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“The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” –Ann Wigmore, Nutritionist and Health Educator

The Core Plan to Prevent Chronic Diseases

Our main goal is to increase the number of Filipinos who are healthy at every stage of life- from conception to resurrection. Our strategy provides evidence-based recommendations fundamental to improving the nation’s health through the active engagement of all sectors of society to help achieve these goals. These evidence-based recommendations will reduce the burden of leading causes of preventable death and major illness. Here is the first of seven priority areas . . .

1 Healthy Eating

SEVEN TOP SUPER FOODS TO PREVENT CHRONIC DISEASES

(6) KEFIR/FERMENTED FOODS (LIVE PROBIOTICS). Our gut is like a rain forest, full of diverse life. An ecosystem of 500 species, 3 pounds (1.4 kilos) of friendly bacteria and 100 trillion microorganisms form a HUGE chemical factory to help digest our food, regulate hormones, provide protection from infection, regulate metabolism, excrete toxins and produce vitamins and other healing compounds that keep our digestive system and body healthy. If kept in check, our whole system flourishes. Maintaining optimum levels of friendly bacteria promotes health, rebuilds immunity and helps prevent or control cancer. Eighty percent (80%) of the immune system lines the gastrointestinal tract. The modern diet and medicines like antibiotics can cause real harm to the biodiversity in our digestive tract. Too many meds and eating too much sugar and processed foods can suppress this protective gastrointestinal arm. Many diseases that seem unrelated to the digestive system like eczema, psoriasis and arthritis are actually caused by digestive problems.

Kefir is an ancient cultured, enzyme-rich food filled that aids in lactose digestion, reduces flatulence caused by lactose intolerance by 50%, contains millions of “good” bacteria known to promote the breakdown of lactose during digestion, and is an excellent source of protein. Kefir and other fermented foods can fortify the body’s defenses against infections and cancer. Other great sources of probiotics: sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and artichokes.

(7) CHLORELLA AND SPIRULINA. Chlorella and spirulina are microscopic plants that grow in fresh water, or micro-algae. As the earliest and simplest life forms on the planet, they have been around for billion years, appearing far before animals roamed the land. These micro-algae contain an astounding array of nutritional elements and a vast spectrum of phytochemicals:

• High-quality, complete protein that is more dense and digestible than any animal-derived protein. (Chlorella is 58% protein.)

• All the known B vitamins, including vitamin B12, which is almost never found in plants

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin E

• Macrominerals: calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and more

• Trace minerals

• Omega-3 fatty acids, including GLA

• Mucopolysaccharides

• Beta-carotene

• Nucleic acids (RNA & DNA)

• Chlorophyll

Chlorella and spirulina have zero refined carbohydrates, no “bad” fats, are high in digestible protein, high in essential fatty acids and high in chlorophyll. They are thought to contain every nutrient required by the human body in near-perfect ratios! This is why they are called superfoods. These superfoods range in size from 2 to 8 microns, which is about the same size as a human blood cell. They appear green due to their chlorophyll content.

Chlorella and spirulina offer a stunning array of health benefits. Their use in patients cannot only prevent millions of cases of serious disease each year, but have been shown to be effective in treating and even reversing conditions like cancer. They have been used to prevent and control:

All types of cancers • diabetes hypoglycemia • arthritis • depression severe liver damage and liver disorders intestinal ulcers • hemorrhoids • asthma high blood pressure • constipation bleeding gums • infections inflammation of joints and tissues • body or breath odor • degenerative diseases essential fatty acid deficiencies • mineral deficiencies especially magnesium.

Given that FOOD equals LIFE, dedicating an entire year would not be enough to cover this subject. Let us move on to our Second CORE plan to Prevent Chronic Diseases. Let us always keep in mind that in the days before prescription drugs, FOOD was MEDICINE like chicken soup for flu or brown apples for an upset stomach.

Generations of foods prepared in our homes bind, purge, invigorate and improve one’s health and wellbeing. Then came modern allopathic (conventional or mainstream medicine) oriented science which until recently threw nutrition—and its potential effect on both maintaining health and fighting illness—into the compost pile. The reasons were countless. (1) Our government: DOH, FDA, and DA promote GMO, Aapartame and MSG (2) The school system failed to teach the importance of nutrition and food as medicine (3) Families spend more of their quality time and hard earned money in fast food joints instead of preparing meals at home (4) Convenience and cost of junk, processed foods (5) Processed junk and fast foods are endorsed by media and celebrities left and right. Similarly, big pharma could not patent a food’s natural properties, and studying food with its thousands of chemicals and nutrients is incredibly complex. By comparison, targeting and studying a single drug for efficacy in a double-blind model was far more straightforward and lucrative to both researchers and industry.

Now, from the molecular level to the kitchen table, research is unlocking the power of foods, spices and herbs to protect us from chronic diseases. Numerous studies show it is whole foods that provide the most protective effects on the body.

Meanwhile, here is the Green Secret’s “Green Bliss” antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory juice to prevent chronic diseases. (Make sure to wash all ingredients well before juicing). It is a MUST to use organic ingredients only.

• 1 cup leafy greens (malunggay, sweet

potato leaves, kale, spinach)

• 1 beet (peeled)

• 1 inch turmeric root

• 1 apple (peeled if not organic)

• 1 tbsp Chia seeds (soaked)

Juice all ingredients in your masticating juicer. Stir the chia seeds and enjoy.

Let us help build fit and healthy communities with effective chronic disease prevention systems that will keep millions of Filipinos from developing deadly and debilitating disease. I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on “Ask Dr. C at www.greensecret.com.ph” Our deepest gratitude to IAJ WELLNESS CORPORATION for making this information public. For more information or questions, email me at [email protected].

Christine E.V. Gonzalez is a doctor of naturopathic medicine and holds PhDs
in holistic nutrition and natural medicine. LLM (MS Environmental Laws & Labor)
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