn about these products in book 1. Dont forget about excessive amounts of dressings, fruits, fruit juices, nuts, seeds, healthy desserts and so on. When we dont have enough proteins and fats, we just have a sweet tooth. You will learn about it further.

    I use a lot of very healthy super food. Did you know that if you use super foods inappropriately, they could harm your health? For example, using green-blue algae for thin, tired and

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    depressed people is very dangerous. The intention behind the intake of this kind of super food is to tonify energy. However, this type of person can easily become even more tired, depressed and mentally tight. This is because blue-green algae are not suitable for their body type. It makes them feel even worse. For this type of person, its better to take spirulina. Also, the manner in which we take the super food is often very, very bad. We will talk about this later.

    We become attached to the modern idea as Ahimsa (from Sanskrit ahims, which means not injuring anything, do not harm anyone)". We feel at one with all worlds. We are all one soul; we love our brothers and sisters all living creatures. There is just one big problem: we are very often himsic (from Sanskrit, which means harmful) towards ourselves. We need animal products for some health condition; actually, I mean unhealthy condition. For example, a very thin, young girl, who loses a lot of blood during her menstruation, suffers from anemia (blood insufficiency) and has a lot of problems with low blood pressure, tiredness, stress and insomnia, cant be vegan. She needs meat, but it doesnt mean that she needs to eat half a kilo of steak every day. No, she needs meat as medicine. It will be a small amount of a special kind of meat, and probably in form of soup or bullion. Its the same with women who have just given birth. They need to have bouillon. In China, every woman after giving birth consumes a bowl of pigeon soup. It is a very strong blood and kidney tonic. Unfortunately, in my practice I often have patients who refuse to understand this. They prefer to be ill rather than seeing beyond Animism. They also remain very himsic to their Inner Self.

    These are just few very small examples of our unchallenged assumptions and belief systems. I wonder if you are still intrigued by the question: What is a healthy diet? My turn now; I would like to ask you a question:

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    How can a person who adheres to a very strict, low-fat diet, still register a high cholesterol value in their blood, posing a

    high risk for heart problems? Or, why do we eat so much sugar/sweet when we are upset? Why do we like salty chips so much? How does our food affect our emotions and mind? The answer is very easy. We always see our body, our mind and our food as small stacks of puzzles. WE NEVER WANT TO SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE!

    Is this because of our ignorance or our lack of knowledge?

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    We always study western nutrition, anatomy and physiology OR eastern nutrition and energy anatomy of the body. OR, we just study nutrition alone, without any deep knowledge of anatomy and the physiology of our body (like most western nutritional therapists). OR, we just study medicine, without studying nutrition (this is a big problem with western doctors, they rarely study nutrition). How many people study the length and breadth of energetic anatomy? We always have one small piece of the big picture as a specialist or a doctor. What do you expect from people who have never studied this very wide and very difficult science? We just go to Google and punch in our questions. We are so overwhelmed with information, all at our fingertips; we literally dont know what we need to do next. Plus, we really dont know anything about the energy of our body. Hence, why there is all this food and diet confusion. The most important mistake I see made is that that we only consider our food as carbs, fats, proteins and so on. This approach is relevant to the first chakra or first layer of our koshas or aura. This is the correct approach for our physical body. We will learn about the subtle body, further along in the course. We are very complex bio-energetic systems. Food is one of the most powerful medicines that can balance

    all of our systems: our body, mind, emotions - ALL! Unfortunately, we still try to use food just for its effects on our physical body, without knowing first, how we can bring harmony to our emotional, mental and spiritual body. It can be done. You are the master or mistress of your existence. If you change your food, you will change your energy and therefore, your entire life will change! Step by step you will learn about the miracle and powerful qualities of food. You will learn about whom you are, how you exist, and how you can bring yourself into balance and harmony just with a knife, a pot, a pan and a gas fire!

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    What is the healthy diet? We have more opportunity to condition our body and control our health than we could ever imagine. Most people however, don't take advantage of that capability. Our body is a detoxing, cleansing, excess weight loss, super efficient machine. This is what Its designed to do. Looking at a personal diagnosis combined with the individual properties of food, one may conclude that a universal diet does not exist, i.e. balance in diet is unique for each person.

