Plants are a rich source of nutrition, but everything that is found in plants is not necessarily a nutrient.

Nutrients are things that our bodies need to grow and function correctly. If you think of a person’s body as a chessboard, nutrients are the chess pieces that are needed to play the game. Sometimes, however, the plants also contain some substance_s that are not chess pieces, although they can influence the game.

Many plants contain chemicals that, just like prescription medicines, have a modifying effect on the body’s processes. About 25% of prescription medicines come from plants. Aspirin, for example, comes from the bark of a type of willow tree, but is a chemically purified and modified form of the original salicylate.

If plant products are used as medicine in their unaltered state, it is called phytotherapy. One of the most popular forms of phytotherapy is ginkgo biloba, an extract of the leaves of a tree found in China, used to treat loss of memory because it dilates the blood vessels of the brain.

If you are taking an anticoagulant like warfarin or aspirin, you should not take ginkgo as it can cause blindness as a result of bleeding inside your eyes.

Make sure that you know enough about the substance you are taking. Discuss it with your health worker. There is a great deal of information available on the advantages and disadvantages, as well as the contraindications, of phytotherapy.

Antioxidant

A lot of the commotion around food supplements is about the group of substances called antioxidants. Antioxidants (also known as anti-free radicals) combat harmful breakdown products (free radicals) that form in our body, or enter our body from the environment.

Free radicals can damage the delicate structures in the body’s cells and therefore should be eliminated as soon as possible. The body has its own set of anti-free radicals that do the elimination work, but sometimes we are attacked by an abnormally large number from the environment or as a result of illness.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. We manufacture many types of amino acid ourselves, but there are a few important ones that we have to get from our food. These are known as essential amino acids.

Some multivitamin preparations contain small quantities of these, but they are also available separatelyand in larger quantities. It is usually necessary to consult a knowledgeable health worker when it comes to taking these expensive, high-dosage preparations.

Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are another group of important components of the body processes. They participate in many reactions, but are especially important as the building-blocks of the cell walls.

Included in this group are a few that are not manufactured by the body, and are therefore known as essential fatty acids. The importance of essential fatty acids in the diet is the reason why people should not go on a fat-free diet. A low-fat diet is better.

Olive oil, flaxseed oil and fish oils are important and convenient sources of this group.

Water

Most of the water that we need each day should preferably com_e from our food. If this is not the case, then water can also be regarded as a food supplement. When you take your vitamin and other supplements every day, you might just as well swallow them down with enough water.

Homeopathic Preparations

Homeopathic preparations are not food supplements. They ar_edifferent substances that are prepared in a specific way in order to act on the body in a unique manner.

A simplified explanation of these treatments, which have been used for restoring the body’s functioning for about 150 years, is as follows: one drop of an extract or active substance from plants, animals or other sources in the environment is added to 99 drops of water mixed with alcohol. The mixture is then fervently shaken a certain number of times (also known as potentiating). A drop of this potentiated mixture is again added to 99 drops of alcohol-water mixture and the new mixture is shaken again in the same way. And so it goes on until the desired dilution or potency (strength) is achieved. (Different stages of illness require different strengths of these homeopathic mixtures to attain the required reaction.)

With the repeated dilution of the original drop used there comes a point where no active ingredients of the original drop are left in the mixture. The potentiating (shaking process) causes the information in the drop’s active ingredients to be transferred to the water molecules, which are conveyed to the body from the water molecules in the form of energy. (The alcohol is there to facilitate the absorption of the homeopathic preparation by the lining of the mouth.)

Homeopathic preparations cannot rectify deficiencies of vitamins or other nutrients, but the energy in the preparations helps to normalise the body’s processes — a lot like the software of a computer making the hardware work better.

Tissue salts are homeopathic mineral preparations used in _very low doses for all kinds of complaints. There are twelve different preparations that are usually suggested, each with a diff_erent function. However, the functions are relatively specific and you are advised not to take all twelve on a regular basis. This is just like watering a plot of land with a whole dam of water.

