health morsels

I have read many times of the supposed occurrence of digestive leukocytosis that raw vegans claim to be proof that cooked foods are harmful to us. Many books, many papers, many websites... but no matter how much research I do, I have never been able to find actual studies, lab based or clinical to support this. So I was interested to read this response in this blog (I have to say the varied responses in this blog sometimes make as interesting reading as the posts).

My understanding is that the increase in white blood cells that was reported in the 1920's in response to cooked food has not been replicated since. It is probably of no consequence.

So raw is probably good for recruiting new bacteria, but it hasn't been examined. Cooked meat and veggies have many more nutrients available and that is why food has been cooked for the last couple of thousand years by most cultures.

I studied Anthropology at university, Health and Human Sciences, it was a science based course of study and was what sparked of my interest in attachment parenting (since it was the only mode of parenting of our ancestors and is still the most practiced 'method' today). Food didn't much interest me then. Being thin did and looking good did but to link that with food? I didn't get that far. When I realised one day that I would have to feed my tiny newborn actual food along with breast milk I was revolted. Nothing was good enough! It sparked a study in nutrition and food that has not waned, even now, nine-plus years later. Every day since then I have read about food, both recipe based reading and nutritional research and my ideas about what constitutes good food has changed many times over, both in theory and practice.

Now I look at food as medicine. To be ingested with love and attention, prepared thus. Selected for the properties which can both nourish and heal and sustain. So when I look at a bag of crisps I honestly very rarely want to eat them. Even if I am hungry. White potatoes cooked in vegetable oil? Not much to recommend them.

My children eat different foods to me, as does my dh. As it should be. We are all different. No one food would suit as all. No one diet would. One of my sons and my dd thrive on meat and fish, it's what they choose over anything else (even over a plate of blueberries and raspberries or cake). One son favours fruit and bread. I favour fat. I really do, and greens. My dh is a through and through meat man and suffered terribly when I did my total raw green bit (yikes) or the soup every evening (he would be almost apologetic, asking is there anything else too? Something to chew maybe...?). I can live without meat. But I do like lightly cooked fish. Greens suit me better slightly braised. Or mixed - both cooked and raw in salads. Raw foods can be healing, and cleansing I have read (although not sure I have experienced). But we don't need to be cleansing all of the time. Nor detoxing. It's very idealistic. Vegan foods are high in carbs and carbs are the one food group humans do least well on (should I put in some references for that broad statement? Hmmm..... I should but it just seems a general nod in every direction comes on that score). I think other diets can be healing too. A diet where one eats less can be very healing for some people. I don't think the body functions well with stored fat, both on a cellular level and daily, physically. I found that eating vegan made me put on weight. It was very perplexing. The lentils, the veg, the soups, the juices... perhaps I just ate more? A duck egg omelet or fish with greens on the other hand keeps me full for a very long time. A green juice later maybe an apple and some cocoa butter based snack, lots of water and herbal infusions and I am set for the day.

Anyway, where am I then? I don't know. I'm eating a bit of everything, well, most things: not grains of any sort, nor dairy, sugar or meat, but those aside, there's pretty much a whole lot left to eat. Right now as I type, I have leeks and sweet potato simmering in a pan with spices, soon to be added - lots of salmon and rainbow chard, to be eaten piled on a salad. I just saw my acupuncture guy who tells me the heat in my blood is much less, despite some minor inflammation. I am taking cooling Chinese herbs, this is my formula:

Dang Gui (Rx. Angelicae Sinensis)
Sheng Di (Rehmannia)
Chi Shao (Red Peony)
Gan Cao (Licorice)
Xia Ku Cao (Prunellae)
Mu Dan Pi (Mouton)
Luo Huan Guo (Fr. Momordicae-Arhut Fruit)
Dan Shen (Salvia)
Hong Hua (F. Sophorae Japonicae)

I REALLY want to take a medicinal mushroom formula, I am itching too, but my TCM practitioner thinks not for me right now. I still browse online and look and read about them and feel I will. Not sure when. For a long time I worried that mushrooms stimulate the immune system. Modulate, regulate are what I want. But mushrooms I think have more of an adaptogenic quality (like ginseng). They *can* stimulate if you need that. They can also heal and regulate. See? I really am wanting to try some, can you tell? I convince myself constantly. A single - reishi, or a combined formula with many types? Anyone reading this use mushrooms? What have you found? I'd love some advice and opinions.

Re: children and bread (mine's love of). This guy in my little town makes the most fabulous bread EVER. Rye sourdough and sourdough sticky buns, I bought some today. They boys gave them such a thumbs up.

I have finally read this book.



Finally because I have known about it for a long time but strongly resisted reading it. Why? Well I once knew someone (no longer, so no chance of her reading this) who *lived* this book. She was in love with the theory and practice and it seeped into every conversation. For example, someone might comment they had argued with their spouse - her immediate response would be that anger and aggression can be common when one isn't eating right for their type. Couldn't climb a ladder - well leg strength can be improved just by eating right for your type didn't you know! (no matter that the reason was because of a broken rung, you didn't get that far in the explanation). And so it went on, boringly. It was actually pretty hilarious when I think back but dull at the time. So, yeah. Now I have read it. An still don't think too much of it. It's very neat. And if you *are* eating right for your type and still ill, or not happy with energy levels etc then it's your fault some how for cheating and letting a food you shouldn't eat slip in. Well actually that's a common theme for most dietary theories, I've seen it many times over, only sometimes if you can't stick to a way of eating the accusation is perhaps you are not spiritual enough or vibrating on a higher plane of frequency. Yes, a good serving of guilt lofty ideals. Some things in this book were interesting though: Basically just plain history/biology facts, such as Blood type O being the oldest blood type among humans, the original hunter gatherer type. Type A came later with settled agricultural groups and B even later to blend a more urban setting. AB is the newest of all the blood types and as such is the one most likely to correspond with diseases such as cancer (compatible blood antigens do show a predisposition for a variety of disease - I checked this one out with other sources and apparently it's true, which I suppose means the rest of the theory *could* also be true? Not sure...)

According to D' Adamo, diets attributed to each blood type are those which fit the ancestral model - ie, more meat and protein for the hunter gatherer type O's, some grains and farmed produce for the type A's and a mixture of both for type B's. Very neat. the 'science' bit is the most wobbly I think, although the bit most prized in the book. Supposedly lectins (protein molecules on the surface of all cells) can be seen interacting with various blood types and the more coagulation that occurs the more unsuitable a substance. So, vinegar and coconut are terribly coagulating in type O groups and should be avoided etc. For me half the foods I eat are on my avoid list. Maybe that's why I don't like this book :)

Two of my favourite ever online health-guys, David Wolfe (gotta love his enthusiasm and fab salesman techniques) and Dr Mercola (he waffles but he knows his stuff and doesn't care about offending mainstream with *truth*) - together! A good combo. Here's a video clip from a recent Longevity Now conference, 6 tests your Dr should do for you to help facilitate super health.

I am interested to read this book Wolfe recommends, Earthing, which emphasise the importance of being electro magnetically connected to the earth and what insulation has done to us (rubber soled shoes). Bathed in EMF radiation we are 'charged' up constantly, this charge can be dissipated by being grounded, earthed. Swim in lakes, the ocean, walk bare foot..... Although I have to say that although DW claims not to make money from this book I know he sells products to facilitate 'earthing' when it's not physically possible, like whilst flying etc (some products called the 'Zapper') so I am wondering if such things are mentioned in the book or whether he marketed these products after reading the book... hmmmmm.