    To find balance, it is helpful to know not only one's own needs and gain knowledge about food properties, but also learn about the correct preparation of food. Exercising skill in eating, by not overeating, by choosing high-quality foods, avoiding too many food combinations, and by knowing a broad range of nutritious foods including chlorophyll-rich plants, the best source of certain fatty-acids, the least dangerous of the concentrated sweeteners, is also invaluable.

    The most important statements regarding a healthy diet are:

    Positive effects over a long period of time The aging process has slowed down The risk for illnesses has been minimized Weight loss is no effort. It will come by itself,

    without emotional instabilities and strain Food style becomes a lifestyle! You need to know what is bad and unhealthy Knowing what you cannot eat is more important

    than knowing what you can eat. Unfortunately, there is more unhealthy food readily available than healthy food

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    Healthy food is the food we need to create an optimal weight, improve the quality of our life and our longevity. It happens because we stimulate different biochemical and metabolic mechanisms in our body. Another effect is that we also feel healthier and have a better overall condition.

    Food becomes an ultimate medicine when we recognize it as a facet of the mind. The ultimate goal of eating healthy food and creating a vibrant lifestyle is to create freedom from fear, from illness and from

    living a life of indifference. Creating a fulfilling life is the goal.

    In the west we speak of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other components of food. In the east we focus on another dimension: yin and yang, five elements and the warming and cooling values of food. In the late twentieth century, food finally began to be recognized as an important healing force in the west. Comparatively speaking, holistic practitioners have always seen food as medicine, as a powerful tool for combating a myriad of diseases as well as contributing to a happy and healthy lifestyle. We've become estranged from the normal functioning of our body. We need outside help now; we need caffeine and nicotine, sugar to get going each day, suppositories to move out our bowels, alkaline tablets to neutralize excess dietary acidity in our stomach, sleeping pills to fall asleep, statin drugs to normalize blood pressure, multivitamins and different kinds of supplements to feel healthy and so on. Originally, our body functions were designed to work naturally, without the benefit of medications. Our refined food diets, with excessive amounts of sugar, salt, chemicals and animal products, are the premiere reason such dysfunction occurs and must prominently figure in any attempt to change the foundation of any sub-optimal condition.

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    While exercise can be helpful therapy, it is still limiting, because a lack of dietary balance can undo the benefits of what youve earned from exercise. Eating in a healthy manner isn't simply a matter of choosing between good and bad foods, but more about knowledge of which foods create health and which foods are compatible with the way you are designed, as well as the lifestyle you've chosen. Healing common diseases and conditions with whole-food and a change of lifestyle, means looking at the illness of imbalance from a holistic perspective. It also requires that we discover natural and non-toxic ways to halt pain, strengthen immunity, regulate blood sugar and make stressors more tolerable. It's not about taking special remedies and medications or applying different therapies. Although these can aid healing, the core of healing must embrace the body, mind and spirit, creating a transformational approach. This requires an honest assessment of your imbalances in every area of your life and a willingness to challenge these imbalances with determination and faith. Healing yourself with food is a comprehensive way of life, and offers invigorating principles that guide and educate with practical tools to strengthen the body, mind and spirit. Recognizing that we are composed of many bodies- physical, intellectual, emotional, creative and spiritual, possessing a healthy lifestyle and the best food choices, offers unique nourishment to sustain growth and alleviate judgment. THINK ABOUT YOUR FOOD AS MEDICINE, refrain from dwelling on what you may be missing and would like to indulge in. It's about healing, and the need to do that in a focused and disciplined way, is what enables you to see your body's honest reaction. Remember! The most important quality that you can bring to your eating is to be present with what you are doing. Taste

    your food, use your senses and awaken to the miracle of

    transforming your health.

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    Western Nutrition

    Pyramid

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    You are probably aware of the food pyramid that tells us what we should eat. You can find these posters everywhere, even in Doctors offices. They tend to look like the pyramid below.

    At the base of this pyramid, we see mostly starch products (bread, pasta, white rice, cereals, cornflakes and potatos). At the top, you will find sugar and oils. You will also find pyramids that place dairy products at the base, representing the largest group of servings per day.

    Actually, there are many different types of food pyramids on the market at any give time; for example, the Paleo diet, micro-biotic diet and the raw-food diet. They all have different approaches and different ratios of food in the respective food groups. In this section, I will analyse the traditional western nutritional approach to food, (i.e. the image above) a pyramid that has been used for a very long time.

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    Most food pyramids you see circulating around, are very old now. You may be asking the question; why do we still use these pyramids? Let me share with you a couple of reasons why.

