The Ideal Diet
In most cases people know what they shouldn’t be eating but get confused when asked what they should be eating. For this reason I’m not going to tell you what to avoid because if you tried to eat what you should be having in the correct portions you’d soon realise you don’t have time or space to eat the things you shouldn’t. Some general rules are:
- Everything in moderation
- More fruit and veg (half) than carbohydrate (quarter) and protein (quarter)
- Organic
- Simple (try to get foods as they grow, before they are processesed, the fewer ingredients the better usually)
- Seasonal (fresh is best)
- Drink Water (not tea and coffee or squash)
These are very simple rules which everyone should adhere to. Below you will find more complex explanations of the most talked about nutritionals issues we deal with now-a-days; essential fatty acids and inflammation, good fats vs. bad fats, wheat and dairy intolerances and blood sugar levels. The most important thing to remember about the ideal diet is that each of us is an individual and we absorb things differently therefore we each need different quantities of different foods and some of us really shouldn’t have some things others needs a lot of. It is up to us to pay attention to our bodies and use our senses to decide what is best for us.
Essential Fatty Acids and Inflammation
The essential fatty acids are fats which every cell of our body needs to survive. We cannot manufacture them ourselves so they must be found in our diet, this is why they are called ‘essential’. The essential fats are linoleic acid (better known as Omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (better known as Omega-3). Omega-9 is another essential fat which has recently been discovered and is commonly found in combination with the other two. Here, however, we will address a comparison between omega-3 and omega-6.
| Fish | Amount of Omega 3 |
| Salmon | 2.50 |
| Anchovy | 2.11 |
| Mackerel | 1.42 |
| Swordfish | 1.06 |
| Tuna | 0.95 |
| Halibut | 0.67 |
| Trout | 0.58 |
Omega-3 is found mostly in oily fish, help/flax/pumpkin seeds, purslane, walnuts and blue-green algae. Whereas, Omega-6 is found in; corn, wheatgerm, soya, borage, sesame, pumpkin, hemp and walnut. You will notice that we eat far more wheatgerm (wheat), corn and soya in the western diet than we do oily fish and seeds.
Unfortunately, this unbalanced diet may actually be the reason behind a lot of our illnesses which are common in the western world and not in the eastern. This is because omega-3 is anti-inflammatory whereas omega-6 is inflammatory. Therefore, it is advised that more omega-3 is eaten by those suffering with things such as arthritis, gout, inflammatory bowel diseases and diabetes. So next time you buy an omega oil supplement make sure it has more omega-3 than it does omega-6.
Good fats vs Bad fats
There are many different types of fats; trans-fats, mono-unsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated. These are classified according to how many double bonds occur in the chemistry of the fat. Saturated fats have no double bonds between carbon atoms, mono-unsaturated fats have one double bond, polyunsaturated fats have multiple bonds and trans-fats are thus named for their hydrogen atoms placed on opposite sides of the double bond. Fatty acids also differ in their properties according to the type of carbon to carbon bonds.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature e.g. dairy products like butter and cheese. These are the least reactive under heat because of their saturated chemical state. Therefore, they are the safest to cook with.
Mono-unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature as their molecular structure affects their melting point e.g. sunflower oil, sesame oil and grapeseed oil.
Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature as well e.g. fish
Trans-fatty acids are solid at room temperature e.g. margarine and animal fats (commonly used as a cheap alternative to other fats). These are the most reactive under heat and therefore become dangerous when cooked with.
They have become more popular as they are cheap to produce via a method called hydrogenation whereby hydrogen is added to the carbon bonds to make them more saturated. This increases the shelf-life of a food as it reduces its rate of oxygenation (Alton, J, 2009). It has become clear that both saturated and trans-fats raise LDL cholesterol (‘bad’ cholesterol) but trans-fats also reduce the level of HDL cholesterol (‘good’ cholesterol). Moreover, we are not well adapted to metabolising these fats and so they commonly stay in the bloodstream adding to inflammation and increasing coronary diseases. They should be avoided. Although trans-fats have been severely reduced in our foods found in the supermarket they have simply been replaced with other methods of production and we do not yet know the impacts of these on our health. So.. keep it simple, stick to mono-unsaturated fats such as sunflower and olive oil and poly-unsaturated fats such as fish and seeds. (Alton, J. 2009)
Intolerances
Unfortunately, many of us are intolerant to lactose (found in cows milk and other dairy products), allergic to milk proteins and/or wheat but don’t even know it. Intolerances to these things often cause bloating, abdominal pain, wind, lethargy, and disturbed bowel movements. For this reason, it is often suggested that wheat and dairy are avoided although not everyone is intolerant.
