AmericaNurse News
September, 2003

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We are what we eat. Interestingly enough, the results of hair analysis tests for vitamins, minerals etc on 80 year olds, I have seen results on are better than the eight year olds. The elderly have less toxic elements than young children. Many parents say that they ate the same things that their kids eat. This is not true. The chemicals now used for preservatives did not even exist then. Cookies, snacks, candy did not have the long shelf life because they did not have these preservatives in them to keep them forever fresh? Did they have the soaking solutions now used on some meats and fish-on the label in small print. There are stores that carry healthier lines of food along with other types.

Every label should be read before purchasing. Some healthy foods now have been genetically engineered and are not as healthy. I had an experience at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy Wisconsin. The food served was home gown and filling-I did not have to eat again that day. They have different kinds of meals and experiences for visitors. It seems that when your body gets what it needs-it may not want excesses to fulfill your cravings. Did you ever experience eating sweets only to get hungrier? When sugar excesses are ingested, it may cause insulin to overproduce making you hungrier than before. Sugar is not just in the form of sugar, it comes in the form of flour, pasta etc. How does all this happen? It starts with saliva production in the mouth which tells our body that food is coming and needs to be digested. It is said that the stomach is the second brain. Some thing that you may run out of insulin in your body if you cause it to constantly utilize it. It may be better to satisfy your body with a salad to slow blood sugar release instead of starting with a bread? One PhD. I interviewed said that romaine lettuce is great for your body. Have you looked at children's menus? Children's diets may determine their behavior afterwards. This has been tested and proven at some schools where the lunch menu was changed to healthy foods and caused the students to get better grades and be less aggressive toward each other. What is the solution? Educate yourself-take the time to read every label-be tested to see what state of health or toxicity you have in you. Think about what you feed the children or let them eat and notice how it affects their behavior about 20 min to l hr after eating? Are they hungry, angry or sleepy? This may also cause you to see what allergies may be present which may exhibit in the form of personality changes. There are some "sugars" available that are not as easily assimilated into the cells. Some people cannot assimilate certain elements properly and need enzymes to digest them. Calcium may be a problem for some-it may be taken yet be unavailable to the body systems-a particular enzyme may allow it to absorb better. Zinc when unavailable to the body may be replaced by poorer repair items for the body which can cause brittle arteries or even high blood pressure. You may find the answers to these questions on our informational website.

Upon interviewing a PhD on nutrition for my television shows on cable and community TV, I have been told many interesting facts including that chemical inputs have polluted our ponds, rivers and oceans as well as our drinking water. There are some that say that all bottled water is not pure either. There has been a decline in the quality and taste of vegetables, fruits and grains since the middle of the last century according to Walter Goldstein because crops have been bred for fast growth. Some animals are apparently also fed unnatural diets which may leave them subclinically ill. Some may be fed antibiotics just to keep them alive which could cause us to form a resistance to antibiotics when we need them.  There appears to have been an increase in degenerative diseases among humans such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, autoimmune diseases and a possible reduction in fertility-all this may be linked to dietary changes in recent years.

For further info contact Karon Gibson RN at AmericaNurse.com or call 815-773-4497.  Karon is co-author of the book “Nurses On Our Own”.