Vintage Nutrition - What People Ate 100 Years Ago That Made Them Healthier than Us

Our modern diets are missing some fundamental ingredients (nutrients). The people who lived 100 years ago had more proteins and enzymes and less inflammation than we do. Basically all symptoms and diseases are caused by protein deficiency or inflammation. Of course, there were other problems then, but we could have it all if we do some of the things that they did (suggested reading).

There are four basic rules that I've got outlined in my head for good nutrition, higher protein and enzyme levels, and better health. Here they are:

CONSUME LIVE ORGANISMS. We produce enzymes and beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in our intestines. Enzymes either break down or they repair something. They digest our food. So, the more enzymes you have, the more proteins you build. They also break down and repair all of our organs and body tissues thus keeping our bodies in good repair. Our intestinal lining along with the beneficial bacteria compose 60 - 80% of our immune system, depending on who you ask.

Probiotics produce about 50 acids. These acids are B-vitamins, they kill pathogens or they detox. Only a pathogen or a probiotic can occupy space on your intestinal lining and you want probiotics there (see my other blog about our Health Epidemic).

We don't produce enough enzymes and probiotics ourselves so we need to consume more with our food. Unfortunately, almost everything in the grocery store is devoid of live organisms because it has been irradiated or pasteurized. The yogurt that promotes probiotics has very little added back in after pasteurization.

About the only thing in the grocery store with both enzymes and probiotics is Bragg's brand Apple Cider Vinegar. There are other brands of ACV and some might be better (fermented the old fashioned way) but most grocers only carry Braggs. Increasing your enzyme and probiotics levels will provide you with immediate and long term health benefits.

ACV has many minerals, particularly potassium. You can consume 2 teaspoons of ACV in a daily health tonic, morning and evening or take 1 to 3 teaspoons with each meal.

You can also ferment vegetables yourself. Put non-irradiated vegetable mixture into a canning jar, add filtered or distilled water with unprocessed sea salt added. Put the lid on tight (so that bacteria from the air can't overpopulate) and leave at room temperature for 4 to 7 days. Then store in root cellar or refrigerator at 40 degrees. This process breeds enzymes and beneficial bacteria.

GET MINERALS FROM SEA VEGETABLES. Sea vegetables are rich in minerals, land vegetables are poor in comparison. Also, land has been over-farmed and our land vegetables today are very deficient in minerals. The more minerals you have in your intestines, the more proteins you build.

Sea kelp is the seaweed that is highest in iodine. Iodine is a missing nutrient in our diets since the 1970s (see my other blog about iodine). Iodine deficiency was the start of our health epidemic along with high fructose corn syrup. I believe iodine deficiency is associated with all neurological disorders through low thyroid or heavy metal toxicity.

All diseases can be traced to a mineral deficiency. Dr. Linus Pauling won a nobel prize for proving this. Doctors don't often give advice about mineral therapy or dietary sources.

Avoid sodium in table salt as it saturates the tissues and causes stubborn water weight. To flush out sodium, drink as close to a gallon of water a day as you can and take potassium to bring up your potassium levels. Potassium repels water and sodium attracts water. This is the most common reason for stubborn weight.

AVOID SUGAR AND HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS). HFCS is super-duper sugar and the biggest problem isn't that it makes us fat, it is super food for intestinal yeast.

Yeast overgrowth and leaky gut syndrome causes over 5,000 symptoms and serious diseases. Western medicine doesn't treat either of these problems, nor do they balance your minerals (this includes heavy metal detoxing). These are treatments for natural or holistic medicine. There are many books for do-it-yourselfers.

AVOID WHITE REFINED FLOUR AND RICE. White refined wheat and rice have very little nutrients. In other words, there is not much that your body can use to build a protein from. Therefore, they are almost completely useless.

Some people get 50% or more of their diets from white flour and rice. This means that their protein and enzyme levels are low and they probably have symptoms from protein deficiency and/or inflammation. Consume only whole grains and unrefined rices for complex carbs, nutrients and fiber.

Other tips for better health:

Consider consuming less meat if you have the right body type. Some people need more whole grains and rice and less meat. Some say to lower meat intake to 5% or less. Whether to go completely vegan is up to you, but beware that there could be some nutritional deficiencies that could result in a high body fat ratio (even if you are skinny) from lack or proteins for your muscles. You may be able to loose weight and rid yourself of diabetes with less animal fats.

Avoid the long chain fatty acids, which is any oil that has to be hydrogenated. Olive and coconut oils are medium and short chain fatty acids, Omega 3, and don't need to be hydrogenated because they don't go rancid. Long chain oils also accumulate in the wrong places in the body causing plaque buildup. They are completely useless in our diets. Fish oils are also healthy Omega 3 oils.

Take turmeric, garlic or ginseng for general health tonic. Garlic is one herb that pathogens don't build up a resistance to, so it is good for long term yeast control after cleansing yeast.

If you do these cleanses and still have symptoms, consider lectin or gluten allergy from grains and other foods. You will have to eliminate grains from your diet for 6 months to a year to get rid of your allergy to lectins.

Don't learn to live with it. There are probably natural supplements that can solve any problems that you can't get rid of with yeast cleansing, leaky gut healing and iodine therapy. I've also had great results with homeopathy, essential oils, gemstones for chakra balancing and Reiki (try Reiki for free on youtube.com: restrelaxationreiki).

Check out www.iherb.com. It is my favorite website because it is huge, has lots of customer reviews that I use for a research tool, and great prices. This blog is not to be taken as medical advice. Thanks and good luck.