October 8, 2011

The Impacts of Transitioning to Holistic Nutrition

By Kathleen M. HutterOctober 8, 2012

Overview

How Did Holistic Nutrition Evolve Where are We Today? The Health and Food Crisis SAD – Standard American Diet Sound Holistic Principles Making Conscious Choices Impacts of Holistic Nutrition on Your Health Long Term Goal to Implement Holistic Nutrition

Holistic Nutrition

Holistic Nutrition can be defined as: of or pertaining to treating the whole organism as opposed to individual parts or components through the act of sustaining life through food and diet.

Evolution of Holistic Nutrition

460-370 B.C. --“Let Food be Thy Medicine and Medicine be Thy Food”Hippocrates-Father of Medicine

1753 – James Lind publishes treatise on Scurvy – citrus fruit prevents scurvy1857 – Louis Pasteur develops pasteurization to eliminate bacteria1925 – Edgar Cayce founder of Association for Research and Enlightenment-

establishes the mind body connection1937 – Weston Price researches the connection between nutrition and disease20th Century – discovery of vitamins, research into the chemical components of food1978 – Dr. Gladys McGarey – founder of American Holistic Medical Association &

called “Mother of Holistic Medicine”1990 forward – research has proven the indisputable link between food, environment,

mental, social and spiritual health and disease and that food is the primary promoter of health and preventer of disease

1997 Dr. Andrew Weil “Eight Weeks to Optimal Health” & founder of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine bridges the gap between Western & Alternative Medicine

Current – People and doctors are heeding the “wake-up call” and responding with greater modalities of healing through the nurturing of the body, soul, mind and spirit

COMMERCIAL FOOD TIMELINE

2011 – USDA develops “My Plate” program1992 – FDA Introduces Food Pyramid1972 – GMO first seen in crops1957 – High Fructose Corn Syrup – by product of manufacturing enters in1956 – USDA introduces four food groups – Dairy, Meat, Nut/Veggies, Grains1950's – TV dinners1940's – Microwaves1920 – “Fast food” introduced – White Castle & A&W1911 – Trans fats introduced (“Crisco”)1900 – “unofficial” discovery of vitamins (early part of the century)1895 – Refrigeration Developed1886 – Coca Cola Invented1871 – Pasteurization Invented by Louis Pasteur1809 – Canning 1000 – Factory Milling 800 – Coffee created 600 – 800 Alcohol created

Where are We Today?

America is in a health crisis. Diabetes afflicts 25.8 million Americans (NDIC); heart disease claims 631,636 lives per year (CDC); 1,638,910 cancer deaths for 2012 so far (cancer.org), and chronic illness is increasing every year.

“...of the 278 additional calories Americans on average consumed per day between 1977 and 2001, more than 40 percent came from soda, “fruit” drinks, mixes like Kool-Aid and Crystal Light, and beverages like Red Bull, Gatorade and dubious offerings like Vitamin Water, which contains half as much sugar as Coke.”– New York Times July 23, 2011

“Nutrition is essential for life, no cell could survive without nutrition ... and with only certain nutrients instead of complete (holistic) nutrition our cells suffer and disease processes set in” – Origins of Holistic Nutrition

The Present Situation

SAD – the Standard American Diet-“The Standard American Diet, also referred to as the Western pattern diet, looked a lot

different a few hundred years ago. People mostly consumed fruits, vegetables, wild grains and seeds, fish and occasionally meat. Today many Americans gorge on sugars, refined flour and processed food. This selection of events tracks the devolution of the American diet...heart disease, diabetes and cancer are all in large part caused by the Standard American Diet “– New York Times July 23, 2011

-the number of people getting cancer has increased from 1 in 33 in 1900 to 1 in 2.5 people today. It is estimated that in about 20 years 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer and half of them will die.

The Standard American Diet/Western Pattern Diet consists of high intakes of red meats sugary foods, high-fat foods, and refined grains. High fat dairy products, refined meats, and sugary drinks are also a large part. (Wikipedia)

Example of the SAD Diet: High Sugar Cereal & processed OJ for Breakfast; burger, fries & soft drink for lunch; red meat, potatoes, cooked vegetable and sugary drink followed by a sugary dessert for dinner. In between meals are carbohydrate laden “snacks” loaded with sodium and devoid of nutrition.

Evolution of the Standard American Diet

◆ Coincides with the “Industrial Revolution” -- a by-product of a modern lifestyle. ◆ At the beginning of the 20th Century, the U.S. Ranked #1 in health among the major

industrial nations (PLIM Report, vol 9, #2). The US currently ranks last out of the 7 industrialized nations for “long, healthy productive lives”

◆ Refining/processing methods of food became cheaper, more widely available and began to replace less processed “raw” foods.

◆ The per capita consumption of all refined sugars in the US rose from 55.5 kg in 1970 to 69.1 in 2000 (The Journal of Clinical Nutrition-JCN)

◆ New manufacturing procedures allowed vegetable oils to take on atypical structural characteristics.

◆ Consumption of processed oils from 1909 to 1999 increased as follows (The Journal of Clinical Nutrition):

◆ Vegetable oils 130%◆ Shortening 136%◆ Margarine 410%

◆ By 1895 cattle could be fattened to 545 kg in 24 months and exhibit “marbled meat” via feed lots and relying heavily on cereal grains and corn as feed (JCN)

◆ By 1950 cattle could reach 545 kg in 14 months with 30% body fat

◆ Currently 99% of all beef consumed is from grain fed feedlot cattle (JCN) high in inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids.

Potential Alternatives

➲ Dramatically increase the consumption of locally produced, organically farmed fruits and vegetables

➲ Decrease the consumption of fatty meats such as beef and pork➲ Increase the consumption of seeds and nuts➲ Drink plenty of filtered or Reverse Osmosis water (6-8 glasses per day)➲ If choosing to include animal products to eat, choose animals or dairy products from

a local, sustainable farm that practices humane treatment of animals➲ Take the time to relish the experience of eating your food – don't just “suck it down”.➲ Give thanks to the Earth or God for supplying you with soulful nourishment

Possible Impacts of Subscribing to Holistic NutritionInstead of the Western Diet/SAD

➲ Lowered risk of Heart Disease➲ Lowered risk of Cancer➲ Eliminate risk for Type II Diabetes➲ Increased Energy➲ Attainment of “ideal” weight➲ Lowered risk of degenerative and auto-immune diseases➲ Reduced stress➲ Relief from allergies➲ Balance blood sugar➲ Reduced load of environmental toxins➲ Improve recovery time➲ Balance your hormones➲ Strengthen your Immune system and improve your overall health

Transitioning to Holistic Nutrition

1) Make a commitment to change outdated habits and replace them with new, healthier ones2) Set realistic goals: for example: add in two cups organic leafy greens per day, spend 10

minutes before you get up in the morning to center yourself and meditate3) Seek out a professional through a referral or trusted source to help4) Partner with a friend or loved one to help you transition5) Form a healing relationship with your food6) Give thanks for all that you are and all that you have!7) Slow down when you are taking in nourishment and savor every bite8) Reconnect with your community through a charity or a spiritual organization that has

community service9) Educate yourself about your health and the food you eat10) Look for every opportunity to find joy in your life – especially in times of adversity

LIVE! LOVE! LAUGH!