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The New Optimum Nutrition Bible

Page 41

by Patrick Holford

Wheat has twenty-five nutrients removed in the refining process that turns it into white flour, yet only four (iron and vitamins B1, B2, and B3) are replaced. On average, 87 percent of the essential minerals zinc, chromium, and manganese are lost. Processed meats like hamburger and sausage are no better: the use of inferior meat high in fat lowers the nutrient content. Eggs, fish, and chicken are nutrient-rich sources of protein, but protein deficiency is rarely a problem.

  Vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, and grains are full of vitality, being whole foods. Many are “seed” foods, so they have to contain everything that the plant needs to grow, including zinc. Broccoli, carrots, peas, and sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants. Peppers, broccoli, and fruit are rich in vitamin C and other phytonutrients. Seeds and nuts are rich in essential fats. Beans and grains provide both protein and complex carbohydrate. Foods such as these should make up at least half, if not all, of your diet.

  The perfect diet pyramid below gives you the kind of balance of foods to aim for in your diet.

  The perfect diet pyramid.

  Check out your diet

  Many people would like to believe that as long as they take their vitamin supplements they can keep eating all the “bad” foods that they love. But you cannot rely on diet, supplements, or exercise alone to keep you healthy. All three are essential.

  DIET CHECK QUESTIONNAIRE

  Score 1 point for each yes answer. Maximum score is 20.

  Do you add sugar to food or drink almost every day?

  Do you eat foods with added sugars almost every day?

  Do you use salt in your food?

  Do you drink more than one cup of coffee most days?

  Do you drink more than three cups of tea most days?

  Do you smoke more than five cigarettes a day?

  Do you take recreational drugs such as cannabis?

  Do you drink more than 10 oz. of alcohol (one glass of wine, one pint or 600 ml of beer, or two shots) a day?

  Do you eat fried food more than twice a week?

  Do you eat processed fast food more than twice a week?

  Do you eat red meat more than twice a week?

  Do you often eat foods containing additives and preservatives?

  Do you eat chocolate or sweets more than twice a week?

  Does less than a third of your diet consist of raw fruit and vegetables?

  Do you drink less than ½ pint (300 ml) of plain water each day?

  Do you normally eat white rice, flour, or bread rather than whole-grain?

  Do you drink more than 3 pints of milk a week?

  Do you eat more than three slices of bread a day, on average?

  Are there some foods you feel “addicted” to?

  Do you eat oily fish less than twice a week and/or seeds less than daily?

  0–4: You are obviously a health-conscious individual and your minor indiscretions are unlikely to affect your health. Provided you supplement your diet with the right vitamins and minerals, you can look forward to a long and healthy life.

  5–9: You are on the right track, but must be a little stricter with yourself. Rather than giving up your bad habits, set yourself easy experiments. For instance, for one month go without two or three of the foods or drinks you know are not good for you. See how you feel. Some you may decide to have occasionally, while others you may find you go off. But be strict for one month—your cravings will only be short-term withdrawal symptoms. Aim to have your score below five within three months.

  10–14: Your diet is not good and you will need to make some changes to be able to reach optimum health. But take it a step at a time. You should aim to have your score down to five within six months. Start by following the advice in this chapter, backed up by the advice in part 2. You will find that some of your bad dietary habits will change for the better as you discover tasty alternatives. The bad habits that remain should be dealt with one at a time. Remember that sugar, salt, coffee, and chocolate are all addictive foods. Your cravings for them will dramatically decrease or go away altogether after one month without them.

  15–20: There is no way you can continue to eat like this and remain in good health. You are consuming far too great a quantity of fat, refined foods, and artificial stimulants. Follow the advice in part 2 very carefully and make gradual and permanent changes to your lifestyle. For instance, take two questions to which you answered yes and make changes so that one month later you could answer no (one example would be to stop eating sugar and drinking coffee in the first month). Keep doing this until your score is five or less. You may feel worse for the first two weeks, but within a month you will begin to feel the positive effects of healthy eating.

  Eating for vitality

  One secret of longer and healthier life is to eat foods high in vitamin and mineral vitality, but this is not the only criterion for judging a food. Good food should also be low in fat, salt, and fast-releasing sugars; high in fiber; and alkaline forming. Nonanimal sources of protein are desirable. Such a diet will also be low in calories, but then you will not have to count them because your body will become increasingly efficient and not crave extra food. A craving for food when you have already eaten enough calories is often a craving for more nutrients, so foods providing “empty” calories are strictly to be avoided.

  Top ten diet tips

  Eat 1 heaping tablespoon per day of ground seeds or 1 tablespoon of cold-pressed seed oil.

  Eat 2 servings of beans, lentils, quinoa, tofu (soy), or “seed” vegetables per day.

  Eat 3 pieces per day of fresh fruit such as apples, pears, bananas, berries, melon, or citrus fruit.

  Eat 4 servings per day of whole grains such as rice, millet, rye, oats, wheat, corn, quinoa or whole-grain breads, or pasta.