    I am a western medical doctor. I know from my experience, that our industry needs a lot of time to introduce innovative methods into the medical field. It can sometimes take a number of years, even decades before adequate, non-biased research reaches our consciousness.

    There are also huge economic interests invested in your daily food consumption.

    One of the reasons why the old pyramid is still visible and circulating around, is that agriculture, meat and dairy industries strongly lobby the government to preserve the pyramid in its present form: a shape with a strong emphasis on grain, meat, and dairy products the products of these industries. So it is no coincidence that these foods make up a large portion of the food pyramid.

    The grain, meat and dairy industries not only guarded the pyramid, they also had a significant impact on the creation of it. Many pyramids are based on the American model. The agriculture

    A significant period of time is needed to introduce

    innovative methods in the medical world There is a huge amount of economic interest,

    invested in your daily food consumption The Government agencies that provide nutritional

    information, often assume that the general public is gullible

    The general public lacks health consciousness Its easy to manipulate a large mass of unaware

    consumers Many doctors are more comfortable prescribing

    medicine than considering food as medicine

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    industries in the United States, have for many decades, had a significant impact on government institutions.

    These industries largely determined how the American pyramid looked; it was the department of agriculture and not

    the department of health that created it.

    Actually, the agriculture, food manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries have a huge influence on the

    western medical world including scientific research

    Money influences what we can eat. We receive information that has been manipulated. Think about the publicity around healthy yoghurt, vegetable margarine, and sugar. Are these campaigns really truthful? Or, are you being manipulated, because as a consumer, you can be influenced concerning how you spend your money?

    An additional reason is, that the government agencies that provide nutrition, often assume that the general public is gullible.

    According to them, the wider public would not understand the changes in the general nutritional guidelines. Furthermore, people would not be able to adapt to these changes. In short, government authorities also play with our health because they believe, that some scientific insights about nutrition are too difficult for the general public to comprehend.

    On the other side, we dont have a lack in health consciousness by the general public. A lot of people really eat most food because it tastes delicious or its about convenience (think about deep fried pizzas or ready-made meals with a lot of preservatives). In our culture, we were never taught about the medicinal or energetic aspects of food. Food was only considered as something to put in our stomach to satisfy our different types of needs (physical, emotional or stress-reduction).

    It is also easy to manipulate a large mass of unaware consumers, who never ask questions. We just buy healthy products, because everybody does that, or we saw an advertisement for this in between our television program, or the doctor advised it, or we read it in one of our favourite magazines.

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    We do this because we have been taught from an early age what to think is healthy and what to purchase thats healthy too.

    The biggest problem is that the government wants to keep us like a docile, manipulated, mass of consumers who make a small sector of society very rich. This is not about conspiracy theories; this is about a very slow but concerted effort between big agricultural industries and government (who are funded by these industries) to subtly influence our thinking over generations.

    If we start to learn about the individual nature of diet, we became aware, that WE ARE INDIVIDUALS. We become conscious individual with a lot of questions. Do you think that governments and all big industrial corporates want this? Absolutely no - they do not. There is too much at risk financially for them.

    The next problem is, that most doctors feel more comfortable prescribing medicine that considering food as medicine. The food-as-medicine philosophy of Hippocrates that was given to us many centuries ago was generally ignored, for a very long time.

    Why? Because knowledge about diet for most doctors is rudimentary. During their medical degree, young doctors receive virtually no information about nutrition. Also modern western medicine is an acute medicine, not a preventive medicine. I mean, that we treat the acute condition or chronic symptoms of dis-eases. Western medicine is not about preventative medicine.

    Problems behind the pyramid Lets look at the most widely known food pyramid and the associated problems behind this pyramid:

    1. Contents: The base of pyramid shows food that is supposed to be consumed in the largest amounts: dairy, starch products (bread, pasta, white rice, cereals, cornflakes and potatos). Actually, these foods are the most, unhealthy foods. We should absolutely be avoiding these foods in our daily life

    2. The pyramid doesnt separate healthy and unhealthy food. In general, we have a lot more unhealthy food available to us than healthy food: unhealthy grains (refined white rice and pasta), unhealthy oils (refined oils and margarine) and so on

    3. There are no any alternatives for your diet. For example: We need to eat less meat, most people are aware of this. What

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    is the alternative according to the pyramid? The alternatives are vegetables and fruit. But my question is what do I eat instead of meat? I dont find the answer there. The pyramid doesnt talk about legumes, beans, and tempeh or fish. We have the same problem with grain products (bread, pasta, pizza). We know that we are supposed to eat less grain products, but what is the alternative for grain products?