There is no such thing as a miracle pill. Balance and variation are the basis of a healthy diet. The fresher and less overcooked the vegetables and fruit you eat, the better your absorption of the nutrients they contain. Few people actually manage to follow a diet that contains enough of all these nutrients to enable them to meet the demands of a stressful lifestyle. You therefore have to take your vitamins. A good combination of the extra things you need does not need to cost you a fortune.

I believe in a “vitamin holiday” every now and again. One day a week or one week every two months I don’t take any supplements and just make sure I drink enough water.

The answer is simple: Everyone. Many of my colleagues will probably want to burn me at the stake for this but there is enough evidence to prove that most people today do not eat a balanced enough diet to get all the vitamins they need. In addition, the fast pace, stress and pollution of modern society result in a greater need for vitamins and other nutrients.

Who should take supplements?

• Women in their fertile years, and especially those who plan to fall pregnant, should preferably take folic acid supplements. A lack of folic acid can result in the baby being born with a neural tube abnormality.
• Pregnant women should take iron, folic acid and calcium supplements.
• People who are at risk for osteoporosis and those who already have it should take calcium. This is also important for anyone who has too few dairy products and other calcium-containing foods in their daily diet.
• Vegetarians and their children, especially those who also do not eat milk or egg products, should take vitamin B, iron and other supplements. Babies of vegetarian mothers who are still being breastfed are especially in danger of developing a serious deficiency.
• The elderly should always take a multivitamin supplement containing amino acids, minerals and antioxidants. Their appetite and eating habits often leave a lot to be desired and this malnutrition can lead to deficiencies and physical debilitation. Dementia and other forms of forgetfulness are sometimes the result of a deficiency of vitamin B12. Increased susceptibility to infections can also be attributed to nutritional deficiencies.
• If you spend less than 10 to 20 minutes in the sun every day you probably need vitamin D.
• Smokers need extra vitamin C and other antioxidants.

• Aspirin inhibits the processing and action of vitamin C and folic acid.

• People who drink a lot of alcohol should take extra B vita.. mins and vitamin C, and they may also benefit from milk thistle extract.
• Some medications, such as tetracycline (often used for treating acne), neomycin and laxatives, can rob the body of important vitamins. Diuretics (”water pills”) cause your body to lose too much potassium, magnesium and sometimes sodium. If you take medication regularly, ask a dietician or an informed health worker about vitamin and mineral supplements.
• If you are on warfarin, be careful of preparations and foods that contain vitamin K.
• If you are interested in staying young, there is a series of vitamins and other supplements that can check accelerated ageing.
• People with heart disease or those who are at high risk for it, need enough vitamin B₁2 folic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E. Calcium and magnesium supplements are also of value here.

Minerals

Minerals are not manufactured, but are already present in the soil and in water. They are included in the other molecules of plants and animals. In this organic form, minerals are much more easily absorbed by the human alimentary canal.

The 50 different minerals found in the body form only about 4% of total body weight. The fact that they comprise such a small part of the body does not make them unimportant. In fact, 22 of the 50 minerals are essential for normal functioning.

Minerals serve as important components of the key reactions of the body’s functions — a lot like wheel bolts. They weigh very little in relation to the total weight of the motor car, but without them the car would not be able to do what it has to do.

Iron is also a mineral. It is important to realise that iron supplements should not be taken without a good reason. Too much can cause liver problems. You should only take them if you have an iron deficiency (as indicated by a blood test), or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. (Iron polymaltose, a specific form of iron supplement, is however safe to use as it is not harmful and can be taken without first having a blood test.)

Mineral supplements are not manufactured in a slow-release form because then they would not be absorbed at all.

One of the fastest growing sections of the health industry is that of vitamin preparations. However, there is still a great deal of ignorance among both the public and health workers as to their desirability and meaningful use. The budget that most people have for “luxuries” like vitamins and health literature is limited.

For many people, a health shop is an exciting place filled with thousands of small bottles of exotic preparations from all corners of the earth. Every label promises health, vitality and energy. A few of the products have Western scientific backing, but the vast majority of the labels on the bottles give a vague, generalised indication of their beneficial effects. People then hurry home with empty purses and bags full of “mixtures of goat dung and turnips” to share the secrets of far-off lands.