The positive side to intolerance is that slowly over time it is possible to reintroduce the substance after removing it from the diet. I did this myself with dairy to great effect as I can now have it symptom-free. If you suspect intolerance I would suggest cutting the substance out of the diet for a month and keep note of symptom improvements. After this you may slowly start to re-introduce it always paying attention to symptoms so as to go at the correct pace for your own body.
If you are sensitive to wheat or milk it may be at different severities to someone else who does. In the most severe cases the body recognises the proteins as an allergen and starts to attack it by forming antibodies. Wheat contains gluten which (depending on each individuals bowel flora) can directly damage the gut wall diminishing the villi leading to a practically flat gut wall (celiac disease for instance). (Holford & Joyce, 2007)
Blood Sugar Levels
Sugar cravings are thought to be caused when our bodies are suffering a low blood sugar level; hypoglycaemia. It usually means the bodies signals are mixed up as we mis-interpret them to mean we want a sweet treat when actually it is a signal that we need something containing sugar. For example, carbohydrates have a sweet taste when broken down in the mouth by enzymes but we usually satisfy our sugar cravings with treats such as processed chocolate and biscuits which have no real nutritional use. Not only are they a signal of hypoglycaemia but they can also be a sign of chromium deficiency (when cravings are for chocolate), intolerance to carbohydrate, adrenal fatigue or a gut fermentation syndrome.(womentowomen.com, 2009)
When we eat simple sugars the body detects a high level of glucose in b cells within the pancreas which trigger the release of insulin. Insulin then binds to muscle cells, liver cells and fat cells. Muscle cells either oxidise glucose for energy or store it as glycogen. Liver cells store glucogen as glycogen, protein or fatty acids. The fattys acids are used by fat cells to make triglycerides. Fat cells also use glycerol to make triglycerides. High levels of insulin reduce our blood sugar levels. Insulin is then secreted less via a negative biofeedback mechanism. (Meisami, 1997)
Simple sugars leave the bloodstream quickly and so give us a sudden rise and dip of energy. The rise is soon combated by a low energy feeling (or low) which triggers another sugar craving and thus the cycle of highs and lows continues. The sudden hormonal requirement can wear out the endocrine monitoring facilities faster. Also, refined carbohydrates require minerals and vitamins to be broken down. This leads to mineral and vitamin deficiencies which disturbs the endocrine system and can lead to degenerative disease, allergies, obesity etc. (Gallagher, 2007)
Many foods have been tested to see just how quickly they are broken down to glucose. This measurement is called the glycaemic index (GI) and is a rating of 0-100. Glucose itself has a rating of 100 and all other foods are compared to it. Therefore, the higher the rating the more disruption to your blood sugar levels and insulin balance. Moreover, GI has a big affect on our appetite and the higher the GI the less satisfying the food is therefore, perpetuating the problem. Excesses of insulin will slow the body’s fat metabolism and thereby make it much easier to put on weight. It can be seen why type 2 diabetics are often overweight taking account of this. So, the GI scale is a quick and easy way for people to take control of their diet and balance their blood sugar levels and patients with diabetes would benefit from understanding this system. (Briffa, 2007), (Holford, 1998)
Another thing which needs to be accounted for is the amount we eat. Obviously the more you eat of a high GI food the more the blood sugar levels with spike but it is unlikely that a person who is very hungry after a long day at work would crave vast quantities of hummus rather than a bowl full of pasta. These concepts gave rise to another method of measurement called the glycaemic load (GL). This is calculated by multiplying the GI by the amount of carbohydrate found in that particular food. Generally, a GL of 20 or more is believed to be relatively high and one of 10 or less is relatively low. This gives another aspect to the problem as seen in the following table. (Briffa, 2007), (Holford, 1998)
| Food | GI | GL |
| Kiwi fruit | 53 | 6 |
| Cooked carrots | 58 | 3 |
| Raw carrots | 16 | 1 |
| White rice | 64 | 23 |
| Brown rice | 55 | 18 |
