Healthy Eating Resources

I consider Krispin Sullivan to be the world's foremost expert on the relationship between vitamin D and human health. Many thanks to Krispin for taking the time to update and educate me on the latest in vitamin D research and what we can do to ensure appropriate levels for excellent health. You can read more about Krispin's work and upcoming book at her website. - Ben Kim, D.C.

With greater awareness of the many health problems associated with pasteurized dairy products, many people are turning to vegetarian milk substitutes like soy milk and rice milk. I’m not a big fan of either. Here are some reasons why I don’t think soy or rice milk should be staples in your diet:

1. Many brands of soy and rice milk contain polyunsaturated vegetable oils which can contribute to an imbalance of essential fatty acids in your body. As harmless as this might sound, I am convinced that a chronic imbalance of essential fatty acids caused by regular consumption of polyunsaturated vegetable oils is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Polyunsaturated fats that contribute to this harmful imbalance are found in safflower, corn, soybean, sunflower, and cottonseed oils. I recommend that you stay away from these oils completely. Read more about healthy vs. unhealthy fats here.

Ready for some good news?

You can make a rich and creamy alternative to cow’s, soy, and rice milk with raw almonds and a good blender. Here is how we make it at our clinic:

All-Natural Almond Milk

1 ½ cups of raw almonds, soaked in water overnight
4 cups of filtered or spring water
3-5 dates (optional)

Blend 1 ½ cups of raw almonds that have been soaked overnight in 4 cups of water. Blend with dates if you like your milk with a hint of sweetness. Strain once to remove almond granules. The result is a delicious, creamy milk that is free of harmful vegetable oil, concentrated sweeteners, and the problems associated with cow’s milk and soy. It keeps for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Here is a list of eight of the healthiest foods you can eat:

Leafy Greens
Romaine lettuce, red leaf and green leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, turnip greens, and bok choy provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals, particularly folate, vitamin B6, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Leafy greens are also high in several different antioxidants and chlorophyll, which help to lower the risk of cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration, and cataracts.

Vitamin A

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B12

Folate (Folic Acid)

If a whole, uncut head of cabbage is wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator, it will remain fine to eat for several months. If the same head of cabbage is cut along its surface, even to a depth of one inch, and wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in the refrigerator, it will spoil within a few weeks. This is because as soon as a whole, unprocessed food is cut or processed even mildly, it begins to oxidize and lose its nutritional value. For this reason, a whole apple is a better choice for health than apple juice, even if the apple juice is freshly squeezed and without preservatives. A whole orange is better than orange juice, and a freshly prepared salad is more nutritious than lettuce that has been sitting shredded in the refrigerator for a day or two.

One of the areas often overlooked when discussing principles of healthful living is HOW to eat food. In order to optimize one's health, it is important to examine and carefully plan how to eat. Why is one's approach to eating important? If one eats in a way that does not allow for complete digestion of foods, these undigested foods sit in the warm environment of the intestines where they rot and produce toxins. While some of these toxins leave the body as gas, some of them enter the bloodstream and cause damage to tissues and organs, contributing to the development of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. The following are steps that can be taken to promote optimal digestion:

Chet Day is the founder of ChetDay.com , a premier online resource for natural health information. I recently came across the following article that he wrote on strict vegan diets. I appreciate this article because it serves as a reminder to be honest with ourselves about our health rather than to stay rigidly attached to a particular philosophy or program. Many thanks to Chet for his gracious support in sharing this article with our guests. - Ben Kim