Fortunately, there are shop owners who know enough about their health products, but sometimes people with very little knowledge palm off preparations on customers. There are also salespersons who walk around with testimonials from people who coincidently began to feel better after they had taken one or a whole course of their products. Sometimes people feel better simply because they are having the regular meals that are recommended together with the preparations, and not necessarily from the pills.

There are people who have the necessary know-how, though. Find out how much training the salesperson has had and ask for a Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practice.

REMEMBER, even if something is natural, it is not necessarily safe for human consumption. Snake venom is natural.

It is also not necessarily what you take, but how you take it.

I am becoming more and more aware of the fact that consumers often do not have the faintest idea of what they are taking. I often ask people what vitamin supplements they are taking and the answer comes back: “Some or other homeopathic pill that I bought at the supermarket.” This is usually a multivitamin they found next to the children’s fever medicine.

Vitamins

Vitamins are substances that our bodies need, but are unable to manufacture for themselves. They are complex biochemical molecules that are manufactured by other living organisms. We use some of these plants and animals as food. The vitamin group includes vitamin A, a group of B vitamins, and vitamins C, D, E and K.

The B vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble and the kidneys therefore excrete any excess. Vitamins A, D and E are n_ot water-soluble. If too much of these vitamins are consumed it can accumulate in the fat cells and other tissues and lead to poisoning. As is often the case in life, too much of a good thing is not a good idea.

Too much vitamin A can result in headaches, therefore it is recommended that no more than 5000 international units (IU) be taken every day. Read the label on the packaging and work out how much to take per day.

It should seldom, if ever, be necessary to take a Vitamin K supplement as it is manufactured by the bacteria in the colon. Some plants (especially green leafy vegetables) also contain vitamin K. People who are on warfarin (an anticoagulant) should be careful of vitamin K as it can hamper the working of the drug.

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. Many people find pure vitamin C too acid. This can be overcome by taking a buffered form.

If you take a vitamin pill, it will (hopefully) dissolve in the alimentary canal. The vitamins then find their way through the walls of the canal into the bloodstream. Here they are distributed to the different tissues. The tissues are, however, unable to handle large amounts at once. The excess eventually lands up in the kidneys (in the case of water-soluble vitamins) and is excreted in the urine. That dark yellow or orange colour of the urine is a sign that you are flushing away part of your investment unused. In order to avoid this waste, B vitamins and others are often supplied in a slow-release form.

“Slow release” means that the pills dissolve more slowly and the vitamins are released more gradually over a longer period. Read the label on the packaging or consult your pharmacist or health worker.

Vitamin packaging always has “RDA” written on it. This stands for recommended daily allowance — the amounts that, according to the World Health Organization, are necessary for preventing the so-called deficiency diseases. The “RDA” values are the absolute minimum that the body requires and do not necessarily reflect the needs of the body for optimal functioning.

The threads of this story are now beginning to come together. At the beginning, we talked about insulin, the hormone which controls sugar levels in the body by telling cells all over the body, in the liver and muscle, to absorb glucose from the blood. When people get Type z diabetes, first their muscles and liver, but not their fat, become insulin-resistant, meaning that despite production of increasing amounts of insulin, their cells are deaf to its exhortation to take up glucose. Too much fat, as we know, is likely to cause Type 2 diabetes — but curiously having too little causes exactly the same disease.

People who have a disease called lipodystrophy have almost no fat. You can have such a condition from birth, or acquire it because of _something like HIV. It sounds vaguely attractive, but actually is very disfiguring, making people look permanently sick and skeletal. Because the bodies of those with lipodystrophy can’t store fat, their bodies try to move it into muscle tissue or the liver instead. In people who are obese, there is also nowhere to store fat, but in their case it’s not because there is no fat, but because all the fat depots are already full to brimming. Just as in those with no fat, there is an attempt to shift it to muscle and liver. In both the obese and the thin, the consequence, especially in muscle, is that fatty acids spill into the cells, somehow altering the normal response to insulin. It is possible that adiponectin is the missing link between insulin resistance and obesity. If it is, it means that diabetes is not the sugar problem we’ve thought it was for the best part of eighty- five years, but a fat problem. As I write, no adiponectin is yet available for use in humans. When it can be made in sufficient quantity for human use, as it surely will, we may discover that this hormone can be used for treating both obesity and diabetes. But so far this is just surmise.