So you can see it is not just the fast release of glucose but also the nature of the food itself for example; whether it has its husk left on it or not. It can also be seen that the foods we often eat the most of are not just quick at releasing their sugars but also high in carbohydrate. Foods of high GI tend not to satisfy the appetite as much as those of a low one. So ideally we are not only looking for foods with a low GI but ones with a low GL as well. (Briffa, 2007)
Sugar cravings can leave us at a heightened risk of:
- Lowered adrenal function
- Lowered progesterone and estrogen dominance
- Lowered serotonin levels
- Candida
- Stress
- Hypoglycaemia
- Gilberts syndrome
- PMS
- Diabetes mellitus
(www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C634809.html)
The most useful thing one can do to maintain healthy blood sugar levels is to eat little but often (Briffa, 2002). It is best to eat every 3 hours and snacking between small meals should be on things such as seeds, nuts, berries or sauerkraut. Snacking on carbohydrates such as bread is a bad idea but snacking on protein is better e.g. eggs, cheese and nuts. Fruit and honey contain natural sources of simple sugars and should be minimised. All stimulants should be eradicated such as caffeine, and soft drinks. Chocolate should be minimised because of its theobromine content which is another stimulant. Agave syrup is a sweet alternative which does not seem to spike blood sugar levels as well as liquorice which can both be used on occasion. It is also important to eat foods which release their energy relatively slowly such as; rye bread, brown rice, beans, pulses, fresh fruit and vegetables. This is easier to calculate using the GI/GL ratings. (Fhleisheir, 2008)
It is not only our diet which needs to be changed but our life styles also. Reducing sensory stimulation, stress and exposure to fluorescent lights will all help lower the energy needed on a daily basis. (Fhleisheir, 2008)
There are also many herbs which can be incorporated into our diet which help to fortify us and increase the efficiency of our digestive system. Nutritive herbs can be used to keep our blood sugar levels more even during the day for example Nettle (Urtica dioica) helps hypoglycaemia and is an excellent source of minerals such as iron and vitamins A and C. Burdock root (Arctium lappa), Borage (Borago off.) and Horehound (Marrubium vulgare.) are other nutritive herbs as well as Dandelion (Taraxacum off.). Any of these can be made up the night before as a nutritive tonic for the morning or to have throughout the day. Dandelion is also bitter; bitters are known to help the digestive process by encouraging bile and enzyme production; other bitter herbs can be used for the same reason. Elecampane (Inula helenium) is useful as it contains inulin which is a prerequisite for insulin. However, it is a very strong decongestant and only tiny amounts are needed. Berries are also great for maintaining blood sugar levels. Juniper berries with nuts make a great snack and bilberries help bruising and collagen destruction in diabetes. Other berries such as raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and elderberry are all great and autumn is the perfect time for berry eating. They can easily be dried and eaten throughout the year as well. (Fhleisheir, 2008)
References
Alton, J (2009) Fats Notes. University of Lincoln
Briffa, J (2002) DrBriffa.com. Getting to grips with sugar cravings. [online] http://www.drbriffa.com/blog/2002/04/21/sugar-cravings-and-blood-sugar-balance/ [accessed: 11/10/2009]
Briffa, J (2007) The True You Diet: The revolutionary diet programme that identifies your unique body chemistry and reveals the foods that are right for YOU. London: Hay House
Clark and Kumar (2002) Clinical Medicine. London: Elsevier
Fhleisheir, H. (2008) Village Herbalist 8: Blood Sugar! [online] http://www.herbmentor.com/downloads/20080320_3/download/ [Accessed: 11/10/09]
Gallagher, K. (2007) HerbMentor.com. Sugar. [online] www.herbmentor.com/articles/20071005_9 [accessed: 11/10/2009]
Holford, P (1998) Optimum Nutrition Bible. London: Piatkus Book
Holford, P. & Joyce, F. (2007) The Holford 9-Day Detox: The definitive detox diet that delivers results. London: Piatkus Book
Meisami, E., Macey, R. and Kapit, W. (1997) The Physiology Coloring Book. Harper Collins.
http://www.womentowomen.com/understandyourbody/symptoms/cravings.aspx
Wolfe, D & Shazzie (2005) Naked Chocolate. London: Rawcreation Ltd
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