A guide to better eating:

10 simple principles to explore and adopt

Small adjustments over a long period make a big difference!
We are water! 1. Understand hydration: we are 80% plus made of water! All our cells are made of and bathe in fluid. Dehydration is a prime cause of ageing, free-radical activity, unclear mind, skin problems, headaches, etc.Drink min 1 litre (2 pints) and up to 2 or 3 litres depending on climate, activity level, health level, age, etc. Best to consume water that is filtered and at room temperature (body temperature is 37 degrees. Save your body the energy needed to warm up ice water! It might take some getting used to not using ice if you are in the habit (i.e. USA) Please note that Coke, tea, coffee, sodas, beer, etc. do not hydrate the body! So these drinks do not replace your daily water requirement. Drinking a glass of warm water (you can add lemon) first thing in the morning , 20 minutes before breakfast has the effect of lubricating our intestines facilitating bowel movement, and is also wonderful for the skin (water with lemon) Digestion wars! 2. Learn to not eat concentrated proteins (i.e.: meat, poultry, fish, tofu) and carbohydrates (i.e. rice, bread, pasta, pastry, millet, etc) in the same meal. Proteins require acidic digestive juices, whereas carbohydrates require alkaline digestive juices. Combining both in one meal tends to cancel the action of the digestive juices and results in gas formation and indigestion with food just sitting in the guts and eventually putrefying. The source of many a disease! If you really must combine them, then make vegetables the main ingredients of the meal as they will help neutralise the adverse effects. The 3 white poisons! 3. Learn to switch away from SUGAR, TABLE SALT, and MSG (Monosodium glutamate flavour enhancer) -and foods that contain them (so many mass produced foods!). Replace these with healthy alternatives. For sugar: stevia sweetener, barley syrup or fructose to name the most common. (Beware that almost all commercial sweeteners such as Sweet n lo, Nutrasweet, Candarel, and any other aspartame based sweetener are all highly toxic). For table salt (sodium): sea salt (rich in potassium and countless other minerals), soy sauce with sea salt. For msg: learn how to cooks as to bring out the natural flavours of foods! (Or have the waiter in the Chinese restaurant ask the cook not to put it in your food) Oiling it right! 4. Understand your oils: heating most oils makes them highly toxic! Hydrogenated oils (process used by manufacturers to prolong shelf life) are already toxic. Best to use mono saturated oils for heating (i.e. good quality palm oil) and

Johan Taft (magnifygreatness@btinternet.com)

polyunsaturated oils applied cold on foods (i.e. virgin olive oil, organic sesame oil, Dr Udos oil, etc.) Take your time! 5. Help your digestive system by eating slowly, chewing food well (must be almost liquid by the time you swallow- 80% of digestion of starches is achieved in the mouth by saliva!) The smaller your food is when you swallow it, the less energy your digestive system needs to expend to break it down). Help it too by sitting down when you eat. (Standing up prevents the liver from assisting the digestive process). Eat in a quiet environment and focus on eating (not working, talking, watching TV, etc). The digestive system cannot function well when the body is in fight and flight mode (alertness, activity). No guzzling with your food! 6. Drink separately from your meals as liquid intake will dilute digestive fluids and prevent proper digestion, causing build up of wastes and toxins. (A rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 hour before meals or 1 to 2 hours after). The Chinese say that a small cup of tea can be beneficial at the end of a meal. Hold the fruit! 7. Understand that eating fruit directly after a meal causes gas. This is because fruit is digested fast. When it sits for longer with slow digesting foods like meat, it ferments, causing toxins and gas. So it is best to eat fruit either 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after. Dead or alive? 8. Learn to distinguish vital food from dead food. Fresh, (organic), local, whole, preservative and chemical free food is desirable. Food that has been: genetically modified (most US soy), irradiated (by suppliers for shelf life and pest control), cooked or heated by microwave oven, fried, canned, processed and refined, given additives (for shelf life, colour and flavour) and sterilised, is lower in vitality, could be harmful and is best avoided. Move that body! 9. Take up a form of exercise that you can learn to enjoy. Exercise distributes our vital energy and oxygen to all parts of our body and helps remove toxins. Good exercise stimulates and strengthens our meridians, which has a very positive impact on our digestive system and all other inner organ systems. How about some Gratitude? 10. Invoking a prayer or an expression of deep gratitude after each meal helps facilitate the evolution process of the nutrients toward higher planes and feels good. If all this looks like a big load to take on, just take on one of these principles at a time, make the switch and build up from there. Remember: everything counts! For info on how to massively speed up your journey to greater health and vitality, please send me an email at: magnifygreatness@btinternet.com Yours in health,

Johan Taft (magnifygreatness@btinternet.com)

Johan Taft

Johan Taft (magnifygreatness@btinternet.com)