  Eat 5 servings per day of dark green, leafy, and root vegetables such as watercress, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach, green beans, peas, and peppers.

  Each day, drink at least 6 glasses of water, diluted juices or herbal or fruit teas.

  Eat whole, organic, raw food as often as you can.

  Supplement a high-strength multivitamin and mineral, 1,000 mg of vitamin C, and essential omega-3 and omega-6 fats every day.

  Avoid fried, burnt, or browned food, hydrogenated fat, and excess animal fat.

  Avoid any form of sugar and refined or processed food with chemical additives, and minimize your intake of alcohol, coffee, and tea. Limit your alcohol intake to one alcoholic drink a day.

  45

  Your Optimum Supplement Program

  Your personal nutritional needs can be calculated by looking at your lifestyle and identifying signs and symptoms associated with various deficiencies. In the sections that follow, answer the questions as best you can, then for each nutrient work out your score out of ten. If you score five or more, the chances are that you do not have the optimal intake of that nutrient, given your current needs. The second part of this chapter shows you how to turn these scores into your optimum supplement program. You can also do this by having an online My Nutrition assessment (see Resources) that will calculate your own personal diet and supplement program.

  Optimum Nutrition Questionnaire

  SYMPTOM ANALYSIS

  For each symptom that you experience often, score 1 point. Many symptoms occur more than once, because they can be the result of many nutrient deficiencies. If you experience any of the symptoms in bold type, score 2 points. The maximum score for each nutrient is 10 points. Put your score for each nutrient in the box.

  Vitamin Profile

  VITAMIN A

  ____ Mouth ulcers

  ____ Poor night vision

  ____ Acne

  ____ Frequent colds or infections

  ____ Dry flaky skin

  ____ Dandruff

  ____ Thrush or cystitis

  ____ Diarrhea

  Your score

  VITAMIN E

  ____ Lack of sex drive

  ____ Exhaustion after light exercise

  ____ Easy b
ruising

  ____ Slow wound healing

  ____ Varicose veins

  ____ Poor skin elasticity

  ____ Loss of muscle tone

  ____ Infertility

  Your score

  VITAMIN D

  ____ Arthritis or osteoporosis

  ____ Backache

  ____ Tooth decay

  ____ Hair loss

  ____ Muscle twitching or spasms

  ____ Joint pain or stiffness

  ____ Weak bones

  Your score

  VITAMIN B2

  ___Bloodshot burning, or gritty eyes

  ___Sensitivity to bright lights

  ___Sore tongue

  ___Cataracts

  ___Dull or oily hair

  ___Eczema or dermatitis

  ___Split nails

  ___Cracked lips

  Your score

  VITAMIN C

  ____ Frequent colds

  ____ Lack of energy

  ____ Frequent infections

  ____ Bleeding or tender gums

  ____ Easy bruising

  ____ Nosebleeds

  ____ Slow wound healing

  ____ Red pimples on skin

  ____ Bleeding or tender gums

  ____ Acne

  ___Your score

  VITAMIN B1

  ____ Tender muscles

  ____ Eye pains

  ____ Irritability

  ____ Poor concentration

  ____ “Prickly” legs

  ____ Poor memory

  ____ Stomach pains

  ____ Constipation

  ____ Tingling hands

  ____ Rapid heartbeat

  Your score

  VITAMIN B6

  ___Infrequent dream recall

  ___Water retention

  ___Tingling hands

  ___Depression or nervousness

  ___Irritability

  ___Muscle tremors, cramps, or spasms

  ___Lack of energy

  Your score

  VITAMIN B3 (NIACIN)