When I tell people that hormones can make them fat and about the fat thermostat, there are two reactions. One is relief and the other is suspicion, usually followed by ‘But it’s still about putting too much in and not enough out’, which for the majority of people is right. For years, management of obesity has been about the management of behaviour. Behaviour is only part of the obesity problem. The other part is hormones. And that’s the truth.

Women report many other conditions which seem to fluctuate across their cycles, particularly autoimmune diseases, which affect far more women than men. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis and MS symptoms both appear to be worse at the beginning of a period. This is because ovarian hormones modulate autoimmune illness. Hormones are clearly not the whole story here, because those women who have specific hormone problems affecting their ovaries don’t have a higher than normal incidence of these illnesses. Also, while rheumatoid arthritis and MS tend to get better in hormone-awash pregnancy, lupus (another autoimmune disease) gets worse. What’s going on here? Autoimmune diseases occur because the immune system becomes unable to distinguish what is you from what is foreign in you. It then starts attacking you, instead of the foreign invaders it is supposed to deal with. One suggestion — of many — as to why autoimmune diseases are more common in women, is that female sex hormones influence the development of the thymus gland. This is an important site for the production of those bits of the immune system that tell self from non-self.

Whatever the reason for the disparity in autoimmune disease between the sexes, there is definitely a difference between the day- to-day working of men’s and women’s immune systems. Testosterone dampens the immune system and oestrogen boosts it. Viral infections are less severe in women than in men; parasitic infections are more common in male animals than female ones and so on. Variations in oestrogen across the cycle are likely to be the reason why women report a greater rate of infection of cold sores, for example, just before a period.

Something else that is modulated by hormones is pain. Oestrogen influences the size of the ‘field’ of nerves activated in response to a painful stimulus. Oestrogen stimulates release of the body’s own opioid painkillers. Pain is least noticeable, then, when progesterone as an anaesthetic is at its highest level in the second half of your cycle. This may be an important piece of scheduling knowledge if you are set on having a Brazilian. Does it mean that women are more sensitive to pain than men? No. Whatever our cultural beliefs about tough men, there is no variation between the genders, but a huge individual variation both in response to pain and to pain relief. You see this most dramatically after surgery when patients are able to set levels of pain relief for themselves using what are called patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps. There is a fourfold variation in the ‘right’ level of pain relief, and there is no correlation with gender, race, age, weight or type of operation.

Asperger’s syndrome is often called high-functioning autism, because intelligence is not affected — in fact, it may be higher than normal. Indeed, some AS individuals may be supremely gifted, but they also have great difficulties with relationships and with empathy. Most of us can ‘read’ situations to varying degrees. We have an understanding of what or how someone else may be thinking and we are then able to adjust what we say or do accordingly, but those with Asperger’s have great difficulty in ‘reading’ other people. They are, in Baron Cohen’s words, ‘mind blind’. They also have a tendency to blurt out the truth — ‘you have a nasty big nose’ — because they cannot understand, as we do, that there are some things that you shouldn’t say. They are most comfortable when they are in control of their world and will seek to master every last detail of a ’system’ because this provides predictability. There are rules and laws which govern how a system behaves, unlike people whose behaviour is totally mystifying. In those professions where attention to detail is everything, people with Asperger’s can thrive. They flourish in professions like physics, engineering and maths, where their social skills are less important. Isaac Newton, Nobel prize-winning physicist Paul Dirac and Albert Einstein are all examples of supremely successful scientists who probably all had Asperger’s syndrome.

What’s interesting about AS is that there are ten males to every female with the condition. In tests of systemizing, men score better than women and those with autism score highest of all. On empathizing, women generally score better than men, while those with autism score worst of all. Of course, levels of testosterone in the womb do not explain all forms of autism, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component.

