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Diet therapy
A variety of
alternative diets are offered for treating cancer, cardiovascular disease, and
food allergies. Virtually all these interventions focus on eating more fresh and
freshly prepared vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. Allergy to food
has become a major area of research. Food intolerance is being studied as a
causal or contributing factor in rheumatoid arthritis, and there is evidence
that food-elimination diets may help many hyperactive children.
Some alternate
dietary lifestyles are believed to offer a greater resistance to illness. These
include several variations of the vegetarian diet, such as those consumed by
Seventh-Day Adventists and proponents of the macrobiotic diet. Studies have
found a significant lowering of risk factors for heart disease and certain forms
of cancer in these two groups. Recent studies have also reported that certain
cultural eating styles, such as the Asian and Mediterranean diets, appear to
lower risk factors for heart disease and certain forms of cancer as well. Eskimo
diet is another one which has fascinated researchers. In spite of the high fat
food they eat, they are found to be very healthy. The latest theory is that it
is because of the marine fat rich in Omega-3 three that they eat which offer
them such protection.
Throughout
history, people have looked at as a source of healing. Some of the myths were
found to have no scientific merit. But some other ones have proved their mettle
over the period of time. Buttermilk and yogurt were used to treat thrush (oral
candidiasis), a fungus infection of the mouth, before the invention of
fungicides. Fresh limes were used to treat scurvy in sailors, cod liver oil was
used to treat rickets in children, before the "invention" of vitamins. Many
generations of people sipped warm milk before bed time to aid in the sleep. Now
we know that milk contains an amino acid that causes the brain to release a
mildly tranquilizing substance that encourages drowsiness.
Food can be
therapeutic in several ways. It provides nutrient that is needed by a sick
person in a form he or she can use. It also provides nutrients for persons who
are deficient in them. Sometimes food also supplies an agent or chemical that
aids in the metabolism of other nutrients. Food such as buttermilk can help
stabilize the fungus/bacteria balance in the mouth. Such foods act by changing
the ecology within the human body.
Many of the old
time remedies stress food avoidance as well as specifying what to eat. For
example, the ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda, is mainly based on diet
control. As you can learn by referring to the section on Ayurveda in
HolisticOnLine, foods are classified as either helping or hurting the three
doshas, the governing pricnciples under which all living being are classified in
Ayurveda. Food is used to stabilize the "doshas" along with other things such as
meditation, yoga etc.
Many people are
allergic to some foods such as chocolate, lactose etc. Similarly some people get
constipation from excessive high intake of fiber. Diabetes patients, especially
Type 2 diabetes, need to watch out what they eat especially food containing
sugar. People with heart disease need to control the intake of foods containing
high amount of fat and cholesterol. These are all common sense diet therapies.
Diet and
Cancer
A study conducted
by the National Cancer Institute has concluded that as much as 90 percent of all
cancer in humans have been attributed to environmental factors, including diet.
Dietary modification would have the greatest effect on the incidence of the
cancers of the stomach and large bowel and, to a lesser extent, on the cancers
of the breast and lung. It may not be possible to specify a diet that will
guarantee that cancer can be completely eliminated, as there are other factors
involved, certain diet modifications would generally help. Some of these
guidelines are:
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Reduce the
consumption of both saturated and unsaturated fats to 30 percent of total
calories. Fat has been linked to a number of cancers. Fat may especially be a
causal factor for breast and colon cancer.
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Include fruits,
vegetables, and whole grain cereal products in the daily diet. Foods rich in
Vitamin C and beta carotene are especially recommended. Use our extensive diet
data base to look up the nutritional content of foods. Foods such as apricots,
peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, citrus fruits, and broccoli,
spinach, kale, escarole, Romaine lettuce, parsley, peppers, cabbage, white and
sweet potatoes, acorn and butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and carrots fit
that bill. Consumption of such vegetables of the mustard family as cabbage,
broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts has been linked to a reduced
incidence of gastric and colon and rectal cancer.
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Keep the
consumption of food preserved by salt curing, salt pickling, and smoking to a
minimum. It has been found that in countries such as China, Japan, and Iceland
where such foods are consumed, there is a higher incidence of the cancer of
the esophagus and the stomach. Cut back on sausages, smoked fish and ham,
bacon and hot dogs.
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Alcoholic
beverages should be consumed only on moderation. Heavy drinking, especially in
combination with cigarette smoking, has been associated with an increased risk
of cancer of the upper gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, as well as
other adverse health effects.
Many people also
believe that dietary protein is also linked to cancer. Many experts believe that
American consume too much protein. There is not a consensus on this matter. Some
research indicates that a low cholesterol (especially below 150) may be linked
to colon cancer. So, the advise is to use moderate amount of any food and as far
as practical, consume a balanced diet rather than eating just one kind of food
(for example red meat.) |
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