    4. The other big problem is the amount of food. In the top of the pyramid we see a very small triangle with fats, oils, and sweets. Again, we encounter the same problem: what does it mean: not much? Also, we cant see the difference between good and bad oils. Adding to this problem, there is also a large amount of healthy foods that we should be consuming in small amounts, for example: black chocolate. Where do we find this? I dont see it anywhere

    5. Other important foods missing from this pyramid are sea weeds, fermented food, herbs and so on

    6. Fruit problem. Further you will learn more about the healthy influence of fruit. You will probably start to change your mind about the importance of fruit in our overall food consumption. In this traditional food pyramid, fruit takes an all-important place.

    I hope you are starting to ask questions after you read the section about Diet and the Food Pyramid and that you are considering this: So, what are healthy foods that are good for me?

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    Part 2 The most important

    Nutrients

    Macronutrients

    Micronutrients

    Minerals Vitamins

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    There are five main groups of nutrients, which can be divided into two groups 1. The macro- nutrients 2. The micronutrients In book 1, we will talk about macronutrients.

    We will learn about sugars, carbohydrates, fats and proteins in general by comparing an eastern traditional view of macronutrients with present-day western attitudes towards nutrition.

    I will give you some dietary bottom lines for macronutrients, and provide practical suggestions for reducing cravings and making the healthiest choices that enable you to balance and secure your individual nutritional needs.

    I will also help you make informed decisions about supplements, herbs, and quality salt, all which contribute to your health.

    Micronutrients are Vitamins and Minerals Vitamins are complex chemicals that have a range of biochemical

    functions within the body. They cannot be made by the body and therefore must be consumed within food. There are fat-soluble vitamins (provided by fat-containing foods because they require fat for absorption in the gut) and water-soluble vitamins

    Minerals are a vital part of the human diet as they help in building up strong bones, transmitting nerve impulses through the body, to create hormones, or to maintain heart health and a healthy heartbeat. They facilitate general body growth and support various functions and processes in the body. The body needs both the macro minerals and the trace minerals

    In book 6 we will learn about the most important minerals for our health as well as the best salt. Also, you will understand, which supplements you need to use in certain conditions and according to your body constitution. I will give you the correct manner to use them as well as the correct daily doses.

    Book 5 and 6 will be about the medical aspects of foods. We will go very deeply into the properties of vitamins and minerals, as well as super-foods and food supplements.

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    Sugar

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    We will learn about sugar s and sweet flavor in general by comparing an Eastern traditional view on sweets with present-day Western attitudes towards nutrition.

    Sugars are of course present in sugary foods such as jam, table sugar, soft drinks, cakes and biscuits, but can also be found in milk, fruit and vegetables.

    How sugar affects our health Why quit sugar, you might ask? Sugar is natural! Well, yes, but so is petroleum, and surely you dont mean fruit and honey? Yes, yes, I do.

    Lets be clear: its fructose that is the enemy when we talk about sugar. Your body transforms table sugar into fructose (and glucose), and the sugar in fruit is also fructose. Honey is 40% fructose and agave is up to 90% fructose. Now heres the untechnical gist of the matter: every single molecule we stick in our mouths has a corresponding appetite hormone that, when weve eaten enough of said molecule, tells our brains OK, we are full now. Our bodies are good that way, were designed to eat only as much as we need. Every molecule, that is, except fructose.

    This is because back when we were cave people, sugar was both highly valuable (as instant energy for chasing wildebeest) and extremely rare (a berry here and there). Thus we evolved with no fructose full switch so that when we did stumble on a berry bush we could gorge ourselves silly (and store it as instant fat). Our digestion and metabolisms have not changed in over 100,000 years. Our sugar intake, however, has. In just 150 years, its gone from 0kg to about 60kg a year.

    Everybody knows that sugar is unhealthy. It is more dangerous than we think. The problems we experience with our teeth and weight are the least serious problems to contend with.

    The substitution of healthy food choices for large amounts of sweet foods leads to

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    Lets see how sugar affects our body. Excessive intake of sugar causes

    Why and how does this happen?