Eye contact is another thing that children with autism find difficult. Oxytocin is released when a mother looks at her baby and helps with bonding and developing maternal behaviour. It has been suggested recently that excess oxytocin (derived from synthetic oxytocin used during delivery to hasten labour) may somehow affect the baby’s normal oxytocin receptors, downregulating them and so contributing to the development of autism spectrum disorders. Certainly, oxytocin is crucial in social behaviour and attachment. Mice specially bred to have no oxytocin, despite normal development, seem to have trouble recognizing their family members, even though they have normal eyesight and smell. Nevertheless, the theory that synthetic oxytocin actually causes autism seems highly unlikely.

These essential fats also help to control the sex hormones in both men and women. In adolescents, they help to alleviate the hormone fluctuations so common during puberty, and thus prevent against outbreaks of acne, mood swings, and even ‘growing pains’. In adults, they help to stimulate fertility, decrease the severity of pre-menstrual syndrome and regulate menstrual cycles. In menopausal women, they alleviate mood swings and depression, and make this rather rocky ride a little easier to cope with.

They indirectly help to improve insulin resistance

For this reason they are used in fat loss programmes.

They slow the progression of degenerative diseases

Research has shown that an adequate intake of essential fatty acids helps to slow the progression of serious _degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis and some cancers, as well as arthritis, osteoporosis, myalgias and myelitis.

Essenstial Fats Supplements

Think of these fatty acids as very tiny segments of the ‘mother oils‘. If the mother oil were a huge space rocket, the fatty acids would be the tiny space shuttles. Just as shuttles need a large and bulky rockets to blast them into space, so essential fatty acids need the mother oil to ‘carry’ them into the body. When you eat, say, olive oil, enzymes in your body go to work on the oil. They press the necessary chemical buttons and in doing so release the tiny shuttles (GLA). Then they discard the large rocket (the olive oil). These tiny GLA shuttles are then free to start their important work in the body. The same principle applies to the fatty acids derived from fish oils, namely EPA and DHA.

The presence of fatty acids in these mother oils is one of the main reasons why medical professionals encourage their patients to include olive oil and fatty fish in the diet. This is good advice, but only if you are not a Syndrome X patient, and only if you do not have a problem with excess body fat. Why?

Since the mother oils contain only tiny traces of the essential fatty acids, you would need to eat an enormous quantity of the oils in order to obtain the amount of GLA, EPA and DHA you need. If you were to do this, you would not only end up hating your diet and smelling like an Eskimo, but you would also battle to lose body fat and probably get even fatter. As losing fat is the cornerstone of the X Diet, it’s clearly not feasible to try and obtain the essential fatty acids by eating more olive oil and pilchards!

Even if you are in the habit now of including large quantities of these oils as a matter of course, there’s a chance that your body isn’t actually getting the benefit. Our bodies contain the enzyme called desaturase, whose sole responsibility is to ‘cleave off’ the GLA from the mother oil. A common problem is that many of us do not have enough of this desaturase enzyme — if any at all.

We think that this may simply be an evolutionary change in humans — in the same way that some of us have wisdom teeth and some do not. But a result of this enzyme deficiency is that even if you down a bottle of olive oil and a shipload of pilchards every day, your body is unable to ‘access’ the essential fatty acids because it doesn’t have the enzyme necessary to do the chemical button-pushing, or cleaving.

The solution is to take pure essential fatty acids in supplement form: that is, fatty acids that have already been ‘liberated’ from their mother oils by a natural or factory process, and that do not require the presence of the desaturase enzyme in your gut.

Many different types of essential fatty acid preparations are available on the market. Pharmaceutical companies have managed to cleave DHA and EPA from their ‘mother oils‘ (fatty fish oils), and have marketed these fatty acids in a concentrated capsule form. These supplements are often labelled ‘Omega 3 Fatty Acids‘, ‘Fish Oil‘, ‘Marine Oil‘ or ‘Salmon Oil‘.

