Arthritis Nutrition
To function well the body requires proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and various trace elements.
At one time all of these and other essential elements would have been present in an ordinary "well-balanced" diet, but the methods used today to produce, refine and/or process our foods have destroyed many (if not all in some instances) of the life-giving constituents formerly present in our diet.
To replace at least some of these it has become almost a necessity to use food supplements.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 16:40
Acid Forming Foods
All meats, fish and cheeses (except cottage cheese)
These should be cut down to a minimum. The goal to aim at is to have any one of these only once daily and to avoid large helpings at any time.
Eggs and Egg Products
No more than the equivalent of two or three eggs should be eaten weekly. Eggs are more easily assimilated when mixed with milk, as when scrambled.
Dried Beans, including Lentils, Dried Peas and Nuts
These could be alternated with flesh foods, cheese and eggs for protein and never used in large quantities at any one time.
All White Sugar and White Flour Products
These should be used only occasionally and then sparingly on special occasions.
Alcoholic Drinks
With the possible exception of good wines (not sherry) these should not be consumed daily and never in large amounts at a time.
Deep Fried Foods
Should never be eaten.
Strong Tea and Strong Coffee
If used several times a day these can be harmful, particularly to the kidneys and the liver. They are acid producing and are likely to increase the arthritic symptoms.
Other harmful substances are salt (except sea salt in moderation), pickles, most sauces.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 16:34
Other Uses of Vegetables
If a juicer or liquidizer-blender is not available, celery and the coarse leaves of vegetables can be cooked in a little water until soft, then squeezed out by hand. The resultant liquor is a healthful addition to soups, stews or gravies.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 16:31
Use of a Blender-Liquidizer with Raw Foods
Blending will overcome the problem of digesting raw green foods for those not accustomed to them, who have weak digestions, or have difficulty in chewing.
It is also one way of using the coarse outer leaves or parts of spinach, cauliflower, lettuce, celery, cabbage or other green vegetables. These should first be washed and then chopped fairly finely with a knife or shredded by hand. The pieces are then pressed into the blender, never more than half way up, and water is added to about the quarter point or a little less.
This will be converted by the blender-liquidizer into a thick green puree composed of fine particles which are easily digested and can either be consumed as they are as a vegetable (though the taste is apt to be bitter), or added to a salad.
Cottage cheese or salad dressing will disguise the strong flavour, or the puree can form the basis of a very nutritious soup. When milk is added the flavour becomes quite bland and further improvement can take place with the addition of a little kelp powder, sea salt, Marmite or other yeast spread, or soy sauce.
As in the case of raw vegetable juices, those unaccustomed to raw green foods should take only one or two tablespoonsful of this puree to begin with. The liquidizer-blender is also invaluable, of course, for many other kinds of soups, including those containing pulses such as dried beans or peas.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 16:30
Vegetable Juices
Those who possess an electric juicing machine will have at hand a valuable tool for producing a good alkaline - reacting food from almost any fruit or vegetable, or a mixture of fruits or vegetables, not the two together.
The fruits or vegetables are sliced into small pieces, then put through the machine with water added, and the resultant juice will contain all the minerals and vitamins of the fruits or vegetables with the roughage filtered out. However. this is strong stuff and to begin with only a few tablespoonsful daily should be taken, morning or night, gradually working up to a glassful. Yet food, as a general rule, should be eaten not drunk. Drinks are useful in illness or when fasting.
Comments (0) 08.01.2007. 16:29