    Obesity, hypoglycemia, diabetes, high blood pressure,

    heart disease, anemia, immune deficiency, tooth decay, bone loss, herpes, yeast infections, cancer, pre-menstrual syndrome, menstrual problems and male impotence

    It weakens the mind, causes loss of memory and concentration, nervousness, shyness, violence, excessive talking, negative thoughts, paranoia and emotional upset such as self-pity, arguments, irritability and the desire for only sweet things in life

    Activation of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) which leads to excessive growths and formation of body tissues aging, cancer

    Agglutination of the protein molecules (sticking of the molecules): problem with skin, kidney, blood vessels, atherosclerosis, brain, immune system (asthma, allergy, rheumatism), gastro-intestinal tract, nerves (nerve pain, slow impulses between synapses), problems with vision, problems with erections, problems with intestinal nerves

    Increases in heart and vessel problems Suppression of immune system Increased acidity of blood and body increased

    Osteoporosis: sucks calcium from the bones Activation of fat production cholesterol heart and

    vessel problems

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    The first problem

    Sugar activates insulin production by the pancreas. Every time we consume sugar it increases the amount of insulin in the blood. It also activates the production of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF). This is a growth hormone. It will stimulate production and growth of cells and tissues in our

    body. Different metabolic processes will also be activated. Of course, if the person starts to take a growth hormone, he or she will feel better and also start to look healthier and will have increased muscular strength and beautiful skin. They will have more energy; their libido will increase. HOWEVER, This only occurs in the beginning, later it becomes a very dangerous situation. With growth hormone you quickly become old. The aging process will be accelerated. The metabolic processes in the body become more powerful and you also have excess amounts of sugar as fuel. We can compare this situation to the workings of a motor. Our body acts like a motor. If the motor works more powerfully and faster, then it wears out and becomes older, quicker.

    The second problem

    Sugar molecules work as glue. They have a tendency to stick to the molecules of proteins. This makes it easier for protein molecules to stick to each other. This is called agglutination. It can change the structure of all tissues, because protein is an essential building block of all cells and organs. If agglutination happens to our skin tissue, our skin becomes less elastic and we will have more wrinkles. If it happens in our blood vessels, they become more rigid. It creates an easier rupture of the blood vessel wall. If a person has high blood pressure, then it can cause bleeding in the brain. It is called a stroke, CVA or TVA in the brain.

    The third problem

    If agglutination happens with any kind of cells in our body, the immune system will not recognize its own cells. The immune system will consider these cells as foreign to the body. The body will start to destroy its own cells. This increases the risk of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

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    The fourth problem

    It also changes the conduction of nerve impulses in our nervous system. It causes polyneuropathy (nerve pain) and reduced function of the organs. For example, it will affect the peristalsis of our intestines; so ultimately, it affects bowel movement.

    All of these problems are found in Diabetes. Diabetes patients have a wide range problems and illnesses such as aging, heart and vessel problems, problems with vision, kidney problems, problems with erections, polyneuropathy, problems with digestion and bowel movements.

    The fifth problem

    We need sugar as fuel to feed the ongoing fire of lifes process. However, we need it in specific and small amounts. The way fructose is converted in our bodies means its not used upfront as energy, but converted directly to fat. It also becomes like a porridge in our arteries, leading to cholesterol and cancer and all the rest. Eating fructose is like eating fat that your body cant detect as fat.

    Sugar and cancer People who eat a lot of sugar have a much higher risk of getting cancer. Why does this happen?

    First, IGF is a very important cause of this problem. IGF stimulates the growth of cancer cells. For example, men who have a high secretion of IGF, have a nine times higher chance of contracting prostate cancer. (3,4). Cancer cells are very dependent upon sugar. They need it to grow and they use it in much higher amounts than a normal cell, they use it as a fuel. Also, sugar suppresses the immune system. Every day our body produce thousands cancer cells and the immune system destroys them. If our immune system is not efficient enough, the body will not destroy the cancer cells.

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    What is Sugar? Sugars are simple carbohydrates made out of single units called monosaccharides. Glucose, the bodys main fuel, is a monosaccharide. Other monosaccharides include fructose, found in fruit, vegetables and honey, and galactose a component of the sugar present in milk.

    Another type of sugar is called a disaccharide this means that the sugar is made up of two monosaccharaides that are molecularly stuck together.

    Disaccharides include

    Sucrose table sugar, made from one molecule of glucose and one of fructose

    Lactose found in milk and made from one molecule of glucose and one of galactose

    Maltose (malt sugar) found in cereals; made up of two paired glucose molecules

    The sugar in whole-foods is balanced with proper minerals. The energy obtained from breaking down and assimilating these sugars is of a constant and enduring nature.