When it comes to our GLA requirements, nature has come up with a brilliant solution: the evening primrose plant, which produces an oil that is one of the most concentrated sources of gamma-linolenic acid known to man. The oil is also sold in capsule form, and is sometimes labelled ‘Omega 6 Fatty Acids‘.

If you are in perfect health, all you need do is look on the label for the recommended daily dosage, or ask your pharmacist for advice. However, if you have any health problems, such as arthritis, depression or Syndrome X, you will probably need to take larger doses of these oils in order to help correct the problem, so it’s essential to consult your doctor and a registered dietician.

People often ask me, ‘Must I take these supplements for the rest of my life?’ and my answer to them is this: ‘Well, you have a choice. We know that these oils can help prevent degenerative diseases, high cholesterol and even some cancers. Either you can take a few concentrated capsules every day for the rest of your life, or you can consume bottles of olive oil and tons of sardines every week. You decide.’

Patients also sometimes moan to me about taking supplements, saying, ‘I don’t want to put any pills into my body. I only eat natural things.’ This attitude is very short-sighted. We should all count ourselves blessed that medical science has made so many fascinating discoveries about what our bodies need. In the old days, cavemen lived until they were 20 — if they were lucky. We will live to see our grandchildren and even great-grandchildren, so why not give our bodies every bit of help they can get? And if this means eating three little capsules instead of three tins of pilchards every day, well, why not?

These essential fatty acids fall into two ‘families’: the Omega 6 fats, found in seeds and their oils, and the Omega 3 fats, found in fatty-fish oils.

The essential fatty acids have fabulous long names:

• Omega 6 oils: Gamma-linolenic Acid (GLA)
• Omega 3 oils: Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)

Even those of us who freely eat large amounts of plant and fish oils don’t get enough essential fatty acids. And, as everyone knows, if we don’t eat enough of a particular nutrient, we begin to show symptoms of a deficiency disease, just as sailors in days gone by who didn’t eat Vitamin C soon got scurvy. Some of the symptoms of a deficiency of essential fatty acids include:

• inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and gout
• degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis ,
•  blood thickening
• impaired immunity
• dry skin and acne
• emotional disturbances, such as clinical depression
• pre-menstrual syndrome
• High blood pressure
• Hormonal disturbances, which may lead to infertility

What is so interesting about this list of symptoms is that they are all disorders linked with lifestyle diseases so prevalent in the modern world!

The role of essential fatty acids

A great deal of research has been done in recent years into the benefits of essential fatty acids. There is now no doubt that these fatty acids play an enormous role in reducing the risk of a growing list of serious lifestyle diseases. These are some of the remarkable properties of essential fatty acids:

They are natural anti-inflammatories

Essential fatty acids block certain natural inflammatory substances (prostaglandins) in our blood that lead to the inflammatory diseases, which include gout, arthritis, menstrual cramps, acne, and so on They also reduce the inflammatory response of the artery walls. Cholesterol problems arise when oxidants in the blood ‘burn’ the sides of the arteries, and cause the blood to set up an inflammation around the wound. This `sticky’ wound causes passing fats and cholesterol to accumulate on the artery wall. If you take enough essential fatty acids, this inflammation will become less pronounced — and your risk of forming the plaques associated with heart disease will be reduced.

They reduce the risk of heart disease

The anti-oxidant-type properties of essential fatty acids help reduce oxidative damage to arteries. As I mentioned above, they are natural anti-inflammatories which reduce inflammatory response of the artery walls. Not only that, but they help thin the blood by reducing the ’stickiness’ of platelets circulating, just as aspirin does. As a result, the accumulation of platelets around an artery ‘burn’ is not as pronounced, and the blood is less ’sticky’. If a plaque already exists in an artery, the thinner blood passing through this occlusion will reduce the chances of an existing plaque breaking away and causing thrombosis, stroke or heart attack.

