Your health is determined in large part by what you do on a daily basis. Your diet, level of physical activity, environmental factors and level of stress play a significant role in your overall state of health and well-being. The following quote by Hippocrates, known as the father of modern medicine, states that what you eat for health reasons is very important.
Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness.
Hippocrates
Greek physician (460 BC - 377 BC)
Modern society has strayed from this ancient model by creating fast food and processed food, utilizing chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the production of food, genetically modifying seed to allow the use of stronger pesticides, and breaking down and chemically altering foods to aid in the production and taste of processed foods (for example, high fructose corn syrup and monosodium glutamate).
The cumulative effect of these modifications to whole, nutritious foods is a breakdown of health on a very basic level. To eat for health requires nutrient dense, whole foods with no added chemicals or chemically altered substances. By introducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide residue into your system you increase the level of toxins in your body. This added burden can lead to disease and illness.
In response to the health problems that occur due to poor dietary habits and lifestyle choices, modern medicine prescribes pharmaceutical drugs to suppress symptoms of disease. In the United States it is against the law to claim that natural products cure or treat any disease. The pharmaceutical drugs the doctors prescribe do not cure these diseases either. They merely lessen the symptoms of one disease, and cause side effects that prompt the doctor to prescribe more medications to address.
The answer is to eat for health by researching whole foods that promote good health and well-being. This will take some effort on your part, as the FDA, the organization empowered with protecting the quality and safety of food and drugs, purposefully prevents the communication of scientific proof of the health benefits of foods. They have actually told walnut and cherry growers that they cannot tell the public about the health benefits of their products, yet they allow Frito Lay to post the health benefits of potato chips on their website. It doesn't take a lot of research to decide which product has more natural health benefits!
To eat for health, choose organic fruits and vegetables, grass fed, free range animal products, raw dairy and organic whole grains. Use olive oil, fish, nuts and seeds and organic avocados as sources of good fats and omega-3 fats. Use healthier cooking methods such as grilling, roasting or baking rather than frying when cooking foods, and avoid adding empty calories in the form of gravies, sauces and dressings. When you eat for health you will find more energy for exercise, improved sleep and reduced stress, which all combine to improve your health and well-being.
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