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    The refining process of sugar disperses the life force and the natural balance is upset. Refined sugar passes quickly in the bloodstream in large amounts, giving the stomach and pancreas a shock. This causes blood-sugar imbalance and further cravings for sugar.

    Refined sugar delivers high energy and enables us to keep working, but unfortunately, it is addictive and contributes greatly to disease and imbalances and cravings for sugar.

    Lets compare the Western point of view and knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine to the workings of sugar.

    According TCM Modern Physiology and Nutrition

    1. Enter the Spleen-pancreas exegetical system

    2. Ascending, outwardly dispersing,

    and

    Harmonizing

    3. Remove coldness

    4. Tonifies, is proper food for deficiency and weakness

    Sugar activates insulin production by pancreas. Whole food activates enzyme amylase

    Sugar influence and fuel of the

    brain. Hyperglycemia (to much blood sugar) promotes a scattering, disorienting effects. Sugar dilates blood vessels, causing blood to move to the periphery of the body Deficient blood sugar levels is cause of irritability, dizziness, headaches, and others disharmonies; also with enough of certain amino acids such as Tryptophan in the brain, insomnia, depression, and pain diminish, while harmony predominates. Balanced blood sugar level maximizes tryptophan sent to brain

    Carbohydrates and sugar

    promotes warmth.

    Sugar of unrefined carbohydrates is fuel for the muscles, nerves, and brain and is the most important source of energy for all

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    5. Moistening

    6. Lubricate dryness in the mouth, throat, and longs

    7. Excess make bones ache

    8. Excess make head hair fall out

    body functions

    Quality sweet flavor in the form of unrefined complex carbohydrates forms thin, healthy coating on the mucous membranes. Excess sweet food or that of poor quality promotes unhealthy mucus conditions, favoring the formation in the body of yeast and fungi as Candida albicans. It also causes the watery swelling (edema) and cellulitis

    The most effective cough syrups,

    drops and throat lozenges are made in a sweet base

    Excess sweet food retards calcium metabolism and initiates skeletal problems including osteoporosis and arthritis

    Too much sugar acidifies the blood, destroys B and other vitamins, deplete the minerals-all of which cause unhealthy hear

    Table 2: Actions of the sweet flavor

    The numbers 3 and 4 do not apply to the majority of fruit, which is generally not proper food for deficiency, coldness and weakness.

    How sugar can change to fat! Sugar affects every organ in the body. During digestion, glucose is stored in the body as a form of glucose (called glycogen) in the liver. However, the liver has only 60-80 grams of storage, so its capacity is limited. Daily overconsumption of sugar can create a big problem for the liver and it can become as big as a balloon. The problem is that the liver tissue will change. The liver can

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    become a fat balloon, thereby causing a reduction in overall liver function.

    If the liver cant store excess glycogen, it returns it to the blood in the form of fatty acids. This fat is distributed to the most inactive and fatty areas of the body: abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and breasts. When these areas become filled, the excess fat goes to active organs such as the heart and kidneys. Actually, this process diminishes the organs functioning, causing the tissues to degenerate and turn into fat.

    Our entire body is influenced by this fat degeneration. It can create blood pressure problems, weakened circulation, lymph system as well as immune system problems.

    Sweet Excess Syndromes Chinese medicine counsels one against an excess of any flavor.

    1. The meat, sugar, and drugs syndrome.

    From a western point of view, the action of too much sweet flavor can be explained by the following principle:

    Carbohydrate metabolism regulates protein metabolism, and vice versa. If too many sweet flavors (carbohydrates) are eaten, especially in the form of refined sugars and refined carbohydrates, then protein levels needs to increase also.

    For most individuals, grains and legumes have a balanced amount of protein and carbohydrates. They also contain healthy levels of sweets.

    As the use of concentrated sugar increases, one will desire a more concentrated protein and will often find it in animal products; if this cycle accelerates, a meat and sugar syndrome is common result- i.e. excess quantities of both are consumed.

    Such syndromes cause obstruction in the body and mind. Tranquilizers, pain-relieving drugs and intoxicants are

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    often then employed for immediate, but temporary clearing of the obstruction.