They prevent and even reverse osteoporosis

The bones in our bodies are constantly being ’spring-cleaned’. The bones contain ‘eaters’ of bone (osteoclasts), which remove bits of calcium from bones, and `builders’ of bone (osteoblasts), which put calcium back into bones. This ‘eating and building’ process starts at conception and continues till the day we die. Up until the age of about 25, our osteoblasts are very active — they build up our bones until they achieve a maximum calcium density. After the age of about 25, however, our osteoclasts start becoming more active, and the process of bone loss is enhanced. How long it takes for the bones to become thin and brittle depends on how densely they were ‘built’ before the age of 25. If you consumed large amounts of calcium in your growing years, did not diet repeatedly and did a lot of weight-bearing exercise, the chances are that your bones will not become thin or brittle very quickly. But if your bones were not very dense with calcium at the age of 25, there is a chance that you will have problems later on in life.

Osteoporosis normally affects women after menopause. This is because oestrogen (the female hormone that among many other important functions protects us against osteoporosis) stops being produced in adequate quantities. Women nowadays are usually given hormone replacement therapy as an extra guard against osteoporosis.

Gamma-linolenic acid has been shown to stimulate the ‘building’ osteoblasts in your bones, and controls the ‘eating’ activities of osteoclasts. If you consume the right amounts of GLA for your body, you can actually prevent any further loss of calcium from your bones. Not only that, but the GLA will aid in the re-building of your bones, especially when combined with weight-bearing exercise. (If you once thought that weight training was for men only, please think again! Weight-bearing exercise can slow down and even prevent many degenerative disorders, including muscle loss.)

The humble onion has a variety of health-protective and cleansing benefits. The pungent flavor of onions helps to improve circulation and reduce excess mucus in the respiratory tract and throughout the body. They are rich in sulfur, which promotes detoxification from heavy metals and parasites. Natural compounds in onions help to regulate blood pressure and eliminate damaging LDL cholesterol while increasing levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol. For the most powerful benefits, eat onions both raw and cooked. Red and yellow onions contain quercetin, a potent antioxidant that neutralizes carcinogens and has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Parsley

Fresh parsley deserves more attention than just as an occasional garnish to a meal. Parsley contains an abundance of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and magnesium and is a rich source of cleansing chlorophyll. It stimulates increased urination and helps to purify the urinary tract. Add liberal amounts of fresh minced parsley to salads, soups, and pasta dishes.

Pineapple

Fresh pineapple contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that not only aids digestion, but also has potent anti-inflammatory properties. Although many people find it easiest to digest fruits if they are eaten either 30 minutes before or 2 hours after meals, the digestive-enhancing properties of pineapple make it beneficial when eaten as an appetizer or dessert. Eating fresh pineapple between meals helps to cleanse the body of accumulations of mucus and other metabolic wastes. Avoid underripe acidic pineapple, and choose those which are ripe, sweet, and juicy.

Spinach

Spinach is rich in beta-carotene and other carotenoids, which have potent antioxidant properties and help to protect the body against degenerative cell changes. A potent natural chemical in spinach is lutein, which is as powerful an antioxidant as beta carotene. In addition, the high concentration of chlorophyll in spinach blocks the formation of cancer-causing substances in the gastrointestinal tract. Spinach is a good blood builder because of its abundant iron content. To preserve vitamins and help neutralize oxalic acid, which interferes with calcium absorption, cook spinach quickly in a small amount of boiling water.

Watercress

Slightly spicy watercress is an exceptionally rich source of calcium, iron, and carotenoids. The high chlorophyll content of watercress makes it an excellent blood purifier, and the slightly bitter taste is helpful for stimulating liver and gall bladder function. Add chopped fresh watercress to soups at the last minute, or toss a handful into a leafy green salad for a refreshing pungent flavor. Watercress also has diuretic properties and can be made into a tea by steeping 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herb in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes.

Watermelon

Sweet, juicy watermelon is a delicious summer treat that cleanses and cools the body. Watermelon has excellent diuretic properties and helps to purify the kidneys. In addition, watermelon is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. Watermelon is easily digested, but only if eaten alone. When combined with other foods, melons tend to cause bloating and intestinal gas. Watermelon is one of the few foods (tomatoes are another) that contain lycopene, a potent antioxidant that may be even more powerful than beta carotene.