  ____ Lack of energy

  ____ Diarrhea

  ____ Insomnia

  ____ Headaches or migraines

  ____ Poor memory

  ____ Anxiety or tension

  ____ Depression

  ____ Irritability

  Your score

  VITAMIN B5

  ___Muscle tremors, cramps, or spasms

  ___Apathy

  ___Poor concentration

  ___Burning feet or tender heels

  ___Nausea or vomiting

  ___Lack of energy

  ___Exhaustion after light exercise

  ___Anxiety or tension

  ___Teeth grinding

  Your score

  FOLIC ACID

  ____ Eczema

  ____ Cracked lips

  ____ Prematurely graying hair

  ____ Anxiety or tension

  ____ Poor memory

  ____ Lack of energy

  ____ Depression

  ____ Poor appetite

  ____ Stomach pains

  Your score

  VITAMIN B12

  ___Poor hair condition

  ___Eczema or dermatitis

  ___Mouth oversensitive to heat or cold

  ___Irritability

  ___Anxiety or tension

  ___Lack of energy

  ___Constipation

  ___Tender or sore muscles

  ___Pale skin

  Your score

  Mineral Profile

  CALCIUM

  ___Muscle cramps, tremors, or spasms

  ___Insomnia or nervousness

  ___Joint pain or arthritis

  ___Tooth decay

  ___High blood pressure

  Your score

  MAGNESIUM

  ___ Muscle cramps, tremors, or spasms

  ___Muscle weakness

  ___Insomnia, nervousness, or hyperactivity

  ___High blood pressure

  ___Irregular or rapid heartbeat

  ___Constipation

  ___Fits or convulsions

  ___Breast tenderness or water retention

  ___Depression or confusion

  Your score

  BIOTIN

  ____ Dermatitis or dry skin

  ____ Poor hair condition

  ____ Prematurely graying hair

  ____ Tender or sore muscles

  ____ Poor appetite or nausea

  Your score

  IRON

  ____ Pale skin

  ____ ___Sore tongue

  ____ ___Fatigue or listlessness

  ____ ___Loss of appetite or nausea

  ____ ___Heavy periods or blood loss

  Your score

  MANGANESE

  ___Muscle twitches

  ___Childhood “growing pains”

  ___Dizziness or poor sense of balance

  ___Fits or convulsions

  ___Sore knees

  Your score

  ZINC

  ___ Decline in sense of taste or smell

  ___White marks on more than two fingernails

  ___Frequent infections

  ___Stretch marks

  ___Acne or greasy skin

  Your score

  CHROMIUM

  ___Excessive or cold sweats

  ___Dizziness or irritability after six hours without food

  ___Need for frequent meals

  ___Cold hands

  ___Need for excessive sleep or drowsiness during the day

  Your score

  SELENIUM

  ____ Family history of cancer

  ____ Signs of premature aging

  ____ Cataracts

  ____ High blood pressure

  Your score

  Essential Fatty Acid Profile

  OMEGA-3/OMEGA-6

  ___ Dry skin or eczema

  ___Dry hair or dandruff

  ___Inflammatory health problems, such as arthritis

  ___Excessive thirst or sweating

  ___PMS or breast pain

  ___Water retention

  ___Frequent infections

  ___Poor memory or learning difficulties

  ___High blood pressure or high blood lipids

  Your score

  Now put all your individual scores into the appropriate spaces in the second column of the chart on this page (the column headed Symptom Score).

  LIFESTYLE ANALYSIS

  The following checks allow you to adjust your nutrient needs according to aspects of your health and lifestyle. Again, answer the questions as best you can and work out your score. In most checks, the maximum score is 10, scoring 1 point for each yes answer unless otherwise specified. If you score 5 or more in any category, you will need to add the points shown in the chart on this page to your individual nutrient scores. The easiest way to do this is to circle all the numbers in the corresponding columns on this page. For example, if you score more than 5 on the energy check, you would circle all the numbers in the energy column on this page. Some checks are either yes or no. If you answer yes, circle the numbers in the relevant columns on this page.

  Energy Check

  ___Do you need more than eight hours’ sleep a night?

  ___Are you rarely wide awake and raring to go within twenty minutes of rising?

  ___Do you need something to get you going in the morning, like a cup of tea or coffee or a cigarette?

  ___Do you have tea, coffee, or sugar-containing foods or drinks, or smoke cigarettes, at regular intervals during the day?

  ___Do you often feel drowsy or sleepy during the day or after meals?

  ___Do you get dizzy or irritable if you have not eaten for six hours?

  ___Do you avoid exercise because you do not have the energy?

  ___Do you sweat a lot during the night or day or get excessively thirsty?

  ___Do you sometimes lose concentration or does your mind go blank?

  ___Is your energy less now than it used to be?

  Your score

  Str
ess Check

  ___Do you feel guilty when relaxing?

  ___Do you have a persistent need for recognition or achievement?

  ___Are you unclear about your goals in life?

  ___Are you especially competitive?

  ___Do you work harder than most people?

  ___Do you easily get angry?

  ___Do you often do two or three tasks simultaneously?

  ___Do you get impatient if people or things hold you up?

  ___Do you have difficulty getting to sleep, sleep restlessly, or wake up with your mind racing?

  Your score

  Exercise Check

  Score 2 points for each yes answer

  ___Do you take exercise that noticeably raises your heartbeat for at least twenty minutes more than three times a week?

  ___Does your job involve lots of walking, lifting, or any other vigorous activity?

  ___Do you regularly play a sport (football, squash, and so on)?

  ___Do you have any physically tiring hobbies (gardening, carpentry, and so forth)?

  ___Are you in serious training for an athletic event?

  ___Do you consider yourself fit?

  Your score

  Immune Check

  ___Do you get more than three colds a year?

  ___Do you find it hard to shake an infection (cold or otherwise)?

  ___Are you prone to thrush or cystitis?

  ___Do you generally take antibiotics twice or more each year?

  ___Have you had a major personal loss in the last year?

  ___Is there any history of cancer in your family?

  ___Have you ever had any growths or lumps removed or biopsied?

  ___Do you have an inflammatory disease such as eczema, asthma, or arthritis?

  ___Do you suffer from hay fever?

  ___Do you suffer from allergy problems?

  Your score

  Pollution Check

  ___Do you live in a city or by a busy road?

  ___Do you spend more than two hours a week in heavy traffic?

  ___Do you exercise (do your job, cycle, play sports) by busy roads?

  ___Do you smoke more than five cigarettes a day?

 

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