    The entire cycle is called the meat, sugar, and drugs syndrome

    2. Another sweet syndrome may develop when a person is deficient in protein relative to sugar.

    In this case, the controlling function of protein on sugar metabolism decreases, and if protein is not increased in the diet, then one will desire more and more sugary food.

    We can observe this pattern in a vegetarian and vegan diet, meaning with those who:

    Dont have enough knowledge about the energetic property of food

    Dont have knowledge about the correct combination of foods

    Just use a lot of vegetables and dont use whole carbohydrates

    Use denatured proteins, lacking in minerals Use a lot of white rice Use a lot of fruit juices as compensation for lack of

    proteins.

    Throughout my long working practice, I have always had the same experience, when I meet so called healthy vegetarians or fruitarian people with a lot of health problems. The first imbalances in food that I see are

    They consume a small amount of protein, They consume large amounts of fruit and dry fruit (which

    contain a lot more sugar), They consume a large amount of raw salds, They compensate all of these salads with large amounts

    of dressings containing a lot of oil, vinegar and tahini, They consume a lot of raw nuts and seeds.

    Problems related to this diet include

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    Excessive consumption of oils in the form of dressings, seeds and nuts

    Excessive consumption of sugar in the form of fruit juices Excessive consumption of seeds and nuts. This causes

    problems with the liver, especially if taken in raw form.

    When we start to change the diet and introduce the whole food diet, the first problem that arises is a sugar craving because these people have stopped eating such a large amount of fruit.

    The truth about fruits In our modern society we have a luxury problem. We have at our disposal every type of fruit in every country and these fruits are also available during the whole year. We can buy papaya in Belgium in the middle of winter and we can eat a great amount of different kinds of fruit. We call them smoothies or fruit salads and we do our best. We are convinced, that we are trying to be healthy.

    How healthy is it?

    In the early days, people ate local fruit and also just in the season that they were available. Fruit was eaten on special occasions.

    People believe that fruit contains a lot of vitamins. The problems are

    We grow fruit in Africa or other tropical countries. This fruit is picked when it is not ripe and then shipped to other countries. After that, the fruit is stored and will eventually be delivered to a shop we can purchase it from. The final step before the fruit is eaten is that it spends some time in your refrigerator. This is a long way to a healthy meal. Our ancestors went to the garden and picked an apple or pear from the tree. This is the best way to have healthy fruit and also the taste is delicious. Just imagine that papayas are growing in Germany in January!! Do you think that all these chemicals that make your papaya artificially ripe in your country and also all the chemicals that keep that papaya for such a long time are healthy?

    The next problem is an energetic one. (You will learn about the energy of food in the next module). We eat tropical fruit in tropical countries to cool our system down. Tropical fruit is the

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    coldest food. Have you ever seen Alaska Natives eating pineapples? No, they never do it because tropical fruit will cool and slow your metabolism and digestion. Tropical fruits also activate the production of: sinusitis, flu, and bronchitis problems in our modern countries in the winter

    People believe that fruit contains simple sugar. That this simple sugar does not elevate blood sugar in the same way as refined sugar. Yes, this is true, however, they have the same acid effect on the body

    Fruit sugar has an exaggerated response on people eating whole foods

    In excess, fruit sugar can produce fatigue, inflammation and weaken mineral stores

    Eating too much fruit, particularly fruit juices, can elevate triglyceride levels - a type of fat, which increases the risk for heart disease

    How does fruit weaken our bones? When we eat sugar, it is transported into our blood. Actually, fruit sugar becomes acid in our blood stream. Think about the most common symptoms of acidity in our body: muscle pain, inflammation and arthritis. The body does not like acidity. The body is smart. It will immediately neutralise acidity and alkalize your system. (You will learn more about acid/alkaline balance in our body in Level II). How does this happen? Large amounts of calcium will be drawn out of the bones. This is known as the activation of the self-regulating system in our body, called electrolyte buffers. Our bones became weak. This condition is called osteoporosis. Think about women during menopause or old aged people who want to be healthy. Fruit sugar increases this dangerous condition, because people increase their chance of bone fracture.

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    How do I eat fruit First you must eat fruit according the season. It means that

    during a hot summer, you can eat tropical and mediterranean fruit. In the winter, apples and pears are welcome!

