Man Is What He Eats

An avid enthusiast of inventing healthy recipes and of entertaining, Kusum Saxena, who lives in California, combined both interests in a book written for her daughter’s benefit. This interest in healthy recipes “that also please the senses” informs her diet plan for her students. For those looking for a natural way to treat certain chronic conditions, she initially charts out a therapeutic diet, taking into consideration their age and particular requirements. It revolves around healing foods taken in correct combinations, and at certain times of the day, along with water therapy for overall wellness. With an improvement in symptoms, she moves them to a diet that sustains their long term health goals. 

This adage comes alive when one explores the connection between diet and a general feeling of wellness and good health.  Unfortunately, all too often in this busy life, we either forget or seem unable to follow a sound nutritional plan until our health issues come to the fore and impact our routine. 

A question that is often asked by those who consult me for a therapeutic diet for their chronic health issues is whether such a diet will help lessen the negative symptoms of chronic ailments, and curb the side effects from their medications? My response is an unwavering yes.

Therapeutic diets may not cure a chronic illness, but they certainly work towards alleviating the symptoms if one follows the diet regularly for 3-4 months in order to start seeing the benefits.  Once that happens, the positive loop between dietary modification and health benefits automatically motivates people to continue the prescribed diet.

The most requested healing diets from my clients have been for peptic ulcer and for high blood pressure.  After consultation with them, I create a customized menu chart with an eye to retaining taste in their meals and, when possible, including their favorite foods.  I’ve had clients with high BP humorously note that they appreciate not having their BP elevated further as the guesswork is taken out of what to eat, and when, from a list of prescribed foods.

Below, are sample diets for both conditions, along with some general do’s and don’ts.  Before starting on any such diet though, always consult with your doctor. This is especially important if you have comorbidities present.

Peptic ulcers: are erosions of the lining of the stomach or duodenum, usually caused by a bacterial infection (H. Pylori).  Foods I recommend will help heal and soothe the lining, and work as a natural adjunct to your medically prescribed treatment.  Probiotic yogurt or kefir, for example, can help fight H Pylori.  Foods rich in beta-carotenes like carrots, cabbage, broccoli, kale, courgette, pumpkin, and papaya can reduce the inflammation of peptic ulcers.  Vitamin K is also useful for healing and closing the ulcer wounds, so add Vitamin K rich foods like spinach, kale and Brussels sprouts generously to your diet.  Cold water fish like salmon and mackerel along with walnuts, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and soy products contain Omega fatty acids and act as probiotics that help protect the digestive tract. Vitamin E rich foods like avocado, wheat germ, whole grain and almonds also help to repair the damaged cells of the ulcerated lining.  Foods like watercress, water chestnuts, sweet potatoes, marrow, squash, zucchini, tofu, brown rice and honey are good choices too as they protect the lining from harmful stomach acids.  Freshly made cabbage juice, without salt, cleans the intestinal tract and mucus membrane of the stomach and is an excellent restorative.  The outer cabbage leaves are more potent for this purpose.  Licorice too is an effective, natural demulcent that can help lubricate the alimentary membrane.

To speed up the healing process avoid drinking and smoking, eating fried, spicy, raw, processed, high sugar, salt and caffeine-based foods or strong teas, condiments, citrus fruits, and taking aspirins.  All these cause an overproduction of acid in the stomach, making the gastrointestinal tract and stomach lining vulnerable.  

Avoid eating raw vegetables that may irritate the stomach lining.  Cook your vegetables preferably with avocado oil or sauté them lightly in virgin olive oil.  Don’t keep your stomach empty for more than two hours, and switch from three big meals to five small meals.  That way there is less stress on your digestive system.  Digestion is further aided, if you can take a slow 15 minute walk after each meal.  

Upon Waking:  On an empty stomach, drink 3 cups of lukewarm water slowly over the course of half an hour.  This will help clear overnight accumulation of acids from your stomach.  Additionally, drink 3 glasses of water during the course of your day, ideally timing them at least an hour before or after a meal for maximum benefit.

Breakfast:   Enjoy a small portion of cooked whole grain cereal with yogurt, kefir or soy-milk.  Add in six crushed almonds or a banana.  Another option is sprouted grain buns or bread drizzled with honey. The combination of these foods works synergistically to heal the ulcerated intestinal lining.

Pre-Lunch Snack:  Take your pick from fresh fruits like papaya, peach, apricot, apple and pear.  Combine them with two walnuts. Alternatively, have a small glass of fresh cabbage and carrot juice with a couple macadamia nuts.  

Lunch Options:  Relish your lunch with a nutrient dense and colorful bowl of stir fry tofu, cooked broccoli, carrots, snow peas, baby lima beans, and a few water chestnuts.  Enhance the flavor by adding a dash of apple cider vinegar to your meal.  Boiled brown rice or multi-grain bread go well with the above as a cereal accompaniment. 

