CNN - Guidelines for eating healthy

Question 1

What does it mean by “eating an alkaline diet?”

Answer 1

Eating a diet that includes more alkaline-forming foods than acid-forming foods so that the combined effects of your diet match the slightly alkaline pH of your blood

Question 2

List some of the foods that would be good to include in the above

Answer 2

Fresh fruit and vegetables, water and foods high in potassium

Question 3

Why might an alkaline diet benefit our health?

Answer 3

Weight loss

Reduces cholesterol

Question 4

List some foods that are “acid forming”

Answer 4

Alcohol, sugar, meat, cheese, coffee, refined white foods, diary, artificial sweeteners, soft fizzy drinks

Question 5

What illnesses might we find in a person eating primarily acid forming foods?

Answer 5

Edema, arthritis, asthma, excessive mucus, eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, high LDL cholesterol, calcification of the organs and arteries etc

Question 6

List the pH range that refers to alkalinity

Answer 6

7.35 to 7.45

Question 7

Which minerals particularly are used in our cells to help influence the alkalinity of the environment?

Answer 7

Sodium, potassium, Magnesium and Calcium

Question 8

Why might alkaline forming diet help with weight loss?

Answer 8

Cells that are alkaline, oxygenated and hydrated burn glucose effectively and run at a higher metabolic rate.

Question 9

Give me some tips for alkalising my body?

Answer 9

Lemon in warm water first thing in the morning
Apple Cider Vinegar
Juicing (apples, carrots, celery and beetroot)
Avoid acid forming foods
Avoid stress
Enjoy exercise
daily water intake 2.4 litres

Question 10

Write a paragraph on the benefits of low GI diets

Answer 10

Foods with a Low GI feed your body with slow release nutrition that gives your body a steady supply of blood glucose. A low GI eating plan will help you to eliminate cravings and lose weight at the same time.

Question 11

What is the Paleo diet?

Answer 11

A diet based similar to that which our ancestors ate 10,000 years ago (before the development of agriculture and grain based diets).

Question 12

List foods that are acceptable on a paleo diet and a few of the main ones eaten today that are not part of this regime

Answer 12

Lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, nuts and seeds and healthy uncooked fats from plant and fish sources
Dairy, grains, processed foods, legumes, starches and alcohol are all to be avoided.

Question 13

List some of the detrimental influences of refined sugar on health

Answer 13

They increase blood sugar rapidly and promote weight gain, affect mood & concentration and increase the risk of diabetes.

Question 14

Why is fish a good food? What might be the risks (if any) associated with ingesting high levels of oily fish?

Answer 14

Fish is ideal for human nutrition as it is rich in beneficial omega 3 and is generally easier to digest than protein from land animals. Oily fish can in fact reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other inflammatory conditions as well as promote mental acuity and concentration.

Question 15

Name a couple of foods considered to bestow “super food” properties.

Answer 15

Leafy green vegetables – suppt health of blood, brain, kidneys & immune system
Beetroot - cleanses blood and liver, lower BP and anti-inflammatory
Avocados – lower LDL
Spirulina – protects immune system, aids in mineral absorption and reduces cholesterol
Seaweed – regulate and purify blood, chelate heavy metals and other toxins
Berries – high in anti-oxidants that absorb free radicals in the body
Nuts and seeds – especially high in v&m and mono & poly unsaturated fats incl. EFAs
Coconut oil – energy, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties
Raw honey – high in anti-oxidants, reduce inflammation and premature aging
Kefir – high in probiotics that support the health and function of the digestive tract

Question 16

Which foods contain the highest levels of pesticides?

Answer 16

The dirty dozen – peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes

Question 17

Why might pesticides be a problem to us?

Answer 17

Plants grown with pesticides have no need to produce protective compounds (flavonoids and carotenoids) themselves. (like comparing a human growing up on anti-biotics!)

Question 18

What is the difference between “food allergy” and “food intolerance?

Answer 18

Food allergies involve IgE antibodies (a protein molecule that binds to other molecules or pathogens)
Food intolerances involve IgA and IgG antibodies

Question 19

Describe the symptoms someone who is “truly allergic” might experience on ingestion of a food allergen

Answer 19

Quick onset, rash, skin irritation, swelling and reddening, headaches, itching, swelling of the lips, nausea, vomiting, respiratory issues etc.

Question 20

Describe in your own words a protocol for an elimination diet to avoid common food allergens What are the commonest food allergens?

Answer 20

Identify the foods that give intolerance symptoms (best done through testing method and not guess work)
Eliminate these foods (from 30 days up to 12 months)
During this period, do work to optimise digestive and endocrine health
Introduce foods one at a time and monitor symptoms

Milk, sugar, gluten and wheat are the prime culprits!

Question 21

Any thoughts as to why the above might be problematic food substances?

Answer 21

Typical Western diets eat too much of the above foods in proportion to healthy foods.
Milk – our bodies are not designed to digest milk after weaning. Lactose feeds unwanted bacteria!
Sugar – is a poison. Sugar feeds unwanted bacteria!
Gluten – glue! Gluten damages the intestinal wall
Wheat – sandpaper! Wheat irritates inflamed gut walls and leaches v&m from the body

Question 22

Describe for us in your own words the diet you consider to generally be the best for human health and why?

Answer 22

Unrefined, organic
Well balanced source of complex carbohydrates, proteins and fats with focus on fruit and vegetables, fish and plant protein and essential fatty acids. Fermented foods
Avoid milk, wheat, sugar and stimulants (alcohol, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and drugs)
Plentiful water