Carrots are one of the best sources of beta-carotene, with approximately 5,000 units of this health-protective nutrient in one carrot and 25,000 units of beta-carotene—an entire day’s health protective allowance—in one cup of fresh carrot juice. Beta- carotene promotes healthy liver function, and has powerful antioxidant properties, which protects cells from the damaging changes that are the primary cause of degenerative diseases. Carrots are also rich in pectin, which helps to alleviate constipation, cleanse the colon, and lower blood cholesterol levels.

Cherries

Cherries are often recommended for alleviating the painful symptoms of arthritis, gout, and rheumatism. They relieve rheumatic complaints by neutralizing excess acids in the body and alkalizing the blood. The gentle laxative effect of cherries makes them excellent for cleansing the intestinal tract. Cherries are good sources of vitamin A and C, and are rich in minerals, which makes them helpful for building the blood. They also are a good source of ellagic acid which has cancer-preventive properties.

Garlic

Garlic has powerful antimicrobial properties and helps to cleanse the body of a variety of unhealthy microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. To obtain the antimicrobial benefits, garlic must be eaten raw, either chopped or crushed. Add raw garlic to salad dressings or to soups or pasta dishes just before serving. Garlic also enhances the functioning of the immune system, and helps to cleanse the blood of harmful LDL cholesterol, while increasing levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol. In addition, garlic thins the blood and helps to prevent blood clots. To enjoy all of the health-protective benefits of this wonderful herb, eat 2 or 3 cloves daily, both raw and cooked.

Grapes

The diuretic and intestinal-cleansing properties of grapes make them an ideal snack as part of a detoxifying program. Grapes contain caffeic acid, a natural compound which has potent anticancer benefits, and a wide variety of other antioxidants. Because these protective nutrients are concentrated in grape skins, red and purple grapes are richer in antioxidants than green grapes. Grapes are good sources of potassium and vitamin C, and the darker varieties in particular are rich in iron and help to build healthy blood. In addition, grape juice is beneficial for the cardiovascular system, helping to lower blood levels of harmful LDL cholesterol and to increase beneficial levels of HDL cholesterol.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit are an excellent source of pectin, the soluble fiber that helps to sweep out the intestines and lower blood cholesterol levels. In addition to cleansing the blood of harmful excess cholesterol, fresh grapefruit contain a natural chemical that helps to dissolve cholesterol plaques in arteries. Like all citrus fruits, grapefruit are rich in vitamin C, which has potent antioxidant properties and is protective against cancer. The white inner rind is high in bioflavonoids, which strengthens the capillaries. The slightly sour taste of grapefruit stimulates liver function and purifies the digestive tract. To obtain the full benefits of grapefruit, eat whole grapefruit, including the pulp and some of the white inner rind. Grapefruit are also a good source of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that protects the cells from damage by oxidized fats.

Kale

Dark, leafy green kale has the highest content of carotenoids of all of the leafy green vegetables. Carotenoids, including beta carotene, are powerful antioxidants, and help to protect the body against cancer and other degenerative diseases. Chlorophyll, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, folic acid, and iron are found in abundance in kale. The calcium in kale is easily absorbed, which makes it valuable for those who choose to avoid dairy products or who must because of lactose intolerance. My favorite way of preparing kale is to lightly sauté the chopped leaves in olive oil with fresh garlic or ginger.

Lemon

Lemons are excellent for cleansing the digestive tract and for helping to alkalize the blood. In Chinese medicine, the sour taste of lemon taken in moderation is believed to be beneficial for the liver. Lemons, like other citrus fruits, are rich in vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant to protect body cells. Lemon and other citrus fruit rinds also contain a substance called limonene which has potent anticancer properties. To take advantage of the protective properties of limonene, add the zest of fresh organic lemon or oranges to salad dressings, soups, or sauces and simmer slices of lemon or orange peel in herbal tea blends. Try starting the day with a glass of filtered water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Lemon stimulates intestinal function and the astringent properties help to cleanse the body of excess mucus.