    Never start the morning with fruit or fruit juices For some, the additional amount of sugar present in tropical

    fruits may warrant a reduced amount of fruit Fruit juices are concentrations of sugar minus the fruit fiber

    (smoothies are the ecxeptions). You get a lot of fruit with one glass of juice. You will not be able to eat such a big piece of melon, but you will easily consume it in one glass of juice. An ordinary healthy orange juice in the morning can be extracted from six oranges. Thats way too much sugar and too much acid. It is also very energeticly cold for your system and harmful for your digestion

    Fruit can be eaten in a number of ways: fresh, cooked, or dried. Howewer, a couple of handfuls of deceptively innocent dried fruits may fill a basket if they were fresh. Also, dried fruit contains more sugar, so beware!

    Last, but not least!

    Fruit is best when eaten alone and not on top of a meal.

    Today, fruit is presented as a source of natural sugar; however, this depends upon your health. If you suffer from loose bowels, fatigue, anaemia, cancer, sugar cravings, poor memory, unsatisfying sleep, yeast, fungus, candida infection, or have any kind of infectious conditions, it may be wise to reduce or eliminate fruit temporarily and see how quickly your body responds to a whole-food diet of grains, vegetables and beans. Complete your meal with some hot tea, often a satisfying way to conclude your meal

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    Fruit creates indigestion, bloating and gas. Fruit often ferments the rest of the meals contents because it digests quickly, while other more complex sugars are still being broken down. We make a wine in our digestive tract. You need a minimum of a two hour pause between any intake of fruits and your meal. I suggest you eat fruit as healthy snack at 10.00 am and 4.00 pm.

    Honey Some people are aware that white sugar is bad so they are replacing it with equally large amounts of honey. For people who use a whole-food diet, a small amount of honey is OK. Heat produced honey, should be not used by people with copious amounts of mucus. Raw, completely unprocessed, unheated honey is preferable. The more medicinal qualities of honey will be discussed in level II.

    How do I quit sugar? Essentially, quitting sugar means quitting fructose, for good.

    If you're looking to give it a try, why not start with some simple swaps. How can we satisfy our sweet tooth? I will give you a couple of simple but effective rules

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    The best source of sweet is our diet of whole-vegetable foods and complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and legumes

    You need to chew well to draw out whole-foods natural flavor and sweetness. They become sweeter the longer they are chewed. Craving for sweets will gradually go away and simply balanced meals provide this satisfaction

    Say no to natural sweeteners such as fructose and brown sugar. They are nearly as refined and concentrated as white sugar and have similar effects

    Think about the yin-yang balance, it helps a lot. Salty food such as sea-salt, pickles, miso and soy sauce strongly direct energy lower in the body and thereby create a craving for sweets, which has an ascending nature. This means that you will crave more. Most animal foods- meat, fish, and cheese are high in protein and should be used in small amounts to avoid sugar cravings

    If you do consume meat regularly, balance it with salads, radishes, mushrooms, potatoes and wheat or barley grass products

    Sweeten desserts with fruit, fruit juices, rice syrup, barley malt, stevia, unrefined cane juice powder, maple syrup, molasses, or amasake

    Eat sweet vegetables (beet, artichokes, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips) for dessert or in desserts. Raw carrot is especially helpful for sweet cravings

    Use sprouts or sprouted products such as Essene bread, as sprouting changes starch to sugar

    Micro-algae pre-digest a certain amount of their own starches into sugar. Theyre also an amazing source of easily digested proteins for quickly regulating sugar metabolism: spirulina and chlorella are highly effective in reducing sugar cravings

    Eat sometimes, sour, spicy or pungent foods/flavors to diminish cravings

    Cravings can be caused by hyper-acidity, which often results from lack of exercise or eating too quickly, too much, or an excess of meats and refined foods. In this case, have some raw or lightly cooked vegetables or a glass of Bancha tea with lemon. Alternatively, do exercise or breathing

    Prepare meals at home to avoid sugar in restaurants and manufactured food. Read labels. Sugar and chemical sweeteners are in almost everything: breads, cereals, salads, dressings, soup, cured food, canned food, and bottled drink

    Reduce the intake of sugar slowly. Never do it suddenly

  • All rights reserved Liana Nenacheva. Copyrights Living Wisdom Academy 53

    Use sugar with awareness. One can be blinded by quality and forget quantity. A little refined sweetner can be more balancing than too much of a better one.

    Sweet food has become such an every day occasion in our society, that we have lost our gratitude for its special nature. Dont forget about its strong, harmonizing, ascending, pain and stress reducing, as well as dispersing qualities. It is always a time for celebration!!!! Just celebrate it with mindfullness.