Tea-Time:  Enjoy a cup of comfrey or licorice tea.  Both herbs are good demulcents that act as a protective barrier upon irritated tissue.  Tea should be accompanied with a very light home-made snack or salt-free crackers.

Dinner Options:  Dinner can comprise of foods similar to what I’ve suggested for lunch.  However, regularly include green marrow stew cooked with a pinch of turmeric, as they have healing properties.  For variety, bake a light potato soufflé with fresh herbs and enjoy it with well steamed Brussels sprouts, lightly sautéed zucchini and toasted whole grain bread. 

Our stomach has to digest not only the physical food but also our secretions caused by negative psychological feelings.  Hence, this diet will be more beneficial if you enjoy your meals in peace whilst relating to their healing powers.  

High Blood Pressure: Excess weight and lack of adequate exercise are indisputably associated with high blood pressure.  Stress and acute anxiety can also temporarily exacerbate blood pressure in someone who already has that condition.  Diet-wise, a lot can be done to reduce high blood pressure.  It is generally accepted that people with high blood pressure need to reduce their intake of alcohol, pickles, soda water, processed cheeses, canned foods, white flour preparations, caffeine and sodium based foods.  

To alleviate the condition, drinking water every two hours and eating fruits three times a day helps to relax and nourish the mind and body.  Additionally, if there’s stress in your life, a conscious management of that with well-known self-help techniques is a must.  Stress tends to deplete vitamin C reserves in the body and alters the synthesis of vitamin B in the system, so during stressful times make a special effort to eat foods loaded with vitamin B and C and also Omega-6.  These include spinach, green peas, avocados, Swiss chard, broccoli, turnips, asparagus, collard greens, salmon, chicken, egg and fruits like grapefruits, oranges and all berries.  Also include foods rich in soluble fiber, magnesium, potassium, and calcium like mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, bananas, oats, black beans, barley, sunflower seeds flaxseeds, and the little fiber bombs –chia seeds. Adding almonds and walnuts to your daily diet will also help regulate blood pressure and the body’s water balance.  The sample menu below suggests ways to incorporate these ingredients.

Breakfast:  Drink at least two to three glasses of water on an empty stomach.  Give a minimum gap of 15 minutes before starting breakfast, which can consist of oat or bran porridge with low-fat milk or yogurt and a teaspoon of sunflower seeds. Daily have a fruit of your choice with five almonds and three walnuts.  

Pre-Lunch Punch: Fresh fruits are a good option.  In particular, watermelon, grapefruit, apple and pears have diuretic properties that help in reducing body sodium thereby lowering high blood pressure.  Banana’s potassium also assists in controlling blood pressure and eases stress.

Lunch:  An hour before lunch, drink a glass of barley lemon decoction. Add melon cubes to the drink for an alluring taste. Then treat yourself to a salad consisting of radish, endives, sprouted mung/moong, gooseberry and zucchini, topped with parsley. Use a virgin olive oil dressing and spike the salad with a dash of apple cider vinegar.  Lunch can include fresh vegetables with the exception of eggplant.  Add in options like cooked tofu, soy bean, brown rice and fresh fish, or lean protein foods like poached chicken with herbs and prunes, topped with toasted garlic flakes and lightly sautéed spring onions or leeks, with a side of yogurt.  If so inclined, end your lunch with a few slices of papaya to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

Tea Time:  Combine a light herbal tea like chamomile or green tea with a twist of lime with light snacks made with semolina or puffed rice or with a slice of multi grain bread with melon seeds sprinkled on top.  Fruits are always a great choice, so indulge in your favorite in-season picks.

Dinner:  An hour before dinner, savor a glass of fresh coconut water.  You may like to start your dinner with a light soup.  For your main course, combine either one of these cereals -boiled barley, quinoa or brown rice with cooked vegetables like mushrooms, marrow, tomatoes, broccoli and snow peas.  If you like you can also add grilled fish or low-fat cottage cheese to the meal.  For dessert you can have a poached pear or a stewed apple with two prunes or dates. Finish dinner with a few sips of peppermint tea with a twist of lime and honey to taste.

These therapeutic diet plans can help alleviate chronic symptoms, thereby reducing dependency on allopathic medication. They’ll also keep your energy level up and balance your nutritional intake. Once the positive loop between a specific diet plan and easing of negative symptoms gets started, you’ll feel motivated to add on other elements for overall wellness.  

Generally, a good stress buster is to follow a five to ten minutes routine of deep breathing exercises that provide a reinvigorating oxygen boost to the system.  Taking quiet walks in natural surroundings or doing light exercises daily will also help.  If applicable, prevent physical and mental drain by avoiding heated arguments and discussions, loud speech and anger.  Anger is just one letter short of danger.  High emotions trigger the release of adrenaline in the body and an excess of it will constrict the blood vessels, causing potential heart problems, besides aggravating high blood pressure.

Wellness is the most valuable and precious gift we can give ourselves. Happily, several simple steps exist to get us there.